Translator: Wan ED/PR: Personal Ghost
57. On stage (9)
The Clash of Different Worlds also meant the clash of myths’ forms, systems and symbols that were scattered in the world.
The more universal a symbol was world-wide, the bigger was the influence of the clash.
Representative example of this were ‘dragons’.
There was a great gap in the symbolic meaning of dragons, which often appeared in the myths, legends and heroic tales, regardless if it was the east or the west.
Though there were exceptions, the dragons in the east were generally the symbol of the powers of nature, emperors, divine agents, sages, etc.
The trace of that was the fact that dragons were depicted on the east emperors and kings’ clothes and palaces.
‘But the western dragons are different.’
Usually the western dragons were depicted as beings that a hero had to take down.
The dragon, who was defeated in exchange for the life of the Germanic hero, Beowulf, to save the people of Geat[1].
The dragon Ladon, who protected the golden apples in the Garden of the Hesperides and was killed by the Hydra poison arrow shot by Heracles, as mentioned in the 11th of Heracles’ 12th trails.
The dragon sisters Dabran, Farbagh, and Cathach, who faced against the three heroes from Celtic mythology, Crohan, Sal, and Daltheen.
Besides that, there were numerous dragons, who were brought down by the heroes.
The dragon defeated by Cadmus, Drakon Ismenios, was also one of such dragons.
If there was a point of difference, it was that killing that dragon became a trigger for Cadmus to become a dragon himself.
‘Considering the trigger for becoming a dragon, it’s not strange that Cadmus hates dragons.’
Drakon Ismenios, who protected a spring, killed the subordinates of Cadmus, who sought water, and Cadmus, enraged by this, killed the dragon, pulled out its teeth and scattered them on the ground.
Because of that incident, most of Cadmus’ offsprings were cursed for generations, and for eight years he lived as gods’ servant.
It was because the dragon Cadmus killed was the son of Ares and Demeter.
Among beings from his bloodline, if we excluded Dionysus, the son of Zeus and Thebian princess Semele, they all lived unlucky lives, and Cadmus, unable to overcome his guilt, prayed.
‘Make me into a dragon instead’.
As such, Cadmus became a dragon.
‘At a glance, the words that the hero, who established the kingdom, became a dragon seems like a great favor and fortune, but that’s different. When considering the symbols and worldview Cadmus existed in, it means that he himself became a monster, close to a curse.’
Cadmus, whose life ended and he went to the paradise Elysium, made some sort of contract with Dark Mastermind after the Clash of Different Worlds and returned to this world again.
In this rapidly changing world, Cadmus was classified not as human but as Jin, and from among them as Yong.
But perhaps because in the majority of the origins the dragons had, the heroes appeared as enemies, he didn’t mix into the groups of Yong tribe members.
Rather, he wandered around killing dragons to fulfill the contract with the Dark Mastermind.
‘There’s a story that Cadmus summoned Spartoi from the dragon teeth he pulled out from Drakon Ismenios, and made the Spartoi fight each other. The numbers of usage is limited, so he would use it carefully, but… he will use it against Yong Jegeon.’
Cadmus’ main weapon is a spear.
His javelin throwing ability and spear art were amazing, but the most powerful display of power against dragons would be the mythological Dragon Teeth.
If he found Yong Jegeon, who had the highest recognition on the Korean Peninsula and was the Dragon King God’s favorite, he would surely use it.
‘Even in PMH he immediately used it against Yeom Junyeol’s master and Cheongryong. If he finds the target he decided to use the Dragon Teeth on, he will use it straight away.’
Cheongryong survived thanks to the Power of Earth, but Yeom Junyeol’s master had her neck pierced by the dragon’s teeth and died in the battle.
The Dragon Teeth ignored the power of dragons and pierced through them.
I didn’t know about the situation where there would be a weapon or an armor that had a legend of blocking the power of a dragon, but Yong Jegeon only had the ‘Scale of Dragon King God’, in other words, dragon-related item, on his whole body.
If he faced Cadmus like that, Yong Jegeon’s life would be in danger.
It was necessary to figure out a move to block it.
‘Cadmus has a weakness.’
As a hero of Thebes, Cadmus promised that he wouldn’t harm humans.
That promise would be a very big constraint on Cadmus so he wouldn’t repeat his mistake again.
I could use the oath he had made to all Greek gods before departing to Elysium.
So before encountering Cadmus, I made a suggestion to Yong Jegeon.
“I have a suggestion.”
“Speak.”
Yong Jegeon readily replied.
“The opponent, who made the surprise attack, presumed that teacher Yong Jegeon-nim would come and prepared. But if You don’t appear, he will be on guard.”
“From the standpoint of laying an ambush, that would be natural. So?”
It seemed that Yong Jegeol would accept my suggestion.
Considering my Playable Character’s personality, I thought he would oppose if he knew what was going to happen, so I decided to leave out some unnecessary parts.
I spoke, while loosing up the necktie of the school uniform.
“I’ll transform into teacher Yong Jegeon-nim. Our builds are different, but Jin people can adjust the age of their outer appearance. Please change into the age with a build similar to mine.”
“… That ability to change into Junyeol-yi, huh!”
Yong Jegeon made an ecstatic face.
Yong Jegeon agreed without hesitation.
I and Yong Jegeon turned our backs to each other and quickly exchanged clothes.
I changed clothes and turned back to look at Yong Jegeon.
Yong Jegeon, with height similar to 17 year old Jo Uisin, was wearing my school uniform, and his long hair was pushed inside the jacket, so when looked upfront, one couldn’t tell that his hair was long.
“Uisin-ah, that’s amazing! I saw transformation skills a few times, but they weren’t on this level[2].”
Because Yong Jegeon I transformed into was much taller, I ended up looking down at Yong Jegeon.
Yong Jegeon marveled and looked me up and down, but as he had ‘Jo Uisin’ nametag and Yong Jegeon was me, it felt somewhat awkward.
“It seems like you would naturally be able to use my skills. What about Gwangrim? No, you summoned Junyeol-yi’s Hongryong, so you would naturally be able to use my Gwangrim too.”
Yong Jegeon continued to speak with an ecstatic expression, so no matter if he was wearing a school uniform, anyone who saw that expression within 1km would recognize it was Yong Jegeon, probably.
I took out the crow mask and handed it to Yong Jegeon.
“It can’t be helped, but my taste doesn’t match with the Crow Demon King.”
Perhaps because Yong Jegeon was in a very good mood at the moment, he put on the mask, even while grumbling.
‘Yong Jegeon said he had exchanges with Sillentium, right? How and for how long did he know that demon king?’
Thinking about it, Yong Jegeon mentioned his taste not matching before too.
— Uisin, the crow mask you’re using, is there any special meaning to it?
— Why?
— Because there is a crow demon king, whose taste very very much doesn’t match with mine and recently I noticed someone related to him.
Taste, person related.
There were a few bothering words, but they weren’t important right now.
Because the threat of the dragon slayer Cadmus was just around the corner, and there were two of my dragon Playable Characters right here.
‘If he wears a mask, it will be difficult to recognize him as Yong Jegeon.’
When Yong Jegeon finished putting on the mask, he looked just like a student wearing a mask.
As the things that played a big role in making Yong Jegeon look like Yong Jegeon, his long hair, jade slitted eyes and ecstatic expression were covered, it was plausible.
Now if he just hides his presence, it will be prefect.
“Teacher Yong Jegeon-nim, please hide Your presence as a Jin, but reveal Yourself.”
“How about this. If I compress transparent spaces and layer them up, I should be able to hide my presence, even if it will be difficult to move.”
“Then once we encounter the opponent, I’ll draw his attention. Please aim for the opportunity and ambush him.”
Cadmus had a weapon that nullified dragons’ defenses, but he couldn’t block all dragons’ attack.
So if I drew his attention and guided the Dragon Teeth to me, his back would be quite exposed.
And the move played out according to my thoughts.
Whoooosh! Peuk!
Together with the sensation of my back and shoulder being torn down, fierce, burning-like pain rushed in.
I instinctively activated the Space Art as Yong Jegeon, but the Dragon Teeth broke through all the attacks and pierced my body.
In that instant, my tension dried up, and a laughter leaked out.
‘He attacked me, not Yong Jegeon!’
Following the sense of accomplishment from my move playing out properly, fierce pain surged up.
Perhaps the pain weakened for a moment, because of the feeling of happiness, but because I couldn’t heal it right away, the pain didn’t disappear.
Following horrible pain, I felt anger.
‘Yong Jegeon was almost hit by this…!?’
The sensations were becoming distant, but I had to play the next move.
And before that move, I had to check something.
That checking was finished with Cadmus’ horrified voice.
“… Ἀπόλλων!”
It seemed that Cadmus recognized what kind of being he attacked right now.
Cadmus would certainly see what being was behind the Playable Character I transformed into.
‘The being, who bestowed my Playable Character a blessing right now, would be someone he knows, eh?’
All eastern dragons received the blessing of Dragon King God.
So he wouldn’t be able to imagine it.
That the being, who looked like Yong Jegeon, and who he attacked right now, was a being, who received a blessing and Gwangrim of Apollo.
“I think that guy shouted ‘Apollo’ right now… No way!”
Yong Jegeon couldn’t dig into the name with Cadmus in front of him, but it seemed he noticed what I did.
The character depicted on the ‘Unknown Fate’ I held in my hand was teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim.
I reenacted Yong Jegeon through the Gwangrim ‘Player’s Trajectory’, and teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim through ‘Unknown Fate’.
Teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim was connected through a Gwangrim to four higher beings famous as sharpshooters.
One of those beings was a part of 12 Olympian gods, the god of archery and someone who had a connection with Cadmus, ‘Apollo’.
‘Cadmus swore to absolutely not hurt any being cherished by the Greek gods. But now the one Cadmus’ Dragon Teeth pierced was teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim…!’
Right now I was a dragon and a human, who received Apollo’s blessing[3].
At the same time as it was pierced by the Dragon Teeth, Cadmus’ oath would be broken.
‘… It should be like this because I overlapped and activated the two Gwangrims, right? Right now I’m a dragon, but I’m also a human, so I didn’t die right away, huh?’
In the fierce pain, I lifted ‘Player’s Trajectory’ that activated as Yong Jegeon’s appearance.
As Yong Jegeon’s appearance disappeared, and I was no longer a dragon, the Dragon Teeth lost its power, fell out of my body and rolled on the ground.
As the price for breaking the contract, the Dragon Teeth, which pierced the being cherished by Apollo, decayed and disappeared first.
The Dragon Teeth, which disappeared with the ‘Shaaa’ sound, were covered in my blood.
Drip, drip….
Because of the Dragon Teeth, that was sealing the wound, disappeared, the blood gushed out and wetted the floor.
My head spun because of the sudden increase in the bleeding volume.
‘I still have to play a move…!’
Yong Jegeon ordered me, who splattered the blood and turned to look like Ham Geun-hyeong.
“Don’t move! Use a healing item!”
Yong Jegeon activated the Space Art, while saying that.
In the instant, Cadmus and jade space clashed in front of my eyes, and lights flashed.
Paaat! Ching!
Cadmus, who judged he couldn’t use the Dragon Teeth, held two spears and began to face off against Yong Jegeon.
It wasn’t as much as the Dragon Teeth, but Cadmus was a being, who had a story of defeating the dragon with only spears, without the Dragon Teeth.
I couldn’t waste time on healing. [4]
I decided to play the next move right away.
⟨Using the target character’s Gwangrim ‘Eyes and Light Bow of Sharpshooter’.⟩
A bow containing the light of the sun appeared above my hand.
And Apollo’s arrow was pointed at Cadmus.
*~*~*
[1] Geat — author-nim uses here the word ‘Yeats’.
[2] this level — this standard, not game level.
[3] blessing — not a word used for the blessing in the status window. More like the blessing of happiness, like something that Ye Raehun can cast.
[4] I couldn’t waste time on healing. — Okay, so first fun fact, Korean has this grammar form that insinuates that the speaker is displeased about something, and therefore [the rest of the sentence] happens. Second fun fact, Jo Uisin just used it. (Ah, wait, you won’t see it on the sentence in English. He used it with ‘healing’, he was displeased about healing. The bastard.)
Translator’s note:
Jo Uisin, who almost got killed instead of his Playable Character: WOW! That’s GREAT! I’m SO happy!
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