Chapter 323
Chapter 323
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 324
Chapter Title: Unexpected Breaking News
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Chapter 324
9 PM at night.
After finishing my outing with Gretel, I lay on the dormitory sofa, checking the results of today's training.
[Demon Extermination (B)] [Proficiency: 37%]
"...Whoa. That's a huge jump."
Considering the time since I acquired the Demon Extermination trait, this was remarkably fast growth.
It was partly thanks to the synergy bonus with the light attribute, but even accounting for that, the progress was impressive.
At this rate, I might reach A-Rank by the end of the week.
"Well, it's because I just got it."
Like most traits, the first uses come with all sorts of bonuses.
The growth rate would likely slow down after a few more uses, but even so, this was more than satisfactory.
Having sorted out my thoughts alone, I turned my head toward Gretel, who had fallen asleep on my thigh.
Perhaps because we'd gone out for the day, she slept soundly with a happier expression than usual.
I lightly stroked the leaf on Gretel's head.
For a leaf, it swayed like hair, always giving that fascinating texture no matter how many times I touched it.
And it was so lush, no worries about balding(?).
She occasionally dropped leaves on the floor, but since it was only very rarely, she might keep this style indefinitely.
"Mmm..."
As I stroked her head with a faint smile, I turned on the TV.
"...Following the Demon Gate incident, revelations about demon-affiliated corporations are causing public anxiety. The Korean Wizard Association has announced an investigation, but it appears to be suffering from a manpower shortage. Meanwhile, World Wizard Association Chairman Kim Jin-cheol has requested support from neighboring countries."
The global situation was unfolding just as I'd predicted.
The Korean Wizard Association was currently struggling with a manpower shortage.
The reason was simple.
Demons, Jaun, and... the soon-to-erupt Aporia incident.
Major events were erupting simultaneously.
Splitting forces risked botching everything, while handling them one by one left the others likely to explode.
Because of this, renowned wizards from various countries would soon flock to Korea.
Among them was one who took a strong interest in Lee Seo-jun and approached him, sparking a few minor episodes.
"I wonder how it'll play out from here..."
Lost in my own thoughts, I noticed the anchor on TV standing silently with an awkward expression for a moment. Then, staring into space, she spoke.
"We have breaking news just in. Ren, a former special forces agent and wizard known by the moniker 'Pure Flash,' has leaked classified association documents."
"...Huh?"
The sudden breaking news left me momentarily dazed.
Leaking classified documents?
This was a development not in the original story.
No, more than that—Ren?
"Ren..."
Japan's S-Rank wizard, nicknamed 'Pure Flash.'
Four years ago, he worked as a mercenary with Ellen, later becoming her ally after she split from the Hanseong family, pursuing Jaun.
His specialty was 'Instant Acceleration,' a skill I used frequently myself.
The anchor continued.
"The documents claim that the Seonhyeon family, to which Kim Chang-hyun—who is deeply linked to the Full Moon Night incident—belongs, conducted secret experiments with Jin Cheon-u."
10 PM at night.
Resting in the training ground break room, Lee Seo-jun watched the news on the wall-mounted TV with a somewhat serious expression.
The anchor delivered the report in a calm voice.
"According to the classified documents revealed by Ren, the Seonhyeon family, to which Kim Chang-hyun belongs, conducted secret experiments with Jin Cheon-u. It also suggests a high likelihood of deep ties between Kim Chang-hyun and Jin Cheon-u."
Shocking news that Kim Chang-hyun was likely entangled with Jin Cheon-u.
But Lee Seo-jun wasn't particularly surprised by the revelation.
He already knew Kim Chang-hyun's secrets through Choi Il-hyun.
"...Kim Chang-hyun."
Lee Seo-jun murmured the name softly.
In fact, even before this incident broke, he knew someone who had been pursuing Kim Chang-hyun ahead of the association.
Someone who had helped him unravel many questions about his own origins recently.
And now, someone who raised even more questions than his origins.
It was Kim Sun-woo.
Lost in thoughts about Kim Sun-woo, he sensed a presence nearby.
Turning his head, he saw Yoo Ah-ra watching the news with startled eyes.
"...Yoo Ah-ra?"
Even at Lee Seo-jun's call, Yoo Ah-ra didn't respond, her gaze fixed on the news.
Yoo Ah-ra was a victim of Jin Cheon-u.
Hearing that the Seonhyeon family had deep ties to him, she couldn't help but be shocked.
As the news ended after some time, Yoo Ah-ra turned to Lee Seo-jun.
"Did you hear that?"
Instead of answering, Lee Seo-jun nodded.
"The Seonhyeon family they're talking about now... it's the one Kim Sun-woo was looking for, right?"
Yoo Ah-ra said, recalling the past.
Last year in the training chamber, Kim Sun-woo had asked everyone about the Seonhyeon family.
He had even gone directly to her sister, Yoo Ah-yeon, regarding it.
"Yeah."
"...No way Kim Sun-woo already knew about this?"
"Probably."
Despite being a fellow student, Kim Sun-woo had known special information no ordinary student would long before.
The likelihood was high that he pursued the Seonhyeon family because he already knew of their connection to Jin Cheon-u.
"...How did Kim Sun-woo find out?"
"No idea. He's full of secrets."
What those secrets were, he still didn't know.
But it was true that Kim Sun-woo had many suspicious points.
Reasons for hiding his abilities until now. Suspicions of activities under another identity.
A minority clan.
And his connection to Jin Cheon-u.
Yet Lee Seo-jun hadn't asked Kim Sun-woo about any of it.
No, even if he had, without proof, Kim Sun-woo would surely have made excuses and slipped away.
Yoo Ah-ra fell into thought at Lee Seo-jun's words.
Had Kim Sun-woo's pursuit of the Seonhyeon family and visit to her sister been related to Jin Cheon-u?
If so, it confirmed her suspicion that Kim Sun-woo was indeed after Jin Cheon-u...
But Kim Sun-woo's reaction after recently meeting Kim Chang-hyun had been too calm.
As if it had nothing to do with him...
At that moment, Lee Seo-jun interrupted her thoughts.
"Kim Sun-woo seems to want to keep this fact hidden."
"What do you mean?"
"Just don't pry unnecessarily. We wouldn't get anything out of it anyway, and it'd only make him more guarded."
Lee Seo-jun stood up.
He turned back and met Yoo Ah-ra's eyes.
"I've received help from Kim Sun-woo several times."
He didn't know exactly how many times. But whenever danger arose, Kim Sun-woo helped and saved them from the shadows.
This wasn't just Lee Seo-jun's thought.
His other friends probably sensed it vaguely too.
Take Yoo Ah-ra: last year, she had been saved from a near-death encounter with a demon.
"I want to help Kim Sun-woo."
But from spending time close to him, what Lee Seo-jun felt was that Kim Sun-woo wanted no help at all.
Because of that, up to now, Lee Seo-jun had watched over him from one step away.
But recently, he'd heard a prophecy that Kim Sun-woo might die.
Through his grandfather Kim Jin-cheol, Lee Seo-jun knew well how powerful 'prophecies' could be.
It meant there was a real chance of a major crisis for Kim Sun-woo around graduation time.
And Lee Seo-jun suspected that crisis would involve 'Kim Chang-hyun' or 'Jin Cheon-u.'
"This time, let's help him."
Monday of the second week after the semester started.
Morning classes ended, and lunchtime arrived.
"I'm hungry."
Feeling famished, I headed straight down to the cafeteria.
Normally I'd eat with Yoon Ha-young or Lee Seo-jun, but the class I'd just had was 'Magic Engineering Theory,' which I'd signed up for alone, so solo dining it was.
I arrived at the first-floor student cafeteria.
As I entered, a few unfamiliar students bowed their heads in greeting.
"Hello!"
"Uh, hi."
After a light greeting back, I loaded my tray with food.
Then I spotted a familiar group looking for seats.
"...Huh?"
Lee Seo-jun, Shin Young-jun, Yoo Ah-ra, Yoon Ha-young, Lee Hyun-joo. And even Choi Seo-yoon.
The main characters were gathered together, engaged in a serious, hushed conversation.
"What's this?"
From their expressions, it looked like a deep discussion.
With second-year Choi Seo-yoon there too, it didn't seem coincidental.
...But why are they meeting without me?
"...Ahem."
I felt oddly left out.
Should I join them? I considered it briefly but decided against it.
There must be a reason they gathered without me, and if I'm perceptive, I should leave them be.
It wasn't like I was sulking over being excluded.
I'm totally cool about this stuff. Yeah. Of course.
...No, but seriously, why without me?
Holding my tray, I moved to find an empty seat.
As I did, snippets of their conversation drifted over faintly.
—Watching the news, yeah, something feels off.
—...I thought he must have some story he can't tell others. He has so many secrets usually. Especially that prophecy from the tower—we can't just ignore it. Mysticism has already proven the theory behind prophecies.
—Agreed. Prophecies aren't just superstitions. We can't sit still after hearing one like that.
They're talking about a prophecy.
The only prophecy they'd chatter about is the one from the Tower of Four Seasons.
No way they're discussing mine.
—Ha-young, what do you think?
—M-Me? Uh... I, I don't really know... But prophecies are definitely concerning...
—You always get like this whenever Kim Sun-woo comes up. Do you know something...?
Right then.
Lee Seo-jun spotted me.
He froze in momentary panic before waving cheerfully in my direction.
"Kim Sun-woo!"
All eyes turned to me.
At the same time, I felt a twinge of regret.
Their conversation had been quite intriguing.
Should've eavesdropped with my third eye from somewhere inconspicuous.
"Sunbae, sit here."
Choi Seo-yoon pulled out the chair beside her. With no choice, I joined them.
The meal resumed. But with chatter reduced sharply, the atmosphere felt even more awkward than before.
Unable to help it, I spoke first.
"...What were you guys talking about without me? Seemed serious earlier."
"Huh? Nothing much. Right?"
Everyone nodded with awkward faces at Lee Seo-jun's smiling words.
"Oh, sure."
A narrow alley on the outskirts of Seoul.
Ellen leaned against the wall, staring intently at the rune formula scribbled on a piece of paper.
"...Ugh. No matter how I look, I don't get it."
What Ellen was studying was the 'Rune Binding' formula assigned as homework by her clan elder.
She'd been glued to it for days trying to decipher it, but there was zero progress.
"How am I supposed to align the mana flow direction just from the formula diagram...?"
Making a pouty face, Ellen held out her palm and drew up mana.
Blue mana rose like thread, forming a circular shape.
Ellen slowly traced the form drawn on the paper.
"Hmm."
But soon the formula collapsed into smoke and vanished.
Because she hadn't properly captured the information needed to manifest the form.
"...Sigh."
"What magic are you practicing?"
As she pondered how to implement the formula.
A familiar voice came from the side.
Turning toward it, a white-haired young man approached with a gentle smile.
Ellen stiffened upon seeing him.
"Ren."
Ren smiled at her call.
"Long time no see. Three years?"
"Four years."
"Already? Has your magic improved?"
"Reached early S-Rank."
Ren nodded at Ellen's curt reply. Seeing that, Ellen crossed her arms and said.
"So why'd you want to meet? The news is buzzing about you."
"Nothing else—just have a question. You saw Kim Chang-hyun with some guy named Kim Sun-woo on the floating island, right?"
At the name Kim Sun-woo, Ellen's expression hardened briefly.
It was a question she'd half-expected.
"You're asking about Kim Chang-hyun, but sorry, I don't know much about him..."
Then Ren cut her off.
"What I'm asking about is Kim Sun-woo."