Episode 64. Two Years

“Thank you so much, thank you...”

The old man cried as he thanked the man. The man was smiling kindly, holding the old man’s wrinkled hands. A bushy beard with curly hair. His appearance reminded people of a religious figure.

Some people laughed at him, saying he had chosen a ridiculous style. But now that two years had passed, no one doubted his ability.

“Take care of your health from now on. Your son said you used to enjoy drinking and smoking. Although you are cured, the illness may relapse if you use harmful substances.”

“Yes, yes, of course! I won’t touch them from now on. I won’t waste any of my new life on that!”

“I hope your resolution lasts for a long time.”

The old man didn’t stop crying. It felt like he had regained his youth. He used to have difficulty walking, but now he even felt like he could do a handstand if asked to. His blurry sight became clear, and the sounds that were muddled from his old age were now distinct.

“Thank you. Thank you so much. I’ll do whatever I can, whatever I can to repay you.”

Some laughed at him for pretending to be a representative of God. But right now, no one could doubt that he was God-sent.

“You can repay me by staying healthy from now on.”

Said the man with a gentle smile. His hand was placed on the old man’s wrinkled forehead. It felt as if a light was shining upon the man. After many good words, the man left the hospital room, and the old man’s son and old wife came into the room.

“Oh, my God, Father. Father...”

It was a touching family reunion. The old man had once been called a chaebol, living a life blinded by greed. But after he fell ill, he realized that his health and family were the most important things in his life. The old man awkwardly took out his cell phone and slowly typed.

-Thank you so much, Mr. Jeong Si-woo. Please ask me if you need anything. I’ll help you with anything as long as it’s in my power.

* * *

“Thanks to you, Mr. Zhang Wei, we added one more person today.”

“You mean that another person who should have died survived?”

“No, we added another idiot we can use.”

“.....”

Zhang Wei looked dazed for a moment.

“Now we’ll have even more funds since one of the most prominent chaebols in Korea has joined the Zhang Wei religion.”

“What do you mean by Zhang Wei religion? I don’t remember making anything like that. And I didn’t even sign up.”

I laughed quietly. It had only been two years since he actively started to cure people, but he already had a massive following.

A person who saves lives in this messed up world just by existing. His Jesus-like appearance. These two factors were enough for him to become a savior.

“Yeah, yeah. Go ahead and pretend you don’t know.”

“No, I really don’t.”

“Then just watch this. We’re going to support an attack, and we have to know about the monsters.”

I handed over the materials I had prepared in advance to Zhang Wei.

He sulkily received it and soon began to focus on the document. After glancing at Zhang Wei, who had started to concentrate, I took out my cell phone and logged onto the Internet.

[Jeong Si-woo, a rising 18-year-old star.]

[The Association is “considering Jeong Si-woo as a candidate for a 1st class hunter promotion...”]

[Will the 18-year-old be able to take responsibility for the front line of Korea?]

The Internet was buzzing with my name. It was thanks to what I accomplished over the past two years. I managed to accumulate a degree of wealth based on my knowledge of the future, and I improved the abilities of hunters and guilds by distributing my analysis data. I didn’t stop there. I also personally destroyed Dungeons and Rifts that would have caused great damage to civilians.

My heroics were widespread throughout the world, and it was safe to say that nearly everyone knew my face and name.

-Si-woo, I’m graduating today! I heard that you’re going on a raid, so I guess we won’t be able to see each other. ?.?

Hm. I looked at my cell phone and rubbed my chin.

“Can you go a little faster, sir?”

“What?”

“It looks like I have to rush off after the raid.”

“Okay.”

I couldn’t miss her graduation ceremony. After all, she would become our reliable supporter. I didn’t want to see Yoo Ji-yeon, who had next to no friends, graduate alone.

“Is it because of Yoo Ji-yeon’s graduation ceremony?”

“Yes. Why, do you find it funny that I’m trying to finish up the raid quickly just because of a graduation ceremony?”

“No, I was going to come with you once we’re done.”

Vrooom – The car started to go faster. I looked outside the car window and pulled up my status.

[Name: Jeong Si-woo]

[Class: None]

[Characteristics]

[Outstanding Insight (S), Akashic Records (?), Blessed Body (A), Mana’s Beloved Body (A), Traces of History (A), Outstanding Weapons Technique (A), Outstanding Combat Technique (A), Outstanding Magic (A), Elemental Master (B), Mana Operation (A), Magic (A).....]

[→ For all the information, please check the details.]

[Skills]

[Link (C), Seven Sins Sword Mastery (A), Great Heart (A), Hero’s Eye (A), Acceleration (A).....]

[→ For all the information, please check the details.]

[*Body-related properties have been incorporated into Blessed Body.]

[*Magic-related properties have been incorporated into Mana’s Beloved Body.]

from the Akashic Records have been incorporated into Traces of History.]

[*Weapon technique-related characteristics have been incorporated into Outstanding Weapons Technique.]

[*Martial arts-related characteristics have been incorporated into Outstanding Combat Technique.]

[*Magic casting-related characteristics have been incorporated into Outstanding Magic.]

.

.

.

I couldn’t properly read all the notification windows that popped up.

Two years. These were the results of my two years of training and development. I tried to read them one by one, but the endless transparent windows discouraged me, and I turned away. It felt like I would get sick while reading them.

“Oh, right. I mastered the shield yesterday. When will I be able to track the Martial God, Mr. Traveler?”

[You must separately learn how to manipulate Ki, mustn’t you? You can’t track him right now. Slow down, slow down.]

“Ugh, okay.”

Yeah. What could go wrong if I just continued like this? I prepared to get up as I saw the Rift getting closer.

* * *

Splish!

“Ahhhrgh!”

“Oh, you idiot! Tanker, hurry up and cover the other side!”

“We don’t have enough over here either!”

“What? Then you’re just going to let people die? Because you don’t have enough hunters? Cover the other side right now! We’ll clear up this area and send backup! Just hang in for five minutes; no, three minutes. The Association sent A-class supporters, so it’ll be over soon!”

The inside of the Rift was a mess. Even with regular members, it would have been a difficult raid. But about 50% of the attack team was filled up by mercenaries. The attack team had been having problems from the start, and the raid slowed down because the hunters couldn’t coordinate their attacks. And then this happened due to a single mistake.

“Ugh! Hang in there! Hang in there, dammit!”

Hundreds of monsters surrounded them. Unlike the guild members who fought hard, the mercenaries shrank from fighting, trying to find a way to escape. As a result, the hunters’ movements were inconsistent, and they were cornered even more.

“You stupid mercenaries, do you think you guys could survive on your own in this situation? Keep moving, fight half as much as you keep mouthing off!”

“You shut up! The magic cast isn’t working because of all your shouting!”

“Whew, why don’t you tell those monsters to shut up? Aren’t they loud? You could use their growls as your morning alarm!”

“Don’t fight, you guys! We can’t afford to fight with each other right now–!”

Clang, Clank!

The Elite Lizardmen’s swords hammered the shields. The Tankers couldn’t hold out for long. The hunters were angry and frustrated, and the annoyed wizards were terrible at casting magic.

When on Earth are the A-class supporters from the Association coming?

Thunk.

The tip of the spear pushed away the sword.

Tap, tap!

And the spear thrust forward several times, hitting the Elite Lizardmen’s helmets and causing them to hesitate. There was no need to kill them. In situations with many monsters like this, it was more efficient to make the whole herd shrink back than to reduce their numbers one by one.

“Magic! Wizards! Arghhh!”

“I’m ready!”

Boom-boom!

Flames poured down onto the cowering Lizardmen. Fire magic was the most effective in destroying a crowd of monsters, and it swept the entire area. The Lizardmen were burnt black in their armor, and they howled grotesquely as they collapsed.

“Kkyaaaah!”

“Krrrkk, krrrrk!”

Of course, it wasn’t over with that single attack.

“Ugh.. my head hurts.” historical

It looked like the wizard had used up his mana with the attack.

‘Come on, you’ve been doing nothing until now, and you’re done with one casting? Damn.’

He barely restrained himself from swearing out loud. It would do no good to make the hunters angrier.

‘I hate situations like these, where I have to stand my ground to death. Ugh, I hate it. For real!’

The man clenched his jaw and swung his spear. It was unusual for someone to be able to withstand the muscular strength of the Lizardmen.

Swoosh, thwack!

“Ugh.”

A Lizardman’s tail swooped past the spear he had swung forward. The tail hit his body directly, and he was flung into the air as if hit by a vehicle.

“Ugh.. Aargh.”

It felt like not only his ribs but also his internal organs were smashed to pieces. Blood spilled from his mouth, and several Tankers, including him, were flung into the air.

The Lizardmen had begun to use their heads. Those damn reptiles....!

“Aaaarghhh-!”

The front was breached, and the monsters started to approach from the rear.

‘Dammit, we can’t even hold on for three minutes. I thought we could at least last that long if we tried our best.’

He could hear the sound of Lizardmen tearing apart flesh with their knives. The man closed his eyes tightly. He couldn’t stand the miserable sight of his teammates dying anymore. But then.

“Oh, was I too late?”

At that moment, a golden light shone all over the area.

“I tried to get here as soon as possible, but the Association contacted me late in the first place. It’s not my fault.”

The bodies of the collapsed Tankers started to heal. And that wasn’t all.

The wizards who were stabbed by the Lizardmen were starting to heal, and swordsmen were regrowing their lost body parts.

It was an unusual sight. It looked as if time was going in reverse. They looked up, and only then could they see who created this miracle.

“It’s Zhang Wei!”

The world’s best healer. He was looking down at the hunters.

And.

“Jeong Si-woo, there’s Jeong Si-woo, too!”

Standing next to Zhang Wei.

They could see the face of the most famous hunter in Korea.

“I’ll clean this up first. Everyone, please stay away from the Lizardmen.”

Snap!

Jeong Si-woo calmly snapped his finger. And the colorful clusters of light that were circling him flashed toward the Lizardmen.

The stone-like clump of light turned into a long sharpened point.

The first it penetrated was a Lizardman’s head. It entered the head and burst out of the heart, and immediately shot towards the next target.

The sharp points of light buzzed throughout the battlefield. Whenever a light burst out like fireworks, blood splattered all around.

The five flashes of light tore apart and crushed dozens and hundreds of Lizardmen whenever Jeong Si-woo signaled with his finger. Torn flesh fell to the ground, and the bodies of the fearsome Lizardmen collapsed like sandcastles.

Crack, crackle.

The light pierces the flesh, crushes the heart, destroys the brain, and tears apart all the organs. Some of the Lizardmen cried out in fear and fled at the sight of the light’s overwhelming violence. But they couldn’t outrun light.

Piing..

“Kuehhhhh.”

A delicately aimed pointed light blew off the last remaining Lizardman’s head. All the monsters that cornered the hunters into a deadly situation died at the hands of a single person. Jeong Si-woo looked at the scene and spoke in a casual voice that didn’t fit the situation.

“I’ll take the by-products of the 752 Lizardmen that just died. I don’t expect any of you to dispute my claim by saying that you drove them all the way here, right?”

Eighteen years old now.

Jeong Si-woo, who spent two years as a hunter, not as an analyst, had become a little tougher than before.

* * *

“..Hwayeon Choin Academy graduation exam. Cadet Yoo Ji-yeon, please come to the auditorium.”

Yoo Ji-yeon, who was wriggling her hands, raised her head. Jeong Si-woo hadn’t come yet. She was a bit disappointed, but there was nothing she could do. He had to go on a raid.

Crackle!

“Oh...”

The book in her hand scorched black. It was because her overflowing mana reacted to her emotions and ran wild. Yoo Ji-yeon blankly scratched her head and tossed the book outside the window as she walked down the hall. She pretended to be okay, but she wasn’t.

“That crazy girl burned her book again.”

“Who’s her graduation test opponent? I feel bad for them. Of all the days.”

“When she’s in a bad mood, she’s vicious.”

The other cadets muttered in the back of the hall. Unlike what they said, Yoo Ji-yeon looked frighteningly indifferent.

Thump, thump.

The sound of footsteps echoed in the auditorium.