Chapter 39
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Translator: Wjin
Chapter: 039
Chapter Title: Repercussions
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The sea of milk.
Vasuki, who had halted its charge, and the hunters poised in tense readiness.
After a suffocating standoff, Vasuki's form underwent a dramatic change—from a colossal serpent with nine heads to a human shape.
In Vasuki's hand was a vial presumed to be the elixir of immortality. It gazed at it thoughtfully, lost in contemplation.
The hunters exchanged glances. Should they seize this opening to attack?
But the Association Chairman held them back.
"...Don't act rashly. It has no intent to attack right now."
This wasn't mere speculation based on the atmosphere.
[Cooperative Quest: ‘Pacifying Vasuki’s Rage’ Completed!]
So the cooperative quest hadn't failed after all?
Of course, plenty of mysteries remained unsolved.
The reason for Vasuki's rage, the false contract with Kali...
The full details were still unclear.
But the circumstances of some monster hardly mattered much.
All that concerned him now, with the quest complete, was whether this Vasuki creature was still an enemy.
If there was any chance of it crossing over to Earth, retreat wasn't an option.
Reading that resolve, the Association Chairman issued orders to the hunters.
"No need to worry. If that's the elixir of immortality, we can negotiate with it."
Direct damage to Vasuki might be impossible, but recovering that elixir could open the door to talks.
There were plenty of Awakeners here with diverse abilities, including Mages.
In that tense hush, as they waited...
Vasuki lifted its head and regarded the humans.
[...How peculiar.]
Those words etched themselves into the hunters' minds, accompanied by Vasuki's emotions.
Faint lingering anger mingled with a touch of curiosity.
[Truly, you humans pierced this infinite darkness to retrieve the elixir of immortality?]
The opaque sea of milk could indeed be called darkness.
A space the size of Earth, dissolved entirely by potent poison gas. With no sense of direction, it felt infinite.
Even for Vasuki, finding the elixir here wouldn't have been easy.
Yet these fragile humans, who would burst at the slightest brush, had located it in mere moments. Astonishing.
The Association Chairman stepped forward toward Vasuki, who eyed the hunters with intrigue.
"...As you see. We found it and offer it to you—despite the devastation you've wrought upon our world."
A foe he'd battled across ten rounds.
No matter its stature, respect wouldn't come easily.
[...]
Damn this system—the Association Chairman pressed on.
"Do you even possess a shred of shame? We seek no payment. Just vow never to appear on our planet again."
A brutal exchange. A testament to the Chairman's iron will.
Still, wasn't this needling Vasuki's temper a bit risky...?
[...A bold one, indeed.]
Vasuki reached toward the sky.
In that instant...
[Reward: Fragment of the Story]
Quest reward text appeared in the hunters' Status Windows.
Simultaneously, a golden orb materialized in the sky, radiating light.
Soon, the golden glow enveloping the area conjured an illusion.
It was Seoul, skies thick with birds—each a monster fit for an A-rank Gate.
They swooped through the air, tearing into human corpses.
The Mages' spells couldn't stem the tide of their onslaught.
Martial Awakeners Hunters struggled against foes so high above. Despair filled their eyes.
Wooong—
The scene shifted. Tokyo now—no different.
Wooong—
Another shift. Beijing. The same horrors.
...
Shaaa—
The illusion faded. The golden orb dimmed and fell. The Association Chairman caught it reverently in both hands.
[...It draws near. Garuda will invade your world.]
With those words, Vasuki soared skyward.
[But it is my mortal foe. By the king's name, I swear to stand with you in that battle.]
A pledge to repay the favor.
With that final message, Vasuki vanished into the distance.
The surrounding space began crumbling like ash in the wind.
The expedition had no choice but to return to Earth first.
"...Let's head back for now. This place seems to function like a Gate."
Just like after clearing a Gate, the passage would seal soon enough.
No chance of Vasuki slipping through via a corpse.
Relieved, the hunters passed through the portal.
Meanwhile, four days had passed on Earth.
Park Ha-jun awaited his paper's publication while steadily selling scrolls on the Auction House.
[The official raid is in 10 days. If you can deliver within 7...]
He'd also accepted a commission from Fire Spirit Guild.
The request was straightforward: tweak the Barrier scrolls he'd sent the Association Chairman for better mana efficiency.
'...Gotta make this one easy on the kids.'
Projects like this, vague on clear results, couldn't factor into researcher bonuses.
'Not a tough job anyway...'
Adjust the Barrier size per Fire Spirit's scouting data, strip out the 'Harmony' element...
A quick mathematical remodel, and even non-Chairman users could handle it, right?
The reward: 500 million gold plus 15% of raid profits.
They promised full transparency on earnings—no worries there...
Curious about S-rank Gate hauls, he'd asked Lee Dong-gyu. Pure curiosity.
[...Varies by item value. But the lowest haul was around 50 billion gold... Um, if it's not too rude, may I ask why...?]
The reply ended with anxious undertones.
His Association contract only prioritized their requests.
This didn't violate terms or etiquette.
Still, secrecy wasn't polite, so...
"I've taken Fire Spirit Guild's commission. Just confirming the 15% profit share—nothing to worry about."
Reality sank in.
S-rank Gate minimum: 50 billion gold.
15%? At least 7.5 billion for him...
"?"
That's when it hit. Gotta swim with the big fish...
Not a normal deal, of course.
Park Ha-jun guessed why Fire Spirit offered such terms.
Sponsor: (Official) Fire Spirit Guild
Amount: 30,000,000 G
Message: We understand you haven't joined any guild yet. If you have terms, please reply...
Fire Spirit had kept sending love calls recently.
Park Ha-jun, unwilling to entertain them, never replied.
Frustrated, they pulled this stunt for a response?
'...Wonder if it's okay to take it.'
Pondering briefly.
Kang Eun-ho burst through the lab door, shattering the thought.
"...Professor! It's 11 a.m. today!"
"Hm? What's at 11?"
"Your paper! The one you submitted to the Mages Association—publishing at 11 today!"
Unusual speed. Academic journals don't move this fast.
Yet Park Ha-jun's paper got approved in under a day.
Now featured after four days. High hopes. Not just Kang Eun-ho—Kim Ah-hyun's growth too. The impact would be huge.
'...If it blows up big, I can hand out fat bonuses.'
Anticipation swelling, he checked the time.
"...Less than an hour left. But Eun-ho, isn't this class time?"
"Pfft, who cares? Your paper's about to drop worldwide..."
Luckily, Eun-ho's recent growth let professors overlook such antics...
"...Still, text next time."
"...Yes, sir."
Thus, Park Ha-jun awaited the journal.
An hour later.
Hwang In-su, once Kim Ji-seok's rival team leader, received grim news.
"...What? This issue's lead paper isn't mine?"
Hwang's paper wouldn't headline the Mages Association's Issue 3.
The lead spot held great weight—the journal's top research.
Sometimes, it signaled the journal's message or direction.
And this wasn't just any journal.
The Mages' journal, infamous for egos.
For Mages, where magical knowledge equaled power, papers proved worth.
The front page? A bloody battlefield's victor's prize.
Yet...
"...Seriously, not mine?"
A blow to pride.
Hwang was a mature 3-circle Mage, after all.
Barring 4-circle masters, he could take any 3-circle. Who dared bump him?
The answer stunned.
"Confirmed... Lead researcher isn't a Mage. Mathematics professor..."
"What bullshit is that? Heatstroke?"
"No... Definitely a Math Department professor."
Zzzt— Laser glare from Hwang as he pulled up the journal on his smartphone. Wouldn't believe without seeing.
Staring at the lead paper...
[1. Geometric Approaches to Magical Formulas and Scroll Circuits: Centered on Topological Redefinition of Attributes]
Someone else's paper, bold as brass.
"...What the hell."
Laughable title. "Geometric approaches"? Fit for a magic journal?
'Mages Association's gone to shit.'
asd123 shook things up with real skill at least...
This? Title screamed nonsense.
Scoffing, Hwang dove in. One flaw, and he'd protest fiercely.
But...
Impeccable rigor.
[...This study defines the essence of fire attributes via topological knot structures as in Figure 1...]
Systematic prose had him nodding.
Realizing it, self-loathing surged. He shut the phone.
'...What the hell is Park Ha-jun, popping up with this out of nowhere.'
Hwang had dug around—only "Math professor" results.
Meanwhile, in the Mathematics Department head's office.
Department Chair Hwang Ji-on faced chaos.
Deposit: 3,000,000 won
Deposit: 10,000,000 won
Deposit: 50,000,000 won
...
Money pouring into the research sponsorship account like mad since morning.
Regaining composure, Hwang Ji-on urgently summoned Park Ha-jun.