Chapter 77
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: Sudden Gate (6)
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I seriously pondered Lee Seojun's suggestion to create a world-class organization.
Indeed, if the healer was affiliated with some organization, it would be easier to introduce new characters.
"Not a bad idea. At least I won't have to worry about how to bring them in like before."
-That's right. In that vein, how about naming the organization [Leviathan]?
"......[Leviathan]?"
-It's the sword that sets the world ablaze. Plus, it sounds like a criminal organization to anyone who hears it.
Lee Seojun recommended [Leviathan] precisely because it gave off criminal organization vibes.
"But a criminal organization?"
-Yes. It'll make it easier for you to operate, Mr. Lee Seongmin. Or would you prefer to officially establish a guild?
"No, that's not it."
If he established a guild, all sorts of people would come flocking.
Acting as a criminal organization, as Lee Seojun suggested, seemed like the better option.
"Let's go with a criminal organization. Leviathan? Not bad."
At first, he wondered what Leviathan even was, but thinking of it as a criminal group made it somewhat acceptable.
"Then shall we create someone to help Kang Ju-young now?"
-It's my turn again this time.
"......"
I stared silently at Lee Seojun, who stepped forward as if it were only natural.
-What's wrong?
"I'm making this one."
-What?! Why?
Did this guy really not know?
"All the characters you make are hideous."
From the healer to the destroyer.
He never created anyone who didn't look grotesque.
So when I insisted on making this one myself, Lee Seojun protested as if wronged.
-No! I just made them fit the situation. If you doubt me, I can make them look however you want, Mr. Lee Seongmin.
"......"
I couldn't fathom why this guy was so serious about appearances.
After staring at him for a moment, I nodded and described the look I'd thought up.
"Make a stereotypical fantasy-world mage. Since it's a grand mage level, an elderly appearance would fit."
-What about personality?
"Steady, and serious when it calls for it?"
-......Boring.
This guy?
"Or should it be a black mage who plunged a world into ruin? One who specializes in mass slaughter and collects corpses as a hobby."
-Oh. That sounds fun!
As a test, matching the healer and destroyer's looks, I floated the black mage idea, and he lit up with interest.
"Shut up. I haven't learned black magic, so make the mage I mentioned first."
-Ah, okay? No helping it.
I glared at him briefly, then eliminated one more clone in the mountains and summoned it here.
Then, following Lee Seojun's instructions, I tweaked the appearance piece by piece, and soon enough, a pretty decent figure took shape.
-How's that? Not bad, right?
He looked like a 70- or 80-something elder, older than Joo Tae-ho, but he exuded dignity and mystery.
The deep blue eyes in his wrinkled sockets and the white beard reaching his chest bore the marks of time.
"Looks good. Just dress him in mage robes, and it'll be perfect."
-Oh, by the way, you should seal his mana veins.
"Mana veins?"
-If Kang Ju-young and the other heroes sense he's only D-rank level, it'll be a problem.
Come to think of it, Kang Ju-young had previously sensed Ha Chae-jung and Ga Se-yeon as C- and D-rank heroes at her private villa.
Assuming it was about detecting mana veins in the body, I sealed the mana veins of the new character as Lee Seojun advised.
-More importantly, Mr. Lee Seongmin, can you use magic too?
"Didn't I say?"
-Yes. You never mentioned anything about magic.
I paused, wondering if that was true, then stated it clearly this time.
"I'll show you what a true grand mage is like."
-......
Lee Seojun just looked at me with an expression that said, "What are you talking about?"
After fine-tuning the mage's personality and gear, I contacted Kang Ju-young as the healer.
When the guild chat connected, Kang Ju-young spoke first in a voice tinged with fresh surprise.
[I didn't expect chat to work even here.]
She apparently hadn't realized it would connect inside a gate.
I knew her situation, so I understood, but I played dumb and asked.
"What do you mean?"
[I'm inside the gate right now. Swept up here with 300 cadets.]
"300 cadets...... Perfect for some real combat experience."
[You serious?]
"Or is there some problem?"
Of course, the healer had to respond as if knowing nothing.
Thanks to that, Kang Ju-young didn't connect the student Lee Seongmin to the healer and explained the situation further.
[It's a presumed S-rank history recreation gate. Beasts attack every 2-3 days, they say. I'm fine, but the cadets might be in danger.]
"Then I guess we can't meet up today either."
[......You can teleport there even inside a gate?]
"Nothing's impossible."
The online game ability wasn't my power—it was the Creator God's.
The details were complicated, but it could ignore all rules, gates or whatever, and summon.
[So you could come here too?]
"That's possible too, but...... I trust you're not asking me to."
[Sorry to betray your trust. Can't you come?]
"Me, who vanished just days ago, showing up in front of cadets? That'd be entertaining."
[......]
After my response, Kang Ju-young fell silent, at a loss for words.
If it were just cadets, maybe, but there were Hero Association people inside the gate too.
'Probably because of them.'
If the healer appeared in person, the Hero Association folks would spread all sorts of rumors.
Not to mention everyone begging Kang Ju-young to arrange a meeting with the healer.
[Still, I need your help just this once.]
"......"
Yet Kang Ju-young asked for help despite knowing that.
As Lee Seojun had said, after hearing her request, I pretended to agonize for a while.
'This should be enough.'
After about 1-2 minutes, as planned, I decided to send the mage.
"I don't think it'll work out. Even if I came, I wouldn't help much with clearing the gate."
[If you don't help, I'll be busy forever.]
But now Kang Ju-young was resorting to threats with her own body.
"I'm not done. I won't help much, so I'll send someone else."
[Someone else? Like Ha Chae-jung and Ga Se-yeon? Sorry, but they won't help at all.]
"A different person. Someone even more useful for gate clearing than me, at least."
[You have someone like that?]
Kang Ju-young sounded genuinely shocked that I had such a person.
"Precisely, not my person. Anyway, I'll send them soon."
I cut the guild chat there.
Then, after a short wait, I moved the mage.
'Sending someone else.'
Kang Ju-young thought about the "other person" the healer promised to send as soon as the chat ended.
But as the healer said, even if he came personally, it wouldn't greatly aid gate clearing.
'The cadets could all survive and return, though.'
Plus, his claim that it wasn't his own person nagged at her.
As a healer, he could have ties to others, but her instincts said otherwise.
'Who could it be?'
The moment that thought crossed her mind.
Fwaah!
"......!?"
A burst of light appeared beside Kang Ju-young, and someone materialized.
She startled into a defensive stance, but the newcomer calmly surveyed the surroundings.
"So this is a history recreation gate."
The arrival was an elderly man who appeared 70-80 years old.
The wrinkles on his face and long white beard reaching his chest left no doubt he was an elder.
Yet his height of about 190cm and straight posture marked him as robust, unlike most seniors.
Out of habit, Kang Ju-young probed his mana.
'......No mana detected?'
The suddenly appeared elder then turned to her.
"Are you Kang Ju-young? At the healer's request, I'll lend a hand appropriately."
"What's your relation to the healer?"
Even for Kang Ju-young, she couldn't speak casually to someone looking 70-80.
"Our relation...... If I must say, colleagues at the same workplace."
"Same workplace, you say?"
"Indeed."
Kang Ju-young pressed the elder, who nodded readily, for more details.
"Could you tell me what workplace that is?"
"More curious than expected. That's not the important part."
"We still have time."
The monster assault wouldn't happen until evening.
The elder stroked his beard, his face showing hesitation on whether to answer.
"Hmm. If I must, it's an organization striving for world peace. We don't scruple over means or methods."
"A criminal organization, then."
Kang Ju-young pegged it as such from his refusal to reveal the identity and disregard for methods.
"That's what they call us in the world."
The elder didn't deny the criminal label either.
"......"
Separately from the elder, realizing the healer was part of a criminal organization complicated Kang Ju-young's thoughts.
But the priority was clearing this gate safely, so without further comment, she asked his name.
"What should I call you?"
"Hm."
The elder stroked his beard again, pondering seriously.
"Grand Mage...... Too common. Even mediocrities call themselves that."
As if declaring himself utterly unlike other grand mages.
Soon, hit by inspiration, he nodded and provided the title.
"Call me [Archsorcerer]."