Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 75
Chapter Title: Hardworking Pay-to-Win Knight
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Gwanghwamun Square, hailed as a holy site, was packed with people just like always. Kids out on picnics, protesting citizen groups, couples on dates, and so on.
And amid them, a group was gathering. A woman wearing her baseball cap backward checked a list floating on her UFO-shaped smart pet and called out names one by one.
"Steven."
"Yes."
"Wang."
"Yes."
"Huh, what's this? Lots of foreigners in the additional slots. Let me see... Ah! Han Jaeyeon?"
I raised my right hand at her words.
"That's me."
"Yes, you're he— Gah! What the heck, mister? You look like a gangster sidekick!"
"Hey, that's rude to someone who came to shoot. Sorry about that."
I'd collapsed covered in blood all night, only waking up in the morning to rush through a wash-up and head to work wearing the nicest outfit I owned.
'Nothing beats this suit.'
The suit from President Bae Sarang had clean lines and even an auto-repair function—it was top-grade. But for some reason, my reflection in the building's glass looked like a hitman straight out of a movie.
"Mister... you're not in the mob, right?"
"Ah, come on, Miyoung..."
"Why not ask? It happens sometimes."
The identical-looking twins bickered.
'Mobster, huh...'
The word stirred a strangely nostalgic feeling, so I answered.
"Gangsters run by corporations wear a [Judgment Deferral] device around their necks."
Without it, they'd never know when a Justice God's priest might kill them. Of course, even with it, running into one wouldn't end well.
"More than that, scum like them wouldn't show up at Gwanghwamun Square. If you want to see mobsters, you'd be better off hunting down volunteer groups."
The 34th Earth was close to utopia, but the underbelly and shadows still existed without fail.
'Dropouts.'
Immigration standards had gotten strict now—no real talent or skills meant no entry to the 34th Earth. But it hadn't always been that way.
Back in the days when humanity's numbers were desperately low on the 34th Earth.
Veteran space mercenaries had rescued people swept up in interstellar wars and lost their homes, slaves captured by pirates, survivors of planets wiped out by cosmic monsters called Grotesque, even folks living out apocalypse scenarios—and brought them to Earth.
Naturally, problems arose.
They were grateful to the 34th Earth that saved them, but they couldn't completely shed the ways they'd lived.
'It's not just a refugee issue, though.'
Even among immigrants, plenty clung to habits from their old homes. Folks who thought their talents and skills would land them in the ruling class here.
But soon after settling on the 34th Earth, they realized.
'They were at the bottom of society... and climbing up was next to impossible.'
The 34th Earth was undeniably a great place to live. Near-perfect public safety, welfare that left no one behind, a society so transparent that corruption was something you only read about in textbooks.
Even the 34th Earth's unemployed lived more comfortably than Ardenia's king.
Do nothing, and you still got basic income. Work a part-time gig, and you could enjoy culture beyond the basics.
'But scraping by doesn't make for a happy life.'
To Ardenians who'd risk their lives mugging soldiers just for a meal, it might sound like a full belly complaining... but humans compare themselves to others.
No need to look far... my own biological father had been one of them.
Born into royalty back home.
A dropout who could never adapt to the role of [Citizen].
"Alright! Checks done! Time to move!"
I organized my thoughts as I followed the guide.
'This came out of nowhere, really...'
Focusing my mind, I could feel the flow of internal energy coursing through my body.
That's right. I could feel it.
Internal energy.
The dream of my lifetime. Proof of transcendence I'd craved and yearned for.
I'd pulled every stunt to beat mana users and experts with beginner-level internal energy, barely sleeping with my battered body, praying endlessly—how I'd begged for it.
Even nightly wishes and prayers hadn't granted it, yet here it was, out of the blue.
Of course, there was a reason.
'Thanks to the cities I've conquered.'
Conquering castles in Ardenia turned them into a sort of [auxiliary capacity], letting me expand elements without strain.
'But martial arts, of all things?'
Sure, chakra users dabbled in all sorts of abilities from the start. Unlike martial arts or internal energy, chakra didn't accumulate mana, and elemental power often boosted other abilities.
But still... other abilities becoming elements themselves? That was unheard of.
'And it's not just gaining inspiration... something's off.'
I could feel the internal energy inside me. Control it, too. Gather it with breathing techniques, circulate it.
And yet.
No Qi Sense.
'Qi is flowing. I can feel and manipulate internal energy, but still no Qi Sense.'
The only energy I could perceive was my own internal energy. No sensing surroundings, seeing ghosts, or detecting enemies.
"Alright! Here's your ID tags—wear them around your necks! Lose track, and you could get lost in the Dream Realm!"
I moved as instructed amid the mix of stunt actors, extras, camera crew, lighting team, and more.
Going to another dimension wasn't complicated.
Walk when told, stop when told. Raise your hand at your name, take what they give you.
After about an hour of walking and answering, I passed through a gate in a building and arrived in a new world.
"Hee-! Hee hee hee!"
A woman in pure white flew overhead.
It was truly astonishing.
"Me, seeing ghosts?"
But one of the twin staff leading us shook her head at my words.
"Not a ghost. Someone's scary dream. Don't look around, or you might get sleepy—follow the person ahead."
We moved on under her guidance.
"My life on Iron!"
"Dwarf mercy!"
"Come. Let the game begin..."
"Ah! Uhng! Oppa, it's my first time..."
All sorts of things passed by on either side. Fascinating dreams. Epic dreams. Terrifying dreams. Even lewd ones...
Dropped here without protection, plenty would've gotten swept up, but shielded by barriers and all sorts of abilities, we reached our destination without issue.
A village-sized base camp set up by the film company in the Dream Realm.
"Alright! Unpack your gear and head to the waiting room on your ID tag! Meet your team leader there and follow their instructions!"
I followed her directions.
Eight or so men and women waited there.
"Ah, you're here. That's nine!"
"Hmm... decent?"
"Look at him—pretty well-trained."
I felt their appraising stares. No wonder—showing up last minute before shooting, I wouldn't look good to the veteran stunt actors.
"Hey, buddy."
Sure enough, the burliest guy stood and spoke.
"Heard you're a last-second parachute? No info on you at all. Academy grad? Never seen your face."
His tone was rough, but the question was fair, so I answered honestly.
"No academy."
"What? Then a sect?"
"No. Self-taught."
The room buzzed—not just him, but everyone.
"What the hell? They just shoved anyone in at this point?"
"Even for a lead actor, a rookie? Insane."
Grumbles erupted immediately. Then a quiet woman in her early thirties raised a hand to calm them.
"Enough! These were scenes we handled fine before—why the fuss?"
"But sis, self-taught? If he knows stuff like Quick Advance Gong or Completion Forms, he's useless."
"And Dream Realm shoots have so many injury risks with someone like that..."
"Ah, enough! Hear him out before complaining. New guy. What abilities, what level?"
The healthy-built woman with her thick hair tied in a tight ponytail exuded considerable presence. She'd calmed the others, but if my answer didn't satisfy, she'd react the harshest.
So I grabbed a ballpoint pen from a nearby desk.
'Will it work?'
A momentary doubt, but I quickly realized I could answer it myself.
'It will.'
The moment certainty hit.
Wooong!
Azure sword aura surged from the pen.
"What...?"
"Sword aura from that?"
"Sword Master..."
The waiting room fell deathly silent.
Everyone stared at the sword aura, dumbfounded.
"Wow, thought you were a random drop-in."
The ponytail woman blinked wide-eyed.
"Airborne forces, huh? Nice to meet you. Han Ilwol."
"Han Jaeyeon."
We shook hands, and the silence shattered into chatter. Suspicion turned to goodwill and respect in an instant.
Martial artists were a rare elite on the 34th Earth, overrun by mages.
Stunt actors welcoming a Sword Master was only natural.
"Sword Master! Been doing stunts a while—first one's like you."
"You look young, too... already a Sword Master?"
"Whew, was worried, but you're a relief. Not dead weight—you'll hard carry. At this level, you'll slice mid-level nightmares with a sword instead of just acting?"
"Sword aura like that from a pen... you could tank shots with a protective aura. Wow, this'll make shooting way easier."
"Hi! Kim Yongjun, training Arhat Divine Fist."
"Heo Daewang, working on Heaven-Shaking Seven Colors. Thought you were a physical trainer, but martial artist? How do you train? Brother okay?"
The mood thawed instantly as people crowded in. I gave fitting replies, no reason to sour relations with folks I'd see all shoot.
Someone asked amid it.
"But why stunts for a Sword Master? This skill could bodyguard without a Gigant..."
"Jaeyeon!"
The door burst open then. A woman in dark hanbok with neatly braided hair stood there.
"Ah, Scarlett."
The opposite of her usual flashy outfits—probably for her role.
"Call me Hye-young here. No, that's not it. Thanks for coming! Must've been a hassle..."
"No big deal."
It was all for money anyway—no need for extra thanks. But a question nagged, so I excused myself from the others and stepped into the hall with her.
"Does me tagging along really convince the elders?"
Scarlett came from a family with elders. Meaning, a household that served them.
People like that could background-check anyone effortlessly. Bending to their will just because I tagged along? Seemed off.
"Yes! They said someone your level escorting would put them at ease!"
"What about me do they trust?"
"You did that test before, right? They said you'd know..."
"Ah... really?"
I answered calmly, but questions flooded my mind.
'Test? What test?'
Unaware of my thoughts, Scarlett beamed.
"Grandma said she's never seen anyone shrug off her killing intent so boldly!"
"...Ah, I see."
Only then did I grasp the situation.
'Ah, damn.'
Just as I thought—they'd massively misunderstood.
'The elder visited.'