Translator: Wan ED/PR: Personal Ghost
42. The price of achieving a wish (6)
Distant past, the era of myths.
When the Ho tribe, which repelled the foreign enemies, faced a new crisis with the Ung tribe’s betrayal.
Baek-ho, who boasted to be the greatest warrior on the Korean Peninsula at the time, declared with crazy arrogance.
— The bears, who betrayed my brother and close friends, won’t die to the attack of my teeth, White Fang.
Baek-ho sealed the White Fang, the great sword bestowed to him personally by his brother Eun-ho, which was so white it dazzled the eyes.
Instead, he held a black-red and crude Bear Hunting Claw, which didn’t match Baek-ho.
The Bear Hunting Claw massacred and ceaselessly destroyed numerous Ung tribe members.
During the chase of enemies[1], the Bear Hunting Claw was simply a ‘weapon’, not matching Baek-ho’s dignified martial arts.
— You bastards won’t see my true sword. Die in shame to this ugly claw.
Faced with Baek-ho’s declaration, the warriors of the Ung tribe despaired.
The Ung tribe’s warriors didn’t fear death.
They didn’t regret betraying the Ho tribe.
To fight for their family and to collapse to the sword swung by the best swordmaster was their greatest honor.
So to die to the Bear Hunting Claw and not to the White Fang when facing Baek-ho felt insulting and empty for the Ung tribe’s warriors.
— Take out White Fang, Baek-ho! Show your true martial power!
— If you bastard call yourself a warrior, then hold that great sword you’re proud off and not that hideous claw!
The Ung tribe’s warriors used all their moves to threaten Baek-ho or pleaded him to show mercy.
But Baek-ho didn’t summon the White Fang even once while annihilating the Ung tribe.
Even when the Ung tribe’s head judged that they wouldn’t be able to hold the battlefront any longer and ordered a retreat, no one among the Ung tribe’s members was able to see White Fang.
And now.
Inside the Eungwang Highschool, under the West Seven Constellations of the Silver Training (Eunryeon) Building beyond the byeoksa barrier over the Clear Blue Lake (Cheongrangho).
The captured by the Ho tribe right hand of the Ung tribe’s head, ‘impostor’, faced the White Fang.
“This… The White Fang…!”
‘Impostor’, who stared at the dazzling blade[2] held by Baek-ho as if possessed, opened his mouth.
“… Give me a sword.”
Paat!
When Baek-ho moved his hand, the white superpower wave changed into the shape of the great sword.
Baek-ho’s weapon summoning Gwangrim activated.
After he completely materialized the great sword, Baek-ho wordlessly threw it to ‘impostor’.
Swish!
‘Impostor’ who held the weapon summoned and thrown by Baek-ho in his hands, burst out into madman-like laughter.
“Ha… Hahahaha!”
Veins burst on the ‘impostor’s’ hand, as he grasped the black-red handle.
“Hahahee! Hahahahahaha! To- To think the day would come when I would be holding the Bear Hunting Claw!”
The great sword Baek-ho handed to ‘impostor’ was the Bear Hunting Claw.
* * *
The car with the Hwang Myeong Foundation’s logo passed through the Eungwang School’s main gates straight away.
‘Usually you have to get off when you arrive in front of the main gates.’
Transportation means that were permitted to cross Eungwang School’s barrier were rare.
Because of it, usually you would make an appointment or call an air taxi to wait outside the main gates.
I realized anew that the air shuttle I was riding right now was Hwang Myeong Foundation’s.
Ding.
When we crossed the main gates and headed towards the residential zone, a message from Gong Cheonghwon arrived.
[Gong Cheonghwon] I’m going to the staff residence building with Han Yi.
[Gong Cheonghwon] I’ll listen to Han Yi’s story in the 1st floor’s lounge.
Sawol Seeum and Kwon Lena would be keeping watch, but it seemed that Han Yi pierced the two’s clumsy surveillance net and escaped, and then was caught by Gong Cheonghwon.
‘Han Yi moved. The service company sent blackmail, huh?’
If not for blackmail, Han Yi would have no reason to move immediately, so it was something evident.
It would be good to go to the residential zone now, check the message Han Yi received and think of the next move.
When my thoughts got to this point, Hwang Jiho looked at the upcoming call on the device and frowned.
“… Why is that punk contacting me right now?”
“Who?”
“Yong Jegeon. Ominous, eh? He wouldn’t contact me for something normal.”
Did you say Yong Jegeon was calling?
Yong Jegeon had wide connections, but worthy of the Game category Yong, it was rare for him to call for a simple greeting.
Because of that, even in the game, there were quite a few nerve-wrecking scenes of people receiving Yong Jegeon’s call.
‘Did something happen?’
I had no idea what happened, but why is this geezer Hwang Jiho not picking up when my Playable Character is calling him?
“Accept it.”
As I urged Hwang Jiho, he unwillingly did it, while changing the device call to the speaker mode.
[Chairman Hwangho-ssi, hi.]
“What’s the matter? If it isn’t urgent, later…”
[Sinrok was attacked.]
At the words that Kim Sinrok was attacked, Hwang Jiho’s face turned expressionless[3].
‘… Kim Sinrok should be safe. If he wasn’t safe, there is no way that Yong Jegeon would be calling Hwang Jiho, right?’
As if Hwang Jiho had the same thoughts as me, he pacified and put away the sharp superpower wave and mana, and spoke:
“That child is safe, right? Where are you right now?”
[Gwangrim Research Building no. 4, Silver Shadow (Eunyeong) Building]
When Hwang Jiho pointed with his chin, the air shuttle, which was moving towards the residential zone, hastily changed the direction towards the research zone.
‘But did he say they’re in Silver Shadow (Eunyeong) Building right now? Then doesn’t that mean that he was attacked inside of Eungwang School?’
Inside of Eungwang School.
And descendant Kim Sinrok.
While my doubts deepened, Yong Jegeon continued to speak.
[You’re on Korean Peninsula right now? According to Sinrok’s words, chairman Hwangho-ssi has a big chance of being back home.]
“Yeah. I’m currently in Eungwang School. I’m going to you straight away.”
[Rather than coming to us, you should capture the attacker.]
“Seems like you know the identity of the attacker, eh? Speak.”
Yong Jegeon didn’t reply straight away.
Instead, we heard noises from beyond the screen.
As I leaned in my ear, it seemed to be the sound of a struggle mixed with Kim Sinrok’s voice.
[… Don’t say it!… I’ll talk with Him first before reporting to Hwangho-nim…]
However, not a long time passed when I couldn’t hear Kim Sinrok’s voice.
It seemed that he was no match to Yong Jegeon’s physical strength and was subdued just like the previous time..
After it became completely quiet, Yong Jegeon replied.
[The attacker is Baekho-ssi. According to the recording I checked, he took out the ‘impostor’ from Silver Shadow (Eunyeong) Building and left.]
“….!”
Upon hearing those words, Hwang Jiho immediately unfolded one more screen and called Baek-ho.
But even as the time of awaiting a call shown on the screen got longer, Baek-ho didn’t respond.
‘Baek Ho-gun attacked Kim Sinrok and forcibly took out the impostor and left?’
Considering how Kim Sinrok tried to stop Yong Jegeon, it didn’t seem like he was lying.
Moreover, if it was Baek Ho-gun, who attacked Kim Sinrok, it was understandable why Kim Sinrok was so easily overpowered.
The reason worthy for Baek Ho-gun to attack Kim Sinrok, the son of his close friend.
I tried to think about it, but I couldn’t come up with any.
But if Baek Ho-gun did something like this, there would be a clearly unavoidable reason.
“Protect Kim Sinrok, so he can’t do any nonsense.”
[Even if you didn’t tell me, I was already thinking of doing it.]
Hwang Jiho, who ended the call, changed the direction again.
This time, the place the air shuttle was heading towards was Eungwang School landscape zone.
“We’re going to the Silver Training (Eunryeon) Building?”
“Yeah. Baek-ho can’t leave the divine realm and among the places inside of Eungwang District my guardian’s authority can’t touch, the only place where Baek-ho can be is the Silver Training (Eunryeon) Building.”
I was worried about Han Yi, but there was no way Gong Cheonghwon would watch Han Yi get hurt if something happened, so it would be fine even if we were going to be late.
“We’re going to Silver Training (Eunryeon) Building.” [4]
* * *
Eungwang Landscape zone, the road around the Clear Blue Lake (Cheongrangho).
Hwang Jiho, who stepped into this place shrouded with thick fog, clicked his tongue.
“The barrier’s strength got higher, eh?… It seems it will take some time to release it.”
As Hwang Jiho said, as if Baek Ho-gun strengthened the Byeoksa barrier he made, the fog around the Clear Blue Lake (Cheongrangho) was thicker and spread wider than before.
“… It seems such a situation wasn’t included in ‘what you know’, eh?”
Hwang Jiho, who looked at the fog, seemed a bit confused.
“Yeah. However, he has to have a reason to move like this.”
There was no such development in the game, but I spoke with certainty.
I couldn’t imagine a situation of Baek Ho-gun betraying his close friend.
But I couldn’t leave this situation alone.
“I’ll release the barrier.”
⟨Using Gwangrim ‘Player’s Trajectory’.⟩
Baek Ho-gun’s card came out and turned into light, and then disappeared.
I used Baek Ho-gun’s Gwangrim and skill in quick succession straight away.
⟨Using active character’s Gwangrim, ‘White Fang summoning of Thunder Clouds Breaker’.⟩
“Even the White Fang’s summoning is possible…!”
I heard the sound of Hwang Jiho bursting into admiration.
⟨Using active character’s skill ‘Byeoksa’.⟩
Together with the system message notifying about the skill activation, light gushed out from the White Fang.
On the other side of my vision dyed white, White Fang drew a vertical line towards the fog.
Swish.
There was no way the sound of fog being cut could be heard, but the fog cleared away together with the sound of something being cut.
After the fog cleared, I saw the sign ‘Silver Training (Eunryeon) Building’ above the door.
“… Amazing. I didn’t think you would truly use Baek-ho’s power to this degree.”
As if he gathered mana in his eyes and activated ‘Brilliant Gaze’ skill, Hwang Jiho’s yellow-gold eyes, accordingly to the word, sparkled with gold while he spoke.
“Keep using Baek-ho’s power like this. We’re going to leap.”
I released the White Fang’s summoning, but as before I had Baek Ho-gun’s Gwangrim active, and entered the Silver Training (Eunryeon) Building.
After stepping into the Silver Training (Eunryeon) Building, I felt a clash of powerful superpower waves in the distance.
Claang! Claang!
The source of the sound was in the central dome with the Seven West Constellations sky, where I sparred against Baek Ho-gun a few times before.
With each leap, the sound grew closer and then abruptly stopped.
Hwang Jiho, who was leaping in line with me, urgently accelerated and opened the central door with the Seven West Constellations.
Bang!
“Baek-ho!”
Under the sky with seven constellations made out of superpower.
‘Impostor’ laid unconscious.
White haired and white eyed Baek Ho-gun, who opened his power, held a dyed red White Fang and was looking this way.
Hwang Jiho couldn’t say a word for a few seconds, and then opened his mouth in the state full of shock[5].
“You… Did you wield the White Fang made by Eun-ho against that dirty bear…!”
While shaking off the blood dying the White Fang, Baek Ho-gun replied:
“I made a deal with ‘impostor’. He said that his life-long wish was to face the White Fang with a sword.”
“Why would you grant the wish of this ‘impostor’, who was the head’s right hand? You attacked Kim Sinrok and then even broke your oath, while using Eun-ho’s White Fang…!”
“… I expected you would be very against it.”
Hwang Jiho’s rage appeared through mana.
The exploding shining golden sparks rode the wind and bounced everywhere.
Even though Hwang Jiho’s hostility was directed at Baek Ho-gun, he stared at Hwang-ho with cold eyes like before.
“As a price for granting that wish, I heard about ‘their’ whereabouts.”
“Whose whereabouts were you looking into? Were those whereabouts so important?! I’ll restrict you, the prisoner, with the authority of the guardian depending on the answer.”
The pressure gushing out from the yellow-golden mana grew stronger.
In the middle of the powder keg situation, Baek Ho-gun opened his mouth.
“Cheong-ho and Sinin.”
“What…?”
“He said they became humans.”
The movements of mana around Hwang Jiho abruptly halted.
In the Silver Training (Eunryeon) Building, which became quiet when the wind died down, Baek Ho-gun continued to speak:
“He said that Sinin’s real wish was ‘to become human’, and that Heavenly God granted it.”
* * *
“Young master-nim, long time no see.”
Hong Gyubin, who ignored the word ‘young master-nim’, spoke while handing out a business card.
“Hello, I’m Player Association’s Korean branch’s Media and PR team 1’s leader, Hong Gyubin. It’s a pleasure to meet you, director Choe-nim.”
“Then as You wish, I’ll call young master-nim team leader Hong-nim.”
Director Choe, who politely accepted the business card from Hong Gyubin, asked:
“Team leader Hong-nim, is that ‘Poet who can’t write poetry’ doing well?”
“… What do You want to say?”
Director Choe had a polite expression from which no malice at all was felt.
“I’m talking about that great teacher-nim, who as a price for granting young master-nim’s wish gave up his lifelong dream, Aquamarine Poet. I’m curious about news.”
*~*~*
[1] enemies — political opponents/enemies. Here it would refer to the Ung tribe, and I don’t think it would be a good term to use here. Perhaps ideological opponents would be better, but I’m lacking certain information about the causes of this conflict.
[2] blade — the word used here is ‘도신’ of which the dictionary definition is ‘body of a blade’, but it could also mean ‘road of god/divine’.
[3] turned expressionless — literally ‘expression disappeared from his face’ in raws.
[4] “We’re going to Silver Training (Eunryeon) Building.” — this sentence is using a plain form, so it’s hard to tell if Hwang-ho is repeating this statement for emphasis or Jo Uisin is mumbling it to himself.
[5] shock — to be precise, it’s the shock of a bad incident. Terror could also be used.
Translator’s note: Yes, yes, Jo Uisin. Naturally.
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