Chapter 128
Chapter 128
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 128
Chapter Title: 33. One Man Stands Against Ten Thousand (1)
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It would be a lie to say it didn't feel wasteful.
Using up one of the whistle's activations in a non-combat situation, that is.
Especially since today had at least three major battles lined up.
First, the fight against today's mutants, who could show up in any enhanced form.
Second, the bloody clash with the First Swords coming down from the north.
Third, the unpredictable ordeal inside a nighttime dungeon.
But hadn't he made a promise with CEO Kim Tae-jun?
'I told him I'd definitely find his family and make sure they meet.'
From Kim Tae-jun's perspective, it was a bet that wasn't an exaggeration to say he'd staked his life's meaning on.
He'd chosen to be sealed in the whistle, trusting only Young-woo's word that he'd bring his family.
If he'd chosen death over becoming a 'friend' back then, he wouldn't have had to endure the eternal torment of waiting in that white room.
Yet in the end, he'd made the hard choice.
'And in return, I have to live up to those expectations. A favor must be repaid in kind.'
For some reason, Young-woo felt his nose tingle a bit as he politely addressed the anxious woman in her fifties.
"You'll be able to see him soon. Just a little longer, please."
"…Yes. Understood."
Kim Se-ok186.
The wife of VC Soft founder Kim Tae-jun, and the head of the Moi Cultural Foundation.
Young-woo didn't know much about it, but the Moi Cultural Foundation was a well-known nonprofit that supported struggling artists.
That's how Kim Se-ok, who was just as famous as her husband, had managed to survive even after he became a target for deletion by gamers.
"Is my husband… exactly what state is he in right now? I heard he's with you, Young-woo."
Kim Se-ok asked in a very cautious tone.
"Uh… well…"
At this, Young-woo glanced at the two pale-faced children behind her.
One girl, one boy.
Neither looked older than mid-teens at most.
Sure, in this world, kids that age could commit murder or robbery, but these two were purely just 'kids' right now.
"It's fine. The kids already know what happened to their dad."
Meaning they knew firsthand that their dad had turned into a monster under public fire.
"……."
Hearing this, Young-woo felt a pang of sorrow.
It was fortunate they'd achieve this dramatic reunion soon, but that didn't change Kim Tae-jun's situation much from before.
The father of those two kids no longer had to fight the public, but now he had to follow that hulking figure through every battlefield.
—In the end, my life's conclusion is a bad ending.
Kim Tae-jun's final words when he'd agreed to the 'handshake' hadn't been wrong.
"When I blow the whistle, your husband will fall from the sky."
"From the sky?"
"Yes. He can't stay long, so if you have anything to say, think of it now."
"Oh……."
As Kim Se-ok's expression grew complicated, Im Seon-ah signaled that the restricted zone was ready.
"Young-woo, it's all set."
Current time: 12:24 PM.
Young-woo was in the heart of Gwangjin District, where all residents had been evacuated due to the practical absence of a First Sword.
Calling CEO Kim Tae-jun out in the middle of Gangnam would cause mass panic, so they'd moved to the most deserted spot possible.
"Bro… as expected of you. You can't even spend a single moment ordinarily. And somehow, you've even grown a bit taller in the meantime……."
Jong-su looked around at Young-woo, CEO Kim Tae-jun's family, and the desolate Gwangjin District panorama with an amazed expression.
Of course, the area wasn't completely empty of people.
Taewon Group employees had secured a restricted zone about 400 meters in diameter.
But with only sporadic barricades along the perimeter and access-tape strung up, they couldn't fully block curious locals from gathering.
"Beast and mutant spawn time soon! Everyone go home!"
Taewon Group warned that 1 PM was approaching, but it wasn't enough to curb people's curiosity.
"What the… it's not even Gangnam, why are they doing this in Gwangjin?"
"Hey, isn't that our First Sword over there?"
Gangnam residents buzzed upon spotting Gangnam First Sword Jeong Young-woo.
But Young-woo had to secure his sniping position before 1 PM, so he couldn't delay the family reunion any longer.
Those who'd braved the danger to come this far would witness something rare.
Provided they had the guts to handle what they were about to see.
"The kids might get quite a shock. Are you really okay with that?"
Young-woo asked one last time.
"I didn't mention it earlier because things were hectic, but blowing the whistle doesn't just summon the CEO."
"Yes? Then who else……?"
"Hmm."
This time, Young-woo's expression grew complicated.
"One mutant is sealed in this whistle with him."
When he explained that it was a massive beastman with a hyena's head, Kim Se-ok's composed gaze finally wavered.
"A hyena……? That person isn't fighting my husband, is he?"
"Ah! No! You two are f… friends. I confirmed they're doing well together."
"Oh, then that's a relief. Really a relief."
"…Yeah."
Thank goodness she'd seen the returnee's room on TV.
'Families might think that way. I just assumed they'd be fine until I saw it on TV.'
Family really is family.
Young-woo looked at Kim Se-ok and her two children with even greater remorse than before.
Then.
He brought the whistle to his lips.
"I'll call the CEO now."
"Yes."
Kim Se-ok turned her gaze skyward with a resolute expression.
Young-woo slowly looked up at the sky as well.
"Huup."
He blew the whistle hard.
Preeeeeeeee!
Immediately, the area's color saturation dropped, and a notification appeared before Young-woo's eyes.
「Friends Young-tae and Tae-jun respond to your call and are summoned.」
"……!"
Young-tae, Tae-jun.
The list of friends who'd truly answered had grown to two.
And in reality, too.
「Yaaahhhhhhh!」
Along with Young-tae's now-familiar booming shout.
「Uwaaaaaah!」
And CEO Kim Tae-jun's scream—more terrified wail than shout—both sounds came crashing down together.
The harmony of two former mutants.
Kwaaaaaang!
Kuuuung!
Both 'people' stood 3 meters tall, but their compositions and masses differed completely, so their landings sounded entirely different.
And their vibes right after landing were distinctly different too.
「Whoa, where's this?」
The veteran friend Young-tae scanned for Young-woo's enemies—the ones he could rack up merits against—the moment he returned to this world.
「Kuhok……!」
Kim Tae-jun instinctively coughed at the dust filling the air, revealing his newbie summon status.
Because his throat wasn't actually dry or making him cough.
「あ……?」
Realizing this late, Kim Tae-jun cut off his cough, and in that brief utterance, Kim Se-ok recognized her husband's voice.
"Dear……?"
She called into the dust cloud.
She'd only known from the first reset's mutant announcement that her husband had become a 'granite golem,' but she'd never seen it herself, so this took tremendous courage.
Because.
Drdrdr…
Amid the thick dust, two massive silhouettes writhed— a sight that would terrify any human.
「What…….」
Kim Tae-jun's voice leaked from the dust cloud, as if he'd heard something and lifted his head.
Young-woo moved in front of Kim Se-ok in case of accidents.
Anticipating an excited Kim Tae-jun might charge out.
"Dear!"
Kim Se-ok called again, and this time, Kim Tae-jun clearly detected his wife's voice.
「Se-ok!」
As expected, he let out an excited roar and stirred with heavy presence.
Whoosh!
He began parting the dust to see his wife.
「Is this real? Are the kids here too?」
The moment 'kids' left Kim Tae-jun's mouth, his flailing movements froze.
He snapped to attention.
He'd finally realized.
That he now inhabited a 3-meter granite golem body, not human flesh.
「…Uh.」
Moving carelessly might hurt his family, and even before that.
「Wait, Se-ok. Me right now.」
Kim Tae-jun's voice choked up from within the dust.
He'd realized his family might be heartbroken seeing his monstrous form.
「Bro… hey.」
Young-tae quickly grasped the situation and flattened himself on the ground.
His beastly appearance was far more vicious than the rock lump Kim Tae-jun, after all.
He was trying to shrink his bulk a bit.
Swoosh…
The dust blanket finally began to settle, gradually revealing the two men's otherworldly bodies, previously just dark silhouettes.
「Se-ok, won't the kids be too scared? How about we close our eyes for a bit? We can still talk like before.」
At Kim Tae-jun's request, Se-ok gave a faint smile.
"What are you saying? The kids have been dying to see you."
Even as she spoke, she swallowed hard, feeling the warmth of her two children's hands gripping hers tightly.
Gulp.
"…Daddy's here."
With Se-ok's single line, the dust cloud between the couple fully cleared.
"……."
Skin of gray-white granite.
Shoulders spread brutally wide, and arms sculpted in an even more fearsome form.
A body unmistakably shaped for ruthless combat, no matter who looked.
Confirming her husband's form, Se-ok took a shaky breath and cautiously checked the children's faces.
But.
"……?"
Contrary to expectations, the kids' expressions weren't all that dark.
No, a faint hint of amusement flickered on and off.
There was some fear, sure, but not entirely.
Wondering why, she followed their gaze.
「Urk.」
Right behind her husband, some ambiguous human-beast monster was frantically striking ridiculous expressions and poses.
"Ah."
Of course, the mutant's inherent scariness hadn't vanished, but it was utterly absurd and comical.
The fact that this vicious body was desperately trying to make the kids laugh.
[Jeong Young-woo07's Friend - Hong Young-tae]
Se-ok now realized who the other person Young-woo had mentioned, the one staying with her husband.
"I'm glad… he has a friend."
Se-ok stammered but smiled more easily than before, causing Kim Tae-jun—who hadn't spoken a word yet—to widen his eyes.
「Honey……! Moses, Lee-hyun!」
Thud.
Kim Tae-jun twisted his granite cheeks and knelt on the ground.
At last, the family reunion began.