Receiving A New Request (2)

At the time Bak Hyeok had been trying to cross the wall of the 9th Circle, he had suffered damage close to death due to the schemes of his direct disciple, Pi Jin-hyeok, and had no choice but to fall into becoming a Chimera.

The advantage that a high-ranking mage could maintain their mind under any circumstances was, in some ways, a phenomenon close to a calamity for Bak Hyeok, and while preserving a mind that should have been devastated by long experimentation, he endured moments that felt like eternity and pondered a method to restore his condition to its original state.

However, there was no answer, and just when he was half ready to give up, he despaired at the fact that the answer that came to him was to rely on an unknown existence called “god.” On the other hand, Bak Hyeok, who did not want to miss the opportunity he had regained, pondered various things and eventually arrived at one point.

He had discovered that the beings called “Apostles” were not beings of this world, and that they refined their power by absorbing “cores” and negativity.

He also recalled how Apostles could freely accept and operate power, as well as the sphere said to have been found where an Apostle had died, and realized that it had played the role of a kind of “core.”

It was an unknown domain, and until he saw it with his own eyes, he had thought this information might not be close to the truth, but not anymore.

“…I did not expect it to be real.”

Holding the sphere in his hand, he looked it over this way and that and became certain.

Then, while pondering how he should process it, he became certain that it was a medium incomparably more solid and powerful than the compressed Drake heart that had been roughly shoved into the position of his current heart, and he began preparing the work.

Bak Hyeok prepared various kinds of magic devices.

But Kim Dae-san, who was watching this silently, asked.

“If using that does not properly replace it, you will simply die. Are you satisfied with that?”

“If I simply die, then I will be satisfied with that as well. When that time comes, take this back and repay your debt.”

“Tsk, what debt…? The world looks like it is about to end, so do you think owing this or that will change anything?”

Bak Hyeok, who had been looking at Kim Dae-san’s grumbling appearance with emotionless eyes, spoke.

“In all my life, I have never seen a person as full of lingering attachments as you. So I will say this clearly. You are the sort of great man who will pay off all his debts before dying.”

“That is quite the amazing compliment.”

“If it sounded that way, then I am glad…”

Then Bak Hyeok quickly moved his mana and began operating several devices.

Kim Dae-san let out a sound of admiration at how natural and powerful the movement of mana was, and he quietly asked.

“If you succeed, what realm will you reach?”

“I will reach the 9th Circle, which humans evaluated as an incomprehensible domain, just as that man named Marcelo did.”

“A 9th Circle mage on the Korean Peninsula… It will become quite a meaningful day.”

“It will become a power that cannot be controlled. Does that not go against your life motto?”

“I have no intention of controlling you. There is no reason to, either.”

“Why?”

Bak Hyeok looked as if he could not understand, and Kim Dae-san sighed as he spoke.

“If you see Geum Seong-chan in person, you will understand too. He has already gone far beyond the realm of humans.”

“Has he grown that much?”

He remembered the sight of him fighting his disciple Pi Jin-hyeok, and he also remembered holding back against him, but he could not truly feel it.

Because of that, even though he had detailed memories, it had not been a fight with “magic,” and he thought back to that time when Geum Seong-chan had been at a relatively low realm, showing an expression of incomprehension.

“So an expression does appear even on that molded face of yours.”

“My expression has always been terrible. So you should also stop living while hiding behind a mask at a suitable point….”

“It would have been nice if that were something I could do as I pleased.”

Kim Dae-san grumbled lightly.

Afterward, Kim Dae-san left the facility, leaving behind Bak Hyeok, who was steadily preparing the magic.

Bak Hyeok had expressed concern.

Because he said that if the experiment failed, a giant explosion might occur, Kim Dae-san had avoided the place in advance.

Left alone like that, Bak Hyeok finished preparing various kinds of magic, then began paralyzing his own body.

Because as long as his mind remained intact, operating mana was not difficult.

‘From now on, it is a battle of mental strength. The vitality of my current body must be extremely strong. I did not expect that disciple of mine to transplant an entire Drake into me, but this body does not suit me. So… I will change it. I will become the strongest Chimera you dreamed of….’

The dream the disciple had failed to accomplish, the master was trying to accomplish.

Marcelo, who had arrived one step late, faced Han Sang-gil at the Black Magic Academy with an empty expression.

“Are you saying he has already left?”

“Yes. If it is him, he should already be crossing the sea by now. Did you have urgent business with him?”

“I wanted to request something from him.”

“A request, you say…?”

After hearing what kind of discussion was taking place inside the Sea Sun Brigade and what the circumstances were, Han Sang-gil laughed emptily.

“Recently, the number of people looking for that fellow has increased sharply. It is truly fortunate.”

Marcelo felt puzzled by Han Sang-gil’s grumbling, which seemed to have a deep story behind it.

“Is something happening to him?”

“It is not quite something happening, but his past is quite unfortunate.”

And after hearing the brief story of Geum Seong-chan’s last several years that followed, Marcelo was rendered speechless.

“…Are you saying he started as a 3rd Circle black mage?”

“During the Great Cataclysm, there was not even a proper knowledge base, to the point that dividing circles was difficult. It was a time when we just crudely divided people into 3rd Circle or 4th Circle, was it not?”

“That may be true, but did the people called Masters not formalize it?”

Just as Marcelo said, in the early days, there were quite a few people who manifested enormous power at the same time as awakening.

Because Korea had especially many of them, it was a country that found stability faster than any other country.

Because of that, the Korean Peninsula was swept into the flames of war due to the jealousy and envy of neighboring countries, but now, having overcome all of that, Korea was maintaining a force strong enough that it would not be lacking to call it a top Awakener nation.

It was said that the number of Masters was similar to that enormous China’s, so there was no need to explain further. However, Marcelo was not unaware that the civil war among those intoxicated by their power in the early days had been the fuse of the Korean Peninsula War, and Han Sang-gil also began telling Geum Seong-chan’s story in relation to that.

“That fellow lost his entire family in one place during the early days of the Great Cataclysm. He was devastated, and while moving from shelter to shelter, he was withering away day by day.”

And after hearing the story that followed, not very long but not short either, Marcelo was impressed.

“Then that means he is a self-made figure who rose from the bottom to his current realm?”

“His talent was extraordinary. On top of that, one could say luck followed him to some degree as well.”

Meeting Han Sang-gil himself, not being devoured by the Necronomicon, restraining himself and growing properly without becoming drunk on power—all of it was the result created by one person’s effort.

“He is a fellow with many stories like that, so various connections often come looking for him.”

In the end, the story returned to where it had started after going around in circles, and Marcelo asked.

“To meet him, I will have to go all the way to China, correct?”

“If you explain the Sea Sun Brigade’s circumstances, that fellow will gladly listen. He tries to avoid complicated and difficult matters, but if there is benefit within reach of himself and those around him, he will never refuse.”

“Then… please hold on to this for me. It is the payment for the task I will ask Master Geum Seong-chan to do.”

Han Sang-gil showed surprise at the large number of Magic Stones.

He himself had handled many Magic Stones as well, but seeing more than ten Grade 9 Magic Stones placed before his eyes was a number that could not help but surprise him.

At that, he calmly put the Magic Stones into sub-space and spoke.

“I will speak well of it to him. If he refuses, I will send these properly to the Sea Sun Brigade, so you may understand it that way.”

“That part is all right. Please consider it sincerity.”

Marcelo then asked for understanding, saying he had urgent matters and had to return, and Han Sang-gil saw him off while admiring his generosity.

Meanwhile, just as the two of them thought, the two people were crossing the sea.

“The weather seems even better today. It feels refreshing.”

“If there had been fewer marine monsters, many people’s dining tables would still be filled with seafood.”

“So suddenly?”

“I like seafood. But it is hard to eat these days, is it not?”

Half a year ago, there had once been a mass death of fish in the West Sea.

‘It was because I froze the sea too severely….’

The situation had been so bad that people had even said it was unknown whether restoration would be possible.

But even so, nature was great, and some psychic Awakeners had been working on restoration by rapidly growing seaweed, coral, and the like in the sea, so they said it was somehow being restored.

“I suddenly want to eat it too. Let us take care of the terrorists and go eat raw fish!”

Go Yu-jin smacked her lips, and at that sight, I laughed lightly and answered.

“Raw fish goes with soju. If you promise to drink exactly two glasses, let us go.”

“Hmph, with your lover beside you, what wears down just because I get a little drunk?”

“Other places wore down. Very much….”

At my playful words, Go Yu-jin blushed slightly and lightly hit my chest.

Even so, as if she did not dislike it, she showed a bright smile and lightly brushed back her fluttering hair.

That sight was so beautiful and charming.

So I quietly spoke.

“Would you not be upset if another woman came to my side?”

“Why, have you developed some feelings now?”

“I was curious. I wondered if you really said that because you were completely at ease.”

“It is like that these days, is it not?”

Among famous celebrities or successful Awakeners, in the case of men, there were many who had several wives.

Because the gender ratio had become the absurd state of 3:1, there was even more no choice but to allow polygamy. However, even if it was a social issue, it had not been long since things became that way, and I thought there was no way what one had learned, seen, heard, and grown up with for an entire lifetime would simply become fine.

“Mm, I would like it to be someone even I have no choice but to acknowledge. That way, I think I would feel less jealous.”

At her honest words, I hugged Go Yu-jin a little tighter, and realizing that, she stretched out both arms, wrapped them around my body, and met my gaze.

“I do not think I am an embarrassing woman, but unless she is an outstanding woman who can make me feel even a little embarrassed about who I am now, I will not acknowledge her.”

“Would there be someone like that?”

“The world is wide. And you are a man far more incredible than the world thinks.”

“My ears are about to melt from the praise. What should I do if even my hands and feet melt at this rate?”

“Then we can splash into the sea and swim a little before going. And bite into your favorite seafood too.”

At Go Yu-jin’s sly behavior, a hollow laugh burst out of me, but it was not a time I disliked at all.