Chapter 190 I Shall Teach You
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Translator: JayM
Chapter: 190
Chapter Title: I Shall Teach You
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Explorer's Headquarters basement.
A crowded meeting room.
Jeong Yoo-shin couldn't get his bearings.
Were all the explorers here really ones with negative imprints?
Whether he knew of Jeong Yoo-shin's worries or not, the young man named Granny on the stage continued to speak.
"Everyone, today is a truly joyous day."
Granny paused and looked around. His gaze was like that of someone looking at their precious family. It was filled with warmth.
"I've always seen only a small number of people in these meetings, so it's truly wonderful to see so many comrades like this. However, it is also a day where my heart is heavy."
The people quietly looked at Granny.
"As you all know, another change has occurred in the labyrinth. A strong monster has appeared on each level. It's to the point where the cooperation of parties has become important."
Most of the people in the meeting room nodded.
"Of course, I know that there are explorers who don’t discriminate against us, but as we are often shunned, we must somehow join forces. As such, the importance of this meeting has grown."
Someone raised their hand.
"Representative, what should we do?"
"I believe it's important to have a forum where we can assist each other as much as possible. I think we need to talk more openly about the abilities of our imprints, and we shouldn't look at people with colored glasses just because they have a negative imprint."
The elf wearing rainbow-colored underwear raised his voice.
"Your explanation is a bit vague. Is there a detailed method?"
Granny nodded.
"Before that, there's something I'd like to say. Since the size of our gathering has grown, I believe we need a new representative. Shall we say, the master of a clan alliance?"
Someone made a displeased sound.
"We already have the leaders for each of our clan. Why do we need to put a master above them?"
"Because we need someone who can represent our intentions well."
At Granny's answer, some nodded as if in agreement, while others frowned.
"Who else but Representative Granny would take on this role?"
When someone asked, Granny smiled faintly.
"I'd like to tell you this first. A while ago, someone came to my shop as a worker. I was reluctant because of his rough appearance and the marks of a removed tattoo on him, but he worked diligently. After a few days, we became close. We talked about many things and I found out. He was from the Eastern District."
The young man paused and turned his head again.
He made eye contact with Jeong Yoo-shin, who had barely come to his senses.
The young man smiled.
"He said this. That he had been saved. That he had lived licking the ground, bound by 'chains' in the Eastern District, and had seen the light… Chains. It's a very scary word. Perhaps we are also bound by the 'chains' of others' misconceptions."
The young man emphasized the word 'chains' and raised his hand to point at Jeong Yoo-shin.
"In that sense, whether he likes it or not, I believe this person will represent the intentions of us who are bound by chains well. So I would like to recommend him. Skar-nim! Please come forward!"
Jeong Yoo-shin's mouth hung open.
My name is coming up here all of a sudden?
All eyes were focused on Jeong Yoo-shin.
A gaze of envy, a suspicious look, a wary glance— various gazes were directed at him.
Jeong Yoo-shin, who had been flailing in the wave of gazes, steeled his resolve.
He stood up and walked up to the stage.
Jeong Yoo-shin looked around. It felt like he had come to a parliamentary speech.
He saw a few familiar faces. It was a natural thing, as he had had several encounters.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, everyone."
Jeong Yoo-shin continued.
"Many of you seem to recognize me."
Now that he was on the stage, he understood.
He felt like he knew how they had lived up until now. Since it was a difficult time, they must have helped each other to live.
He was sure that this wasn’t a gathering of clans that professionally conquered the labyrinth.
Then, what should he call them?
He pondered to find the right word.
People who struggled on the front lines of life and entered the labyrinth when they had the time.
Petty-bourgeois explorers.
Seeing that people with similar imprints had gathered, he felt like he understood the reason for the clans’ existence.
Rather than going in and out of the labyrinth, it seemed that like-minded people had gathered together instead.
There must be people with negative imprints here.
But if that were the case, then the reason for the existence of a reject party was unclear.
No.
There was a possibility that clan members would interact here, and when they had the time and found like-minded people, they would gather, and the rest would be filled from other places.
In the first place, would an explorer who was in a decent clan come here after receiving a negative imprint?
There was a high probability that they wouldn't.
Hadn't he himself been dazed?
However…
There are pearls even in a mudflat.
If it would help in finding a decent explorer, then there was no need to refuse this position.
Jeong Yoo-shin quickly organized his thoughts and spoke.
"What Representative Granny said is right. I am that person. The living conscience of Labyrinth City, the acting justice, Skar."
Jeong Yoo-shin made eye contact with each person.
No matter what anyone said, he had to promote himself properly.
Granny had a flustered expression next to him.
"S-Skar-nim, you're very confident."
An old man in loose-fitting clothes snorted.
"Hey, half-breed barbarian. You're still young, but your nose is already in the air. Do you covet the master position that much?"
As if in agreement with the old man's words, a few people nodded.
Jeong Yoo-shin looked around again.
"...Many of you here seem to have complaints."
"You know well."
"Then let's have a spar. To see who’s stronger. And who represents the intentions of this gathering."
The old man grinned and stood up.
"Good. I like your straightforwardness. Let's fight right now!"
Granny scratched his cheek with a troubled expression.
"I-I'm not sure if this is right. For now, there's a training ground in the headquarters basement, so shall we go there?"
At Granny's words, the people rushed out of the meeting room.
Jeong Yoo-shin didn't miss this chance and scanned the noticeable people.
He hadn't forgotten his purpose.
To find a good explorer.
The difficulty of the labyrinth had skyrocketed once again starting from the 10th floor.
Meaning, sufficient preparation was necessary.
He needed to distinguish the talented people well and recruit them.
Jeong Yoo-shin and the people left the meeting room and walked down the basement corridor.
Mick, who was following beside him, sent a sign language message.
'I'm sorry.'
Jeong Yoo-shin shook his head.
"It's alright. But I'm a bit surprised. For now, watch carefully. We need to find talented people to join our party."
'I understand. I'll watch carefully.'
As they went straight down the corridor, a huge underground open space with a rather high ceiling came into view.
The floor was paved with hard stone, so it seemed to be well-prepared.
Quite a number of people were gathered at the training ground.
Some were laughing and talking, some were facing each other and swinging swords, some were sitting and watching, and some were watching from a distance.
Various groups that seemed to be mainly clan members were gathered, either sparring or practicing formations.
'Was there a place like this?'
He had no idea.
When Jeong Yoo-shin and the clan members entered the open space, he could feel the other explorers' gazes.
They weren’t very good gazes. They were infinitely close to ridicule, contempt, and pity.
The clan members frowned, but said nothing.
Jeong Yoo-shin stood in the middle of the training ground.
The shaggy-haired old man in loose-fitting clothes came out and slowly warmed up.
Jeong Yoo-shin also stood across from him and warmed up.
The explorers who had been sparring around them began to send glances and murmur one by one.
'Why do they like to watch others so much?'
Jeong Yoo-shin clicked his tongue inwardly, but he still meticulously checked his body.
He paid particular attention to his thighs, shins, and ankles. They were the parts that were most easily injured when moving quickly.
He tightened the sword belt that was loosely slung around his waist as well as his bootlaces.
'Preparation’s complete.'
He grabbed and drew the longsword with the wolf crest carved on it.
Shing.
The cold blade was released from its scabbard.
The old man across from him was still moving his waist back and forth.
Crack.
"Ah."
The old man stopped, let out a word, and raised his hand.
"I surrender."
Jeong Yoo-shin, who had been inspecting his blade, quickly raised his head.
"...So suddenly?"
"I've pulled my back. It's a glass cannon imprint, so it's hard to do it perfectly."
"What's a glass cannon imprint?"
"It's an imprint that gives you 5 times the power when your body and mind are in their peak state. The downside is that it's difficult to use its full power if you're 'injured'."
"..."
Jeong Yoo-shin's shoulders slumped.
His fighting spirit, which had been full, shriveled like a deflated balloon.
"Then next..."
Just then.
"Kahahahahaha!!!"
A human man laughed loudly from a corner of the training ground. Around him, several party members could be seen smirking with twisted lips.
Looking around, everyone had a similar expression.
The man, who was even crying, laughed heartily, then strode over to Jeong Yoo-shin.
"Well, now. Half-breed barbarian, aren't you the prized disciple of the southern Swordsman's Guild’s master? What are you doing here with these people who are not even in your league?"
Jeong Yoo-shin slung his sword over his shoulder and stood crookedly.
"Who are you?"
The human man with his hair slicked back contorted his face, then he smoothed it out again.
"Who am I? Seeing that your speech is so vulgar, are you the leader of these people?"
"..."
At Jeong Yoo-shin's silence, the slick-haired man slapped his knee.
"Is that really so?! Ha! If Guild Master Ashur saw this, he would beat his knees and wail!"
Jeong Yoo-shin's eyes darkened.
'This bastard.'
Bringing up his master on their first meeting?
"Dyke, that's too much."
Granny stepped forward and said.
The man called Dyke immediately frowned.
"Granny, don't talk nonsense. The renowned clans are already gathering and putting their heads together. What do you think you're doing, taking up a spot in the training ground with guys like you?"
"..."
Granny just blushed without a word.
Jeong Yoo-shin's head tilted sideways.
"What do you mean?"
"Oh? Is Ashur's prized disciple going to give me a lesson? This is so scary, I can't even speak."
Dyke said sarcastically.
Granny approached from the side.
"Dyke, an intermediate-mid rank explorer. He's the leader of the 3rd party of the Blue Falcon clan, and also a member of the central district's Swordsman's Guild."
There was a Swordsman's Guild in the central district too?
He had no idea. For now, he knew his personal information.
Dyke shrugged.
"So what are you going to do? The swordmaster's disciple wouldn't avoid a spar, would he?"
Jeong Yoo-shin let out a deep sigh.
"This bastard keeps bringing up my master's name. Who’s your master?"
"..."
Dyke suddenly closed his mouth.
Soon, the area around the training ground also became quiet.
"Answer me. Do you have honey on your lips? I said, ‘Who is your master?’"
Dyke's face briefly flushed red and purple. He didn't open his mouth.
Jeong Yoo-shin's eyes narrowed.
"You don't have a master?"
At Jeong Yoo-shin's question, Dyke made a serious face.
"...A swordsman speaks with his sword."
Fucking bastard.
Since he had nothing to say, then a swordsman speaks with his sword or whatever.
Jeong Yoo-shi was losing his mind.
He raised his sword and lowered it to a low stance.
"Come. It's a pity you're so uneducated. I’ll teach you what swordsmanship is."
"Kuuuuk!!! Fuck!!!"
Dyke drew his sword and stood in front of Jeong Yoo-shin.
Jeong Yoo-shin spoke with a relaxed posture.
"I'll give you the first move. You friendless bastard without a master."
"You son of a bitch!!!"
Dyke, who had lost his reason, rushed at him while foaming at the mouth.
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T/N - Lol. This Dyke guy is about to get schooled. You don’t just disrespect the people the MC is close to and expect to get away with it. The things he’s done in the eastern district is enough proof of that. Then again, this is in the central district. They probably don’t take rumors from the eastern district seriously.
Also, how the fuck did the MC go from just taking a look at the meeting to suddenly being the candidate to lead the small clans? And the MC just rolled with it too. He’s that desperate for party members, huh?