Chapter 40: Mountain Training
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 40: Mountain Training
Seo-un scanned the three hulking men. It didn't take a genius to see they weren't there with good intentions.
"What do you want?" he asked.
The man in the lead, clearly annoyed that a kid who looked like a total greenhorn was speaking to him so informally, twitched an eyebrow.
"A little punk like you shouldn't be talking so damn casually, don't you think?"
His tone and appearance were those of a common thug, but the energy radiating from him told a different story. He looked exactly like the gangsters Seo-un had dealt with at the mineral spring, but his internal strength was on a completely different level.
Seo-un watched the three men close the distance. "So, you want to fight?"
The moment the words left his lips, he surged his energy. As he prepared to strike at any second, the three men flinched, sensing the sudden, sharp shift in his aura.
"Wait, just come with us for a moment," the leader said, his tone shifting. "We’re acting on behalf of some very busy people in the government. If you cooperate, we won't make things difficult for you."
"And why do I get the feeling that if I 'cooperate,' I’ll never see the outside world again?"
The man in front began to load up a string of curses, but the man behind him raised a hand to stop him and stepped toward Seo-un.
"Do you know about the National Security Law?"
"I've heard of it."
"Under the revised National Security Law, you’re essentially a terrorist. If you cooperate and submit to an investigation, there won't be any problems. But if you cause friction with us here, you’ll become a real terrorist. Think carefully. This is a residential area. Just revealing your abilities in a place like this is a crime."
Seo-un glared at the man, who was wearing sunglasses in the middle of the night.
"I’ve heard stories. That there’s a private organization acting as a proxy for the Central Bureau. They say you target beginners. I’m not exactly part of the Resistance, so why don't we just pass each other by without any trouble?"
As Seo-un pushed his energy even higher, the man who had been cursing finally realized the gravity of the situation. His face turned pale. The pressure emanating from Seo-un spread in all directions, making it difficult for them to even draw breath.
"...So, you’re refusing to cooperate?"
"I have no reason to, nor do I particularly want to. If you really want my cooperation, tell the Central Bureau hacks to come back with a warrant. I have no intention of being dragged away by a private group with no legal authority."
As he finished speaking, Seo-un’s form blurred. In an instant, he seemed to split into six, surrounding the man in sunglasses. The man couldn't react at all to the sudden movement.
— Beginner hunters. Do I look like a beginner to you?
Six identical, emotionless voices spoke in unison, creating a chilling atmosphere. Only then did the thugs realize they had picked the wrong target.
— As long as you don't mess with me, I’ll stay quiet. Don't come looking for me and provoke me for no reason.
With that, Seo-un walked past them, his back turned as he trudged away. They could do nothing but watch him go.
From browsing the community forums, Seo-un had learned one thing: unless you flaunted your powers, committed a crime with them, or were simply too weak to defend yourself, neither the Central Bureau nor private organizations would recklessly mess with you. If they tried to force someone and failed, it was the same as losing a potentially powerful asset to the Resistance.
It’s a total period of transition, he thought.
That was the perfect description. A chaotic transition period caused by the growing number of Ability Users. And Seo-un, even though he was only on his second round, was not a weakling they could push around.
The thugs remained frozen long after Seo-un had disappeared. Finally, the man in sunglasses spoke.
"Re-report this. He’s no rookie."
"Yes, sir!"
"Should we assign surveillance?"
"Are you crazy? We’re dropping this. No need to provoke him further."
"Yes, sir!"
*
Back inside his house, Seo-un was on edge.
Should I move? How did they find me? Was it selling the necklace after all? I didn't expect them to show up so fast...
He had shown enough strength that they wouldn't try anything immediately, but being on the radar as an Ability User wasn't good news.
What should I do...
He agonized over it until the sun began to rise, finally reaching a conclusion.
Even if I move, they’ll probably track me down again soon enough. I’ve shown them my teeth, so let’s just wait and see.
If his name was already in the Central Bureau’s database, they could track him whenever they wanted. If they came back to bother him again, he would just have to show them his real power.
After reading the forums and meeting Gi-chan, he realized one thing: for a second-round Ability User, he was absurdly strong. He wasn't being overconfident; his records—2nd place in the 1st round and 1st place in the 2nd round—had provided him with substantial rewards.
Someone who barely survived twenty rounds would only have about 100 Coins to their name. In the end, if you didn't achieve high rankings, you couldn't progress, even if you didn't drop out. Without power, you were forced into a miserable life and unfair competition. This was true on Earth, in the other world, and in this current reality.
It was morning by the time he settled his thoughts. Seo-un performed his energy circulation, finished his routine, and went to bed. When he woke up and checked his phone, it was past 1:00 PM. Since it was Saturday, he called Gi-chan immediately.
—Hyung!
Hearing the excited voice, Seo-un got straight to the point.
"Can you meet now?"
—Of course! Where should we meet?
"I'll send you the address. Come to my neighborhood."
After hanging up and sending the address, Seo-un opened his subspace and pulled out some ramen and a portable stove set he had stocked up on. After a quick meal, his phone rang.
—I’m here.
"I'm coming out."
Outside, he saw Gi-chan standing next to the sleek body of the Hayabusa he had seen yesterday.
"Let's go to a cafe nearby first."
They sat down with coffee in a quiet neighborhood cafe. Gi-chan was practically vibrating with excitement, like a puppy.
"I didn't expect you to contact me so soon!"
"Yeah. Something came up."
"What happened?"
"It wasn't the Central Bureau, but those private organization guys followed me yesterday."
Gi-chan’s expression instantly hardened. "You ran into them?"
Seo-un nodded, and Gi-chan asked cautiously, "You didn't... get into a fight, did you?"
"I showed them a bit of strength, but there wasn't any physical conflict. They just told me to follow them out of the blue."
"You must never follow them."
"If I had, I wouldn't be seeing you today."
Gi-chan nodded. "But how did they track you so fast? You're only on your second round. Hyung, did you do something to stand out?"
Seo-un spoke slowly. "I needed some quick cash, so I sold Askro's Necklace to a jewelry store."
"Ah..."
Gi-chan stared at Seo-un with a blank expression for a moment before regaining his composure with an awkward smile.
"It... it's a common mistake. That gold necklace is only worth about one Coin, after all."
Judging by his stuttering, it didn't seem like a common mistake at all.
"I was a bit reckless because of the money. I didn't know about the beginner hunters or the Central Bureau back then."
When Seo-un admitted it frankly, Gi-chan offered some clumsy consolation.
"Well, Askro's Necklace is worth a lot of cash compared to its Coin value. I always make sure to pick them up too."
"But you managed not to get caught."
"I... I melted mine down before selling it."
"I... see."
Seo-un hadn't thought of that. Honestly, even if he had, he wouldn't have known how or had the equipment to melt gold. He’d only heard stories in dramas about using aqua regia to dissolve it.
"Still, they won't be able to mess with you easily, Hyung. Don't worry too much. How could they touch an Ability User who placed in the Top 5 twice in a row?"
"Right? I thought about moving, but I decided to just stay put for the same reason."
"If you ever need to go into hiding, I can help. I know how to avoid tracking, including using alias accounts."
Come to think of it, Gi-chan was a hacker who had been active on the deep web despite his young age. He must have done plenty of illegal things online and knew exactly how to dodge surveillance.
"Hmm..."
As Seo-un looked thoughtful, Gi-chan continued.
"The Central Bureau probably won't try to touch you further. My only concern is that the Pro-China Alliance might get desperate."
"The Pro-China Alliance?"
"Ah, those guys who came to see you. As you might have guessed, Ability Users are more prevalent in the shadows, so they tend to cluster in organizations that do illegal work globally. In Korea, we call the organizations that cooperate with the Central Bureau the 'Pro-China Alliance.'"
"So, basically, thugs who got a bit of power are cooperating with the government to live the high life?"
Gi-chan nodded with a bitter smile. "Their interests align. The Central Bureau can control Ability Users and build a database despite their lack of manpower, and those guys can run their illegal businesses without the government breathing down their necks."
"Wasn't the Central Bureau's job to stop Ability Users from committing crimes?"
"Specifically, it's to stop them from causing social chaos. The Pro-China Alliance guys never do anything that catches the public eye."
"I guess. That's why they showed up at night. Though they were pretty pathetic for all that."
Gi-chan chuckled and crossed his arms. "The Pro-China Alliance is mostly made up of dropouts and 'Stockpiles.'"
"What's a 'Stockpile'?"
"Ah... a Stockpile is, well, like a secondary infection."
Seeing Seo-un’s confused expression, Gi-chan quickly swallowed his coffee and explained further.
"As you know, Hyung, abilities gained in Cloyd can be passed on to ordinary people. Of course, they can't use the System, so their efficiency isn't great, but things like secret manuals, Circle Stones, and other items can be used by ordinary people if they're handed over."
"What?!" Seo-un’s voice rose involuntarily.
"Why are you so surprised? It’s only natural. For example, magic weapons or items that boost stats can be used by ordinary people without any restrictions."
"I suppose, but ordinary people who can't use the System can learn martial arts or magic?"
"Yes. But like I said, the efficiency is low. It takes them six months just to absorb a Circle Stone, and they have to learn and cast magic manually, so it's different from us. It's more like the 'original' way, I guess?"
"Still, with the help of elixirs..."
"Then martial arts, for example, could be learned much faster."
"Then the ones the Central Bureau should be monitoring most are the Pro-China Alliance, right? They're basically mass-producing Ability Users."
"Blood is thicker than water. To be honest, the Central Bureau probably wants to increase their own Stockpiles the most. It's just a rumor, but they say governments around the world are already training armies or organizations made up of these Ability Users."
Seo-un nodded slowly. Soldiers were directly linked to national power. Soldiers with these abilities... it would be stranger not to train them if it were possible.
"Good grief. And here they are, suppressing Ability Users in the name of social order."
"They probably know realistically that they can't stop it forever. They're just trying to prepare before it's too late."
"And their 'preparation' is having the legal authority to control Ability Users?"
"To put it bluntly, how else would they maintain social order? Even now, there are madmen doing all sorts of things with their powers."
"Anyway, enough about the Central Bureau. I called you because of that training you suggested. That's the main point."
Gi-chan’s eyes sparkled. "That’s great! My school break just started today, actually!"
"Perfect. But... since I don't have much experience with this, where do Ability Users usually go to train?"
"Deep in the mountains? Or somewhere far from prying eyes?"
"You sound unsure for someone who seemed to know so much."
"That's just how I've always done it. I've heard other people go to uninhabited islands with their regular squads, but I've never done it with anyone else before."
"Then where did you usually go?"
"I have a place I know in Wonju. It's a small mountain, and hardly anyone ever goes there. I even bought a house nearby."
"A house?"
"Land is cheap over there. I bought the mountain and built a small house."
The scale of it was impressive for a high schooler.
"I've been meaning to ask... aren't you a bit too wealthy for a boy who's the head of his household?"
"I focus on farming things that make money, so while my rankings aren't great, I'm doing okay financially."
Seo-un nodded as Gi-chan spoke nonchalantly. A handsome, wealthy high schooler who was the head of his household—it was a strange combination of titles.
"So, when can we go?"
"Right now?"
"What about your sister? We’ll be gone for a while."
"My sister has been at a relative's house since yesterday. My aunt runs a small orchard in the countryside, and she went down there under the pretext of helping out. She follows my aunt like a mother because she helped us so much when things were hard."
"Ah... I see. Then we can head down immediately."
"Yes. Let's stop by a mart on the way and buy what we need."
After packing some simple belongings into his subspace, Seo-un watched Gi-chan start the Hayabusa.
"Are you seriously planning to ride that all the way to Wonju?"
"Yes. We can't take the highway, but it's still faster than the bus."
"..."
Being a pedestrian, Seo-un wasn't in a position to refuse. More than anything, he really wanted to try riding a Hayabusa.
*
The place they arrived at was a remote area surrounded by mountains on three sides. It was so isolated that it was a miracle a narrow road had even been paved. The modern house Gi-chan had built stood out starkly against the wilderness. The sight of the modern home with three LPG tanks standing in a row next to a landscape virtually untouched by humans was jarring.
"I'm surprised you managed to build a house out here."
"I just paid the bill. The workers were the ones who suffered."
Seeing him speak so casually, it still didn't quite sink in that a high schooler owned real estate.
"Just how much are you worth?"
"Huh?" Gi-chan was momentarily flustered by the direct question. "I don't really have much compared to other Players."
"Are you saying that for my benefit? The guy who got caught selling a necklace because he needed a few million won?"
"N-no. Um... including this place, I have two houses, some mountains and land in Wonju, a bit of blue-chip stocks, and a little less than 800 million won in cash savings."
Seo-un’s jaw dropped as Gi-chan recited his detailed asset list. He suddenly felt a pang of regret for paying for the groceries at the mart earlier, trying to act like the older brother. The bill for rice and other essentials had come to nearly 800,000 won. And here this kid was, holding real estate, stocks, and cash.
"You're rich! You earned all that just by going back and forth thirteen times?"
Gi-chan smiled and answered kindly. "It depends on your playstyle, right? Even if it's only thirteen times, that's over a year in total. And I knew about Cloyd even before that. You, on the other hand, Hyung... you must have earned way more than me in terms of total Coins..."
Gi-chan trailed off, leaving the question of why Seo-un was broke unsaid.
"In terms of Coins... I've earned a little less than 500."
"F-five hundred?!!!" Gi-chan’s voice shot up.
"Placing first in the second round was huge. I got 355 Coins then."
"My total so far is barely over 200. And you're calling me rich?"
Despite Gi-chan’s grumbling, Seo-un still felt the handsome high schooler's assets were more impressive.
"Shall we head up?"
"Sure."
Without any bags, the two of them began to climb the pathless mountain. They seemed to be jogging lightly, but with every step, they ascended the mountain as fast as wild animals, their figures vanishing in an instant.
"Oh! This is impressive."
Halfway up the mountain, Gi-chan had cleared a wide, flat area that looked like a park at a mineral spring.
"I got cursed out by the workers for making this."
It was understandable. No matter how low the mountain was, clearing a space like this couldn't have been easy. Creating such a space where heavy machinery couldn't reach must have been pure manual labor.
"Wait a moment."
Gi-chan pulled a small leather pouch from his subspace and walked toward the edge of the clearing. Seeing the leather pouch—a common sight in the other world—Seo-un watched silently to see what he was doing.
Gi-chan walked around the perimeter, taking amethysts out of the pouch one by one. As he placed the final amethyst, the five stones resonated and glowed briefly.