Chapter 121
Chapter 121
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: 31. Turning Point (4)
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―[Dictator-Kim Jong-un] stands before the choice.
―He is furious.
―Chooses <Mutation>.
―Reflecting possessed karma points.
―A new monster type, 『Yaksha』, has been added to this world.
―[Dictator-Kim Jong-un] now becomes a Vajra Yaksha, threatening you all.
“Vajra Yaksha……?”
Having heard the details of Kim Jong-un’s mutation from the boys, Young-woo widened his eyes.
He had naturally assumed the man had turned into something like a dragon or a giant.
‘Something like a Vajra Yaksha… even rare in games.’
Young-woo had encountered the concept of a Vajra Yaksha in some wuxia game.
It appeared as a boss monster there.
It was at least somewhat faithful to the lore, so Young-woo knew the basics.
‘A wrathful deity with three faces and six arms.’
One of the Five Great Kings in Esoteric Buddhism, known for subduing evil spirits.
‘And now Kim Jong-un turns into a Vajra Yaksha and comes back? Ironic. The real evil spirit was him, wasn’t it?’
Of course, from the guy’s perspective, the North Korean residents who slapped him with an erasure mark might be the evil spirits.
Anyway, what mattered was.
‘This world has goblins at two meters tall, but it sticks pretty well to the common lore. At least for outward features.’
So the Vajra Yaksha’s iconic physical traits would surely manifest as is.
Like having three heads and six arms, for instance.
What’s more, a Vajra Yaksha wields a different weapon in each of its six arms.
In other words, up to six attacks per exchange.
‘Insane.’
Even as Young-woo foresaw the horror, he kept his promise and pulled out handfuls of chocolate bars and chocolate from his inventory, tossing them to the North Korean boys.
Rustle!
“Here’s the promised chocolate. Sorry, but you’ll have to handle the petrified stuff yourselves.”
Only two had stated that Kim Jong-un had become one of the Five Great Kings, but most of the boys lunged for the chocolate Young-woo scattered.
Unlike Young-woo, who no longer needed food, these kids had fully human digestive systems.
They’d been starving without proper meals for so long.
Rustle, rip.
While the boys were busy tearing into the South Korean packaged goods, the few who hadn’t gotten a share in this ‘ration’ stared blankly at Young-woo.
About a dozen people, but only three or four chocolates—some were inevitably left out.
“What is it?”
When Young-woo asked, one of the stragglers pointed at the sack on the golden goblin’s back.
“Got more?”
Meaning, anything else—chocolate or whatever.
Young-woo pondered, then tossed another question.
“Why stick around starving like this? You could head to Pyongyang like the adults.”
The boys grimaced briefly, then slyly shifted their eyes back to the sub-space sack.
They knew answering this South Korean guy’s questions meant food.
“Uh, well…….”
Soon, one boy rubbed his nose and began.
“Because the Dear Leader always emphasized it.”
“Emphasized what……?”
“That in hard times, it’s crucial to hold your post!”
As he spoke, the boy snapped to attention, tensing up rigidly.
“…….”
Watching this, Young-woo felt his resolve weaken instead.
They were so thoroughly brainwashed by the regime, yet when he offered chocolate, they spilled everything easily.
No matter how brutal the world, kids were kids.
“Even if it means starving to death here, you’ll hold your ‘post’ to the end?”
As Young-woo signaled the golden goblin to pull out the petrified bread, the boys’ eyes widened again.
“O-Of course! But the Dear Leader will return soon!”
“…What?”
What was this now?
“You just said he turned into a Vajra Yaksha.”
“Yes. He’ll come back stronger and cooler, fix everything.”
“Oh.”
Young-woo was speechless.
Their premise was off from the start.
‘They think if they hold their posts on party orders, Kim Jong-un will return and reward them.’
Young-woo scanned the now boy-only streets of Kaesong.
Now he got a sense of North Korea’s situation.
Kim Jong-un’s reign of terror had continued even after the Reset.
Kids endured hunger waiting for his return, while the adults who sniped him in the Reset desperately prepared for his Yaksha comeback.
‘Around Pyongyang must be a paradise for the strong. Everyone’s probably grinding karma like mad to survive.’
Maybe there was some alliance like Seoul’s Federation up there.
Unlike Seoul, though, the North’s top goal was probably toppling Kim Jong-un.
‘If it was just fear of him, they’d all flee to China or us. But from the looks of it, no. Something big’s brewing.’
At this point, Young-woo handed the petrified bread to the boys.
“You’ve got some money, right?”
The boys didn’t even nod—they frantically dispelled the petrification.
Ssssh!
Smoke rose here and there, and a voracious feast began in earnest.
If the North Korean regime were still intact, this contact—let alone taking bread from a South Korean—would count as virtual treason.
“…….”
Watching the boys devour their rare meal, Young-woo murmured softly.
“Finish that and leave this place. Then I won’t chase you.”
Young-woo thought it a big concession, but the gulf in perspectives wasn’t just about Kim Jong-un.
“What’re you talking about? Uncle, you ain’t leaving alive.”
One boy, crumbs on his mouth, shot Young-woo a sharp glare.
Realizing the deep chasm between them, Young-woo let out a single word.
“Oh.”
He’d been mistaken for a moment.
These gathered kids might look young, but they were monsters running a bandit crew in the Reset world.
Far from typical North Korean civilians.
No less ruthless than the South’s boy bandits stabbing through car windows—maybe more.
“Oh, I forgot my place.”
Young-woo gripped the Legacy of the Dragon, already flushed red, and leaped down from the four-horned ox.
Thud!
His cloak billowed, revealing the golden armor within, the Serpent of Greed, the whistle, and such.
“……!”
The boys flinched in surprise, but none fled.
Because.
Screeeech!
Before they could react further, blades flew in from outside the site.
「Your Sense stat temporarily rises from 900 to 2,083.」
“Ugh……!”
First Sword level, no question.
Young-woo instantly leaned back, swinging the Legacy of the Dragon to bat away the projectiles.
Clang!
He saw a basic one-handed sword—issued on Reset Day at the Mountain of Swords—bounce away.
Just a provocative toss.
Swish.
Turning toward the source, Young-woo spotted a fairly burly figure emerging from between buildings.
“Guests this early in the morning.”
His rugged face belied a boyish voice.
Maybe eighteen or nineteen?
Just over 180 cm tall.
Hard to tell if naturally built or karma-enhanced.
What Young-woo could confirm for sure was.
‘The youngest First Sword I’ve seen.’
The man was this place’s First Sword.
『Kaesong First Sword』
Eyeing the title over the opponent’s head—Kim Seon-gu02 with 311 defenses—grinned.
Then, spotting the boys eating something while surrounding the outsider, his face hardened.
“No, these punks.”
The gold-wrapped chocolate bars were obviously no lucky scavenged rations.
Meanwhile, Young-woo was fully in combat mode.
Already picking out gear amid the foe’s shabby attire.
‘One ring for sure. That bracelet too?’
Above all, the weapon caught his eye.
Rustle.
Kim Seon-gu02 gripped a spear.
Like Songpa First Sword Oh Yeon-hee’s glaive, a long pole with a broad blade at the end.
Difference: hers curved; his was closer to a massive Chinese sword.
Not quite a glaive or halberd—ambiguous.
Win this fight, and he’d claim his first spear.
‘Must have special abilities. Guess I’ll find out in the clash.’
As Young-woo thought this, Kaesong First Sword Kim Seon-gu scolded the slacking airborne youths.
“Get it together? These punks got no shame.”
Then bared his teeth at Young-woo, the culprit.
“Let’s kill that bastard first, talk later.”
Whoosh!
The Kaesong First Sword’s spear tip gleamed, aimed at Young-woo.
Young-woo gripped the Legacy of the Dragon, ready to strike.
Had he not then noticed the quest in his view—
‘Huh? Hold on.’
What caught Young-woo pre-battle was the intergalactic weapons brand Doggo’s ad quest.
[Doggo] “Headhunter”
<Mission> Behead 7 First Swords.
<Reward> 7 million karma
<Special> You must disclose Doggo’s sponsorship in this mission.
A whopping 7 million karma, but merciless—kill seven First Swords.
Back then, only Seoul Federation First Swords were options, but not now.
North Korea used ‘First Sword’ titles too, as he saw.
Killing theirs should count for “Headhunter.”
But.
<Special> You must disclose Doggo’s sponsorship in this mission.
Announce the sponsorship before beheading.
Like last night in the dungeon, where just mentioning it triggered an unscheduled quest— this ‘sponsor disclosure’ was crucial.
To progress Headhunter by killing Kaesong First Sword, he had to declare Doggo’s backing, as always.
‘Damn, not in the mood today.’
Young-woo’s lip twitched downward unwittingly.
But half his life was practically Doggo’s now.
And he’d already taken the money—wasn’t he a pro?
“What’re you dawdling for? Everyone, attack!”
Meanwhile, Kim Seon-gu barked at the group, eyes greedily fixed on Young-woo’s gear.
The dozen presences encircling Young-woo sharpened, unlike before.
Feeling it, Young-woo swept his hand sideways and yelled.
“W-Wait!”
“……?”
At the sudden ‘time-out,’ Kim Seon-gu furrowed his brow mid-thrust.
Seizing the gap, Young-woo shoved in his line.
“Uncle’s got something to say. Just one word… no, a few.”
“What? Begging for your life now? Cut the crap.”
Kim Seon-gu gripped his spear tighter, face twisted in annoyance.
Young-woo’s eyes tinted gold as he replied.
“Nah, not that cliché.”