Chapter 206: That Was But a Misconception
Chapter 206: That Was But a Misconception
〈 Player Status 〉
1. Name: Son Bunrye (Year 9 User)
2. Class: Divine Judgment (Rare, Divine Judgment, Master)
3. Nation: Barbara
4. Clan: Golden Lion
5. True Name · Nationality: One Who Defies Heaven · Republic of Korea
6. Sex: Female (78)
7. Height · Weight: 153.2cm · 48.7kg
8. Alignment: Good · Neutral
[Strength 20(-10)] [Durability 18(-10)] [Agility 22(-10)] [Stamina 38(-10)] [Magic Power 95(+4)] [Luck 72(-10)]
(Her magic circuit has sustained severe, irreparable damage. It has gradually hardened over time. Attempting to generate magic in this state may result in severe side effects.)
(She is forcibly operating her magic circuit with a power that defies truth, but as per the principle of equivalent exchange, her other stats have decreased.)
(She is maintaining her condition through Defy Heaven and Retrograde, but the recovery is incomplete. If she operates her magic circuit beyond what these powers can handle, the side effects that have been barely suppressed until now will come back all at once like a boomerang. Absolute rest is required.)
〈 Achievements (8▼) 〉
〈 Unique Ability (1/1) 〉
1. Defy Heaven (逆天) (Rank: EX)
〈 Special Ability (1/1) 〉
1. Retrograde (逆行): Enhancement (强化) (Rank: B Zero)
〈 Latent Abilities (3/3) 〉
1. Grand Magic (Rank: EX)
2. Scythe of Judgment (Rank: A Plus Plus Plus)
3. Magic Resistance (Rank: S Zero)
〈 Stat Comparison 〉
1. Kim Soohyun: 542 / 600~
[Strength 96(+2)] [Durability 92] [Agility 98] [Stamina 72] [Magic Power 96] [Luck 90(+2)]
(12 stat points remaining.)
2. Son Bunrye: 233 / 600~
[Strength 20(-10)] [Durability 18(-10)] [Agility 22(-10)] [Stamina 38(-10)] [Magic Power 95(+4)] [Luck 72(-10)]
(No stat points remaining.)
The moment I saw the Matriarch’s Player Status, I was slightly taken aback. Her body was in extremely poor condition. On top of the stat decline she likely already suffered from old age, her magic circuit was also distorted, making matters worse.
I didn't know what kind of power the Rare Class 〈Divine Judgment〉 held. But judging from her True Name and her Unique, Special, and Latent Abilities, it seemed she was forcibly operating the circuit using her own powers. What on earth had happened to get her body into such a state?
While I was lost in thought, her figure crossing the central hall was gradually obscured by the slowly closing doors. As I stared blankly at the messages floating in the air, the cheerful chatter from the side finally reached my ears.
“Well, since the Matriarch has left, shouldn’t the rest of us start discussing the User Academy matter?”
“That’s right. We don’t know when the portal will close, so we should quickly adjust the details. Hoho.”
The representatives of the non-participating clans all wore excited expressions. In contrast, half of the allied clan representatives looked grim, while the other half sent resentful glares toward Park Hyunwoo and Sung Yubin, who remained behind.
Park Hyunwoo kept his head bowed with a speechless expression before finally letting out a deep sigh and sitting down in the now-empty seat of honor.
“Hah. Understood. In accordance with the Matriarch’s will, we will proceed to adjust the details regarding the User Academy. Of course, before we do that, we must first select the clans that will participate in teaching the new Users and serving as Discipline Instructors.”
The allied clans continued to look miserable, but they seemed to snap to their senses as soon as Park Hyunwoo spoke. Since the Matriarch had laid down the law, there was no backing out. Now that things had come to this, they seemed determined to at least secure what little was left of the pie for themselves. One by one, they relaxed their expressions and cautiously began to join the meeting.
From then on, the discussion about the academy proceeded quite amusingly. It was hard to believe these were the same people who, just moments ago, looked ready to tear each other apart. Now, they were working together in perfect harmony.
“As I’ve said repeatedly, we don’t have much time. As such, we need to secure the participating clans as quickly as possible. Putting up a public notice from scratch would be difficult under the current circumstances, so I believe it would be best to form the staff only with the clans present here. What are everyone else’s thoughts?”
“I agree. To be frank, aren’t all of you gathered here representatives of a city? In terms of qualifications, you are more than sufficient.”
“But if only the representative clans participate, it might attract some negative comments. For example, might some Users not criticize it as the representative clans carving everything up for themselves?”
“That’s been said since before… Hmph, never mind. In any case, there are also renowned clans here that, while not representative clans, are of a similar caliber. If we include them, I believe we won’t have to worry about such trivial concerns.”
They were dressing it up with all sorts of plausible-sounding words, but it all boiled down to one conclusion: they had no intention of including any clans not present in this room. It was a ploy to divide the pie they were already splitting among as few people as possible. In a way, it was the epitome of self-justification, but I didn’t find it particularly contemptible. After all, considering the urgency of the situation, they had a valid reason. However, even so, it wasn’t without its problems.
“But if the Matriarch were to see this, would she truly think it’s right?”
“……”
At someone’s cautiously spoken words, an awkward silence fell over the group. It seemed they had realized it themselves as they spoke. When you looked at it, their current method was just a slightly expanded version of what the Golden Lion Clan had been doing all along.
〈Right. Whether your words were merely slick or spoken with sincerity… Seeing is believing. It’s hard to judge based on words alone, so it’s better to see for myself.〉
〈This time, you can do as you please, but remember that the result is what matters most. If nothing has changed by the time I return, then as I said before, I will have no choice but to seek other methods.〉
The Matriarch’s parting words came to mind. The other Users, also seeming to recall what she had said, wore bitter expressions. Having boasted that they would be different from now on, it seemed something was bothering them.
Since it had nothing to do with me anyway, I was quietly yawning and waiting for it to end. Just as I was about to lower my head, my eyes met with Sung Hyunmin, who was looking at me with a clear gaze. In that instant, I saw a glint of light flash in his eyes.
I thought I was imagining it, but when I saw his lips begin to part, I suddenly felt it was no illusion.
“Ahem. I would like to say a word on that matter.”
“Ah, yes. It sounds like you have a good idea. We’re listening.”
With Park Hyunwoo’s permission, everyone’s attention turned to Sung Hyunmin once more. He looked at me gently with his usual pleasant expression. After clearing his throat once or twice, he continued.
“The Matriarch probably understands the current situation—that we don’t have time to notify other clans and accept applicants. Even so, she likely left us with those words because she had the Mercenary Clan in mind.”
Most of the people gathered here were high-ranking Users from the representative clans of their respective cities—so-called big shots. In other words, they were all sharp individuals. Just mentioning my clan’s name drew gasps of “Ah” from all around. Then, one by one, they began to voice their opinions.
“But it’s a new clan, isn’t it? Ah, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be dismissive. Still, for a clan that was founded just a week ago to come to the User Academy is a bit…”
“Hmm. I don’t know. I think it’s a good idea. It could alleviate the impression that we’re just carving things up for ourselves, and more importantly, they have Ko Yeonju of the Ten Strong, don’t they? She would be more than capable of serving as an instructor.”
“Aha! That’s right. Indeed…”
“Pardon me for interrupting.”
Cutting off the Su Clan member mid-sentence, I inserted myself into their conversation. The gazes that had been focused on Sung Hyunmin instantly shifted to me. Most of their eyes were filled with unreadable curiosity. Until now, they had been focused on the important matter at hand, but now that it was resolved, their curiosity about the Mercenary Clan seemed to be piqued.
Enduring their stares, I opened my mouth and spoke in a calm voice.
“My clan member, Ko Yeonju, cannot participate in the User Academy. I have something to ask of her after the Call to Arms. It’s a task that only she can do, so she cannot participate in the academy.”
“Ah… I see. It seems we got ahead of ourselves.”
Despite hearing my words, Sung Hyunmin still hadn’t lost his smile. No, in fact, he asked me in a composed voice, as if this was even better.
“I see. In that case, are there any other Users among your clan members you would recommend as an instructor?”
“Hmm… No. There aren’t any Users I can particularly recommend.”
Shin Sangyong and Vivian were in charge of their Rare Classes and elixir research, respectively, and even if I sent them, there was an element of uncertainty. That left only Jung Hayeon. But since Hayeon also had a thorny relationship with the Golden Lion Clan, I wasn’t keen on asking her to participate in the academy.
“Hmm~. This is a bit of a problem. We need the Mercenary Clan to participate for us to have something to report to the Matriarch.”
This time, I didn’t answer. From the way he was speaking, I had been getting a strange feeling that he wanted to drag me into this, no matter what. It seemed Sung Hyunmin didn’t just want the Mercenary Clan to participate; he wanted me, Kim Soohyun, to participate. I didn’t know what he was thinking, but I decided to hear him out. Soon, he continued in a quiet voice.
“To be honest, I would like you, the Mercenary Lord, to participate in the User Academy yourself.”
“Excuse me? What did you say?”
“Han Lord, that’s unreasonable. The clan is new as it is, so they lack the squads—ah, I mean, the personnel—to spare. What are they supposed to do if their Clan Lord leaves when they’re still trying to establish themselves?”
“That’s right. Besides, he’s a Year 0 User. It would be one thing if it were the ‘Shadow Queen,’ Ko Yeonju, but I’ve never heard of a Year 0 User taking charge of the User Academy.”
The moment Sung Hyunmin spoke, a fierce commotion erupted. Even the representative clans from the east, his own faction, expressed their disapproval. But he shook his head without the slightest waver and began to state his thoughts point by point in a confident voice.
“Of course, your arguments have merit. But this is how I see it. First, regarding the personnel issue, this could actually be a great opportunity for the Mercenary Clan. I’m sure you’re busy establishing yourselves, but participating in the User Academy would provide more opportunities to promote your clan to new Users, wouldn’t it? If you invest three months, you might find new Users who want to join the Mercenary Clan. This is actually a great chance to supplement your lack of personnel.”
“Hhmm. I wonder if new Users would… Ah, I understand. But for a Year 0 User to be an instructor is still a bit… I don’t mean to belittle the Mercenary Lord. However, everyone here is probably thinking the same thing. It’s simply unprecedented.”
After finishing his words, the representative from the Northland Clan bowed politely to me. I offered a faint smile as if to say it was fine. Of course, it was a response meant to manage my image. In any case, from an objective standpoint, a Year 0 User entering the academy was something I had never heard of or seen either. From that standpoint, it wasn’t something to take offense at.
However, once again, Sung Hyunmin’s words began to flow as eloquently as a clear stream.
“We promised the Matriarch that we would no longer follow the corrupt practices of the past. Ah, I certainly agree that instructors should have some years under their belts and be experienced Users. But please, try to look at it from a different perspective. In other words, aren’t there more than enough people here who can fulfill that instructor role? As far as I know, there are also instructor roles that don’t necessarily require such experience.”
“Even so…”
“We need to make a change. And while there’s a slight difference in timing, if there’s an instructor who is also a Year 0 User, wouldn’t that be excellent motivation for the new Users? He’s a fellow Year 0 User, yet in less than six months, he founded a clan, discovered numerous ruins, and stood on equal footing with other high-year Users. If I were a brand-new User, I think I would feel something hearing the story of the Mercenary Lord.”
At the mention of a fellow Year 0 User, the initially fierce reactions from the crowd began to subside. They all had conflicted looks on their faces, but on one hand, they seemed to think Sung Hyunmin’s words had merit. He scanned their reactions and gave a satisfied smile. Then, to seal the deal, he opened his mouth once more.
“As you all know, although the Mercenary Clan is small, its potential for future growth is immense. Two Secret Classes and three Rare Classes. It was their achievements and emergence in the small city of Mule that lifted the stagnant atmosphere caused by the expedition. Considering how much they will grow with the ‘Shadow Queen’ on their side, it’s highly likely they will wield great influence on the Northern Continent in the future. If so, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to build friendly relationships with the people here while serving at the academy. I am confident that it will be of great help not only to us, but to the Mercenary Lord as well.”
That last statement was the decisive factor that changed the atmosphere. The Users who had been looking uncertain until then all began to look at me with suggestive eyes.
On the outside, I maintained a calm expression, but inwardly, I let out a short sigh. Rather than being swept away by these well-packaged words, I thought it would be better to analyze the situation myself before deciding whether to accept or refuse.
It was at that moment, as I began to quickly turn things over in my head, that I saw the lips of Han Soyoung, who had been quietly observing the situation from across me, slowly begin to part.