Maru’s Dual Gifts and the Third Gate’s Rules
The Ineung Maru had acquired through this incident was two in number. The first was unavoidable and would be laid bare to the entire continent, just like Mirpia’s—**Activation**. The second was an unusual ability that, much like the one I had, allowed direct transmission of voice or memory into another person’s mind. It was said that as long as certain conditions were met, even memories could be accessed as easily as entering one’s own home. Maru had named this power **Jeonsim** in a simple yet elegant way, one no one on the continent had ever possessed before.
“It’s truly a blessing in disguise, but shouldn’t we at least get a check-up at the infirmary? We can’t be too careful in case something comes up later.”
“Yeah, just in case. Let’s go.” Teraden added his voice, lending support.
“Maru, you’re really fine, right?”
The **Activation** of Maru’s Ineung spread over all our bodies like ripples on still water, confirming her vitality.
Maru had awakened her Ineung. Honestly, I was still dazed by it, yet in the end no one had been injured and we had all passed the second gate. That was cause for celebration.
“Look! Maru’s perfectly healthy, right?”
Maru shook her body vigorously as she displayed her own Ineung, proudly proclaiming her well-being.
“Got it. Don’t overuse it, or you’ll tire out. And don’t tell anyone else about the remaining Ineung, understand?”
“Yes! Oppa!”
After Maru had given her promise, I turned to the masked women and the silver-haired boy with a grateful nod.
“I heard you helped my brother and my companions. I’m sorry for the late thanks given the circumstances. And I’ll convey Teraden’s words in their stead. After all, he’s such a loyal friend to Maru.”
“Not at all. That could very well happen. Given the situation, I can understand it too.”
“Thank you for your understanding.”
“Not like some other place, you truly pamper your little sister. How enviable.”
“Your Majesty, please refrain from such private remarks…”
A masked woman who appeared slightly older than me shot a warning look at the speech of the woman beside her.
“Very well, Miss Hui. May I ask your name? It’s Haru, right? I’m delighted to meet you.”
“Yes, the pleasure is mine. May I know yours?”
“Please call me Jin. The lady in front is my attendant, Hui, and the other—”
“I’m Rui! I’ve been dying to meet you for so long. Finally, we meet!”
The silver-haired Rui, whose hair cascaded down to his shoulders, leaned forward until his face was inches from mine, eyes shining with excitement.
“I see. Thank you for helping my brother.”
“It was only what anyone would do. Hahaha!”
“Well, after we eat, the building where the first gate was held will be where we gather. How about we all have a meal together first? What do you think?”
“Maru almost died and came back, and you’re already thinking about dinner…”
Just as Teraden was about to voice his objection,
Grrrrrr.
Maru’s stomach suddenly let out a loud growl.
“Ah… no, it’s not that Maru is hungry…”
Watching Maru blush and fidget, Teraden instantly demonstrated the same casual transformation he always used to hide his embarrassment.
“Aigoo! Our Maru is hungry? Then we’d better eat right away. Looks like the lunch boxes are being handed out over there. I’ll go fetch them quickly. Maybe fifty should be plenty?”
“…”
With that, we accepted Jin’s invitation and agreed to eat together.
Terak.
Jin, who had set the lunch boxes on her thigh, kept gently touching her mask.
Now that I thought about it, how was she supposed to eat while wearing that uncomfortable mask? Was she planning to take it off…?
Clack.
To everyone’s surprise, Jin simply pulled the lower half of her mask away.
Flawless white skin and lips a deeper shade of crimson than blood. From even a partial view, it was clear she was a woman of extraordinary beauty.
She sipped her first drink and began to introduce herself.
“Hui and I are from the Floating Continent.”
“Floating Continent?”
Teraden’s spoon froze mid-air the moment Jin spoke.
I had heard the name before, but details were scarce. It was the artificial continent created with the help of some Seven Stars after the war with the Yokai ended. The reason the largest lake on the continent, the Floating Lake, had formed was also tied to the continent’s lift.
According to legend, the Cheongseong had split the continent, and the Seven Stars—ancestors of my own clan—had raised it into the sky and created the Ouparts. They also engineered the Floating Continent so it would not sink.
The continent and the Floating Continent rarely traded with each other, so we only had a vague idea of their existence. Yet here stood women from that very place.
“Yes. We came to the continent to accumulate experience and investigate the prophecy of the one who is both the ancestor of the Sacred King and a Seven Star.”
“Prophecy…”
Jin added further explanation after a murmur reached her ears.
“Besides the authority known as Space-Time Leap, she possessed several other Ineung. In addition to Activation, which you all know, there is also a power called Prophecy. It has never missed once, so people often call it foresight.”
“What exactly does the prophecy say?”
Teraden’s face looked uneasy as he shoveled rice into his mouth with his spoon.
“The second night will arrive, and three streams of darkness together with hundreds of streams of light will bring the Floating Continent to its end. That is the main content of the prophecy.”
“Wait, that doesn’t sound like a prophecy at all. It was supposed to be a prophecy, yet you’re throwing out weird stuff. Sounds like you just grabbed whatever sounded dramatic.”
Teraden’s mouth fell open.
Jin looked slightly awkward and smiled.
“Honestly, the prophecy has been so obscure that even after centuries no one could decode it. But since last year’s incident, the scholars of the Floating Continent have interpreted it as referring to you and have been watching you very closely.”
“Eh? Why me out of nowhere? What did I do?”
Teraden’s eyes widened as he pointed his spoon at himself.
“Because the hundreds of streams of light mentioned in the prophecy may well be your Hwigwang.”
“What about the three streams of darkness and the second night?”
“The Ineung opposite to Hwigwang is known as Black Dark… So the scholars of the Floating Continent suspect the ‘darkness’ in the prophecy may refer to the Black Dark Ineung, though they can only guess.”
Three streams of darkness and hundreds of streams of light. And together they would sink the Floating Continent.
The statement was so abstract and fantastical that it was hard to know what to say.
“Anyway, with all of you, it seems we can take one step closer to the prophecy. Would you mind staying together for a while?”
“There’s no problem, but we’ll only stay at the National Academy while the exams are not being held.”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. We’re also currently staying at the National Academy.”
“Oh! I’m entering the National Academy next year. Then we can see each other often!”
Rui, who had been quietly eating beside us, waved one arm vigorously.
“Your injuries looked quite deep. How are you feeling now?”
After our conversation ended, I turned to Hyeondo, who was quietly eating in a corner.
“No need to worry. Thanks to your sister, you’re completely healed.”
“Then, about that Arent guy earlier—tell me more.”
“He’s been defeated twice by me, but he’s not that strong. The problem is his skill at striking at weaknesses. He’s also a master at reading the board.”
“Hmm, soon I’ll…”
“No, leave it to me. I’ll pay back this debt with interest.”
Teraden’s words, though spoken with a late-night aftertaste, were simple enough. After a quick breakfast and lunch, we gathered at the building where the first gate had been held, just as the guides had instructed.
“First, I congratulate all forty-three participants who passed the second gate—totalling twenty-nine people.”
Just as when the second gate began, Feygal and the other Danjus waited on the podium.
The number of this year’s second-gate passers had been only twenty-nine.
The place now felt much emptier than before the gate had opened.
“The second gate was designed from start to finish by me, named Mental Mountain. I wonder how you felt about it.”
Teraden’s jaw clenched, veins bulging on his forehead.
“Oh ho. You tricked innocent people into wearing ghost costumes to kill me? That was your work?”
“From this moment, all of you who passed the second gate are now provisional Danjus. Congratulations once more.”
Feygal’s face showed no trace of joy, however.
“Now, I’ll explain the simple rules for the upcoming exam. Please applaud. Our Cheongseol Danju is quite shy, after all.”
“Why is that, really…”
Feygal stepped aside and was replaced by a small-statured female Danju who stepped forward.
Clap, clap, clap.
As ordered, the passers applauded her.
Cheongseol blushed a color matching her hair.
Unlike Feygal, she seemed shy.
“Um, hello. I’m Cheongseol… The reason I’ve brought you all here is not for anything else but to tell you a few things about the third gate…”
“…”
Before Cheongseol could finish, the applause died instantly.
The surroundings fell silent in an instant. Cheongseol looked flustered, waving both arms in the air.
“No! I’m not saying we’ll start the third gate right now. I was just going to explain a few simple rules and schedules that will apply from the next gate onward…”
Only then did the crowd realize the misunderstanding and nod in agreement.
“Ahem, for your safety in this gate, the Danjus will intervene at dangerous moments to guarantee minimal survival. However, starting with the next gate, none of the six Danjus—including myself—will intervene…”
If Feygal had not stopped Teraden during the second gate, a major disaster would have occurred.
Surely there were others who benefited from Danju intervention.
“It doesn’t mean that because you won’t intervene you’re okay with killing. The rule that disqualifies anyone who commits murder remains unchanged…”
“…”
Even as Cheongseol continued speaking, Teraden’s eyes remained fixed on the man at the waist wearing two swords. It was Arent, according to Hyeondo.
I quietly placed a hand on Teraden’s shoulder to draw his attention.
“Tsk.”
Teraden clicked his tongue and looked away.
“The third gate will be held next month. One month from today, by the hour of Jin, gather here. Latecomers will be considered absent and automatically disqualified. Provisional Danju status will be revoked as well…”
After a long explanation of the third gate, Cheongseol smiled brightly and announced the end of the schedule at Hwabaek.
“If you wish to rest here for a while, feel free. You may also return to your original location immediately. You all worked hard in the first and second gates. Until we meet again in a month, take care of yourselves…”