Chapter 207
Chapter 207
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 208
Chapter Title: Bound for Nepal
-----------------------------------------------------------------
After finishing up all the business in the training room, I stepped out of the tower.
I hadn't achieved a perfect implementation of the Perfect Counter, but I'd hit my target goal, so I was satisfied.
This was even better than what I'd aimed for.
I couldn't wait to head to the training grounds or ask Gretel to help me test out the Perfect Counter.
"You all worked hard this past week."
Feeling good, I looked around at everyone and gave them a warm send-off. The others nodded back, exchanging their own farewells.
"You too."
"Great job!"
"We won't see each other again until the opening ceremony, huh? Kinda feels disappointing."
That's when Lee Seo-jun approached me.
"Kim Sun-woo, we'll be seeing each other again soon."
Seo-jun and I still had our own private business left to handle.
Namely, acquiring the final ingredient needed for necromancy.
And that process was set to be the key episode of this winter break.
"Yep. Give some thought to which mystery you're going to go after."
Seo-jun nodded at my words.
With that, we all said our goodbyes and parted ways.
Instead of heading home, I disguised myself as Kim Jin-woo and went straight to the dungeon in Gangwon Province.
A week for me was only two days in real time.
It was a short period, but the dungeon's scenery had changed a lot in the meantime.
As I descended into the dungeon, a noisy commotion reached my ears.
Curious, I watched and saw three people—a man and two women—clapping in awe at Gretel's display of strength as she hauled boxes of magic stones.
"Wow, Class Rep Gretel, you're way stronger than you look."
"I get amazed every time I see it."
"Ungae!"
It looked like Yang Tae-min had hired the new staff he'd mentioned last time.
They appeared to be in their twenties and thirties, not necessarily looking skilled, but at least diligent.
But how should I make my entrance? As one of the company's founders, I needed to make a good first impression.
Ideally without coming off as too authoritarian.
"Ahem..."
I cleared my throat awkwardly and revealed myself.
All eyes turned to me.
"Who are you? You can't just come in here without permission..."
"Ungae!"
Just then, Gretel spotted me and came rushing over with a delighted face. I gave a small smile and hugged her.
"Gretel! I missed you."
The three newcomers looked stunned by Gretel's sudden reaction, staring at me with wide eyes.
"Huh? The work foreman seems super happy to see him?"
"Who is he?"
...Work foreman?
I gently set Gretel down and was about to introduce myself to the employees.
That's when Yang Tae-min came barreling in, calling out loudly.
"Whoa! Mr. Jin-woo!"
The employees looked baffled at Yang Tae-min's entrance.
"Mr. Yang, how have you been?"
"Haha, great. Oh! These are the new hires we brought on."
The three bowed deeply toward me.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Jeong Bo-geun."
"I'm Hong Seung-cheol."
"I'm Shin Ji-young!"
I gave them a light nod in return.
"Ah, sure. I'm Kim Jin-woo. Feel free to think of me as a co-founder."
As I introduced myself, Hong Seung-cheol tilted his head.
"...The name sounds familiar."
A moment later, he realized it and gaped.
"Wait, aren't you the guy who solved that demon incident before?"
"Yes, that's me."
"No way!"
Hong Seung-cheol's eyes sparkled. Jeong Bo-geun and Shin Ji-young also seemed to recognize me, their eyes widening.
Just as the mood started getting rowdy,
Yang Tae-min stepped in to calm things down.
"Mr. Jin-woo, the dungeon's interior is a mess from the construction. Want a tour?"
"Sure."
Yang Tae-min guided me through the changed dungeon interior.
Several new spaces had been added—rest areas, workshops, even private rooms, among others.
There was even a private room prepared for me. With a TV and sofa, it felt just like a personal living space.
After the tour, I told everyone to get back to work and stayed alone in the private room. Then I shuffled over to the sofa and flopped down onto it.
"...Nice."
So plush and comfy. The texture alone told me it was expensive.
Lying on the sofa, I stared blankly at the ceiling and suddenly recalled the conversation I'd had with Yoo A-ra in the training room.
'I saw my sister looking into it once before.'
The fact that Yoo A-yeon had investigated the Seonhyeon family in the past.
"...Why did Yoo A-yeon investigate the Seonhyeon family?"
According to Yoo A-ra, it was around six or seven years ago.
As far as I remembered, nothing special had happened six or seven years ago.
What was the reason?
These two things had zero connection.
Yoo A-yeon was a revenge ghost obsessed only with Jaun, after all.
"Hmm... There has to be some reason."
I wanted to rush over and ask her right now, but unless the butterfly effect changed the future, Seo-jun and I were fated to meet her again soon.
She was set to appear during our search for the mystery. I just had to wait for that.
I grabbed the remote from the table in front of the sofa and turned on the TV.
Beep!
"In the private village of Tevela in Nepal, damage from magical beasts is on the rise. The beasts are contaminating the soil and spreading disease to people and animals, causing significant harm."
The news anchor delivered the report with a grim face.
The screen soon changed, capturing various types of magical beasts descending from the mountains.
There were all sorts: wolves, snakes, lizards, dogs, hawks—too many to describe.
One common trait: they all had black fur, as if from the same species.
And high in the sky, a massive dragon soared.
"The Wizards' Association has launched an investigation to determine the exact situation. However, wizards dispatched to investigate the beasts have fallen ill with an unknown disease, hindering progress."
"The Wizards' Association has tentatively named the giant dragon, judged to be the leader of the beasts, the 'Disease Dragon.'"
I stared at the massive dragon on screen.
That dragon was the chief and master of those beasts ahead.
And as would later be revealed, it was also a subordinate of the disaster-class magical beast that, in my previous life, drove Lee Seo-jun to his death: the Evil Dragon Cruas.
In the original story, Seo-jun visited Nepal to obtain a mystery ingredient for necromancy and coincidentally joined the Disease Dragon subjugation effort.
In the process of subjugating the Disease Dragon, he earned the enmity of the Evil Dragon Cruas—that was the original tale.
I was sketching out future plans while watching TV when my smart student handbook chimed with a message alert.
[Link]
It was from Lee Seo-jun. Clicking the link brought up an internet article.
It was about the French National Museum seeking a mystery from ruins in Nepal.
Another message arrived.
[Looks like the thing we're after is in Nepal. Wanna go?]
I smiled faintly at the message. Seo-jun probably had no idea what was happening in Nepal right now.
In the original story, he got caught up in the incident while searching for the mystery.
Well, things were proceeding according to the original flow, so no issues.
"Hmm. Nepal, huh."
I'd need to book an international gate ticket first.
That's when I was about to log in and reserve one.
My phone rang. Unknown number—looked like some government agency. Who could it be?
"Hello?"
[Hello. This is Canal from the Nepal Embassy. Are you Kim Sun-woo, student at the Korean Wizards' Academy?]
I doubted my ears for a second. Nepal Embassy?
"...Yes, that's me. What's this about?"
[We're contacting you because we need the rainstorm-form magic that you use.]
Meanwhile, in the small village of Tevela in Nepal—far from Korea.
Just a few days ago, it had been bustling with tourists, but now it lay desolate from the magical beast attacks.
There, a beautiful black-haired woman walked the streets, six people in tow.
"Man, I came here four years ago and it was packed with people. Now there's barely anyone."
A handsome Asian man muttered as he looked around.
"Sis, you see how the ground's stained black?"
At the man's words, the woman at the front halted and looked where he pointed.
The blackened earth was visible. The plants growing on it were withered and twisted.
The woman sensed ominous magic from the ground.
"...Looks pretty serious."
With that one comment, she resumed walking.
How long had they walked? They reached the city's outskirts.
Looking up at the bright sky, the towering Himalayan mountains came into view.
Whoosh.
A cold wind from the Himalayas brushed the woman's hair.
She gazed at the scenery ahead with emotionless eyes.
Withered plants. Parched black earth.
From the distant massive mountains emanated powerful, ominous magic.
"We came because they offered big money, but is this really okay?"
The handsome man grumbled, and the rugged-looking man behind him crossed his arms, staring at the mountains.
"We've been slacking off chasing those Jaun bastards. Guild funds are running low—what choice do we have? Plus, there's special rewards."
"But still, even the Three Great Guilds and Wizards' Association gave up on this. Why us?"
The handsome man grumbled again.
"They need the Fire Witch's wide-area magic, don't they?"
Just then, powerful magic rippled through the surroundings.
—Kieeeek!
An unidentified screech echoed massively from the Himalayas.
Ruuuumble!
Simultaneously, the snow-covered mountains turned black.
And they began descending toward the base en masse.
The blackness was magical beasts.
Everyone gripped their weapons and entered combat stance.
That's when the woman at the front stepped forward.
She extended her hand, and a massive sphere of flame—like the sun—manifested above her head.
The woman—no, Yoo A-yeon, leader of the guild Dawn's Blade and known as the Fire Witch—hurled the fireball at them.
Flash!
A brilliant light erupted, and six people stepped out of the international gate.
"...Whoa, first time in Nepal—it's wild. Bert, you been here before?"
Baek Eun-seong, the man with a prosthetic arm, excitedly scanned the surroundings and asked Bert.
"Yeah, a long time ago. Eighteen years, I think."
"You've really been everywhere."
Jin chuckled and patted his shoulder at Baek Eun-seong's words.
"Bert's known 'Her' the longest, after all."
"True, but..."
"No time for chit-chat. Let's move."
Bert took the lead, and the others nodded, following her.
After a quick entry inspection, they exited the international gate.
"But I heard the Fire Witch is joining this time. Isn't that dangerous?"
"Baek Eun-seong, you worry too much. Hey! As long as we hide our identities properly, it'll be fine. And this has been planned for ages."
Ska, munching on snacks, spoke in a cheerful tone.
Jaun had been planning various operations for a long time.
It wasn't limited to mere 'mystery collection.'
Numerous schemes were in place for the future.
"Cut the jokes. Everyone, steel yourselves. We absolutely cannot fail this time."
As Bert spoke in a serious voice, the other Jaun members gauged her mood.
Natasha, who had been with Jaun the longest alongside Bert and stayed quietly at the back, nodded in agreement.
"Yeah. We have to make this one a success. It's one of 'Her' assigned missions."
회귀한 엑스트라가 천재가 됨