Chapter 8
The next day, Seong-Hwi stopped by the post office to mail So-Eun’s hairband and headed to the National Library of Korea. One could only enter public institutions as part of a group every thirty minutes.
Only after passing three interior doors could they remove their oxygen masks and hazmat suits and place them in designated lockers.
Seong-Hwi walked around the library without a destination in mind. He simply visited each genre, such as general works, philosophy, religion, literature, and history, and took out some books to skim through them. It took him a while to choose ten books that piqued his interest. He placed them on the table of a window seat and sat down.
The books he chose were ones with a strong tone of destiny. Of course, all books contained people’s destinies to an extent, but Seong-Hwi was only interested in collecting special destinies.
He developed this habit when he was young because he had gained a deep interest in destiny due to Mother Maria’s influence. He was born to a single mother and destined to be abandoned in front of a children’s home; reading about the special destinies of others made it feel like he was living their lives. It was also why Seong-Hwi wanted to become a librarian and spend his life reading books in a library—he liked the fantasy far more than the dreary reality.
Now, it feels like a faraway past. A librarian... I remember having such a dream.
After spending ten years in the Mirror World, Seong-Hwi experienced so much. The man who used to dream of being a librarian had come to the library with a different objective.
He had three goals to accomplish before the first snow. Firstly, he would raise his basic stats as much as possible through exercise. Secondly, he would collect as many individuals’ destinies as possible at the library. Thirdly, he would gather as many artifacts on Earth as possible.
Seong-Hwi thought about looking for other hidden quests after obtaining 1,000 Karma from killing Kang Hyun-Tae, but gave up. It was a much better use of his time to focus on the three goals instead of wasting time looking for hidden quests with no guarantee that he would find any.
His second goal, collecting destinies, was associated with his Destiny Weapon, the crystallization of human destiny. One’s D Weapon was determined by one’s subconscious, experience, trauma, dear wish, background, culture, and more.
[Old Tarot Deck (Destiny Weapon)
Rank: F(0)
Description: A deck of 78 tarot cards.
Unique Skills: None.]
It was also why Seong-Hwi’s D Weapon was a deck of tarot cards—because Seong-Hwi wanted to know about his destiny more than anything, and to grasp it to shine brightly. On top of that, he was very knowledgeable about tarot cards to the point he had been immersed in them for a while, doing three readings per day. All of these factors were likely why his D Weapon was a deck of tarot cards.
My D Weapon falls under the specialization category. It required far more effort and exploration than other D Weapons.
D Weapons were generally categorized into six types: enhancement, emission, conjuration, manipulation, transformation, and specialization. The categories were a result of thorough research into D Weapons, and humans came up with a famous chart known as the Web of Categories.
It was a pentagon, and clockwise from the top point of the pentagon were enhancement → transformation → manipulation → conjuration → emission, and then back to enhancement at the top. In the middle of the pentagon was specialization. From each category was a straight line toward specialization and ten perpendicular lines, intersecting each line toward specialization like a spider web. The design was taken from a statistical graph known as a radar chart.
From the chart, every category was close to two categories and far from the other two categories. For example, an enhancement D Weapon was close to transformation and manipulation, and far from conjuration and emission. D Weapons that were difficult to place in those five categories were put in the center of the chart, named specialization.
People with the five common categories had a basic guideline for developing their D Weapons because others in the same category had already accumulated a wealth of knowledge about it. However, specialization D Weapons were so rare that individuals needed to establish their own rules and develop their weapons through trial and error.
And I developed the most optimal rule through endless trial and error.
Seong-Hwi closed a book and fell into thought. At first, he was devastated once he saw the Old Tarot Deck as his D Weapon. Others were hunting Chaos with D Weapons in the form of swords, hammers, and shields, but all he had were seventy-eight useless tarot cards.
Seong-Hwi couldn’t use his D Weapon at all during the mandatory quest. He only learned after he entered the Mirror World that one needed to establish a rule to use their D Weapon in the truest sense. A rule was like a code made by its wielder for how they would use their D Weapon.
For example, someone with a sword as their D Weapon had to establish the sword’s abilities and restrictions. If the established ability of the sword was that it would never lose its sharpness, the user also had to establish a restriction—the price that the individual would pay for the ability. Most people set mana as the restriction, and in this example, the amount and quality of mana used would determine the sword’s sharpness.
Of course, absurd abilities couldn’t be established. For example, an ability such as a sword that could cut anything and kill anyone was impossible because there would be no plausible restriction to balance the ability.
Hence, the direction in which one could develop their D Weapon was infinite. However, only a handful of people managed to master their D Weapon. To master one’s D Weapon, one needed a perfect understanding of their weapon’s properties, why it was their D Weapon, and to develop a perfectly balanced rule through deep thinking.
After that process, Seong-Hwi ultimately developed two unique skills: Symbol Embodiment and Borrowing Destiny. In short, Symbol Embodiment could embody the symbols drawn on each card to use like an item. Borrowing Destiny allowed him to borrow the destiny of the individual in the tarot card and temporarily make it his own, just like how he borrowed these books.
Symbol Embodiment was a normal skill for which he established mana and a secondary force as the restriction, but the problem was his second skill, Borrowing Destiny. The ability of Borrowing Destiny allowed him to make a deal with great figures, murderers, heroes, and demons to be granted their power, but the price to use it was his destiny.
It was an abstract concept, but it was true. If a murderer corrupted Seong-Hwi’s destiny, he would be unable to fight the urge to kill, becoming a murderer. His acts would not feel off to him either—he would misunderstand that he had murdered because he wanted to, adding a justification to his actions. He would lose himself without realizing it—a truly terrifying penalty.
It would be easier to understand if his body were simply taken from him, but this was something else entirely—Seong-Hwi always needed to be painfully wary of his mental state. One misstep and everything would be taken from him—his memories, wishes, hopes, dreams, goals, personality, and more—without even being aware they had been taken. Turning into a Chaos monster might be better.
But it doesn’t matter. I need more powerful destinies to become stronger.
Seong-Hwi quickly flipped through the pages to hasten his destiny collection, his eyes blazing with passion.
***
Every day was a cycle of exercise and going to the library. 2031 arrived before Seong-Hwi realized it, but for him, 2031 was only an extension of 2030—it meant nothing to him. From what he remembered, the first snow was a week from now. He would be Lost from Earth to the Mirror World in one week.
Seong-Hwi stood in front of his full-length mirror, inspecting his outfit. He was wearing durable black combat boots, thick green cargo pants that he purchased because explorers commonly wore them, and a regular oversized black hoodie. He did not look like a soldier since he was wearing a black hoodie, but he was wearing body armor and the Bowie knife attached to his back underneath.
They’re not items from cubes, but better than nothing.
He also had gear such as a mess tin, a canteen bottle, and an army shovel in his bag. He would be far more advantageous than others if sent to the Mirror World right now. Seong-Hwi finished his preliminary checks for being Lost and smiled in satisfaction. However, he was planning on going out for a moment to secure overwhelming growth instead of a simple advantage.
To the flea market.
***
Seong-Hwi arrived at a flea market in the Sinseol neighborhood, Dongdaemun District, Seoul, selling various products like food, sundries, secondhand clothing, and handicrafts. Outdoor display stands were no longer operable since the air was toxic, but indoor stores were still up and running.
Seong-Hwi passed through the doors that opened at set schedules, placed his hazmat suit and oxygen tank in the designated locker, and looked around. There were only a few people, and Seong-Hwi was the only young one. He saw a row of stores with retro items or secondhand clothing scattered like abandoned items. Ninety percent of the stores had no owner. They were on the verge of failing—no, had already failed.
“I didn’t know young’uns still came to places like this,” an elderly man said in surprise as he noticed Seong-Hwi looking around.
“Oh, yes. I have a hobby of collecting old items.”
“Haha, is that so? I’m happy to see such a young man visiting this kind of place.”
The elderly man with white hair seemed to be in his nineties.
I bet he would die during the mandatory quest if he were Lost. His Health and Strength look no more than F(5).
Seong-Hwi shook his head as his thoughts naturally went in that direction. His habit of predicting one’s combat level and comparing it to his had not disappeared. Regardless, the elderly man would most likely die if he were Lost. His only hope for survival would be that his D Weapon held some sort of special ability. Warnings such as being wary of the elderly and children that one would commonly see in martial arts novels, applied in the Mirror World.
“From your getup... are you a military fanatic?” the elderly man asked.
“No, I’m looking for items even older than that.”
“Haha, all you’ll find are old items. That’s why they were abandoned. No one looks for outdated items these days.”
“I do.”
“Oh, that’s right. Haha. Have your pick. You’ll see a price tag on them. The owners don’t come to their stores these days, so just put the money in the box and take it.”
Seong-Hwi looked around the stores as the elderly man instructed, and saw price stickers or tags on each item displayed on the display stands.
“What if someone just takes them without paying?” Seong-Hwi asked.
“Hah, it doesn’t matter. I told you, they’re all abandoned items. If they’re taken by someone who needs them, that in itself is a good thing.”
“Then why are you here, sir?”
“Me? Well... age makes it hard to break habits. I’ve been here for fifty years, and will still be here until it’s my time. There have also been some thieving incidents lately. I don’t mind if they take whatever, but I at least want to see their face.”
Seong-Hwi’s eyes gleamed. “A thief?”
“They’re like a ghost. Not as famous as the globally infamous artifact thieves, but I’m sure the one who comes here is also rather skilled. The police haven’t even caught a trace of them.”
“Do you know where that thief commonly appears? I mean, which stores had their items stolen the most?”
The old man organized his thoughts and mumbled, “Mr. Oh’s antique shop, Mr. Jang’s store... and I think Mr. Kim’s store as well.”
“Could you write me the names of those stores?”
“Haha, why? Are you trying to catch the thief? Don’t waste your breath. The owners aren’t even that mad about it. They find it a shame that the items were stolen, but it at least means someone needed the items in the giant trash heap the owners had preciously kept all this time.” The old man looked around and continued, “They took two of my items too. I was angry the first time but thankful the second.”
“Your items were stolen too, sir?”
Seong-Hwi looked around the old man’s store more thoroughly. It was a mask store, filled with colorful character masks that children would love, and traditional Korean masks like hahoetal[1].
“Sir, could you sell me a mask too?”
“Haha, so, you were a customer. I don’t even remember how long it’s been. Very well, young man. What kind of mask would you like? A decorative wall mask?”
“Which mask is the oldest in your store?”
“The oldest?”
The old man tilted his head at the unexpected question and looked down to rummage under the display stand. He then pulled out a wooden box. The box opened with the creaking of the old hinges, and inside was a blackish and somber mask of a wide-eyed traditional Korean devil baring its teeth.
“A devil mask?”
“No, this is a cheoyongmu mask.[2] It was worn to drive off evil spirits, but it started being worn more for singing and dancing from the Silla period onward, and the mask design changed to a gentle smile. I would guess this mask was made before the Silla period,” the old man proudly explained the origin of his treasure.
Seong-Hwi did not have an eye for appraisal. Such a skill might exist, but he did not want to waste his precious Karma to get it.
“It seems precious to you. Are you sure I can buy it?” he asked.
The old man silently stared intently at Seong-Hwi, who did not look away. The old man smiled widely, expressing great joy. His face looked like a hahoetal.
“Haha, thank you. Thank you so much. And I’m sorry,” the old man said.
“Oh,” Seong-Hwi shook his head in shame, interpreting the old man’s response as a refusal to sell.
The old man then said, “Just take it.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Just take it. I’ve had it for forty years, so... it’s about time I passed it on to someone else.”
“All the more reason I should pay you. How much is—”
The old man interjected, “Forget it. It’s not something that can be bought or sold. I’m giving it to you because... I’m so sorry. No wonder I wanted to come to the store today. It must have been to meet you, young man.”
He closed the wooden box and handed it to Seong-Hwi.
Seong-Hwi stood still in silence as he grabbed the box and asked the old man, “What are you... So sorry about? We’ve only met today.”
The old man puckered his lips as if trying to find the words. Seong-Hwi waited, not rushing the old man.
The old man sighed and muttered, “Huuu... About everything. I feel so sorry whenever I see the young. They have to wear oxygen masks because of our old generation. They’re like the masks of this generation. Our era was filled only with advancements, but... that ended up destroying the Earth. I’m... we’re sorry.”
Seong-Hwi could only stare at the old man.
The old man continued to mumble, “It’s already 2031... we were supposed to pass down a brand new year to the next generation, but... I’m so sorry we only have our filthy and old year.”
The old man continued to apologize like a broken cassette tape.
***
Eternity said,
“Why do the old need a new year?
Tell them there won’t be a new year until there are new people.
The old year that was with them will stay with them.
The dead will change from their burial clothes to be with you.”
Maxim Gorky, Old Year[3]
1. Hahoetal are traditional Korean masks worn in certain ceremonies that date back to the 12th century. ☜
2. Cheoyongmu is a Korean mask dance based on the legend of Cheoyong, a son of the Dragon King. It is a shamanistic dance performed to drive off evil spirits at the end of the year. ☜
3. This is another quote that I couldn’t find, so I just translated it. ☜