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Do Sihoo’s energy waves were quite unstable.
It seemed like he had trouble getting his senses together when his eyes opened as he stared blankly in the air.
Did he have a bad dream?
I’m not familiar with good or bad dreams since I don’t have them.
“Sihoo-ah, are you okay?”
Jang Namwook rushed to Do Sihoo’s side.
Do Sihoo blinked and when his eyes found Jang Namwook, he seemed to have regained more of his senses.
I guess he’s relieved to see a familiar face.
“Yeah… Where are we?”
“We walked out of the academy when you fainted.”
Jang Namwook briefly explained where we were and the processes that were done with the academy to have them be allowed to stay out overnight.
Despite having the legendary Jecheondaesung right beside him, Jang Namwook demonstrated the behavior of a perfect platoon leader.
“Your energy waves are worrying… Do you remember what happened earlier?”
“…Huh?”
“When you suddenly used your light skill. You fainted right after that. Tell us in detail what happened.”
Do Sihoo looked lost in thought, unable to answer right away.
It’s as if his memories were slipping from his mind.
It’s only been around an hour since it happened, but it seemed like he couldn’t properly recall what just happened.
Did he see or experience something while passed out?
Soon enough, Do Sihoo began to explain things in a low voice.
“I was about to send Wonwoo hyung a message when my light skill activated.”
So Do Sihoo didn’t activate the light skill on his own volition?
Somehow I thought it could be because of Wu Zhiqi’s “grudge”.
Perhaps Wu Zhiqi’s newly released power may have headed to the one who sealed her, resentful for having been bound all this time.
“When my light skill activated, I heard some woman’s voice in my head… When I heard that voice, my body felt heavy and I couldn’t breathe…”
“Sihoo-ah…”
Do Sihoo began blurting out words before trailing off.
Seeing that, Jang Namwook became very worried.
“It’ll be alright. I used my powers to soothe Wu Zhiqi in the meantime.”
Jecheondaesung spoke for the first time since Do Sihoo woke up.
“But the intention of Wu Zhiqi’s grudge is not fulfilled.”
“…Wu Zhiqi?”
“The name of the royal lineage bound by your power. And I am Wu Zhiqi’s brother, Jecheondaesung.”
Do Sihoo looked puzzled at first when he heard the name “Jecheondaesung”
He looked around in disbelief before looking back at Jang Namwook, Yoo Sanghoon, and I with a surprised face.
Do Sihoo knows the three of us aren’t the type who would play a prank like this.
“…For real?”
“Yes.”
As soon as I answered, Jecheondaesung clapped his hands once.
Jecheondaesung summoned the Jindouyun (The Flying Nimbus) and sat on it, looking directly at Do Sihoo in the process.
He gulped when he saw Jecheondaesung, the gingoju in his head, sitting on the Jindouyun.
Do Sihoo must’ve realized by now that the Jecheondaesung was right before his eyes.
‘…But shouldn’t the gingoju be gone since he’s already the Victorious Fighting Buddha?’
In the Journey to the West, when Jecheondaesung achieved Buddhahood after completing his journey, he asked for the gingoju to be taken off his head.
He was met with a smile and when he touched his head, the gingoju was already gone from his head.
Did the constraints return when he came down to the human world?
Or maybe it’s a penalty for choosing to be a royal lineage instead of a superior being.
“Tell me what happened when you bound my dongsaeng. If you tell a lie, forgiveness will never fall upon you.”
The words sounded terrifying at first, but it seems to mean that Do Sihoo will be forgiven if he tells the full truth.
Jang Namwook must’ve realized it too as he looked relieved.
Soon, Do Sihoo began to talk about the past.
“…I had a dream when I fainted. I think I saw something that I had forgotten.”
***
It was the first test that Do Sihoo went through in his life.
He was able to use his light skill because his kidnappers made him do so, but it was still impossible for him to escape on his own.
Because he was on a ship.
Do Sihoo has severe seasickness, and it was absurd for him to try to run away since he can’t swim anyway.
Meanwhile, his kidnappers were making him do something.
— Use your light skill to seal the presence in front of you.
At that point, Do Sihoo had only used his light skill once before — the moment his player-ship was awakened.
As soon as his energy waves were activated, Do Sihoo unknowingly used his powers to hold back his father who was on the way to work.
Confined with Do Sihoo’s chains, the King of Ships had to forcibly unbind himself before taking Do Sihoo to the Players’ Association.
After that, a light skill seal was engraved on his left hand so that he may not be able to use it.
Do Sihoo knows that his light skill can bind things with energy waves.
However, he couldn’t figure out how the kidnappers knew this, and just what thing they were having him bound.
‘Did someone tell them about my light skill…? Is it someone who works at the house? Or maybe relatives?’
Do Sihoo kept his mind busy, unable to bear to use his light skill.
Seeing him hesitating, the kidnappers spoke again, in a soft voice this time.
— Unlike your father, you’re easily seasick and can’t swim.
— We’ll get rid of your seasickness and make you able to swim.
— In exchange, you have to chain this and that for us from time to time.
The young Do Sihoo was offered such a tempting proposal.
He had been praying that a superior being or royal lineage related to water would appear and give him an order.
‘Maybe if I erase the light skill seal then I’ll be able to do it?’
The young Do Sihoo contemplated for a long time.
After much consideration, Do Sihoo spoke, his eyes still shut tightly.
— I want to do good for the world. I want to overcome my fear of water.
— But I don’t wish to be good at hurting anyone.
Do Sihoo was gradually getting used to being on ships on the sea.
When Do Wonwoo began to help him in swimming class, he was able to float in the water for longer.
It was a painful and challenging process, but Do Sihoo thought that he could overcome it someday.
When Do Sihoo didn’t give an answer that the kidnappers wanted…
— You’re a difficult one.
— Should we kill him?
Hearing the kidnappers nonchalantly suggest taking his life, Do Sihoo almost opened his eyes.
He trembled, but he resisted using his light skill until the end.
— No, let’s keep him alive. If we kill him now, we’ll never know when a person born with such powers will appear again.
— The Do-family has a lot of people with powers related to chains though, right sir? If we wait a little longer…
— I can’t wait any longer. How long do you think we have to wait until the next child is born?
Someone walked closer to Do Sihoo.
The air became heavier and damper as the person’s footsteps approached.
— It’s disappointing that even after all that time waiting, no child was born with the powers we need. We can’t kill him now.
— Will you use that, sir? But it’s still incomplete and it’s only a single-use —
— It’s a waste, but we’ll be using it someday anyway.
The person snatched Do Sihoo’s head.
Do Sihoo let out a short scream as soon as he felt the pain in his scalp, but the person didn’t care.
— You’re lucky. We’ll keep Wu Zhiqi alive until she’s tied by your chains to this earth and completely out of power.
After that, Do Sihoo’s memory became blurry.
All he remembers was a chain triggered by his light skill and the resentful voice of the presence hit by his chains.
***
Leaving the dragons’ territory late at night, Kim Shinrok was in a bitter mood.
The reason was complex, but the biggest thing weighing down on him was the stress of things not going his way.
‘Mythical royal lineages are surely different. I don’t know if I should add or reduce inflicted pain since he’s not showing reactions.’
Cadmus’ interrogation wasn’t going as well as he thought.
He expected it to be difficult since the Dragon Clan and the Red Lion Team had trouble with Cadmus, but it felt like he was torturing a rock with an iron needle.
Ultimately, he had to work by touching Cadmus’ nerve strands personally, but the process was difficult and complicated.
‘But this is work so I should endure it.’
There was something else that made Kim Shinrok angry.
It was Yong Jegun, who suddenly disappeared after briefly saying that he’d be going out with Yeom Junyeol.
He had to refuse Yong Jegun’s request of watching the process since he knew that the dragon would interfere at some point, but he had no choice but to accept because Yong Jegun begged annoyed him to his wit's end to the point that it interfered with his classes.
Yong Jegun was excited all day, saying that it’s been a while since he’s seen someone being tortured.
‘I should’ve refused if I knew he’d do this.’
When Kim Shinrok arrived in the dragons’ territory, Yong Jegun was suddenly on his way out with Yeom Junyeol, who supposedly has some work to do with the student association.
Irritated by this, Kim Shinrok tried to throw a cutter blade to the back of Yong Jegun’s head, but the latter already disappeared.
‘That damned dragon… He said he’d help me with anything I need with Cadmus’ interrogation, but then he disappears on me like that?’
In truth, it was actually more dangerous to have Yong Jegun in front of the dragon slayer.
Still, Kim Shinrok was infuriated that Yong Jegun easily turned back on his words and left him to work alone.
Kim Shinrok vowed to go to school early tomorrow to hide tacks in Yong Jegun’s personal belongings.
‘Slippers, cushions, drawer handles…’
The mere thought of messing with Yong Jegun made him feel a little better.
Though he’s a little worried since he hasn’t been able to catch Yong Jegun with his traps before.
“Hello, professor. We meet a lot often these days.”
In the night street with very few passers-by stood Sung Gukeon.
Sung Gukeon was dressed comfortably, and the shadow-like Jeon Muyeong wasn’t anywhere near him.
It reminded him of Sung Gukeon, his old student, instead of Sung Gukeon the lawmaker.
Kim Shinrok belatedly returned the greeting.
“…Hello.”
“Muyeong is away for a while, but he’d be sad to hear that I ran into you tonight without him, professor.”
Sung Gukeon spoke in a light manner as if he were talking about the weather.
“The Red Lion Team building is around here. Perhaps you’re here to see Yong Jegun?”
His words were testing Kim Shinrok.
Perhaps because he was already on edge, the words translated to Kim Shinrok’s ears as “What is a teacher doing around the Dragon Clan’s territory?”
Acting impatiently, Kim Shinrok decided that it was better to affirm Sung Gukeon’s words.
“Yes, we have plans.”
“…”
Sung Gukeon looked at Kim Shinrok for a while before floating a hologram.
It showed a status board from the Players’ Association’s official website.
As soon as he saw the recent update on the top of the page, Kim Shinrok’s face was stripped of color.
“The dragon is on the list of players who participated in attacking an otherworld just now.”
“Ah…”
That damned dragon attacked an otherworld?
Kim Shinrok was briefly panicked.
He couldn’t think of another excuse.
And if he speaks more than necessary, maybe Sung Gukeon would know his identity.
Sung Gukeon stared at Kim Shinrok who was unable to speak and then turned his back.
“I’ll be off now. See you next time, Professor.”
A few seconds after Sung Gukeon left, Kim Shinrok was still unable to move.
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