Chapter 192
Chapter 192
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 192
Chapter Title: Settler (3)
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“...Come to think of it, I did let that slip before, didn’t I? Heh, you all took it as a joke back then.”
Tsehai, who had stiffened for a moment, soon let out a hearty laugh and shook his head.
His face, now fully relaxed as if he’d never been flustered, even bore a faint smile tinged with nostalgia.
“...I’m sorry for casually sharing your story with others. But I swear, I didn’t do it lightly. It’s that important. It might even prove crucial against the Immortal King.”
“Hmm? The Immortal King...”
“Everyone here knows. I’m asking you, Tsehai. Please, answer honestly.”
Tsehai’s gaze swept over the people in the parlor at Gios’s earnest plea.
Though he now lived quietly tending to children, he had once carved out a name for himself on blood-soaked battlefields.
Reading the subtle aura of power emanating from them was child’s play.
A strike team formed to face the Immortal King...
From the famed Holy Son of the Church of the Main God, to the grim-faced barbarian who didn’t seem great with kids, a young girl about the age of the sharper orphans at the nursery, and...
His eyes lingered on Hesperon for a moment.
As if he’d misread something.
...Third-rate mage? No, that can’t be. An assassin masking his presence? Yeah, that makes more sense. Impressive skill.
But as he tried to convince himself—
Hesperon, sensing the gaze, flashed a grin and stepped forward again.
“You seem hesitant to answer, so maybe I should reintroduce myself? I’m Ha Seung-hoon, an Awakener from Earth—Korea!”
He casually launched into his introduction once more.
“I go by Hesperon here in Outerica, though. Or just Heron works! Been here a little over two months now. Haha!”
Tsehai blinked in bewilderment at the sudden move, then scanned the room again.
The hero’s party stared back with unwavering seriousness.
“Haa—”
No escaping now.
He sighed lightly and slowly opened his mouth.
“Korea? Korea... Yeah, I’ve heard of it. Korean cars are pretty solid, right?”
It was as good as admitting his origins.
Gios’s eyes gleamed as he nodded gravely, leaning slightly toward him.
“Just as I thought. You’re from the same dimension as Heron, Tsehai.”
“Yeah. Not sure if this guy knows, but I’m from Ethiopia.”
“Ah! I know it. In Africa, right? Next to Somalia.”
“Oh? Well-read. Hearing those rotten names after so long... it’s a weird feeling.”
Ethiopia, in the Horn of Africa.
Far from Korea, but with some diplomatic ties, it wasn’t entirely unknown.
Famous as coffee’s birthplace, it was fairly well-known.
“...How long I’ve been here? Hard to say exactly.”
He paused, stroking his beard thoughtfully, then nodded and continued.
“Well over thirty years, I’d say. Not quite forty.”
“...That’s quite a while.”
Gios just nodded in admiration.
But for the otherworldly folk present—excluding him—it wasn’t something to brush off.
Hoo, over thirty years?
Once adapted to the summoned world, the longer you stayed, the better—time dilation meant only a fraction passed on Earth.
Like Tsehai: thirty years here was three on Earth. Settle permanently, and aging followed local time, extending lifespan tenfold.
Plus growth buffs unique to otherworlds—train decades, return a monster.
Danger? Escape beforehand.
But no one’s returned after twenty-plus years on Earth.
Not rumored—literally no one.
And the reason was probably...
“Um, Tsehai? One thing I’d like to ask.”
Hesperon cautiously addressed the elderly black man, his white beard and wrinkles marking clear old age.
“Can you still use the System now?”
“Ahem, so you knew. ...Been unable a while.”
That was why those lingering too long became ‘settlers.’
No System meant no Karma Shop, no return—lifelong exile in otherworld.
“Yeah, figured. Rumors on Earth, but all hearsay—low reliability.”
Facing one now was prime intel gathering.
Official reason: aid against Immortal King.
True aim: deeper System/Awakener info via settler.
Info’s the best weapon, whatever the task. More, the better—for efficient use of what I have.
Especially as a System irregular.
He needed extra vigilance.
“Tsehai, if I may—more details? Even trivia might hold clues. It’d help us—and Heron—greatly.”
Heinrich, the highest authority here as Holy Son, made the plea.
Gios and others joined, urging him relentlessly...
“Heh, ancient history now. Not sure how useful.”
Tsehai surrendered, spilling his tale.
Pondering where to start, he cleared his throat lightly and began his past in brief.
“Ahem, you might not know, Heron, but my homeland wasn’t kind.”
Korea, once top in safety, had crumbled.
Ethiopia’s chaos needed no elaboration.
Government barely held Addis Ababa; rural control evaporated.
Criminal groups sprouted wildly...
Tsehai lost family, became orphan.
Common tragedy there.
“But survival options for kids in that mess were slim.”
He chose servitude to the crime group—practically his enemies—begging mercy.
For over a decade, he survived as one of them.
Then change struck...
At just over twenty, System chose him—Awakening.
“Heh, but the new power wouldn’t let me sit still.”
He chuckled dryly.
His Unique Skill: Phase Refraction.
Twist/manipulate local space—handy.
No escape left, he used his 24 hours wisely.
By wiping out his crime bosses.
The warlord-like group hoarded guns, bombs—perfect for his skill’s theft/terror.
Known as ‘pre-transfer Awakener terror.’
“Low proficiency, short time—got a few higher-ups. Slipped chaos to quiet spot, then fled to Outerica.”
He’d already abandoned Earth return.
Going back meant retaliation.
Mercenary here, turbulent life.
No return intent—Karma all into self-strength.
Survived over a decade intact.
“Stumbled into this village, met my wife. Had savings—married easy.”
“Wait, you’re married, Tsehai?”
“Think I’d be single at this age?”
He snapped gruffly at shocked Hesperon.
Gios, watching, smirked faintly, murmuring low.
“...Met you here too. Thought you my age then.”
“Hahaha, those years after—you looked older than me? Hmm, time for that story.”
Chuckling, stroking goatee, Tsehai turned to Hesperon, voice graver.
“Around twenty years in Outerica. Instinct hit: don’t return now, never can.”
No return plans, no Karma—he ignored it.
Then...
“Soon after... lost System access.”
But not over.
Post-loss: rapid aging.
As if deferred years crashed in.
Forty-plus but youthful—aged to middle-aged in a year, looking older.
“Luckily, other abilities/stats remained. Dove into Unique Skill obsessively. Loss hit harder than thought.”
Yet...
Another decade-plus.
Over thirty years total—
Lost all Awakener powers.
Phase Refraction, minor skills, stat boosts—all gone.
“......”
“......”
Tsehai closed eyes.
Silence fell; only faint breaths echoed.
No System/Shop, no aging limit—then skills/stats too?
He hadn’t said, but lost otherworld ‘growth buff’ too.
All benefits gone—true native settler.
Forced Karma reclaim?
Normally, return via Shop forfeits System/Shop.
But skills/stats intact on return...
Returner vs. settler difference. Jackpot info.
Earth-unknown intel.
Satisfied Hesperon nodded—
“But I didn’t lose everything.”
Tsehai opened eyes, grinning at them.
Raised hand, swung at air.
Crack—
“Eek?”
Hesperon clutched back, jumping in place.
Familiar via Gios.
Tsehai’s Unique Skill: Phase Refraction.
“...Didn’t your powers vanish...?”
“Unique Skill gone, yes. This is my secret art—research fused with aura control.”
Inferior to original, but proven potent—Gios’s feats.
Non-transcendent aura user bypassing space.
His Unique Skill analysis born that...
“You got yours recently?”
“Y-yes...”
“Thirty-plus years using powers, ten-plus post-System madness—learned something.”
His words carried newfound weight post-demonstration.
Hesperon listened reverently, hands clasped.
Isea, in corner chair, perked ears covertly.
“Unique Skills aren’t random. Deeply tied to user. How? No one knows—not even them.”
He grinned charmingly.
“Dunno how much it’ll help your powers. But basics first, step-by-step. Won’t hurt. Heh.”
Confident laugh from Tsehai.
Somehow, halo like Heinrich’s—brighter—shone behind.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ A mere day after his tutelage.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Unique Skill has grown, awakening its potential. The number of Avatars you can possess has increased. The first time his Unique Skill had grown—without the Karma Shop.