UGB Chapter 111 : Chapter 111
Chapter 111 : Chapter 111
Chapter 111: The Storm Leaves an Aftermath (1)
A voice drifts in.
Tsk. I thought a decent one finally arrived, but he is a failure after all.
It is a voice of rebuke.
He always acted so high and mighty, and now look at him! Heh.
This is a voice of ridicule.
In the end, it is his own fate. It is his own fault for not managing himself properly.
And finally, a voice of sarcasm.
In addition to those, countless other voices pierce through my mind.
All of those voices have one thing in common.
'Stop it...'
Accusation.
Every single voice I hear is accusing me all at once.
And they cause me immense pain.
'Please...'
It is agonizing.
Memories I want to forget resurface.
However, I know.
These are memories that can never be forgotten; they are memories that will haunt me for the rest of my life.
And I know.
This is...
'A dream...'
I know that this is a dream.
It was at that moment, just as I realized it.
"Gasp!"
My eyes struggle to open.
The first thing I see is a pure white ceiling.
Countless thoughts flood my mind, but the first thing I must do is compose myself.
"Da-Damn it..."
How long has it been since I last had a nightmare?
I had not had one for several years, so I thought I had finally moved past them.
In the end, that was merely an illusion.
'Is it because I pushed my body too hard?'
The exhaustion is on a completely different level compared to my usual training or the pain from previous penalties.
Training is still just training, even if I push myself to the limit.
And while the pain from a penalty is vicious, it is at least not comparable to a single strike from Baek Ha-seong.
'I truly never want to experience that again.'
His strength was beyond imagination.
Furthermore, it is even more terrifying when I consider that he was not even using his full power.
What if a situation arises where I have to fight Baek Ha-seong at his full strength?
'Absolutely not.'
I do not even want to imagine it.
There is a reason Baek Ha-seong was said to be born with a talent described as "the talent beyond the heavens" or "the sky above the sky."
Anyway, it was while I was rubbing my left arm and reflecting on what had happened before I lost consciousness.
Creak—
I hear the sound of a door opening, as if someone is being very cautious.
And in contrast to that...
"Yu-Yu-seong!!"
A loud, startled voice rings out.
Kim Su-hyeok makes a huge fuss and runs toward me the moment he sees that I have woken up.
"What is with that reaction? You look like you are seeing a dead person."
I try to lighten the mood with a joke, but the result is not very good.
"Because I thought you were actually going to die!"
"Wh-What?"
"You were unconscious for five days straight. How could I not be worried?"
Fi-Five days?
Has it really been five days?
No. How could so much time have passed?
He said he would leave me just short of death, but did he really leave me with only my breath barely attached?
"Then what happened with the situation? Did everything wrap up well?"
I ask in an urgent voice as soon as I hear Kim Su-hyeok's words.
It is only natural.
Five days is not a short amount of time.
If something had gone wrong, I would need time to prepare for it...
'If five days have passed, most things must have already been settled.'
That is why I cannot hide my anxiety while waiting for Kim Su-hyeok's answer. At that moment.
"It wrapped up well. Not a single person died."
I hear the answer I wanted.
However, the source of the answer is not Kim Su-hyeok.
It is a familiar voice coming from the already open door, a voice that immediately brings to mind a black spear the moment I hear it.
Yes.
"Boy, how are you? Are you finally coming to your senses?"
The owner of that voice is Shin Yu-hwan.
And the fact that Shin Yu-hwan is here right now means...
'It is not over yet.'
It means that despite five days having passed, the matter regarding the final exams has not yet concluded.
That is the only reason he, a member of the Villain Response Team, would still be staying at Glory.
It seems the aftermath of the storm Baek Ha-seong left behind is even greater than I thought.
***
In the massive conference room of Glory.
A heavy silence hangs in the air.
Even though no one is intentionally projecting their pressure, the atmosphere is suffocating.
It is unavoidable.
'The status of the people gathered here is what it is.'
First, there is the principal of Glory, Jo Yeong-dal, followed by Shin Yu-hwan of the Villain Response Team, and Cha Yu-na, the Guildmaster of Horizon.
Patriarch Ryu Jin-seong, Chairman Ju Ho-yeon of the Hoyeon Group, and even Hong Sera, a Hero-rank player known as the Queen of the Hong Family.
In addition to them, others whose every word carries immense influence are gathered here.
'Still, I am glad I am not the only one here.'
Fortunately, I am not standing alone and pathetic among these influential figures.
Beside me, Kim Su-hyeok, Ryu Jin-oh, Ju Ha-yeon, Oh Jin-eon, Ha Eun-ha, and Do Gang-ho are all seated.
In other words, this is a meeting gathered to hear the testimonies of those who were inside the island.
'Actually, I did not necessarily have to come...'
Shin Yu-hwan told me.
He said that if I was not feeling well, I did not have to come.
He mentioned that if there was information they needed to know, they could just visit me and listen.
However.
'That would be a bit awkward.'
Think about it.
How could I face these people while lying comfortably in a hospital bed?
That would be a different kind of hell.
That is why I came here myself, despite Kim Su-hyeok's attempts to stop me.
'And my physical condition is actually quite good.'
Perhaps because I rested for five full days, there is nowhere that feels particularly bad.
In fact, I feel rather refreshed.
This, too, is likely due to Baek Ha-seong's consideration.
According to the examination results, there were no internal injuries at all, only external ones.
Of course, Kim Su-hyeok and the others do not seem to think that way...
'I can talk to them about that properly later.'
For now, the current schedule is more important, so I have no choice but to postpone the conversation.
I can talk to my friends anytime, but it will not be easy to gather all these people in one place again.
It was while I was mentally preparing for what was to come.
"First, I would like to offer my apologies. I am aware that I have no excuses, even if I had ten mouths."
The principal breaks the silence and speaks.
His voice carries a significant weight.
It sounds as though he is being sincere rather than just putting on an act.
After saying that, he looks at us and offers his apologies once more.
"I am truly sorry to you all as well. And thank you. If it were not for you, the results would have been even more catastrophic."
"......"
"It is all thanks to you. I am truly grateful and sorry."
Jo Yeong-dal even bows his head to show his sincerity.
I feel a sense of surprise at Jo Yeong-dal's behavior.
'He is a more decent person than I thought.'
In the novel, people only talked about him; he never appeared directly, so I had to deduce what kind of person he was based on those descriptions.
Because of that, I could not help but have a negative perception of him.
He was described as someone who loves power and fame, and that is a description that can never lead to a good impression.
However, seeing him now, I think that might have been a prejudice.
'For him to take such a humble stance.'
Of course, this could be an act.
And I do not have the skill to catch a person's minute habits.
However, that does not mean I cannot tell the difference.
Through experience, I can sufficiently distinguish between humans who live behind a real mask.
"......"
At any rate, having received the apology, we do not go out of our way to say anything.
Even if Jo Yeong-dal lowered himself and apologized, he is still the principal.
Ultimately, his position does not change.
In such a situation, am I supposed to blurt out something like, 'I am glad you know your mistake'?
In times like this, the best policy is to keep your mouth shut and do nothing.
Jo Yeong-dal seemed to understand that as well, as he did not appear to expect an answer from us.
"Then, let us get straight to the point and discuss the current issues."
He immediately brings up the topic of the current situation.
Shin Yu-hwan is the first to react to Jo Yeong-dal's words.
"What is there to discuss? The barrier we trusted without a doubt was pierced, and we were helplessly attacked by villains. If the cadets had not been there, we would have been in the abyss."
Shin Yu-hwan speaks in a very aggressive tone.
Perhaps because he is quite displeased, his expression does not look very good either.
Normally, no one would have provoked him...
"Hah? So, are you saying that is my fault?"
This is not a place where ordinary people are gathered.
Every person in this room is someone of great importance.
That is why Hong Sera, who was listening to Shin Yu-hwan's words, reacts immediately.
Of course, Shin Yu-hwan is not the type to back down.
"And are you saying it is not?"
"There was nothing wrong with the barrier. In fact, the investigation results have already come out, have they not?"
"I suppose so. Since it is a barrier made by a member of the prestigious Hong family, the investigation results would naturally turn out that way, right?"
"...Are you trying to say that I manipulated the investigation results right now?"
"Why are you asking me? You would know better."
At those words, Hong Sera can no longer hold back.
She immediately stands up, her body draped in surging mana.
"You dare say such things? In front of me?"
"I am not the type of person to hold my tongue just because I am in front of you."
"You live your life doing whatever you want, even though you are only an A-rank!"
"Haha! I think it would be quite interesting to see a high-and-mighty Queen's head fall to a mere A-rank."
Before I know it, the argument between the two has reached an extreme.
It feels as though a battle could break out at any moment.
In fact, Shin Yu-hwan has already summoned his Black Spear and is holding it in his hand, and Hong Sera is glaring at him as if she is ready to fight right now.
'What should I do?'
How on earth am I supposed to handle this situation?
Actually, it is a pointless question to ask myself.
What could I possibly do here?
Even Ryu Jin-oh, with his arrogant personality, cannot dare to speak up in this place.
There is no way I can do anything.
Just as I am feeling anxious, a savior appears from an unexpected place.
"Both of you, that is enough. Sera, calm your excitement, and Yu-hwan, do not speak so aggressively."
It is a single sentence from Ryu Jin-seong, who has been quietly watching the two.
Ryu Jin-seong continues speaking as if rebuking them both.
"Are you two not embarrassed to behave this way in front of your juniors? Did you come here to pick a fight?"
"......"
"If you are going to continue acting that way, then just get out of here."
Ryu Jin-seong's voice is not loud, but it is enough to command the atmosphere of the room.
Everyone seems to agree with those words.
In fact.
"Yes. It would be best for both of you to stop there."
"I ask the same. I want my daughter to grow up seeing only good things."
Cha Yu-na and Ju Ho-yeon add their support to Ryu Jin-seong's words.
In that atmosphere of reprimand, Shin Yu-hwan is the first to speak.
"I certainly did get too heated. My apologies to the boy and his friends. Please pretend you did not see that."
Shin Yu-hwan easily admits his fault and sits back down.
At that, Hong Sera also seems to calm down.
"I am sorry for showing you this side of me, especially since you all must have had the hardest time."
Well, it is not as if the two have reconciled.
They just stopped talking, but the way they glare at each other as if they want to kill one another is quite agonizing to watch.
In fact, even Kim Su-hyeok, who has nearly zero social awareness, is reading the room, so what more needs to be said?
However, Ryu Jin-seong seemingly decides there is nothing more he can do about it and continues.
"I hope you all understand. They are both sensitive because the matter is so serious."
"......"
"Especially since Yu-hwan is very proactive when it comes to villain issues."
That is true.
To Shin Yu-hwan, villains are that kind of existence.
Because I am well aware of that fact, I can understand Ryu Jin-seong's predicament.
"We are fine."
"I see. I suppose you are used to it since you are close with Yu-hwan."
At those words, I feel a gaze piercing toward me from the direction where Hong Sera is sitting.
To be honest, I am a bit intimidated and do not have the courage to look back, but I can still feel it clearly.
It is a gaze that intense.
'It is not like we have collective responsibility or something...'
Is it right to receive such a look just because I am close to him?
However, I do not have the courage to complain to Hong Sera.
If I do not even have the courage to look at her, how could I have the courage to complain?
While I am sitting there feeling like I am on a bed of needles and listening to the conversation flow.
"Then, it would be best to hear the exact circumstances from the cadets."
"I agree. We only know the general situation. We do not know exactly what happened."
The conversation eventually reaches the reason why we were able to attend this meeting.
Everyone else agrees with Ryu Jin-seong and Cha Yu-na.
"I heard the cadets talking on the way here, but that is not enough."
"Yes. I think we need to hear the details accurately."
The turn has shifted to us before I know it, and Ryu Jin-seong solidifies it one last time.
"Then, could you tell us what happened on the island?"
Ryu Jin-seong asks us politely in a moderate voice that is neither too high nor too low.
In fact, regardless of whether he is being polite or not, the answer has already been decided.
"Yes. Of course."
What other answer could there be besides saying yes?
Kim Su-hyeok also knows this, so he naturally agrees to Ryu Jin-seong's request.
Anyway.
'Now the real conversation begins.'
Whether it is long or short, these conversations will be a crucial step.
It is the beginning of that dialogue.