Chapter 96. Iro (6)
“I’ll take both,” Eun-Ho said.
“Didn’t you say you made a choice?” the woman asked.
I said I’ve made my choice, not between the two options.
"Well, it’s not something you need, anyway," Eun-Ho remarked coolly. "You’d still be strong without it."
The woman fanned herself as though taken aback by the statement. “Don’t divert from the essence. Do you know how many children are clamoring for these items?”
"Oh, is that so?" Eun-Ho replied, seemingly unfazed. "Then, I’ve been wondering about something since earlier..."
He wasn’t the kind to charge in without reason.
"Why, exactly, was the researcher here as the Inspector for a physical examination trial?"
Suddenly, the fan in the woman’s hand froze in mid-air.
"And one more thing. I’ve witnessed him turning one of his colleagues into a monster... Is this a normal thing in the Investigation Bureau?"
She lowered her gaze, hiding behind the fan. Then, her eyes flickered, her mask of composure cracking.
I caught you, didn’t I, Eun-Ho thought.
"I’ll take both of them. I’m sure that’s okay with you," Eun-Ho said smoothly.
“I-I mean...”
"Thank you, Center Director," he added, taking advantage of her stunned silence to give his polite thanks.
“You won.” The woman sighed, a hollow laugh escaping her as she shrugged. “Well, perhaps this is fate. I’ll just think of it as me laying a few petals on your path ahead.”
"Then, I'd be even more grateful if you think of it that way," Eun-Ho replied.
The Center Director smiled faintly at his words, and with a swift motion, she folded her fan with a sharp snap. “You’ll be stronger next time we meet, won’t you? I’m looking forward to it.”
"I’m not done yet," Eun-Ho replied, his voice firm.
He grabbed her attention once again.
"I noticed earlier that guy had some pretty decent armor on."
“What do you mean by that...?”
Eun-Ho thought of the earlier system messages that had appeared.
[Caution!]
[Researcher Iro’s defense system has been activated!]
He was referring to the time he punched Iro and got electrocuted. The damn defensive system had triggered it.
"I’d like you to give that defensive system to me."
“What?”
I want it.
When the enemy had it, it was just a damn defensive system, but if it could be used to protect himself, he couldn’t think of anything more reliable than that.
“You’ve just taken the coveted secret techniques and even managed to get your hands on the Core. Don’t you think that’s a bit excessive?”
"I’ve lost an extra life. If you truly understand the value of life, you’d know it’s not excessive at all," Eun-Ho replied.
“You are truly...” The woman lowered her long lashes and then opened her eyes, staring directly at him. Her lips parted, drawing a faint, almost teasing smile as she added, “relentless.”
"If being relentless is what it takes to survive, I’ll be as relentless as it takes."
Then, just like that, she fell silent for a brief moment. “Your body is so fragile that it will burn itself out. But instead...”
Swoosh!
The woman’s slender fingers brushed over his chest in a smooth motion. “You could probably endure something like dragon scales. I’ll modify your armor for you.”
"Thank you."
Ding!
[Constructing a dedicated defense system!]
[The Exquisite Flame Dragon’s Scale Chestplate has been upgraded.]
Whooosh!
As soon as the system finished speaking, a beam of light enveloped his upper torso, now clad in the shimmering dragon-scale armor. The light glinted like a few strands of thread.
Zzzzt!
A faint electric shock rippled through the air, as if static electricity were rising on a winter day. The faint tingling sensation of electricity wrapped around him, then disappeared. It left a sharp, stinging feeling along his waist, chest, and shoulders.
[Congratulations!]
[The Exquisite Flame Dragon’s Scale Chestplate has been enhanced with the Rechargeable Electric Discharge effect!]
[When struck unexpectedly, it releases a high-voltage current to the attacker.]
[Charging in progress... 1%]
It was done. Back then, the counterpunch had almost sent him reeling with dizziness, even after he had awakened his core. With this, any normal human attack would be blocked effortlessly. He stood there, smiling with satisfaction.
Her expression visibly more relaxed, the Center Director said, “It seems like you’re pleased.”
"I think I’ll be able to make good use of it."
“I suppose it’s time to wrap things up, don’t you think?”
Eun-Ho had no further desires nor expectations. He had gained more than he could have planned for, so much that he almost felt thankful toward Iro.
"Yes. We’re done."
With a clear answer, the woman slowly closed her eyes, then opened them again. She reached out with her slender fingers and lightly brushed his cheek. “You’re decisive, and very practical. I’m sure the Bureau of Management will want you.”
Her gaze was focused, as if admiring a finely crafted piece of art. “You resemble that child.”
Her eyes moved, not just looking at him, but seemingly past him, into something or someone far beyond.
That child?
Her expression was a strange mix of weariness and nostalgia, almost as though she had seen something painful from the past.
Well, whatever it is...
“It’s not my taste but...” Eun-Ho shrugged, feeling that his part in this was over. "I’ll take that as a compliment."
As if on cue, she gathered the hem of her clothes. With a soft rustling sound, she began to walk away. “Let’s go, child.”
Ssss—!
At the tip of her fingers, a snake slithered forward, moving in the direction she gestured. “It’d be noisy if we ran into them.”
She left a strange, inaudible sound just like a snake.
"Who are they?" Eun-Ho asked, perplexed.
“You’ll be fine. You haven’t even gone through your initiation ceremony yet, so there won’t be a single speck of dust on you.”
"What do you mean?"
Without answering, the woman reached into her clothing and pulled out a fan. It was just as clear and jade-colored as she was.
With the same graceful motion as when she first appeared, she opened the fan. The sound of a Basilisk scraping the floor followed.
Then, just like smoke, they scattered and vanished just like smoke, as though nothing had ever been there from the start.
***
"Lee Eun-Ho! Lee Eun-Ho!"
“Mister! Are you okay?!”
The moment the beings from the other world vanished, the crowd surged forward as though they had been waiting for it.
"Hm? Where were you all hiding?" Eun-Ho asked.
"O-over there! There was some kind of invisible wall blocking the way, so we couldn’t get through!"
Just as the spire had been hidden so that no one could discover it, it seemed their conversation had also been sealed off, unheard by anyone else. For her to weave such sorcery in that short span of time was great.
I guess no one had seen the Center Director nor the enormous serpent.
Perhaps he ought to be grateful for that.
Through the crowd, Sol-Ah rushed over, her voice sharp with worry. "Mister! Are you hurt?!"
Seeing her lips trembled as though she were about to burst into tears, he quickly reassured her. "No, I’m fine."
"But I saw you get hit by an arrow..."
He spread out both hands to show he was unscathed. Sol-Ah immediately grabbed them, examining him with frantic urgency. It was a reaction far more intense than what she usually showed.
"It healed on its own. I guess I’ve got good recovery."
Relieved, Sol-Ah collapsed to the ground, still shaken. "Hah..."
"My goodness... So it really was you who defeated that monster? I knew it!"
"I thought the island was going to collapse! I swear I thought you were dead, and that all of us were finished. I was so terrified..."
Besides, it wasn’t only his companions who came running.
"Huff... Why do we have to run here?!"
"Shut up! We fought together, didn’t we? We had to see if he’s okay!"
The group with the blond-haired man, who had sent stone ravens to aid the fight, pushed forward.
"What exactly happened? When you went down, I thought we were all done for!"
"Yeah! Y-you really did come back from the dead, right?!"
The others who had launched stones and arrows to support him were also there. Different places, different connections, different skills but one thing was in common. Every single one of them was staring with mouths so wide open, their tonsils nearly showed.
"It was all thanks to your help," Eun-Ho said calmly, finding their expressions oddly amusing.
People pinched their own cheeks, shook their heads wildly, rubbed their eyes over and over, still unwilling to believe what they saw.
"I mean just because we helped doesn’t mean someone can come back from the dead, right?"
"Hah... But we saw it ourselves. So it’s hard to deny it now."
Eun-Ho hadn’t expected to draw this much attention. It was probably all thanks to that overly dazzling item effect. If not for that dactylanthus flower, they would’ve thought they imagined it.
No wonder their eyes bulged seeing a man emerge from the center of a massive lotus-like bloom.
Amid the commotion, the head chef from the Hilton Hotel suddenly raised his hand high, declaring, "Now I’m certain! If we follow Mr. Eun-Ho, we’ll survive no matter what! It’s a revelation. Yes, a revelation!"
"That’s a bit much," Eun-Ho muttered.
"Ooooh! So everyone else sees it too!"
"Dammit, you’re only realizing that now?"
Even Jae-Hyuk and the Swear-Master chimed in. Eun-Ho let out a sigh.
"I thought that from the very beginning—"
"That’s enough. I’ll get going. I’m a little tired," Eun-Ho said.
"Ah, yes! Of course!"
If he stayed any longer, he’d probably develop a headache that wasn’t even there before. He was about to slip away when a series of announcements were made.
[Attention... ]
[Attention, survivors of the ROK-SEO district.]
[The restructuring of this district has now been completed.]
They were the very words Eun-Ho had been praying to hear ever since that damned announcement began.
"I-it’s over!"
"It’s really over? Really?!"
The long-awaited news spread like wildfire. People screamed, lifted their hands high, and jumped for joy where they stood.
"Waaaaah!"
"Holy shit! it’s finally over!"
"So we survived?! We really survived?!"
However, of course, the cursed system wasn’t about to let things end so simply.
[At exactly 9 AM tomorrow morning, an Initiation Ceremony will be held.]
"What the?"
"You mean... the Entrance Exam was the real entry exam?"
"What is this? Are we really supposed to join some company?!"
Clearly, there would be no neat conclusion like, It’s over, go back to your lives and live happily ever after.
[Once again, this is an announcement.]
[At exactly 9 AM tomorrow morning, a gate will appear leading to the Initiation Ceremony venue.]
[An event prepared for all survivors will be held, so please present yourselves properly dressed by then.]
The Initiation Ceremony and an event prepared for us... Who knows what awaits us there...
"What kind of event will it be?" someone asked.
"Who knows," another replied.
Whether it turned out to be a good event or a bad one, he thought they could prepare for every possibility.
"Huh? Where are you going, Hyungnim?" Jae-Hyuk asked, spotting Eun-Ho quietly slipping away amid the confusion.
"Do you need anything? Do you want me to come with you?" Ji-Eun, eyes wide, chimed in as well.
Worried the kind-hearted pair would follow, Eun-Ho offered a brief explanation of his destination to calm them. He said he would go and ransack an empty house.
"Huh?”
They both seemed confused.
However, that was all he had time to say. There wasn’t room to explain further, so he turned and left.
“I will transfer your research to your juniors tomorrow, so the work will continue. Do not worry about its thread being cut.”
Remembering the conversation Iro and the Center Director had earlier, he had to finish the job before tomorrow.