Ch 162
Became a swordsmanship instructor at the academy
Chapter 162
Since Hell's Gate is a single-person portal, you must enter alone without companions, but it's easy to tell whether the person who attempted it died or lived.
If entry to the portal is impossible, it means there's still a survivor inside, and if re-entry becomes possible, it means the challenger died.
"So you're saying both you and Se-jin won't be back for a week?"
"That's right."
I set the waiting time inside Hell's Gate at one week.
Too short or too long could both be problematic.
I heard the person who lasted the longest so far endured for 5 days.
"Can't you come back faster? Without both of you, that old geezer works me to death with training... OW!"
Master gives Luciel a flick on the forehead as she was speaking.
"Old geezer? Have I not taught you respect for your master?"
"What, did I say something wrong? Look, Shin-hyeok. That old geezer is hitting me and bullying me."
"Master, why are you hitting the child? Use words."
"Words don't work, so fists have to do the talking. Taking her side now, are we."
"How am I taking sides?"
"Aren't you? And child, what... She's eaten thousands of years. If I'm an old geezer, then your junior is a complete super granny."
"Su... Super granny? Old geezer, are you done talking now?"
Master quickly runs away and Luciel chases after him.
...They're bickering but seeing how well they get along, it should be fine if I don't come for about a week.
I bought plenty of ramen and chocolate bars too.
Eventually, Luciel, who couldn't catch Master, trudges back toward me.
"Shin-hyeok, are you really going to the place where the Trial of Origin is?"
"Yeah. Of course I absolutely won't attempt the challenge and will just stay nearby before coming back."
"There's no way the Trial of Origin could exist in this world..."
"The Black Temple wasn't originally from this world either, right?"
"That's true. Shin-hyeok, did you know that the Archangels take turns serving as administrators?"
"Administration? What administration? This is the first I've heard that there are administrators at all."
"As expected, you didn't know that far. They evaluate the character of those responsible for trials and exclude evil people from even attempting them."
"I had no idea."
In the original work, it was just briefly written that Do-hyun overcame it after 3 years of hardship and returned.
"Are you acquainted with the administrator?"
"I don't know who's doing it now, but if you mention my name, they'll probably know. If you happen to meet them, at least give my regards."
"Can I see them even without attempting the trial?"
"Well, I served as administrator for about 100 years before, but it was so long ago I can't remember."
"You did it for a hundred years but can't remember?"
"It's a story from over 2,000 years ago."
Well, 2,000 years would make that possible.
Hearing this, Luciel really is quite old.
"If you can't meet them, never mind. If you can."
"Yeah."
"It would have been nice if I could go out and go with you."
"Right."
Luciel's condition has improved greatly.
Another wing has returned to pure white, and according to the conversation I had secretly with Master, she could go outside now.
Ah, of course she can't stay out continuously, just for half a day at most.
"Still, there's really not much time left now. It'll gain momentum, so you'll be able to move around freely soon."
"The old geezer says otherwise though?"
"As my internal energy increases, the demonic energy sent by the Demon Realm Tree also increases, so the time will be similar or take longer."
"Ah, what a real shame..."
"Somehow your expression doesn't look disappointed at all?"
...Being with Master, her perception has improved.
"Th-that can't be."
"While I wasn't here, you played a lot with that thieving cat and had a great time, right?"
"N-no. I was so busy."
"Liar. When I get out of here, you have to play with only me a lot."
Well, the jealousy seems to remain the same.
"Understood, Grandmother."
"Gra-Grandmother? You die!"
Luciel is best when teased.
I started running away to avoid Luciel, who was shooting lasers from her eyes and trying to catch me at a terrifying speed.
***
"Mister Kang, good morning. How is your condition?"
"Very good."
"That's fortunate. Then right away... Ah, Miss Kim hasn't arrived yet."
"She's coming over there."
I arrived at the helipad by car with Se-jin and a staff member from the American Hunter Management Agency.
We decided to take a helicopter provided by the American Hunter Management Agency to the portal.
Not only the helicopter, but all the hotels we stayed at until today were also supported by the Hunter Management Agency.
It seems to be because it's been a long time since there was a challenger.
After riding the helicopter for about 30 minutes, the vast Grand Canyon comes into view at a glance.
The helicopter noise is a bit annoying, but the scenery is truly artistic, too precious to see alone.
Later when I have time, it would be nice to come see it with Luciel.
Not long after, we arrived at the helipad and took a car again.
Looking out the window, I see an enormous crowd gathered.
While there are many people who are concerned, most public opinion evaluated my challenge quite favorably.
Saying I showed courage in a situation where hardly anyone attempted it after many S-rank Hunters failed.
I heard the evaluation is even higher in Western countries with somewhat strong macho tendencies.
Is that why?
I see many Asians who appear to be Korean, but there are quite a lot of Westerners too.
"How much further do we have to go?"
"We'll arrive soon."
After about 5 minutes, the car stopped.
Getting out of the car and walking while waving to the crowd cheering my name, I see soldiers wearing ochre-colored American military uniforms.
Behind them, I see a really small portal about 2m wide and tall each.
Since it's a single-person portal, it's really small.
As I put down my bag and prepare, the Hunter Management Agency staff member who accompanied us approaches.
"Would you like to say a word to the public before you go in?"
He's holding a microphone.
"I don't really like that sort of thing... I'll do it after I come back."
Not that such a thing will happen.
Well, I waved to them on the way here, so that should be enough.
"You're overflowing with confidence. Really admirable."
"Not at all."
After finishing preparations and about to enter, Se-jin approaches.
"Why... WHOA?"
Without saying anything, she suddenly hugs me, and the nearby staff and soldiers whistle and tease us.
"I need to do at least this much so no one will complain when I inherit your fortune later."
She whispers quietly in my ear... That girl really.
"I-isn't following me this far already enough?"
It's not entirely unreasonable, but if things go wrong, she might get labeled with a widow frame.
Most importantly, if Luciel finds out, she won't let it slide...
Just thinking about it is terrifying.
"You did as you pleased too, Teacher. This is also my heart."
Seeing her do this, Se-jin has a surprisingly childish side too.
Or should I say cunning?
Since we were already hugging, I had no choice but to embrace her back and pat her back a few times before releasing the hug.
Well then, shall I go die now?
"I'll be back."
Hearing Se-jin's "Please come back safely" response, I moved my steps toward the portal.
I felt the characteristic dizziness when entering a portal, but it was very brief.
Like other portals, there's a safe zone laid out, but as I heard, thick white fog is hanging everywhere, making it hard to see ahead.
Still, there's only one path, so I shouldn't get lost.
I just need to endure like this for a week, then use invisibility magic and warp immediately upon exiting.
I was slightly worried about whether heat detectors or magic detectors might be installed near the portal entrance, but I didn't see anything like that when I came in.
I didn't meet the administrator Luciel mentioned.
Well, the American side often comes to investigate up to the safe zone, but there's never been talk of meeting other beings, so it seems you have to leave the safe zone to meet them.
I'll have to spend a week alone like this, so it'll be a bit boring, but it doesn't matter.
I have subspace magic.
I immediately used magic to put away the bag full of military rations and took out a camping car.
I filled the freezer full with frozen food I bought in advance and packed the refrigerator full of cola and beer.
There's almost no light, but it's already fully charged and I can charge it as much as I want with magic too.
I have lots of variety shows and movies downloaded.
I'll be busy again when I get out, so I should rest to my heart's content while I'm here.
***
What on earth is this?
Today marks the 8th day since Teacher entered Hell's Gate.
Teacher clearly said he would come out and contact us after a week, but there's no contact.
The portal still doesn't allow other people to enter, so he's still inside the portal.
Did his watch break or something...
Maybe like the space where Luciel Sister is, the flow of time inside and outside the portal is different?
But many people who experienced portals said there's nothing like that...
He said he would only stay in the safe zone for a week and absolutely wouldn't attempt the challenge, so don't worry...
Did he lie to me too?
But it wasn't just me - he said the same thing to Great Master and Luciel Sister, so it can't be a lie…
***
Before I knew it, 6 days have passed since I came to this place.
Tomorrow will finally be a week.
At first I planned to rest to my heart's content, and I actually rested well and had fun for a few days, but I'm gradually getting sick of it.
Just playing without doing anything makes me restless.
How on earth does Master continue this kind of life...
It seems even leisure living needs to match your temperament.
Food and drinks are still overflowing, but I've watched all the variety shows and movies I downloaded.
I missed Se-jin, Luciel, and Master, so I wanted to visit Luciel's world at least, but if I do that, other people can enter.
If someone else enters while I tear a leaf again to return inside the portal, exceeding the entry limit, I don't know what might happen.
In the worst case, the exit might disappear and I could be trapped in the portal, so no matter how bored I am, I must not do that.
Thinking that moving my body might help, I came out of the camping car.
Rather than mental cultivation, I loosened up my body using the techniques I've learned one by one, and before I knew it, sweat started flowing.
Taking out my phone to check the time, four hours had passed.
Seeing how quickly time flew by, was training the answer after all?
I lay down on the ground to rest a bit before doing it again.
The fog is still thick, but I'm quite used to it now and can see ahead... Huh?
Looking at my left hand, it's not the blue part that indicates the safe zone.
It seems I unknowingly came to the end of the safe zone.
Worried that some problem might occur, I got up immediately to go back, but I see a very large metal door in front of me.
Characters that don't exist on Earth are engraved into the door, making it quite stylish.
Those characters are slightly different from the ones I saw in the Black Temple, but they're the language used in the Celestial Realm.
In the original work, Luciel said it was a language used very long ago even in the Celestial Realm and spent quite a bit of time translating it.
Since I know the identity, I immediately said it was the Trial of Origin.
Should I take a photo as a memento to show them?
I took out my phone to take a picture, but the surroundings are dark and the photo doesn't come out well due to the fog.
Even using flash was the same, so I created a light orb with magic intending to use it as illumination.
I was about to send it toward the door, brighten the surroundings, and take a photo... Huh?
The light orb I created with magic gets sucked toward the door and disappears.
Does that door also have the property of absorbing magic? I need to create magic again and take a photo while keeping some distance this time.
—A challenger after so long. Welcome to the challenge of the Trial of Origin.
Like when I first met Kainakan and Luciel, thoughts are directly transmitted into my head.
But a challenge?
Don't tell me it considered that lighting magic I just absorbed as a challenge application?
"No, that was a mistake just now. I absolutely won't challenge it!"
I shouted urgently, but the door opened and light burst out.