Chapter 26
Chapter 26
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 026
Chapter Title: Reunion After Three Years
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‘I will become independent.’
For Go Minji, who had been in America, it was something she had only heard about, but she didn’t need to see it to know.
That it was a major incident.
Parents eventually have to accept their child’s independence, but this was coming from the mouth of a mere 16-year-old, a third-year middle school student.
‘You said you’d go on a trip or something and do your own thing?’
What kind of work could a kid that age possibly do?
But when she thought about it, it was no different from Go Minji herself leaving for America to study abroad.
‘Alright, son. You must have been suffering inside, huh?’
Her mother respected his decision.
‘…Do as you wish.’
Go Jaehan seemed to have given up on Go Yohan, who only caused trouble.
And then three years passed.
‘You still not calling Mom these days?’
He called his mother about once a month, and that was it.
‘I called yesterday. How’s sis doing?’
‘Tch! What little punk’s bastard…!’
‘…Unbelievable.’
Of course, it wasn’t unconditional independence.
‘What about Uncle Jaekyung?’
Lee Jaekyung was with him, and the condition was that he wouldn’t tolerate any more trouble or nonsense.
And truly, it had been three years of dead silence.
‘I’ve got things to do.’
‘Did Uncle join another guild? Even the Holy Order’s gone, so he must be busy?’
‘He said there’s no point in idling.’
The two met after a long time.
And their appearances had changed quite a bit compared to the past.
Go Minji could be described as more refined and even more beautiful.
‘She was ranked 31st in America.’
As a Player, she had become a powerhouse in the top 31 in America.
In world rankings, that put her around 60th.
Even searching all of Korea, she’d be in the absolute top tier.
And Go Yohan.
‘I heard you awakened as a Player.’
After passing through a scrawny childhood, he had shot up during middle school, and now he carried himself like a proper adult.
His height seemed to exceed 180 cm, and his features had matured considerably.
However.
‘Why aren’t you doing Player activities?’
His frame was still skinny.
‘Eh, you know. Uncle Jaekyung helped out a bit.’
‘You’ve got enough to protect yourself.’
Go Minji said it in a voice tinged with genuine concern.
‘…There’s more than one or two things on my mind these days.’
At those words, Go Yohan glanced at her.
‘Is that why you came back to Korea?’
She had originally planned to return next year.
‘Partly because of you.’
‘…….’
Go Minji held back her words.
She hesitated over how much to tell Go Yohan, who hadn’t even set foot properly in the Player world.
But soon, she cautiously opened her mouth.
‘There’ve been a lot of suspicious incidents in Korea. Missing people are increasing too.’
‘Missing people?’
‘Players have that happen sometimes, but it seems more than expected.’
The playful atmosphere had vanished as if it had never been.
‘…It’s not much different overseas.’
That was as far as she could go.
What she could tell Go Yohan.
‘Anyway, you still keep in touch with Sehyun?’
‘Kim Sehyun?’
‘You two used to be close. She’s so pretty, I thought something would happen.’
Bloody Queen—the ranker name they called Kim Sehyun overseas.
‘…Nothing to do? Then go woo Sehyun and get married. She still seems really into you.’
The two had spent quite a lot of time together in America.
One day, she had asked Kim Sehyun about Go Yohan.
‘Sehyun, what do you think of Yohan? Just marry him already. I’ll push for it.’
‘…Just hearing you say that means the world. Sis.’
Seriously.
‘Is that something you say to your little brother?’
‘Why not? You’ve got nothing going on. From what I see, Dad’s abandoned you. Stop leeching off Uncle Jaekyung and Mom. Settle down already.’
Snicker, snicker.
They both laughed, knowing it was just banter and checking in after so long.
‘By the way, you know Mom’s birthday is in a few days, right?’
‘…….’
‘That’s part of why I came back. Just show up quietly. I’ll let today slide.’
They were heading home, but she knew Go Yohan wouldn’t stop by, so she threw it out there.
‘Got it. What time are you going, sis?’
‘I’ve got an appointment, so evening, on time.’
That day, Go Minji was set to meet Kim Dayeon.
*
*
*
Yohan Church.
It was where Go Yohan headed right after dropping off Go Minji.
They had even bought up the surrounding land, making the church stand alone like a temple.
Bow.
People who recognized him greeted subtly by bowing their heads.
Once he passed through a few checkpoints that ordinary people wouldn’t notice and entered the church’s main gate.
Rumble rumble rumble!
A vibration spread out as if an earthquake had hit.
Whoooong!
Dozens of magic circles embroidered in the air.
Clang!
People drawing their weapons in an instant.
And.
Shing.
The feel of a blade at his back and blazing flames right in front of his eyes.
‘……? Captain?’
Kim Sion’s voice came from behind.
Only then did the surprised Kim Sion hurriedly sheathe her twin swords.
‘…….’
Yun Seunga in front of him was just as flustered.
Go Yohan had arrived without notice.
‘…Is that really the Captain?’
Even with Go Yohan right in front of her nose, Yun Seunga couldn’t hide her confusion.
‘Should’ve called ahead?’
As Go Yohan’s voice emerged.
Whoosh!
Kim Sion hugged him from behind right away.
‘Captain! I’ve been waiting!’
Even so, Yun Seunga fiddled with her fingers as if confirming something.
And soon.
‘I’m sorry.’
She apologized to Go Yohan.
Only Yun Seunga could confirm the Atonement connection linking her to Go Yohan.
And the Go Yohan before her eyes was undoubtedly real, not a fake.
‘Why apologize?’
Unlike his cursed teenage years, Go Yohan remained calm.
‘It’s my fault for coming unannounced.’
One by one, people started appearing, drawn by the commotion.
The numbers had grown a lot.
He’d heard that quite a few hadn’t even received his healing.
Some worried about security, but with Yun Seunga, Greed, and Lee Hayeon stepping up personally, there were no issues.
‘What on earth happened?’
Yun Seunga, who rarely showed emotion, spoke with genuine shock.
‘It’d take too long to explain. Good to see everyone after so long.’
‘Me too! Me too!’
‘No good place to loosen up. Mind if I use the basement now?’
‘Of course.’
Fortunately, they had just finished repairs on the basement that the youngest had wrecked.
*
*
*
The basement of Yohan Church was on par with any major guild’s grand training hall.
If comparing facilities, it’d be around the world’s top three guilds.
‘It’s made of adamantium and mithril.’
Lee Hayeon stepped up to introduce the basement facilities after so long.
‘This is for the Captain and us only. No one else can use it.’
Even after so long, Lee Hayeon just beamed without saying much else.
‘The youngest caused an accident the other day and cracked the walls, but we fixed it quick.’
The value of the basement, made with adamantium and mithril, was astronomical.
Mithril, a rare metal, was worth more than the same weight in gold, and adamantium—a unique-grade material—was comparable to diamonds by weight.
Of course, it wasn’t solid throughout, but even coating this vast facility would have cost a fortune.
‘Gluttony worked hard on it.’
It was the achievement of Gluttony, who was also an alchemist.
‘Where’s Pride?’
‘She went on a rampage the other day and is sleeping it off, exhausted.’
Go Yohan nodded.
Three years since taking her in, Pride’s power still seemed uncontrolled.
‘Been a while since we see the Captain’s skills.’
Kim Sion said casually, plopping down in a corner of the training hall.
As Lee Hayeon had mentioned, the only ones in the training hall were Go Yohan, Yun Seunga, Lee Hayeon, and Kim Sion.
Whoooong!
To accommodate Go Yohan, Yun Seunga reinforced the basement with magic once more.
‘You can move freely without worry.’
Yun Seunga said with a smile.
Nod.
Go Yohan nodded and slowly advanced.
‘Hoo.’
Over the past three years, after taking in his final Apostle, Pride, he had absorbed the powerful curses and sins from the demon realm into his very body.
It was at a level where mere faith in the goddess felt arrogant to withstand.
The completed curses began eroding his flesh, and he had spent three years searching for a way to handle it.
With only one thing in mind.
‘Demons.’
The sole resolve to exterminate demons.
Curses and sins were something even Trbania hadn’t inflicted, and suppressing and wielding them wasn’t easy.
Whoooong whoooong….
But he had succeeded.
The air began to tremble.
‘……?’
The Apostles’ faces changed at the subtle shift.
And soon.
Fwaaaah!
When wind rose centered on Go Yohan.
‘……!’
Shock painted the Apostles’ faces.
They too had trained relentlessly for three years without rest.
Their growth differed from regular Players, so they had poured in even more effort, finally reaching a level they thought they could proudly show Go Yohan.
But.
‘Wh-what is this? Right now….’
The returned Go Yohan exceeded their expectations.
With eyes closed, Go Yohan quietly addressed the goddess.
‘Release the seal portion.’
And when he opened his eyes again.
Kwaaaaa!
The wind became a storm, filling the entire basement.
The moment Go Yohan lightly thrust his fist within it.
Kwaaaang!
The wall of adamantium and mithril rang out loudly.
He opened the extended fist and gripped it.
Craaaack!
A noise like something unbreakable shattering.
Then, when he pulled that gripped fist toward himself.
Kwa kwa kwa kwang!
With an explosion, the wall tore away.
‘…….’
Even Go Yohan.
‘…….’
Even the Apostles.
Couldn’t find words.
‘C-Captain….’
Kim Sion was the first to speak.
‘What the hell happened…?’