Cheonma was sent back to China.
Even though they had decided to cooperate with the Secret Society, simply sending Cheonma back was not an easy task.
China was eyeing the resources in the northern part of Korea, the forr land of North Korea.
Even if Cheonma failed, it wouldn’t end there! They were not the type to give up.
If they failed once, they would send soone else, use another thod, or find so other way.
For example, they might find soone from Sinuiju, send them a huge amount of money to buy land near the mines, and siphon off property rights.
They could support a national project, secretly mine resources using that money, and bribe the officials overseeing it so no one finds out.
Or they might send another ability user instead of Cheonma.
There were countless such scenarios, so it was necessary to nip it in the bud.
They had to make sure China could never threaten Korea (South) again, never touch the resources of the Korean Peninsula.
What would it take to do that?
Should they pour sothing like Gigong Shinpo or Lightning Breath?
That’s correct.
If a being with overwhelming power demonstrated its might, making it impossible for any diplomatic protest to be made against that demonstration, and if even the 6 billion people on Earth agree that Cheonma was defeated by no fault of their own…
If Gwang Ik Gong was mobilized and used the “Gwang Ik Gong Beam” to blast Cheonma into the stars, it was over.
[Yes. It’s . Did you see well?]
-That was amazing. I didn’t think you could blow Cheonma over 50km with one strike.
At that mont, a call from Gwang Ik Gong ca through.
He had been closely monitoring the situation in the north, and as soon as Yumir spread his wings as Gwang Ik Gong, he called .
-When Yumir spread her wings like that, sohow, they seed even more golden and bright than the wings I spread in my pri.
[Even if she has a lot of magic power, that overwhelming amount of magic power could beco uncontrollable later on. Imagine if that magic power goes berserk and causes a nuclear explosion. The explosion would be bigger than a teorite hitting the Earth.]
The world would be destroyed.
-Haha, but you’ll make sure that doesn’t happen, won’t you?
[She said she would be patriotic in front of others on the train.]
-…Isn’t it your fault that an innocent girl turned out like that?
[Is it my fault?]
-You managed to ignite a burning patriotism in the four vengeful maiden ghosts buried deep underground, so of course, you should take responsibility for turning a normal female college student into a patriot.
I was at a loss for words in response to Gwang Ik Gong’s sharp remark, but it was almost 3 minutes now.
[But still, doing it in front of other guys is not right.]
-That’s true. Anyway, hyung, thanks. I’ll send you a long-term stay voucher for an ocean-view penthouse later, so go and enjoy yourself with Yumir.
[Where is it?]
-You’ll know when you get it. Hehehe.
I think I knew where it was.
Even though Gwang Ik Gong was supposed to be dead, he was the kind of man who could stay hidden in a basent in Busan and grasp all situations through dia reports.
[If possible, I’d prefer the south rather than the north.]
-Wouldn’t a 5-star hotel there be subpar? And it’s far from Sejong Island too.
[If it’s by the sea, the open southern side is better.]
-True. That doesn’t matter, I guess. Got it. I’ll be in touch again… Oh, one last thing.
Before the call ended, Gwang Ik Gong asked with genuine curiosity.
-The white robe, it looks kind of angelic. What exactly is it?
[Archangel of Courage.]
-Oh… Is that a Sephiroth hint? Nice. Thanks. See you.
Click.
The call ended exactly at 2 minutes and 59 seconds. I swiped my Taeguk Watch, and soon, the archangel with brilliant golden wings sparkling in the sky vanished into the dust.
“Ta-da.”
And then, she appeared next to , as if nothing had happened.
[What are you doing?]
“I used a lot of mana, enough for the transformation to wear off.”
In a state where the transformation had worn off.
[Anyway.]
I imdiately pulled out a durumagi and draped it over Yumir’s shoulders. Yumir slipped her arms into it and tightened the belt firmly.
“Wasn’t that a very Gwang Ik Gong-like action? I put much more magic power into the bombardnt than I thought.”
[It was enough. You used up most of your mana maintaining the transformation and reserving enough for teleportation afterward.]
Although she had used a bit of mana during the previous underground battle, Yumir had used most of her mana for her “Gwang Ik Gong cosplay.”
[The problem is that it worked too well.]
“…Did I make a mistake?”
[It’s not a mistake. Well, it’s just sothing like that.]
I held Yumir in my arms and quickly left the place.
Soon, the sound of a train whistle echoed from Sinuiju Station, and I jumped onto the top of the train, holding Yumir like a princess.
[You’ve covered the golden train with steel.]
As soon as I landed, the ground beneath my feet shook.
Like a dog’s paw print on cent, my shoe print pushed aside the iron dust on the train’s surface, revealing the gold underneath.
“Impressive.”
Taejo, who had rushed out from inside the train corridor, greeted us.
“I feel like I’ve learned sothing I shouldn’t have, but I’ll keep my mouth shut.”
[I don’t know what you’re talking about.]
Although I blatantly feigned ignorance, there was no way that Black Taejo wouldn’t have noticed Yumir’s condition, especially considering Armored Taejo might not have.
[The important thing is….]
“Gwang Ik Gong is alive. And not just alive.”
Taejo scratched his cheek and gave an awkward smile toward Yumir, who was glancing at nervously.
“…With even stronger firepower than in his pri.”
“Ah.”
Yumir covered her mouth with her hand, surprised.
“…Was it a bit too strong?”
[Yeah.]
Overwhelming power.
Yumir had cosplayed as Gwang Ik Gong and proven Gwang Ik Gong’s strength.
She just overdid it a bit.
[But it’s all good.]
At that mont.
“…….”
Cheonma opened her eyes.
For a mont, it felt like she had lost consciousness, and in fact, she had.
If it weren’t for the body’s instincts and the physical reaction of her body to protect itself with magic, she might have died.
“……Ha.”
Looking around, the sight was unbelievable.
The forest was destroyed.
It was as if sothing like a teor had fallen diagonally and rolled hundreds of tis across the forest, as if a god had brushed his thumb across the map, leaving a long road through the forest.
And at the end of that road was herself.
“…Crazy.”
She reassembled her mories before she lost consciousness.
She had certainly charged at Yumir.
She charged at the one pretending to be Gwang Ik Gong.
After fighting with Hesed Goblin, she had gathered all the magic power she could muster and ran forward with all her might.
Cheonma Divine Technique - Cheonma Reigning Step.
And with all her strength, she unleashed Cheonma Divine Fist with both hands.
But that fist, in front of the overwhelming bombardnt of magic power, beca nothing more than a star in the night sky.
“…….”
Her smartwatch was destroyed, so she couldn’t even check her location, and her clothes were beyond tattered, more like rags.
Fortunately, the underwear peeking through the rags still maintained its form, but it was clear her appearance was a ss.
“Ha, haha….”
A hollow laugh escaped her lips.
“The world is truly vast.”
She already knew there were many strong people in the world, but every year, new strong individuals kept erging.
She enjoyed fighting against such strong opponents, and while it felt great to achieve victory over them, being overwheld by such imnse power left her with only a hollow laugh.
“…But still.”
Cheonma clenched her fist toward the night sky.
“I can reach it.”
Not yet.
It was different from when she extended her fist toward Gwang Ik Gong, who seed to have no blind spots and was completely unreachable.
She could reach it.
If she beca stronger, and if the female Gwang Ik Gong remained stagnant, she would surely be able to reach it.
So—
“Cheonma!!”
People ca running from afar.
The ability users, dressed in the sa martial arts attire as Cheonma, were shocked when they saw her and quickly offered her their coats.
“This, this is…!”
“It’s fine.”
Cheonma politely declined their coats, pulling her tattered clothes tighter around herself.
“What’s the big deal about a little underwear showing?”
“But, still…!”
“Just surviving is fortunate enough. Give the watch. Contact the Association President.”
Cheonma stretched out her trembling hand, and the ability users quickly manipulated the smartwatch to call soone.
“Hello, President.”
[Are you okay?!]
“…Sohow, I survived. The others were captured, and I don’t know what happened to them.”
[Sigh….]
The deep sigh of the Hero Association’s China branch president echoed through the line.
[It’s okay. If you’re alive, we can et again. Surely they wouldn’t kill heroes in Korea. It’s a relief you made it back alive, and what ca out of this is more valuable than gold.]
“More valuable results…?”
[Yes. The fact that Gwang Ik Gong, who had been in seclusion until now, took action.]
Cheonma shivered.
[Korea now clearly sees you, sees us, as a real ‘threat.’ You, specifically, have beco a threat that neither Japan, the United States, nor any other country could manage.]
The situation matched perfectly with sothing soone had said, sending chills down her spine.
[Cheonma. We’re truly glad to have you on our side. As soon as you return—]
“I need to train. Please contact my parents. After one al, I’d like to go sowhere for so personal training. What was it called… closed-door training?”
[Closed-door training! Excellent! Even if we have to clear out Kowloon Walled City, we’ll prepare a training ground for you!]
As the situation unfolded exactly as expected, she could only laugh hollowly.
[In the national competition, the only one who can win against Gwang Ik Gong is none other than you, Cheonma!]
“…Thank you for your encouragent.”
Cheonma gripped her wrist and forced a smile.
“In the end, though, I lost to Gwang Ik Gong.”
[Haha. Raise your head, Cheonma.]
The Association President responded with a hearty laugh.
[Losing to a stronger opponent is nothing to be ashad of.]
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