There weren’t many otherworlders who succeeded in spreading his or her name across the entire continent. It might not be hard for one area, but for Eria, it meant that the person was a huge genius and also did many things to spread their fame.
Baek Sogo fit both of those categories. Like her nickname said, she was a martial artist. He didn’t know where she came from, but she suddenly came out of nowhere and spread her name.
When he first heard of her, it was when he started as a mercenary. Therefore, in at least 2 years, she would be leaving the mountain.
‘But she dies.’
He knew that. The death was there. That was definite.
In his past life, she died. To none other than the Small Pegasus.
In 8 years.
He looked at the Sogo that was walking in front of him. He had the penalty of heaviness. It wasn’t easy to even take a step.
What Sogo had as a speciality was quickness. It was the same as before. Like her nickname said, she was as fast as a flare. He knew in the three weeks just how fast Sogo was. Unlike Sungmin who couldn’t hunt because of his heaviness, she swiftly and easily caught them.
Sungmin couldn’t even locate her movements.
[You’re too slow.]
Sogo stopped. And then she wrote down.
[Should I carry you?]
“...Yes?”
[Don’t ask again when you already saw it. You’re too slow, so I’ll just carry you.]
She wrote down again. He hesitated. Even if it was Sogo, it didn’t feel right to be carried by a girl. But this was no time for pride, so he finally nodded his head. She picked Sungmin up and carried her on her back. He held her shoulders tightly.
Kindness.
Nice person.
Those were funny words to say about herself, but to Sungmin, she was definitely a kind person. She did his hunting for him for 3 weeks. She gave him other plants to eat as well and told him where to get water.
And didn’t want anything in return. Sogo… was similar to Wijihoyun, but also different. To be honest, Wijihoyun gave Sungmin things because of the relationship that they were in- friends.
Then Sogo?
Were they friends?
‘I don’t know.’
He didn’t think that friends just happened when one person just proclaimed that the other person was their friend. Honestly, Sungmin didn’t know what friends meant. He never had any before, so how would he know.
Friends, or not, he was happy for her kindness.
One month.
It was only a month, but it was the most terrible month of his entire previous 13 years of life. If it wasn’t for her, he wouldn’t have survived.
‘But she ...dies.’
And it wasn’t from a random person. Small Pegasus Wijihoyun. The first friend that he had ever had. That Wijihoyun would kill Sogo.
Why?
Just why?
Let’s think. Why would Sogo die. The person that killed Sogo was Wijihoyun. That was true.
It was because of her killing Sogo that Wijihoyun started to spread her name around.
‘No, it’s not just because of Sogo.’
He remembered the incident. It wasn’t something that had anything to do with Sungmin, but the incident itself shook the entire Eria with its news.
Dungeon.
Those existed in places in Eria. There was magic inside of it. The monsters respawned after a time even if they were killed, and the monsters couldn’t be taken as spoils.
But, there were other prizes other than just monster spoils. Intelligence Potions, magic books, other potions, artifacts, there were many things that could be earned from dungeons.
And at the end, there was a huge prize. If the prize was taken, the dungeon disappeared with the magic lost.
In 8 years, a dungeon in Eria opens. Not just Sogo, but many other people went inside in the dungeon to get prizes.
But the only person who came out was Wijihoyun. He didn’t know what she got from the dungeon. She had never said anything about it. But she did open her mouth about something.
She killed everyone who went inside herself.
Sogo stopped. The heaviness that Sungmin felt was only felt by him and didn’t apply to Sogo.
Even though, Sogo’s steps never slowed down even after a while of running.
She slightly tapped Sungmin’s butt. Sungmin stopped thinking and got down on the ground. As he touched the ground, his knees slightly bent because of the pressure.
“What’s that?”
A sharp voice came closer.
“Ugh…!”
As the girl came out, a strong smell permeated through the air. Sungmin wreinkled his nose. Sogo also moved back a few steps.
“You rude people!”
The girl spat out. Her face and body was a complete mess. Her long hair was dirty and messy and filled with dirt and dust so the original color couldn’t be seen.
It wasn’t just the hair. Her face was filled with mud. The clothes she wore seemed like a robe, but it felt like rags.
‘Why is she so dirty…?’
“Baek Sogo. You b*tch. What is this kid?”
Every Time the girl said anything, a strong smell came up. It felt like she would be a beautiful woman if she was clean and wore nice clothes, but with odors coming out from her entire body now, there was no beauty to be found.
[That is…]
[Sogo took out a branch.]
[I’ll have to introduce you. First, that dirty girl’s name is Scarlet. She’s a magician. The kid’s name is Lee Sungmin.]
“Sungmin? Is he a martial artist?”
[Probably.]
Sogo answered. A magician. He thought the trainees would be martial artists, but to think that there was also a magician.
“...I’m called Lee Sungmin.”
“Scarlet. I’m warning you now, but my penalty is not washing. I can’t bathe or even clean my teeth. So I’m like this.”
Scarlet spit out. She rubbed her eyes.
“I’ve also gotten a ‘Don’t change clothes.’ as well. So, you know? I can’t help that I smell terrible.”
“Ah… OK.”
Sungmin nodded as she shot out. He wanted to say something else, but he was afraid of the stench coming from her.
“So, you mute b*tch. Why are you here?”
[This kid wanted to know the other trainees.]
“Ha! Wondering about strange things. Why? You’re wondering what penalties other people got.?”
Scarlet turned around to look at Sungmin. Everytime she turned her head, the sky snowed. It was the dandruff from her hair.
“No… that’s not it. I just, we’re in the same position, so I wanted to…”
“Same position? Look at this kid say. Hey! I’ve been here for half a year already? What do you mean same position?”
Scarlet made a fist and brought it down on Sungmin’s head. It didn’t hurt, but it felt dirty that such a dirty hand was making contact with his head.
[Don’t say that. It’s only been a month since this kid came, but he’s already had 2 penalties.]
Sogo said. To that, Scarlet made a surprised face.
“...Two? Isn’t this a mad b*tch? Why did you do such a crazy thing?”
“Ah...I thought that would helpful to me.”
“Helpful. You crazy b*tch!”
Scarlet screamed with laughter.
“Kid. There are only 4 people including me and her that have been living here for over half a year. And the only one who started off with 2 penalties is that idiot b*tch over there.”
“...Yes?”
Sungmin made a surprised face and looked at Sogo. She made a nonchalant face and wrote down.
[Voice, and telepathy. Those are the two penalties.]
No wonder. It felt weird that she wasn’t using telepathy even though she was a master already.
“But there’s another crazy b*tch that’s here. I don’t know how long you’re last.”
Scarlet said and turned around. She looked like she had nothing else to say.
“What is Scarlet training for?”
[What did you come here for?]
To Sungmin’s question, she answered back.
“...to fulfill my martial arts limit.”
[That’s right. The people here are waiting to get something after hardships and suffering. I also want to increase my martial arts and Scarlet wants to increase her magic. ]
She carried Sungmin again. While they were moving, Sungmin tried to think of the name Scarlet.
‘Ah.’
He remembered.
Scarlet Resir. She was still living until he died in his previous and she was the great magician that created the Resir School branch.
‘What is this?’
Sogo and Scarlet.
The people who stayed here for over half a year were people who spread their names around in Eria.
“Baek Sogo. it’s you.”
The person after Scarlet was an old man. He was turned around, standing near a huge cliff.
“It seems like there’s another person with you. Who is that kid, is it someone who can’t talk as well?”
The old man turned around. Sungmin’s mouth widened. His face was scratched and bruised. Not just his face. All his skin was filled with injuries.
[His penalty is sight.]
A person that can’t see. He walked carefully towards them. He couldn’t see, but he walked easily towards Sungmin and Sogo.
[So you have to tell him what I’m saying. Ah. That person’s name is Dok Bejun.]
Dok Bejun.
Dok Bejun?
‘Ghost Blade!’
Sungmin swallowed his scream.
It was the entrance of another magnate.