I tamed the First Rank Chapter 150
“Team Leader Choi?!”
“How could you……?”
Not only In Yoo-shin, but even Gong Tae-seong groaned as if taken aback. Though his hairstyle was slightly different, the man standing before him was unmistakably Choi Jin-hyuk. Even the man, who usually wore casual attire, was now wearing a suit. The suit felt like a modernized version of a durumagi (traditional Korean overcoat).
The man tilted his face.
"My name is Choi Jin-hyuk, but…… how did you know?"
Hyeon Gyu-ha whispered in In Yoo-shin's ear, who was so shocked that he couldn't even speak properly and was just licking his lips.
"Just as there was a Choi Jin-hyuk in our world, there could be a Choi Jin-hyuk in this world too."
"Uh, uh-uh....... T-that's right."
Choi Jin-hyuk also seemed to realize the situation belatedly, saying, “Aha.”
"They say there's a similar world beyond the gate, so it seems there's someone like me in that world. Anyway, greetings again. This is Choi Jin-hyuk of Heptagon."
"Haa."
Gong Tae-seong sighed and covered his face. He looked utterly confused. In Yoo-shin understood. Having only known Choi Jin-hyeok for a few months, he was already completely out of his mind, so Gong Tae-seong, with their deep connection, must have been even more so.
"That kid is using formal language with me, it's so disgusting I feel like my stomach is turning."
.......I guess I was confused in another way.
Hyeon Gyu-ha, who was the only one who had not lost his composure, spoke calmly.
"How did you know we were here?"
"Stoyan isn't omnipotent, but he's somewhat omniscient. How about you go?"
“Are you forcing me?”
"That's not true, but if you don't come with me, you'll have a hard time in the future because there are so many ignorant people here."
Before answering, Hyeon Gyu-ha first bowed his head to In Yoo-shin and asked quietly.
“What should I do?”
"Hmm, Team Leader Choi, I think what he said is right. We don't know anything."
"I agree. Even if I have to walk all the way to Romania later, I'll have to extract as much information as possible."
After a brief exchange of opinions, Hyeon Gyu-ha nodded.
“Please guide me.”
Even the few minutes it took to walk to the parking lot left In Yoo-shin astonished. The road to Mount Obong was filled with lush green rice paddies, but here, it was a barren wasteland. He couldn't help but wonder if farming was impossible, and if so, how they could produce food.
His surprise grew even greater when he saw the car Choi Jin-hyuk had driven. Its shape was similar to what he knew. It had four wheels, and above them was a space for passengers and luggage. However, the hood, where the engine or other powertrain should have been located, was narrow.
"How does a car move?"
"It's just that it's moved by magic, but?"
"Magic, but……”
In Yoo-shin, feeling a bit nervous, was the first to get in when Choi Jin-hyeok opened the back door. Then Hyeon Gyu-ha and Gong Tae-seong followed suit. The car was spacious, so even with all three of them riding, it didn't feel cramped.
Hyeon Gyu-ha, caught in the middle, held the cage suspended in midair, a centimeter above his knees. 6-se was still sleeping soundly, even snoring in his sleep, being groomed by 8-se.
In Yoo-shin watched with excitement as Choi Jin-hyuk started the engine. Choi Jin-hyuk placed his hand on the frame, imprinted with complex mana circuits.
As he injected mana, the mana circuits glowed brightly and the car body vibrated slightly. With that, Choi Jin-hyuk set the car into motion.
"Can someone without mana use it?"
"If you don't have one, you'll have to charge it separately. I guess it's different in that world?"
"Because it uses oil."
"It's inefficient. It'll cause a lot of pollution."
"That's true. But Team Leader Choi, Ah, I'm sorry. It's so familiar.
Choi Jin-hyuk responded nonchalantly, still holding the steering wheel.
"Here too, you are the team leader."
“Really?”
Choi Jin-hyuk gave a brief profile. He possessed a unique ability to manipulate poison. He worked for Heptagon, a government agency. His family, including his younger sibling, died in childhood, and he was still single. His profile was somewhat similar to the Choi Jin-hyuk that In Yoo-shin knew.
Hyeon Gyu-ha didn't care what kind of life Choi Jin-hyeok had lived before his eyes, but Gong Tae-seong had a very complex and subtle expression on his face.
In Yoo-shin also recognized that Choi Jin-hyeok was a separate entity. But even thinking that way, he felt a slight uneasiness. In Yoo-shin observed her expression and then subtly prodded her.
"Team Leader, can't you just talk comfortably?"
“Sure.”
Choi Jin-hyuk spoke immediately, as if he had been waiting. It was both welcome and a bit eerie to hear someone with the same voice and tone speak.
"I'm afraid it might be confusing, so I'll call our team leader Choi Jin-hyeok 1. It's a rude title, but I guess it's okay if I think about it on my own, right?"
Only after In Yoo-shin had satisfied his curiosity did Hyeon Gyu-ha open his mouth.
"What kind of being is Stoyan here?"
"It's a fact known only to a very small number of people, but should we say that he is the one who holds up this damned world from completely collapsing? I think the gods call him the king of the world."
"Hmm…… Have you met him?"
"I met, so I recognized you right away."
In Yoo-shin, who had been listening intently, nodded. Indeed, he must have looked remarkably similar to Hyeon Gyu-ha.
*Because he resembles his aunt, Stoya……”
He stared quietly at Hyeon Gyu-ha's profile. It felt unrealistic to think that someone so strikingly similar to him was about to sacrifice his own child.
"Team Leader, so are we going to Romania?"
"Romania? Do you have any business in Romania? Not many people live there, right?"
"Huh? Isn't Stoyan in Romania?"
"He’s in Hanyang,"
"Hanyang? Hanyang?"
In Yoo-shin's eyes widened, and Gong Tae-seong couldn't hide his surprise. Only Hyeon Gyu-ha, who had seen many of his mother's records about parallel worlds, simply wore a calm expression, saying, "I see."
"Then this isn't Korea?"
“It’s Joseon?”
"Democratic People's Republic of Korea?"
"No, just Joseon. Which country's name is that long?"
In Yoo-shin breathed a sigh of relief.
"Regarding my reincarnation in North Korea, despite living in a unified Korea. Fortunately, the same situation didn't occur.”
After hearing more about the story, it turned out that the capital of Joseon, a constitutional monarchy, was Gaeseong, and that Stoyan had been living in Hanyang for 30 years.
"It's surprising that Kaesong remains the capital of Joseon."
"Oh, sorry. I can't explain that part. I'm not good at history."
Gong Tae-seong's face turned in shock. In Yoo-shin understood. For an apology to come out of Choi Jin-hyuk's mouth and be directed at Gong Tae-seong of all people... "That guy definitely didn't have a liberal arts brain..." he muttered, so it seems this is also a common trait between the two Choi Jin-hyuks.
In any case, upon hearing the definitive confirmation that Jun's shrine was also in Hanyang, Gong Tae-seong's expression shifted to one that didn't care whether it was in Joseon or North Korea. And Hyeon Gyu-ha, who had initially maintained a disinterested expression, began gathering practical information.
First, the terms displayed in system messages, such as those for dungeons, bosses, and artifacts, were identical. In Yoo-shin speculated that, just as the text in the status window appears in the language considered native, the terminology might be established in the language most commonly used in the world where the gate opens.
There were differences, too. Because it was a world where one could directly interact with the divine, the concepts of systems and awakening were markedly different.
Because the Awakening in Iad was the will of the gods, the system, which was considered a form of oracle, was called an Oracle. Among the Awakened, those with exceptional abilities were referred to as Servants, servants who carried out the will of the gods, and Hunters, who hunted for offerings to the gods. Recently, the term "Hunter" has become almost universally used. While the term "Hunter" was used in the Iron Age, its meaning was quite different.
"So, Team Leader, do you also have an attribution artifact? Oh. I apologize if this is an impolite question."
"It doesn't really matter since you're not a monster. It's an attribution artifact related to Eric XIV."
Eric XIV was the King of Sweden, deposed and poisoned due to madness. It was different from the attribution artifact to Choi Jin-hyeok1, which seemed to be related to the Borgia family. I had a feeling that the artifact symbol on the neck wasn't there, so I thought, "So this is the difference?" Then Gong Tae-seong spoke.
"It seems like I don't exist here or have no interaction with Choi Jin-hyuk."
"Why?"
"Because I was the one who gave that kid the artifact he was supposed to possess."
“Aha……”
The polite In Yoo-shin swallowed the question that was rising in his throat and held it back, but Hyeon Gyu-ha did not hold it back.
"I gave Choi Jin-hyuk a useful artifact, so why is yours like that?"
***
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Credits:
Translator: Hoshi Miya
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