Chapter 37: To the Hall Plain! |
The moment the barrier vanished, the firmly shut inn door swung open. And as soon as it opened, a group of people swarmed inside. Judging by their attire, they were existing users.
The place where I'm starting is a major city in the Northern Continent named Barbara. As users based in a major city—one of the few on each continent—every single one of them exuded a sharp, formidable aura that was anything but ordinary.
They all wore an emblem of a golden lion on the right side of their chests, a symbol I recognized immediately. The Golden Lion Clan of the Northern Continent. I remembered them as a clan that had made a significant mark on the Hall Plain. Though they would eventually walk the path of self-destruction due to a reckless expedition that weakened their forces, followed by a clash with another clan that exploited their vulnerability, that was a story for a later time.
A giant of a man, easily over 190 cm tall, clad in a simple priest's robe that seemed at odds with his sturdy build, scanned the inn and spoke in a surprised tone.
"The second hall has more people than I expected."
He wasn't talking to us. The other users who followed him in seemed to feel the same. One of them calmly counted the survivors before nodding and replying.
"Wow. Forty-three new users in the second hall. It's been a while since we've seen a baby boom like this."
"Isn't this pretty much a record for recent times?"
"Well... compared to last year, it certainly seems like a lot for a single hall. What's the situation at the other inns?"
"They're probably tallying the numbers now. Hyeon-woo is coming from the first hall. Everyone, line up."
At the mention of the name Hyeon-woo, the chattering users instantly formed neat lines to the sides of the inn's entrance. Hyeon-woo. Golden Lion Clan. The moment I connected the two words, a memory surfaced. If my thoughts were correct, this could be Park Hyeon-woo, the man who would later become a high-ranking executive of the clan.
Soon, a man was seen walking steadily through the center of the path formed by the users lined up on either side of the door. He was a handsome man with a clean-cut appearance and a neatly trimmed hairstyle. He seemed a bit younger than I remembered from my first life, but looking into his eyes, I felt a sense of certainty that it was him, Park Hyeon-woo. I gathered my mana a little more strongly than before and immediately activated The Third Eye.
⚔ PLAYER STATUS ⚔
Name:
Park Hyeon-woo (4th Year) Class:
Normal Sword User Nation:
Barbara (Global City) Clan:
Golden Lion True Name · Nationality:
One Who Leaves Afterimages of the Sword · Republic of Korea Sex:
Male Height · Weight:
179.2cm · 68.7kg Disposition:
True Neutral
Abilities
⚡ Strength: 90
🛡️ Endurance: 81
💨 Agility: 73
💪 Stamina: 87
✨ Magic Power: 89
🍀 Luck: 60
Just as I expected, it was Park Hyeon-woo. His Endurance and Agility were nothing special(?), but seeing as he was still a Sword Expert, it seemed he had room to grow. He could probably become a Sword Master after rising just two more ranks. Ah, right. He does become one. He was known as the Phantasm Sword Master during the First Alliance War.
I had heard of his fame in the early days, but he wasn't a user I had ever crossed swords with. His Agility, in particular, was quite disappointing. However, his Magic Power was decent for a swordsman, so that would likely compensate for it to some extent.
For now, I decided to put aside my interest in him. I'd heard that the Golden Lion Clan was annihilated during the Alliance War, and he was killed then. Most importantly, since he was already a member of a major clan, it would be difficult to accept him as a companion.
While I was getting ahead of myself, the survivors' attention was focused on Park Hyeon-woo. He slowly walked in and carefully examined our faces. Soon, he too showed a surprised expression before speaking in a calm voice.
"The second hall has a lot of new users. It looks like there are over forty."
"Forty-three, sir. How many survived in the first hall?"
"Nineteen. In any case, that's good. Sort them by class and have them gather in the plaza. I'll have the new users from the third, fourth, and fifth halls brought over soon."
After answering the giant's question, Park Hyeon-woo left the inn with an indifferent expression.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
The plaza was bustling with countless users. Coming to the central plaza of Barbara City after so long felt new. Even though it was called a plaza, there was nothing particularly grand about it. If I had to make a comparison, it was similar to an open-air theater.
It was structured with a sunken, circular stage in the center, surrounded by tiers of ascending steps. The new users were divided by class, each sitting on a step. The cold chill rising from the bricks made my backside ache, but I endured it and turned my gaze to the central stage.
There, users wearing the Golden Lion emblem on their right chests were moving about with purpose. Some, as expected, were looking at us with smug gazes, as if observing animals in a zoo.
If someone who knew the state of the Hall Plain were to see this, they would say that Barbara was, at least, in a better situation. The Western Continent, managed by American users, had an open policy towards all races, so it attracted a decent population. For that reason, it was also called the Continent of Freedom, but its security was far from good.
The Golden Lion Clan, known as the strongest existing clan on the Northern Continent managed by the Republic of Korea. As such, I'd heard their internal discipline was extremely strict. Though they were a bit arrogant.
I was currently separated from the rest of my group. It wasn't just me. Most of the new users were probably separated from their original groups. It was because the existing users had arbitrarily lined us up under the pretext of sorting us by class.
I was suddenly curious about what classes An Hyeon and the others had chosen, but I decided to save the pleasure of finding out for later. Clearing my mind of trivial thoughts, I turned my gaze back to the central stage and saw Park Hyeon-woo talking with a few others. With nothing to do but wait, I quietly circulated my mana to enhance my hearing. I wanted to overhear what they were talking about.
"Reporting the numbers. Hall 1: 19. Hall 2: 43. Hall 3: 22. Hall 4: 29. Hall 5: 17. The total is 130."
"The class breakdown?"
"Close-quarters combat class: 75. Ranged combat class: 26. Mana-talented class: 18. Priests: 11. Secret, Rare, and other classes: 0."
"...I see. Understood. Let's get started then. Yu-bin, set up the voice amplification magic. And bring that guy to me as well."
That guy? Who was he talking about? Come to think of it, there seemed to be some commotion inside when we were leaving the second hall... As soon as we were sorted, we were led outside to mix with the waiting users, so I didn't have a chance to find out the details.
My question was answered soon enough. Park Hyeon-woo ascended the central stage, dragging a battered man with him. The moment he stepped onto the stage, even the faint whispers died down. The area fell silent in an instant, so quiet you couldn't even hear breathing. Park Hyeon-woo dragged the man up with one arm and then tossed him onto the stage.
The man was none other than Park Dong-geol. Foaming at the mouth, his right arm bent at a grotesque angle, he was a truly pathetic sight. He hadn't lost consciousness, as his body twitched occasionally, and his face was contorted in extreme pain.
He and the other existing users didn't seem to care in the slightest whether Park Dong-geol was groaning or not. Park Hyeon-woo looked at all the new users and began to speak.
"First of all, it's a pleasure to meet all the new users who have passed the Rite of Passage. I'll skip the trivialities, as you've likely heard most of it from the angels already. However."
He paused for a moment before continuing. Everyone was focused on his words.
"There are some things we need to make clear. We who are here now were also citizens of the Republic of Korea. We are also people who have gone through the test you just passed, the Rite of Passage. The only difference between us and you is this: whether we entered this space called the Hall Plain first, or later. The point is..."
Thanks to the voice amplification magic, his voice filled the surrounding space with a powerful resonance. It was clear enough for all 130 people to hear distinctly. He slowly walked forward, positioning himself in front of everyone, and at the same time, stood before the fallen Park Dong-geol.
"We are not the ones who will send you home."
These words certainly caused a stir. A wave of unease spread through the new users who had been quietly focusing on his words. However, neither I nor Park Hyeon-woo seemed to have any intention of blaming them.
I had been the same way. No matter what you heard from the angels, hearing it publicly in a gathering like this was bound to be disappointing. Park Hyeon-woo silently scanned the crowd, then spoke again in a quieter voice than before.
"I know all too well that you were forcibly dragged into this godforsaken Hall Plain, and that you feel it's unfair. We were in the same boat, and still are. So you must be wondering why we're here. The purpose is singular: to guide and help you in the beginning, so that you can adapt to this place called the Hall Plain. So that you can survive."
He paused and lowered his head to look down at Park Dong-geol. Even in his agony, his pride seemed to be intact, as Park Dong-geol's body trembled with humiliation. But the moment his eyes met Park Hyeon-woo's, he immediately cast his gaze downward. I felt a sense of satisfaction.
"To elaborate, you can think of it like high-level players helping beginners in an online game. However, this man cursed and verbally abused the user who came to guide him. Of course, we guarantee and respect individual freedom and rights. There may be those among you who don't trust us or don't want our help. For those people, we will give you an opportunity right now. Anyone who does not wish for our guidance, please stand up and leave this place. We will absolutely not restrict you in any way."
His words ended, but no one dared to speak. Naturally, no one stood up either. Only a dead silence enveloped the vast plaza. After some time passed and he confirmed that no one was getting up, Park Hyeon-woo nodded once or twice and spoke.
"No one, then. In that case, I will assume everyone remaining wishes to receive guidance. In the future, if any user harms others through deviant behavior, appropriate measures may be taken. Of course, the guidance process will involve a certain degree of control. However, if you feel the control is excessive, you are permitted to drop out midway, so please keep that in mind. Now, just a moment... Yu-bin, cancel the voice amplification magic."
When the mage called Yu-bin dispelled the voice amplification magic, their voices became inaudible again. Park Hyeon-woo called over a priest and seemed to say something while pointing at Park Dong-geol. I quickly reactivated my enhanced hearing with mana.
The priest he called was the giant I had seen at the inn. A priest with that build. What an imbalance. The large priest knelt on one knee and leaned over the fallen Park Dong-geol. He then raised a hand, which was now bathed in a sacred light, and moved it close to the man's right arm.
"Heal."
The moment the giant uttered the short word "Heal," the light-infused hand blossomed brilliantly. The light that bloomed into the air was then absorbed into Park Dong-geol's right arm as if seeping into it. And his grotesquely bent right arm slowly began to return to its proper position. At the sight, a few of the new users let out gasps of awe.
Park Dong-geol's eyes blinked rapidly; it seemed even he, the one receiving the healing, was greatly surprised. He grunted as he got up and tentatively moved his right arm, which appeared to be perfectly healed. Park Hyeon-woo stared at Park Dong-geol with an indifferent gaze and then spoke in a quiet voice.
"Get up."
The moment he finished speaking, Park Dong-geol scrambled to his feet so quickly it made a sound. It was a classic case of being weak to the strong and strong to the weak. Park Hyeon-woo, also seemingly displeased with him, scowled slightly and continued in a growling tone.
"Even if you are a new user, antagonizing a member of the Golden Lion Clan, the representative clan of Barbara City, is insane. I'll let it slide this one time, but if it happens again..."
I could tell his words were laced with a deliberate killing intent. Park Dong-geol must have also sensed the faint scent of death, as he nodded his head frantically.
Finally, at a nod from Park Hyeon-woo, the priest took Park Dong-geol and had him join the close-quarters combat group. After confirming that he was obediently following orders, Park Hyeon-woo turned back to face us.