Chapter 62
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: After Capturing the Wasteland Outlaw (1)
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After capturing the Wasteland Outlaw.
Even after concluding there was a traitor, there was nothing I could do about it right away.
So, as soon as I boarded the belated rescue ship, I fell straight into a deep sleep.
I naturally assumed I'd wake up in a hospital room...
"Can't you hold off on dragging out someone who just finished a battle, you old fogey with your nagging personality?"
"Gal! How can you feel sleepy after producing such a pathetic result!"
My master, dissatisfied with the recent battle, had immediately summoned me to the Mental Realm.
But on the other hand, sorting things out here once wasn't all bad.
'As for who the traitor is... I have no clue.'
In my first playthrough, all I'd done was roll around like a dog under Kim Jang-seok, so I didn't have much information to begin with.
There were some usable bits from rolling around like a dog, but nothing solid on the academy internals.
'When we wiped out the first-years... I didn't sense anyone that strong.'
For the entire first-year class to be taken out in less than a day, leaving only Class 12, maybe we should rule out the cadets altogether.
But that said, not having clashed with Class 12 bothered me.
'Still, for it to be a cadet... there are too many complex maneuvers involved.'
Obviously, the professors were overwhelmingly more likely.
From blocking communication magic to casually infiltrating the island with a Conceptual-grade Monster.
These were feats way too massive for a single cadet to pull off.
"You little shit! When your master speaks, you drop everything and listen!"
Thwack!
"Agh!"
My master, annoyed that I was lost in thought, immediately smacked the top of my head with his palm.
Seemingly pleased with my pain, he cleared his throat a few times before continuing.
"You worm! How can you show such frailty right after finishing the First Form of Ferocious Tiger!"
"..."
But his words were so boomer-coded that I couldn't think of a retort.
"Back in my day! Right after finishing the First Form of Ferocious Tiger, there could be enemies waiting outside the barrier, so I'd immediately prepare to unleash it again!"
Either that or use footwork to swiftly hide, or deploy the Second Form!
Someone who'd smoothly learned up to the Fourth Form struggling against a mere Conceptual-grade Monster—what kind of nonsense is that!
I recalled a scene where a professor, explaining to undergrads, wondered, 'Huh? Why don't they get this?'
Feeling like those undergrads, I nearly spat out several rebuttals but held back.
'No point anyway. He's not the type who wants to hear it.'
Not like saying I captured the Wasteland Outlaw without a scratch.
Or that I was about to unleash the Second Form, but it ended cleanly, so I focused on rest instead.
That's not why this old fogey—no, my master—was acting like this.
The quickest solution was to just placate him appropriately.
"Yes, yes, Master is right about everything. Great originator of Ferocious Tiger..."
"Ahem, well, that's not wrong. Anyway, you still couldn't call its True Name this time either?"
"Yes."
This was the real reason he'd called me from the start.
True Name.
It was like an incantation uttered to draw out the weapon's true hidden power.
Calling its true name granted immense power in response.
In fact, the reason I could only unleash up to the Fourth Form of Ferocious Tiger's nine forms was precisely because of this True Name.
"You need the True Name to use the remaining techniques. You can force it without, but the strain on your body is too much."
Personal assassinations naturally had limits.
And those limits translated directly to bodily strain.
To compensate for an assassin's traits like that, you had to unlock the True Name and shift the burden to the weapon.
Failing to unlock the True Name wasn't just about not drawing the weapon's power. It was a much bigger problem.
'Plus, the Burning Hand...'
This one has a True Name too, no doubt.
Sure, I might find it by scouring an encyclopedia.
But a True Name wasn't something you could just call by knowing the name.
You had to achieve true resonance with the sacred treasure.
This vague concept left me clueless on how to do it.
"Usually, you unlock it right on the brink of death... but that's not possible here, so you need to awaken it quickly."
My master shifted from nagging to a serious expression.
"Now that you're a hunter, you'll inevitably tangle with prey. It's like the fate of Ferocious Tiger. So until then... Hm?"
Mid-concern, he suddenly smirked at me.
"Not many Ferocious Tiger wielders were this popular. You're one of a kind."
Go ahead.
Whoosh—!
With those words, the Mental Realm suddenly shrank, and I snapped back to consciousness.
Scritch... scritch...
And right beside me came a very familiar sound.
Scritch-scritch-scritch...
This was the sound of masturbation.
Am I not a patient right now? Lying in a hospital room, and someone's jerking off next to me?
Who the hell would do something that insane?
'No.'
But thinking about it, there was exactly one person who'd pull that kind of stunt.
"...Marren?"
"Huh? Geon-ho! You're awake? See, my masturbation prayers for your recovery worked for sure...!"
Our cute Marren Mayribel, kindly explaining why she'd been masturbating.
"But why use my hand to do it?"
"Huh? Oh, don't worry. I sterilized it and trimmed my nails, so it was totally fine for jerking off!"
"..."
That's not the issue.
'Never mind. Whatever.'
If you're happy, that's what matters.
It was easier to just give up thinking about anything sexual involving Marren.
It was good for my mental health, and honestly, I didn't hate it.
"Now that I'm awake, you'll take responsibility for the rest, right?"
I glanced at Marren and nodded toward my lower half, showing off my already rock-hard erection.
"Of course."
Marren's pupils turned heart-shaped, brimming with intense lust.
But it feels like every time I wake up in a hospital room, this happens.
'Eh, should be fine.'
This was a private Mountain Lord room anyway.
No doubt about it.
The scene rewinds to right after Kim Geon-ho took down the Wasteland Outlaw.
The professors swiftly entered the island to assess the situation.
"Cadet Kim Geon-ho confirmed!"
"Conceptual-grade Monster corpse secured! Appears Kim Geon-ho took it down alone!"
"Found the cadets on the island. External comms reestablished—rescuing them now."
But there wasn't much to clean up, really.
Because Kim Geon-ho had already handled everything.
"An attack with zero casualties..."
The professors stared at Kim Geon-ho, casually sprawled out sleeping on the rescue ship.
Not only had he soloed a Conceptual-grade Monster, but he'd kept all the others safe too.
It was competence beyond what you'd expect from a first-year cadet.
'Not just evacuating them quickly... he took it down solo.'
Soloing a Conceptual-grade Monster.
That was leagues beyond slaying a Small Giant.
No need to nitpick the dead monster's power level.
Once word of this spread, no one could call Kim Geon-ho a wastrel anymore.
As they marveled in awe and shock, one professor harbored different thoughts.
'Kill him now. This is his weakest moment.'
Still just a first-year.
But if he grew after soloing a Conceptual-grade, he'd be unstoppable later.
What if he took down Abstract, Actual, Emotional, Sin, or Catastrophe-grades? No chance then.
So, kill him now.
While he slept obliviously on the rescue ship—that was prime time.
But Kim Geon-ho wasn't that naive.
He'd anticipated they'd target his post-battle weakness.
So he trusted his bodyguard.
"Tatakum, protect until Kim Geon-ho moved to safe position."
Knowing there was a traitor, the rescue ship wasn't safe.
In the worst case, they'd sacrifice a life to take his.
Kim Geon-ho had told Tatakum everything.
And Tatakum acted exactly as intended.
—Tatakum, someone might target me, so guard me.
—Got it.
Others might overthink variables.
But Tatakum saw Kim Geon-ho as a hero, so he figured it was fine and obeyed quietly.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Three totems erected around Kim Geon-ho healed, shielded, and observed him.
This forced anyone aiming to kill him to abandon the attempt.
'Damn it.'
With Tatakum guarding, it'd take at least a minute.
More than enough time for professors to intervene.
Thus, Kim Geon-ho safely reached a private Mountain Lord hospital room.
"...So now we decide, right?"
"Wait, obviously I go first? I'm the one marrying him?"
"I've already had Geon-ho's dick kiss my womb, doesn't that count as married?"
After that, the three women naturally took over.