Typhoon Landfall

Even before the <Otherworld Upheaval>, nature had phenomena that were given the name ‘disasters.’
In the distant past, people sometimes saw lightning striking down from the sky and associated it with gods, and they also regarded lava and solar eclipses as omens of disaster.
Even though the development of science had explained countless phenomena, some things still remained as sources of fear for people, and the representative examples were typhoons or storms, earthquakes, and tidal waves.
In Korea, typhoons had the greatest impact, and because of that, when forecasts continued to say that a typhoon would make landfall, the Awakeners around the southern coast became extremely busy.

“Damn it. This damn weather forecast is never right.”
“There are ten passages caught on the radar in this area alone. Three of them have an erosion level over 30. One of them is an A-rank passage. If we don’t deal with them quickly, the passages made unstable by the typhoon’s influence will collapse.”
“This is enough to drive me insane. What are you all doing? Move.”

The guilds and Association branches in charge of the Gyeongsang-do and Jeolla-do regions moved until their feet might as well have been on fire.

‘We need to finish everything before the typhoon makes landfall.’

While the Awakeners in the areas where the typhoon was expected to make landfall were moving busily, the local governments unrelated to Awakeners were also moving busily.
A typhoon was about to hit soon, and they were holding an exchange sparring match at a time like this.

“Why does a typhoon have to come now of all times? How are things with the outdoor stage?”
“A barrier caster from Jiri Academy is supposed to come out.”
“Huh? You’re telling me an Awakener like that was still left there?”
“Couldn’t they have invited one from outside?”
“No, why would a precious barrier caster go to Jiri Academy? They shouldn’t have much of a budget there.”
“Couldn’t they be an acquaintance of the Saint?”
“Mm. That’s possible. Anyway, even if they’re juvenile Awakeners, Awakeners are still Awakeners. This has gotten seriously annoying. No, they should tell us about things like this earlier. An official cooperation letter even came down, so we can’t make trouble over it either.”
“Let’s hurry and move.”

This was before the typhoon came.

The day before the typhoon made landfall, Ro-un visited the chairman’s office.

“Hey. Student Lee Ro-un, you’re here?”
“You called me.”
[Woof!]
“Hello to the spirit too.”

Why had this tiger suddenly called him?

‘Surely he isn’t saying now that he can’t allow a spar with students from another academy, right?’

From what he had heard, an official cooperation letter had been sent to the local government with the chairman’s approval, so surely he would not refuse something bearing his own official seal now.
What on earth was it?
Ro-un looked at the chairman with a suspicious face.
Baek Ho-yeon, who had been enjoying Ro-un’s reaction with a smiling face, finally opened his mouth.

“Thanks to the Saint, every day has been enjoyable lately.”

You look like it.
You really look like you’re having the time of your life.
How did you stay shut away in Inwang Mountain when you enjoy things this much?

“Did you know? We absolutely hate leaving the territories we’ve set for ourselves.”
“…Why?”
“We respect one another’s territories. In the old days, you see. Back in the old days, we fought a lot over whether this land was mine or that land was mine. These days, there are humans everywhere, and if we fight, those humans might get caught up in it, right? That’s why we don’t. It was really fun back then.”

It was a statement worthy of the king of the Tiger Clan, known as a warrior race.
Without even noticing that Ro-un was looking at him as if he was slightly fed up, Baek Ho-yeon spoke while lost in memories.

“The most fun was when I decided territories with that guy Yong Chang-jin. Beating up guys I didn’t like with guys I got along with was fun too. Back then, humans looked at us and called us the Four Divine Beasts and the Four Evil Beasts.”

So that was where the Four Divine Beasts and the Four Evil Beasts originated!
Ro-un was inwardly shocked by a story that was close to being from before the Common Era.

“Oops! Darn it. I went and told old stories in front of Student Ro-un again. My kids liked hearing stories from when I was young, so telling them became a habit. Hahahaha. Please understand, Student Lee Ro-un.”

Surely he didn’t tell that story in front of Princess In-woo too, right?

‘Isn’t the reason the Tiger Clan likes old stories all because of this tiger?’

Ro-un sent him a suspicious look.
Baek Ho-yeon casually brushed off Ro-un’s suspicious gaze and got to the point.

“The reason I called Student Lee Ro-un is this. An important guest is coming to the academy. I’d like to ask you to greet that guest.”
“At a time like this, you mean?”
“That’s right. Just as Student Ro-un guessed, a being interested in the Saint’s match is coming down, saying they want to watch. Hoo. They don’t listen no matter how much I try to stop them.”

A being?
And they were coming to see me?
If they were coming even when that tiger tried to stop them, then they must be someone roughly equal to him.

‘I can’t believe several beings come to mind.’

How long had it even been since he regressed, for him to know several such beings?
More importantly, among the several candidates, who was the one coming down this time?
While Ro-un was narrowing down the candidates, Baek Ho-yeon suddenly leaned forward.

“So, about that, won’t you go out to greet them?”
“Me?”
[Whine?]
“They’ll be very happy if Student Lee Ro-un goes out.”
“Understood. Is that all you needed?”
“Yeah! I’m counting on you.”

Baek Ho-yeon lightly waved his hand.
That was all?
No request to guide the guest around the academy, accommodate as many of their requests as possible, or check the guest’s health while they waited, none of that,

‘What is this, Lee Ro-un? Get a grip. You still haven’t gotten rid of your slave mentality, have you?’

Lee Ro-un came back to his senses, erased the thoughts stained by slave mentality, and answered Baek Ho-yeon.

“So I only need to greet the guest. Is it all right if I don’t guide them to the chairman’s office?”
“Yeah. They’ll come on their own.”
“Understood. I’ll be going now.”

Ro-un bowed his head and left the chairman’s office, walking as if he was speed-walking.
Just as he placed his hand on the doorknob, Baek Ho-yeon spoke as if talking to himself.

“Right. I heard the acquisition of the mana engraving factory will be safely completed soon. I wonder what I should try doing with it.”

Flinch.

At the impossible-to-ignore words ‘mana engraving factory,’ Ro-un turned his body at an angle and looked at Baek Ho-yeon.
Then his eyes met Baek Ho-yeon’s, as if the tiger had been waiting.

‘If there’s a mana engraving factory, escape stones can be mass-produced. Come to think of it, I submitted an application because of research funding support. Could it be?’
‘Yes. It’s that ‘could it be,’ Saint.’

Seeing that face, he did it on purpose!
At the sight of bait being waved right in front of his eyes, Ro-un knew it was bait but still couldn’t help biting.

‘Thinking of what comes after the first Calamity, mass production of escape stones is necessary. Originally, I planned to drop out and use the production facilities owned by the World Awakener Association, but if that tiger acquired a mana engraving factory, I don’t have to go all the way to the World Awakener Association.’

Did that tiger really regress too?
Ro-un couldn’t erase the suspicion that, for some reason, that tiger seemed to know everything, but he sighed at the reality that he had no choice but to openly take the bait.
The tiger waved his hand lightly, as if teasing him.

“Then, Student Lee Ro-un. I’m counting on you.”

He couldn’t tell whether what he was counting on him for was greeting the guest, the spar, or something else.
An old tiger was indistinguishable from a sly old snake!
He was extremely worried about what the princess would see and learn.
When he came outside, the tiger secretary told him the VIP’s arrival time.

“They will arrive in ten minutes. Then, I leave it to you, Student Lee Ro-un.”

Why did this tiger only tell me this ten minutes before?!
Ro-un hurriedly told Cheon Su-ho to extend Joo Hee-jun’s training time by one hour and ran to the building entrance.
Fortunately, it seemed that the VIP was someone who kept the appointed time exactly.
By the time Ro-un reached the building entrance with five minutes to spare, no being who seemed to be around Baek Ho-yeon’s age was visible.
Lee Ro-un, who had caught his breath, glared toward the place where the chairman’s office was.

“That tiger. He did it on purpose.”
[Woof!]
“You think so too, Hyung?”
[Pant pant pant pant.]

Somehow, it felt like the respect and reverence he had first felt after learning about Divine Beasts were decreasing while his irreverence was increasing, but it couldn’t be helped.
Just look at what that black-hearted white tiger was doing!
He would act as if he would sign the consent form, only to put it off with one excuse after another, but then he would show himself properly doing his job by firing corrupt teachers or supporting research funding, and this time too, he seemed to be increasing the scale of the matter with the students from another academy by dragging in the local government and applying pressure, only to suddenly drop the matter of the mana engraving factory and make it impossible for me not to be tempted.

“I’ll have to talk to him properly once this is over.”

Because this might greatly move up his future plans.
While Ro-un was organizing his thoughts, he saw an unfamiliar car coming this way.
It was a red sports car.

‘Red? Could it be…?’

The red sports car slid silently to a stop in front of Ro-un.
It was exactly noon.

Sssshk.

The car door smoothly opened upward.
And someone wearing a red suit stepped out from inside.

“Saint. It’s been a while. I missed you.”

It was the Owner of the Night Market, Gu So-ye.
Ro-un composed himself after being startled by the appearance of the person he had expected and greeted Gu So-ye.

“Hello, Proprietress Gu So-ye. This is our first time meeting since the Seocho-dong incident. Have you been well?”
“Yes! You have been well too, haven’t you, Saint? I missed you so much after that day!”

Gu So-ye smiled brightly, like a flower blooming.
Sincerity showed in her smile.
Ro-un, who was hit head-on at close range by the smile of a nation-toppling beauty, quickly cast [Purification] on himself and came to his senses.

‘You’re the same as ever, Proprietress Gu.’

Every single one of her actions was captivating.
If he didn’t keep his head straight, he might be bewitched just like during their first meeting.

“To think the Saint would personally come out to greet me. This humble maiden is deeply moved.”
“The chairman asked me to. If I had known Proprietress Gu was coming, I would have come out even without the chairman’s request.”
“Oh my, how sweet!”

When he responded according to the manners and habits ingrained in him, Gu So-ye raised a hand with red-painted nails to cover her mouth, looking moved.
Even that action made it impossible to take one’s eyes off her.
So this was why people said they were bewitched by foxes.
Ro-un spoke while slightly averting his gaze from Gu So-ye’s face.

“You seemed extremely busy lately. But did you perhaps come down here because of me?”
“Were you worried about me?”

Gu So-ye widened her already large eyes even more and smiled.
Even though he knew her true identity, he couldn’t help looking at her.

“I was monitoring articles about the Association. I was also worried about what Proprietress Gu said at the end, so I looked into it and confirmed that there are currently many audits, internal whistleblowing reports, and disciplinary actions involving Association executives and employees. Complaints and reports from outside have also sharply increased. I don’t have proof, but I think Proprietress Gu probably moved.”
“You saw that far. I heard the Saint has been extremely busy lately, but to think you were even monitoring the Association.”
“I was watching the Korean Awakener Association too.”
“Was my venting of anger helpful to the Saint?”
“Well, yes. As a Korean Awakener, the purification and normalization of the Association were things I had wanted.”

Gu So-ye smiled with her eyes curving like crescent moons.
He felt like he understood why people in the old days compared the appearance of beautiful women to the moon.

“I’m glad. I heard you have been busy with lecture preparations, and on top of that, you have been busy without a moment to rest because of the sparring preparations with the Bukhan Academy students. But can you really fix it?”
“Fix what?”
“Student Joo Hee-jun’s trait.”

She’s very well-informed as always.
Ro-un slowly blinked at the fact that the fox who should have been in Seoul knew about what had happened at Jirisan and answered.

“Probably.”
“Hmmm? It seems you can’t be certain.”
“I’m trying to apply a similar case to Joo Hee-jun.”
“As far as I know, there has never been a case where an ‘unstable’ trait was fixed.”

Ro-un avoided Gu So-ye’s gaze.

“I only saw a hypothesis too.”
“‘Unstable’ traits have been discovered several times before. Research papers related to them have also been reported to academic conferences a few times. Saint, you really are knowledgeable.”
“…Thank you.”

Thank goodness I read all the papers presented at the academic conferences.
Ro-un inwardly breathed a sigh of relief as he guided Gu So-ye inside.

“The chairman’s office is on the top floor.”
“I don’t know why humans and tigers both like high places so much.”

You like flashy things too, Proprietress Gu.
Ro-un glanced sideways at the clothes and accessories she was wearing and changed the subject.

“By the way, Proprietress Gu. I didn’t get to ask earlier, but do you have people accompanying you?”

When Ro-un carefully asked while thinking of the trucks that had lined up behind the red sports car, Gu So-ye clapped her hands.

“That’s right. They are the staff I brought for the Saint’s first livestream debut.”

My what debut?
Ro-un turned around in shock.

“Oh my. Did you not hear from Baek Ho-yeon? We decided to broadcast the Saint’s spar.”
“I heard we were cooperating with the local government, but I’m going to be on broadcast?”
“That Ho-yeon, really. Did he forget because he was busy?”

No. I think he deliberately didn’t tell me.
Ro-un recalled Baek Ho-yeon waving his hand lightly and buried his face in his palm.

“Girls~! I’ll go talk with the chairman here and come back~! We’re filming the training scene too, so please set things up well here~!”
“Yes, Proprietress!”
“See you soon.”

Beautiful women with pretty faces answered in pretty voices.
Wait, I still haven’t said I would appear, and at that moment, another vehicle entered.

“Huh? Huuuh?”

No one had even gotten out of the car yet, but Proprietress Gu reacted without being able to hide her interest.
A being Proprietress Gu would react to like this.

‘This is ominous.’

His instinct as an Awakener warned him.
He felt a sense of crisis as if he were witnessing the instant before the white giant brought its fist down in the S-rank trial-type passage of Gokseong.