This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 602

“What a surprise to be suddenly introducing ourselves in a situation like this.”

Not a single person thought otherwise.

And it was no wonder, as everyone caught on to the implication as soon as the words left her mouth.

When Miss Almighty mentioned introducing herself, it was obvious it wouldn’t be the “kind” that ordinary people would recognize.

After all, hadn’t Miss Almighty just said with her own mouth that, at this point, trusting each other would be difficult?

And yet, in such a situation, she suggested we take the time to get to know one another?

What could that possibly mean?

If she found her opponents untrustworthy, it likely meant that we should spar and learn about each other’s talents.

As for those gathered at the round table?

They were not the type to shy away from competitiveness or a desire to win.

Honestly, it was inevitable; if they lacked at least that level of fighting spirit, they wouldn’t have reached their current standing.

Just their presence here served as proof that their fighting spirit was many times greater than that of an ordinary person.

Yet, against such motivated individuals, to say, “I’ll take responsibility for the aftermath, so if you’re bored, you can fight among yourselves,” was quite bold.

That’s why everyone naturally wore those fierce, almost savage smiles on their faces.

Ah, of course, if the one making that statement were someone of no significance, they would have simply scoffed at such an absurdity.

However, given that it was the world’s strongest hero making such a remark, it was understandable that everyone reacted accordingly.

Moreover, she was officially the leader of the expedition team arranged for this mission… So, should things escalate, it would only be reasonable for her to say it was all for warming up before the kick-off.

In other words, it meant she could afford to act earnestly without fear of repercussions.

What could anyone say about it?

Among those present, the relatively younger ones were simply eager for the opportunity to prove themselves.

Their minds were likely filled with thoughts of wanting to confirm their current standing.

Yet, they had refrained from testing such limits until now for a straightforward reason.

They had been prevented from doing so in the environments they were part of.

In fact, from the Association’s perspective, it was a necessary choice.

If someone were to fight another of similar standing to prove themselves and won, there would be no issue.

But, if by chance they were to lose that spar?

Having enjoyed nothing but victories until now, their soaring pride would be brought down in an instant.

Ah, sure, some might argue that excessive pride can often lead to problems, and that perhaps facing defeat once in a while might not be a bad thing… But the problem was, those heroes who had experienced setbacks often chose to stagnate rather than pursue further growth.

This was an inevitable aspect; after all, what reason would one have to put in more effort once they had already acquired wealth and fame?

Unless it was for self-satisfaction, which rarely existed, the Association was very averse to their representative heroes engaging in casual fights against those of similar standing.

Thus, while no one spoke of it, the urge to prove themselves had built up considerably, and now, in a place gathering so many of similar stature, the chance to legally have a go at each other was here… It would be strange if they weren’t excited about it.

Therefore, the younger ones were all fired up, while the older ones remained surprisingly calm.

It was understandable.

From their perspective, they couldn’t help but react that way because they knew from experience.

They all understood that even if they united their strengths, they couldn’t hope to match the woman sitting at the head of the table.

After all, this was a gathering that had included the infamous Russian hero, once regarded as the world’s strongest before her arrival, amongst others of legendary status. What could they do against such a power?

No matter how many joined forces, the only thing awaiting them was a revisit to that feeling of helplessness.

That’s why everyone’s reactions were rather lackluster… But separate from that, there was also a quiet anticipation for the moment those overconfident individuals would be brought down a notch.

If it were me experiencing such an embarrassment, it would simply feel terrible, but if it weren’t me, and rather someone else, I could just enjoy it with some popcorn.

“But… isn’t it a bit odd here?”

Everyone pretended to be unimpressed while subtly steering the conversation forward.

“If that’s the issue, we can resolve it by using the facilities of the Korean Hero Association.”

“Hmm… From what I know, this building isn’t originally from the Korean Hero Association, but a temporary setup. Will the facilities hold up?”

“You don’t need to worry about that. Before coming here, I checked it out, and for a temporary location, it’s equipped quite well.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes.”

It was a confirmation from none other than the one referred to as the world’s strongest.

There was no reason to disbelieve her.

Consequently, everyone agreed that there would be no problem if her word were true.

As such, a consensus emerged, making it a simple matter to shift the location from the meeting room to the training ground.

Word has it that the representative of the Korean Hero Association, upon receiving a request from the expedition team, exclaimed in despair, “If that’s the case, you could have just said you wanted to have the meeting there from the start!” while clutching their neck in frustration. However, those present were all individuals who were likely indifferent to such trivial matters.

Had they been compatriots, they might have shown a bit more concern for the other heroes participating in the expedition, but that wasn’t the case here.

Thus, without regard, everyone acted as they pleased.

And as soon as the location shifted from the meeting room to the training ground—

“Well then, since we’re here, may I take the opportunity to satisfy my curiosity first?”

One standout, as if waiting for this moment, was none other than Shamsir from the Arab Federation.

She flounced forward, waving her copper-hued hand that matched her complexion, claiming the center of the training ground.

“I’ve been curious about something since earlier.”

She then stared pointedly at Yoonseo, who was among the crowd and continued to speak.

Her smile seemed to say, “I just want to find out what your level is, plain and simple, no ulterior motives here.”

It was a bold move to pick out someone who looked weaker to question in front of everyone, resulting in smirks from those gathered, but not a single one of them spoke against it.

That’s because, at the end of the day, it was someone else’s problem, and honestly, they were equally curious.

Had the renowned Lightning Lady, a distinguished hero representing Korea and well-known worldwide, been present, they wouldn’t have thought such things; instead, they would have respected her.

But that was only because she was Lightning Lady. As for the woman who introduced herself as Miss Almighty, she didn’t carry that same recognition.

Of course, being listed as part of the expedition team might have made her somewhat notable domestically, but such trivial matters hardly mattered.

So, for these reasons, everyone was subtly curious about Yoonseo’s abilities, and when she dramatically set the stage like this, they could only furrow their brows at the blatant, lowly intent but still agreed to see how it played out.

Thus, half-pushed into the training ground, Yoonseo stood facing an opponent who seemed already confident in victory.