Chapter 418

Chapter 418

Chapter 75 EPILOGUE (5)

After concluding the call with Yeonwoo, I petted the soft fur of Rice Cake(Cake), who was perched on my lap, and furrowed my brows. Then, I glared at the now dark smartphone screen.

“Yeonwoo is already on the second…”

If the Damned System hadn’t watched over the twins, I shuddered to think what kind of situation they might have been in by now. The mere thought sent a chill running through my veins. In a world that I had protected through countless hardships, the idea of my family, who should have been enjoying it, dying was absurd.

“It’s ridiculous.”

Though I had never liked the System, I was truly thankful this time. I took a deep breath to control my turbulent emotions. I knew that incidents and accidents tend to come unexpectedly, but…

“It seems frequent.”

Was I mistaken? Was it possibly my doing? Or was it because the System was looking out for the twins? I found myself lost in thought over various matters. Of course, the System said there were no issues. Since it was intervening by paying divinity legitimately, there was no reason for causality to impose any sanctions. After all, it wasn’t preventing the occurrence of the incidents themselves, so there would be minimal butterfly effects. Although I had a lingering unsettling feeling, it was simply an emotional unease.

The incident involving the twins was of a level that could happen to anyone.

“I just hope it’s merely a coincidence.”

As long as nothing extraordinary was interfering, if it were just an accident, the System would always protect the two, so there wouldn’t be significant problems. I set aside my smartphone with turbulent emotions and placed it beside the sofa.

Just then, the front door swung open.

“I’m back!”

Kim Yul returned, who had gone out stating that since there were no snacks at home, he would buy some.

“Heh.”

I wondered if he had ransacked a supermarket or something. Kim Yul came in carrying four bags the size of his body. The sheer volume was enough to last for ten days—a significant amount.

“Why did you buy so much?”

“The mart is too far!”

Kim Yul grumbled while laying the groceries on the kitchen table.

“I don’t even have a license, so why are the buildings so far apart? I won’t be able to carry this much next time, so I just bought a lot at once.”

Afterwards, he grabbed some snacks, like potato chips, and plopped onto the sofa. While accepting the potato chips handed over by Yul, I turned up the TV volume.

“Hey, Rice Cake, why don’t you come to me at least once?”

In the meantime, Yul tentatively reached out to Rice Cake, who lay sprawled over my lap.

“Snarl.”

Rice Cake responded by opening his mouth and pushing away Yul’s hand, signaling his discontent.

“As cutting as ever, huh.”

Yul smacked his lips in disappointment and focused on the TV screen while opening the snack bag.

“It’s already started?”

“It started quite a while ago.”

Lily’s face appeared on the screen.

“The installation work and mana accumulation necessary for maintenance are now complete…”

Today was the day of her last conference as the head of the Player Association.

“From now on, players will… within Biharin…”

As the announcement continued, Yul suddenly asked me a question.

“Do you think Taeho is watching this too?”

“Probably.”

As soon as mana accumulation was completed, Yang Taeho returned home to see his family. Kim Yul planned to stay here over the summer and return with the twins. Both chose to return to their original lives instead of maintaining the player’s perks.

“When you look closely, Lily’s demeanor has changed too. She seems sharper.”

While Yul was intermittently chatting, the words I had been waiting for finally aired about an hour later.

“Then, I hereby declare the dissolution of the Player Association.”

Lily’s composed declaration became the trigger for a System window to appear within my vision.

≪Important Announcement≫

The closure of the Player Training and Support Program is in progress.

(Time until program closure: 00:00:56)

Though it remained invisible to civilians, all players currently using the game program would be seeing the same prompts. The numbers on the System window steadily decreased.

≪Important Announcement≫

The Player Training and Support Program has been terminated.

Our heartfelt congratulations to all players who have excellently carried out the war for the survival of humanity.

With the appearance of the new System window, the interfaces that had occupied my vision over the past several years vanished entirely. The status window, the store, the message windows, and even the map, disappeared all at once.

It felt as if my field of vision had suddenly emptied.

“Oh…!”

At that moment, beside me, Yul exclaimed in awe and slumped down.

“Wow, oof… Was my body always this heavy?”

His murmur was closer to a sigh, following his sudden exclamation.

I watched Yul, who seemed bewildered as he moved his body this way and that. He had lost the power of a player. With the game’s closure, most players had lost the mana they had accumulated and reverted to being ordinary humans.

Of course, there were some exceptions. Like me, certain individuals who were predetermined to reside in Bihar to monitor and protect mana users could use it.

≪Important Announcement≫

The Player Maintenance Program is now operational.

Over 500 players have volunteered and been selected from around the world. They, too, would see the same System window appear before my eyes.

These selected players, following the dissolution of the Player Association, are to be affiliated with the newly established Mana Response Agency. Moreover, the Mage Association will also be incorporated under this agency.

I browsed the new interface. Comparatively, it was much simpler than when it had a little bit of everything, including a community and a store. The status window icon was all there was, so navigating wasn’t time-consuming.

Once I adapted to the new interface, a voice beside me sounded oddly absent-minded.

“What should I do with my life now…?”

It was a murmur from Yul, who was blankly staring at the TV screen showcasing an American anchor. His expression suggested disappointment and uncertainty.

“Honestly, I hadn’t seriously considered it. Each time it seemed like the end, there was always something new, so I didn’t even have time to think. That jerk Kim left a long time ago…”

I thought he had significant concerns or something.

“It’s not like I particularly wanted to remain a player either; it’s just more familiar here, so I decided to return. But…”

The achievement of a monumental goal of ending the war was undoubtedly a good accomplishment. However, Yul seemed to have lost the closest goal to him due to this achievement. I could see he was feeling disappointed and anxious, probably troubled in various ways.

Of course, this would be resolved once he found a new aim. I replied while opening the potato chip bag.

“You have time to think about it now, right?”

“Will thinking about it even help…?”

Unlike Yul, his attitude was unusually pessimistic.

“Jinwoo’s a judge, Yeonwoo’s a doctor… Did you know, hyung? Berta wants to be a firefighter? Hyewon joined the military as an officer, and Rashar said she might as well become the Minister of Defense. Ahel is thinking of becoming a Tower Master, since mana grades from the other side no longer restrict him here. He probably means becoming the head of the Mage Association here. Oh, Taeho expressed interest in being a professor and plans to return to studying. Namkyu intends to join the National Intelligence Service, and then…”

Yul’s endless updates about people around him, updates I didn’t even know, continued endlessly.

“How does he know so much about other people?”

I always knew Yul had a lot of people around him, but I had no idea he knew so much about their personal affairs. Even to know Rashar’s inner desires, which I had never heard of, was baffling.

I found it incredible but also fascinating. It meant that Yul had been in constant and tight communication with others. He was always the first to reach out, check in, and extend a helping hand. Such actions probably allowed people to open up about things they didn’t even discuss with me.

While I re-evaluated the person that Yul was, he continued his lament.

“How do people find exactly what they want to do like that?”

Since he was pondering what to live for, he likely was feeling a sense of existential doubt.

However, as a result, he seemed not to recognize his own strengths.

“Words won’t register in times like this, will they?”

This was a problem time and companions had to solve for him.

There was enough time, and his companions would not abandon him.

Being the amicable and attentive person towards others, it stood to reason that, in reversed situations, others would look out for him.

I certainly had no intention of leaving Yul to his devices.

“There’s no rush. The kids’ vacation period is longer than expected, and both are likely to need personal time to study. So, contemplate then. If you don’t find anything, continue thinking about it after returning to Korea, alright?”

I decided to watch over and take him around here and there for the time being.

“Well, yeah, nothing’s pressing…”

Yul replied languidly, flipping through channels one after the other.

With that, our conversation ended, and I recalled the news Yul had shared about Rashar.

“She’s considering becoming the Minister of Defense?”

She had never shown any hints to me, so I never even suspected it. While I knew she was diligent, I had no idea she harbored such ambitions.

“Maybe I should make a proposal about supporting her.”

I had no intention of subjugating myself to someone or starting a business at this point. Considering I had matched an primordial god from another dimension, it would be laughable for me to bow my head to a human.

“A life of a rich, idle person doesn’t sound bad either.”

It was surprisingly enjoyable watching the children grow step by step in the directions I pointed. If I devoted myself to support work, I could provide quality upbringing to the child that I couldn’t give to the twins.

“Not bad?”

While I was tapping the armrest of the sofa, I suddenly checked the wall clock.

“Lunchtime.”

If I went to the Ministry of Defense’s building now, I’d meet Rashar.

“Why not settle things while it’s in my mind?”

I got up from the sofa with that thought.

「The Trait Madman activates.」

「The System transitions into support mode. Support target: Player Kang Hyunwoo.」

《System Message》

Kang Hyunwoo! Kang Hyunwoo! There’s an intruder! A strange status is approaching!

Every time the Trait activated, I went through great hardships. As memories of such times emerged, annoyance surged within me and my mouth automatically reacted.

“Damn.”

As a habitual curse word escaped, the System’s nagging followed suit.

《System Message》

Let’s use correct and pleasant language! The Ancient Proverb warns us about the human speech, saying, “The mouth and tongue are the gateway to disasters and worries, akin to the axe that can take lives…”

“Nagging like that.”

Pretending to be a sage while having not even advanced past an infant level of maturity, attempting to lecture like one—what a sight. I promptly turned off the message without even finishing reading it and asked,

“Is it urgent? Will it arrive any moment?”

In the mood to meet Rashar right away to settle matters.

《System Message》

If you don’t come now, I’ll Die!

This System was not helpful.

“Exaggerating.”

There’s no way the thing would perish when the dimension was fine.

“At worst, it would just get a little beaten up and would feel pain, overreacting like that.”

While clucking my tongue, I surpassed causality.

And the sight that greeted me was…

– Ouch, ouch! I’m in danger here! Please rescue me, Kang Hyunwoo!

As expected, the System was dragging around a white prison, trapping something clearly corrupted, and rolling it around noisily.

The exaggerated and awkward speech was transparent enough to make it clear that the thing was putting up an act just to summon me.

– Aaaagh! This could end very badly, please save me, help me, Kang Hyunwoo!

Recognizing the familiar lines, I grasped the full understanding of the ongoing circumstances. The System was now engrossed in a role-play game.

From the animations of rescue teams it had tediously explored during its time in the material realm, it was role-playing!

Realizing this fact made something in my head snap.

“You rotten bastard!”

Without hesitation, I raised my hand and smacked the System.

“Do you have any sense or not?! Do you think you’re the boy who cried wolf? I’ve told you not to fool around like this!”

While yelling, an odd certainty dawned on me.

“This guy’s going to do it again.”

Hasn’t it been two times already with this behavior?

In the future, whenever it felt bored, it would surely repeat this stunt. Leaving me having to rush over like a person with their tail on fire each time.

My future suddenly seemed grim.

“How did I end up entangled with something like this?”

Feeling a sense of resignation, memories rapidly flashed through my mind like a montage.

Merely recalling the day when the Trait of Question appeared made my teeth involuntarily clench.

It was a given. No matter how much time passed, I wouldn’t forget.

The day the Damned System barged into my otherwise peaceful life.

「Damned System」 END

New Elements and Characters Mentioned:

– 백설기 (Rice Cake) – Cake(as he), with ‘he’

– 김율 (Kim Yul) – Kim Yul(he), with ‘he’

– 국방부 장관 (Minister of Defense) – Minister of Defense(as na), with ‘na’

– 릴리 (Lily) – Lily(she), with ‘she’