Chapter 13

Episode 13

“…This?”

“okay. that. “Where did you get it?”

“Those monsters. Goblins. “I caught those guys and came out.”

When Namgung showed more interest than expected, Gyeongin answered him with a more puzzled expression.

“A goblin drops a rune? “I didn’t hear anything like that… I’m sure you’re not lying to me.”

“That can’t be right! What am I doing by lying to the guys? Rather, I am in a situation where I am trying to get help.”

Even though he poked, Namgung didn’t think Gyeongin was lying.

But if it were true, it would be even more surprising.

‘It’s the lowest level, but it’s definitely a rune.’

He looked at the small rock he was holding.

The patterns engraved on the stone were familiar.

Because I was tired of seeing it.

‘It’s an agility rune.’

Runes were one of the most important items once the Gates of Hell were opened.

Unlike qualities, which are special abilities that humans are born with, these are abilities that all humans have in common.

It was an attribute ability such as resistance along with physical abilities such as strength, agility, vision, and stamina called status.

And runes were a kind of auxiliary tool that enhanced such abilities.

‘If you don’t get the qualifications, you can’t learn them, but everyone has the status from the beginning.’

You don’t necessarily have to have special qualities to be strong.

Rather, maximizing status rather than ambiguous qualities may be a way to become stronger.

‘What we need to check now is why the runes have already appeared.’

After the first Gate of Hell is over and the selection of survivors is over, people experience an awakening at midnight.

One of them is rune.

You can improve your physical abilities with special items.

Runes can be obtained randomly when killing monsters or can only be obtained from special ore veins.

In the former case, there was an advantage that all you had to do was hunt, but the probability was low, and in the latter case, it was possible only if you had a ‘ley line’, which is one of the production qualities.

‘The drop rate of runes is very low and there are not many people who have ley lines, so even at the lowest level, runes are quite expensive items to trade…’

Even Namgung did not expect to see this now that the first gate of hell has opened.

It was also said that it was obtained by hunting monsters, not by mining it from a mineral vein.

‘Well… the lower the level of the monster, the lower the rune drop probability is, but it’s not completely zero.’

Although it was rare, there was a possibility that runes could be dropped from goblins.

‘Is it just luck?’

Although Namgung survived this world for 25 years, he did not know everything.

“Is that… possible?”

Seeing Namgung looking at the rune, Gyeongin asked with a little anticipation.

“Myung-Hoon. “Check the condition of the car.”

“yes. All right.”

Namgung put Rune in his arms, bent his chin, pointed to the car, and told Gyeongin to get in.

* * *

“You still look like a student… Why are you living alone instead of being with your father?”

“Oh… it was in the dormitory. Jinhwan High School…”

“Huh Jinhwan? Isn’t that a new school that was established 5 years ago? I heard it’s a place only gifted people go to. Oh… that’s great?”

“Oh no.”

Gyeongin scratched his head as if embarrassed by Myunghun’s words.

“Who did you learn how to bow from?”

“I learned it from my father. You used to be a national representative. Well, I just learned a little bit when I was young, so I just kept it… I never thought I would use it like this.”

“National athlete? Among the national archery representatives, Mr. Jeon… Could it be Jeon Tae-ho?”

“yes. you’re right.”

“Wow… I was a huge fan when I was young!! “It was such a shame that he retired after that incident…”

Myung-Hoon, who was talking excitedly, kept his mouth shut, feeling like it was a mistake.

“it’s okay.”

This is because Gyeongin’s father was in a car accident seven years ago and was hospitalized in a coma for a long time.

“Well, I’m sure you’ll feel better.”

“I hope so too.”

Gyeong-in answered Myung-hoon’s words with a smile, but his expression was naturally dark.

Sigh –

At that moment, Namgung unknowingly gave strength to his hand holding the steering wheel.

‘That kid… is the former player’s son?’

Unlike Myung-hoon, who was happy as a mere fan, Namgung’s mind was complicated.

‘In that case, there is a high possibility that it was not just luck that the child obtained the runes by hunting monsters.’

Namgung looked at Gyeongin with a slightly nervous look in his eyes without realizing it due to Gyeongin’s unexpected history.

“You should be thankful to your father. “You may be alive today thanks to the bow you taught me.”

“yes. “I think so too.”

“And maybe…”

He said in a low voice, glancing at Gyeongin sitting in the back seat through the rear-view mirror.

“In a world like this, I might be able to find a way to save my father.”

“…yes? “What do you mean by that?”

“You will find out soon.”

Buuuuung–

Namgung didn’t think there was a need to explain everything.

Because it will soon be midnight. S~eaʀᴄh the NôvelFire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

* * *

As I entered Seoul, there were collapsed buildings here and there and black smoke rising from fires that had not yet been extinguished.

“Obviously, the broadcast said there was little damage….”

“If this is so small, it could be more serious in other cities.”

Myeong-hoon and Gyeong-in spoke with stern faces as they saw people lying on the street and screams coming from all over the place.

“…It looks like a real war has broken out.”

“We haven’t even started yet.”

“…yes?”

In response to Namgung’s answer, Gyeongin asked back with a pale face.

“Where is your father?”

“Ah yes. “He is in the Sinchon Severance intensive care unit.”

“Brother, are you going there?”

Running down Olympic Boulevard, Namgoong looked at his watch while avoiding the cars that were tangled up here and there.

“There were a lot of damaged roads on the way, so it took a long time to return. And the traffic in the city is not good. “It’s impossible to go there now.”

“But…”

“Besides, there are only 20 minutes left until midnight. We also need to prepare. “It’s impossible to take you there.”

“Then, please stop me here!”

At Namgung’s words, Gyeongin shouted, ready to get out of the car right away.

Contrary to his quiet response, when he shouted, Somin grabbed his arm.

“….”

Gyeongin hesitated for a moment, looking at the small hand holding his arm.

“I can drop you off if you want. But I don’t think I would do that.”

“…yes?”

“At first, there were many injuries due to the monsters’ attack. Now, police and firefighters, as well as military units, have been deployed. Where will they stabilize first?”

“It must be a hospital.”

“that’s right. The safest place at this point is the hospital. “The odds of you dying by midnight on your way there are higher than the odds of your father being alive.”

Gyeongin could not refute Namgung’s words.

“If you’re doing it for your father, you’d better collect more heads than anyone else.”

“What is that…”

It was not a lie to say that hospitals are one of the safest places.

But in fact, the reason Namgoong was confident was something else.

‘Your father is definitely alive. Moreover, after half a year, he breaks out of the coma and opens his eyes.’

This was because Namgung knew his father, Jeon Tae-ho.

Rune Master.

That was Jeon Tae-ho’s nickname.

That was why Namgung was surprised when he first heard his name from Gyeongin.

This is the same reason why I thought that Gyeongin’s acquisition of runes from goblins might be related to this.

‘Because it is a very rare quality that only two people in the world have, along with Anna Lian.’

Monsters have a chance to drop runes when they die.

However, if a person with the qualities of this Rune Master is within the radius, the drop rate of the rune increases.

Runes were the most important tool for increasing abilities, so when it became known that Jeon Tae-ho had this quality, all clans around the world tried to recruit him.

The first person to discover Jeon Tae-ho’s qualities was intelligence officer Cha Yeon-oh.

‘He sold the information to Eira, a saint of eight martial arts, and she awakened Jeon Tae-ho with elixir.’

Jeon Tae-ho’s presence was very important because she was competing with Alec Traman, who had Anna, the only rune master at the time.

‘But according to Eira, when he woke up, he rejected her offer.’

In the end, she only paid for the expensive elixir and evaluated Jeon Tae-ho as an ungrateful person who did not know grace.

And soon after,

people were able to see Jeon Tae-ho’s cold body floating in the Han River.

‘It must have been killed by a saint.’

The culprit was obvious, but no one dared to challenge Pal Mu-seong, so the incident went unheard and was forgotten by people.

‘I don’t know why he rejected Eira’s offer, but what is clear is that he will still be alive by then.’

This means that Gyeongin’s father is still safe.

“Trust me. I’m sure your father will be safe. “And there is someone I know at the hospital, so let’s contact them.”

In fact, it was a lie, but Namgung, who already knew about Jeon Tae-ho’s fate, hinted at it to Gyeong-in.

“So… what do you plan to do now?”

“We are going to build a base. It’s going to be a long fight from now on. “The most important thing is a place where you can store the necessary supplies and resources and rest.”

The rest of the people listened to him with tense faces.

“It’s been a long fight… Does this mean those monsters will appear again?”

“okay.”

“It doesn’t make sense. “The news said that the monsters have now been eliminated and the restoration of the city has begun…”

Gyeong-in asked back in a trembling voice.

As if to prove his words, news broadcasts of the government’s announcements continued to play in the car.

“There will be recovery. “Maybe the government will last longer than I think.”

“Then…”

“But eventually it will all disappear.”

“yes?”

Buuuuuung…!!

Namgoong increased his speed a little more.

[00:00]

The clock struck midnight.

“…!!!”

At that moment, everyone in the car couldn’t help but be shocked.

Pure white light filled the entire city, as if there had been an explosion of light.

“What is that?!”

Along with the light, something enormous, probably tens of thousands, if not thousands, began to pour out.

Kuung–!!

One of them landed in the middle of Olympic Boulevard.

Good profit…!!

Kwaang!!

thud! thud! Coogung!! Quagga Gaga River…!

“Aaaah!!”

“Get out of the way!!!!”

Due to the sudden accident, the surrounding vehicles overturned and began to tangle with each other.

The people were confused, but Namgung felt that what was coming had come.

[Crackling… Humans.]

After falling from the sky, it slowly rose up and looked around with a voice that sounded like scraping metal.

“…goblin?”

Inside the stopped car, Gyeongin tilted his head to see a large man with protruding fangs and beaky eyes, as if he was wearing a mask.

“That is a yaksha. “One of the proxy clan.”

“That’s them.”

“delegate? what is that?”

Unlike Myeong-hun, who listened to the explanation, when Gyeong-in asked, Namgung pointed to the yaksha with his head as if asking him to listen.

[First of all, we pay our respects to those who survived. A lot more people survived than we expected.]

Namgung watched the guy.

[Now, I won’t talk too much. Please listen carefully. From now on, Carnival will begin. And as a gift to you, the audience, the Sangha will give you the opportunity to awaken.]

Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu…!!

At that moment, pale light began to flow into the bodies of the people on Olympic Boulevard.

“What are you doing!!”

“This…”

“What on earth are you doing!!!”

[Hush.]

At that moment, the yaksha stretched out his hand, and the heads of the people around him exploded.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaah!!!”

“Aaaah!!”

People were shocked by the terrible sight and began to run away from the scene.

[Be quiet when speaking. Should I listen? It’s different from yesterday. Now that the carnival has begun, the delegates have been given the power to live and die.]

The Yaksha looked at the blood soaking the floor and looked like she was going to die of joy.

“Whoop… Whoop….”

“Whoop….”

The people were so frightened that they couldn’t even make a sound and just trembled.

[There is no need to explain every detail. The rest of the necessary information will be entered into your mind with awakening.]

As he said, information about the change began to come to mind as if I had known it from the beginning.

[The rules of the festival are simple.]

Paang—!!!

At that moment, in the silence, a loud horn was heard above.

[who is this? Shit!! I’m sure I told you to be quiet, right? [Someone…]

The Yaksha glared nervously at the sound of the door opening.

“It’s me. Gyu-ryu.”

Gulp –

At that moment, the yaksha’s uvula trembled.