Chapter 78
Chapter 78
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Riichi Mahjong
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"Hoo."
Kim Mi-ri caught her breath upon returning to reality. The final moment—unifying the world, ascending as emperor, with all the masses cheering her name—remained vivid in her mind, but the entity offered no time to savor the memory.
[Kim Mi-ri: Passed 5 out of 10 questions]
[History Exam Passed]
The chalk that had etched words onto the blackboard fell limply to the floor.
"It's done. Goodness, everyone sure sleeps soundly."
She pressed her fingers to the napes of the collapsed agents.
Each time, they convulsed before snapping awake.
"Ugh, my head..."
"Ughhh..."
"Take your meds, everyone. A strong sedative should settle those memory afterimages in no time."
The agents pulled out pills and swallowed them.
Moments later, now compos mentis, they asked about the situation.
"No need to worry. I handled the exam just fine. History class is over, so let's go take care of the rest."
"...Agent Kim Mi-ri?"
"Why so? Haven't shaken off the daze yet? We've got time to spare, so rest up as needed."
"No, what's with the speech?"
"You filming a historical drama or something?"
Only then did she blush and correct her tone.
"No, I mean! Try living as king for ten years yourselves! Habits stick!"
"We're fine. It actually suits you—feels like you've become a real martial world denizen."
"What was the final question? Your speech sounded Chinese. There was Chinese mixed in just now, right?"
"Was it martial world stuff? Unifying All Under Heaven?"
"Enough of that!"
Unlike right before the exam, the mood was now cheerful.
With one exam cleared, five remained.
To check their progress, they headed to the bulletin board at the main building's entrance.
"..."
But the conditions on the board had changed.
[Graduation Requirements]
[Pass 9 Exams]
[Subjects: History (Passed) / PE (Passed) / Art (Passed) / Math (In Progress) / Music (Not Taken) / Science (Not Taken) / Korean (Not Taken) / Tech/Home Ec (Not Taken) / Military Training (Not Taken)]
[Pass status shared across all students.]
[All nine subjects passed: Entire grade graduates.]
[Fail to pass 1+ subject every 6 hours: Entire grade repeats.]
The number of required passes had increased.
"Looks like they have no intention of letting us graduate."
"Forcing us to take at least one subject every six hours—that condition alone is vicious."
"But the entity altering its anomaly traits in real time? That's not something you see every day."
Kim Mi-ri offered a hypothesis.
"The external special consultant said this entity was born today. Might be connected."
"You mean it's newborn and still growing?"
"Exactly. Still developing, so its anomaly and peculiarity aren't fixed—evolving over time."
One agent furrowed his brow.
"Vicious indeed. Based on changes so far, it'll keep ramping up required exams. And since barely a day has passed, this might be mild—give it days, and even nastier conditions could spawn."
"So we've got two options: blast through the exams fast, or find another way to neutralize the entity."
As they synthesized opinions, Kim Mi-ri activated her ki sense to scout the surroundings.
'No ki sense reaching outside at all.'
Not just ki sense—the air itself felt sealed, as if the outside world didn't exist.
'Can't get out, can't help Master.'
She could only hope the inside time flowed faster than outside.
Having assessed, she led the agents.
"First, let's prioritize cooperation. Plenty of time till the next exam—gather everyone, share intel, something'll turn up."
"Agreed."
Just before heading out to search for other agents, someone spoke up.
"But did another team pass two exams?"
"Maybe the external consultant did."
"Or Mr. Shin Young-mun triggered his mystery? If activated right, it's top-tier. Could've passed exams with it."
At that, Kim Mi-ri recalled first witnessing Shin Young-mun's ability.
[Ah.]
[What's wrong?]
[Mi-ri, sorry in advance.]
[Pardon?]
"Ugh."
"Mi-ri?"
"Nothing."
She shook off the memory.
"Just remembered getting struck by lightning for the first time ever—body tingled without warning."
『Tick-tock, tick-tock.』
The balding math ghost prodded the agents from the lectern.
『Time marches on. Limit ends when my patience does. I'll count primes—answer when it hits you.』
A clear time limit would've eased the tension.
Stuck with vague uncertainty, the agents racked their brains.
『2, 3, 5, 7.』
Counting primes—maybe primes were key?
But "most perfect number"? Any prime fit that?
『11, 13, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31.』
Opponent was an entity.
Born from students' urban legends—no way they'd specified one "most perfect" number.
『101, 103, 107, 109, 113, 127, 131.』
Ultimately, guess random numbers till one stuck.
Meaning: overwhelming luck required.
Agents' gazes turned to Shin Young-mun.
'Use it?'
No matter agents' smarts or physiques.
Even with Foundation tech armaments and medicine.
Survival against entities always fell short—at the final moment, only one's own power mattered.
[Entities here are friendly or post-experiment safe. Compatible agents can draw abilities from matching ones.]
Thus, Foundation's gambit: leverage usable entities to grant agents potent "mysteries."
Wildly successful—1% of agents gained such powers.
E.g., seduction of reason.
E.g., occasional precognitive dreams.
E.g., bullets always hitting desired targets.
Such mysteries risked abuse, so A-Grade only—but manpower crisis now extended to rookies.
'Hoo, do it! Otherwise, only futures of getting shredded!'
This intake: three gained mysteries, including Shin Young-mun.
'......'
He closed his eyes. Focused, activated—outside time halted.
Beyond closed lids, darkness lit by a lamp revealing a small desk.
"You're here?"
"Yes."
"Sit easy. Been bored stiff."
Opponent: a shadow. Humanoid, but only mouth substantial.
"Know the rules?"
"One-on-one riichi mahjong, all local yaku valid, tile swap at start, dora present."
"Good memory."
Shadow lit a cigarette.
"Recite the stakes."
"Win: Gain luck matching completed yaku's value for 24 hours."
"More."
"1-4 han same; haneman, then bakaman, sanbaiman, yakuman in sequence escalating luck grade; yakuman luck surges with completion difficulty."
"That's it?"
"Yakuman stackable; stacks square the luck grade."
"Anything else?"
"And..."
Shin Young-mun quelled his pounding heart.
Ghost though he was, entering here made it race like a living man's.
"Loss calculates identical, but luck becomes misfortune."
"Missed the last bit."
"All luck/misfortune shared with those you perceive as allies. Not enemies. No replay for 24 hours post-game."
Reason he hesitated: that clause.
"You got it. Sorry to quiz every time—some play dumb on rules."
"Haha, such folks exist?"
"Tons. Can't admit defeat. Humanity's underbelly is ugly. All fawning when up, then sneers and curses on the fall. Later, brazen denial, even threats of seppuku."
Luck? Fine.
Misfortune? He, a ghost, limited intake—but allies? Not.
"That's why I like you. Rookie act every visit, polite speech to boot. Don't lose that spirit."
He still recalled Kim Mi-ri zapped five times straight in one spot. Without Foundation, no martial arts, she'd be dead or crippled.
"Now, let's begin."
"Yes."
Tile wall built, 13 tiles dealt.
Shin swiftly assessed.
'1m, 2m, 3m, 1p, 2p, 3p, 1s, 2s, 5s, East, White, Green, Red.'
Lucky. Could complete three-color sequences plus chanbara.
'Base east round, field winds; bit more luck, self-wind too.'
That'd yield: field wind 1 han, self-wind 1, three-color seq menzen 2, chanbara menzen 2, dora 1m for 7 han entry—riichi success opens ura too.
'Even furiten, 5 han min haneman; riichi min 8 han bakaman start!'
Hand near complete—mahjong rewards first finisher. Perfect.
Hand paused mid-move.
'But enough?'
Experienced bakaman luck: found 50k ten times walking, lotto sheet nabbed three 4ths, vending spat ten extra drinks.
'Sanbaiman untested, but beats haneman. Still, maybe short.'
Foe wasn't just math ghost.
Whole school hostile—unknown more entities lurking.
'Aim bigger!'
Swapped tiles: all to number suits, kept only self-wind. Eyes widened.
"Right, roll dice. You start? Tsumo."
"...Yes."
Mid-game, shadow asked.
"Foundation life treating you?"
"Yes, manageable. Risky, but feels alive like before death."
"Even ruined rich last three gens—Foundation's Foundation."
Four rounds passed.
"More fun spot, huh? Watched from here—quite thrilling."
"Pardon? You see outside?"
"What you see, I see."
"Everything!?"
"Yeah! No worries! Not one to judge tastes. But ghosts jerking off? Can you even fuck?"
"Ugh!"
"But more hentai than porn? Well, stuff like 'Become a Ghost and Peek/Fuck Freely!' only doable in manga..."
"S-Stop!"
"Bet Japan's got JAV like it. They make everything."
Eight rounds passed.
"Riichi."
Shadow riichi'd first.
"Riichi."
Shin chased.
"Now it's a match."
"Here goes."
Shadow discarded first: White.
"Ron."
Win before turn.
Shin revealed.
"Oho."
White-White-Green-Green-Green-Red-Red-Red-4m-5m-6m-East-East. Tsume: White.
"Yakuman, Daisangen."
"Why riichi?"
"Oh, right."
"Yakuman no riichi gain. Alerts others too—didn't know?"
"Learned it, but nerves blanked."
Desk faded to dark.
"Congrats first yakuman anyway. 0.039% odds, one of big three. Could've pushed Daisangen + Shousuushi or something."
"Considered, but your riichi spooked me."
"My bad. Congrats—befitting luck heads your way."
Vanishing shadow offered parting advice.
"Buddy, remember: school legends born from students."
"Pardon?"
"True masters of school tales: students. See ya."
Back to reality, Shin mulled.
'School legends' masters: students.'
Something clicked.
First, solve problem—hand shot up.
『I'll answer the most perfect number.』
『What's the most perfect number?』
Naturally, no clue what.
But luck? Overwhelming.
『42?』
Daisangen yakuman's bounty.
『Wrong!』
『Pardon?』
『42—not even prime—most perfect? Absurd!』
『N-No, that's not—!』
『Rip you 907 ways!』
『Aaaagh!』
Thunderous boom like lightning—massive hole blasted in math ghost's chest.
『Ah, aaaah, Riemann...』
Math ghost crumbled to dust.
Stunned agents heard crisp, mechanical tone in ears.
Pulp Fiction shotgun racking—heart-stirring click.
Pristine blackboard reflected a man.
『Was chilling Florida Beach, y'know? Too much work lately, vacationing—then some fucking portal drags me here.』
White man in 'Make America Great Again' tee aimed shotgun at agents.
『Mood's utterly fucked. Harris-winning levels. Answer right, or else.』
Lit cigar with match, puffed, asked.