Chapter 939
Chapter 939
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 939
Chapter Title: Academy's Savior
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“Yeah, Mom. What’s up with the video call? And what’s with that weird wolf mask?”
Sung Yu-jin spoke with his usual nonchalance, appearing on the screen as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
“I just missed my Yu-jin, so I called... And the mask... I was just wearing it for work.”
Sung Ha-ri glanced around hesitantly for a moment. The hall was nearly empty, and most of the remaining auction participants had likely already deduced her identity. She lifted the wolf mask, revealing her face. Droplets of sweat beaded on her cheeks and forehead from the residual heat of battle.
“Mom, you look pretty sexy when you’re all sweaty like that.”
“Hey! Don’t sexually harass your own mother. You should behave yourself.”
Yu-jin merely giggled. He didn't promise to stop; he never did.
“Yu-jin, where are you right now?”
“In the dorms, obviously. Why? Are you coming over?”
“Are you really in the dorms?”
“...Mom. Are you doubting me right now?”
Yu-jin’s expression hardened, his voice taking on a serious edge as he asked the question. Sung Ha-ri shook her head in a fluster.
“Doubt? No, of course not... I just saw someone who looked a lot like you.”
“Nah, I’m just kidding. Here, I’ll show you the room. You’ve been here enough times to know the layout by heart.”
The camera swiveled, showing the living room of Yu-jin’s dorm. Ha-ri nodded in relief. She visited three or four times a month for their private trysts; there was no way she’d misidentify the place. Yu-jin was definitely in his dorm.
'Redlight was at Baengnyeong Island, and Yu-jin is in Gangwon-do... it’s physically impossible for them to be the same person at the same time.'
In that moment, she spotted a small girl with dark blue hair sprawled on the floor—Makina. She was supposed to be at Ha-ri’s house, not the dorms, causing Ha-ri’s eyes to widen slightly.
“Makina? Why is she there?”
Seeing Makina made something click. Redlight’s suit was incredibly mechanical—equipped with technology that far exceeded this world's current level. Could it be the power of Makina’s mechanization?
“We were just training together. Makina is my contracted spirit, after all.”
“Oh, right. I’ve noticed you’ve been summoning her quite a bit lately.”
“She’s my spirit. And since she enrolled in the academy too, we need to stay in sync.”
“Yeah, Yu-jin. You’re doing great. No matter what anyone says, you’re a spirit user. Don’t ever forget that, okay?”
“I know that even without you telling me, Mom.”
Ha-ri finally let go of her suspicions. All the evidence pointed toward him not being Redlight.
“Mom.”
Just as she was about to end the call, Yu-jin spoke in a sly tone.
“Hm?”
Ha-ri felt a twinge of unease the moment she responded. Out of nowhere, Yu-jin stripped off all his clothes—even his underwear—and pointed his member directly at the camera.
“Mom, I miss you. Look, even my 'monster' is lonely.”
“Y-Yu-jin! You can’t do this...!”
Yu-jin began to stroke himself. Blood rushed into the shaft, turning it hard and erect. Ha-ri, so familiar with every detail of her son’s body, forgot all about ending the call and simply stared, transfixed.
'Come to think of it, I haven’t seen Yu-jin in a while...'
A faint twitch rippled through her lower abdomen—right around her womb.
“Sung Ha-ri!”
Choi Jeong-hwa approached. Startled, Ha-ri hurriedly turned off her phone and pocketed it.
“W-What is it, Jeong-hwa?”
“Chairman Baek Young-jik wants to thank you personally. Oh, and he’s throwing in some generous compensation as well.”
“Compensation... in cash?”
“He’ll give it however you want it.”
“Got it. I’ll meet him later.”
“By the way, you took off your mask—who were you talking to? You had this totally dazed, smitten look on your face.”
Sung Ha-ri pulled the wolf mask back down over her face.
“My son. The auction’s over, right? Let’s head back to Seoul.”
“Hmm. That son of yours? Sung Yu-jin, was it?”
“You know him?”
“It’d be weirder if I didn't. He’s in the same class as my daughter. I heard she lost to him in a spar recently.”
“That’s only natural. Yu-jin is way beyond the first-year level now. Probably not many third-years could beat him either.”
They walked past the puppets and golems busily cleaning up the debris, heading toward the exit.
“...Did you look into what I asked?”
“Oh? Right, I forgot.”
“Forgot?”
Ha-ri’s voice dropped to a chilling register. Choi Jeong-hwa waved her hands in a panic. This woman was terrifying. Not just any kind of crazy—she had once been the world's strongest. Any clash over something trivial wasn't worth the risk.
“I was going to tell you after the auction. I looked into the assassins who infiltrated the academy—they’ve been taken care of. They don't exist anymore.”
“...Don't exist? What does that mean?”
“Ophid. The villain group Redlight wiped out when he first appeared. Those assassins belonged to them.”
Redlight wiped them out. Redlight again. Ha-ri let out a complicated sigh at the name. Why did it keep haunting her?
“And why were they after my son?”
“Your son just got caught in the crossfire. Their real target was the North White Son clan leader’s daughter, from what I can tell. North White Son is desperate to find Ophid’s backers too.”
“Who’s behind it?”
“Anyone who hates North White Son. And anyone who would profit from their collapse.”
“Choi Jeong-hwa, you’re beating around the bush too much.”
“Sigh. Most people would have gotten it by now. Who gains the most if North White Son falls? It’s obvious—China or Japan.”
“Direct involvement from them?”
“We’ve never been on good terms with those two. Especially lately, it's gotten worse. They’ll do anything to stunt Korea's growth.”
“......”
Ha-ri went silent. Jeong-hwa grew uneasy. Knowing this lunatic, she might decide to go to war with an entire country solo.
“Y-You aren't thinking anything weird, right? Just so you know, I’m not involved.”
“No.”
Back in Seoul, they parted ways. Entering her dark, quiet house, Ha-ri felt a sharp pang of emptiness. It was bearable with Makina around, but alone like this, it felt depressing.
She showered first, then slipped into something light and entered the living room. The Golden Apple on the table gleamed under the fluorescent lights.
Golden Apple. Bought for roughly 300 billion won.
Rank: S
Removes all status ailments. Full health restoration. Grants permanent beauty and youth.
For a status ailment remover, 300 billion was an absurd price. It was the "beauty and rejuvenation" effect—the power to restore youth—that drove the price into the stratosphere. Few would buy a Golden Apple just for a cleanse like Ha-ri had.
'...Beautifies, huh. If I get prettier, Yu-jin will like it even more.'
She picked up the apple, opened her mouth wide, and bit in. Crunch! Sweet juice flooded her mouth.
“Hnnng~!”
Her body shuddered. She had tasted every exotic fruit out there, but nothing beat this. She wanted to save some for Yu-jin, but the item had to be consumed entirely to take effect.
Crunch. Crunch. In under a minute, she devoured it all. No seeds—just sweet, divine flesh.
“......!”
Ha-ri hunched over, her body trembling. The Spirit King’s Shackles (SS) that had been choking her power loosened instantly, partially recovering her strength. Not to her prime, of course—she hadn't expected that.
'It feels like my strength from four years ago. This should be enough to handle S-ranks now.'
Of course, her physical abilities would decline again over time. Whew. Eating another Golden Apple won’t work now. The Spirit King’s Shackles built an immunity; the same dispel method wouldn't work twice.
Ha-ri pulled out her phone to check her reflection. She was a woman, after all, and vain about her looks. Especially lately, as the years started to creep in. She stayed youthful as a top hero, but not eternally.
'Did I actually get prettier?'
Her skin felt tighter, her hair more lustrous. It was satisfying. She stood up and drew the curtains tight. She stripped naked to check the full effects of the apple.
“Mm.”
She inspected her body, touching herself with a satisfied smile. Her large breasts and hips were more toned, and her nipples were a brighter shade of pink.
'...Should I check down there too? Maybe take a picture for Yu-jin... No, what am I thinking? That’s too perverse.'
Still, curiosity won out. She sat on the sofa, spread her legs, and adjusted herself to snap a photo with her smartphone.
'...I’ve never looked at it this closely. Is it prettier? The shape and color seem... nice.'
She was spreading herself for a better angle when—
Poof! Makina appeared out of thin air.
“Ajumma! I’m back... Uh...?”
Click!
“......”
Ha-ri froze solid. Makina's eyes went wide.
“I-I didn't see anything!”
Makina covered her eyes with both hands—though her pupils were clearly peeking through her fingers. Ha-ri clamped her legs shut, grabbed her clothes, and turned tomato-red.
“M-Makina! You’re back? Don’t misunderstand. I was just... checking something really quick!”
“Ajumma is checking her 'pussy'? Checking what exactly? The hair? The hole?”
“T-There are things! And Makina! A girl shouldn't use such vulgar words! How many times do I have to tell you?!”
“Pussy is just pussy. What else am I supposed to call it? A 'sacred flower'?”
“...Like spirit user, like spirit. No more bad language!”
Ha-ri dressed in a frantic hurry. Her body was covered, but her face remained flushed.
“Makina, what do you want for dinner?”
“Fried chicken and pizza! Burgers and pork cutlets! Tteokbokki too!”
“I’ll get it all. Just... don't tell Yu-jin about what you saw, okay?”
“Got it! I won't!”
Ha-ri didn't know it was already too late. The instant she had snapped the photo, Makina had already hacked her phone and sent it to Yu-jin. She’d be furious if she knew.
'Ajumma is scary... but I can't resist three spirit orbs!'
In the ruthless spirit realm, those with the orbs ruled supreme.
???
I let out a gasp of genuine admiration at the photo Makina sent me from my mom’s phone.
'The angle makes it obvious she took it herself. Checking the results of the Golden Apple?'
I was certain now. Ha-ri’s body was even more beautiful—younger, really. I was dying to know if that rejuvenation extended to the inside as well.
'I’ll have to head home next week and check in person.'
Just looking at her like that got me rock hard in seconds. I considered calling Yoon Hee-jung, but remembered she was on her period and hated period sex.
'Some women love it during their period, though.'
I scrolled through my contacts. Plenty of girls, but none available right now.
'...Maybe a high-end brothel?'
Ding-dong.
The doorbell rang. I threw on some clothes, pocketed my phone, and headed to the door.
“Who is it?”
“It’s me.”