Episode 199: Hammer vs. Pot
I first explained the rules of the hammer game.
“Let’s play rock, paper, scissors. Rock, scissors—”
“-paper.”
I am the scissors, the calligrapher is the bojagi.
Kim Ho Seung.
I picked up the mallet on the desk and lightly hit the calligrapher on the head.
“The winner attacks with a hammer. Again, rock, scissors—”
“-paper.”
This time I use scissors and the calligrapher uses fists.
The calligrapher Seung.
The calligrapher slowly brought the hammer to my head as if to say, “Is this how you do it?” I nodded and flipped the pot over and placed it on my head.
Then a small pot is lightly hit with a hammer.
“The real side defends with a pot. Is this confirmed?”
“check.”
“And if you do it wrong, it’s foul play. Like if you win at rock-paper-scissors and pick up the pot, or if you lose and pick up the mallet.”
“Foul, check.”
In summary, when you win or lose in rock-paper-scissors, you need to quickly grab the appropriate tool from the table and successfully attack or defend.
It can be said that this is a game that requires a fair amount of quick reflexes.
The calligrapher showed some interest, but it was not just simple interest.
I needed more motivation to get through this week.
So I decided to offer a small reward.
“If you win 10 times, you get a wish ticket. How about that?”
“……pillow?”
A calligrapher true to his desires.
After sleeping soundly on Kim Ho’s pillow during the midterm exam, he has been showing a strange obsession with me.
I was leaning against it the whole time I was talking to An Jeong-mi.
Since it was Jeong So-won’s wish, there was no reason I couldn’t grant it, so I nodded calmly.
“It won’t even be a pillow.”
“10 wins… … !”
With my approval, the calligrapher began to become more motivated.
It seems like he is trying to quickly get 10 wins and win the Kim Ho pillow.
‘It won’t be easy.’
It remains to be seen whether he can easily win even one game against me, let alone ten.
Before we begin, I raised the level of [Bonus] by 2 levels with Amplification.
[Use ‘amplify’.]
[The grade of ‘Buyeo’ increases. (F->D)]
Next, pass on one skill to the calligrapher as [Bonus].
[Use ‘Buyeo’.]
[Grants ‘Windforce (C+)’ to the target.]
[Granted ‘Windforce’ Rank: E]
[Reuse Wait Time 00:03:58]
When transferring a skill with an F-rank grant, the rank will drop by three levels, but with a D-rank grant, it will only drop by two levels.
Additionally, as the rank increases, the cooldown time is significantly reduced, and the 90% reduction in special training rooms greatly reduces this again.
As a result, you can only use this powerful skill once every 4 minutes.
While training, if you just keep using it whenever the cooldown runs out, you’ll be set for an F-rank escape.
-Whew—
The calligrapher blew the wind here and there, as if he was amazed by the wind force.
However, since the skill does not fit the class, it only makes the hair flutter.
I said, taking a half step towards the desk.
“Then shall we begin?”
“huh.”
“Rock, scissors—”
“-paper.”
I am a bojagi, calligrapher is a fist.
Calligrapher Pae.
But by the time she picked up the pot, the hammer had already reached her head.
– Boom!
“Rock, scissors—”
“-paper.”
I am the scissors, the calligrapher is the fist.
The calligrapher Seung.
But the hammer she swung couldn’t even swing halfway and was stopped in midair by a pot.
– Tank—!
A clear sound resonates.
The two of us put what we were holding back down on the table and continued playing rock-paper-scissors as if nothing had happened.
“Rock, scissors—”
“-paper.”
This time, my victory.
Before the calligrapher can defend himself again, a hammer hits his head.
– Boom!
I’m not at all pushed back when playing rock-paper-scissors against Bokdeungi.
Rather, the odds of winning are higher.
‘It’s not just about luck.’
If you compete with a calligrapher based on pure luck, you have no chance of winning.
This was proven by Ko Hyun-woo when he achieved 15 consecutive wins.
But for hero candidates who have transcended human limitations, winning or losing in rock-paper-scissors is not determined solely by luck.
An eye for subtle changes in fingers, and the reaction speed to quickly notice and respond to them.
From what I’ve seen so far, the calligrapher has a pretty good eye for detail, but he still falls short of the level of an expert.
So the winning percentage was 75% for me and the calligrapher took the rest.
Of course, this is only the odds of winning in rock-paper-scissors.
My hit rate with the hammer is 100%, while the calligrapher’s is 0%.
There is a significant difference in speed, and close combat proficiency goes without saying.
As a result, contrary to the original plan of ‘quickly winning 10 games and then beating Kim Ho’, Calligrapher was unilaterally beaten with a hammer without even getting a single win.
– Boom! Boom! Boom boom! Boom boom boom!
“… … .”
The calligrapher stared at me.
A glimmer of competitive spirit appears on his expressionless face.
This is also one of my intentions.
The hammer has a unique soft hitting sensation and an annoying sound effect, and if you keep getting hit by it, your mood will get quite bad.
In other words, it is perfect for stimulating a competitive spirit.
‘I’m going to start using it soon.’
As expected, at the next game of rock-paper-scissors,
– Flash!
The calligrapher cast Bullet Time.
You can read every little movement of my fingers to see what I’m putting out, so if you just place your bet accordingly, you’re sure to win.
– Flash!
Currently, Bullet Time can be cast once every 30 seconds due to the 90% cooldown reduction from the Special Training Room.
That means you win at rock-paper-scissors every 30 seconds.
So, although the calligrapher’s winning rate has skyrocketed, if I had to name one regrettable point,
‘Rock, paper, scissors isn’t the end.’
In the next step, you must successfully hit the ball with a hammer to win.
And so far, the calligrapher’s accuracy rate is 0%.
Originally, this hammer game was set up so that the defenders were at a greater disadvantage than the attackers, because the surface area of the pot was small.
If it were a large pot, you could just put it over your head like a helmet, but this tin pot was only about the size of the palm of your hand.
To defend against a flying hammer, you must aim precisely at the point of impact.
Of course, this wasn’t that difficult for me.
Because I’ve been proficient in close combat for a long time.
– Tank!
The hammer repeatedly struck the overturned pot, and each time it struck, a refreshing sound echoed out.
-Tang! Tang! Tang tang!
A calligrapher who uses Bullet Time whenever the cooldown runs out and wins at rock-paper-scissors, but when she actually swings her hammer, it just keeps getting blocked.
On the other hand, what about when defending?
– Boom! Boom! Boom bang bang!
Still can’t block a single one. 100% hit rate.
Unlike me, the calligrapher has only experienced long-range combat and is not familiar with close-range defense.
In addition, the very small size of the pot made defense difficult.
If you protect your forehead with a pot, the hammer will hit the side of your head. If you protect your side, the hammer will hit your forehead or the opposite side.
– Boom boom boom boom!
The calligrapher stared at me blankly, his head covered.
‘I think he’s angry.’
It seemed like they realized it at the same time.
The fact that trying to increase your odds of winning at rock-paper-scissors against me means nothing.
You have to use bullet time in the hammer workshop to have any chance of winning.
I resumed playing the game again.
“Rock, scissors—”
“-paper.”
Kim Ho Seung.
– Flash!
The calligrapher immediately cast Bullet Time.
I defend myself from the hammer that comes crashing down from the front with a pot.
– Tank!
It was the moment when the 100% hit rate of the hammer was broken.
I felt a little satisfied, as I had finally taken the first step.
“Okay, let’s keep going. Rock, scissors—”
“-paper.”
But if you get one, you have to give one.
Because I turned bullet time into a hammer fight, I was once again in favor of the odds of winning at rock-paper-scissors.
So this time I win again.
– Flash!
The calligrapher used bullet time right away like before, but I expected that too.
As I stood still holding the hammer, the short duration of bullet time passed.
And the next moment,
– Boom!!
He struck the gray hair with a hammer like lightning.
“Don’t write too hastily. Take good care of your timing.”
“… … .”
The calligrapher shook his head slightly up and down.
It feels like the already small number of words has become even smaller.
Rock-paper-scissors followed, and then the hammer and pot workshop.
I kept trying to swing the hammer, stopping, and then swinging it, controlling the speed.
So that calligraphers can capture the optimal timing without using bullet time too hastily or too late.
There are still more hits than stops, though.
– Boom, boom, boom! Bang! Boom, boom, boom! Bang!
‘You’re following along well.’
The number of successful defenses is increasing noticeably.
Accordingly, the hit rate is decreasing noticeably.
This means that your skill level increases rapidly.
As always, a monstrous talent.
If this continues, I’ll probably reach E-rank before I even finish the week I expected.
“Rock, scissors—”
I am the scissors, the calligrapher is the fist.
‘I lost.’
I naturally reached out to the desk to defend myself.
But the place where the pot should have been was empty.
The calligrapher took it first.
‘I won, so why are you taking the pot?’
I raised my head with such a question, and immediately had to open my eyes wide.
“Hey, you.”
Because I found a calligrapher swinging a pot with full swing.
– Bang—!!
* * *
Due to an unfortunate incident, the hammer game and bullet time special lectures are temporarily suspended.
“Raise your hands.”
“… … Sorry.”
The offender, Seo Ye-in, was standing in punishment with both hands raised above her head.
When I opened my eyes wide and looked at him, he slowly avoided eye contact.
I approached the calligrapher and asked him in an interrogative tone.
“You did that on purpose.”
Dori dori,
“No, that pot swing was a very emotional swing. You were upset.”
“……little?”
“Yeah, I can get angry. But does that mean I can hit people with a pot or not?”
“No.”
I thrust the pot, which was both evidence and a weapon, in front of the perpetrator.
“Do you see this? Do you see what you have done?”
“Kim Ho-shaped pot.”
I hit it so hard that the pot was deeply dented in the shape of my head.
The calligrapher looked at it curiously, poking it with his fingertips, and when I glared at him, he raised both hands again.
I asked again in a questioning tone.
“Do you reflect on it?”
“I reflect on my actions.”
“You won’t hit me with the pot next time, right?”
“……check.”
“Hands down.”
As the calligrapher lowered his hand and approached me, I put my hand inside the pot and applied force.
The Kim Ho-shaped pot opened up with a creaking sound, but it was still bumpy and showed signs of being dented.
‘I guess I can’t use it for cooking anymore.’
I borrowed it from the kitchen.
Still, there shouldn’t be any problem stopping the hammer.
I put the pot on the table and said.
“Let’s continue.”
“huh.”
The hammer game continued late into the night.
But the old, pure sound could no longer be heard from the dented pot.
