Episode 189 Forward (3)
“Hmm….”
Baek Woo-jin let out a sigh as soon as he entered the gray zone. The concentration of mana was very thick, and something was mixed into the pure mana.
‘I can’t believe this feeling…’
– It’s the mana of darkness. Natural mana is mixed with dark mana. However, it is different from the mana of undead such as lichs.
‘What’s different?’
-It is much purer than the dark mana that lichs have. It feels raw. So it appears that humans can breathe and move.
Darkness whetted his appetite as he looked at the gray fog that covered this place.
-The concentration of mana is thicker here than outside. The mana of darkness will also flow, so I don’t think there will be any major problems in accepting it as long as you act accordingly.
‘Then is it because my body is moving randomly now because of adaptation?’
Baek Woo-jin looked at his trembling right hand and slowly exhaled.
-okay. This is a phenomenon that appears as your body and aura adapt to the mana of this place.
‘This was hazing.’
-Hmm, but why are your Aurors still as if they have stepped on the brakes?
Darkness looked at Baek Woo-jin’s Danjeon as if it was absurd. The auror that was supposed to explode like a volcano was calm like a lake.
‘You’ll understand when you try it.’
-Tsk, if you use Auror without being used to it… Huh?
Darkness was speechless at the absurd phenomenon. The Lasadum aura that spread from Baek Woo-jin’s body swallowed up the highly concentrated mana of the gray zone that covered him.
-What kind of crazy phenomenon is this?
That’s not adaptation, that’s predation.
Baek Woo-jin’s auror chewed up and swallowed mana regardless of its darkness or concentration. I’ve seen many Aurors, but this was my first time seeing one with such abilities.
‘It’s okay.’
Baek Woo-jin grinned. The cramps and suffocating breathing that had occurred throughout my body disappeared, and the feeling of refreshment, as if I had just woken up, permeated my entire body.
-Dog Revenge Aura….
As Rasadum’s Auror feasted on the mana of the gray zone, Baek Woo-jin instantly adapted to the thick and dark mana.
‘My body feels lighter. I guess I don’t have to adapt.’
Baek Woo-jin clenched and opened his fist and laughed.
‘But the swordsmen are having a hard time holding on.’
-Do you think everyone has the ability to deceive like you? Because the recoil is proportional to the level of one’s body and mana, anyone has no choice but to end up in that state.
‘Then I need some help adjusting.’
Baek Woo-jin spread Rasadum’s aura like a wrapping cloth and wrapped it around Moon Ju-young and the medical sword belt.
“Huh!”
“Whew….”
“Master Do!”
Moon Ju-young and the medical examiner barely raised their heads and looked at Baek Woo-jin.
“Are you going to sit down from here and go?”
“Ugh….”
“Look at their faces.”
Baek Woo-jin gestured at Baek Yeon-hwi and the prosecutors next to him.
“Don’t you want to overturn those facial expressions that ignore you? Then get up. Think of it as getting up and fighting this mana that is bothering you.”
“Oh, I understand.”
“It’s fascinating to see their expressions change.”
“Ugh…”
Moon Joo-young was the first to get up, and Hong Nam-gi and Kim Woo-hyuk stumbled to their feet. All 16 remaining prosecutors stood up proudly on their own legs.
“Breathe slowly and concentrate. “I think you can catch the Aurors running wild like colts and fight the mana that is oppressing you.”
“yes!”
As soon as Baek Woo-jin finished speaking, the momentum of the 19 people came together and rose like a sharp sword.
Even though Baek Woo-jin released the auror protecting Moon Ju-young and the medical sword team, they did not fall. Even though I was shaking, I was holding on.
[Perfect Sword Conductor has been activated.]
[All abilities have increased.]
Baek Woo-jin smiled as he saw the message that appeared in front of him.
-If you use that trait like this, your brain can’t keep up with it.’ Darkness stuck out his tongue. Baek Woo-jin activated the perfect sword conductor to increase the abilities of the medical sword corps.
The mana recoil experienced by the Medical Swordsman was a recoil before their abilities increased.
The medical swordsman, whose abilities had risen as a perfect sword conductor, was able to easily overcome the recoil of the body and Aurors.
‘But there are people who can’t do it.’
-huh?
‘That guy.’
Baek Woo-jin stuck out his tongue like a thirsty puppy and sighed when he saw Mu Young-gaek passed out.
-It went very well.
‘I know.’
Baek Woo-jin let out a worn-out laugh, picked up the martial arts guard, draped it over his shoulder, and approached Baek Yeon-hwi and Hyeongeomdae.
“I think the hazing ceremony is over, aren’t you going?”
“Wow….”
“Huh….”
Jin Hye-ri and the prosecutors of the Hyeongeukdae couldn’t take their eyes off Baek Woo-jin with mesmerized faces. It was as if there was such a monster.
“Did you know about hazing?”
Baek Yeon-hwi’s voice was calm, but her eyes were shaking. He also could not completely hide his surprise.
“I knew there was hazing, but I didn’t know it was like this.”
Baek Yeon-hwi’s eyes lit up when she saw Baek Woo-jin and the medical sword stand proudly standing behind him.
‘This is my first time seeing something like this again.’
20 out of 21 people were standing on their own legs. This is an unimaginable result. This was the first time since the gray zone became this ugly.
“Can we leave right away?”
“of course!”
The medical examiner’s team answered Baek Yeon-hwi’s question loudly. There was power in their voices. It seemed like I had definitely adapted.
“…let’s go.”
Baek Yeon-hwi nodded and headed inside. Jin Hye-ri and the prosecutors of the Hyeongeumdae swallowed dry saliva and followed behind him.
“What do you think of their expressions?”
“This is why we do reverse tours!”
“I feel refreshed as if I ate cold noodles!”
The prosecutors from the Medical Examination University grinned while looking at the backs of the prosecutors from the Medical Examination University.
“You will see more interesting things in the future.”
Baek Woo-jin grinned and followed Baek Yeon-hwi into the thicker fog.
* * *
Baek Woo-jin followed Baek Yeon-hwi and arrived at the center block where the headquarters was located. In addition to being the command center, there were also various shops and places to rest.
-There’s everything. After all, all places where people live are the same.
‘But they are all talented.’
Everyone in the center block was talented. There were quite a few people with low-level abilities, but there wasn’t a single ordinary person who didn’t know Mana.
‘If you think about it, it’s natural.’
It is said that the battles on the front lines are rough and raids are frequent. It was a difficult place to live if you could not protect your own body.
-But those guys are looking at you with their mouths wide open as if they have seen a ghost? Does he recognize you?
‘That’s not it.’
Baek Woo-jin looked into people’s eyes and shook his head.
‘I can’t believe that after all the hazing, only one person fainted.’
They were looking at them with eyes full of astonishment and surprise, like prosecutors from the Hyeongeomdae.
They can’t believe that out of 21 new recruits, only one fainted and was carried on his back.
“….”
Baek Yeon-hwi walked down the central road while receiving greetings directed at her. Jin Hye-ri continued to glance at Baek Woo-jin and the medical swordsman with her eyes still wide open.
“Meeting you, Deputy Commander!”
As Baek Yeon-hwi entered the headquarters, two capable men in black combat uniforms bowed their heads and opened the way.
“Was your brother the second-in-command?”
“There are not just one or two deputy commanders. “It’s not that big of a deal.”
Baek Yeon-hwi answered lightly as if it was no big deal and stopped in front of the round building in the center of the headquarters.
“You need to show the medical team to the lodgings.”
“All right!”
Since Jin Hye-ri and Hyungeomdae took Moon Joo-young, a martial arts student from Uigeumdae, only Baek Woo-jin and Baek Yeon-hwi were left in front of the building.
“This is where the commander is. “You know who he is, right?”
“of course.”
Baek Woo-jin nodded. There is no one who does not know about the war hero and guardian deity who has been protecting the front lines for decades.
“You can’t not know.”
* * *
“See you Commander.”
Baek Woo-jin bowed his head respectfully to the man sitting at the half-cracked desk.
Although his hair was gray, his skin was almost the same as that of a middle-aged person. Bravery and strength were felt in the sparkling tiger eye.
-Is this man the Chang King you spoke of?
‘okay.’
-It’s incredibly strong. It smells like real combat, having been through 10,000 battles.
‘Because he is a person who has fought endlessly.’
Baek Woo-jin’s eyes showed an example of respect.
Spear King Hwang Byeong-hun was a man of ability who rose to the rank of absolute ruler with a single spear and was the commander-in-chief who commanded everything on the front lines.
Even though other absolutes and high-ranking abilities left the front lines, Hwang Byeong-hun remained and guarded this place until the end.
-But compared to your father and Lord Daeyeonmun, you pale in comparison. I don’t know what would happen if they actually fought.
‘It has to be that way.’
Hwang Byeong-hun spent a lot of time leading the battle here. In terms of actual combat, I was bound to fall short of those people in terms of military accomplishments.
“Your youngest brother?”
“That’s right.”
“Unlike you, he’s so handsome that it’s annoying.”
Hwang Byeong-Hoon stood up laughing. Although he was not very tall, he looked majestic like a giant.
It is not his aura or momentum, but his accumulated status and years that have made his presence greater.
“I thought it was a rumor that the youngest member of the Baek family blocked Jeon Soo-hwan’s attacks three times, but that wasn’t the case.”
“yes?”
“For a guy like this who hasn’t even signed a contract… his future is scary.”
Baek Woo-jin had a powerful force that was beyond the bounds of age and time. I’ve seen a lot of talented people, but this was my first time seeing someone like this.
“At your age, with your strength and background fame, the outside world would have been nothing short of heaven, so why did you set foot in this hell?”
Hwang Byeong-hun’s old eyes became as deep as a well. Baek Woo-jin realized that it was time to speak with sincerity.
“There are two reasons.”
“two?”
“The first is for training. I wanted to make up for my shortcomings here. No matter what anyone says, there is no place where you can experience as much real-life combat as here.”
“Are you being greedy even though you have that much power at the age of 19?”
“I saw a high mountain and thought I should climb it.”
“Hahaha!”
Hwang Byeong-hun burst into laughter. The high mountain Baek Woo-jin spoke of is his father, Jeon Soo-hwan.
I laughed happily when I heard that a guy with a high level of military power at a young age was not satisfied and said he would catch up with the absolutes.
“Then what is the second?”
“Recently, or since the year before last, we have heard news that there is major damage to the front lines. “I came here because I wanted to contribute.”
“Hmm…”
Hwang Byeong-hoon looked at Baek Woo-jin’s calm eyes.
‘Are you both serious?’
Because I saw and experienced many people, I was able to tell the truth and lies just by looking into their eyes. Now Baek Woo-jin was speaking with sincerity.
“Your brother was unique, but you are even more unique.”
“yes?”
Baek Woo-jin looked at Baek Yeon-hwi. It felt like the way he looked at me had become a little softer than before.
“You probably know this, but it’s dangerous here. The monsters are strong and fierce, and there are still many unknowns. “Instead of pushing the monsters away, they are being pushed out little by little.”
Hwang Byeong-hun let out a heavy sigh and looked at the gray fog in the distance.
“The salary is high and various conveniences are provided, but what good is that? “If you die, you’re all in trouble.”
“Um…”
“So, welcome to an idiot like you.”
“Are you stupid?”
“okay. You’re stupid. “Are you a fool or a fool?”
“So are everyone here stupid?”
“The only people who would think of fighting in this dangerous place are fools who enjoy battle or care about the greater good more than their own lives. Of course, so does your brother.”
Hwang Byeong-hoon chuckled while looking at Baek Yeon-hwi. It is neither ridicule nor joyful laughter. It’s a bitter laugh that seems to be covered in dust.
Baek Woo-jin thought that Hwang Byeong-hun was right. No matter how much money you give, it’s over when you die. The people who live here are people who look at ideals, not money.
“I will place you under your brother. “I will also assign you a training officer, so you can complete the required training while adapting to Mana.”
“All right.”
“Still, there are some good points here.”
“The good thing is….”
“Because the rice is delicious. “It’s provided by the association, so eat as much as you want.”
“I’m looking forward to that.”
“haha! “You must be tired, so go and have a look.”
Baek Woo-jin bowed his head politely and walked out the door. Baek Yeon-hwi also lowered his head and was about to follow when Hwang Byeong-hun called him.
“How many people?”
“There is only one person.”
“If it’s just one person, does that mean everyone but him fainted? “It’s going to take some time for those kids to adjust.”
“That’s not it.”
“huh?”
“Only one person fainted.”
“Huh?”
Hwang Byeong-hun almost opened his mouth without realizing it. I thought my ears were wrong.
“Only one person fainted? “Is that really true?”
“yes. “All 20 people, including Woojin, walked on their own feet.”
“Huh…”
A cold wind escaped between Hwang Byeong-hun’s teeth. In order for 20 people to survive the hazing ceremony, at least 80 to 100 people must come in. I couldn’t believe that 21 people came and 20 survived.
“Are the people who follow a unique guy also unique?”
* * *
“Where is the restaurant? “King Chang said it was delicious, so I couldn’t resist going.”
Baek Woo-jin whetted his appetite when he saw Baek Yeon-hwi, who came out late.
“What was the bet you made with your father?”
“You didn’t ask at the time, but now you’re curious about it?”
“Tell me.”
“Hmm…”
Seeing that Baek Yeon-hwi was now asking about what he had heard when he was with his father, it seemed like there had been a change in Baek Yeon-hwi’s state of mind.
“I don’t know exactly what you mean either. “They say you have to retrieve a block that was eaten by a monster within one year.”
“…What if I fail?”
“I told you to come back to the family.”
“As expected.”
Baek Yeon-hwi’s expressionless expression was broken. He frowned and gave off an unpleasant look.
“That’s a bad bet.”
“what?”
Baek Yeon-hwi crossed the center block with his fists clenched and glared at the silhouette of a huge mountain far behind.
Instead of gray fog, thick black fog was billowing from the mountain.
“Your father has placed impossible conditions on you. He has no intention of leaving you here.”
