I Became an Illegal Cheat User

16 – Dignity (3)

Five minutes before the start of the match.

I descended to the arena, loosening up my body, and pretended to open the point shop, purchasing a talent.

Originally, I intended to gather points to buy talents or skills of B-rank or higher.

However, a sudden event quest appeared, and the quest’s content was not ‘Show the dignity of a senior.’

Moreover, the quest’s rewards were generous, and next to the points, there was ‘additional rewards based on performance.’

Seeing this, I immediately used the points I had.

Why did I use the points I had gathered?

The rewards were so generous, not to mention the sweet ‘performance bonus.’ Why would I let that slip by?

If it were something else, I might not have used it, but I couldn’t resist the performance bonus.

For this reason, I boldly invested the points intended for the future into the present, not just for a victory but for an overwhelming victory.

So, the talent I purchased with all the 8,000 points I had was,

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“Savvy Eyes of an Aging Gunslinger (B-)”

Proof of surviving in the lawless era of the Wild West for a long time is a sign of shrewdness.

However, as one becomes more seasoned, the body tends to weaken.

– Can sense the direction from which the enemy will attack.

– When using firearms, ‘Momentary Insight’ skill can be used.

– When using firearms, ‘Combat Fatigue’ occurs.

– Agility +2, Spirit +5, Stamina -2, Strength -2

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『Momentary Insight』

A skill derived from the talent ‘Keen Eye of the Aged Gunslinger (B-)’.

It can only be activated with firearms.

– When an enemy is within 5m, the skill can be used.

– Duration: 4 seconds.

– Cooldown: 10 minutes.

“I shoot before being shot. That’s my conclusion.”

– An Aged Gunslinger in a duel –

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「Combat Fatigue」

A penalty derived from the talent ‘Keen Eye of the Aged Gunslinger (B-)’.

It is only activated with firearms.

– When using firearms, accuracy is reduced by 70%.

“Is it because I’m getting old? The bullets keep flying to the wrong places.”

– An Aged Gunslinger in a duel –

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The talent ‘Keen Eye of the Aged Gunslinger (B-)’ was a firearm-exclusive ability.

Originally, it was impossible to buy a B- rank talent for only 8,000 points.

Typically, the available ranks with points below 10,000 were only around D to C- grade, so I tried using the search function in the points shop just in case.

I wrote ‘8,000 points’, ‘firearm-exclusive’, and ‘penalty’ in the search function, and I was able to find ‘Keen Eye of the Aged Gunslinger’.

Perhaps because it was a rarely used ‘firearm’ with a ‘penalty’, I was able to purchase it for the cheap price of 8,000 points, despite being a B- rank.

Anyway, ‘Keen Eye of the Aged Gunslinger’ is a very useful talent even though it is firearm-exclusive.

The reason it is useful is because of the abilities listed in the talent description, such as ‘being able to sense the direction of enemy attacks’ and the derived skill ‘Momentary Insight’.

“Being able to sense the direction of enemy attacks”.

This passive effect is, as the description suggests, related to ‘sensation,’ and by using a talent with the same effect, I can sensually determine where the enemy is targeting my body.

For example, it warns of itching or tingling sensations, as if being tickled or experiencing a prickling sensation, in the area of the body being targeted.

It’s exactly the effect I need right now.

Why do I need this effect now? Because as a seasoned player in the game ‘Arena Academy,’ I know the attack patterns of Lee Seo-yeon and Arthur. However, unlike Park Seong-woo, they are not simple attackers who use only one sword. They are characters with high abilities, comparable to the protagonist, possessing various cheating talents.

Therefore, to easily deal with them, I need something that helps my senses, like the keen eyes of an experienced gunman.

Of course, you can win without buying talents, but to obtain the enormous rewards of the main quest ‘Enrollment,’ like the ‘Exploit Bonus,’ you must show an overwhelming performance and victory to everyone.

Literally, you need to demonstrate the ‘Dignity,’ as titled in the event quest.

And the skill derived from the talent, ‘Momentary Moment.’

This skill… It’s the first time I’ve seen it, so I don’t know exactly what effect it has, but given that I’ve acquired numerous skills and talents in the game, calling it ‘Momentary Moment’ implies a connection to time.

For example, a short slow-motion effect lasting about 1 second? Something like that.

And finally, the penalty…

The reduction in physical abilities such as ‘Stamina’ and ‘Strength’ among the stats is a bit… severe.

With a physical ability of only 15 to begin with, having it reduced by 4 is significant.

Now, not only can’t I lift a normal person, but even among superhumans, I’m weak…

Fortunately, the penalty derived from the talent, ‘Battle Fatigue,’ is not present.

With the cheat ‘Super Accuracy’ that can ‘unconditionally’ hit, whether the accuracy drops or not doesn’t matter at all.

If I can acquire good talents with such penalties, I welcome it.

So, after purchasing the talent, five minutes have passed.

The match has begun.

I aimed the gun at Lee Seo-yeon.

Bang! Bang!

Due to the penalty ‘Battle Fatigue,’ the hand holding the gun trembled, but thanks to the effect of the cheat ‘Super Accuracy,’ the two bullets that were originally flying off-course veered towards Lee Seo-yeon.

The area I’m focusing on is the right arm holding the sword and the head of Lee Seo-yeon.

But the two bullets did not reach their intended targets.

Ping, ping!

The bullets were lightly deflected by the sword Lee Seo-yeon casually swung.

‘…She deflected them.’

The first effect of the cheat, ‘Super Accuracy.’

‘No matter how you shoot, you can hit without fail.’

With the application of such effects, even if the bullets I fired were directed towards the wrong place, they accurately soared towards the target.

Moreover, the already fast speed of the bullets, propelled by the cheat’s effect, far surpassed the average speed, and in the blink of an eye, the bullet reached the target.

Therefore, Park Seongwoo couldn’t rebel, and his movements were blocked.

‘Certainly…’

Armed with outstanding stats, S-class talent, and skills, the protagonist effortlessly deflected bullets affected by the super-accuracy.

However, it wasn’t an immediate response. Just before the bullets touched his body at close range, he reacted belatedly and deflected them.

Yet, with that, I could conclusively determine the effect of the ‘super-accuracy’ in the duel against Park Seongwoo.

Cheat, super-accuracy.

This was a cheat designed for the strong and weak—強弱弱強.

For the weak, bullets that unfailingly hit—必中.

For the strong, high-speed bullets.

For figures like Park Seongwoo, it was an unavoidable bullet that never missed. But for strong characters like Yiseo-yeon or Ahseo, it was not a bullet that hit without fail; it was simply a high-speed bullet difficult to react to.

Yet, even with just that, ‘super-accuracy’ was a cheat equivalent to an S-grade fraudulent talent or skill.

And I, even as a seasoned player who had conquered Yiseo-yeon and Ahseo without such cheats, found it challenging to deal with this cheat.

‘Transmit.’

I transmitted two items to Yiseo-yeon, who had approached within close range.

“…!”

A flashbang transmitted in front of Yiseo-yeon.

During the previous third trial, she expected me to swing a noisy pouch, similar to when I threw the grenade.

Swish.

However, this time, she didn’t fall for it, slightly tilting her head as if to say she wouldn’t be fooled and avoiding the flashbang.

But what I anticipated was rather this.

I didn’t ‘expect’ her to suddenly fend off the item like the last time, but I ‘anticipated’ it.

And let me emphasize once more, the effect of super-accuracy is…

Bang!

Hitting what I aimed for.

And the flashbang doesn’t just take away vision.

Ping!

The bullet hits the pin of the flashbang, pulling it out.

Siiiiizzzle──!!

“…Ugh!”

It temporarily snatched away Yi Seo-yeon’s hearing.

Of course, my own hearing didn’t escape unscathed either.

Still, I closed my eyes just before the flash grenade detonated, so my vision remained intact.

Thanks to Noah’s sincere prayer punch-induced burst of light, Yi Seo-yeon’s eyes were unharmed, so the flash grenade posed no problem either.

Therefore, right now, Yi Seo-yeon is probably swinging her sword at me, who still can’t open my eyes.

But that’s okay.

I was already prepared for this.

I pulled the trigger of my gun.

No sound is audible.

But the bullet undeniably left the barrel and hit the ‘remaining object’ I saw before closing my eyes.

It makes sense….

Whaaargh!

A thunderous shockwave erupted in front of me like a pocket of noise.

I didn’t just grab a flash grenade; I also got a ‘non-lethal concussion grenade.’

The non-lethal concussion grenade looks similar to a typical lethal concussion grenade, but the only thing inside it is the ‘shockwave.’

Just like the shockwave felt a moment ago.

As soon as I sensed the shockwave, I immediately rolled my body in the ‘↗’ direction.

‘1…, 2…, now!’

Then, as the light disappeared, I opened my eyes and swiftly rose from my position.

『Momentary Instinct』

Then I activated the derived skill of the keen eyes of the aged gunman, Momentary Instinct.

Tick-tock.

The sound of the clock’s second hand ringing in my ears.

Simultaneously, Yi Seo-yeon’s sword charging towards me slowed down.

Sssllloooowww.

As I anticipated, the effect of ‘Momentary Instinct’ was a slow-motion motion.

Thinking this, I immediately raised my gun.

Tick.

Arms rising slowly, just like Lee Seo-yeon’s.

But it’s okay.

My bullets won’t miss.

Tick.

Flames burst from the barrel, and bullets are unleashed.

Even in the slowed cognition affected by the cheat, the bullets swiftly head towards the tiny crack formed by Seo-yeon’s sword.

And in the midst of it, the slowly exploding flames create a subtly cool sight.

Tick.

The last sound of the clock needle.

The skill, the momentary instant, has ended.

And.

Crackling!

Seo-yeon’s sword shatters.

Leaving only the handle.