Chapter 112
Chapter 112
Chapter 112: Your Name
Translation: godtl
[Achievement "My First Created Golem" has been completed.]
[You have earned 1,000 Achievement Points.]
[Four high-ranking Constellations admire your created golem.]
[10,000 Achievement Points have been sponsored.]
Messages cascaded upward in rapid succession.
Alongside the staggering sponsorship of 10,000 Achievement Points—
[You have transmuted a golem of immeasurable value.]
[Transmutation Power has increased by 10.]
[The effects of the title "Pioneer of Alchemy" have grown stronger.]
[The Philosopher's Stone has risen in grade.]
Though his Transmutation Power had increased by 10, and both his title and the Philosopher's Stone had leveled up, Si-mun couldn't tear his gaze away to check them.
Of course not.
"Daddy!"
Thud.
A small, warm body crashed into his embrace—soft and squishy—as the child nuzzled against him insistently.
The corners of Si-mun's eyes softened as he looked down at her.
Seven years old?
No, maybe six?
Her skin was as white and pillowy as glutinous rice cake, with jet-black hair and eyes standing out vividly against it, along with her red lips. Though her features were strikingly well-defined for her youthful appearance—
"Mmm..."
The way she shook her head and burrowed deeper into his arms perfectly matched her childish demeanor. Without realizing it, Si-mun began stroking the little girl's hair.
"Hehe!"
Giggling, she shook her head even more, rubbing it against his hand.
Honestly...
To think this is a created golem...
Had he not been at the epicenter of that violent explosion earlier, he might have completely forgotten she was a golem forged from ultra-metals—she was just that adorable.
"Y-yes, the spar got a bit intense, that's all. Yes, please report it like—"
"It's true! And Mom, if I really fought Si-hyeok properly, I'd win!"
"Just say it was a casual spar—that's the Association's official stance. Why are you even asking? Yu-jeong isn't a match for me—"
From Park Jin-uk to Lee Yu-jeong and even Kim Si-hyeok—
The three top-ranked Players were engaged in nonstop phone calls.
Several minutes passed like this.
Finally hanging up, the three of them took a moment to steady their breathing.
"Phew. The attention is insane."
"Can't be helped. This is Rank Palace, and there was that terrorist incident not long ago."
Plopping onto the sofa, Jin-uk sighed.
"But Yu-jeong, once they heard it was just the tremors from your Hulk punches, things calmed down fast."
"Ah, yeah, and when I told them you got beaten half to death by me, they accepted it right away."
Crackle!
The two of them instantly sparked the moment they sat down.
Both were Rankers, so the atmosphere grew lethally tense—
"So, Master Si-mun..."
Cutting through that familiar hostility, Jin-uk turned his gaze toward the little girl nestled in Si-mun's arms.
"That's... No, wait. That child is the golem you made?"
"Yes."
"And a created golem at that?"
"Correct."
Nodding, Si-mun added just in case—
"For reference, its original form wasn't like this. The base prototype alone was over three meters tall."
"We know that. So to summarize—during the transmutation, an accident occurred, and this child appeared?"
"Exactly."
"Hahaha..."
Jin-uk let out a drained laugh.
It wasn't hard to understand why.
"Having seen the creation process with my own eyes, this is... even more shocking."
From lending out healing potions and Guild Buffs to handling various other tasks, Jin-uk was the one who frequented Si-mun's lab the most—aside from Si-mun himself.
He knew exactly how massive the parts of the golem Si-mun had been working on were.
Before he knew it, he had stepped closer to Si-mun.
"So you're saying all those enormous parts were compressed into this tiny body..."
His eyes brimmed with curiosity as he examined the child from all angles.
Though curiosity wasn't the only thing in his gaze.
"To think something this pretty and angelic came out...!"
His rough, intimidating appearance clashed with the sparkling brightness in his eyes—
Jin-uk's gaze was also overflowing with affection.
But.
"Uuung......"
Was Park Jin-uk's gaze too overwhelming?
The child burrowed deeper into Si-mun's embrace, clinging tightly to him before cautiously sneaking a glance at Jin-uk.
"Uncle... scary......"
"Ghk!"
An utterly devastating critical hit pierced straight through his chest.
"Pffahahaha! See? I told you kids don't like you, hyung! Hurry up and get over here."
"Pfft! S-sorry, sunbaenim."
Gone was the murderous tension from earlier when they'd been ready to tear each other apart.
Now Kim Si-hyeok and Lee Yu-jeong were bursting into laughter, delivering consecutive follow-up attacks.
"......"
But Park Jin-uk had already turned to stone, unable to move a muscle.
Si-hyeok erupted into laughter so refreshing it could melt hydrochloric acid as he dragged Jin-uk away by the collar.
Go Mal-suk, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up.
"Hey. She's not actually some secret daughter you've been hiding, is she?"
"Mal-suk, that's the third time you've asked that."
Si-mun pressed his fingers to his forehead and sighed.
"Use some common sense. How old do you think I am to have a daughter this size?"
"W-well who knows! You're pushing thirty now! You could totally have a kid this age!"
This damn...
Si-mun's eyes twitched at Mal-suk's relentless attacks.
"Mal-suk, you saw it with your own eyes. This child was at the center of the explosion."
"W-well, that's true but......"
Mal-suk had rushed to Si-mun's lab after the sudden explosion.
She'd seen it clearly with her own two eyes.
Though there were no signs of destruction or damage,
the scattered documents and materials swirling from the blast, the charred marks indicating ground zero.
And at that epicenter was this angelic—
At the same time.
"Then how do you explain that face that looks exactly like yours?!"
A child blinking up at them with features strikingly similar to Si-mun's distinct facial structure.
But that was precisely—
"That's exactly what I don't understand either."
This was something that puzzled Si-mun as well.
He was certain he hadn't used a single drop of his blood or any part of his body in the process.
'So why does she look like me?'
Si-mun looked down at the child in his arms with a perplexed expression.
Just then.
"Oppa."
Yu-jeong, who had been watching with a warm smile, spoke up.
"Have you decided on a name for her yet?"
"No, not yet."
Come to think of it, he hadn't given her a name yet.
At the word "name"—
"Name? Me name!"
The golem—no, the child—who had been fidgeting in his arms, looked up at Si-mun with sparkling eyes.
Si-mun's lips unconsciously curved into a smile as their eyes met.
'......She's so precious.'
Originally, for the golems he'd created in his past life—
'Names like Mk-01 wouldn't do for her.'
He'd planned to simply give her the same naming convention as the first Guardian series.
But reconsidering, Si-mun tapped his chin thoughtfully with deepened contemplation.
"Hmm. What would be a good name?"
Just then, into his ear—
"Si-mun-nim! How about Soon-ja since she looks gentle? Or maybe Yeong-ja for intelligence!"
Park Jin-uk's boisterous voice barged in, having already regained his vigor.
Simultaneously—
"......"
"......"
A silence so cold it was terrifying descended upon them.
"Sigh. Sunbaenim, really......"
Kim Si-hyeok's sigh was the first to break the silence, but—
"Sunbaenim! What kind of trashy naming sense is that?!"
Thwack!
What followed was Yu-jeong's lariat.
Thud!
The mighty Night Hunter was embedded into the wall with a heavy impact.
One might expect some satisfaction from so easily subduing a legendary assassin,
but Yu-jeong didn't even glance his way as she turned back to Si-mun.
"Oppa, you should be the one to name her."
"Was already planning to."
Si-mun nodded while looking at Jin-uk stuck in the wall.
He gazed down at the child looking up at him with expectant eyes.
After a brief silence, Si-mun finally spoke.
"Since Si-hyeok and I share the generational character 'Si'... let's go with Si-yeon. Kim Si-yeon—how does that sound?"
Regardless of whether she was a crafted golem or not.
How could he not feel moved when such a lovely child would call him father?
He genuinely wanted to give her a real family name—one derived from his own surname and given name.
Perhaps the others felt the same way.
"Kim Si-yeon—I like it! Does that mean I have a niece now?"
"What a pretty name! It suits her perfectly!"
"Not bad. Go with that."
Everyone except Park Jin-uk, who was still embedded in the wall, responded positively.
Si-mun met the child's gaze and spoke.
"Kim Si-yeon. From now on, your name is Kim Si-yeon."
"Kim Si-yeon......"
The child mulled over her new name.
Then—
"Mhm! I'm Si-yeon! Kim Si-yeon!"
She beamed and nodded brightly.
[The Queen's name has been set as Kim Si-yeon.]
[By default, she will share the status window of her master, Kim Si-mun.]
[The formal Imprint and Bond process has begun.]
"Huh?"
A sudden cascade of messages appeared before Si-mun's eyes.
"Hyung? What's wrong?"
"Brother?"
"Hey, what's going on?!"
Whoooosh—
Si-mun and the radiantly smiling child, Si-yeon, were enveloped in a blinding white light.
The Platinum-rank Debut Match.
The global attention focused on the Platinum Debut Match rivaled that of major professional sporting events.
This wasn't merely because it divided lower-tier and upper-tier ranks.
-"Hello, everyone! The Platinum-rank Debut Match has finally returned!"
-"This Platinum Debut Match must have gathered promising talents from all over the world, right?"
It was a worldwide showdown.
In other words, the most elite prospects from various nations—those positioned at the very top—were participating.
-"That's right! Since this is where we witness the future potential of each nation, we must give it our all as well, no?"
Those who had dominated the Gold Debut Match with top placements or victories.
In fact, unless one surpassed the MMR threshold set by Galaxy Arena, participation wasn't even possible.
Moreover, this was a stage where future Diamonds—or even the next generation of Rankers—could be spotted.
Some might even be scouted as players for the annual National Tournament's sub-leagues.
Naturally, the Platinum-rank Debut Match was bound to attract worldwide attention.
Thus, at 10:00 AM on March 1st (U.S. time)—
-"Jonathan, you've got the participant list for this Platinum Debut Match ready, right?"
-"Of course, Michael. Now that I've officially retired, I have to maintain my position as a TWC commentator."
The World Championship—commonly known as TWC—boasted staggering global viewership, even though each participant had their own Arenia broadcast running.
It was only natural.
Wasn't the U.S. the country that never missed first place in Galaxy Arena's official tournaments?
Though China and a few other nations had occasionally secured simultaneous broadcasting rights,
no country had consistently secured relay rights year after year like the U.S.
Thanks to this, even the World Awakened Federation endorsed TWC as the official Arena channel.
Naturally, TWC was recognized as the global Arena broadcasting authority.
-"The expected number of participants is 516—a full 16 more than the usual average of around 500."
-"Whoa! Galaxy Arena's predictions have never been off, so we'll indeed see exactly 516 participants."
-"Correct! Coincidentally, our predicted participant list also had exactly 516 names! Moments like these make you wonder—just where does Galaxy Arena pull its data from?"
-"Oh, Jonathan, that's a mystery neither I nor our viewers have ever been able to solve."
The caster, Michael, and the analyst, Jonathan—
True to the stature of a global Arena channel, both were former players.
In fact, Jonathan, the analyst, was even a Diamond-ranked player in his prime.
-"But right now, I suspect our viewers are more curious about the participant list than Galaxy Arena's origins, no?"
-"Ah! How thoughtless of me. Let's reveal it right away!"
Is it because they've been hosting TWC broadcasts for several years now?
-"As always, we'll focus on the key figures worth watching!"
-"Ah! The segment everyone's been waiting for. I'm incredibly nervous myself."
The two smoothly carried on the broadcast, mixing in witty banter.
-"First, let's take a look at America's participants! The future heroes of American Dream—Andrew and Ron!"
The screen displayed a blonde Caucasian and a muscular Black man.
Highlights from what appeared to be their individual streams played in succession.
Beneath them, as befitting a global broadcast,
clean infographics smoothly scrolled up—designed to be universally understandable regardless of nationality.
-"Wow! Their power graphs are absolutely impressive, aren't they?"
-"Indeed. Andrew shows well-balanced stats befitting a dual-class, while Ron leans heavily into combat, as expected of a tough fighter."
-"The upcoming National Tournament sub-league just got a whole lot more exciting!"
The list of participants continued, led by America's two top prospects.
Just from America alone, over ten participants were introduced in succession.
-"Next up—China's Continent Guild! They've really sharpened their blades this time, haven't they?"
-"Correct. They've always positioned themselves as America's rivals. In fact, China has the highest number of participants this time—ranking first."
As Jonathan spoke, footage of China's players appeared on screen.
-"Though they suffered the unfortunate loss of their core prospect Kang Hwa-wi, they still boast an overwhelming 23 participants."
-"Ah! So Kang Hwa-wi, that rising star among tanks, is out! But the sheer numbers alone remain dominant."
-"Exactly. Next is Japan's Masamune. Led by Yuto, hailed as a once-in-a-generation genius..."
Japan, the Middle East, Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa—
the stream of participant profiles seemed endless.
And as the introductions progressed,
the number of participants dwindled.
Then—
-"Phew! Not many countries left now. If participation were open to all, we'd probably need over 24 hours!"
-"Haha! It's a relief the Debut Match has its own cutoff criteria. Next up—South Korea."
-"Ah! Korea—a nation that's had its moments of glory. Especially during the Generation of Stars, didn't they sweep the Platinum Debut Match?"
-"Sadly, that might have been their peak. Since then, they've often struggled to even participate in the Debut Match."
Unlike before, commentator Jonathan's voice carried a heightened intensity.
-"This time, things are a bit different."
-"Oho? I can count on one hand the number of times you've used this tone, Jonathan."
As if to confirm this wasn't just idle chatter,
caster Michael watched the pop-up screen with genuine curiosity.
-"At the very least, background-wise, we have Choi Jin-su—a prospect from Myth Guild."
-"One of Korea's top three guilds, no? His power graph looks remarkably similar to Ron's, doesn't it?"
-"Correct. He's an exceptional combat specialist."
The power graph was notably high.
Choi Jin-su boasted stats comparable to Ron—America's combat-focused prospect.
-"But the real deal is right here."
Another pop-up appeared alongside Jonathan's words.
And then—
-"Wha—what in the—?!"
Caster Michael's eyes bulged wide.
And for good reason.
-"J-Jonathan? Could this be some kind of graph error?"
-"I double-checked the power graphs multiple times myself. But after reviewing his past streams, I couldn't bring myself to adjust them."
A strikingly handsome face with well-defined features.
Beneath that model-like photo, the displayed graphs were nearly maxed out.
The problem was—this wasn't just one or two stats.
-"This is even more extreme than Andrew's! Almost every graph is near maximum!"
-"Correct. His actual performances in streams have shown incredible versatility."
-"Erm... Even so, having healing-related stats maxed out too—surely that's an error?"
-"Surprisingly, it's accurate. He's demonstrated healing magic rarely seen even in Platinum-rank."
-"My god... In my ten years as a TWC caster, this is a first!"
Jonathan's explanation left Michael gaping.
And not just Michael—
every viewer watching the broadcast likely shared the sentiment.
At the very top of this shocking information panel,
the name [Kim Si-mun] was prominently displayed.