Chapter 98
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: The Four Directional Gods (8)
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Baekho was born in a laboratory six years ago.
"The brainwaves are very stable."
"This modification seems to be a success."
She opened her eyes amidst a crowd of researchers.
Eyes gleaming with curiosity. She remembered their cold eyes, devoid of any affection.
"We won't have to dispose of this specimen."
That was her first memory.
A time when she didn't even properly know herself.
"Not bad. I think we can increase the load."
"It's fine if it dies. We'll have the data anyway."
The first sensation Baekho came to understand was pain.
It hurts.
It hurts so much.
Though no one taught her, Baekho realized on her own what that sensation was.
Next was the cold feeling of the metal plate.
The sensation of something being injected into her body.
The sensation of her skin being cut.
And the voices of the researchers.
"It's holding up well."
"Research will accelerate with this test subject."
"As expected, mixing in the Pegasus factor that Black provided was a good move."
They were monstrous voices.
She didn't know what a monster was, but that's what came to mind.
*I'd rather die than live like this.* That's what she thought.
"To think it's lasted a whole year."
"This is a miracle."
A year passed like that.
"Good. Let's proceed to a higher-level experiment."
"We're going to the Monster Park. I want to see this thing hunt for itself."
That day.
For the first time, Baekho saw the world outside the laboratory.
The sky, the trees, the ground, the sunlight.
For the first time, Baekho felt a sensation other than the cold touch of metal.
The scent of grass in the forest, the warmth of the sun, the coolness of the wind.
For the first time, Baekho felt the emotion of happiness.
"Now. There's your prey. Go and kill it."
And that day.
A miracle happened.
"Director! The monsters in the Monster Park have gone berserk!"
"It seems they resonated with Baekho's emotions and broke free from control!"
The unique trait of the four Sabangsin specimens was 'Resonance.' The power to share all emotions: sadness, joy, pain, and anger.
The happiness Baekho felt had affected the monsters within the Monster Park.
"Stop them! Input a new control code!"
The monsters, whose emotions had been controlled, were bewildered by the sudden feeling and went on a rampage.
"D-Director!"
"Baekho has disappeared!"
Baekho seized the opportunity to escape.
With all her might.
She ran, and ran.
She felt joy in her own paws striking the earth.
For some reason, tears welled up at the sensation of the wind brushing through her fur.
She was happy.
Happy, but scared.
This happiness would end if she were caught by the researchers.
That fact filled her with immense fear.
Baekho kept running.
To evade them.
To not get caught.
Fortunately, Baekho's genetic powers were well-suited for escape.
She could read the presence of others nearby, and her two legs were very fast.
The device on her neck was only to prevent escape; it couldn't track her location.
"If we haven't found it in a month, it's already dead. Leave it."
"Even if it's alive, it'll be caught soon. The guests using the Monster Park will serve as bait, so just leave it."
And so, Baekho gained her freedom.
She did as she pleased, desperately avoiding the superhumans exploring the Monster Park.
It was a half-measure of freedom, but that alone was enough to make her happy.
She felt and learned many things.
She became aware of her own power.
With her superior intelligence, she learned a great deal.
Then one day.
For the first time, Baekho came to know the feeling of loneliness.
Five years passed like that.
"Geumho, you did great!"
Baekho met Geumho.
Fur as bright as the sun.
A smile as warm as the sun.
A heart as comforting as the sun.
"Grrr!"
Baekho fell for Geumho at first sight.
She'd put so much effort into their first meeting that she ended up looking threatening.
Her expression hardened with nervousness.
She was also afraid of approaching a human after five years.
But she mustered her courage.
And that day.
Baekho became happy.
It was a short time, not even a week, but she was happy.
Geumho's embrace was warm.
His master was kind.
The master's girlfriend was foolish but gentle.
She saw the world.
It was a sparkling, shining world.
That was enough.
"Grrr."
Baekho smiled.
Piiiiing-!
Hearing the sound of mana twisting, Baekho wore a faint smile.
More than her six years of life,
the past four days had been happier.
That was enough.
Baekho looked at Kang Seoyul, whose eyes were wide like a startled rabbit's, and smiled gently.
*I'm sorry.*
*I'm sorry for always avoiding your hand.*
*The touch of a human was still scary.*
*Thank you.*
*Thank you for saving me when I foolishly went berserk.*
*Thank you for treating me normally even after knowing my identity.*
*Thank you for letting me spend time with Geumho.*
Piiiiing-!
The distortion of mana grew stronger.
Feeling the distortion, Baekho focused the mana in her body.
The goal was to absorb the twisting Sabangsin factor from this body into her own.
Was it a wild instinct?
She was certain that doing this would suppress the explosion as much as possible.
"Baeknyang!"
She heard Kang Seoyul's voice.
A cry filled with worry.
*Thank you.*
"Baekho!"
Ha Siyeon showed tears.
*Thank you.*
"Kuaaang!"
Geumho cried out.
*Even your scowling face is charming.*
*Thank you.*
Piiiiing-!
She felt gratitude for everything.
She could feel the distortion of mana intensifying.
She clenched her teeth at the sensation of something flowing into her body.
Absorbing the Sabangsin factor into her body was bound to be strenuous.
...It hurts.
But it was nothing compared to the pain she felt six years ago.
...It's agonizing.
But she was happy.
Baekho took one last look at Geumho.
...You, who are like the sun.
"Gareung."
...Thank you.
Booooooom-!
The next moment, an explosion erupted from beneath Baekho's body.
***
"Ugh!"
A bright light burst forth, and a ringing filled my ears.
Feeling a massive torrent of mana powerful enough to shake my brain, I squeezed my eyes shut.
The light was so intense I couldn't open my eyes even if I wanted to.
It took three seconds for the light to gradually fade.
Piii...
I immediately opened my eyes.
"Baeknyang!"
A crater had formed at the center of the explosion.
A very small crater, only about ten meters across.
Compared to the amount of mana I had felt, the explosion was quite minor.
Baekho lay collapsed in its center. Her entire body was covered in burns, and her beautiful white fur was scorched black.
"Baekho!"
We ran toward the center.
*Wheeze, wheeze.*
Baekho was still alive.
Faintly, but she was still breathing.
"Seoyul! What do we do about Baekho!"
Ha Siyeon looked back and forth between Baekho and me, completely frantic.
"H-Heal! Seoyul, you're an angel! If you use something like holy power..."
I gritted my teeth.
"...I can't."
I don't have that kind of trait.
Because I'm not an angel.
"Ah..."
Ha Siyeon collapsed to the ground, her face consumed by sorrow.
I probably wore a similar expression.
Baekho was looking at us. As if to say it was okay. As if telling us not to worry so much. She managed a faint smile.
Did even that slight movement put a strain on her body?
Blood gushed from Baekho's mouth.
"D-Don't move!"
I trembled as I stopped Baekho from moving.
What should I do? What can I do?
"I..."
If only I hadn't planned to make the Blue Dragon go berserk.
No, if only I had considered the possibility of the rampage resonating, this wouldn't have...
"It's all my fault..."
Just as I was biting my lip,
"Grrr."
Geumho took a step toward Baekho.
*Thump, thump.*
He smiled with a very dignified expression.
He looked at Baekho, whose breathing was gradually ceasing, with incredible gentleness.
"Geumho..."
Geumho's feelings were transmitted directly to me.
Geumho wanted his friend's last memory of him to be a happy smile, not a face consumed by sadness.
The grieving could come later.
For now, he just wanted to give his friend the best farewell possible.
And so, desperately suppressing his trembling expression, Geumho was smiling.
"...*Hic*."
At that moment, tears streamed down my face.
It must have been because Geumho's gentle heart was being conveyed to me unfiltered.
"Geumho..."
Siyeon seemed to have instinctively sensed Geumho's feelings.
Her eyes, too, were welling with tears.
It was then.
Flash-!
A light flowed from Geumho's body.
A very bright light.
It was a light so brilliant it reminded me of the sun.
"S-Seoyul! Geumho!"
Ha Siyeon seemed flustered by the sudden phenomenon.
"...No way."
But I wasn't flustered.
For some reason, I felt like I knew what was happening.
Full embodiment of the Guardian's Contract.
Geumho had completed his growth as my guardian.
The proof was that my magic power, which had been near exhaustion, had mostly recovered.
It was likely due to my magic power increasing from the full materialization of the Dragon race.
Which means...!
"Baeknyang!"
It meant I could form an additional Guardian's Contract.
Clinging to the last straw, I approached Baekho.
Looking straight into the eyes of Baekho, whose own were gradually losing their light, I placed both hands on her body.
"If you want to live with Geumho, nod your head!"
"..."
At my sudden words, Baekho nodded very slowly, but surely.
Flash-!
"Kugh!"
At that moment, the mana erupting from my body began to flow into Baekho.
*Ding-*
My head instantly spun, and a severe wave of dizziness washed over me.
And right after that.
"Seoyul!"
*Thud-*
I lost consciousness.
***
"You're awake."
"Seoyul, are you okay?"
When I opened my eyes, the first things I saw were Yuhwa's nonchalant face and Ha Siyeon's face, filled with worry.
*Right. I passed out.*
I looked around.
Judging by the scenery, it didn't seem like a hospital.
"Where... am I?"
"My sister's villa."
Meiden Keuritineseu's villa.
So that tycoon has a villa in Australia, too. As I was coming to terms with that,
*Jolt!*
"Bae-Baekho. What about Baekho?"
At my words, Yuhwa and Ha Siyeon's expressions turned grim.
"Ah..."
All the strength drained from my arms.
It can't be.
That's when I heard a laugh. It came from Yuhwa's lips.
"Mr. Seoyul. Look to your side."
I turned my gaze to the corner of the bed Yuhwa was pointing at.
"Nyaang."
"Garrreung."
Two cats were sleeping.
A cute, golden cat.
A prim, white cat.
"Ah..."
Geumho and Baekho were sleeping with their faces nestled against each other.
"I'm sorry. That joke went too far."
Looking at me, Yuhwa put her hands together and bowed her head.
Beside her, Ha Siyeon was striking the same pose.
"...Don't pull pranks like that again."
You really scared me half to death.
"Yes. I'm truly sorry."
"Sorry..."
I let out a small sigh.
Then I smiled as I stroked the two cats.
No, the two small tigers.
"I'll let it slide this once, just for their sakes."
Feeling my touch.
"Nyaaaang~"
Geumho instinctively let out a sweet cry.
"Gareung!"
Baekho instinctively scrunched up her nose.
Her scowling face seemed to be protesting, 'How dare you touch me.'
"Pfft."
You really are a consistent kitty, aren't you?
I broke into a wide smile.
***
The Sabangsin rampage incident naturally garnered the world's attention.
[First China, Now Australia! The Sabangsin Appear Again!]
[The Cause of the Sabangsin Rampage: Beast Master!]
[Rank 3 Outer Black Reportedly Discovered Beast Master's Experiment Logs and Reported to the Superhuman Federation.]
[Admiration for the Swift Initial Response of Meiden Keuritineseu and the Bihon Guild!]
[We Stopped a Disaster During Our School Trip! Exclusive Interview with First-Year Cadets from Korea's Superhuman Military Academy!]
It was telling that 17 of the top 20 portal site articles were about the Sabangsin incident.
"...Outer Black really washed his hands of this perfectly."
The incident was officially handled as a rampage resulting from Beast Master's solo experiment.
"Of course. That's the kind of man he is."
Meiden clicked her tongue.
She seemed to really dislike Outer Black.
Well, how many people would like that black-hearted man anyway?
I checked the next article.
[A Miracle! Only 11 Civilians Died in This Disaster!]
[Australian Citizens Express Great Gratitude to the Students of the Korean Military Academy!]
"...Eleven people."
It was an incident that could have destroyed Australia itself, so the fact that only eleven civilians died was nothing short of a miracle.
Including superhuman casualties, the total would be less than fifty.
Compared to the estimated 100 million deaths in the future Great Monster Outbreak, it was a drop in the ocean.
No, it was a speck of dust on a drop in the ocean.
"...What about the bereaved families?"
"Don't worry. The Australian government is preparing policies. If anything seems off, I'll do something about it, so don't worry too much."
"...Okay."
However, those fifty-odd deaths were victims of an incident I had caused.
When you got down to it, it was as if I had killed them myself.
That fact tightened its grip on my chest.
"Kiddo."
Meiden called to me with a dead-serious expression.
"I can't tell you not to worry about it. This was your mistake, that's true."
"...Yes."
Meiden's sharp words made my heart ache even more.
"Still..."
Meiden broke into a wide grin and clapped my shoulder.
"You did well."
Meiden's eyes were filled with goodwill.
"Punk. Let me guess what you're thinking. 'I should have thought and acted more meticulously.' Right?"
"...Yes."
I hung my head low.
"Jeez. You usually act like a little old man who's seen it all, but in moments like this, you're just a 20-year-old kid."
Meiden roughly ruffled my hair.
"Kid. If you could predict all that, would you be human? You'd be a god."
Her voice was gentle.
"What happened was the result of you, of us, doing the best we could at that time."
And her voice was strict.
"So don't regret it."
Meiden spoke as if mocking herself.
"'If only I had done that then.' 'I should have done this.' That kind of useless regret just eats away at a person."
"..."
"If you're going to have regrets, have them while living in the present. Because you can just do better next time."
I lifted my gaze to look at Meiden. Her warm eyes seemed to put my mind at ease for some reason.
"Got it? This is advice from your big sis who lived in the past for ten years, so take it to heart."
Meiden smiled with a mysterious expression and messed up my hair again.
"...Yes. I'll take it to heart."
I offered a faint smile.
"Good. As long as you understand."
Meiden also smiled brightly.
"By the way, kiddo. That white one. What are you gonna do with her?"
Meiden shifted her gaze.
"Hmm."
I followed her gaze.
Behind the sleeping Geumho, Baekho was blinking her eyes.
"I wonder."
Odd eyes.
One eye remained its brilliant red, but the other had turned a yellow reminiscent of the Blue Dragon.
"What should I do with her?"