Translator: Wan ED/PR: Personal Ghost
[1]
15 years ago, Seong Gukeon was Eungwang School’s Student Council president.
He left numerous legends at this school and changed it.
If I had to point out the best example, it was establishing the dormitory students self-governed organization, Earthly Wings Council.
That Wings Council protected the school in various ways.
‘Because of the Wings Council creating quests or personally stepping out to subjugate wild boars, the Don tribe’s work to uproot lay lines of Heavenly Wings Mountain were delayed.’
Seong Gukeon, who created that Wings Council, requested to investigate two ghost stories.
First, the Student Council and Guideline Club’s secret society.
That secret society led to the clues left by the previous Korea branch’s head, who made a contract with Jin people, who planted the Frozen Otherworlds on the Korean Peninsula.
The second were the ghost gates on this Heavenly Wings Mountain right now.
The ghost gates were connected to the ley lines that the Don tribe tried to uproot.
‘Was it by chance?’
Seong Gukeon’s actions in the game.
Subtle attitude of Seong Gukeon and Jeon Muyeong showed when they were requesting us to investigate ghost stories.
Ghost stories’ identities.
After organizing things one after another in my head, I came to a conclusion.
‘There is no way. Seong Gukeon knows something.’
Although I couldn’t meet the condition of ‘moonless night’ for that ‘ghost gates’ ghost story, I figured out Seong Gukeon’s intention.
‘I have to make it on the next moonless night.[2] So waiting until it’s cloudy or using the superpower or item…’
While I was checking the location of the ghost gates on the holographic map by wearing ‘Ghost Gates Seeing Lenses’, an unusually brightly twinkling point drew my eyes.
‘All other points have a regular light… only that place is weird.’
Paat!
At that moment, because the lenses’ possible usage time ran out, the item dissolved into air.
While looking at the holographic map visible through the item expiration effect, I thought for a moment and then made up my mind.
‘Let’s go.’
As I jumped down from the 3 story high observatory, I activated Gwangrim.
⟨Using Gwangrim ‘Player’s Trajectory’.⟩
Paat!
Thanks to using a Character with the overall stats level higher than current me, I lightly landed on the ground.
The Character I was using was a fully developed version of Kim Yuri.
By using the ‘Danger Detection’, I could prepare for any events on the dark hiking trails and by using ‘Sprinter’, I could speed up.
‘But I won’t be able to use Kim Yuri’s Gwangrim here.’
It was because of the Gwangrim’s character, it was difficult to use in mountains, and because it was enormously powerful, it would use up all ‘Player’s Trajectory’ usage time in an instant.
⟨Using active character’s skill ‘Sprinter’.⟩
I used the Sprinter and started moving towards the point I confirmed with lenses and a map.
And…
⟨Active character’s skill ‘Danger Detection’ activated.⟩
⟨Active character’s skill ‘Danger Detection’ activated.⟩
…
…
…
Swish! Clang! Pop!
Pebble baptism that seemed to hurt if you were hit even if they wouldn’t kill you.
Pump pumping out sleep and paralysis gas.
Warning bell sprouting thorny veins together with a sharp sound.
The system warning message caused by the skill effects and the sound of releasing traps wasn’t stopping.
‘Why are there so many traps!? Looking at the traps’ content, it doesn’t seem like they were installed by the Ho tribe…’
The Ho tribe wasn’t worthy of crazy bastards, who would place traps in the Heavenly Wings Mountain.
I couldn’t think of anything else but the 3rd year class 0 Woo Gihwon and his gang.
I guess the point I was moving towards was related to them hanging the Energy of Universe.
‘Looking that the 3rd year class 0 bastards didn’t appear, I guess they’re not at school right now.’
If they knew that the traps activated, wouldn’t they immediately come running to Heavenly Wings Mountain, at the dead of night and what not, to beat me up?
It seemed that tonight they were ganging together outside the school.
‘It’s here?’
The place I arrived at was in front of Heavenly Sacred Tree[3].
The Heavenly Sacred Tree, as the oldest divine tree on the Heavenly Wings Mountain, in the game was described to be the last to wilt.
‘In the game, I just simply thought it was one of the background elements with the Dangun Myth’s Heavenly Sacred Tree[4] motif.’
As this world became a reality, it would have some kind of meaning.
The danger warning alarm sound, which continued to ring while I approached the vicinity of the Heavenly Sacred Tree, disappeared.
It seemed that the 3rd year class 0’s bastards didn’t touch the immediate vicinity of the divine tree because something might have been damaged.
When I approached close enough, I could put a hand on the Heavenly Sacred Tree.
Paaa….
The Heavenly Sacred Tree started to emit dim light.
The flock of dim lights swirled around the thick with leaves Heavenly Sacred Tree.
In a short time, the flock of dim lights united and turned into a human-like form and then approached me.
‘It seems that it has something to pass on to me.’
The flock of light was making hand and feet gestures, but I naturally couldn’t understand it.
After falling into contemplation, the flock of lights pretended to raise their hand to the Heavenly Sacred Tree and then approached me and repeated that.
‘You want me to raise my hand?’
As the Danger Detection skill’s warning didn’t ring, I decided to stretch out my hand.
After I opened my palm and raised my hand to the trunk of the Heavenly Sacred Tree, I felt warmth between the divine tree and the skin touching it.
‘Usually, the tree bark’s temperature isn’t so high.’
Paaat!
I thought it was strange, but my thought process couldn’t continue for long.
The intensity of the dim flocks of lights, which were hovering around the Heavenly Sacred Tree, started to rise, bursting with energy.
‘That’s an enormous superpower wave…!’
The moment when the Heavenly Sacred Tree, which was emitting lights and superpower waves as if sending a message towards the sky, quieted down.
Among the remnants of the powerful superpower wave, I heard a system message.
⟨The skill level of ‘Communication with Transcendent Universe’ increased from 1 to 2.⟩
I heard a word I didn’t hear for a very long time.
‘You’re talking about Transcendent Universe here? No way, the Energy of Universe the 3rd year class 0 said they’re chasing after…’
However, the system messages didn’t stop here.
⟨Skill ’Power of Fate’ activated.⟩
Paat!
The message about Power of Fate activation came up together with the skill window.
There were many times when Power of Fate guided me to perform specific actions, but it never opened up the skill window before.
Paaa….
At the same time, the flock of lights pointed at the skill in the skill window.
‘…What should I do?’
The skill the flock of lights was pointing at was ‘Communication with Transcendent Universe’.
It seemed that the Power of Fate wanted me to communicate with Transcendent Universe.
‘When I communicated with Transcendent Universe for the first time, I fainted for 3 days.’
Though the time of fainting may be less than 3 days now as my overall stats were enhanced through training and the communication’s skill level increased.
Fainting in the mountains wasn’t a particularly good choice.
I could ask somebody to ‘Please come to get me, because I’m going to faint soon’, but I couldn’t come up with an afterwards explanation for it.
Even so, there were bastards who would be running here even if I didn’t tell them beforehand.
‘Soon, the 3rd year class 0 should come, so it’s fine.’
If they discover an unconscious junior, they will throw him into the infirmary and leave.
But when I wake up, they will harass me for a while.
I strengthened my resolve and used the skill.
⟨Using the skill ‘Communication with Transcendent Universe’.⟩
Uuung–.
The sensation of my brain being thrown into the sky well up in me.
My head was dizzy from the sickening floating feeling as if my brain was shattered into pieces.
I did something when I first communicated.
Right.
Punch!
I grasped my fist and punched my cheek.
Together with a tingling sensation in my cheek and fist, I returned to my senses.
“You’re thinking of ordering me to do something, right? Say it quickly.”
Uuuung—!
Together with the feeling in my head of soaring up, the superpower wave in my body was shaken.
It was a feeling as if Transcendent Universe was about to tear up my insides.
Superpower wave moved according to it and then started to fill up my eyes.
It was a sensation similar to the one I felt when using the Brilliant Gaze skill.
“Something about the Brilliant Gaze skill?”
Even while I fought for breath[5], the inside of my head was dyed green[6].
I thought that the Brilliant Gaze skill had a simple effect of improving vision and halting objects captured in the sight, but it seemed it wasn’t only that.
I’d have to consider dealing with the Brilliant Gaze skill in future.
“Except for that, anything else?”
While fighting for breath, I asked.
After that, part of my vision started to be dyed blue[7].
Sky and Eungwang School visible in the distance were spotless, only the Heavenly Wings Mountian’s scenery changed to blue.
“You mean to keep a good eye on the Heavenly Wings Mountain, right? Anything else?”
No more changes.
It seemed that the Transcendent Universe’s message was up to here.
If so, I should cut the communication, but there was something I wanted to ask if given an opportunity.
⟨Warning, excessive communication of Transcendent Universe and the Suitable Other Dimension Future Modification[8] causes load on the Suitable one.⟩
I ignored the message and asked one more thing.
“My junior in the previous world, Cheon Seongheon. Is he living well?”
Transcendent Universe didn’t answer.
I was about to ask again, but before that, the system message rang.
⟨Warning, Suitable Other Dimension Future Modification’s body reached limits.⟩
⟨Connection with Suitable Other Dimension Future Modification was limited.⟩
I should have asked it a bit quicker.
It was regretful, but unknown sensations disappeared, and then my vision started to turn black.
***
Hwang Myeong-ho’s mansion.
After throwing out Ok Toyeon, who was saying that she would stay for a sleepover and who they endured.
Eun-ho’s descendants assembled the block toys into a roller coaster and ferris wheel, and then fell asleep.
The three Ho tribe members, who moved the sleeping descendants to their rooms, had tea time in the living room.
“It was difficult to stay quiet, ah?”
“If Seoho or Niho didn’t stop me, I would throw out that damn Moon Rabbit immediately.”
Hwang-ho ate the Moon Rabbit Rice Cakes summer limited product, gijutteok[9] generously packed with cinnamon and honey beam jam, while he spoke.
Worthy of Hwang-ho, while he hated Ok Toyeon greatly, he always ate up the Moon Rabbit Rice Cakes products she brought with complete sincerity.
“When you use that appearance, you almost always dress in school uniform, ah? Isn’t it uncomfortable?”
“It’s comfortable.”
Eungwang School uniforms were said to be made with relative practicality, but there was no way that was the case.
Jeok-ho ignored Hwang-ho’s reply as he said:
“It seems you’re enjoying the school life, eh?”
“Do well observing the pigs. When Zhu Ganglie returns, withdraw straight away and inform me.”
“Yes. I’ll do that.”
At that time, Baek-ho, who was holding the Divine Beast in his arms and drinking sujeonggwa[10] without a word, suddenly stood up from his seat.
“Baek-ho?… What is it?”
After Baek-ho, Hwang-ho also sensed something.
It was faint, but he felt an odd flow of power from the Heavenly Wings Mountain.
Woof! Woof woof!
The Divine Beast in Baek-ho’s arms started to bark towards the direction of Heavenly Wings Mountain.
“We better go, eh? Jeok-ho, you wait here.”
“Understood.”
Soon, Baek-ho, Hwang-ho and Divine Beast leaped towards the Heavenly Wings Mountain.
As the odd energy they felt at the dark Heavenly Wings Mountain disappeared, they headed towards the starting point they felt power from to investigate the cause.
And, in front of the divine tree, the Heavenly Sacred Tree, they discovered an unconscious student.
***
The place I opened my eyes in was a different world.
Between pure-white sheets, a cotton-like body was visible.
Snare was curled up and sleeping in front of my nose.
As it was immediately after waking up, my mind was flickering, but I was certain.
“I came to heaven, huh…!”
When I stretched my hand and was about to stroke Snare, I heard an absurd voice.
“… maybe because you just woke up, your intelligence drop is more severe, eh?”
It was Hwang Jiho’s voice.
I contemplated why that guy was in the heaven where Snare was and then came to my senses.
As I looked around, it seemed to be a room in the central zone of infirmary no. 1.
Looking at the holographic clock, it was Friday afternoon.
After using the communication skill, I slept for around 15 hours.
‘All the classes passed.’
Today was Gong Cheonghwon’s Introduction to Enemy Studies class.
Against my will, I missed his class again.
“The result of a vagus nerve examination proved it as fainting. The presumed cause of fainting was said to be overwork.”
Hwang-ho made a dissatisfied face, while he checked the holographic chart.
“There is one more presumed cause.”
“What?”
Rather than replying, Hwang Jiho pointed with his finger behind me.
As I turned my head around, I saw Baek Ho-gun.
In Baek Ho-gun’s hands, something blurry was captured.
‘It seems to be the thing I saw when I first approached the vicinity of the Heavenly Sacred Tree.’
I didn’t know what it was, but it seemed that it was dragged here from the Heavenly Wings Mountain.
“This punk is Heavenly Wings Mountain’s ‘Mountain Spirit’.”
“Mountain Spirit? You’re talking about the thing when you turn into a Mountain Spirit God?”
“Yeah. Majority of Mountain Spirits are Mountain Gods… but this one doesn’t have enough divinity to be promoted to a higher being status.”
In the Gaecheon Myth, there was a ‘Mountain’ described when the sky opened and Heavenly God descended from it.
On the Korean Peninsula, the tradition of worshiping the mountains existed, and there even existed kings who bestowed Mountain Spirits titles.
There are such Mountain Spirits on Heavenly Wings Mountain?
“It’s been a long time since Heavenly God left the Heavenly Wings Mountain, so it’s time for Mountain Spirits to dwell here. It’s natural and a welcoming matter if a Mountain Spirit lives in the mountains of the Divine Realm, but they dare to hurt our benefactor?”
At Hwang Jiho’s words, I saw the blurry something struggle.
But the Mountain Spirit wasn’t a reason why I collapsed.
“What is that sound? I have no memory of being hurt by the Mountain Spirit.”
“… You may not know what happened? Mountain Spirits aren’t only good-natured beings. There also exist Mountain Spirits who lure humans to steal their qi. Like this bastard.”
It seemed that Hwang Jiho thought that I was lured out by the Mountain Spirit in the middle of the night and suffered a misfortune.
*~*~*
[1] Title not visible – ‘Tiger and eyes (5)’ =-= Give it back.
[2] I have to make it on the next moonless night. – A bit confusing sentence, raws makes it sound like Jo Uisin is going to make ‘a moonless night’.
[3] Heavenly Sacred Tree – first part ‘Heavenly Sacred’ could also be understood as ‘Temple of Heaven’ as hanja translates to ‘Heavenly Altar’, and it’s the same as the name of the famous Temple of Heaven in China.
[4] Dangun Myth’s Heavenly Sacred Tree – Sacred Tree is the place where Hwanung (son of Hwanin*) first descended from the heavens. There are two popular versions of Dangun Myth** related to it. One says that Ungnyeo prayed there to have a child and had a child with Hwanung (Dangun) as an answer. The other said that a different woman (which may or not be Ungnyeo’s granddaughter or Ungnyeo herself) had a child with the Sacred Tree Spirit (and that child was Dangun). That tree is similar to mythological world trees as it was said to be the center of the universe.
*Hwanung and Hwanin – Hwanin is a different name for Heavenly God, Hwanung can be said to correspond to Sinin, but it may be actually not really correct, because Heavenly God does not always correspond to Hwanin (It’s complicated. There is buddhism replacing traditional korean shamanisms involved and also the changes in the language and so on. Typical mythology research problems).
** Dangun Myth – reminder, Dangun Myth is the founding myth of our, real Korea and Korea from which Jo Uisin comes from. That myth was replaced by Gaecheon Myth in this world.
[5] I fought for breath – in raws it’s ‘being suffocated and out of breath repeatedly’.
[6] dyed green – it’s actually a deep blue-greenish color. Because the word used here can mean both blue and green*, I can’t be sure what exact color we are dealing with (I like to imagine it’s like aurora). As Jo Uisin treats it as a confirmation, I translate it as green.
*Recently, I heard that people think Koreans don’t differentiate between blue and green, which isn’t true, there are different words for blue and green, I do not want you to misunderstand my note(s). It’s just that blue and green are treated as shades of the same color, with the root in old Chinese, which could refer to both, so in some situations those words can be used interchangeably.
[7] dyed blue – look note [6].
[8] Suitable Other Dimension Future Modification – I was blessed by some sleep and stroke of genius, so look! It changed again! This time, the vagueness of it is almost perfect!
[9] gijutteok – rice cakes with alcohol added.
[10] sujeonggwa – traditional cinnamon punch.
Translator’s note: *laughs hysterically because this is the chapter from all possible chapters where Mountain Spirit is introduced.* I mean… I knew… but… Damn you, author.
Note about Mountain Spirit’s pronouns: I’ll be referring to Mountain Spirit as they/them until their identity is revealed (or their gender is stated. I don’t remember if it was).
Did you see a mistake? 🐞
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