Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Who Do You Think Will Pull the Excalibur from Halla Mountain?
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**Content: Cold Rice**
- Looks like today's shitstorm is here.
- This bait's getting stale. Hasn't it been Flow since 5 years ago?
- Just admit it's basically a tourist spot now?
ㄴBaekrokdam on Halla Mountain was always a tourist spot.
ㄴFair point.
ㄴExcalibur's basically Jeju Island's new landmark. They should sell tourist merch, honestly.
ㄴKoreans calling it Excalibur? Call it Heavenly Seal or Bronze Sword properly. It's from the Dangun myth, after all.
ㄴYou think that's really the Bronze Sword? Isn't it just the System tailoring something to fit Korea?
ㄴSpot on. There are cases in other countries too. They found Excalibur in the UK once.
ㄴTurned out to be a fake.
ㄴMerch already exists. Palm link at Jeju Museum here.
ㄴCapitalism in action.
ㄴAlready added to tourist guides. Take your parents on a bus tour—the guide explains Heavenly Seal like a pro.
- But seriously, is it even pullable? No news since it appeared.
ㄴSystem says so, so yeah.
ㄴHow can you trust the System lololol
ㄴWhat're you gonna do, not believe it? lololol
- This turns into a shitstorm every time... It's a Bronze Sword floating smack in the middle of the lake for anyone to see. Looks easy, but no one can touch it. No exact specs for unlocking either, so everyone's guessing who can pull it.
- I'm betting on Monami. Who's gonna pull it if not him?
ㄴMonami said in his interview he's not interested in Excalibur. Said Leviathan's enough.
ㄴHe's just defensive 'cause he knows he can't.
ㄴNoob, Monami's a magic swordsman class. What's Demon-Breaking Sword gonna do for him?
ㄴBut doesn't Demon-Breaking Sword clash with magic properties? True?
ㄴJo Han-yul said so.
ㄴThen it's useless for Demon-Breaking Sword, right? Top firepower's mages and magic swordsmen now—where's it fit?
- Why only talk Monami? Baek Sa-hyeon's a swordsman too. Could pull it if he upgrades.
ㄴNah, he'd have pulled it already if he could. They'd make a docu-series, air it 24/7 on broadcast.
ㄴFair lololol
- Eternal Guild Master tried and failed. Out due to interview...
- Swordsman class is rare overall, right? I opened rankings to 50—barely any swordsmen.
ㄴLots don't disclose class, so stats off.
ㄴStill, bet every swordsman in Korea's tried. None pulled it? Korea's Arthur ain't born yet.
ㄴArthur drip lolololololol
- Might not be for swordsman class. Could be another class that handles swords?
ㄴLike what lololol know-it-all.
ㄴEveryone's clueless anyway, just speculating ffs.
ㄴMakes sense tho. Myth says it's for rituals—why swordsman?
ㄴIf it's anti-magic per System, probably not for slashing.
- But what's the reward? Anti-magic just speculation?
ㄴYeah, no one knows.
ㄴCrowned Arthur.
ㄴFloating in the sky over Baekrokdam—obviously OP item.
ㄴWhat if it's trash inside? Hilarious.
ㄴYou guys got no romance.
- System rankings out now, why no one's nominating Rank 1 Banggu?
ㄴOP who named her =3 should apologize. No swag.
ㄴFr.
ㄴNothing known—not even class or identity.
ㄴTo beat Monami on achievements, needs firepower—probably mage? Def not swordsman.
ㄴRank 1 swordsman would've tried... Not Banggu.
- No conclusion today either.
- Think it'll happen in 10 years? Lots see this as Hunter Gen 1. By Gen 3 with research, maybe.
ㄴExcalibur needs Gen 1 pull for the drip.
ㄴKorean story but foreign drip? Lame.
ㄴKing Sejong offended, take it down.
* * *
Let me correct that.
I turned off my phone screen and humbly retracted my statement from a few hours ago.
Even I can't pull it from Halla Mountain.
Whew, that was close.
"By the way, aren't those palm trees?"
Do they even grow naturally in Korea? Nah, probably planted.
Yang Tae-won shrugged as I craned my neck, gawking at the scenery.
"Those have been there forever. First time seeing them?"
"Yeah, first time on Jeju Island."
That's right. This was Jeju Island.
As a high schooler, it felt worlds away. Now? Super close. Hop on a plane, under an hour.
"No way, don't people come on school trips?"
Yeah, but I skipped mine. Thought I'd go as an adult. Didn't expect this.
We'd decided on Halla Mountain and grabbed the fastest flight, but meeting in the afternoon meant sunset already.
Jeju winter? Island winds? Gale-force anyway.
"But Unnie, why're you dressed so lightly? It's freezing."
"Thought we'd head straight home."
Stats kept it bearable, but shirt and jeans? Not winter wear.
Seoul's warming up daytime. Would've grabbed a jacket if I knew.
"Anyway, let's get indoors. Taxi to..."
I was consulting Yang Tae-won on next steps when my pocket buzzed.
Screen: Lee Woo-yeon, obviously.
Guy's my only contact, but... what's up?
"Yo, Lee Woo-yeon? Unnie, you know him?"
Yang Tae-won, glued to my side, peeked.
"Friends? Close? What's the deal?"
Machine-gun questions.
"Not really, not close... moderately friendly."
Housewarming says otherwise.
Cold fact: Closest to me in Korea right now. Small sample size.
Answer first. Who knows why he called.
Picked up, tense.
"Hello?"
- Babe, whatcha doing?
"Wanna die?"
What was I worried about? Hung up vibes instant.
Lee Woo-yeon laughed through the phone. Got a kick out of my freakout.
- Okay, okay, don't hang up.
"Then spit it out so I won't."
- Glad you picked up at least. Makes giving you that item pointless if you don't wear the earrings.
"......Just get to the point. Busy."
- Huh? Why busy? Heard last dungeon was day trip.
Gov incompetent or his intel too good? And "busy" pure lie.
"Another dungeon raid. So what's up?"
I prodded; he hesitated first time.
- No real reason... Can't call without one?
"Huh?"
- Thought dinner tonight. I'm near your place anyway.
Silence from me.
Face-to-face might be fine, but depressed voice over phone? No clue how to respond.
About to say Jeju means no dinner.
"Ew. Lee Woo-yeon? Nuts."
Yang Tae-won gagged beside me.
Froze.
Voice leaked, sure enough.
Phone went dead silent.
- ......Yang Tae-won?
Whoa, not Lee Woo-yeon.
I yanked the phone from my ear. Voice was intense.
- Why's Yang Tae-won there?
Tone alien.
Knew he faked nice around me, but chills anyway.
Rubbed my arms.
"Business with Tae-won brought us to Jeju. No dinner tonight."
Long pause.
Yang Tae-won choked me dramatically. Annoying.
Finally, Lee Woo-yeon broke silence.
- Tae-won?
"Yeah? Yang Tae-won Hunter. You know him?"
- Not the point... Haha. Hilarious. Ye-na, put Tae-won on? He just said my name?
"Yeah, he did."
"Aigoo, his illness flared. Dies without 'Oppa'?"
Yang Tae-won snarked, hearing.
Lee Woo-yeon silent. Gap turning scary.
Get it, Woo-yeon. Five years older bro. I'd smack too.
Nah, raid buddy loyalty—smack now?
Fist clenched; Tae-won grinned, backed off quick.
"Sorry for interrupting, Unnie. Been ages since Woo-yeon Oppa's voice—too excited."
Indescribable noise from phone.
Before escalation, I wrapped it.
"Woo-yeon, talk later. Here for raid—can't have Tae-won die now."
"Unnie!"
- ......You on Jeju for Halla Mountain?
Hate sharp guys.
No answer; he took as yes, voice up a notch.
- For real? Pulling Excalibur?
"......You guys, Koreans dissing Excalibur? British citizenship?"
- No way you'd go without me for something fun. Wanna live-see you pull it.
Sounds like I booked the pull.
- Anyway, why need Tae-won for sword? Since when you two?
Too many Qs. Explaining? Starts with Demon Realm dungeon flip.
Impossible. No intent.
Pinched brow.
"Dunno what's fun. Might fail—don't hype."
- Huh? The great Kang Ye-na saying that?
"Don't talk like you know, outsider."
- C'mon, you only challenge with good odds? Who else pulls it?
Funny.
Not super close, but know he's coldly calculating.
Objectively? Zero basis I can claim Heavenly Seal.
He knows; pure cheer pep talk.
Snorted.
......Yeah, I said dumb shit too.
"Odds? Think I'm a coward who only picks sure wins?"
There.
Intake breath, then he chuckled.
Back to normal playful.
- Ooh, Kang Ye-na. So cool. Falling for you.
"No thanks."
Hard enough already.
Laughed again.
- Fine. Lonely dinner solo. Text when back in Seoul. Message if success. Bye~.
Tae-won crash cooled his rage; clean hangup.
Tae-won clapped like magic trick.
"Wow, you two really just casual? Seems tight."
"Keep it up, he'll actually deck you. Not saving you."
Know they dislike each other, but Tae-won loses bad.
Didn't like; he pouted.
"I'm strong too? Ranking's achievement-based low, but active soon—shoot up."
Yeah, he's got hunter strengths.
Future? Who knows. Cheer both if fight.
"Anyway, now what? Taxi to Baekrokdam?"
Dungeons always mountains. Korea 70%+ mountains, huh.
"Nah, sun's down. Don't climb night."
Serious face; I matched.
"Some shaman reason?"
"What? Night hikes dangerous. Plus 4 hours up?"
Fatal.
I could go now, but Tae-won visibly drained. Dragging hurts efficiency.
"Right, overnight nearby, climb morning."
Airport hotels fine. But he suggested:
"Nah, hotel waste. My place?"
Grinned, winked. Gross.
"How 'bout it? Cool?"
Sigh.
Bad teens need a good smack education.