Arun (2)

The back of Arun’s head met my palm, creating a satisfying sound. And just as loud as the sound, Arun fell to the ground in a heap.

“Huh?”

Arun’s exclamation—a general term for his dumb exclamations. Other examples include “Huh? Ah? Heh? Eh?”—as he sprawled out on the floor, I looked down at him with disdain.

“Get up, you idiot.”

“Ugh… Mr. Kim Han!!”

Holding the back of his head, Arun glared at me with resentful eyes as he got up.

To be fair, there was a faint sound of his skull cracking. But so what?

“Do you want to die a miserable death?”

“What? No?”

“Then do you want to die unjustly? Annoyingly? Or maybe meaninglessly?”

“Ah, no, no.”

“Then why are you doing such stupid things? Have you been too comfortable lately?”

“…I don’t think so?”

I think I understand a bit why Arun was so brutally tortured by Lee Hyo-ju in my past life, and why he was easily ‘captured alive’ by Lee Hyo-ju, who wasn’t that strong back then.

He was the least suited representative for this place, the ‘Battlefield of the Gods.’

But it’s too late to tell him to leave now.

There’s a common hypothetical I used to ponder in my previous life.

People often think about the “what if I could turn back time” scenario. However, the legion members of the ‘Battlefield of the Gods’ most frequently pondered what if it weren’t for the ‘Battlefield of the Gods,’ or what if they weren’t representatives.

Arun is like that now. If he weren’t a representative and not participating in the ‘Battlefield of the Gods,’ he would have been a warm-hearted and righteous man.

“No way, the way you’re acting, it seems exactly like that. Would it be lucky if it were just you? It feels like everyone in the legion, including me and Lee Hyo-ju, would die unjustly or in vain because of you. Because of you?”

“What?! No, why?!”

I pressed down on Arun’s head, who had jumped up in anger, forcing him back into his chair, then walked around the desk to sit across from him with the desk between us.

If I stayed in front of Arun, I felt like I might hit him again.

“Why, you ask. Let me give you an example. Suppose you fought another representative and rendered them unable to fight. Would you ‘absorb’ them? Oh, and the opponent is begging for their life, saying they’ll surrender. But you’re not near Exorsus, so you’re not sure if they’re really surrendering.”

“Wouldn’t they surrender? No, couldn’t we just go to Exorsus together? If we confirm their surrender… Eek!!”

Mors, Genesis, and Ister! These damn things!

In a fit of anger, I threw something from the desk without realizing it, and Arun barely dodged it, clutching his pounding chest and collapsing onto the floor.

Anyway, according to the ‘settings,’ he’s protected, but he’s struggling to survive.

“Sit down.”

“…Um, Mr. Kim Han.”

“Sit down.”

“Yes…”

“If you’re a representative… if you’re one, you should naturally say ‘absorb.’ Surrender? Is that something you eat? If they wanted to surrender, they shouldn’t have crawled out of Exorsus in the first place. They charge at you excitedly and then want to surrender when they’re about to die? Then what about the reward for your efforts? What if there was another agent who saw your battle from afar? What about the reward for the information that leaked out about you?”

“That, to that extent…”

“What nonsense. This is god-level nonsense. There’s a reason you need to ‘absorb’ more than what was previously mentioned. Survival of the fittest. It’s about devouring the weak. Climbing a staircase made of flesh and blood to stand above others, that’s what you, as an agent, must do.”

“…Sigh.”

“You’re sighing?! Ha! You still haven’t come to your senses. Let’s say you spared someone. But what if that person harbors a grudge and ambushes another legion family? You and I might be fine. But what if they attack Lee Hyo-ju or Tess, who’s out on an errand? And what if someone dies because of it?!”

“…….”

“Do you think ‘Battlefield of the Gods’ is easy just because there’s no combat between the representatives during the training period? Do you think it’s manageable because the citizens of Exorsus praise you every time they see you? Even I can’t guarantee winning one-on-one against three representatives out there. So what’s the big deal? What did you place on your chest? Want me to poke a hole in that heavy chest to lighten it up?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Battlefield of the Gods? I told you what the Heavenly Gods and Demon Gods call this. To them, you and I are not the representatives but slightly better-performing slaves. Get a grip. No, you don’t need anything else. Just make sure ‘we’ don’t suffer because of you.”

“…Yes.”

“Do you know why there’s a training period? To protect representatives? Not at all!! It’s so the Heavenly Gods and Demon Gods, and their followers, can feast on well-fattened prey. To ‘absorb’ the elixir that is a representative who has trained for four years using the registration card!! That’s why it exists, you fool!”

“…!!”

Arun, who had been bowing deeply, lifted his head and body with a look of disbelief, as if my words were shocking.

However, it’s true. Although slightly exaggerated, the period when the most representatives die is between the end of the four-year training period and the fifth to tenth year. During this time, more than half of the representatives disappear.

‘Feast of Absorption,’ ‘Tower of Flesh and Blood.’

These terms refer to this period. Representatives who build a tower with the flesh and blood of enemies are called the Tower of Flesh and Blood.

Among those who built this tower, strong individuals often emerge.

A prime example is the Sword Saint. He was mockingly called the Lord of the Tower of Flesh and Blood by enemies, meaning he was a representative who diligently built the tower.

“It’s a sad story, but representatives are beings who grow stronger by consuming the flesh and blood of other representatives. Cannibalism! To strictly maintain this boundary, new legion members are carefully accepted, and legion members are called family.”

Despite being exaggerated, Arun’s head drooped powerlessly at the words based on truth. As if he had received a high-level mental attack.

“I would be sad if you died. But if another legion family member dies because of you, I would be sad, angry, and disappointed in you. Get a grip. And Ister, you must be listening, right? You crazy bastard, no, you crazy woman! What did you teach in the Garden of Gods! You lunatic! From now on, every time Arun says something stupid like this, Ister, you should know you’ll be blamed.”

“Uh, uh… but still, she is a god.”

“A god, so what?! You have to live so that your god, Ister, can walk around the divine realm with pride, right? With that fish face, would there be any reason to walk proudly in the divine realm?!”

“I’m sorry.”

He sat up straight like a disciplined private, no longer with a stupid and vague expression, but with a shining gaze, and answered.

“If you’re truly sorry, improve your skills to be of help to Lee Hyo-ju. Or meet her quietly and apologize like a man.”

“…Yes.”

With a determined expression, he bit his lip, showing a face full of resolve.

“In the middle of discussing the registration card, what is this… So, have you really thought about it?”

“Well… the hallucinations are real. Sigh…”

“Hallucinations, my foot.”

Swoosh, smack! Clink.

“Ugh.”

An intermediate Sanatis potion flew and shattered against Arun’s forehead. The purple liquid trickled down from his forehead into his screaming mouth.

“Do you know what you just drank?”

“This… isn’t it that? Sanatis potion?”

“That’s right. Hallucinations? Hmph! Did you get any message saying your status ailment was lifted?”

“No.”

“See, I told you.”

Arun nodded at my words.

However, the situation Arun is experiencing now is probably not that simple.

A situation where his conscience is troubled, causing his inner demons to grow.

But the more you become aware of these demons, the more fiercely they arise.

Even I, no, even the gods live with demons in their hearts, let alone humans!

So, the first thing to do is not to be conscious of it. Only then can you move on to the next stage.

It seems Arun has somewhat accepted my assurance, so the first button seems to be fastened well.

“Let me give you a recommendation. First, broadly speaking, one way is to develop in the direction of completing your water attribute magic, which is your characteristic. Another is to make the magical element secondary and learn something else.”

In fact, Arun’s magical talent is outstanding.

Moreover, the talents visible in Arun’s status window clearly indicate he is destined to become a great mage. Additionally, there’s the special talent called ‘Torrent.’

Each god has unique characteristics, and like the Goddess of Dawn, they have talents that only they can bestow upon their representatives.

Like the ‘Dawn’ of the Goddess of Dawn, the ‘Immortality’ of the God of Death, and the ‘Torrent’ of the River God.

The rarer the talent, the more tremendous its effect.

The only unfortunate aspect is Arun’s personality and mental state.

A mage must always be calm and rational. Even if a sword flies at them, they must design and implement a magic formula without blinking.

If you only consider the talent ‘Torrent,’ Arun doesn’t need to insist on being a mage.

‘Torrent’ seems like a talent advantageous only to the mages, as it speeds up the flow of mana and increases the speed of magic manifestation, but it doesn’t just speed up the flow.

A faster flow means a quicker accumulation of mana, and it also indicates an exceptional ability to move the body.

He doesn’t necessarily have to master magic as his main focus; learning it as a secondary skill is fine. It’s just a pity to waste what he’s done so far.

“I…”

“Think about it. But briefly. What you intuitively feel is good, that’s the best choice.”

I have no intention of letting a demon mess with my child(?).

Some representatives who have experienced their first kill or have lived leaving comrades behind encounter demons.

I was no exception and had a hard time.

The way I resolved it was through rigorous training. Without the skill ‘Training,’ I might have died or become a wreck long ago.

Think simply and concisely. Focus and focus again to prevent any stray thoughts. Make yourself collapse and fall asleep on the training ground.

“I want to help Mr. Kim Han with magic.”

“Good.”

It’s a good method. At this point, even if you learn physical skills, it’s hard to excel. Moreover, as mentioned earlier, it would be a waste to disregard what you’ve learned so far.

Nevertheless, the reason I mentioned two methods to Arun is because, as I said before, Arun’s personality doesn’t align well with being a mage.

I thought it wouldn’t be too bad for him to develop into a shaman or a formation master responsible for backup from now on.

The alternative paths I considered for Arun, other than being a mage, were twofold: a water and earth spirit master based on Arun’s ‘Torrents’ and ‘Elemental Affinity—Water, Earth,’ and a shaman or formation master based on ‘Torrent’ and ‘Exploration.’

“First of all, since you’re a representative of the River God, your mana is concentrated on ‘flow.’ And it’s a fast flow, right?”

“Huh? How did you know?”

“Call a carriage and ask to be taken to the famous fisherman’s house in the northern residence.”

“A fisherman?”

“The fisherman might not be home when you arrive. If so, wait until he comes back. It’s a good idea to pack plenty of lunch for the trip.”

“Okay…”

“Give the fisherman your registration card and tell him you want to learn ‘Peace of the Lake.’”

“Peace of the Lake… Okay.”

He repeated it several times, nodding as if he had fully absorbed it. His gaze slightly changed.

Originally, I was going to suggest stopping by other places before heading to the fisherman’s house. This fisherman might not appear for a day or two.

But seeing Arun’s current state, it’s time for ‘Peace of the Lake.’

Some skills cause one’s talent to blossom just by learning them.

Lee Hyo-ju assumed that the ‘Gwanum’ introduced to her was something like that, and the technique recommended to Hazel was similar. Likewise, ‘Peace of the Lake’ was the same.

“Once you successfully master it, you’ll feel a bit more at ease. After that, when you leave the fisherman’s house, take a carriage to the southwest of Exorsus to find the mercenary guild. When you get to the mercenary guild, say you want to meet the mercenary group ‘If the Sea Were Land,’ and they’ll assign you a guide.”

“The sea, land?”

“If the Sea Were Land. Anyway, find the guide and enter the mercenary group, then say you want to meet the leader. You’re already famous, so they’ll let you meet without any fuss. If the mercenary leader is young, has a scar across his face, and carries a huge greatsword on his back, show him your registration card.”

“To the mercenary leader?”

“Yes. And say you want to learn ‘The Sea’s Cry.’”

“Is it swordsmanship?”

“What nonsense. The mercenary leader is a mage, so of course, it’s magic.”

“What?!”

Of course, just by appearance, one might think he’s a warrior, but he was an extraordinary Transmuter (a magic expert who changes the physical environment).

If you ask him to teach you transmute magic, he might just teach you telekinesis and call it a day.

‘Cry of the Sea’ was one of his magic categories, and while it would be great to learn all the magic of this person called the mercenary leader, unfortunately, the names of the techniques are unknown.

The ‘Cry of the Sea,’ which was discovered by chance, was a magic category that granted immense physical force to already manifested magic, ranging from small areas to tidal waves.

By maintaining a stable mana core and a cool mind with ‘Peace of the Lake,’ achieving a rapid mana turnover with ‘Torrent,’ and maximizing the destructive power of water attribute magic with ‘The Sea’s Cry,’ one could summon a tsunami in the middle of the battlefield depending on their efforts.

“If you understand, go. First, the fisherman. And when you go, make sure to pack enough food for a week.”

“Yes.”

However, contrary to his brisk reply, Arun stood rooted to the spot, as if nailed there, not leaving the study.

“What are you doing?”

“Well… I… thank you!!”

“Enough now, get out. If you’re going to say something cheesy, don’t. You might end up dead.”

“Haha. Yes, I’ll be back.”

“Alright, call Hazel on your way out.”

After Arun left, silence filled the study.

When I think about it, do these gods really want to fight me? Isn’t the state of the representatives too much?

“Damn them!”

Yet, looking at the door Arun exited, I couldn’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia.

In Arun’s conscientious and considerate demeanor, I seemed to see something I could never return to, leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.

The bitterness in my mouth only deepened my annoyance towards the gods in charge of the fledglings.

Aitas clicked her tongue in regret as Lee Hyo-ju left the study. Was it because Kim Han’s image disappeared from the small view?

“By the way, doesn’t it seem like our Kim Han is under too much stress? What do you think?”

“Hmph!”

A clicking sound came from the woman who spoke first.

“Mors, but seriously, why did you choose such a child as your representative?”

“Just felt drawn to her.”

“Crazy woman, your taste is…”

As Aitas stepped back and covered her chest with her arms, the woman called Mors furrowed her brow deeply.

“That’s not it! I just had a feeling that kid would grow significantly!”

“Loli pervert…”

It seemed none of the women missed Aitas’s small voice, as the other two women, excluding Mors, began to chuckle.

“You little…!”

Mors finally exploded. However, she couldn’t continue her anger.

“But doesn’t that representative know too much? The people introduced to Aitas’s Lee Hyo-ju and our Mae Young-ryeong, and Naruan the Battle Puppet, just by the names of their skills, they’re strong enough that even I’ve heard of them. Of course, they’re all transcendent. What’s more surprising is the compatibility with each representative. The skills and compatibility he suggested are truly… remarkable.”

At Genesis’s words, Aitas’s shoulders shrugged up. (Why, though?)

“It’s good to be strong.”

“Yes, but despite being so strong, there’s too much worry. Besides, our representatives might be a bit lacking, but they’re not insufficient, right? They’re just newcomers who have entered the ‘Battlefield of the Gods.’ Aren’t most first-year representatives like that? If anything, Kim Han seems abnormal to me.”

Genesis tilted her head, and the other two goddesses, Mors and Spatium, agreed with her words.

Only Aitas showed a shocked expression for a moment before erasing it.

The fact that only Aitas and Kim Han were the ones who knew it. The ‘past that was the future’ they had forgotten.

The ‘Battlefield of the Gods’ had opened, and although many things happened suddenly, it was only February. Everyone around Kim Han, who was striving, worrying, and enjoying, was a beginner.