episode_0190

Explorer Headquarters, Underground.

A conference room swarming with people.

Jeong Yu-shin couldn’t come to his senses.

Could it be that all the explorers here have negative imprints?

Whether he knew Jeong Yu-shin’s worries or not, a young man named Granny stood on the platform and continued speaking.

“Everyone, today is a truly joyous day.”

Granny paused and looked around. His eyes were as if he were looking at precious family. There was warmth in them.

“It’s truly wonderful to see so many comrades, as opposed to the usual small numbers. However, it is also a day that weighs heavily on my heart.”

The people quietly looked at Granny.

“As you all know, another change has occurred in this labyrinth. Powerful monsters have appeared on each floor. To the point where party cooperation has become important.”

Most of the people in the conference room nodded.

“Of course, I know that there are explorers among you who do not discriminate against us, but as we are often regarded with suspicion, we must work together in any way possible. It can be said that the importance of this meeting has increased.”

Someone raised their hand.

“Representative, what should we do?”

“I believe the most important thing is a form where we can support each other as much as possible. We should be more open about the abilities of our imprints, and we shouldn’t look at those with negative imprints with prejudice.”

An elf wearing rainbow-colored underwear raised their voice.

“There’s a vagueness to the explanation. Are there any specific methods?”

Granny nodded.

“Before that, there’s something I’d like to say. As the size of our group has grown, I believe we need a new leader. You could say, a master of the clan alliance?”

Someone spoke in a disgruntled voice.

“There are already leaders of each clan, so why bother having a master above them?”

“Because we need someone who can represent our will well.”

Some nodded in agreement with Granny’s answer, while others frowned.

“Who else but Representative Granny would take on this role?”

Someone asked, and Granny smiled.

“First, I’d like to tell you this story. A while ago, someone came to my shop looking for work. I was wary because he looked rough and had scars from removing tattoos, but he worked diligently. After a few days, we became close. We talked about various things and I found out. He was from the Eastern District.”

The young man paused and turned his head again.

He met the eyes of Jeong Yu-shin, who had barely regained his senses.

The young man smiled.

“He said something like this. That he was saved. That he had lived in the Eastern District, ‘chained’ and licking the floor, until he saw the light. …Chains. A truly terrifying word. Perhaps we, too, are bound by ‘chains’ of others’ misperceptions.”

The young man emphasized the word chain and raised his hand, pointing to Jeong Yu-shin.

“In that sense, I believe this person, whether he likes it or not, will represent the will of those of us bound by chains. So, I would like to recommend him. Mr. Sca! Please come forward!”

Jeong Yu-shin’s mouth gaped open.

Why is my name suddenly coming up here?

All eyes were on Jeong Yu-shin.

Envious gazes, suspicious looks, wary eyes, various gazes poured in.

Jeong Yu-shin, floundering in the wave of gazes, steeled his heart.

He rose from his seat and walked to the platform, standing there.

Jeong Yu-shin looked around. It was as if he had come to a congressional speech.

He saw a few familiar faces. It was only natural, given the numerous encounters he’d had.

“Nice to meet you all.”

Jeong Yu-shin continued.

“Many of you recognize me.”

Standing on the platform, he understood.

He felt like he knew how they had been doing until now. They must have helped each other and lived together, as it was a difficult time.

He was certain that this wasn’t a gathering of clans that professionally raided labyrinths.

If so, what should he call them?

He pondered to come up with the right word.

People who struggle on the front lines of their livelihoods and enter the labyrinth when they have time.

Small-time explorer.

Seeing that people with similar imprints had gathered together, he felt like he knew the reason for the clan’s existence.

Rather than going in and out of the labyrinth, it seemed like they had matched up with people they got along with.

There must be people here with negative imprints.

But if that were the case, the reason for the existence of the trash party was unclear.

No, that’s not it.

It was possible that clan members exchanged information here, and then people who had time and got along well gathered together, and the rest were supplemented from other places.

Would an explorer who had a negative imprint while in a decent clan come here in the first place?

It was unlikely.

Wasn’t he himself out of his mind?

However.

There are pearls even in the mud.

If it would help in finding decent explorers, there was no need to refuse this position.

Jeong Yu-shin quickly organized his thoughts and opened his mouth.

“What Representative Granny said is correct. I am that person. The living conscience of the labyrinth city, the acting justice, it is Sca.”

Jeong Yu-shin met each person’s eyes.

No matter what anyone said, he had to make sure to promote himself.

Granny wore a flustered expression beside him.

“M, Mr. Sca, you’re so confident?”

An ajusshi wearing baggy clothes snorted.

“Hey, mixed-blood Barbaroi, you’re still young, but your nose is already up in the air. Are you that greedy for the master’s position?”

Some people nodded in agreement with the ajusshi’s words.

Jeong Yu-shin looked around again.

“…There seem to be many of you here who are dissatisfied.”

“You know it well.”

“Then let’s have a sparring match. To see who is stronger. And who represents the will of this gathering.”

The ajusshi grinned and stood up from his seat.

“Good. I like that you’re straightforward. Let’s go right now!”

Granny scratched his cheek with a troubled expression.

“I, I don’t know if this is right? Anyway, there’s a training ground in the basement of the headquarters, so shall we go there?”

At Granny’s words, people poured out of the conference room.

Jeong Yu-shin didn’t miss the chance to scan the people who stood out.

He didn’t forget the goal.

Find good explorers.

The difficulty spikes again at the 10th floor of the labyrinth.

That meant sufficient preparation was necessary.

It was necessary to distinguish and recruit talented people well.

Jeong Yu-shin and the people left the conference room and walked down the underground corridor.

Mic, who was following beside him, gestured in sign language.

‘I’m sorry.’

Jeong Yu-shin shook his head.

“It’s okay. But it is a bit surprising. Anyway, keep a good eye out. We need to find talent to join our party.”

‘Okay. I’ll keep a close watch.’

As they went down the corridor, they saw a huge underground open space with a fairly high ceiling.

The floor was paved with hard stone, so it seemed to be well prepared.

Quite a number of people were gathered in the training ground.

There were those who were talking and laughing, those who were facing each other and swinging their swords, those who were sitting and watching, and those who were watching from afar.

Various groups, mainly from clans, were gathered to spar or practice formations.

‘There was a place like this?’

He had no idea.

As Jeong Yu-shin and his clan members entered the open space, they felt the explorers’ gazes.

They weren’t good gazes. They were close to ridicule, contempt, and pity.

The clan members frowned, but said nothing.

Jeong Yu-shin stood in the middle of the training ground.

An ajusshi with shaggy hair wearing baggy clothes came out and slowly warmed up.

Jeong Yu-shin also stood opposite him and warmed up.

The explorers who were sparring around them sent glances one by one and buzzed.

‘Why do they like watching other people so much?’

Jeong Yu-shin clicked his tongue inwardly while carefully checking his body.

He paid special attention to his thighs, shins, and ankles. These were the areas most likely to be injured when moving suddenly.

He tightened the sword belt and worker laces loosely around his waist.

‘Preparation complete.’

He grabbed the longsword engraved with a wolf pattern and drew it.

Swoosh.

The cold blade was released from the scabbard.

The ajusshi opposite him was still moving his waist back and forth.

Crack.

“Ah.”

The ajusshi stopped, uttered a word, and raised his hand.

“I surrender.”

Jeong Yu-shin was inspecting the blade when he hurriedly raised his head.

“…Suddenly?”

“My back twinged. It’ll be difficult to do it perfectly with the glass cannon imprint.”

“What’s a glass cannon imprint?”

“It’s an imprint that gives you 5 times the power when your body and mind are in their original state. The downside is that it’s difficult to exert your power if you suffer a ‘wound’?”

“…”

Jeong Yu-shin drooped his shoulders.

The fighting spirit that had been full deflated like a balloon.

“Then next…”

At that moment.

“Kuhahahaha!!!”

A human man laughed loudly in the corner of the training ground. Around him, several party members could be seen twisting their lips and sneering.

Looking around, everyone was wearing similar expressions.

The man laughed heartily, even shedding tears, and then strode toward Jeong Yu-shin.

“This is something. Mixed-blood Barbaroi, aren’t you the chief disciple of the Southern Swordsmanship Association? What are you doing here with people who aren’t even at this level?”

Jeong Yu-shin slung his sword over his shoulder and stood askew.

“Who are you?”

The human man with his hair slicked back furrowed his brow and then smoothed it out again.

“Who are you? Judging by the extremely vulgar way you speak, are you the leader of these people?”

“…”

At Jeong Yu-shin’s silence, the slicked-back man clapped his knee.

“Really?! Ha! If Association Leader Ashur saw this, he’d slap his knee and wail!”

Jeong Yu-shin’s eyes sank.

‘This bastard.’

Mentioning my teacher to me when we just met?

“Dike, that’s too harsh.”

Granny stepped forward and said.

The man called Dike frowned at once.

“Granny, don’t talk nonsense. Even though famous clans are gathered and racking their brains, what are you guys going to do by taking up space in the training ground like this?”

“…”

Granny blushed without saying a word.

Jeong Yu-shin’s head turned askew.

“What are you?”

“Oh? Is the disciple of Ashur going to give me a lesson? I’m too scared to even speak.”

Dike feigned fear.

Granny came up beside him.

“Dike is a mid-level intermediate explorer. He’s the 3rd party leader of the Blue Falcon Clan and a member of the Swordsmanship Association in the Central District.”

There was a Swordsmanship Association in the Central District too?

I had no idea. Anyway, I have his personal information now.

Dike shrugged.

“So what are you going to do? The disciple of a Sword Master wouldn’t avoid a sparring match, would he?”

Jeong Yu-shin sighed deeply.

“You keep mentioning my teacher, you son of a bitch. Who is your teacher?”

“…”

Dike suddenly closed his mouth.

Before he knew it, the area around the training ground had also become quiet.

“Answer me. Do you have honey on your lips? Who is your teacher?”

Dike’s face flushed red and blue for a moment. He didn’t open his mouth.

Jeong Yu-shin’s eyes narrowed.

“You don’t have a teacher?”

At Jeong Yu-shin’s question, Dike wore a serious expression.

“…Swordsmen speak with their swords.”

What a crazy bastard.

He doesn’t have anything to say, so he says swordsmen speak with their swords or whatever.

I’m dumbfounded.

Jeong Yu-shin raised his sword and lowered it to his lower body.

“Come on. It’s a pity that you’re so uneducated. I will teach you what swordsmanship is.”

“Kueeeek!!! Damn!!!”

Dike drew his sword and stood in front of Jeong Yu-shin.

Jeong Yu-shin opened his mouth in a leisurely manner.

“I’ll give you the first move. You masterless loser.”

“You son of a bitch!!!”

Dike, who had lost his temper, foamed at the mouth and rushed at him.