The Ruins of Mt. Baekdu
Fortunately, the misunderstanding was cleared up quickly. It would be more accurate to say that there wasn't much of a misunderstanding to clear up in the first place. Upon seeing Kim Ilshin’s bewildered reaction, Lee Yeon-woo immediately realized she had misjudged the situation. She began to apologize as if she were ready to beg for forgiveness on her knees, and her face turned so red it looked like it might burst at any moment. It was the first time Kim Ilshin had ever seen a human face turn that shade of crimson.
A short while later, once she had regained her composure, Lee Yeon-woo suggested they head to her office. She explained that she could provide a more detailed explanation using the materials she had stored there. Kim Ilshin agreed, and the two soon arrived at her office.
‘This place is a total mess.’
Stacks of books and documents covered the floor of the spacious office, leaving no room to step. Empty energy drink cans were scattered about as an added bonus. It was the exact opposite of Joo Chae-rin’s impeccably clean office. In truth, it looked more like a long-abandoned warehouse than a workspace.
“Please, wait just a moment. First, this, and then this too…”
Even in such a chaotic environment, Lee Yeon-woo managed to find the necessary materials one after another. She looked like a veteran farmer weeding a field. Watching her, it occurred to him that this might be her own unique method of organization.
‘Maybe she isn’t lazy, but simply doesn’t feel the need to tidy up.’
Since she could remember where everything was and find it even if she just tossed it aside, it might be comfortable for her—even if it were a living hell for anyone watching from the outside.
While Kim Ilshin was lost in these thoughts, Lee Yeon-woo found all the materials she needed for her explanation. She spread them out across the desk and began her briefing.
“This is a ruin discovered a very long time ago. Originally, it was left abandoned because no one knew what kind of ruin it was, or even how to get inside.”
Lee Yeon-woo pointed to a photo on the desk. It was a shot of the upper part of the ruin’s entrance, where strange, elongated patterns were carved into the stone.
“Do you see the inscription here?”
“Is that an inscription? I thought it was just some kind of drawing.”
“It looks that way, but it’s actually composed of characters. It’s an ancient language, and we only recently succeeded in deciphering it.”
“What does it say?”
“…Only the successor of the Ilshin Pacheon-gong may open the door. If you seek the trial of the ancients, enter.”
The successor of the Ilshin Pacheon-gong. If that referred to someone who had mastered the art, then there should be no one in this world other than Kim Ilshin.
“And here, I’ve discovered something unique.”
Lee Yeon-woo pointed to a photo of a palm-sized circular plate attached to the center of the ruin’s entrance.
“You can channel mana through this disk. You can only open the door if you channel mana that matches the structure of the mechanism connected to this device.”
“So, to open the door, I have to channel the mana of the Ilshin Pacheon-gong into that.”
“Yes, that’s right. Through my research, I’ve even figured out the process required to manifest that specific form of mana, but…”
Suddenly, Lee Yeon-woo’s expression turned gloomy, and she dropped her head. It was as if she were recalling the frustrating times she had spent in the past.
“I’m incredibly clumsy, so I couldn’t possibly execute that process with my own body… and it was the same when I asked others for help. It’s so complex that I couldn’t just smash the door open, so I was about to give up…”
Kim Ilshin felt he finally understood why he had never heard the name Gwang-ma (The Mad Demon). To begin with, it was hard to find books containing the Ilshin Pacheon-gong, and even if one did, there was no one who could learn it, making it impossible to open the door to those ruins. As time passed, even Lee Yeon-woo, who had been obsessed with the site, eventually gave up on her research, and it was left to be forgotten.
“But then…!”
Lee Yeon-woo lifted her head and looked at Kim Ilshin. She began to plead with eyes like a rain-soaked puppy.
“I discovered you, student Kim Ilshin. The martial art you used in the sparring match… that was the Ilshin Pacheon-gong, right?”
Lee Yeon-woo took a deep breath, shaking her head as she continued. He could see her eyes welling up with tears.
“No, it doesn’t matter if it isn’t. Just come with me and channel your mana into that thing once. Please…”
If she were told to kneel, she looked ready to press her forehead straight into the dirt.
‘I suppose I have to accept.’
He hadn’t intended to refuse from the moment the Ilshin Pacheon-gong was mentioned. He was particularly interested in the ‘trial of the ancients’ inscribed at the entrance. It might be an opportunity to advance his Ilshin Pacheon-gong to the next level.
“Very well. However, I have one condition.”
“R-really?! Tell me anything…! Ah, well, maybe not anything…”
“Let me enter the ruins with you. I’ve become curious about what’s inside.”
“If that’s all, then yes!”
Lee Yeon-woo beamed, saying it was exactly what she had hoped for.
“I needed someone to provide security while traveling and investigating. If it’s you, Kim Ilshin, I can trust you with the task.”
It was a satisfactory answer for Kim Ilshin, but the phrase ‘while traveling’ bothered him. It meant she needed protection not just while investigating inside the ruins, but during the journey there as well.
Kim Ilshin asked about it, and Lee Yeon-woo answered without hesitation.
“Ah, these ruins are at the entrance of Mt. Baekdu.”
Hearing that, Kim Ilshin had a premonition. This mission would not be a peaceful one. Mt. Baekdu, located at the northernmost tip of Korea, was home to colonies of powerful monsters due to the dense mana emitted by the mountain. Because of its location near the border between China and Korea and its harsh environment, it was also a place where countless outlaws who had committed crimes and fled flowed into.
“Then, how about we depart next weekend…? I’ll take care of the attendance issues myself. Since I’m essentially the one commissioning you, student Kim Ilshin…”
Lee Yeon-woo didn’t care about such things. She was too busy being overjoyed that she could open the door to the ruins and investigate the interior.
‘Can I really trust this person and go? …That’s a useless thought.’
He had already accepted, and he had to go for the ‘trial of the ancients’ mentioned at the entrance. He had five days left until departure. He intended to make as many preparations as possible in that time.
“Let’s depart then, as planned.”
“Great…! I’ll arrange the transportation.”
After finishing their discussion on coordinating the schedule and preparing the necessary supplies, Kim Ilshin stepped outside. His next destination was the training hall. Although he was a bit late due to the unexpected turn of events, he couldn’t skip his training.
***
Early in the morning, Kim Ilshin sat cross-legged on the floor and looked at the small box in front of him. Inside the box, which was luxuriously decorated with platinum and looked like a jewelry case, was a medicinal elixir. It was an elixir personally crafted by the academy’s principal, Pan Hae-yul, which he had earned for taking first place in the recent exam.
Click.
Kim Ilshin opened the box and took out the elixir. He felt a cool sensation from the pale blue pill. He could even smell a calm, refreshing scent, as if he had stepped into a lush forest. Just by looking at it, he could tell how pure the energy condensed within the elixir was.
“Hoo.”
Kim Ilshin took a deep breath, steadied his posture, and popped the elixir into his mouth. The elixir melted instantly, like snow, spreading a cool sensation throughout his entire body. As he immediately circulated his mana, the cool sensation vanished in an instant. The absorption of the elixir was already complete.
The power of the perfectly absorbed elixir was stored entirely within Kim Ilshin’s mana circuits. It was a fascinating phenomenon, no matter how many times he experienced it.
‘Is it about half as strong as the Hwajeongdan?’
Perhaps because it was an elixir brewed in large quantities, it didn’t contain as much power as the Hwajeongdan. Of course, even that amount was more than enough. The effect of the Hwajeongdan had been extraordinary, and Joo Chae-rin, who had handed it over so readily, was truly something else.
‘Now I should be at least above average.’
Finally, Kim Ilshin’s mana capacity had reached the average level of the academy’s students. It was thanks to his mana training and the elixirs he had taken so far. However, having the same mana capacity didn’t mean he was on par with them. Kim Ilshin’s pure mana possessed better performance than others’, and he also possessed the physical talent that allowed him to use it with higher efficiency.
“Alright…”
After finishing the elixir, Kim Ilshin stood up and shouldered the backpack he had left by the door. It was packed with items he had prepared for various situations, such as ropes and first-aid kits. Since he was going to Mt. Baekdu, such preparations were essential.
After heading out and arriving at the academy’s entrance, Kim Ilshin spotted Lee Yeon-woo standing in front of a vehicle that looked sturdy enough to handle anything. Since he had told her in advance that he would handle most of the packing, Lee Yeon-woo was equipped with only the bare essentials.
“You’re here early.”
“Ah, you’ve arrived…! Shall we depart right away…?”
“Let’s.”
The anticipation that Lee Yeon-woo couldn’t hide was evident on her face as she opened the car door. Kim Ilshin and Lee Yeon-woo climbed into the back seat of the vehicle. Contrary to its exterior, the interior of the car was incredibly comfortable.
“The ride is decent, isn’t it…? It’s not uncomfortable. I received it when I joined the academy, but this is my first time riding in it today. I don’t really have any reason to go outside…”
“Is it autonomous?”
“Yes, that’s right. I don’t have a driver’s license…”
Lee Yeon-woo entered the destination into the screen in the back seat. The destination was Incheon International Airport. The plan was to travel to a nearby airport by plane first, then take a car to the entrance of Mt. Baekdu.
Vroom—
As the car began to move smoothly, Kim Ilshin and Lee Yeon-woo set off for Mt. Baekdu.