The Song of the Tortoise
Guha! Guha!
Tortoise! Tortoise!
Olssu!
Kim Hwang-je witnessed a majestic ritual within the vision.
Amidst the drummers and singers,
naked men danced…
Their gestures beckoned him.
Come, you are naked too, so you are more than qualified to join.
Come.
Shit…
This nakedness wasn’t meant for this.
Yet the Gujiga spirits kept waving their hands.
Would biting his tongue wake him from the vision?
It did not.
His tongue only hurt.
This was no ordinary vision.
Kim Hwang-je resisted with all his might.
But this lively music…
Before he knew it, Kim Hwang-je was dancing.
Guha! Guha!
Tortoise! Tortoise!
Olssu!
Each time the call for the tortoise rang out, the curse woven into the barrier scattered.
Sugihyeonya!
Head! Let’s see the head!
Oh, olssu!
This doesn’t seem right… gentlemen…
It’s different from the textbook!
Yet contrary to Kim Hwang-je’s sorrowful heart, the dance grew more intense.
Kim Hwang-je shook his body violently as well.
This time, the darkness covering the entire pillar began to fade.
Sugihyeonya!
Head! Let’s see the head!
Oh, olssu!
Show us the tortoise head!
The dance surged toward its climax!
The dance of AD 42 was fierce!
As the movements resonated, a subtle thread of power connected the dancers.
A gentle force spread outward, repelling all that was evil.
Yakbulhyeonya!
If you do not reveal it!
Beonjakigikya!
Burn it and eat it!
Kim Hwang-je jolted in shock as the final incantation echoed.
The light of the Gold Crown enveloped him and burst into a halo.
A golden lightning bolt struck Katima, who had been staring blankly at this absurd scene.
“Aaaagh!”
Crash!
It was a blow that shattered all her defensive barriers at once.
She flew backward and slammed into the wall.
“Ughhh…”
Hot steam rose from her entire body.
“I became too absorbed watching the precious ritual…”
She reproached herself.
Kim Hwang-je, regaining his senses, flushed crimson.
“Uh, did you… see that?”
“I saw it very clearly, Archmage. A powerful shamanic ritual that seemed capable of sucking in every soul. To reproduce an ancient rite to that extent… I am honestly impressed.”
Both Catiyu and Katima were inhumanly beautiful.
Kim Hwang-je felt his mind go blank at the thought that they had seen him dancing stark naked.
“The Gold Crown has been completely taken…”
Yet she no longer cared about that.
She merely gazed at her empty left hand.
Had she not possessed the sturdy demonic body of a doll, that single strike would surely have killed her.
“Aaaah, aaaah! Loosen your grip on my hand, sis!”
Perhaps because she was gripping too tightly?
Catiyu cried out in pain.
But Katima had no attention to spare for such things.
“A legacy… I see,”
Katima’s eyes widened.
“A song praying for the king’s descent… the primordial shamanism of the Korean Peninsula. Did you intervene and receive the throne?”
Kim Hwang-je was wrapped in the radiant light emanating from the crown.
The pain from earlier felt like a hazy dream-memory.
“I am Kim Hwang-je.”
“Emperor?”
“The barrier is finished. Surrender quietly.”
The naked Kim Hwang-je spoke.
Come to think of it, Kim Hwang-je had nothing to hide.
Thus, even naked, the cloak felt dignified.
Look all you want.
After all, what difference was there from wearing a swirling galaxy-patterned swimsuit?
Yet Katima furrowed her brows deeply.
Her irritated gaze trembled, then suddenly tears began to fall.
“This is unfair… To be pushed back by the weight of karma against a mere human in the mortal realm…!”
Tears rolled down from her golden eyes.
“Sis, sis? Waa… you’re crying!?”
“Waa, crying?”
The two men were startled by Katima’s sudden tears.
“…It is done. We shall withdraw. You are the first man to defeat me… We will meet again.”
Kim Hwang-je felt a chill at her final line.
“…Don’t say such cheesy lines…”
Before the words even finished, Katima, along with Catiyu’s head, turned into black flames and vanished.
“Ah… Just what kind of people are they?”
Kim Hwang-je’s mind was filled with countless thoughts.
But the only hint left was Catiyu’s headless body lying in the middle of the royal castle.
Through World Observation, he saw Gemini sneaking it into a room under a curtain while hiding it from Dave.
Yet she was humming?
“Ahjussi, you’re okay! You’re okay?! I was scared seeing Ahjussi get hurt…!”
Poyu shouted from atop his head.
“Ah… Poyu… Yeah, I’m fine. I’m okay…”
“Sniff… sniff…”
“Your prophecy came true after all…”
“Ung… I’m glad…”
He had nearly died for real.
With Poyu crying in his arms, the battle came to an end.
The halo surrounding Kim Hwang-je’s body gradually faded and seeped back into the crown.
“Your Majesty, congratulations!”
The thief approached and prostrated himself flat.
“You… saw it too?”
“Indeed! The sight of you presiding over the heaven-sent ritual was truly majestic!”
“Ughhh… Don’t ever tell anyone about this.”
Kim Hwang-je shuddered in embarrassment, looking up at the sky.
“Furthermore, the crown obtained as a result of this ritual is the very symbol of dignity and authority! Your Majesty! My congratulations!”
“…Oh shit, what’s this?”
Only then did Kim Hwang-je notice the crown resting on his head.
How could a person examine the top of their own head?
But the moment Kim Hwang-je recognized it, information appeared in the status window.
◈ This crown is the symbol of the Emperor.
◈ Cannot be removed until death.
“Can’t remove it…?”
It meant he could not return it to its owner.
Kim Hwang-je shuddered as a cold wind blew past, chilling the sweat on his nape.
“The government’s going to try to kill me over this, aren’t they…?”
“No, Your Majesty. What do you mean? Who would dare attempt to harm Your Majesty? Slaughter them all and conquer.”
“Can you react with some common sense?”
“Yes, Your Majesty?”
Kim Hwang-je sighed at the thief’s innocent expression.
This was still a world where people waged territorial wars at the slightest provocation.
But the following messages contained tremendous content.
“All stats increased?”
Kim Hwang-je rubbed his eyes.
Even other legendary items like the necklace or cloak did not grant all-stat increases.
He had never read about an all-stats boost item even in hunter magazines.
Due to increased Intelligence, new effects of Emperor Set items have been unlocked.
Emperor’s Robes
• Summon duration greatly increased.
• Can summon one additional entity. (Total: 3)
Emperor’s Talisman
• Soul insertion slots increased.
• Additional [Toxin Protection] granted.
“Haha… Well, this is…”
Thanks to the crown raising all his stats, the hidden functions of the other Legendary-grade items had been revealed.
“…If I can’t return it, I should at least pay for it.”
Kim Hwang-je chewed on his fingernails.
The Book of Rifts was treated as an [Emergency Evacuation] item, so he could discuss purchasing it with Jung Da-yeon, but this Gold Crown was the core of the barrier.
Though he had lived as a manual laborer, he had never lived a life of stealing and feeling ashamed.
“Your Majesty? This is the rightful spoils of a conqueror. As the old saying goes, finders keepers.”
“Shut it!”
Kim Hwang-je shouted, silencing him.
What advice had he expected from a thief in the first place?
“Even if I can’t return it, I should buy it properly. If I just steal it and say I’ll keep it because it’s convenient, how am I any different from a villain?”
“Aaaah… Your Majesty, walk the path of justice. This humble thief failed to understand Your Majesty’s noble intent!”
The thief bowed deeply.
For now, he wanted to put on clothes and regain some dignity.
Kim Hwang-je tightly fastened the collar of his robe amid the fluttering wind.
The precious part was sucking in the wind, making him feel cold.
Even with the robes granting immunity to heat and cold, he felt psychologically chilled.
Kim Hwang-je purchased a dried robe from a castle woman via Tribute Trade using gold coins and put it on hastily.
“Hmm… As expected, otherworld clothes are quite revealing.”
Only then did Kim Hwang-je look around.
The top of Gaya Hotel had been split in half.
The building was destroyed…
Looking down, all the windows had shattered.
Countless shards of glass glittered far below.
“Ha… ha…”
No choice.
The best tactic.
Time to use the Thirty-Six Stratagems — retreat.
He needed to withdraw and plan his next move.
“Thief, no witnesses?”
“There were some, but none from the middle onward.”
“Go back… Thank you.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I shall spread word of Your Majesty’s victory far and wide!”
Kim Hwang-je sent him away.
“Wallet… phone… black card…”
Thank goodness.
These had been stored in the cloak rather than his clothes, so they were safe.
Kim Hwang-je picked up a nearby external communication device.
If he pressed it like this…
“Ahem, can you hear me?”
“32nd Squad! Thank goodness. Please report the current situation. Nuclear drop on hold. Do you read? 32nd Squad?”
Kim Hwang-je spoke into it.
“This place is clear. The enemy has been repelled. What about the others?”
“All communications have been restored. Fortunately, there have been no casualties so far. For some reason, all pressure was concentrated here.”
Jung Da-yeon and the others were safe too.
It was thanks to the light from his groin.
Kim Hwang-je put down the communication device.
The sound of a helicopter approached from afar.
“Hmm, I need to clean up quickly and get out.”
Through World Observation, he saw Seo Jun-seo eating soup with a dazed expression in the castle dining hall.
Well, with mayonnaise mixed into millet porridge, it would be hard for anyone with a normal appetite to enjoy it.
Plus, suddenly dropped into the middle of a medieval fantasy world, he must have been completely bewildered.
“Come here, Seo Jun-seo.”
Kim Hwang-je summoned Seo Jun-seo.
Soon, Seo Jun-seo spun around, creating a whirlwind, and appeared before Kim Hwang-je.
Yellow porridge dripped from his spoon.
Seo Jun-seo looked at Kim Hwang-je with a bewildered expression.
“Boss?”
Kim Hwang-je stood before him.
He was wearing a robe he had never seen before.
It must be a mage’s combat attire.
There must have been a highly skilled magical battle. Just imagining it was terrifying.
Kim Hwang-je’s face was covered in soot from the intensity of the fight.
Perhaps he had been hit by an enemy curse?
Moreover, looking around, the scene of massive destruction was evident.
“Are you alright, Boss?”
“Ah, yes. Jun-seo, you worked hard today too.”
“Ah… No. Boss, seeing the situation here, it seems you went through something tremendous. Is there anything I can help with?”
Seo Jun-seo immediately awakened as a manager.
Seo Jun-seo tugged at the lapels of his suit to smooth out the wrinkles and straightened his posture.
Wearing a suit and radiating sharp eyes atop a ruined skyscraper instead of a castle made him look like a different person.
Even the wooden spoon with porridge on his fingers somehow looked like professional equipment.
“I’m going to summon the security team soon. Cover for me.”
“What should I say?”
“Just say I handled everything but got injured and retreated. And you know the other world is all secret, right?”
“Of course.”
“Contact Jung Da-yeon too. Tell her I’ll purchase the Book of Rifts since I have it. And Seo Jun-seo, after resting a bit, let’s meet at the Lost office. There’s a problem to solve. This… you see it, right?”
“…Isn’t that a gold crown?”
Seo Jun-seo’s eyes widened.
Why was that on the boss’s head?
“This can’t be removed. Find out how to compensate the government, and if possible, whether we can buy it.”
“…Boss, the owner of that gold crown isn’t the government.”
Seo Jun-seo’s expression was not good.
His facial muscles were taut.
“Huh? Then whose is it?”
“The Garak Clan. They killed many people to obtain that gold crown. They protected the ownership through complex political engineering by tying in interests, like the circular shareholding of chaebols.”
“…What?”
They killed a lot of people to get this gold crown?
“Probably… a long struggle awaits us. A power struggle will erupt over interests.”
Seo Jun-seo spoke with great tension.
The commoner Kim Hwang-je scratched the back of his head.
What circular shareholding? What was that?
Anyway, it was a difficult problem involving chaebol groups.
For now, let’s wash up and solve things one by one.
“Got it. Think of a way, whatever it takes. I have things to prepare too, so let’s meet at the Lost office in a few hours.”
“Of course. I’ll prepare.”
“Alright, see you then!”
Kim Hwang-je placed the entire security team in front of Seo Jun-seo.
They had been wandering the forest near Sinal Port, so they were covered in branches, leaves, and mud.
“Kyaaah!”
“Huk!”
They fell on their backsides.
Among them, Lee Min-ah was the first to regain her senses and look around,
but Kim Hwang-je had already disappeared from the spot long ago.
***
Sparks flew from exposed wires where the ceiling had been destroyed.
Kim Hwang-je swallowed hard.
This wasn’t a movie — it was the first time he had seen something like this in reality.
“Poyu, pack all our stuff!”
“Okay, Ahjussi!”
Poyu flew to her room.
Kim Hwang-je hurriedly entered the conference room.
The conference room had been designed for executives and could serve as a safe room in emergencies, so it hadn’t completely collapsed.
“Hoooo… My assets!”
It was fortunate that the gold coins hadn’t been lost.
Kim Hwang-je shoved all the piles of gold coins stacked in the conference room into the trade window.
Then he looked around regretfully.
“Ah… Is my luxurious life over…?”
This hotel had also belonged to the Garak Clan, right?
“Ah-ooh!”
Poyu flew over.
Kim Hwang-je laughed at the sight of Poyu with cheeks puffed out like a squirrel holding an acorn.
“Awooo awooo!”
“Kikik… Cute mouth, Poyu.”
Her cheeks were bulging because she had swept up gold coins and gems in one bite.
“Ahahaha, here, put them down and I’ll store them separately for you.”
“Hehehe…”
Still, having Poyu around made the tension ease.
Kim Hwang-je obtained a blanket via Tribute Trade from the castle.
Poyu placed the slightly saliva-covered gold coins on it.
Kim Hwang-je packed only Poyu’s belongings separately and put them in the trade window.
“Let’s go, Poyu!”
“Okay!”
“I wonder if the studio apartment is still okay?”
Kim Hwang-je purchased an instant teleportation spell again and headed to his studio apartment.
For now, hide and find a way!
A way to protect the castle, himself, and Poyu!
* * *
There is an event notice in the author’s note!
ps. The cover might take some time, so I added a few things for now!