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Chapter 175: Gathering (4)
Chapter 175: Gathering (4)
Chapter 175: Gathering (4)
There was a deathly silence.
The gazes of Jegal Soyoung and Isabella, who were sitting beside him, clashed in the air.
“Was your name Jegal Soyoung?” she said in a calm voice as she gently swept her hair behind her ear.
Isabella smiled and looked at her.
“Yes. That’s right.”
“I heard that you’re a skilled individual, even amongst Awakeners of Sagittarius.”
“Oh my, thank you. I’ve also heard various stories about the Saintess of Rome.”
Jegal Soyoung smiled back at her.
If you were to only consider their facial expressions and the contents of the conversation, everything seemed to be going well like they were casually sharing a coffee in a cafe, however—
‘Fuck.’
—Ohjin could sense the fierce battle of wits that was happening between them.
‘The bomb could explode with a slip.’
Jegal Soyoung wasn’t the problem.
Ohjin didn’t know much about her, but she didn’t look like someone who would use violence if things didn’t go her way.
‘But…’
Isabella was a different story.
—The Queen of Leeches, the Blood-crazed Witch, and so on…
Considering her crazy personality that she displayed at the pier, he couldn’t possibly predict what she would do if things didn’t go according to her liking.
‘According to the future in the 1st Round, Isabella was the one who brought Italy to ruin in the first place.’
What was the population of Italy?
Even if their population was reduced severely due to the monsters, they should’ve still at least had a population of several tens of millions.
Although it was something that happened in the 1st Round, she was a witch that nonchalantly massacred the lives of millions.
‘But I guess I also slaughtered several billion if you were to put it that way…’
Anyways, even at that moment, Isabella having the capability to easily kill everyone in that room was a fact.
The First Star? The Black Lion? The Apostle of Vega?”
None of that mattered.
‘She’s the woman who killed a 9-Star Awakener in a single strike.’
Truth be told, he wasn’t confident in his ability to defeat her even with the use of ‘Heaven Unfolding’.
Ohjin gulped and looked at Isabella.
It was important to keep her as pleased as possible.
‘Let’s observe the situation a little longer.’
He carefully observed the situation like he was walking on thin ice.
“In my opinion, I think it would be best if Ms. Soyoung partied up with Ms. Yuumi rather than Ohjin.”
“Hmm? Why is that?”
“Although you can support Ohjin with your outstanding archery skills, you must understand that his spear isn’t the only thing he uses when he fights. Utilizing his wire shooters, he transitions between close-ranged and long-ranged combat as he wishes.”
Her composed explanation continued.
“With that being the case, I believe that my stigma that can enhance the strength of others is more appropriate for someone who constantly changes positions rather than an archer who provides support with a bow.”
“I agree.”
Ohjin quickly took Isabella’s side.
“I also happened to have partied with an Awakener of Sagittarius in the past.”
“Ah, you are referring to when you streamed with Jerry Kim, correct? I also watched that stream.”
Jegal Soyoung’s eyes sparkled as she nodded.
Ohjin groaned internally once he heard that she’d even watched the stream. He was wondering why she was being so aggressive, and it seemed like she’d been interested in him for quite some time.
“I also thought that Ohjin’s fighting style didn’t go well with the stigma of Sagittarius when I watched the stream back then as Isabella mentioned.”
“Oh my, is that so?”
“Yes. However, wasn’t that because the person in question was Jerry Kim?”
Jegal Soyoung leaned on her hand and smiled with confidence.
“Although we’re both the same Awakeners of Sagittarius, you can’t compare me with him.”
“That’s…”
“Whether Ohjin flies far away with his wires or fights in close combat with his spear, I’m confident in my ability to match his style.”
It was likely that it wasn’t a bluff.
The Black Rose, Jegal Soyoung…
It wasn’t right to compare an Awakener who was acknowledged by the whole world with an ordinary streamer.
‘You don’t understand, woman. That isn’t the problem right now. The thing that flies far away might not be me but your head.’
“Even so, I think that it would be best for me to party with Isabella in this operation. We’ve worked together before, after all.”
“Hmm. It seems you cherish Isabella quite a lot.”
She narrowed her eyes and examined Isabella from head to toe.
—Snow-white skin.
—Beautiful blond hair that almost looked like it was made out of melted gold, and blue eyes that shone like sapphires.
—Luscious, dark-red lips that were unlike her innocent appearance.
Her looks were so beautiful that she could even charm a woman, but…
‘Looks-wise… I’m also a pretty fierce competitor.’
Though she potentially lacked a tiny bit compared to Isabella, she was still a woman who couldn’t remember having ever fallen behind anyone in looks.
In the first place, The Black Rose, Jegal Soyoung, was not only famous worldwide for her skills, but also her looks.
Considering the line of men determined to just have a single conversation with her, there was no reason for her to feel unconfident about being compared to Isa—
“Huh?”
At that moment, Jegal Soyoung’s eyes focused on a certain area of Isabella’s body. She hadn’t noticed until then because she was wearing clothes that were similar to a baggy nun outfit, but…
‘Wh-What is that?’
The volume of that area was astonishing.
Jegal Soyoung couldn’t even understand how such big things could be attached to her when she had a thin waist.
“What’s wrong?”
“N-No. It’s nothing.”
Her head drooped down on its own.
Not once had she ever thought that there was something she lacked regarding her beautiful figure…
‘This is unfair.’
It wouldn’t be as big of a deal if they were just unsophisticated and large. The way they retained a pretty curve and floated like they were defying gravity caused her to feel her solid self-esteem crashing down.
“Hmm. Did you ask if I cherished Isabella?” Ohjin continued in a composed voice.
“Yes. Of course I cherish her. There are a lot of things she has given to me.”
The statement wasn’t exactly wrong since she had given an entire apartment to him as a present.
“Isabella… is an extremely important person to me.”
There was absolutely no chance that she wouldn’t be important when his head could be torn off the moment he messed up.
“O-Ohjin?”
The one who was surprised was actually Isabella.
She opened her glistening eyes wide like a rabbit and looked at him.
“I never knew… that you thought of me that way.”
With a blissful expression, Isabella’s shoulders trembled.
‘Oh, shit.’
Realization settled down for Ohjin.
He hadn’t expected her to react that intensely to what he said.
‘No way… the obsession she has with me can’t possibly worsen because of this, right?’
‘Nah, it can’t be.’
‘If the hearts of people can be changed so easily from a couple of words, why would there be so many people in the world who aren’t able to find a relationship?’
‘Right?’
‘Surely, I’m correct.’
“I want to be in the same group as Ohjin. If that cannot be done, I’m going to quit Guardian.”
‘Fuck me. Please don’t tell me I’m wrong.’
“H-How is that fair?”
“I don’t care. Guardian means nothing to me without Ohjin.”
“…”
Jegal Soyoung quietly bit her lips.
She had also joined Guardian due to her personal circumstances, so she couldn't let it fall apart for such an insignificant reason.
"Sigh. Alright, alright. I just need to party with Ms. Yuumi, right?"
She sighed and took a step back.
It felt like the tension in the room was being released.
"Haha. Ohjin seems to be very popular."
"He is a charming man."
Finding the situation rather entertaining, Cheon Sanggil looked at Ohjin with one eye and nodded while Lee Woohyuk added in his remark.
Ohjin felt somewhat of an unexplainable embarrassment and quickly changed the subject.
Translator - Maccas
Proofreader - ilafy
* * *
"By the way, is Mr. Cheon Sanggil not going to participate in this operation?'
"This old man has something else he has to do."
"Something else…?"
Cheon Sanggil answered in a low voice to Ohjin, who had his head tilted.
"I'm thinking of chasing after the Snakes."
"…Eh?"
'In that case, does that mean the Queen of Snakes is in Korea right now?'
Ohjin noticed that Isabella flinched when the word 'Snakes' was brought up.
"Haha. Don't wear such a serious expression."
Cheon Sanggil stroked his beard and continued.
"Weren't the Owls and Seahorses all connected to the Snakes?"
"Are you implying that you think the Toads entered Korea at the Queen of Snake's orders?"
Cheon Sanggil nodded.
"Though it could be nothing but this old man overthinking things."
"Hmm."
A chance of the Queen of Snakes being in Korea…
'Should I have refused the request?'
The thought momentarily crossed his mind, but he soon shook his head.
With Cheon Sanggil saying that he'd personally chase the Queen of Snakes, it was highly likely that he wouldn’t run into her during the operation.
In the first place, the Queen of Snakes being connected to the Bufo faction was just a speculation.
"Then should the groups be Isabella and me, Ms. Soyoung and Ms. Yuumi, and finally, Ms. Woohyuk and Hyunbin?"
"Yes. Let's do it that way."
"I'm also fine with that."
Lee Woohyuk and Oh Hyunbin also nodded like it didn't really matter to them.
In reality, it was the best composition if you were thinking of the balance of parties.
"Then let us depart once Ms. Yuumi returns."
After saying so, Ohjin took a sip of the tea that had cooled to room temperature.
Timewise, it hadn't even been ten minutes, but he somehow felt more exhausted than training for ten hours without rest.
"W-Will everything be okay? Maybe… we should ask for reinforcement from our guilds."
Oh Hyunbin slightly shook with watery eyes.
Lee Woohyuk looked at him and smiled faintly.
"Don't worry. I'll protect you."
It seemed like he projected his past with Hyunbin shivering from fear. Lee Woohyuk looked at the boy and put his hand on his shoulder.
"You don't have to worry about the Awakeners gathered here because of a mere demon beast."
Oh Hyunbin carefully raised his head after hearing Lee Woohyuk.
He could see five Awakeners including Cheon Sanggil.
—Guardian.
The group was created specifically to exterminate the Black Star Organization.
There wasn't much known about it since it was only just starting, but there was one thing for certain…
"Yes! O-Of course! Because we are Guardian!"
Each and every Awakener in Guardian possessed exceptional skill.
Even Oh Hyunbin himself was evaluated lowly because of his weak appearance and personality, but he was also incredibly skilled to the point he was called the 'Miracle Healer' within the guild.
What about the Black Rose, Jegal Soyoung? She was an Awakener of one of the 12 Zodiacs and was regarded as one of the strongest 8-Star Awakeners along with Lee Woohyuk.
Choi Yuumi with the stigma of Phoenix wasn't on the level of the Zodiacs, but she was a high-ranking Awakener who completed her body's reconstruction after becoming a 9-Star.
The Saintess of Rome, Isabella Colagrande was one of the most famed Awakeners in the nation and known worldwide along with Lee Woohyuk.
Finally, there was even Ohjin, who had a stigma of a North Star.
"Hehe. Maybe there will come a day when we're called the 2nd Seven Stars."
Oh Hyunbin clenched his fist with an innocent smile.
He had been mocked countless times because of his weak personality and looks.
'It's going to change now.'
The boy who yearned to be a hero looked at Lee Woohyuk with sparkling eyes.
Lee Woohyuk lightly patted his messy brown hair like he was a strange kid.
"Then should we depart?"
Not too long after, Choi Yuumi returned after changing her clothes.
Ohjin put his teacup down and stood up.
"Hmpf. Why are you acting so big when it's not like we decided on a leader?"
"Fufu. Would you like to have dinner with me after this operation is over?"
Choi Yuumi and Jegal Soyoung each made a remark as they went outside.
You couldn't find a speck of nervousness in their faces when they were on their way to hunt a horrendous demon beast that made the whole of Incheon tremble in fear.
Like that, the first operation of Guardian, the group that would soon unsettle Korea… no, the entire world, began.