Chapter 383: Destiny (2)
4gLsWhile I was talking with All Mute, my eyes kept drifting toward the corner of my field of vision. It took a lot of effort to hide it.jB6rgXU
pg3ObJyニニニニKlAM
quYReinforced Enchantment of ■■■mOJtJ
Hetfj2GRank: EXOcBE
MnzqgMDescription: -Not unlocked-uH4gO
sZdqVReinforcement Level: +2GDd
OHGThe reinforcement level increases according to the degree of progress.JPv
D0qn2MニニニニfxOF4g4
QsV7UThe silhouette, so familiar yet alien due to the time that had passed, flickered before my eyes.wo4XPzS
2KYSxIThe general structure was the same as before. But it didn’t feel the same as the status window Yu Sein used to display regularly.mLcuW
JwpXwI couldn’t say exactly what was different — maybe I should say the texture of the characters felt drier, more arid.5J0Mt9
SDASyKL‘Is it because it’s an EX-rank weapon? Does it even have its own exclusive status window?’Q8J4l
BWPxfHmm. Come to think of it, it didn’t seem to be solely because of the weapon’s rank. It was more of a hunch — as if the issue lay in the materials used for the reinforcement.Xc4Xwd0
AvsFSuddenly, I remembered something old man Volundr said. In this world, the rarer the materials, the more unpredictable the weapon’s rank becomes.0R2rE
oqvIt just so happened that Speedweapon collected strange materials in the Demon Realm. Since it was reinforced with an unknown material, it was only natural that its performance and effects were also a mystery.HEj
QBckR‘Now that I think about it, I still don’t know this weapon’s true performance.’WSHzjg0
CTaSo far, I haven’t noticed a clear difference from Murasame.1JQP8y
ct4CMurasame, which had become an S-rank weapon after multiple reinforcements, already handled my power well. If this sashimi is EX-rank, it should show some exceptional trait — but nothing has occurred to justify it.vun
pa6The only notable moment was that duel with Leon. At that time, this weapon slowly absorbed the magical energy emanating from the Dragon Heart.LKOHI
ndoAlthough it’s just an impression, at that moment, the sashimi felt like a baby eating baby food.6D8aO
TDdYKWAnd shortly after, today, for the first time, this weapon seemed to “open its eyes” by displaying its status window.MLX
1L5KWooIt’s truly surprising. But since I’m not alone, I couldn’t show my astonishment. I haven’t even had the chance to review it all.q4J7g
VzGL‘It seems the brief encounter with Kali Yuga was the trigger.’GTdCD
WfjQGulp.YHvnI2r
WOUmgzMy dry throat was moistened by saliva. That was a crucial clue — the reinforcement material is related to suppressive power.oVwKHC
JTtSpeedweapon, you bastard. What the hell did you pick up in that zone of demon swords?5Ro
gyjThen again, I was an idiot for accepting it without thinking.imR
mkV0MT‘Birds of a feather, as they say.’2W3R1F
tmkg5fI shook my head. There’s someone much more capable than me in this field.4aUK
D376As soon as I return to Korea, I need to meet that person. I already have the itinerary planned.2sKH
LGykNaIt’ll probably be tomorrow.cRGGG
QZrUBecause today…k2KRDa
HhnPiToday, I must accomplish a great feat.OrLEb23
BQK5Wait for me, Ryozo. I will serve my nation and return wrapped in glory.kRV
Fi42tT2A smile spread across my face.3hqlol
DOm“Hmm.”Fw7iqF
sVCN8r“Hmm…?”uGwYXPY
1RWAll Mute’s face darkened. Her expression clearly betrayed unease.SO8Ws8h
rqJusE‘You saw it clearly, All Mute.’WNHl
cAGBetween All Mute and me, Rachel just blinked wide-eyed. Yes, Rachel.m6IJ
l6mW0hySometimes, ignorance is bliss.Ddg
YiFne***98I
z6tNLThe follow-up was left in Rachel’s hands.3BMaK
2K0AHWShe began crafting a stretcher with some broken columns. She tore a few beams from the ceiling and tied them with emergency bandages.QyhLL
yqoGuCJ“Tada! What do you think, our dear Geom-Ma?”1H6eeMv
WZvG1k“Looks convincing.”2zk
DTifZTo“Right?”vLRBl1
JDk4“Except for how you address me.”pQ1Nd
VteXhNB“There you go again. You’re so cold, Geom-Ma~”2JyJNrh
vC0jlM“……”RnFdOK
jxpNDvUAfter showing off a bit, she lifted the wounded in one go. Rachel, now acting as porter, started walking. Just stepping on the ground made it sink slightly under her feet.GTur32
WQixelnAll Mute and I walked behind Rachel, escorting her for protection.n0J
hBvFrom the pile of bodies slung like sacks, limp legs or hands dangled.l0hg
Vg8Anyone seeing this would think we were at a funeral. But the strength she has is monstrous.SiA6ZWy
gkcY‘This has to weigh at least 1,500 kilos…’DOq
YKB0jI’m reminded once again of Changseong’s brute strength. Even back in her student days, she stood out for her raw power, but now she seems to have become a real King Kong.Q74
3JVAll Mute, walking at my pace, murmured suddenly.H62ssbr
Sk4cm“Rachel lifts three thousand in three reps.”4lJCW
MhdifRAh, that explains it.YyK
knDjR3‘With five hundred, you’d already be considered noble.’WAboBjV
UnAsCAnd she lifts six times that.Ix10V
zjUHEven though I’ve spent a long time in this world, moments like this remind me I’m still a foreigner. Even I, Kang Geom-Ma, who wields superhuman strength thanks to magic and the Blessing of the God of the Sword.FEV5l
xgb8IBy the way, Speedweapon once told me that the Changseong do strength training with ultra-heavy reps. Their recovery ability is so absurd that torn muscles regenerate themselves within seconds.yQmEC
wKcWhen I played Miracle Blessing M, I didn’t pay attention to Rachel’s blessing, so I was unaware. But now I see, her blessing is as broken as the “Blessing of the Spirit of the Sword” from the Nibelung family.FjDNL
NBHCAll Mute looks visibly exhausted, while her junior, Rachel, is still fresh as a daisy. That must be why.i0GhEdC
CSNI guess, thanks to that superior recovery, she was able to shake off the terror we had just experienced in an instant.siraIJ
p9felReckless to the point of recklessness. A fighting spirit that knows no limits.10Y
n0Ga7BThe Changseong embody exactly what people imagine when they think of a hero. In contrast, the Nibelung have a reputation for being a bit too formal.7QrE1
cX4e‘I suppose that’s why they don’t get along.’m4X
Tt7sWhile I was lost in these thoughts, suddenly light blinded me. We had finally emerged from the dungeon’s endless tunnel.VzEUh
zNkkBdkA tumbleweed rolled up and bumped against my feet. What greeted us was a dry prairie landscape, like something out of a western movie. The American western sun was harsher than Korea’s.tLgWx
KFhtoNFRachel, sweating buckets, turned around.oRv
c7pcoB2“Can I drop this here, senior?”w3SMz
pXvFm3B“Wait a moment.”x6s1E
xAMt1vAll Mute abruptly closed her eyes. Around her, the airflow changed.TJbi1
Y0g‘The Blessing of Blocking.’m6asob
EBGZShe shut off all senses except hearing. Her perception, refined only with hearing, was literally superhuman.hH8N9Q
rlRMaybe even more so than my perception using the Blessing of the God of the Sword, which I learned through affinity.N0DNy
Eq9MglPMoments later.3nPdqF
pc0DBI“Everything seems fine.”lwCS
Rt7After completing the area check, All Mute opened her eyes slightly. Rachel laid the stone stretcher on the ground. The tumbleweeds brushing her ankles rose to knee height.onTnFR
mdPThe people stacked like mountains still had vacant stares. It was clear they needed attention.PrbG
3M63QkMJust as I imagined, All Mute commented.m1wI
pJx“There’s a Texas branch of the Lancelot Company nearby. I’ll ask them to send personnel. Also, we need to verify these people’s identities.”fei
9XD“No wonder it’s the most famous. Do they have a lot of branches in the U.S.?”urh
XShYtB“Fifty-two.”IbfD
d1mYvbWhoa.ocncAvu
3wsD4AToo many.2V9FsG
OnHyX2“One per state. There are several abroad too.”vsA
i4y“So they’re literally world-class.”so9uvUa
GrPeKlH“And we’ll be the ones benefiting from it.”s7NQ
T24p6vAll Mute gave a faint smile. Her face showed relief after so much tension.nMbjD
E41While she contacted the company, I turned around.TM7rFKA
DaGaW“Pfff…”9Zyk
bbSHruRachel lifted her clothes and wiped off sweat. Under her black sportswear, sharply defined abs showed. It wasn’t a six-pack — it was an eight-pack.eTMoW
b2IyDbP‘Is that even a human body…?’IhqbA
9xOWhile wiping her face, our eyes met. I flinched, and she gave me a sinister smile. When she does that, it always makes me nervous.sSst
ZWVRachel stepped closer, her scent of sweat wafting through the air. Although it should smell bad, the scent was surprisingly sweet. It didn’t seem like perfume—it had to be her natural scent.AVJmr1
A0dfX“No matter how healthy vegetables are, if you only eat greens every day, you’ll get sick, Geom-Ma~”fSM
hZSjoX…What the hell is she saying?djgYRsn
BCwq“Sometimes you have to eat meat too, you know?”LJP
jFADrRachel bit the hem of her shirt. With her abs on full display, she added in a suggestive tone:uWd
ZCO“I’m always ready to gi—!! Khegh!!”ymHPZL
nvwEL7TAll Mute lifted her by the neck. Rachel flailed like a criminal hanging from the gallows.NjSU
frG“You just can’t go five minutes without flirting, can you?!”ogCc
Ryc“Alright, alright! I was so close! I’ve been chasing Geom-Ma for ten years, I swear!”vsKM0su
TiYd“Enough.”LY5RV
5sgvlyAll Mute threw her through the air. Quite far. Her silhouette receding under the Texan sunset had a poetic vibe.yLLAi
pBvWhen Rachel came back covered in dust, All Mute and I burst into laughter. It was hard to believe we had just come out of a nightmare.Br6
aeA9EsPThat’s what heroes do. They walk a tightrope between life and death, and if they survive, they can laugh like nothing happened.OPc9
tvvzhfF‘I guess I’ve become one too.’tkV31q
JGp8AThe black-haired boy who was once a stranger is slowly fitting into this world. I’m becoming part of Miracle Blessing M… and with time, I’ll act more and more like a true hero.raoq
7DZcUCVruuum!gijQp
apGrkNot long after, with the sun descending in the west, several trucks with the Lancelot Company logo crossed the plain.oWWaH3
pQzgjjWorkers in uniform got off. Some were startled upon seeing me, but All Mute gave them a signal, and in silence, they began loading civilians onto the trucks. It was clear this wasn’t their first time. Lancelot employees avoided unnecessary fuss. They were precise and efficient.O6NOmi
SIecOf course, there are always exceptions.TcwyeIt
EiX“U-um… Mr. Heavenly Sword, may I have your autograph…?”MIfsb8a
R1u5fp“Hey, you! Rookies shouldn’t step out of line!”yP4
aQrE“Uaaaah! A once-in-a-lifetime chance!”q1iu1
CKR2The desperate employee being dragged away left tracks on the ground. She was thrown into the truck bed with the civilians. Watching this, I commented:STrV9lw
6AZLFE“Korea is better in these things.”SSmKu6
6pCTv“……”PDQ
XFLW“You saw it yourself. Joaquin’s grad school was built in just one month.”wtQ4T3m
M5KJsXN“……”nQy
GaCjvcM“I don’t know if that would be possible in the U.S. In such a free environment, achieving full unity seems tough.”W6Qsg
N93“……”gew
iw2ENl9All Mute had a look full of words she wanted to say. Wow, look at that vein throbbing on her temple. I smiled smugly and silenced my thoughts.DfUiH
zBsl85‘Korea wins.’XZ96pb
UYTAs they evacuated the injured, the three of us closely watched each of the workers. It was instinct.J4NzHr
plbS‘Villains could be anywhere, and possess anyone.’4NRn
jpDAThere was a chance that one of these workers was an infiltrated villain.XBQ
nV4U32A hero’s life is full of twists; thinking only in optimistic terms is dangerous. The more they look like reliable adults, the more suspicious you have to be.vKxkvC
91sm2Many final bosses started like that.YPUtUn
4a3qcI cast a sharp gaze at the group, stopping briefly on each. No one looked suspicious. Hopefully it stays that way. Not the opposite.1Erd
wK51PIOne worker clearly felt intimidated by my gaze. He seemed moved that a hero of the Seven Stars level stayed till the end.bWc
bHP“I hope your dedication is rewarded.”7Sef
thwyNuThe employees removed their caps and bowed slightly. I returned it with a simple nod, and some looked visibly moved.5NqN
MSEftAfter showing their respect, they disappeared into the distance in a cloud of dust. Only the three of us and the rolling tumbleweeds remained, watching the trucks fade away.Yys
M4e57“Pfff…”YOh90Cf
xpAClAll Mute wiped her forehead, relieved. Then she looked at me. Her expression was annoyed.om5w
ACCcZt3“If we go a bit further, there’s an airport. A private jet is waiting for us there. Let’s go to the HQ together.”L8Axuj
TonK03A grumpy-sounding invitation. It was almost exciting.
Though am I imagining it, or did she emphasize the words “private jet”?fzedX
pRK90“What if we go in a better way? Faster… and more comfortable.”nbZgln
oEw“No offense, but I doubt Korean technology can achieve that.”GBZMiND
xX96“Tell me that after you experience it.”mWUUT6Q
gbVJQuickly, I grabbed the wrists of All Mute and Rachel. Taking advantage of their confusion, I injected lightning magic. Tiny particles spread through their nervous systems.NJT
ruQv“This’ll be a little shocking.”3fhIBO
s12aiAnd in that instant…Asub
ievKRA-KOOOOM!!5svGbR
jgB06NBA thunderclap shook the sky, and we turned into three bolts of lightning shooting into the heavens.r5Y9ARx
ZJgpBP***1jb74
4vTqE“Ah, Mr. Heavenly Sword. We just got the report from the staff. Wow, I can’t believe you saved our two top stars! I don’t know how to thank you!”KYPSreA
aqgcJ“Of course! We must reward you properly! Just say the word. Whatever our company can offer, it’s yours.”jHso4W
1G0n“Hey, Elizabeth, don’t interfere! If we start haggling here, we’ll disgrace the name of our Hero Company. And we’re talking about Mr. Heavenly Sword. Even from a business perspective, we’ve got nothing to lose. So, tell us, what do you want, Mr. Heavenly Sword?”bCTh
70Z“…Ah, eh… hmm. Well, it seems possible… yes. Yes, it’s viable. In business, a given word must be fulfilled… yes, that too, huh?”Su0n1L
CqBWxDb“N-no, I didn’t say it was impossible! Just that… before that, maybe we should call an emergency board meeting… Ah! But I never meant to bargain! If Mr. Heavenly Sword wants it, then we’ll make it happen no matter what.”KLA1jSy
mJaus81“Y-yes… I’m also very glad to meet you. Please take care…”PzJhh
0eqyN3sAt Lancelot Company, there is a legendary figure.dYAkr
RvtP2rjHis name is Kane. He was the manager of All Mute and Elizabeth Khan, and two years ago became CEO of the company, backed fully by the board.IS5XRe
uIpKane is an American famous for his cunning. He was like a human calculator: able to make others believe they were making a “great deal,” while maximizing the company’s gains.rxTV3Q
BxWwnKHe also managed Rachel Bongseon herself. Walking a true golden path, he took over the world’s number one hero company, Lancelot.FYpU3Pv
gKd9xMA true corporate myth. He defeated political rivals and won the internal war. Though it was made possible by All Mute’s full support, Kane was outstanding on his own merit.dJTNuNE
16U1pwThat’s why he always took pride in himself.bayd
9VTliaAnd he had every reason to.ShLs
1NArKUb“…Kane.”btU7
DTjFFAll Mute looked at him with sympathy from behind. Kane’s eyes, fixed on the window, were filled with melancholy.qlL
uKYgstF“You okay?”s4mqt
gbcfRsn“…Why wouldn’t I be? You saved your life and Rachel’s. This expense is nothing…”YcZO
OjqsBut his pupils were vacant. All Mute had seen that expression before. Right after her dog was neutered.QSm
Angf“I’m… fine… no, I’ll be fine. Right…?”NWp
ENiXAll Mute silently swallowed.YbwUh
z4oj7GJOutside, the New York dawn was beginning to light up the sky. Small dots appeared in the distance: the Lancelot board members arriving by helicopter.seDc
bwrTo Kane, they weren’t executives. They were butchers.xJzqF
K6dOr had they already come once?qm8f4
z2rAfter his encounter with Kang Geom-Ma, Kane had immediately called for an emergency board meeting. He acted before informing.kSpxKu5
B21Something no CEO should ever do.hw0an9
ezxu“…Kane.”BOq
vlwmRYZAll Mute placed a hand on his shoulder.4d5kgL
E6r0CTf“Stay strong.”755Vc
gXR3N“…Ugh…”ucB9SrZ
nshemPKane nodded, looking at the helicopters approaching.JBMZ
2Woi0A dewdrop, like a tear of dawn, rolled down his cheek.xaHP
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