Chapter 230
Chapter 230
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 230
>Chapter Title: The 31st Horse Overturns the Game Board
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Inside Kang Seol, ceaseless changes were taking place.
Void.
In this space that Urga had painstakingly analyzed, Kang Seol's summons had gathered.
"The human who made this must have gone down in history."
"That much?"
"I'm struggling quite a bit to interpret it."
Karen asked Ur, who was conversing with Jamad.
"So, when will the interpretation be done?"
"It's almost finished. But that doesn't mean we can go outside once it's done."
"What? Then what have we been waiting for all this time?"
"We can't recklessly leave until the space stabilizes. If we mess up, our vital energy could be severely damaged, turning us into halves."
"That's a problem!"
"Exactly, it is. So listen carefully to what I say from now on. One is good news, and one is bad news."
"That phrasing is already pissing me off before I even hear it. Tell me the good news first."
Ur addressed Jamad, Karen, Karuna, and even Coco.
"Everyone, listen well. I think I've figured out the purpose of this space."
"Is that true?"
"Really?"
Huff... huff...
"Yeah. I should have noticed when that guy's mouth was grinning from ear to ear... The black pill he swallowed isn't ordinary."
"We already know that. That's why we're going through all this trouble."
"It's not really trouble. Compared to what we'll gain ahead, being temporarily confined like this is nothing."
"What we'll gain ahead?"
It was the kind of talk that perked up everyone's ears. Ur gave a slight smile and continued.
"This space isn't safe. There are other beings besides us."
"Other... beings?"
"Are they enemies?"
"You could see them that way. But it's not something to worry about too much. Even in this unstable space, they're separately isolated in a stable area."
"Separately isolated? So we just don't touch them?"
Jamad rested his chin on his hand, thought for a moment, and said.
"Oh no, don't tell me?"
"Yeah. There are two possibilities I can guess. It could be a prison locking away dangerous beings, or it could be a breeding ground cultivating them."
"A breeding ground... That makes sense."
"What's a breeding ground mean? Someone raised monsters inside this space?"
"Yeah, probably the one who made that black pill."
"Then tell us now—what's the purpose of this space?"
Ur nodded and said.
"It seems like a kind of training ground."
"A training ground...?"
"Yeah, a space where you can endlessly train in a virtual environment."
"Don't tell me the breeding ground means training opponents?"
"That's right. I'm estimating that's probably it, but it's close to certainty."
"This is insane... What kind of lunatic locks up summons and does this...?"
"It's not bad, is it?"
"Hm?"
"Hiding in the shadows all the time was getting suffocating anyway. Moving our bodies once in a while isn't so bad."
Karen tilted her head at Ur's words, then shouted.
"Ah! You're right!"
"Especially for you all excluding me, it's like a dream space. Infinitely multiplying virtual enemies and a place to gain enlightenment without interference. It's a stroke of genius that makes you gasp in admiration. If the human who made this space were still alive, I'd want to meet them."
"But why exclude you?"
"You've all stepped into new realms you hadn't experienced before. Along with the good environment, I hate to admit it, but it's also thanks to that guy's arrangements outside."
"Hm... True?"
"Yes."
Ur looked at Karen, Karuna, and Jamad as he spoke.
"Your rapid growth doesn't always work positively. It can cause imbalances."
"Imbalances?"
"Simply put, lack of experience. How many battles have you fought since gaining new enlightenment?"
"Well..."
There had been hardly any.
As Ur said, after reaching transcendent grade, their battle experience had been sorely lacking.
"To grow, you need opponents to clash fiercely with. Like how a sword sharpens by being struck, you can't grow just by being pampered."
"Ah! So we can fill that lacking experience here?"
"Exactly. The human who made this space understood that perfectly."
Prepared实战.
A space where summons, who had already grown far and struggled to find worthy opponents, could continue to advance.
The Void was a virtual training ground.
"But... I'll also deliver the bad news."
"What is it?"
"Your powers have just returned to everyone. Meaning, we haven't found the exit."
Karuna responded as if waiting.
"...That's not it."
"What?"
"My power hasn't fully returned."
"Then... Did it seep into the gaps?"
"Probably my side is correct."
Ur grimaced, looking troubled, and said.
"No, in this case, everyone's wrong."
"Why?"
"Because the power can't be transmitted. It seems you can't create an exit just by firing power. It'll take more time to make contact with Kang Seol."
Karen sighed.
"Haa... More time?"
"This is troubling."
Jamad also showed his distress.
In the midst of that, Karuna spoke to them as if having thought of something.
"...I'll go myself."
"What?"
"What did you say?"
Karuna declared to everyone, including Ur.
"We can't delay any longer. We don't know the situation outside, so now someone has to go."
"......"
"I'll go, to the Master."
* * *
[The rest base is changed to Yocheon.]
[Base relocation. Rolling the travel luck die.]
[The travel luck die rolled a 3.]
[A moderately average fortune has come out.]
[The adventure you're conducting near Yocheon will proceed ordinarily.]
[The adventure you're conducting near Yocheon will proceed at normal difficulty.]
[There is a low probability that the adventure you selected near Yocheon will be forcibly replaced by another random adventure.]
[It's a fortune not bad for adventuring nearby.]
Kang Seol, Seolhong, and Cheonju arrived at Yocheon on schedule. Though the base moved, Kang Seol's score didn't appear on the rankings.
It was thanks to an item bought from the Madness Shop before Princess Liona set off on her exile path.
Tired of the fuss every time the base moved and his score was checked, he had bought an item that hid adventure scores when visiting bases.
"Huup... So this is Yocheon..."
"Is this your first time in Yocheon?"
"Y-You're new here too, aren't you?"
Kang Seol gave a faint smile.
Thinking it was affirmation, Seolhong pouted briefly before pointing to one side with her finger.
"Over there! That's it."
Cheonju had chased after them with Seolhong's clothes and belongings tightly bundled in a huge cloth like a furoshiki. Even when Kang Seol offered to carry it, she threw a fit insisting on doing it herself, so he had given up.
"Lady Seolhong... We're outsiders, so please don't draw too much attention."
"Huh? Why?"
Cheonju glanced around suspiciously with peeved eyes and said.
"Yocheon is a dangerous city. It's piled high with people mad for speculation and gambling."
Kang Seol scratched his nose.
It wasn't wrong.
"Hm... You mean slip in quietly?"
"It's also saying caution never hurts."
"Got it! I'll be careful."
Cheonju looked at Kang Seol.
He nodded at her gaze.
It was Kang Seol's way of saying it was fine to relax, and it eased Cheonju's frustration a bit.
The journey, though not too long, had been enough time for Cheonju to judge Kang Seol as a reliable man on her own.
Anyway, they arrived at the location announced by the recorders.
Creaaaaak...
Kang Seol opened the door first, signaling no issues, and Seolhong followed. Then Cheonju, with the huge cloth on his head.
"Well, if it isn't..."
On the first floor of the inn, a pair of man and woman sat facing each other.
Behind them stood two men who looked like Dragon Stones.
"Seolhong? No way you came?"
"...Brother Baeyu?"
"Long time no see?"
"Oh? Sister Soryo too..."
He looked fox-like, she cat-like. From Seolhong's reaction, they were clearly Dragon Flowers too.
Seolhong awkwardly went over and sat with them.
"I heard you passed the first trial. Full marks, even?"
"...Just luck."
"Sure it was. Otherwise, how could you not have been eliminated?"
The man spat venom without pause.
Kang Seol stayed back, observing Seolhong's reaction. It was an insult that could make her cry like a child or fire back with curses.
But Seolhong just smiled and replied.
"Yeah. I'm surprised myself. But I haven't heard about you, Brother Baeyu..."
"Ahem... Nothing to wonder about. I wrapped it up well."
"Hongie, I heard Brother Baeyu barely passed with 5 points?"
Finding it more fun to side with Seolhong, Soryo stirred the pot against Baeyu.
Seolhong put on a sympathetic face and said.
"Oh no... That must weigh heavy on you."
"I'll kill you..."
Baeyu shot up like he was seizing.
Kang Seol watched impassively.
Whatever they did, it was all in Kang Seol's palm, so he planned to observe for now.
It was then.
A recorder's voice came from somewhere.
"I will now speak of the next Dragon Contest trial."
It didn't seem to be Seolhong's assigned recorder.
The voice was a bit thinner.
Thud!
Baeyu slammed down his teacup arrogantly and said.
"Speak."
The recorder ignored it and explained the next trial.
"The warrior's heart..."
Everyone's faces darkened.
"Back into Khan's embrace."
"...That's it?"
"That's all for this trial's explanation."
"What kind of half-assed..."
"All trials are decided directly by Lord Banghyu."
"...Then no words left."
"One month deadline. Produce results we deem worthy within the month."
The three Dragon Flowers pondered with teacups before them.
"One month..."
"It's long."
The recorder's voice was gone now. The trial had likely begun.
Scraaaape...
Baeyu shoved back his chair noisily.
He had the highest successor rank among them. Though not even mid-tier.
"Leaving?"
"Teaming with you two, the result's obvious."
"...Brother Baeyu's arrogant thinking is the same as ever. You'll just pull in the house's gold again, right?"
"Soryo, get your head straight. Seolhong's the weakest in this Dragon Contest. Among Dragon Flowers, the one with the worst house backing and personal ability is right next to you."
Seolhong smiled bitterly.
It wasn't wrong.
"Yeah, can't deny it."
Soryo didn't disagree either.
She was also debating teaming with Seolhong.
As Baeyu said, teaming with her brought no gain. It could even hurt evaluations.
"And you, Seolhong."
"Speak, Brother."
Baeyu glared at Kang Seol briefly, then said.
"I don't know where you picked up that stone, but Dragon Contest isn't for the likes of you. Remember my words well—you'll end up at the very bottom of the Dragon Palace."
"...Thanks for the advice."
"Hmph! Let's go! No time to hang with posers."
Baeyu left with his Dragon Stones.
"That hothead won't fix his temper even in a lifetime, Hongie."
"...Yes."
Seolhong knew Soryo wasn't much different from Baeyu.
Their mothers were the Dragon Emperor's concubines, but both were children of influential houses.
Different starting lines from Seolhong.
And Soryo always looked down on her, just in a different flavor from Baeyu.
"Seolhong, what do you plan to do?"
"...Seems like something to think over."
Soryo's eyes narrowed to slits, hiding her pupils.
"How about following me?"
"...Sister Soryo?"
It was an unexpected offer.
"I can't tell you details yet... but I have ties to Yocheon's powers. I have a way. Brother Baeyu will give up quick and beg me eventually. I'll give you a special chance first. What do you say?"
"......"
"The current arena owner is a guy named Gwak Seong—no ordinary method will sway him. Stop wasting effort and join me..."
Kang Seol's expression hardened as he listened.
'Gwak... Seong?'
Gwak Seong was someone he knew.
Hearing the name, Kang Seol instantly pictured not just the man, but how this whole affair would unfold.
"What do you say?"
"I..."
Seolhong had always been lonely.
Like stepping from cold into brief warmth, invading her body with pleasure.
Even knowing the offer wasn't kindness, mere lip service, it made her reconsider.
Seolhong's gaze turned to Kang Seol.
He met her eyes and shook his head.
With that, her dilemma ended.
"I'll proceed alone, even if lacking."
"What? Ah, no..."
"Then..."
"Seolhong! You'll regret it! What can someone with nothing like you do about this!"
Seolhong bit her lip hard.
As expected, Soryo's true colors matched Baeyu's.
She slowly exited the inn.
Cheonju waddled after her with the bundle.
She expected Seolhong to be down after the barbs, but no.
Seolhong was asking Kang Seol.
"You, why did you tell me to refuse Sister Soryo's offer?"
She dropped the honorific now.
Seolhong's little revenge.
Kang Seol seemed to recall something, pondered briefly, then answered.
"As long as Gwak Seong owns the arena, there's only one way to take it."
"...What? But Soryo and Baeyu..."
Soryo and Baeyu seemed set on different methods. Not just one.
Kang Seol nodded.
"This trial is structured so cooperation is impossible. If they make the wrong call..."
Baeyu or Soryo, or both.
"They'll die by Gwak Seong's hand."