episode_0039

Shihyuk’s face hardened at the horrible feeling that should not exist in the world.

A clear hostility that ignored time and space spread wide and far like a sound wave or a ripple, instantly sweeping through his body.

The tingling sensation on my skin, felt by the keen sense of my transcendent body, was my instincts ringing an alarm. I couldn’t estimate the approximate distance, but I was certain that something had appeared somewhere beyond.

“… The summons has been issued.”

Woojoo opened his mouth in a slightly surprised voice.

She too, although of a lower level than the three, was clearly an Awakened who used Mana. She received a text message on her cell phone, and although it was a little late, she sensed something ominous with her sixth sense as an Awakened person.

“All B-class and above attack series registered in the country have been called. They are suddenly telling us to put on all our weapons and assemble without any plan. What the hell, happened…?”

“… The wind.”

“Huh?”

“I felt a terrible ‘wind’, sis. It’s the first time I’ve felt this kind of ‘wind’ without seeing it in front of me. ”

The face of Eunha, who opened her mouth, was pale. The girl who continued to speak with a stutter, even with her lips turned pale, felt a shiver in her stomach even though she was not there. It was a feeling like a lump was being stabbed in her gut.

The wind that Eunha felt was something that should not be mixed with the world. It had an instinctive hostility as if it were fighting an mortal enemy, and a strong will to lead the other party to destruction.

Woo-joo, who realized that the situation was more serious than he thought from the noticeably changed appearance of his younger brother, got up.

“First of all, I understand that something is wrong. Sorry, Sihyuk. I prepared everything for you, but something came up, so I guess I have to leave first.”

Woojoo, who had lowered her head slightly in a tone of apology, put her top back on. Eunha also quickly got up. They quickly started preparing to go back.

Shihyuk tried to calm his pounding head and churning stomach. He took a deep breath and turned his gaze to his sister.

“I understand the severity of the situation. But is the condition of your equipment okay? Since you still have time, I recommend that you get it serviced in case of any problems.”

“I don’t have time, Sihyuk. I have to go now.”

Galaxy’s answer was firm. The girl bit her plump lips as she swept away all the things she had brought and organized them.

“If we don’t go quickly, many people will die or get hurt.”

Eunha’s trembling eyes were filled with confusion and fear at the sudden change in circumstances.

But from the hands that held her puffy sleeves tightly and from the voice that flowed out, I could sense the determined attitude and firm will of someone climbing the stairs to become a hero.

The innocent girl could not tolerate the danger of innocent lives being lost, even if they were not her own.

The reason why he felt a noble will and made the equipment himself was being demonstrated by Eunha through her own actions. The future hero was determined to confront the unidentified giant with his weak power that was not yet fully mature.

As a craftsman who dreams of creating the ‘best work’, I was certainly grateful and happy that my vision was not wrong.

But, but Shihyuk wanted to stop her. He couldn’t express it, so he suggested it indirectly, but he wanted to stop his sister from jumping into danger.

Why?

“It’s a shame we can’t go camping, but thank you so much for today. Grandpa, Sihyuk. See you next time.”

Eunha bowed and politely greeted him as she left the house. Woojoo, who had hurriedly finished tidying up, also gave a short greeting and followed his younger brother who was walking far ahead.

Shihyuk couldn’t even give him a proper send-off.

‘It’s obviously dangerous, but it’s the hero’s journey to open up a path by taking that risk.’

‘It is worthy of praise and encouragement. The equipment I created is being put to the test.’

‘It is an important measure to know whether the owner of the equipment is worthy of being a hero, and whether the weapon I created can reach the ‘best work’.’

‘But why?’

“I don’t want them to leave? I don’t want them to be in danger?”

A sense of loss at having the peace you longed for shattered, and a desire to cheer on the hero who has created his own masterpiece.

The anticipation for the equipment that has been given the opportunity to prove itself as the ‘best piece of work’ and the human emotion of not wanting the happiness created by the good relationship that he had worked hard to obtain to be shattered.

They were mixed and coexisting in Shihyuk’s heart. He couldn’t find the words because of the various emotions that were swirling around inside him.

So, he couldn’t say anything. He didn’t know what expression to make or what to say to his sister who was moving away.

“… … .”

In the long silence, only the sound of the wood fire crackling and sparks flying remained. When even that had run out of embers, whoosh. After spewing out thick black smoke, the sound stopped.

Everything that was warm in the yard seemed to have lost its warmth and turned cold.

“Time.”

Old Man Gong, who had been keeping his mouth shut as if he were dead and had lost all sense of presence, opened his mouth.

It was a voice that felt both relieved and regretful.

“It’s time.”

“… … .”

“Sihyuk-kun, if there is a next time, let’s finish today’s place then. I think I should get up too. I have things to find and things to sort out.”

The old man tapped Shihyuk on the shoulder, got up, and walked out the front door, staggering.

What does it mean when the time has come?

What is the problem that needs to be sorted out all of a sudden?

Is there definitely a next one?

At that time, will you come?

Shihyuk remained silent and couldn’t say anything.

He was left alone, with the sun high in the cloudless sky.

-.-.-

That night, sitting on the living room sofa, he was fiddling with his cell phone for a rare moment.

Shihyuk was the type of person who didn’t bother to look for cable TV or newspapers. The only way he could find out about the outside world was to surf the web and check the news.

The current situation, which I saw with difficulty as I touched the screen with awkward, groping hands, was terrible.

[An extra-dimensional monster that appeared in Jeju Island, presumed to be a boss type.]

[Gate’s Runaway? How Did It Come to This, with Gate Expert Kim XX…]

[We are doing our best to prevent this situation. According to the safety management office officials…]

[Many Awakened members of the Conquest series have joined the battle. Will this situation be resolved quickly?]

[Jeju Island, many casualties. So many people have already died or been injured that the scale of the damage is impossible to measure.]

“… … .”

Shihyuk stared at his phone screen for a moment, then fell silent. Then, after closing the screen, he got up from his seat and headed to the basement.

He turned on the light in the dark forge and opened up the warehouse behind it.

The equipment he had been making and was making came into his sight clearly. As his hands, filled with many thoughts and worries, passed over them, the equipment began to glow and vibrate like a child waking up from sleep.

It was a time when Shihyuk was calming down by picking out one or two of the outstanding or suitable ones among them.

[Mr. Sihyuk, are you there?]

“… Elder?”

He heard the old man’s voice, which seemed to be speaking directly into his head, beyond space. It was a [communication] skill that Si-hyuk had rarely experienced, which allowed him to penetrate objects and convey his voice to a specific person within a certain distance.

As Shihyuk hurriedly left the blacksmith shop and headed outside the house, there was an old man leaning against the wall with his large body, smiling broadly.

“Thank goodness you were awake.”

“At this hour, what is Mr. Gong doing… .”

“Wait, can I come in?”

The old man laughed as he knocked on the locked door.

His clothes and breath reeked of alcohol.

As soon as the old man came into the house, he immediately opened the icebox he had brought with him that morning. Then, he took out a bottle of lukewarm alcohol from inside and blew on it cheerfully.

The old man, who had emptied a bottle in one go, took out the next bottle and opened his mouth to Shihyuk.

“I came to ask you a favor.”

“… … .”

Shihyuk kept his mouth shut and waited for the old man to continue speaking.

From drinking a lot of alcohol without getting drunk to suddenly coming to him late at night to asking for a favor, he had an uneasy and ominous feeling.

“I went to see my old friend because I had something to get, but he said there was no such person anymore and kicked me out. It’s been a year since he passed away.”

Old man Gong laughed heartily.

“I thought he was always alive because he was healthy and active, but I thought he was already dead while I was away from Korea. It was so sad and embarrassing.”

The next bottle, and the next. Even if it were water, it would be difficult to empty it like that, but the old man poured one bottle after another.

As if I were commemorating someone else other than myself.

“But what can I do? He was the best blacksmith I knew, and I don’t know anyone else. But I can’t just ask for help from a random person on the street, so in the midst of my frustration, Sihyuk came to mind.”

widely.

Only after he had drunk more than six bottles did the old man put the bottles down. Old man Gong, who was pretending to be drunk and laughing, asked Si-hyuk playfully.

“You, I promised to give you some cool equipment later, right?”

“… That’s right.”

Shihyuk said that if you come visit later, he will definitely give you a nice gift.

It was a verbal covenant without any documents or guarantees, but it was clearly an oath.

“It may seem like I’m intercepting your grandson’s gift, but it’s the gift you promised me. I’m going to take care of it.”

Sihyuk clenched his teeth without realizing it.

Being late and dull, he only then realized the old man’s intentions.

“Wouldn’t you just make a suit of armor for the old man?”

He barely managed to hold back the force that involuntarily went into his clenched fist.

Shihyuk glared at the old man fiercely. Old Man Gong, who had been smiling in vain, also met his intense gaze head-on with a hardened face, his expression erased.

“Elderly.”

Shihyuk had a hard time understanding why he was like this, why he was so upset, and what was bubbling up inside him.

Although he had awakened his emotions a little, he was still dull and rusty, and it was difficult for him to express in words the feelings that were bursting out from within.

However, there was one thing that could be known even in such a revolution.

The old man,

“Are you thinking of dying?”

He nodded heavily.

“I want you to make my clothes and wear them.”