Chapter 242: Butterfly Effect (2)
rorhIWKI got ready quickly and headed straight to the teleportation terminal inside the Academy. There, standing behind Media, were a secretary and a male assistant. I’d seen the secretary a couple of times before, but the man was completely unfamiliar to me.WZQ
s45fC“We bow before you, Heavenly Sword.”AOy
5D4Sb4Both greeted me with a flawless bow, and I nodded slightly in return. I’d gotten used to this kind of protocol.dYd
sxQP“Sorry for calling you out so early, Geom-Ma…”EoaC37
AGVEqPmMedia kept sighing deeply.vG5H
LhsxR6“What’s the purpose of going to Antarctica?”bT1
rwh7X1I shook my head and asked. The destination had shocked me so much, I hadn’t even thought to ask the reason.TF4U
wuvSIM0“Ah, well…”XL8tZqw
QFMsbyBMedia hesitated and mumbled, not daring to speak easily. At that moment, the secretary on her left stepped in.hHzA
QlrT“With your permission, may I explain?”AbspGqc
PTeyFaI frowned, uncomfortable.3So
1Dd7J“No need to talk like that. That kind of over-the-top formality just makes things awkward for the listener.”vqUnq5k
4pXZnj“That wouldn’t be appropriate.”Tot
tlpB3The secretary firmly shook her head, showing determination. The man beside her subtly poked her in the ribs, but she remained unfazed and continued.wdQOTw0
U6Y1VlF“We are honored to stand before you, hero of the Joaquin tragedy, the youngest among the Seven Stars, hope of humanity, Heavenly Sword. This minimum of respect is the least you deserve. If at any point you feel I’ve disrespected you, I will take my life without hesita—”Bi3xTBM
VkeH“The point.”WKVn
jjdp“Yes, sir.”LEC
AuSWzThe secretary straightened up, clasped her hands behind her back, and fixed her gaze at a 45-degree angle forward, like reporting to a superior in the military.Z8vUV
t8u0KDv“As the Director has informed you, we’re heading to the southernmost point of Earth—Antarctica. And the purpose of this sudden trip is to meet with the president of the Hero Association and father of the Academy’s Director, Victor Poi—”9gaOh
Wr3z“I’ll explain it. I was the one who called him, and clearly, the one causing all the trouble today is either me or, more accurately, my dad.”OwBHzt
o1cG0Media ran a hand through her hair and signaled the secretary to step down.VfGYb
OHuWsX“N-no, Director, I just wanted to inform the Heavenly Sword…”Gp35Yk
iqu“I’m already tired enough. So please, don’t make me repeat myself, okay? I’m asking you.”ek6Pp
qcmcf9Media’s voice blended kindness with a warning. Reluctantly, the secretary bit her lip.8FZ
OZplnV“Understood.”zoqGg
0Bp1A thin line of blood appeared between her teeth. Media didn’t notice. Only the male assistant looked at her nervously. It seemed she outranked him.ouK
XJe8MU2‘Seriously, this world is so convenient. Going to Antarctica like it’s a walk around the block.’t33ylvb
XbgKjOn Earth, where dimensional teleportation doesn’t exist, traveling to Antarctica costs a fortune. I remember one of my first mentor’s dreams was to “fish in the Antarctic sea.” The minimum cost was about 30 to 40 million won. And here we were, going for free.X3V
wl35‘Saved money.’wG7dO4
nQkIf that guy found out, he’d drop dead from envy.mWA2
oKFHROq“As the secretary said, my dad, Victor Poison, is currently living in Antarctica. So we’re going to see him. I begged him to come to the Academy, but the moment he steps out, he gets homesick and refuses to go anywhere. And he wouldn’t stop shouting about wanting to see you, Geom-Ma.”ZD45Ih
eDUNqd4I was stunned for a moment. In just a few sentences, there were already two shocking things.qYUeVz
R57tThat the president of the Association lived in Antarctica, and that he wanted to see me. Which was supposed to surprise me more?boDz
DzRMmWhile I pondered that, Media mumbled in a low voice.eIZM8MF
jog87“He really made me think he had dementia. But oh well, what can we do? It’s been decades since Victor Poison showed himself in public. And for him to want to meet someone is even rarer. Clearly, this isn’t ordinary.”8bJFe7v
ryygm5J“I see.”7iL
AdPiSwEvery time someone from the Poison lineage appears, something strange happens. What kind of family is this? Media’s exhausted voice even made me feel a little sorry for her.FxIW0
1gFWw8b“But since calling you over the weekend would’ve been rude, I waited until Monday morning. Oh, and I almost forgot. Before entering the warp—do you want to take these first?”I41
Ne2TFfXMedia offered me two pills. A red one in her right hand and a blue one in her left. For a moment, that old sci-fi movie scene from The Matrix came to mind.XSfE
lVbpnW“We’re going to Antarctica, remember? If you go with just a coat, you’ll freeze instantly.”tkQ
t9OG“Makes sense.”1pC
pEQz7Media pinched the pills between her thumb and index finger, forming a circle.JtiCNM5
gFKAn“That’s why I prepared everything! This red pill has a thermal effect. It traps body heat inside. Simply put—even in a polar climate, if you take this pill, you won’t freeze.”kvoj
eU1XVoaShe said it enthusiastically.gcy
6MM“And if you go to a hot region, it also keeps your temperature stable.”vMWuc1
q5TiInternal organs can’t be trained like muscles. That’s why humans drop like flies when they get sick.lDE6m3
xyLg8Even superhumans who fight demons aren’t an exception.k8tqkp
mI37XnGehenna, the Demon Realm, is a hostile, arid environment. The weather shifts without warning, and the air is saturated with mana—a toxic agent. Everything there is designed to harm humans.90a0
zNOGbANThe only way to survive and build immunity is to adapt. The same goes for mana.NP0
XuiyAhtHowever, developing resistance to both is impossible. Human physiology directly opposes the nature of mana.YSi65M
DBzzBut humanity didn’t sit still. On Earth, at least, humans are at the top of the food chain.ZBpNV
Iw1xbRgThe brightest minds sought a solution.fw3r
CWfFIf they could control even one of the two…Ucyh5Io
dEkLodXIn that dilemma, researchers chose to focus on environment and disease. They combined their expertise and gave it their all.IRn
XnBnNkFor the heroes fighting demons, they fought their own war in laboratories for years. And the result was this gleaming capsule, with a shimmering red-blue hue.HcxW
DpAHL6‘It’s not just heroes who fight.’YoTxg
C48pHSEveryone has their own battle. We all carry the burden of the human-demon war.7xwG5
UxjfDt‘And yet, nobles crush and oppress others just for being born superhuman. All to protect their privilege.’5Bl
LQmLj7FThe only difference between a hero and an ordinary person is whether they have a Blessing. But that one difference creates a massive divide in status and treatment.9XYi
2jgQ‘Miserable pigs who don’t appreciate the work of citizens.’2Q0V
M6AElXThinking that, I wondered if human arrogance is what spurred the recent demon surge.GheTL
GN4Lq‘We should be uniting more than ever…’4psz
tVEfI gave a bitter smile and looked back at Media.Cc1nkE1
Lslgw“This blue pill prevents all kinds of disease. Though most viruses can’t survive the extreme cold in Antarctica, some extremely resistant ones remain. If someone catches one, they’d be sick for days. And if it’s a strong, contagious virus—it could start a global pandemic.”cS0g
jU9HD“So this medicine prevents all diseases?”wRB0J4f
cAWtO“Yes. If you take it beforehand, it blocks 99.99% of all illnesses.”q5C1o
mMk76“The ones who made this are amazing. It’s basically a universal cure.”xzBG
nwoMaybe thanks to Blessings, or because it’s 2034, the science in this world surpasses even Earth’s.S6w
TOzt“Impressive, right? It’s still not widely distributed because it’s very expensive. But just creating something like this… those researchers deserve all the respect. Honestly, they’ll probably end up saving more lives than us heroes.”XPh
Y8zkwgyMedia smiled brightly and added,okS8La2
TQpTIm“As expected, our Geom-Ma has a deep heart.”tpuTW
UAxzpJ“…Huh?”oBJc3I6
T2XHhK“Most people are impressed by the medicine but don’t think about who made it. You, on the other hand, appreciated the researchers first. That’s why I can’t stop praising you every time I see you.”Hth7kSy
M91pXI didn’t know what to say.Zc8EA
S5HfH‘Embarrassing.’oMAvwJ
PS3OaThat a simple comment made me feel like a baby was overwhelming.uib
f0wI swallowed the two pills she gave me. As I felt them slide down my throat…jpCra4
MgO07NH‘Oh.’Izuo
2HVqI touched my forearm. There was no visible change, but I could feel it. The power of advanced pharmacology spreading through my body.eb5Z
3bkoAThen the secretary, assistant, and Media also took their capsules. The man clenched and unclenched his fists with emotion.tiA0R
3TA3tNnAnd then shouted with excitement,730
bKF0mX“Oh… oh. So this is the legendary divine elixir, Morpheus! Now I understand why it costs two billion won each!”UYTU
HU6gTI blinked. Two billion?4CXMzX7
yjJ“Excuse me. Did you just say the pill we took costs two billion?”BN0Y
ZgGveug“Exactly, Heavenly Sword. Each capsule is worth two billion won. Since we took two each, we’ve just consumed forty billion in medicine. Hahaha! Thanks to you, Heavenly Sword, I’ve lived a luxury I never imagined. Eternal glory!”wWXvhzT
NPJo5nI instinctively looked around—the secretary, the assistant, the director, and me. Four of us.DcYh
FjuI let out a dry laugh.IkckUv
WDO7sDid I say I saved money? No. Quite the opposite.hS4H
pHMEJcBefore the trip even started, we had already swallowed 160 billion won worth of medicine.Q8NR0Y
hXikDpVIf my first mentor saw this, he’d fall to the floor laughing himself to death.9dep
TwRN“Damn it.”b8nHY5W
H6Y***s9F3Lh
p3cQAs soon as we stepped out, we had already arrived in Antarctica. Actually, saying we “stepped out” didn’t make sense—just stepping into the warp instantly brought us to the destination.h5USVEY
XuE7gvU“So this is Antarctica.”6Bj
LAWWSlEverything was white.t7Hg8KV
Ra5lMFThat was my first impression. As if someone had painted the top half of a blank canvas in pale blue. Against the white horizon, jagged mountain ranges rose in irregular lines.O1Q
Dm6f5It was a dreamlike landscape, as if cut out with scissors. The surreal atmosphere was likely due to my stable body temperature.s38uMa
JxDHXO‘It’s really not cold at all.’tTJ
pS5jEven though my breath turned into visible vapor, I didn’t feel any chill in my hands or feet. And of course, my fingers weren’t numb or red.BH1MNxw
MMp6Z‘This medicine is incredible.’iVSf2Le
URxEGkThen I sensed a gaze and turned my head. In the distance, a group of black and white creatures waddled awkwardly. Penguins. They were rubbing their bellies against the ice and diving into the sea.eb3xL6
DX0Nwm“Squawk?”kPN
NQbc70lSome noticed us and looked over curiously. Their silly expressions were oddly endearing.7T8c9D
egWJust then, one of the penguins broke off from the group. It waddled toward us awkwardly, leaving alternating prints in the snow with its orange webbed feet.jy2K
BSZ5zbFStep, step, step, step.kqJQ
WNfI’d heard that penguins are curious and approach humans without fear.RZy
6ApO…But this penguin…XmJ
DJ8PW“Isn’t it way too big?”lNAA9
qHkBlThe male assistant said what we were all thinking. And he was right—it was massive. The secretary murmured in disbelief.R62Y
8l7uJ“An emperor penguin…?”n0HWZWa
X6ggv4It didn’t seem like one.u9BqrCs
fcOWhatever its classification, this wasn’t a normal penguin. It was the size of a person.S7B
jqKe3dBut it didn’t appear to be a magical beast either. If it were, it wouldn’t be peacefully waddling around with the others.nH8JSty
2zN6D“……”Icmnq9
abtRxSUp to that point, the Director hadn’t said a word. She remained silent, but her face was clearly contorting.ax6O
q1LkmThe giant penguin stopped a few steps from us. The -76°C polar wind stirred the air between it and us.tAR7c
LpqBzwIFwoooosh.MFI37eO
7AcIBLThe mood felt like a tense standoff in a Western—except instead of tumbleweeds, there was a snowstorm.lTCUA
DVgan0Media furrowed her brow and exhaled irritably. She spoke in an annoyed tone.uCRUDM0
LMKcW“How about ending the joke already? How much more embarrassment do you plan to cause me in front of everyone?”Ep61
4tzfZSlide.yg0
0SBr0TLAt that moment, the penguin raised its flippers and reached behind its neck. It began twisting its head from side to side with some effort.NvkFhH
zgCIts head and body began to separate. No one said a word as we witnessed the absurd scene unfold.tLeB0ti
ipO69Pop!EiX
5Ny7MmWith a clean sound, the penguin’s head popped off. From inside—like a Russian nesting doll—emerged a new head. The face of a handsome young man with green hair.eMIVkO
wtB“Huff!”2cgkbm
NX4j4cHe exhaled with relief and shook out his damp hair. The drops of sweat that flew off instantly froze and clinked against the ground.oGtTou7
xx8The other penguins watching from afar erupted in a frenzy.peN
EzY“Squawk! Squawk! Squawk!”KtS
j8eKnGCThey flapped their wings as if shouting in indignation. They looked deeply betrayed.HFSMd
XZekZOoThe most dramatic was a female penguin, her round eyes brimming with tears, as though she’d just had her heart broken.SeaDJ
vZ91HoBut he didn’t care. He unzipped the front of his belly. With one motion, the bird became a primate.5nnOt
rqFZj“Victor Poison, at your service. Marine biologist by trade—and, incidentally, president of the Hero Association.”MLi
VbpuhjJThe penguin-man—yes, the president—tucked the penguin head under his right arm and saluted.GaTX
o6r8O“Heavenly Sword, I’ve been eagerly awaiting you. I haven’t felt this excited in a century, ha ha ha!”Fp7XA
6q39HzV“……”O3L
nKOYp6“Eagerly” didn’t even feel like an exaggeration.IbV
4EgAG“I’ve prepared a gift for you, Heavenly Sword! You came all the way to this remote place, after all. It’s a rare item—you’ll definitely love it.”PK59i
36RDW“Ah… right……”NQRb
HfGTTThe President of the Association beamed cheerfully.A5U
rQv“Alright! Let’s move somewhere quieter. Things are a little noisy here.”HDzq
pkSuIVictor Poison led us forward with enthusiasm. We followed, feeling a little awkward. Behind us, the sobs of the betrayed female penguin echoed across the Antarctic.j8K
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Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaWow what a amazing entry.