episode_0167

Around a large round table sat several people.

In the heavy, somber atmosphere, only one person spoke.

“…This concludes the report on the S-rank Gate incident that occurred in Cheorwon.”

It was Archmage Black Heaven Ryu Jinseong, who had successfully managed to almost perfectly handle and contain the large-scale incident that occurred near the Cheorwon border.

After calmly concluding his statement, he sat back down as if his duty was done.

Silence descended upon the conference room.

“A precursor… indeed.”

Amidst the silence, the one who uttered a short remark in a mournful tone was an old man with a long beard.

Flame Emperor Hong Myeongseon, an S-rank Awakener from Busan and a wizard considered the closest to an Archmage.

He propped his arm on the table and sighed. He had heard all of Ryu Jinseong’s report, but the more he listened, the more an ominous feeling swelled within him.

An S-rank Gate occurrence? In recent years, there had been hardly any A-rank gates, let alone S-rank ones…

What’s more, the details Ryu Jinseong added were even harder to believe.

A coming apocalypse that only nature-affiliated mages could sense.

He wanted to scoff and tell him to stop spouting nonsense, to ask how he could utter such ominous words when the world was so peaceful.

But he couldn’t. Hong Myeongseon could feel it too: the unsettling ripples spreading throughout Awakened society at this very moment.

It was then that the Hero, Yang Chan-ho, seated at the head of the table, parted his lips.

“…Reports are coming in from various parts of the world. Multiple S-rank Gate occurrences, starting from nearby Japan and China, to the American continent and Europe.”

“Ahem…”

“Relatively advanced Awakened nations have endured well, but many others have not.”

Yang Chan-ho operated a remote, displaying several images and statistical data on the screen.

Cities tragically collapsed, black smoke rising, and monsters pouring out.

Yang Chan-ho’s expression grew grim.

“Already, in sub-Saharan Africa, several nations have faced annihilation. This was the result of their inability to cope, forcing them to stand by and watch the Gate Break.”

The mood among those present was no different. The atmosphere grew icily cold, with some even running their hands over their faces with conflicted expressions.

This was because most of those gathered here were individuals equivalent to S-ranks in Awakened society.

In a way, it could be said that they had the ability to prevent such a disaster…

Yet they remained in Korea.

While not something to be criticized for, considering that Ryu Jinseong single-handedly handled the S-rank Gate that occurred in Korea, their feelings were understandably complex.

“Many requests for aid have also come in.”

Around that time, Yang Chan-ho casually picked up a few documents and waved them.

These were requests from nations that had suffered devastating blows from S-rank Gates.

South Korea was a nation boasting a significant number of top-tier S-rank Awakeners, including Yang Chan-ho, and its talent pool in the magic world was widely regarded as being at its peak.

Given that they had just successfully contained the S-rank Gate in Cheorwon, it wasn’t wrong to say that their forces were relatively ample.

“I’ll take one.”

Gwon Hwang Baek Muyeom stepped forward and snatched a document. It was a natural reaction for someone of such strong chivalry and public spirit.

“I’ll take one as well.”

“Oh, me too then.”

Other Special S-rank Awakeners with spare capacity, including the Sword Saint, did the same.

The documents in Yang Chan-ho’s hand quickly vanished.

Yang Chan-ho, having quickly shed one burden, let out a chuckle and clapped his hands.

“As expected, you are the proud S-ranks of our Republic of Korea. It’s not easy to actively step forward like this for the dangers of other nations.”

“Stop spewing nonsense, Yang Chan-ho.”

The Dragon King muttered lowly, chiding him. Yang Chan-ho shrugged his shoulders as if accustomed to it and dismissed his words.

“Anyway.”

Then, he changed his expression to a serious one and rested his chin on both arms.

“…There will be a lot more to worry about from now on. The matter of subduing those Moonlight Cult bastards is already complicated, but who would have thought such a large-scale incident would break out.”

At the Hero’s suddenly changed demeanor, the S-ranks also straightened their postures.

After all, the strongest Awakener in Korea was this seemingly laid-back man.

“We need to divide our personnel. Besides those who just took the aid documents, are there any volunteers to participate in the Moonlight Cult subjugation first?”

Yang Chan-ho operated the remote control again. This time, what appeared on the screen was a girl who had once appeared above the sea off Busan.

Under her image, with sky-blue hair tied in two braided pigtails, was an annotation.

[Moonlight Cult Leader Haru]

A slightly different atmosphere formed compared to just before. If those present had shown conflicted feelings about the S-rank Gate incident, this time it was the opposite.

Firm hostility and murderous intent filled the entire conference room, making the air feel heavy.

“…That bitch deserves to die…”

Especially in Hong Myeongseon’s case, it was even more severe. The S-rank of Busan, Sword Demon Lee Cheonsang, could not attend this meeting due to injury, but it was clear that he, too, would share similar sentiments.

After all, wasn’t that the region that suffered the most direct damage? Busan, and its Red Tiger Academy.

“I will go.”

It was not at all strange for Hong Myeongseon to stand up and declare so.

“Of course, I’m also opting for this side.”

Yang Chan-ho also nodded and added that. After all, Cheongsong Academy was also a group that suffered as much damage from the Moonlight Cult as Red Tiger.

Besides that, several other S-ranks were divided into Moonlight Cult subjugation and S-rank Gate preparation, as they wished…

“It seems like all the agenda items have been resolved by now? Is that right?”

It was the moment Yang Chan-ho began to speak, seemingly about to discuss disbanding the meeting.

“…There is one thing I would like to request.”

The teal-haired man, who had remained silent without opening his mouth even once since the initial report, spoke in a low voice.

Everyone in the conference room turned their heads towards Ryu Jinseong, and he declared with certainty.

“Ice Empress’s disciple Lee Hyunjin, and Black Heaven’s disciple Ryu Seeun. I request you review the proposal to promote these two mages to S-rank.”

*****

“What are you thinking?”

It was after all the meetings had ended. The S-ranks had scattered, and Ryu Jinseong was also heading towards the parking lot to return to Cheorwon.

As he passed the corner, an silver-haired girl was standing there, waiting for Ryu Jinseong.

It was Seol Hayeon.

“It’s been a while.”

Ryu Jinseong nodded slightly in greeting. Although he was older, Seol Hayeon was clearly a respectable mage.

“No need for pleasantries.”

But Seol Hayeon just made a crooked expression, as if such formalities were of no importance.

She looked up at Ryu Jinseong, glaring at him with a somewhat dissatisfied expression while crossing her arms.

“I’m talking about the proposal you brought up in the meeting just now. Why are you discussing my, my only, my lovely, ‘disciple-nim’s’ S-rank promotion?”

“…”

Ryu Jinseong was briefly silent.

And he contemplated.

‘Hmm.’

Seol Hayeon’s expression right now was very striking… so much so that it would linger in his memory. A past memory surfaced.

Was it a few years ago? The exact time wasn’t clear, but it was about a time when his personality had been slightly eroded, consumed by dark mana.

Ryu Jinseong had proposed to Seol Hayeon for the sake of young Ryu Seeun, who was looking for her mother.

He had a record of almost becoming an ice statue and being exhibited on the peak of Bukhansan.

It was because Seol Hayeon knew Ryu Jinseong’s circumstances to some extent that he was granted a reprieve; otherwise, it was clear that the number of Archmages would have gone from three to two that very day.

To put it simply, Seol Hayeon was wearing the exact same expression she had back then, at this very moment.

Ryu Jinseong briefly pondered if he had done anything to displease her.

And the conclusion he reached.

‘I haven’t done anything today, though.’

He genuinely couldn’t think of anything.

And he hadn’t actually done anything.

“Hmm.”

Though perplexed, Ryu Jinseong earnestly chose an answer to her question.

Why he had brought up the S-rank promotion of her disciple, Lee Hyunjin?

“You’re asking a strange question, Seol Hayeon.”

Ryu Jinseong raised an eyebrow, looking quite doubtful, and uttered a few short words.

“I recommended him as S-rank because I know his skill. Isn’t that all there is to it? I don’t know why you’re expressing such hostility towards me.”

He had only stated the obvious. In Ryu Jinseong’s view, Lee Hyunjin in Cheorwon was truly a talent worthy of becoming a new Archmage.

“…Disciple-nim is…”

But Seol Hayeon, unaware of the deeper context, offered a rebuttal with a complicated expression.

“Disciple-nim, ahem. He’s still lacking. He’s only twenty years old, you know? Even if I became an Archmage at twenty-two, there’s no law saying Disciple-nim has to follow that path.”

Ryu Jinseong quietly listened to her, and Seol Hayeon continued to mumble in a somewhat apologetic tone.

“Disciple-nim still needs to be protected… If he already climbs up to the same rank as me, I can’t stand to see him so conceited—. No, putting these issues aside. Ahem.”

Just as Seol Hayeon, who let out a short cough, was about to explain, “Anyway!”, why Lee Hyunjin shouldn’t become an Archmage yet.

“I see.”

Ryu Jinseong spoke, his voice sounding as if he understood the general situation.

It was the moment Seol Hayeon, who raised her head with an “Eh?”, was about to ask what he meant by that.

“It seems you don’t really trust your disciple’s skill, Seol Hayeon.”

“?”

“Or… you truly don’t know how high Lee Hyunjin’s current level is.”

Ryu Jinseong shook his head as if it were a regrettable matter.

Such an indifferent master to her disciple.

While Seol Hayeon trembled, clenching her fists, Ryu Jinseong continued speaking with a gaze that would infuriate anyone who saw it.

“I, too, was not a good master once, but you don’t seem much different, so I feel somehow relieved.”

“Gasp.”

Seol Hayeon clutched her chest with an expression of being greatly struck, and Ryu Jinseong added one more word as if to deliver the final blow.

“Still, how about showing some interest in your disciple from now on? Lee Hyunjin might be disappointed from his perspective—.”

A loud *CRACKLE*!

Seol Hayeon grabbed Ryu Jinseong’s face and emitted cold energy.

He was trapped in a block of ice in an instant.

Even in that frozen state, he subtly rolled his eyes as if asking, ‘What is this?’, but Seol Hayeon merely fumed by herself.

“Ha, haaa…? I, I didn’t show interest in Disciple-nim? I, I don’t trust Disciple-nim?!”

Thwack!

Her complexion turned quite red as she struck the innocent ice statue (Ryu Jinseong).

Then, turning her body, she mumbled.

“…I’m so dumbfounded, really. Just you wait. It’s about time I saw him anyway, so as soon as I meet him, I’ll prove my words are right myself….”

*****

“Achoo!”

Lee Hyunjin, who was traveling by train to the Cheon Family mansion in Seoul, sneezed.

Then, feeling an unnecessary shiver, he wrapped his arms around himself.

‘What was that?’

Is something… coming?