Chapter 14

Ch.14 The Regression Of Calamity-Level Monster Tamer

Misunderstanding.

Mistaken interpretation.

And mistaken interpretations usually arise from prejudice or when faced with situations where one has no choice but to make distorted interpretations.

And the current situation could be said to apply to both.

“I actually treated it as a rumor, but seeing it in person like this, I have no choice but to believe it. To become this perfectly young. The System is truly amazing…”

“…It’s really just a rumor.”

“You, right now, didn’t your Level and Stats all reset from reawakening? From what I see, you seem to be fighting relying on the experience and sensations you’ve built up until now. Isn’t that right?”

“……”

That was also correct, so I couldn’t refute it.

Because if I lied carelessly, that old man would immediately catch on.

‘They say old ginger is spicy, his perception is damn sharp.’

But I couldn’t become a grandpa this helplessly.

Skipping uncle and going straight to grandfather!

This can’t be.

“Rather than that, let’s get along well from now on. I’m very curious.”

“If I can form a connection with Clan Lord Ma, it would be my honor—”

“Goodness, you’re doing this till the end! Stiffly calling me Clan Lord Ma!”

“No, earlier you told me to call you ‘Clan Lord-nim’…”

“Hehe, this fellow. You have a talent for embarrassing people.”

Ma Geon-woo, who seemed truly embarrassed, scratched his head and approached me, grasping my hand.

“My position is indeed like that. But, as you know, at our age, isn’t it a bit difficult to make friends?”

“Pardon? No, Clan Lord-nim. I really didn’t go through Rejuvenation.”

“…Hmm, then how old are you?”

Hoo, is he finally making sense now?

But I mustn’t let go of the tension.

If I answer halfheartedly here, I might be counterattacked again.

That’s why I began reciting from my roots in detail.

“Born in 2011, the year of Sinmyo, currently 23 years old, Year of the White Rabbit. My registered domicile is something I don’t know well since I was adopted at age ten—”

“You!”

Ma Geon-woo suddenly grabbed both my forearms with a moved expression.

Why is this person acting scary again?

“…Y-yes?”

“You’re frighteningly meticulous!”

“Pardon? What do you mean…”

“The days when tigers smoked tobacco. A peaceful era without Towers or Players… It reminds me of my military service back then.”

Ma Geon-woo stared into space with eyes full of reminiscence.

“Don’t you know too? Every time that senior bastard touched our military ID tags and rifles.”

“……”

“We recited military and rifle numbers like machines… It reminds me of those days. Still, I’m glad. To meet a friend who can share memories of that time.”

“No, I keep telling you but I—”

I tried to reclaim the truth once more, but he had no intention of listening.

Rather, he cut off my words while looking at me as if he’d seen through everything.

“You can’t fool these eyes of Ma Geon-woo.”

“I have no intention of fooling you at all.”

“…Do you think there are kids among today’s youth who know the Sexagenary cycle?”

“…Ah!?”

It becomes like that?

Are you saying being more knowledgeable than my peers is a crime?

Though I haven’t lived a long life, I pride myself on having lived a more eventful life than that.

How many hardships must I have endured climbing the Tower?

But I guarantee, the number of people who made my heart as frustrated as this grandpa before me can be counted on one hand.

‘We’re not communicating at all. It feels like talking to a wall…’

Talking to a brick wall.

If you sculpted a person with those words, it would be exactly this human before me.

“Hehe, are you feeling like spilling honestly now?”

…Right. Have it your way.

“…Fine, so please don’t tell anyone.”

“Of course, of course! Obviously! Does my loyalty look that weak?! Don’t worry!”

“I’m worried, that’s why I’m saying this…”

“But you know. When you’re with me, that, what is it? MZ generation? You don’t have to talk like that generation, feel free to be comfortable. Isn’t it inconvenient?”

“No, if I keep switching my speech back and forth I might make mistakes, so it’s better to just unify it like this.”

“Ah! As expected, you’re thorough! Uhaha!”

Keulleok keulleok.

Ma Geon-woo laughed refreshingly while hitting my back with his large palm. Though I had no choice but to spit out coughs of pain thanks to his Strength Stat.

After laughing for a while, Ma Geon-woo returned to a serious expression.

“I kept thinking something was strange, you know. That killing intent earlier, and your skilled combat ability too…”

“…And?”

“Moreover, a guy in his mere twenties beating Joo Geon-ryul, even if it’s a virtual world, does that even make sense!”

Ah, that’s where the suspicion started?

A situation where distorted interpretation was unavoidable.

From Ma Geon-woo’s position, it must have been unacceptable.

Because it would have felt like having the life he’d built up denied.

Perhaps the current misunderstanding was a predetermined course from when I beat Joo Geon-ryul and took first place.

I deliberately nodded to show affirmation.

“…R-right?”

“When we’ve accumulated that level of experience and have a young body! Only then is it possible, isn’t it! In that sense, I’m really envious of you. Could you perhaps tell me that secret method?”

“At your level, you know. Enlightenment isn’t something that can be conveyed so easily with words.”

Once I told one lie, the next lie came naturally without effort.

“I suppose so, right? Well, it’s regrettable but can’t be helped. Ah right, then what will you do with these?”

Ma Geon-woo pointed at the Follower corpses sprawled on the ground.

Since I’m the PK victor, their belongings are attributed to me as spoils.

So when I scanned them with my eyes earlier, those guys were quite rich. Because they were plastered with Items.

Do they have a lot of money because they’re a cult?

‘Mm… no, these are probably Items they forcibly stole through PK too.’

There seems to be no uniformity among the Items.

It was obvious to the eye that they’d robbed and stuck them on.

To be sure, I asked Ma Geon-woo, who had high discernment, for his opinion too.

“Do they look like stolen goods to you too?”

“Nine point nine nine percent probability they’re stolen goods.”

“Tsk, can’t be helped.”

“How… do you perhaps have connections? It won’t be easy to sell them for full price.”

“No, I only trained so I don’t have any. I’ll just dispose of them cheaply. Then I’ll get about one sheet.”

At my words, Ma Geon-woo frowned.

Then he picked up his smartphone and called somewhere.

He distanced himself from me while talking, but his voice was so loud I heard everything.

“Hey, hey, Manager Kim. Didn’t you say last time you needed to buy Items to support the new recruits? Yeah, right. Ah, already bought them? Return them… what do you mean can’t! If you can’t, make it happen! Uh… right. And I got some stolen goods, how about substituting with those? Right… you know the Blue Gate in Gangdong-gu, right? Where the Magic Stone Farm was, yeah, there. Come there with porters. Uh… right, hanging up.”

Ma Geon-woo hung up like that and approached me with a smiling face.

“Goodness, disposing of them roughly. One call from me and it’s all done… What are friends good for? Friends are for using at times like this, aren’t they? Go ahead and give me your account number. Since you’re meticulous, you must have opened an account, right?”

“…Uh, huh? Account number?”

“Goodness! If it’s inconvenient, just do me one small favor later. Actually, you don’t have to, hehehe.”

I ended up giving my account number caught off guard by Ma Geon-woo’s bulldozer-like drive. Then.

Ttiring!

[Deposit 200,000,000 won Ma Geon-woo 123--98765]

‘…Mm, 200 million?’

This old man is quite generous.

According to my estimate, even at full price, the Items totaled about 150 million.

When I looked at Ma Geon-woo with a moved expression, he showed a good-natured smile.

“Since I made a friend after so long, I added a bit more in joy. It’s nothing, so don’t burden yourself too much.”

I changed my mind.

I think I made a good friend.

A rich friend at that.

I grasped Ma Geon-woo’s hand with both hands.

“Really, thank you. That favor, I’ll definitely do it.”

“Goodness! I just said it in case it burdens you! And here, take my contact.”

Thus we two exchanged contacts.

They say you never know how life will turn out, and I ended up forming a connection I never even thought about.

“Then definitely contact me next time. I have to go back to the Tower. When I’m in the Tower, calls don’t work, so leave messages at the Guild or Clan.”

Like that, Ma Geon-woo also hurriedly left like the wind, like Seo Gyeoul.

I too headed home dragging my tired body.

Because everyone’s busy.

***

Three days of playing after that day passed.

It was a choice I made because I couldn’t rest even a moment after Awakening.

‘Anyway, in a few days I won’t be able to rest even if I want to.’

Articles will start appearing soon.

At the earliest 4 days, at the latest I predict within 7 days.

Before that, I had to handle long-overdue matters.

For example.

‘Like untying the knot in my heart that I regretted for so long…’

In the past, the filial piety I couldn’t show Mother.

That’s what I did until yesterday.

Though honestly, calling it filial piety wasn’t much.

Selling the near-junk used car and getting a domestic semi-large sedan.

Taking the new car for a drive and grilling meat.

Mother’s top pick, buying a kimchi refrigerator.

Those three things were all.

‘Yet Mother was extremely happy.’

Though it’s just a drop in the bucket compared to what she’s done for me.

Even in the difficult situation after Father passed away, she didn’t refuse any hard work for me, who didn’t share a drop of blood with her.

‘It’s okay, I just need to let her live in luxury for life.’

To do that, it was time for me to prepare to move forward.

The seed money I saved for that.

140 million in cash.

‘I know how to use this several times more valuably.’

Naturally, it’s a method only the ‘current’ me can do.

‘If it were a while ago, even I would have been impossible, but now it’s possible.’

“Mansu’s General Store, come take a look! Cheap, cheap! Selling Relics in full for just 5 million won!”

“We compete with products, not prices! Relics with effects as powerful as the curses attached! Come take a look!”

Waggle waggle—

Street vendors selling products loudly here and there.

The narrow paths spread like spider webs are full of people.

‘This place is the same then and now.’

This place is District 5, Section 1.

Commonly called the ‘Antique Market.’

Being District 5, it’s not far from the Tower.

That’s why it’s also a naturally formed market.

‘Relics that are awkward to use yourself or sell for full price gather here.’

Right.

I came to find treasures hidden in this giant junkyard.

Of course, finding them isn’t the end.

Any treasure must meet its proper owner to shine.

‘The Talent I obtained last time. I need to properly milk it this time…’

Julie Pearson, owner of Bluestone Megacorp.

Her S-Rank Talent, ‘Seal Release.’

[Seal Release]

―Rank: S

―Information: Can open ‘Secret-Seal’ imbued in equipment. However, Magic Stones are required to melt the seal.

(Magic Stone Rank is proportional to the seal’s level.)

‘Keu… praise my past self. To think of obtaining this.’

Anyway, thinking about meeting nostalgic connections after so long makes my heart flutter uncharacteristically.

I entered deep into the alleyways and stood before one old shop.

On the shop’s worn signboard, the store name was written in old-fashioned lettering.

[Red Thread]

“It’s been a while.”

I arrived at my old regular shop.