Translator: Wan ED/PR: Solarin
59. True nature (1) [1]
The video of the red wall, which was of low quality because it was filmed at night from a long distance.
The news article, which covered the actions of the righteous person, who hid their identity, to break the Fantasy Gate[2].
The first clues about the Red Wall Thief that Yeom Junyeol caught were too faint.
But Yeom Junyeol didn’t give up and searched for the Red Wall Thief.
In return for that effort, the Red Wall Thief came to see Yeom Junyeol in person.
— Do You know why I’m searching for You?
— Because you want to take me as your master.
The Red Wall Thief, who spoke like he had clearly read Yeom Junyeol’s heart, agreed to become his master on a condition.
The condition set by the Red Wall Thief was for Yeom Junyeol to throw the first pitch on the Jamsil Baseball Stadium on May 5th, Children’s Day.
As a result of fulfilling that condition, Yeom Junyeol was able to save numerous people from the threat of otherworld, and the Red Wall Thief became Yeom Junyeol’s master.
Even after he became his master, he couldn’t make out the master’s identity as if he was shrouded in a thick fog.
There were clues, but they were insufficient to unravel the Red Wall Thief’s identity.
‘The Fantasy Auction incident involved Lena-yi and Seeum-i. The case of Eungwang School’s school purity protection zone purification, where Hyodon-yi was a victim… They were all related to the 1st year class 0.’
The Red Wall Thief’s actions were related to the 1st year class 0.
They always met in the Eungwang School’s old school’s classroom.
From those two facts, he could only guess that it was someone from Eungwang School.
Even so, Yeom Junyeol believed he would be able to learn the Red Wall Thief’s identity one day.
He told himself that if he became a trustworthy disciple, if he was strong, his master would tell him his identity in person.
He even revealed that aspiration to the Red Wall Thief.
— Master-nim, I believe You will tell me one day. When I meet master-nim’s expectations, and are powerful enough to bear master-nim’s identity, please make sure to tell me.
But that aspiration of Yeom Junyeol was shattered in the worst way possible.
The ambush of a being, who was the dragon and a dragon slayer.
In front of him, Yeom Junyeol was helpless, and the Red Wall Thief took the attack instead of Yong Jegeon to save him, and revealed his identity.
‘I don’t want to learn about it like this…! I still wasn’t able to meet master-nim’s expectations even a little!’
The identity of the Red Wall Thief was a junior from the 1st year class 0, Jo Uisin.
Seeing how Yong Jegeon was wearing Jo Uisin’s school uniform and the crow mask, it appeared that Yong Jegeon already knew his identity.
Considering Yong Jegeon’s powerful superpowers, and thinking and reasoning abilities, it wouldn’t be strange if he saw through the Red Wall Thief’s identity, or Jo Uisin revealed his identity to him personally.
Judging like that, Yeom Junyeol realized anew how incompetent and powerless he is.
After showing Yong Jegeon’s energy, and then using Ham Geun-hyeong’s Gwangrim, Jo Uisin used Gwak Gyeong-gu’s Gwangrim last.
‘It’s difficult to assess because Jegeon hyung and teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim are much stronger than me. But… Gyeong-gu’s Gwangrim used by Uisin-i seems to be displayed stronger than when Gyeong-gu uses it himself!’
It wasn’t like Jo Uisin was able to use only Yeom Junyeol’s ability.
And in addition to that, he learned one more shocking fact.
Gwak Gyeong-gu’s Gwangrim ‘100 seconds of Grace’, finished recovery, but when he blankly stared at Jo Uisin, who was greatly exhausted, Yong Jegeon said this:
— That’s Gyeong-gu’s power, huh? If I closed my eyes, I would think that Gyeong-gu is standing in front of me.
— I felt it with the ‘Trace of Absentee’ before. You have used it on Cymopoleia, right?
At Yong Jegeon’s words, Yeom Junyeol recalled the conversation he shared with his master, not long ago ahead of the Stalemateless chess tournament.
— Are you also going to the boat party organized by the Ju-Oh Group and TC Group this weekend?
— Is something going to happen again? Should I go to the boat party?
— No. Don’t come.
He couldn’t see Jo Uisin’s expression behind the mask, but he remembered very well how firm Jo Uisin was when he said that.
As he waited for Jo Uisin to perhaps change his mind with a depressed face, Jo Uisin spoke as if soothing him.
— If you hadn’t come the previous time, people would get hurt. Thank you. Even so, take it easy this time.
In the voice that say it, the considerate and thoughtful heart of Yeom Junyeol was buried.
Because he was so happy, he didn’t think about it too deeply.
About what kind of danger Jo Uisin was putting up with.
‘An otherworld without warning signs also occurred on the Cymopoleia. It was dealt with by Eungwang School’s Players, including Wonu hyung and Su-hyeok’s relative. And…’
That day, ‘Unknown Supernova’ wasn’t on the list of the Players participating in the otherworld conquest.
That meant there was a high chance that Jo Uisin was doing something else other than otherworld conquest.
Because of the insufficient clues, he couldn’t figure out the situation in detail, but it was clear it was something dangerous enough to stop Yeom Junyeol from participating in the party, and creating a need to use Gwak Gyeong-gu’s Gwangrim.
‘Gyeong-gu’s Gwangrim isn’t suitable for fighting. He can use mine, Jegeon hyung and teacher Ham Geunhyeong-nim’s superpowers, but he used that ability, so it’s clear that he suffered injures that were difficult to treat with recovery items…!’
Yong Jegeon’s clothes that Jo Uisin was wearing had traces of being pierced by the Dragon Teeth, and he was a spilling bloody mess.
Seeing that sight, Yeom Junyeol acutely felt how desperately powerless he was.
‘Master-nim, Jo Uisin-i, taught me to ‘hide my presence’ for… for such situations, right…?’
Yeom Junyeol looked down at Jo Uisin, feeling miserable.
Numerous incidents Jo Uisin was involved in flashed through Yeom Junyeol’s head.
From the practice entrance exam, that became a trigger for him to obtain an alias, to the Youth Training Camp incident.
No, there may be more incidents besides that which Yeom Junyeol doesn’t know.
‘From the looks of it, in all the incidents that the 1st year class 0 was swept in, Uisin-i may have been saving class children in the meantime.’
At the thought that in a crisis situation, Jo Uisin threw his body without any hesitation, Yeom Junyeol felt as if his blood was running dry.
His vision turned dark with the certainty that, considering Jo Uisin’s personality, it will be like this even in the future.
“Senior Yeom Junyeol-nim, are You hurt anywhere?”
The words Jo Uisin spoke made Yeom Junyeol suffer even more.
Because of that suffering and pain in his heart, he shed tears.
He couldn’t endure, and let the tears flow, but Yeom Junyeol didn’t cry for long.
The reason why his master, Jo Uisin, acted like this was because he judged that he was powerless and took him as a target of protection.
Thinking that if he cries even more, he would obtain his master’s sympathy, but he would never obtain his trust, Yeom Juneyol pulled himself together.
After leaving Jo Uisin to Yong Jegeon, Yeom Junyeol headed to the studio where Playlist’s filming was in progress.
‘This is the broadcast Uisin-i was trying to protect, while doing all of this, I have to make certain it will finish safely! In addition, this is also the stage where Uisin-i’s classmate, Miro is performing.’
He wanted to go home with Jo Uisin and talk about a lot of things right away, but he couldn’t go right now.
If he ignores this stage and goes, Yeom Junyeol would truly have no face to see his master.
Embracing his firm will, Yeom Junyeol made his resolve.
When he arrived in the studio, he spotted the red cape engraved with the Red Lion team mark.
There were no Yong tribe members, so it seemed they were wary of the dragon slayer just like before.
“Junyeol-ah! I heard the story. Don’t worry about the aftermath and finish the broadcast first… uh?”
One of the Red Lion team members, who came to take place of the manager Yong who passed out and Yong Jegeon, looked at Yeom Junyeol and made a surprised face.
“Junyeol-ah, did you perhaps call Hongryong a moment ago?”
“No, I didn’t engage in the battle. What’s the matter?”
“It could be just a feeling, but…”
The Red Lion team member with sensitive senses, closely observed Yeom Junyeol’s eyes.
“In your eyes, Junyeol… I for some reason felt Hongryong’s energy.”
* * *
Playlist’s last broadcast started.
After the ads ended, the Playlist started to air, but the live broadcast didn’t appear right away.
With Choe Jina and Yeom Junyeol’s commentary, the breakdown of the process the participants went through was shown, and it wasn’t only the last three, but the Players, who were eliminated, but still received attention, appeared shortly.
Even then, it seemed that a great effort was put into editing it so the last three stood out.
Soon, the video organizing the Playlist’s journey ended, and the scene of Dokgo Miro, Yeo Raehun, and the employee of the Namkung Group standing on stage appeared.
The live broadcast started.
[Playlist, the last play[3] starts!]
Whoaa…!
When Choe Jina and Yeom Junyeol finished the commentary, Yeom Junyeol’s die-hard fans in front of the screen and in the audience, cheered at the same time.
The Yong tribe members and Red Lion team members took out cheering sticks, sculpted like a dragon in the image of Hongryong and waved them.
As if the cheering stick shined by responding to the superpower wave, each had individual brightness, but it was a group of powerful superpowers owners, each one’s luminosity was so great, it hurt the eyes.
If someone saw it, they would think that Yeom Junyeol is participating in the Playlist.
‘… Aren’t such things usually used to cheer for participants, not for the host? But when did you match them so well? I want one too.’
I thought like this, while blankly staring at the screen, but I felt the powerful superpower wave together with a voice overflowing with dignity beside me.
Looking at the side, Cheongryong and Yeom Bangyeol were holding the cheering sticks, and looking how bright the cheering sticks were shining as if they were about to explode, it seemed they were raising their output to respond to their superpower waves.
“As expected, this is my son…! He is perfect!”
“There is no way that the best Junyeol-yi would crumple because he was involved in such an event. I believed in him!”
Yong Jegeon, who was watching the screen right at my side, said a word:
“Haha, Cheongryong and Yeom Bangyeol seem very excited.”
In the hands of Yong Jegeon, who said that, was also a cheering stick.
It seemed that Yong Jegeon was as excited as the two good-for-nothings.
Yeom Junyeol led the Playlist broadcast with the perfect appearance worthy of the star Player, and while watching this, I also saw Yong Jegeon became happy, so my mood also got better.
The first stage was the joint stage of the last three.
In contrast, Yeo Raehun and Dokgo Miro, who stably finished their parts, the Player from the Namkung Products Otherworld Company 1st team, sung with trembling voice.
‘He is the person who warned to run before the incident exploded. It’s certain that he knew something. Hwang Jiho, who was there, should have also seen it.’
As besides the support called by Hwang Jiho, there were also the Red Lion team members there right now, it would be impossible for that Player from Namkung Group to slip out.
Because the company employee candidate’s bad condition, his stage was somewhat uneasy, but Dokgo Miro and Yeo Raehun pulled it up as much, so it ended up with a fine opening stage after all.
After that, it continued to the interview videos and pre-recorded broadcast.
Around the time Yeo Raehun’s pre-recoded broadcast came out.
I was worried about the news from the children, who were in the audience, and turned on the notifications, and the device started to ping with new messages without rest.
So much so it was interrupting the Playlist broadcast.
‘Should I have just leave the alarm turned off?’
When I turned on the holographic screen to turn off the alarm, I saw the pilled up messages.
Almost all messages were from the class children, but the number of the messages sent by Hwang Jiho was overwhelming.
Even now, the new messages kept coming without a break.
[Hwang Jiho] Jo Uisin, where are you?
[Hwang Jiho] I heard from Yong Jegeon that he is bringing you with him, what does it mean?
[Hwang Jiho] I thought you would stay with Yong Jegeon and the come when the live broadcast starts.
[Hwang Jiho] I finished tracking the location of your device.
The crazy gezzer, who proudly said that he abused the chairman’s authority, sent a message that seemed like a final message
[Hwang Jiho] I sent the person, for who it’s possible to enter the Yong tribe’s territory to pick you up. Wait.
*~*~*
[1] True nature — I was contemplating whether translate this chapter title as ‘identity’ or as ‘true nature’, but finally settle on true nature, as though the meaning of identity shows more directly in those chapters, it feels like ‘true nature’ would be more meaningful here. Now, 정체 (jeongche) dictionary definitions are: ‘original, true form’ or ‘true intentions’, it also means: evenly shaped letters, stagnation, polity (form of government), improving the state of the body with acupuncture or massage, body of the boat.
[2] Gate — slang for ‘controversy’. I usually translate it as Fantasy Controversy.
[3] play — literally ‘to playback (a recording)’ or ‘resurrection’. I’m actually not sure if it wasn’t meant as ‘resurrection’ as in ‘resurrecting dreams and letting Players stand on stage’.
Translator’s note: Junyeol is growing little by little ㅠㅠ
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