Translator: Wan ED/PR: N/A (it was checked by ghosts!)
4. Player’s trajectory (1)
Korean players are allowed to use ‘Gwangrim’ at the age of 17.
But after the Clash of different worlds, even after dozens of years passed, the legal age for players’ abilities wasn’t determined.
The Gwangrim was something which disregarded law physics, standard ideas and common knowledge, something which is difficult to bear with a young mind and body.
Minors’ Gwangrims caused many big and small incidents.
The need for the law regulations regarding the Gwangrim were raised, but legislators remained at the defensive about players’ laws.
Then, around 30 years ago.
Now the abolished Seogu Elementary School in Gangwon province.
In that place, three classes were swept away in an elementary school student’s Gwangrim runaway.
Boiling public poured out rebukes at the government and the National Assembly, which didn’t take countermeasures for the Gwangrim.
As a result, the Gwangrim teenager restriction law was established.
Nicknamed ‘Seogu Elementary law’.
This law completely banned the use of Gwangrims for players under 17 years of age.
It enacted that the players under the age of 17 had to have their abilities sealed immediately after their manifestation, with a seal engraved on the body, by the ‘sealing technique’ developed by the Player’s Association.
And now.
January 1st.
This world me turned 17, and the usage of Gwangrim became possible.
‘The seal disappeared.’
The red spot the size of the thumbnail, which was engraved on my left wrist, disappeared the moment January 1st came.
The second the seal vanished, I realized straight away what kind of Gwangrim it was.
[The light of a miracle descends on the body.]
‘It’s the same as Baek Ho-gun described it in the game…!’
I instinctively knew what kind of Gwangrim it was.
I also understood how to use it straight away.
⟨Activate the Gwangrim ‘Player’s Trajectory[1]’⟩
Using the Gwangrim, hundreds of various lights shined and thousands of cards flew out of my body.
The instant I looked at the cards, I doubted my eyes.
‘My playable characters…!’
The cards with playable characters, which I had been raising for 10 years in the game.
The scene when you select the character during a story or a quest.
Characters’ cards from that scene now glistened before my eyes.
The title hero and heroine who represented the game.
The supporting characters who were more popular than the main ones.
The extras who appeared one or two times in the story and then died.
And Baek Ho-gun who I operated until the final moment.
I looked through the cards, and then checked the menu’s Gwangrim description.
⟨Reading a description of the Gwangrim ‘Player’s Trajectory’⟩
[Player’s Trajectory]
The future and its progress recorded in the form of a game in a different dimension. Reenact dream’s records.
As stated in the Gwangrim’s description, it wasn’t simply the characters’ fully grown final versions only.
For a single character, that character’s development moments and process were recorded by cards.
Baek Ho-gun’s character card alone had dozens of those kinds of cards.
And…
‘Yu Sang-hui’s card…’
It was a figure who abandoned all her future hopes to make a contract with the Goddess of Revenge, and to become a demonic beast slayer.
‘The records of all my playthroughs remain here.’
It’s the future where Yu Sang-hui becomes an avenger.
But in this world, here in the cards was the only remaining record of Yu Sang-hui, the ‘Final contra-demon beast weapon’.
One after one.
Several emotions started to rise every time my gaze moved to the next character’s card.
‘This card is from the time when I graduated from highschool, that one over there from when I was in the army, and this one is from when I prepared to get a job…’
I played for over 10 years.
The playable characters who were with me in all happy and hard moments.
While observing them grow, I was also often consoled and regained strength to move forward.
My every playthrough, my trace.
They turned into cards and twinkled like stars before my eyes.
I stood still for a long time as I watched those cards.
In the ending of this game, every playable character dies.
Naturally, all characters in those cards were dead people.
‘But I raised even dead characters to their potential’s limits until the end.’
Even when a character died hallway through, I foolishly held on to them and used to raise them through the free battles and quests.
Because I expected the obvious development of ‘The character you thought was dead, was actually alive’.
Though the characters which died in the story couldn’t be used in the story mode, you could foster them on your own.
As a PMH’s addict, I didn’t abandon any character and developed them all.
‘Let’s see the happy ending this time.’
The characters’ cards shimmered, as if responding to my determination.
‘Then let’s try it!’
The first card I chose was of course my main character, Baek Ho-gun.
From among Baek Ho-gun’s cards, the one I summoned was the final version, which had the restriction of the ‘Heavenly God’s Wrath’ lifted.
But before I used the card.
The text at the bottom caught my eye.
[Available time: 3 seconds]
“What do you want me to do in 3 seconds?!”
Available time for using the overpowered cards was short.
***
January 1st, 0:19
I left my home.
The cold wind was blowing hard, slashing at my body.
‘I’m going to freeze to death.’
Considering the activity, I dressed a bit thin, but I felt the cold dig in as I walked.
I wanted to return home immediately again, but I had work to do today.
I promised myself many times to do it the instant I receive a useful Gwangrim.
‘I considered borrowing Hwang-ho or Hong Gyubin’s power if needed. It would be annoying, so it’s fortunate.’
Player’s trajectory was an outstanding card[2] and an outstanding piece.
In this case, now was the time to use that piece and make the next move.
‘It’s like voluntarily jumping into hell.’
I still got shivers when I recalled the moment when I faced the Enemy.
It was completely different from touching it through a smartphone’s screen.
‘Can I, the gaming addict, do well behind that screen?’
Haa—
As I sighed into the air[3], it turned into a misty vapor in the night sky and blurred my vision.
Ding.
Alarm rang from my wearable device.
It was a message sound from the chatroom with the three of us – Jang Namuk, Yu Sang-hun and me.
While I was calling Gwangrim, I couldn’t check the messages, so they piled up.
[Jang Namuk] Uisin, Sang-hun. Happy new year. I’m going to a different school, but let’s talk often and meet to play. Do your best this year.
[Yu Sang-hun] HNY. k
[Jang Namuk] Sang-hun, if the letter input is annoying, you can use the voice input. If not, just use stamps.
[Yu Sang-hun] k
[Jang Namuk] …Fine. I get it. Today is cold, so be careful not to catch a cold.
[Yu Sang-hun] k
I halted in my steps and blankly stared at the message window.
Then my finger moved and typed in a message.
[Me] HNY. k
I sent a message and couldn’t help but giggle.
It was refreshing to see Jang Namuk launching his nagging again after reading my message, and Yu Sang-hun reacting with ‘haha’.
I did nothing but watch the conversation log, but the air suddenly seemed warmer.
I turned all the device’s notifications and GPS off and started to run.
⟨Using Gwangrim ‘Player’s Trajectory’.⟩
I selected the card of the character who became Eungwang School’s third-grade student this year and belongs to the leadership club, ‘The Flash in the Darkness’ Oh Hyeji [4].
⟨Using the active character’s Gwangrim ‘Under the moonlight of Skanda’.⟩
‘Under the moonlight of Skanda’ was the Gwangrim, which rapidly increased movement speed and jumping ability during the night, especially if the moon was visible.
In the game, it was a shitty Gwangrim. Compared to other characters, it was truly ‘balance breaking’.
But in the moments when only movement abilities were concerned, ‘Under the moonlight of Skanda’ boosted tremendous efficiency.
‘I have to use efficient character cards to save time and power.’
Just in time, the supermoon appeared.
In an instant, my body melted with the night sky.
***
The new year’s celebration was taking place at one of the Yoeui Island’s[5] convention centers.
With the addition of the light of the night sky and the Han River in the background, the cubic shape of the building sprouted out.
The inside hall had around 500 pyeong[6].
Around 1000 people participated in the party with over a 100 people in security personnel.
I looked around the convention center perimeter.
The guards positioned here and there, moved in groups of 3 and reported their location, and what they saw every 10 minutes through the earrings.
‘The defense is solid. The infiltration would be difficult.’
I had the character which was useful in infiltrations, but the fuel-power efficiency was too bad.
I doubted I would have enough energy to escape if I used that character’s card.
‘So I prepared another move.’
I walked straight to the main gates.
“Good evening. Excuse me, may I see your invitation card?”
I stopped.
Though I was wearing a tuxedo, I still looked obviously like a highschool kid.
Even so, the bodyguards remained respectful and stopped me politely.
‘Seems like sons and daughters of high-ranking people come here often.’
I put on the expression of ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about’, raised my chin and shamelessly asked:
“Invitation card?”
“Yes, today’s entrance is limited…”
“One moment!”
The other bodyguard standing at the side cut him off as if he recognized this face.
“This student. He’s a very famous person….!”
He was ready to ask for an autograph straight away.
“That is the esteemed son of the famous ‘Red flame king’ Yeom Bangyeol-nim, ‘Little Red Dragon’ Yeom Junyeol-nim!”
I grinned at the bodyguard who recognized me.
Currently, I had the face of one of the playable characters, the Little Red Dragon Yeom Junyeol.
The Red Lion was an otherworld conquering team which ranked in the top five.
That Red Lion team’s master was Red flame king Yeom Bangyeol, and he had one son, Yeom Junyeol.
Becoming a 2nd grader in Eungwang School this year, Yeom Junyeol was the possessor of a prince-like appearance and a brilliant Gwangrim.
With his father’s halo, as soon as he started conquering the otherworld, he rose to the status of the star player in the instant.
‘Player’s Trajectory’ perfectly replicated that Yeom Junyeol’s appearance.
‘Yeom Junyeol really hated ‘Little’ in the ‘Little Red Dragon’ nickname given by PlayerSAT-K.
The word ‘little’ was Yeom Junyeol’s angry button.
Calling him ‘Little Red Dragon’ in front of him was like calling him to a fight.
I had to be annoyed here.
I mimicked Yeom Junyeol’s harsh expression I saw in the game.
“Little Red Dragon?”
“…Ah! I-I’m very sorry. Red Dragon-nim! You look much more mature than when I saw you on TV!”
That was obvious.
Yeom Junyeol was 18 this year.
And my current look I chose with the Gwangrim was 19 years old.
Strictly speaking, it was the result of continuing to develop characters after they died. That included Yeom Junyeol, who died at the age of 19 in the story.
I maintained my shameless behavior.
“You need to check the invitation, even after seeing my face?”
The bodyguard was taken aback by the quiet threat.
“M-My apologies, Red Dragon-nim! Could we check the Player ID card? Or student ID… There are many people who disguise themselves as famous players.”
⟨Using the active character’s Gwangrim ‘Summoning of Red Dragon’.⟩
Without saying anything, I stretched my hand in the air and summoned the embodiment of Yeom Junyeol’s power, the Red Dragon.
Pat!
The dragon’s head was visible through the crack in space opened above my fingertips.
There were similar Gwangrims, but there were no perfectly identical Gwangrims, and copying it was impossible.
So now, the Red Dragon’s existence would prove that I’m Yeom Junyeol.
“Are you saying there is someone who can imitate this…?”
“My apologies!”
The bodyguard had one hand pressed against the earring, as he was reporting.
“…Yes, the main gate. Red Dragon Yeom Junyeol-nim is visiting, so… Ah, he came alone… Yes, yes…”
The unexpected visit of Little Red Dragon Yeom Junyeol must be suspicious.
However, Yeom Junyeol was also the gate for much too coveted connections.
It will be hard to refuse.
‘It may be a once in a lifetime chance to grab connections you want.’
If Yeom Junyeol was alone, it was possible to even subdue him in the worst case.
On the contrary, they should consider using him as a hostage.
And the fact he came here and participated in ‘this event’ will become Yeom Junyeol’s weakness. They will even think about exploiting it.
I was certain the host would let Yeom Junyeol enter.
“I’m sorry, please come in.”
As expected, they cleared the way.
***
The party manager personally guided me through the venue. Maybe he wanted to borrow Little Red Dragon Yeom Junyeol’s name.
The banquet hall we had arrived at, after passing through a hallway covered with carpets, was a multilayered structure.
Participants wearing dresses and tuxedos were spread among the layers.
My eyes hurt because of the brightly burning chandelier light and golden velvety curtains blocking the windows.
‘Was the dress-code Vegas Gold…?’
The dresses, hair accessories, sleeves’ cuffs and handkerchiefs everywhere were in the color of Vegas Gold.
‘They had to diligently spend money like crazy.’
There were S-rank and A-rank celebrities who rented air hotels, which were a few times more expensive than a convention hall on the ground and welcomed the new year in the sky.
However, anyone could tell that people counting to the new year here were also the creme de la creme of society.
The host was also the owner of this convention hall.
“At this party, all internet and communication devices, other than the ones used by the security personnel, are prohibited. We ask for your understanding.”
The party manager mentioned a few precautions besides that and then pushed a coin from a golden foil box into my hand.
“Please enjoy your time.”
The party manager bowed his head and disappeared after saying goodbyes.
I looked down at the silver coin.
⟨Reading the item’s data.⟩
[Item name] Pure silver coin replica of the oath of silence
[Type] Consumable
[Rarity] SR+++
[Effect] Used for the oath of silence.
[Description]
A replica of the silver coin used by Sillentium, the demon king of silence and bystanders.
The front is engraved with Sillentium’s seal and the back with a crow.
Usage of this item creates an oath of silence, which makes disclosing relevant information impossible by any means of communication.
The oath of silence’s effect can be destroyed if a SSR rank curse breaking item is used or a tongue is permanently cut off.
It was produced thanks to Ungnyeo of Grief, one of the Eight True Bear Immortals[7] of the Ung tribe.
As expected, the Ung I was searching for, Ungnyeo of Grief of Eight Immortals, was involved in this party.
‘It would be a bit troublesome if I couldn’t find her here.’
However, I had more urgent matters for now.
Let’s think about the matter concerning Ungyeo of Grief next time.
I quietly slipped out of the party venue and headed towards my target.
*~*~*
[1] Player’s Trajectory — or trace — or dictionary definition which says: ‘The track left behind by an object moving or the process that has been performed in order to achieve a certain task’.
[2] Card – could also be a trick or a hand…
[3] Sighed into the air – or sighed into the sky…
[4] Oh Hyeji – it’s oh because English has no tolerance for one letter surnames, but if you were to follow the official romanization, it would be ‘O Hyeji’.
[5] Yoeui Island – The island on the Han River, known for being Seoul’s main finance district. Think something like Wall Street of Korea, only they also have cool stuff…like parks…and…Well, the National Assembly is probably also there….
[6] 500 pyeong – around 1650m^2… No, wait. What is this ridiculous number.
[7] Eight True Bear Immortals – as it sounds very funny, I’ll just short it to Ung’s Eight Immortals or something like that. Please remember that True = Jin and Ung = Bear.
Translator’s note: I’m always wondering where Jo Uisin got a tuxedo perfectly fitting Yeom Junyeol at this hour. I’m suspecting him of having a collection of clothes for all playable characters, before even receiving the Gwangrim. I am also sure if you ask him about their shoe size, he would answer straight away.
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