Chapter 174
Chapter 174
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 174
Chapter Title: Unexpected Encounter
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"This?"
Baek Eun-seong's left arm was made of a special silver material.
This arm had been temporarily reattached using mysterious power after Baek Eun-seong lost his left arm to an unidentified man in Atlantis.
"I'm used to it. It's incredibly uncomfortable. Honestly, it's useless."
Baek Eun-seong muttered quietly, and Bert spoke up.
"Just bear with it a little longer. I'll get you a better arm later."
"Sigh. If it weren't for that Rune Clan bastard..."
Remembering the identity-unknown bearded man who had blown off his left arm, Baek Eun-seong's right hand trembled violently.
Time passed, and Jaun ventured deep into the center of the flooded area.
However, there were still no traces that could be attributed to the red rain demon beast.
It was then.
A faint presence came from somewhere.
Sensing a presence on an uninhabited island where no one lived was far from a normal situation.
"......What is it? Is there someone here?"
Ska muttered to himself in an uneasy voice. Baek Eun-seong smirked and quipped.
"Whoever it is, just kill them. Why worry so much?"
"Don't let your guard down. Something feels off."
Bert said with a hardened expression.
"True, a presence but no sign of them... They definitely aren't pushovers."
At that moment, Baek Eun-seong's face stiffened.
"No way... those guys from Atlantis?"
"It's possible, right? They have some prophecy-related mystery."
"Yeah. That's how they followed us all the way to Atlantis."
Natasha flashed a sly smile.
"If they've come this far, we definitely have to kill them."
Just like that, a man revealed himself before the confident Jaun crew.
The man looked like an explorer, clutching a map and compass.
The Jaun group was greatly flustered upon seeing him.
He was completely unexpected.
Including Kim Jin-cheol, he was someone they absolutely did not want to run into.
The man also looked slightly surprised to see the Jaun group before him.
Then he stroked his unkempt, scruffy beard.
"You guys with Jaun?"
Facing the world's worst criminal organization head-on, the man's expression was endlessly relaxed.
Baek Eun-seong stared at him and muttered in a trembling voice.
"......Choi Il-hyeon."
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 175
Chapter Title: Reunion After Ten Years
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Eun-seong? It's been almost ten years. What's up with that arm? Did you tune it up?"
"......Why are you here?"
Baek Eun-seong asked in a wary voice.
"That's what I want to know. Why are you guys here?"
"......That's."
At that moment, Choi Il-hyeon chuckled.
"I think I know why you're here. You must've seen Jin Cheon-woo's research journal, right? Obvious as day."
"That research... we did it together back in school. So your goal is the 'Demon Beast's Heart,' huh."
Their plan exposed in an instant, the entire Jaun crew looked flustered.
As expected of Choi Il-hyeon.
The man knew too much.
And he might even know more than the Sorcerers' Association.
After all, he was old friends with their newbie, 'Jin Cheon-woo.'
"Are you after the Demon Beast's Heart too?"
Bert glared at Choi Il-hyeon and said.
"If so, what then?"
"......We'd have to kill you."
A smile crept onto Choi Il-hyeon's lips at those words. He casually stroked his chin.
"One, two, three, four, five, six......
Where are the rest? Six won't cut it."
"We'll see about that!"
Pzzt!
A spear infused with lightning formed above Bert's hand and shot toward Choi Il-hyeon.
Speed like lightning falling from the sky.
But Choi Il-hyeon blocked the attack effortlessly with a translucent barrier of mana, without even dodging.
Boom!
The shockwave from the attack made the rain-soaked ground tremble with electricity.
Seeing his attack blocked so easily, Bert gritted his teeth. He had faintly sensed Choi Il-hyeon's strength from that defense.
This time, Baek Eun-seong gripped his podao tightly and charged forward.
Choi Il-hyeon calmly twisted his body to evade Baek Eun-seong's strike.
Baek Eun-seong didn't stop. He kept swinging the spear rapidly, pressing the attack on Choi Il-hyeon.
But because of his prosthetic left arm,
Baek Eun-seong's attacks weren't as sharp as before.
Choi Il-hyeon exploited the opening and shoved a fireball straight into his gut.
Whoosh!
"Argh!"
Baek Eun-seong's body floated up and flew backward.
Even protected by his body-hardening qi, the pain was intense.
"Ugh! If only my arm were fine......!"
Baek Eun-seong shouted in frustration.
Thus, the tense standoff resumed.
Jaun couldn't attack Choi Il-hyeon first.
Choi Il-hyeon, outnumbered, opted to observe rather than strike first.
"Bert. What now? You gonna keep fighting that guy?"
Natasha asked in a worried tone.
"What choice do we have? The Demon Beast's Heart is essential for our future plans."
"Still, taking him on now is too reckless. You know that."
"......You're right."
Choi Il-hyeon lived such a reclusive life that people tended to underestimate his power.
But Jaun knew through their newbie Jin Cheon-woo.
How strong he truly was.
And how many abilities he kept hidden.
It was then.
Ding-a-ling~
A bell rang. Choi Il-hyeon blinked, then pulled a communication magic tool from his pocket.
"Hold up, timeout."
"Yeah, hello?"
Choi Il-hyeon abruptly started his call. The Jaun members stared at him in bewilderment at the sudden turn.
"Ah~ yeah, found it? Uh-huh. Heading over now. Yep. Got it."
Click. Choi Il-hyeon hung up.
"Ah, sorry. Gotta head out."
"......You're leaving? Weren't you after the Demon Beast's Heart?"
"Nah. Tempting item, sure, but not something I need right this second."
Jaun felt a moment of doubt at Choi Il-hyeon's words.
"......Then why'd you come to the Isle of Rain?"
"Doesn't matter. Anyway, I'm busy, so later. Good luck."
With that, Choi Il-hyeon vanished somewhere.
Jaun stared blankly at the spot where he had stood, filled with questions.
"Hey. Didn't Choi Il-hyeon always operate solo?"
"Yeah. Did he pick up some allies?"
Thursday after school.
The Special Class session ended. With finals approaching, they dismissed students 30 minutes early out of consideration.
"That's it for today's class. Good work, everyone."
"Yes."
The students dispersed quickly. Lee Seo-jun, sitting in front of me, stretched and eased his stiff muscles.
"Man, I'm starving. Let's grab dinner."
"Kim Seon-woo, you're eating too, right?"
I nodded at Shin Young-jun's question. My stomach was growling anyway.
"Yeah, sure."
"Senior! Mind if I join?"
Choi Seo-yoon, seated next to me, chimed in. No big deal, so I nodded.
"Sure."
"Hehe."
We headed straight to the school cafeteria. The dinner crew was the same as during the Atlantis trip.
Me, Lee Seo-jun, Shin Young-jun, Lee Hyun-joo, Song Seung-ah, Choi Seo-yoon.
"Kim Seon-woo, what're you having?"
"Ramen."
"Ramen? Isn't that too light?"
"Just craving something spicy."
Lee Seo-jun nodded at my words. We got our food and sat down.
Glancing around, I saw students eating while studying from textbooks.
"Everyone's studying while eating."
"Finals are right around the corner."
Choi Seo-yoon, next to me, said.
"Still, you should eat when you eat. Not cramming last-minute or anything."
"Oh. As expected of the five-time perfect theory scorer."
"......What? I just think it looks bad."
"Ah! Right. Senior. Senior. Senior."
"What. What. What. Once is enough."
"What're you doing this weekend?"
Choi Seo-yoon looked at me with expectant eyes.
"Weekend?"
"Yes."
I glanced at Lee Seo-jun across from me.
He was watching me and Choi Seo-yoon with an odd look.
This weekend, I had plans to visit the Eunwol family with Lee Seo-jun to learn protective magic.
"Why the weekend?"
"Nothing much. Just wondering if you could tutor me a bit. I don't have to go home for a while."
Choi Seo-yoon said, eyes sparkling.
"You're good at studying."
"Aw, but not perfect scores like you, Senior."
"Pass. I'm busy with my own studies."
I slurped some ramen. Perfect seasoning—tasty.
"Then study together instead of tutoring."
"No can do this weekend."
"What're you up to?"
Then Lee Seo-jun cut in.
"We planned to train together this weekend."
Choi Seo-yoon blinked at that.
"Saturday and Sunday both?"
"Yeah."
"What about tomorrow?"
I answered her question.
"No. Training tomorrow too."
"Three days straight? Where?"
"That's......"
I trailed off, and Lee Seo-jun jumped in again.
"Learning magic from the Eunwol family. The process is pretty involved, so it'll take time."
"The Eunwol family?"
Everyone looked curious at the sudden mention of the Eunwol family.
"You were busy last weekend too—did you go there?"
Lee Hyun-joo, who had been listening quietly, asked.
"Yeah."
"Why the Eunwol family? They're installation magic specialists."
"Long story. I'll explain later."
"Hmm. Okay."
Lee Hyun-joo nodded.
"Let's eat."
Yeah.
As we were about to resume eating, my pocket smart student planner vibrated strongly.
I checked the message right away.
[Training resumes Monday.]
It was from Choi Il-hyeon.
The next day.
The day we'd arranged with the Eunwol family arrived.
Right after all classes ended, Lee Seo-jun and I took the portal gate back to the Eunwol family.
"You're here."
Eun Hye-su himself came to the front gate to greet us. His attitude was markedly different from last week.
True to his word about us being benefactors of the family, the treatment had changed completely.
"Come in."
"Yes."
We followed Eun Hye-su inside.
Then, the girl with shining silver hair, Eun Seol-ah, stepped out from a room.
She looked unsure upon seeing us.
I thought we'd gotten closer right before parting, but in a week, she was back to the original Eun Seol-ah.
"Ah, hello......"
Eun Seol-ah politely bowed to us.
"Hello."
She beamed when I returned the greeting. Eun Hye-su watched her fondly, then turned to us.
"We're starting right away. Mentally prepared?"
"Yes. We're ready."
"Follow me then."
We followed Eun Hye-su out the back door. Outside loomed a massive mountain.
"You must climb this mountain. Follow closely."
The mountain we were ascending was Eunwol Mountain, named after the Eunwol family.
Eunwol Mountain was famous for its numerous natural illusion magics suited to the family's specialty.
"It's dark, so watch your step."
"Okay."