Chapter 414: Soybean Powder (1)
h4ikxOA reddish glow trembled slowly over the Han River.mqWa
eCF01AeAs the saying goes, the sun is most dazzling just before sunset, and that was the feeling. The same must have been in the minds of the people nearby, and also Kang Geom-Ma.zrV
cIQkWasn’t it as if the end of the world had just swept everything away?U4XItq
io45c4That was what they thought.wZv4R
rv3R3MThe night after sunset seemed to mean the crisis was finally subsiding.M3skc
yyvBut then, something completely unexpected happened.LxwEvA
LpjdBW2Choi Seol-Ah suddenly jumped from a helicopter and confessed her love to Kang Geom-Ma!iiA
eQrLnX“Ha… haha.”YeMdfo
v9FBalor Joaquin let out a dry laugh at how absurd the scene looked.cXP6iq
sdtrhddApparently, his disciple was quite successful as a man in his homeland.q8uU6
6aeOw‘In his past life, well, he had a somewhat decent face, but his personality was so problematic that he stayed a virgin.’OmgQTYV
m7DAlthough the scene seemed a bit too staged, precisely because of that, all the attention was focused on Kang Geom-Ma.ZGRT
mUthqanAnd that was exactly Balor Joaquin’s original plan.qCmwP5
qWEKali Yuga wanted to be at the center of humanity. His intention was to seduce them with “magic” and enslave all of humankind.DP6a
u9bSyKsNot long ago, while Balor Joaquin was killing time in the Demon Realm, he had heard news of the world thanks to the squirrels, with Lycan leading them.mjRsu
fL2zSo he more or less knew what was happening.5P8CDg
9QqavihThat there were many people against Kang Geom-Ma’s recent actions, for example.RUkWx
hu1bUIt wasn’t such surprising news. In the days when he was active, it was the same.NQim
qutThe rulers always meddled in everything. Every time he tried to do something, they would say: “Ah, the founding hero has struck a person!” and spread it everywhere.RUm
lDv1uxIn any era, in any part of the world—even on Earth—those parasites always existed.QOPJ
sA9And for that reason, Kang Geom-Ma’s popularity had been declining lately.TBGJD
cYQKVAnd what if, at that exact moment, Balor Joaquin appeared literally transcending time and space?KV4CR
02ibAnd what if on top of that he publicly declared that Kang Geom-Ma was his legitimate successor?1Cf7T9
M8vYd0It would be the perfect chance to improve his image.jE7kl
VF1ngBut then.G3fCk
3oYH3“That beet-head stole the role from me.”grizn
uy0So that’s what he was doing, disguised as a reporter. I was wondering where he had gone.jC3pc1
wYyIt was annoying, always so animated, but he couldn’t be hated entirely, because what he did was charmingly absurd.oKTp9k
vrbkyiWell, thanks to that, the scene of the dramatic reunion between master and disciple had been lost.bjVZoCv
kfBL5VT“I suppose it doesn’t matter.”ldd7
OkHjALlAs long as Kali Yuga was eliminated, that was enough.hox6Mqa
UYaBalor Joaquin sighed in relief.D4qA
mHmXh‘Hmm…’McLMO1
c4Sf9lBut he felt a strange unease in his chest. And it was because of the noise around him.W78F4
urwHe began to look around.WGkd
TKaMurmurs…gXi9c
D2PbTThe citizens covered their mouths with their hands and whispered. If they were going to talk, why not do it directly?FGbv1
Bn9OIj2‘Look who’s here, the gossipers…’KFvqlUb
8JuWqHiHe was about to look away with a tongue click, when his eyes met directly with Kang Geom-Ma’s.PhJr
pjmeCKDA silhouette outlined by the sunset light.1GTHPLO
5jWFor some reason, his face had a fatally pale tone.mAD4O
yobOdwf“What’s wrong with you? Are you hurt?”EX1jQx
nVGP“Ah, no, sir. I’m fine, really…”rOn
duweBut his face said otherwise.cu38
bMYKang Geom-Ma’s face turned red and then blue, as if at any moment he would clutch his neck.njbnA
UnohO“Tell me. What’s happening?”9VBz
LphFPThe Sword Master bit his lower lip.pEwEQ
CnF90pQBut since the founding hero himself was asking, he had no choice but to confess “the truth.”FXCniMf
6PSu“The thing is…”oVK0
Q3s1PFThe Sword Master began to explain.aSimkf
cphD5sQBalor Joaquin listened with interest, but little by little his gaze stiffened.CpBEhjh
BBn40b“…Ha…”DYyX
Rs1A laugh escaped him.kFKngO5
ckc1zOne completely different from before. This one was cold.tJW9MZ
TjZAGw1“Are you serious?”IMhtqF
pD3Dhl“How would I dare lie to you?”vpDGU
MrYqpCIt was about his disciple’s family composition.KfsnV
iUMdZgAnd for someone like Balor Joaquin, who had just returned from Earth, it was a shocking blow.F4mTT
3OD2Lnu“My disciple has… two wives?”Bkl7E
Qxr“…Yes. Including my granddaughter, and also the daughter of a former comrade of his from the past. Besides, the Heavenly Sword is also my disciple.”3nMaY5
ZrY“What the hell happened in this world while I was gone? Two wives at the same time!? Does he think he’s some ancient emperor!? And on top of that, he’s my disciple!?”VGvq
rdeQ“Heavenly Sword is also my disciple, but…”TRc
WH62k“……”xG1Ig6
bFdtC“Even if he’s such a son-in-law… he’s still my disciple. Sniff…”ShA66
1sDXazWhat the hell has this guy been saying for a while now?SpKyBn
I3nmf***Hu6
2vu“My loooord…!”SBa
wzrrChoi Seol-Ah threw herself at me while I collapsed all of a sudden. She spread her arms to hug me. She was insane.1mZQ
mBJq8“A slap for every step you take.”2VnnMk
5F0LJDWith the sashimi, of course.Mp5
kwbQkoR“…!”qV8Bwms
x9k9iHUWith her good ears, Choi Seol-Ah stopped dead like a wind-up doll.1yCXXX
0ud031dShe seemed like she would back away, but no. She moved sideways like a crab, looking for a way to get closer to me.RpDjdR
2KdEPt7What the hell got into her?idqb2m
AcTiqI’m exhausted, damn it.qDLEza
YbOQ6If she was acting like this for no reason, I myself was thinking of drilling a hole in her head to air out her brain.JmhX4
tt8C“What’s wrong? Who do you owe money to?”eAnhz
Sc9BT6“Excuse me?”NJ0hLEN
aRc“When you jumped from the helicopter you said you liked me. How much debt did you pile up to be selling my image to the point of deceiving the whole TV station?”wdM
kzc“…Huh?”KIoE
2rGP“It’s because I don’t understand that I’m asking you. I’m the one who should have questions, why are you throwing them back at me?!”8eq
PcS“…Wow. Really, sir, your common sense…”kzd
NhLFSI had to hold back the dark impulse crawling up my palate—I wanted to rip her eyes out for looking at me like I was crazy.GIaNE8e
ArIdIn the middle of it all, the background was unnecessarily beautiful. The harmony between a half-devastated Seoul and the purple sunset light was like a painting of the word “twilight.”S5Xh
Qe9dWhile throwing out endless comments like “Wow” or “this isn’t easy,” Choi Seol-Ah asked again.C0Yh7Rh
pVp8a1“I mean, it’s not in the sense you think, sir. It’s something simpler… Don’t you get it?”z8SOjY
snSw“Since you started grad school, did you pick up the habit of speaking in riddles?”vK3wYz
YcYX“Ugh…”8s1j5rs
uYzb2GChoi Seol-Ah brought her fingers to her temples. With that sigh, the rubble on the ground shifted. Just as she was about to open her mouth again—3zR3
AzifRl“Eh?!”zjBo8r5
6LLInstead of words, she let out an exclamation. Her gaze was beyond me.aIS
ucMqWDTBut I felt no presence. Instinctively, I turned my head, following her eyes.9jTlwKQ
AohGW“…Sa…”29I
gktUI couldn’t finish the word.NOEZCZ
weeI didn’t know if it was a dream or reality. The scenery also looked surreal. And I was physically and mentally exhausted. It wouldn’t have been strange if I had fainted and this was a dream.oGi3gC
uCMF“Hey.”Rd7
67H6OdxThe image of a man was etched into my retina. Black-haired, waving his hand at me.6vzNlX
Fzd“Long time no see. You look well.”xPxoKV
bOVeQYi“…”eQ5qZ
N5VZVAjHow many years had passed?eyyx
5jyglIf we assume that incident right before the final battle against the false gods wasn’t a dream, then it’s been ten years.ONtF
x1MhBut breathing the same air as him—that hadn’t happened for at least fifteen years. Even in my past life, I never once ran into him while traveling the whole country.5aPE4
gvP“Sa…jang…nim.”qJ3d
17acR“Don’t call me that in such a broken way, it’s cheesy.”qj9X
iRBHim.yiLdZcy
12FXoFChief Ho Ah-Hyun.4cJx0
1LLatThe founding hero Balor Joaquin rubbed his chin with his thumb, looking a bit embarrassed. Then, without saying much else, he spoke.1Mi
ZJOBYt“Have you been well?”qqw6
7F0inC1Sunset was falling. The hazy glow of the evening reflected in the glass of the 63 Building. Even though it resembled Earth, the brilliantly shining stars made it clear this was the world of “Blessing of the Apocalypse M.”ySs8c
rXAsThe world I inherited from my adoptive father.LBNkRG
HgBpxI smiled so hard that my dimples showed. If I relaxed my expression, I felt a hot tear would fall.qayyc1q
hCahuP4“Yes. Thanks to you.”RdJZ
KKPPVyNMy father smiled.h0Dy
xAicswX“I see.”UhWkxe
nlxIFor a moment, we simply looked at each other in silence. At some point, the Sword Master also joined us. Seeing the dust on his clothes, he must have evacuated people before coming.n5RP
urun6w“Heavenly Sword.”K6xdg
DVOJust as the Sword Master tried to speak, something disrupted the sky. Everyone looked up.kSuftJ
pfP9QSa“(One last effort, squeak!)”TWd
XtX72Q“(Use every last drop of energy, squeak!)”eZaIYA
lYtcTrQ“(Damn it! How does the commander’s invincible army end up humiliated like this? What a disgrace, squeak!)”0LfJ
azVOSoIt was Lycan’s supposed elite. They descended from the sky like rays of light, each carrying one of my companions.VAN
7x0UfMv“Heavenly Sword!”Hp8cNoW
PW4gPWYRachel shouted.7hY
cPqcN“(This woman is heavy, squeak!)”nX4S
vO5OU“(Breathe, breathe, squeak!)”HjnVxTN
L9C“(We’re not pack squirrels! What kind of torture is this, squeak!)”RLvK
7FTAs if one wasn’t enough, several squirrels carried a companion each, holding their arms and legs.0ti
l0g1P7Rachel, Leon, Media Poison, and Speedweapon were approaching in the same state. By the way, Leon is a Nephilim, doesn’t he have wings? Why is he riding?RbKw2P
aiM4mYAwoooo!Vb7Sjy9
auBTPPzAwoooo!Ak9c2
RU1NJust as I was about to get indignant, a deep howl resounded. It was the roar of a beast that blended perfectly with the twilight.gEY0Gi1
Z9m0ZA wolf.RIkZ
bliX1Sköll and Hati ran after the squirrels, swift on all fours. On their backs rode Ryozo and Abel.YRa
O5FThe group landed first. The squirrels didn’t waste time fleeing.lOjClGc
rQL08“(Save us, Heavenly Sword!)”PmUfQ2
M0eh5“(Those wolves have been licking their lips at us for a while! We’re not even a decent snack, squeak!)”g0yJSPc
ToriMqThey hid behind my heels and started gossiping.VgLZbi
6Tq6zTaking advantage of the moment, Rachel spread her arms to hug me. I felt like she was about to crush me like a can. I twisted my abs hard to avoid it.rRrUBA
iHwXdRachel, dragged by inertia, smashed face-first into the asphalt.IYRAGyE
x0ihNQ“Pfff!”ustZr1
qymgCISo slow.Qo1
mpOzPGx“That was cruel, Geom-Ma.”P7U
8DW9Rachel rubbed the lump on her head with tears in her eyes.dlaQx
jlhW0s“This isn’t the time for that.”RrsrnG
vD0P“What does the timing matter for love? In my twenties it was all passion, you know!”afngUK
dNGhfY6Huh?SY6
YCwsp7While grumbling, Rachel twisted her neck. She had spotted a black-haired man. That was suspicious. In the whole world, only one person had completely black hair—Kang Geom-Ma.rzQ
JJRuRachel’s eyes curved. She could see people’s secrets as if they were fog. It was an almost supernatural intuition. That ability whispered in her ear who that middle-aged man was.CPXg
52z49I“Father.”AKp
MkksRachel knelt with elegance. She joined both hands with decorum and bowed respectfully to the man.lmL
wb5A“I am Rachel de Mura, daughter of the Changseong family. Lord Richard de Mura is my uncle…”SV5
hoki“R-Rachel. What are you doing? Get up.”Y06a8FP
5cCDxjuKang Geom-Ma took her by the shoulder. That was a bad sign. Obviously. Rachel acting modest and humble wasn’t normal, nor should it be.Um4
yb2f‘Iron block.’5BIol
ykN0But Rachel pushed him off with her shoulder and slipped free. Kang Geom-Ma looked at his hand, stunned.oJkNHa
e1oHsc“I greet the father of the Heavenly Sword.”JHUUK
jjYRyozo and Abel also dismounted. They didn’t fully understand what was happening, so they stayed quiet. Balor Joaquin watched the scene in amazement.jKIopS
lBsC“Then, what are you to him?”VhOYo
ax3l9BX“I’m his girlfriend.”3DeDL
4VIGMV“……?”FS1g
qYX7Since when?jhmRkL
zRSHLbDKang Geom-Ma was about to step in, but Balor Joaquin beat him to it.hc8
Vzhj82“That guy’s already married to two women.”goS
1yRv“They say a true hero doesn’t love just one flower, but stirs the whole reed field. In that case, I am but one more blade among them.”VJP
Z4frGocRachel replied solemnly.HycqpJZ
aNa8“I am heir of Changseong, but also a woman who admires Kang Geom-Ma.”18rY
9IRHWhat a fluent way of speaking.Tg2Wnq0
fx7R“……”bOnn
jMjrKang Geom-Ma rolled his eyes like a rusty hinge. He was receiving the intense stares of his two wives.HvXWugD
3s9dpi‘Save me.’o3G
ExMYThis was hell.Q1O5GtF
ayuHe had just finished saving the world, and now his home was about to collapse.RPdO
junRachel stayed prostrate. Balor Joaquin, with a vein throbbing on his temple, spoke to Kang Geom-Ma.cXOh3pP
BLVuL“Disciple.”KW7nm
TQOOJ0The chief smiled.0iNj
GWIHyDI also smiled like nothing was wrong.83Bi
hQ1i“Yes.”heF34
4dD“Do you remember what I told you when you came down from the mountain?”KVHqg
g3vIq“This clumsy disciple has already forgotten.”nysL
VUx“There are three things a man must be careful of.”amAR
p7QThe chief raised three fingers.ALWA5Qn
ektcCP“By the way, you speak very well, huh?”FUrYG
iVRa9Hb“My tongue could never compare to yours, master.”2Ai
orW“Yes. You always had a talent for speaking, though your lack of eloquence was due to your evasive nature. But yes, your way of speaking has improved.”rn4Rq8Z
dW3XT“How embarrassing.”bweau61
HN3wHe folded his pinky.wvfD
aiTpl“And you use the sword well. I’m impressed.”57AeH
5WaI“No, I still fall short. I can’t even reach your feet…”eIw
3GN8NMM“Shut up and listen.”uXfK6XP
YfyEtG1“Yes.”d5H7H5
XmXHKHe folded his index finger. The order was strange.Tj5Ga
GVCm“…But compared to the last thing, all that is nothing.”vyLKi
13nFObviously, only the middle finger was left.Nn4qj
PouhV5The chief pointed it at me with a gesture.Ryof
ANN“What the hell have you been doing?”WJWcw
wiw“Well…”ysfsths
hszgi“Two wives?”eMBhe
LZKYHe6He looked at Ryozo and Abel. Both flinched and clung to my arms, competing for my side.jb6
mzx4“Nice to meet you, father.”huAY
pALFRyozo usually doesn’t speak without certainty, so this was surprising. Even without clear confirmation, she politely addressed Balor Joaquin.vfna
XqggvX0“I am Kang Geom-Ma’s first wife and…”9y4
Lw7Abel cut in.pn9n
BdOBXWhile trying to push her with her cheek, she said.LFO
BKB6“Hello. I am daughter of the Nibelung family and granddaughter of the Sword Master…”Tbu4
X9jc“Cough!”Rm6ApaO
kTe“Hey, Abel. Introductions always follow the order of arrival, you know?”Xa0hTn
WPumq“Oh. I didn’t know such a rule existed. What a recent discovery.”rku1c0
GVC3U“…Could it be that Kali Yuga hasn’t been eliminated yet? A dear family of mine seems to still be trapped in an illusion, apparently.”eUBMkNb
v43HAnd so began an open fight on Hangang Bridge.QOZ
HZv17While Balor Joaquin and I watched the scene in disbelief, Media Poison quietly approached.250V0E2
wZX9“Hello.”WWo96xm
1PuBQGBalor Joaquin glanced sideways at her.YsgqGn
bNLa“I see. And what’s your relationship with that guy? If you’re his girlfriend, go line up with the blonde over there. She cut ahead.”k1uWD9
LwL0“Yes, understood.”2BLre
nFDet57Media Poison trotted with short steps to where Rachel was.OjU
6AWGEThat way, I was left alone with the chief.9iV0f47
RVZvRWc“Disciple.”GYn
F3otqU“Yes, chief.”wUX
Q65VYy4Under the starry sky, a nearly poetic dialogue began.sXJyshk
l4Zi2“Did you dream a sad dream?”FYjQ
dgAia“No, not at all.”i4zU
5s7i“Then why do you cry so sadly?”uPOWML
aIsFAnother star shone at the corner of the disciple’s eye.UJO
lSwnwf“I’m so moved to be able to speak with my master again… I couldn’t help it.”hMrGRW
gRM3H“I feel the same.”bUWL
nhucZb1The master folded the middle finger.1oG
X5iClack! It turned into a rock.iUN
eOgvyn“Come, let’s talk.”lKri
nu20pFTThe chief’s favorite means of communication has always been the fist of love.bJt
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