Chapter 210
Chapter 210
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 210
Chapter Title: Waiting for the Same Moment at the Same Time (3)
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"What are you talking about...?"
"Why? You're ridiculously strong. Why bother going to the academy? Anyone would think you're some kind of flower pushover."
I stiffened naturally at Champi's rapid-fire remarks.
I tried to play it cool, but had this woman removed the reverse gear or something?
I knew S-rank hunters like Baek Do acted on their own whims, but I hadn't expected this level.
"You're not actually connected to the Flowers, are you?"
Champi's question.
"Don't make baseless assumptions. No, I'm not."
"You're strong, right?"
Capable people recognize each other.
But there's no need to take risks, so they usually stay silent.
With my mana concealed, you can't tell who's stronger without a fight.
Exposing my power to these people didn't seem trustworthy either.
But Champi was determined to draw out my true capacity.
She flicked a pair of chopsticks from the table into the air first.
-Pinggrrr.
Champi caught the spinning end of the chopsticks and thrust them at me reverse-grip.
Even blunt chopsticks in an S-rank hunter's hand were a deadly weapon.
-Shweeeek!
No mana infused, but still a swift thrust.
It came straight for my eye without stopping.
I had no choice but to raise my palm to block the chopsticks.
-Puk!
"See?"
Champi smirked as she gripped the chopsticks.
"You reacted."
The chopsticks had bent into a hook shape against my skin.
Champi sat back down, straightening the chopsticks flat.
Her round lips whistled innocently, her eyes wide and playful, as if she hadn't just attacked.
"Both of you, calm down."
Unable to stand it any longer, Ji-ho stepped in with a bewildered look.
"Why do you keep jumping in like this, Champi?"
"Because it'll speed things up. Why? We could all help each other. He wants to help Cornus too."
"Does that mean you stab him?"
"I hate beating around the bush."
"No..."
I listened to their exchange while staring at my reddened palm.
A perfect round mark stared back like a dab of red paint.
"So~!"
Champi started wrapping it up.
"Ji-ho, you're trying to cut ties with anyone connected to the Cornerus Family in the end. And he wants to help Cornus, right? Right or wrong?"
"That's correct."
I nodded at Champi's question.
It wasn't wrong, after all.
"But this guy's at least S-rank. Don't you want someone strong to protect Cornus? Weren't you planning to assign guards for the Forest Keeper selection anyway? I'll vouch for his skills."
"...Pardon? But that would make him directly involved."
"He says he doesn't mind."
The Cornerus Family was doomed.
Their associates were in mortal danger.
I only knew the surface level, but without details, how could I understand?
"I don't mind being targeted, but can you at least tell me exactly what's going on?"
"See? He doesn't mind."
With Champi backing me up, Ji-ho sighed and rubbed his forehead.
Champi was forcing the issue. He'd need time to think.
After a while, he finally spoke reluctantly.
"It's confidential."
Agony seeped from every word.
Could he really reveal this to some academy cadet? Worry for Cornus if things went south was plain in his eyes.
I nodded silently.
Champi, beside me, now looked relieved and sat beaming innocently.
'Well, it worked out in my favor.'
The extreme theatrics had paid off. Though I was dragged into it too.
"You know Cornus has trouble remembering names, right?"
"Yes, very well. Si-heon, Si-won, that sort of thing."
"I'm Champhi."
Ji-ho slowly explained the situation with a grave expression.
"The Cornerus Family has been running an experiment for a long time. Cornus has been involved since childhood."
"What kind of experiment?"
"It's..."
As Ji-ho hesitated, Champi jumped in.
"Tell him everything. If you won't, I will."
"Sigh... Eternal and immortal Wood People. In other words, creating beings beyond World Trees."
Beyond World Trees. Something above even gods?
"The World Trees must have kept them in check somehow."
"Cornerus and the World Tree Church were in symbiosis. Mutual destruction if conflict arose. But that only delayed the fight..."
"And it blew up soon after?"
"The family head allying with the Flowers was a big factor."
World Trees may be gods, but their power isn't infinite.
Without the force to maintain societal order, they couldn't claim divinity.
Oppressing noble families on whims? Figures like the Wood Spirit King would multiply, sparking revolution.
Until now, they couldn't antagonize Cornerus without justification.
In a society with gods, it's all external politics. Civilians don't see World Trees as close. Hard times make it explode.
Social chaos isn't welcome for conservative World Trees.
Ji-ho said,
"The World Trees now have a pretext to dismantle Cornerus and curse them."
The societal ill called Flowers.
Proof of alliance, and they could wipe out Cornerus.
The Hunter Association, with its ambiguous stance, would have to side with World Trees if exposed.
"Is there proof?"
"It's been discovered for a while."
Ji-ho tapped his phone screen and showed it to me.
Mendel.
A drug turning Wood People into Ents.
From the serial rampage cases Cheon-do and I resolved.
Connections between Cornerus and Flowers surfaced in the collapsed corporate HQ.
"Cornerus acted fast, so no articles, but World Trees know. They're preparing."
Rushing to exterminate Cornerus, World Trees were about to issue orders.
"Cornus might even be assassinated."
I got the picture.
"So, what's the experiment?"
"Not details, but injecting refined Mendel directly into the spine. That's what happened to her too..."
Like forgetting names.
Her overly innocent behavior was probably the drug's effect.
Cornus had seemed broken since we met.
Some emotions lingered, but they might vanish soon.
"What's the point of eternal life like that?"
"The family sees meaning in completion alone. Every family head. Since Cornerus appeared 632 years ago."
Beyond our understanding.
"Cornus is fine for now?"
Ji-ho's face subtly hardened.
"So far. After the Forest Keeper selection will be the crisis."
"I see."
"That's why I mentioned it. Hard to say, but... Cornus found some smiles hanging with you, Si-heon. Never thought it possible."
Ji-ho licked his dry lips.
Clenching and unclenching his hands, an awkward smile escaped.
"I'm grateful to you. So... I'm telling you to back off now."
"I get the gist."
"You could die meddling."
Nearly a final warning.
Ji-ho spoke gravely from his lofty position.
A newcomer to society would crumble under the weight.
Champi grinned at me knowingly.
As if she knew exactly what I'd say.
"How can I help?"
Ji-ho's eyes twitched.
"...As I said—"
"Without Cornus, I'd be dead too. Hard to explain, but I owe her that much."
I said nonchalantly.
For such a heavy topic, keep it light.
As if it was no big deal. Even if not true, a little flair's fine.
"So."
I concluded.
"What do I do?"
Only then did Ji-ho relax, exhaling deeply.
"Haaa. Even so, there's nothing you can do."
"Something, surely."
"Yes... Thinking it over, there's coincidentally one thing only you can do."
Champi yawned, bored now that the talk ended.
One pushes me to join desperately, the other has weirder temperament than Baek Do.
"It's nothing major."
Ji-ho told me.
"Cornus will be confused. Direct injection hurts. Brain functions may die off. Emotions are already minimal."
"Yes."
"Even near completion, she'll struggle with the perfected drug. She's endured failed versions for over a decade. Body's damaged."
Considering Cornus's power, even a broken body yields that much.
Maybe Cornus has talent rivaling mine.
The thought struck me.
"She could die. Or end up half-complete."
Ji-ho continued calmly.
Having spilled all secrets, his face looked relieved.
"...Just stay by her side. Constantly."
Nothing major.
And my best option.
Even if Cornerus falls, I could hide Cornus somehow.
"That's it?"
"If danger threatens her."
"Yes."
I cut in first.
I knew what he meant.
Guard duty, without the title. Do the job.
Forest Keeper selection with her? Easy.
"Talk over?"
Champi interrupted, shoving snacks into her mouth.
She swallowed the honey taffy and eyed me.
"If done, talk to me. Ji-ho, you go."
"What..."
"Seeing him reminds me of old times. You got time left?"
Champi still had words for me.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ -Whirr.
Machine hum in the quiet capsule.
-Tsssk.
Syringe air bubbles expelled.
Pungent chemical stench.
Purple liquid flowed from tubes into the woman's waist, then she convulsed violently.
[...Ugh, urk!]
Writhing in the capsule, she lost consciousness eyes open.
Body limp, sinking into the fluid.
Soon the capsule opened. A doctor checked her pulse.
"...As expected."
The doctor quickly declared her fate, injecting antidote into her neck.
Clear liquid entered the corpse via syringe.
This prevented Ent transformation.
"Damn it."
Curse from the doctor's lips.
Silence lingered, then a researcher spoke hesitantly.
"Seems only the young lady suits this drug..."
The dead woman was a Cornerus affiliate.
Branch family, but Cornus's cousin by blood. Similar age, promising talent. Why her?
Her yellow hair faded to stark white.
Researchers frowned at her.
"Thought we had a success... Only the young lady works?"
"...She's been in the perfect environment for immunity from prior tests. Following her path... might build tolerance."
Sound reasoning.
If Cornus withstands the perfected version, injecting her past failures sequentially.
Other Cornerus members could reach eternity.
But impossible.
Cornus had the thickest blood, largest vessel.
Even above current head San Hyeok-won in talent.
Funding issues too.
"...Increase Mendel's ratio?"
"No. She'd die again."
"Materials short anyway. Find a way with what we have."
"Agreed."
"If impossible, complete the young lady at least."
Heated researchers turned to a seated woman.
Staring blankly at the ceiling from a plastic chair.
Her pure white clothes and paler skin evoked a sickly angel.
"Can she endure?"
Cornus's hair was lightening.
"Inject the perfected version first. Watch during Forest Keeper selection."
Drug manifestation isn't easy.
Lock Cornus away unseen, hide her—no power emerges.
Power bursts in dramatic crises.
But the trigger... researchers didn't fully know.
Yet dragon-level power confirmed in her heart long ago.
Just ignite it, experiment succeeds.
"Past successes show no observed trigger. Leave to luck."
"Right."
Cornered near death. Thirst to live.
Some researcher cautiously guessed abstract concepts as triggers, but unknown.
If emotion-related...
Could Cornus trigger it?
"......"
Cornus's golden eyes tinged red.
Dry lips parted, cracked voice emerged weakly.
"......It hurts."