Chapter 194
Chapter 194
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 194
Chapter Title: The Sealing of Powers
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The murmur of the crowding people.
Their anxiety.
-Soon, the event will begin.
The announcement signaling the start of the event from the back.
"Personnel check?"
Men in black clothes, led by the Black Pavilion and the Association, were meticulously scanning the event grounds.
"Nearly a million people."
A million—an overwhelming number gathered in one place, something that had happened only a handful of times since the founding of the nation.
And it wasn't even over yet; they expected nearly double that number to show up.
Even though the Republic of Korea was stabilizing, the lingering fear couldn't be helped. Amid that, new curiosity—of course—and the reveal of the Magic Tower, which might have prevented Korea's downfall, had drawn them out.
"Accommodating the numbers is no issue at all."
Murmur, murmur.
Even amid the voices of countless people, the agents' words carried clearly to those who needed to hear them.
-Event starts in 30 minutes.
That voice pierced through everything once more into their minds.
"Understood."
"Understood."
Sharp, disciplined responses came back.
"Officially visiting players from each country: 20,000."
Kang In spoke, wearing something like an inverted robe instead of his usual suit.
"Unofficial infiltrators: 30,000."
With the world's attention focused on this event, the numbers of official and unofficial player visitors were substantial.
Most of them.
"Out of the 50,000 players, thirty percent are from Asia."
Ever since gates stopped appearing, Asian players—who were facing the most difficulties—made up the absolute majority.
Kang In continued relaying various reports.
The key takeaway from all this.
Gulp.
Whether official or not, they had precisely identified every player present.
Moreover.
"Make sure to check the lists being distributed now carefully."
Lists with personal details and faces were handed to the agents.
These documents, listing players' faces and even levels, were state secrets of the highest order in themselves.
"Red: dangerous individuals. Blue: unclear intentions. Green: safe."
At those words.
-Understood.
Responses came again.
It was then.
Rustle.
A sprout grew from between the asphalt, rapidly expanding its body until it became a vine touching Kang In's leg.
"Speak."
In an instant, a verdant energy enveloped Kang In.
"......"
The vine whispered something.
"Understood."
Kang In nodded with a satisfied smile, and the vine vanished back into the asphalt whence it came.
-Red player from the additional list spotted. No suspicious activity yet.
Reports continued coming in even then.
-Process them?
The question from the agent who spotted the red-listed player.
"No."
Kang In replied.
In truth, they had possessed these documents and analyses right after the event was announced.
But there was a reason for distributing so much information so late.
"Guide them to the heart of the venue instead. The spot with the best view of the announcement stage."
-......!
The agent's startled reaction was evident.
But for the Black Pavilion's organization.
-Understood.
They never questioned orders.
Step.
Kang In finally began to move.
Thump, thump.
His heart, which never raced even on the toughest missions, was pounding now.
If it stemmed from fear, his heart wouldn't be racing—it would have sunk.
So the emotion he felt now was.
"You who dare covet that one's land."
Not fear, but excitement.
"Watch closely."
Clench.
His tightly gripped fist turned red from lack of blood flow.
"What kind of being you've made your enemy."
At that moment.
-The event will now begin.
The long-awaited event finally started.
*
*
*
Murmur, murmur.
Anxiety, anticipation, countless emotions mixed in the murmurs filling the vast open space.
Their conversations weren't even unified.
-The event will now begin.
Even at that voice, the murmurs only grew louder, refusing to die down.
"I... I can't do this. Bad feeling. I'm out."
"M-Me too."
Moves to leave the venue were intensifying.
Fortunately, control was holding up decently, so no major issues arose.
"Shall I guide you to the exit?"
"Ah, yes...!"
"...I'm staying anyway."
"What?"
Even minor scuffles were breaking out.
"Hm?"
Suddenly, everyone froze.
Shhh.
The air shifted, silencing even the murmurs.
"Thank you all for attending."
A voice booming from the sky swallowed the voices of nearly two million people and spread.
Whip, crack.
Even those with backs turned snapped their heads around, entranced.
"I am."
Rustle, rustle, rustle.
Something descended from the sky.
"Yoo Se-hwa, and I'll be assisting with this announcement."
Her casual speech didn't fit a formal occasion.
"Ahh..."
"Ah!"
Along with a voice that tickled past their ears straight to their hearts.
Fwaaa!
The being revealed amid the pouring light banished any negative thoughts.
"Ye..."
Though much time had passed since she appeared, stories of her still rocked every media outlet with shock.
Her beauty, of course, and the mystique and holiness felt even through cameras—something undeniable.
"Goddess!"
"It's the goddess!"
Cheers erupted like thunder at Yoo Se-hwa's appearance.
Rustle.
The main announcement stage was so far that she thought she'd have to watch on screens.
But Yoo Se-hwa hovered in midair, scanning every gathered soul below.
"Allow me to introduce myself as the Tower's administrator."
The Tower's administrator—her identity finally revealed.
"Before we start, I want to ease everyone's worries."
Yoo Se-hwa's voice echoed.
It was as if.
"Gasp..."
They were hearing the long-lost system messages players once knew.
"I can sense your fear of what might happen if terrorism breaks out here. But rest assured, it won't."
Arms extended, palms open.
Rustle.
Flower buds appeared within.
Shwaaaa!
Transparent barriers rose from the ground somewhere among the two million.
"I've isolated the players from the non-players."
Her gentle smile accompanied words that.
"Ahh...!"
Were nothing short of a miracle worthy of a goddess.
*
*
*
"You with impure intentions."
Shwaaaa!
The transparent walls that had already risen once.
Within them.
Shwaaaa!
Another set surged up.
"Stay quiet."
Faces of panic, boiling mana.
Players separated from civilians, and those deemed enemies separated further.
Rather than question the miracle.
"Woooah!"
The people marveled.
"......"
Seeing the players beyond the wall on screens—bewildered and furious—they were convinced.
Yoo Se-hwa's words were true.
Boom!
Then, an explosion rocked from inside the inner wall.
Boom boom boom!
The blasts continued, shaking the transparent walls as if they might shatter.
"Kyaah!"
"P-Players are rampaging!"
"What if it breaks?"
The confined players, sensing doom, unleashed their mana.
They knew how Go Yohan and his aides handled those labeled 'enemies.'
Ruuuuumble!
Realizing things had gone wrong, they acted.
Boom!
Just as fear amplified among the shaking walls.
"Stay quiet."
Yoo Se-hwa extended her hand toward the rampaging players.
Flinch.
A player about to unleash the next barrage froze.
Then.
Thud.
Collapsed to the ground.
No sound reached outside, but.
"......? ......!"
Their expressions told the story.
Thud, thud.
More players collapsed.
'Unbelievable!'
'No way!'
'Mana...'
From their shock alone.
'Mana won't move!'
They had lost their power in that instant.
Shwaaa.
Petals drifted down from Yoo Se-hwa, scattering everywhere.
The civilians didn't even think to dodge the beauty, but those desperately moving.
Thud.
Collapsed, trembling.
"Mana..."
"The system's gone!"
Despite the agents' efforts, the infiltrators lost their mana, overcome by helplessness and fell.
"I know many of you are curious about what the Magic Tower truly is."
Yoo Se-hwa's voice rang out.
"I've sealed all the mana of every player gathered here. And neutralized their systems at the same time."
"......!"
Was such a thing even possible?
In the past, fearing players' power, many researched ways to neutralize them.
Experiments sometimes succeeded in temporarily disabling one or two, but that was it.
Practical deployment was deemed impossible.
"The threat from the players you've all feared so much is gone. They can't use their powers without my permission until they leave this land."
No one could speak against her confident smile.
"It may be hard to believe, but it's true."
Yoo Se-hwa said.
"And this is."
Smile.
Her beautiful smile seemed to say it.
"Just a fraction of the Magic Tower's power."
The event had truly begun.