Blue House — Part 1
“Cough! Gah!”
As soon as I arrived, blood poured from my mouth.
It felt like my insides were being forced out.
Chunks of flesh mixed into the blood, and I could see them as they spilled out.
My head spun, a dizzying whirl of agony, as if the entire world was tilting off its axis.
I felt like I was sinking into a swamp, bound and dragged down by spectral hands.
Barely, I managed to swap my traits.
[Undying] [Resurrection] [Regeneration]
[Wound Recovery] [Healing] [Vigor]
Even with [Undying], it wasn’t enough. I had to equip every sub-trait I could muster.
I cast [Healing] in rapid succession.
Flashes of light pulsed from my body dozens of times before I could cling to my fading consciousness.
“Gah! Urgh—!”
Still, it wasn’t enough.
The internal injuries showed no signs of improvement.
Every inch of my body ached, weighed down by crushing fatigue.
My head was in such a fog that it wouldn’t be surprising if I fainted at any moment.
‘I can’t keep going like this.’
Staggering, I made my way down to the basement.
The underground training room.
It was equipped with a magical bath, much like the one in my first home on Geonwoobong Mountain.
A top-grade magical bath designed to function as a mana reservoir.
I threw myself into it without hesitation.
Splash!
The warm energy of the bath enveloped my entire body.
But as if in resistance, cold energy surged from my wounds, particularly from the gash across my chest and the severed stump of my left arm.
This wasn’t something the bath alone could fix.
With trembling hands, I reached out.
A small magical safe was installed right next to the bath.
I unlocked it with biometric authentication.
Inside, a radiant golden potion came into view.
An elixir.
I equipped [Potion Dependency] and [Potion Addiction] and drank it in one go.
The warm, smooth, and refreshing liquid washed down my throat.
From my solar plexus, heat blossomed and spread throughout my entire body.
The icy mana that had been wreaking havoc was subdued in an instant.
Regaining clarity, I quickly pressed the severed stump of my left arm against my shoulder.
What couldn’t be reattached even with [Undying] and five sub-traits instantly fused together.
A sharp jolt of pain followed.
From the elbow down, where the arm had been severed.
The entire left forearm throbbed with unbearable agony, as if it was being burned alive.
It felt like reliving the trauma of the wound all over again.
But the pain was fleeting.
The torment that had plagued my body and tortured my mind vanished as if it had been washed away.
“Haaa…”
Leaning back, I exhaled a long sigh.
As expected, elixirs were truly extraordinary.
For a moment, I felt gratitude toward the Tower Master of the Sun Mage Tower, who had offered me this elixir a few months ago as an apology.
If it weren’t for that, I’d probably be dead by now.
“It’s been so long…”
The last time I’d been this battered was during my fight with the President of the Cleaner Association.
After that, no matter who I fought—whether it was Oh Dusik, the Lion Knight, or the Hunter Association’s President, or even during the massacre of the Inquisitor’s party in the Grand Labyrinth—I had never been injured to this extent.
I rubbed my chest.
The rib fractures that had caused severe internal injuries had now healed, leaving only faint scars.
Those, too, would disappear completely if I continued to equip [Vajra Body] and [Undying].
“Huuu.”
I lay there for a long time, staring blankly.
Though my body had recovered, my mind still craved rest.
The grotesque face of Massacre Empress floated in my thoughts like a dark cloud.
Her eerie prosthetic eye staring me down.
Her twisted metallic lips.
Masamune falling like a thunderbolt!
‘I was lucky. Incredibly lucky.’
Perhaps I’d been reckless.
I should have run the moment I saw Massacre Empress.
But if I had, the President would’ve died.
To save the President, I had no choice but to fight Massacre Empress.
“Hah, haha.”
Laughter burst from my lips.
I couldn’t help but recall her expression when I used [Grand Escape] at the last moment.
The mix of frustration and disbelief on her face was priceless.
How does it feel, Saintess?
Not everything goes your way, does it?
With the Terror Alliance suppressed so early, even the Saintess must be feeling some degree of pain.
Thinking about that made it all worthwhile.
Who knows?
This incident might trigger some sort of butterfly effect.
The Old Father’s Cult, whose power will be revealed in Episode 3, definitely won’t align with how they were depicted in the game.
“Let’s get some sleep.”
It was already dawn.
The night had faded into white, and a new day had arrived.
I had done all I could. It was time to leave the rest to others.
What’s the Legion Commander up to?
The Tower Master? Seong Huiyeong?
The Archbishops of the Thor Cult and Gaia Cult are probably going to get chewed out when this is over.
My eyelids grew heavy.
I closed my eyes, letting the warmth of the bath lull me into slumber.
The constantly reheated water gently relaxed my body and mana circuits, soothing them like a soft blanket.
How much time had passed?
My eyes opened naturally.
The smartphone I had left next to the magical bath was vibrating incessantly.
[Baek Sorin]
I glanced at the clock—it was 10 a.m.
I’d slept deeply without realizing it.
“Hello, Sorin?”
[Teacher!]
Baek Sorin’s voice burst from the phone, practically yelling.
[Why haven’t you been answering your phone?! I was worried sick!]
“I was exhausted and resting. Nothing’s wrong on your end, right?”
[Of course there is! Do you even know where I am right now?!]
“Aren’t you at the embassy?”
[I’m at the Blue House! The Blue House!]
What? The Blue House?
I could already guess what was going on.
The counterterrorism efforts must have progressed enough to dig into my activities. Naturally, they’d find out that my students were at the Indian Embassy in Hannam-dong.
Whether it was an invitation or for protection, they’d have brought her to the Blue House.
Baek Sorin’s excited voice rang out.
[And guess who’s here with me?]
“Who? The Legion Commander and the Tower Master, perhaps?”
[How did you know?]
Of course, I knew.
Those two aren’t the type to just sit back and watch.
Splash!
I stood up from the bath.
All my mental and physical fatigue was completely gone.
I began picking up my clothes and getting dressed.
Out of habit, I put on my protective suit over my underwear…
‘No, this won’t do.’
The top of the suit had deep, jagged cracks.
The area where the sword had directly struck was especially damaged.
The other parts of the suit were in no better condition.
It was cracked like a turtle’s shell, on the verge of shattering completely.
What choice did I have?
I didn’t have any decent clothes to wear right now.
I threw on a ragged black tracksuit over it.
It was a gift from Manager Choi.
It supposedly had self-repairing magic imbued, but upon closer inspection with my Insight, even traces of that magic were nowhere to be found.
Masamune’s attack had obliterated every bit of enchantment on the tracksuit.
‘I’m going to need to buy both armor and a new magical tracksuit…’
While the tracksuit was a minor issue, losing the armor stung.
It had excellent defensive capabilities, and the [Giant’s Strength] trait it boosted was great—I had planned to use it long-term.
I wondered if it could be repaired.
Would Jo Chul be able to fix it for me?
Clicking my tongue, I stepped outside.
“I’m heading to the Blue House. Let’s meet there.”
[Yes, Teacher! The President says he’s looking forward to meeting you! He kept saying you’re the one who saved him!]
“That’s how it turned out.”
[You’re amazing! Wow, are you and the President old acquaintances?]
“Not exactly.”
I flagged down a taxi and headed for the Blue House.
With my SUV and Red Cougar both back home, I had no other choice.
“We’ll need to conduct an inspection.”
“Of course, I understand.”
The scars of last night’s terror attacks were still visible everywhere.
Buildings lay in ruins along the roads, and many places were still in the process of extinguishing fires.
Soldiers blocked roads with armored vehicles, conducting inspections.
Half of them were from the national military, while the other half were from the Eastern Army.
The sight of troops equipped with magitech gear standing shoulder to shoulder with superhumans in armored suits was a stark reminder that this wasn’t an ordinary day.
‘All things considered, they did well.’
Compared to how the game depicted these events, it was like heaven and earth.
[Seoul burned for three days straight.]
[Corpses littered the streets.]
[Crying filled the air from all directions.]
[It felt like the end of the world, with death and despair overflowing.]
Those were the words that appeared when you first logged into the game after watching the cinematic trailer.
In contrast, the people here looked uneasy yet hopeful.
They found reassurance in the sight of the military and the Eastern Army.
Somehow, they believed things would turn out okay.
They had faith in the government, and in the Legion Commander, a hero of both independence and war.
A positive change that I had brought about.
“Are you the Black Tiger Swordmaster? The President has been waiting for you.”
After more than ten checkpoints, I finally arrived at the Blue House.
The moment they saw me, the guards opened the gates.
That didn’t mean they slacked on security.
From the moment I was a few hundred meters away from the Blue House’s main gate, hidden eyes had been thoroughly scanning both me and the taxi I was in.
“Black Tiger Swordmaster, you’ve arrived!”
The President came running out in the middle of a meeting.
He looked shocked when he saw my cracked chest armor but relaxed upon confirming my face and finally broke into a smile.
“You are truly incredible! I’ve been impressed with you ever since you fought Shin Yerin, that wench. And yet, you don’t have a single scratch on you!”
“I was badly injured, actually. I’m on my way here after getting treated.”
“Really? Your face makes it look like nothing happened.”
“I used an elixir, of course.”
“Elixir…”
At my words, the President’s face stiffened slightly.
From his perspective, it must’ve looked like I had completely overwhelmed Massacre Empress. It was understandable for him to misinterpret the situation.
Just as he seemed ready to say something more, a massive shadow loomed over me, and a heavy hand clapped my back with force.
“Hahaha! What did I say? I told you this kid would show up looking just fine, didn’t I?”
A booming voice, like a tiger’s roar.
It was the Legion Commander of the Eastern Army.
Despite being over a hundred years old, the Commander looked no older than his late forties. Yet here he was, hammering on my back as if I were some kind of anvil.
“So, you used an elixir? My disciple’s foresight was spot on. You owe your life to him, you know.”
The Tower Master of the Sun Mage Tower chimed in.
Indeed, if not for the elixir given to me by the Tower Master’s disciple I would’ve been a goner.
“Yes, I’m always deeply grateful.”
At my polite reply, the Tower Master’s grin grew even wider.
“Hahahaha! That’s the spirit! Future President of Sun Security! I suppose you’ve run out of elixirs by now, haven’t you? Once I return to the tower, I’ll have a few more bottled up and sent your way! Oh, and remember, whenever you feel like it, let me know. Sun Security has been waiting for you with open arms!”
“What is this kid talking about? Future President of Sun Security? He’s the next Legion Commander! Legion Commander!”
“Don’t call me a kid. I’m well over eighty years old.”
“You brat, you’re still younger than my own son, and now you dare to sass me? Tsk tsk, the world is truly going to the dogs. When your late father and I were fighting for independence, you were still a snot-nosed brat!”
“Ugh.”
When it came to age, the Tower Master couldn’t win.
The Legion Commander laughed uproariously, clearly reveling in the Tower Master’s plight.
Then, his gaze sharpened as he looked back at me.
“So, you fought Shin Yerin one-on-one?”
“Yes? Yes, that’s correct.”
Shin Yerin—that was the real name of Massacre Empress.
“She takes after her father, so her skills must be quite something. How did you manage to fight her? Your current level of skill wouldn’t have been enough.”
‘I’m not the same as I was back then.’
Thinking about it, when I first received the Black Tiger Sword from the Legion Commander, I wasn’t even a sword expert.
I had some swordsmanship training, but it wouldn’t have been enough to impress him.
Back then, he outright criticized my clumsy movements, basic-level swordsmanship, and awkward skill execution.
“I went in ready to die.”
“Ready to die?”
“Yes. Her appearance was bizarre, but the aura of a powerful warrior radiated from her at a glance. I knew if I stayed on the defensive, I’d inevitably die. So I charged.”
“Haha! So you turned it into a brawl, eh?”
“Yes. It just felt like the only way to handle her.”
“You’re truly a warrior. Your name isn’t wasted on you. That’s right, exactly right. Shin Yerin learned the sword from her father, and her father was once called the Sword Emperor. Some even called him the greatest swordsman among the Korean people. A traitor, sure, but his skills were undeniable.”
“Didn’t you defeat him in a one-on-one fight, Legion Commander?”
“Well, even someone like him couldn’t measure up to me. But anyway, what’s with your appearance?”
Only now did the Legion Commander take notice of my clothes.
The tattered tracksuit.
The protective suit, cracked like a turtle’s shell.
“Should I give you something to wear? I’ve got an old combat uniform from my younger days gathering dust in the Legion’s armory.”
The combat uniform of the Black Tiger Legion? That wouldn’t be bad at all.
While it wasn’t on the same level as the Black Tiger Sword, it was still SSR-grade gear, easy to move in, and equipped with excellent traits.
But wouldn’t it be a bit much to accept both the Black Tiger Sword and the Black Tiger Legion’s combat uniform?
People were already suspicious, wondering if I was some secret disciple or even an illegitimate descendant. If I added this, the rumors would only get worse.
Then again, it’s hard to refuse SSR-grade equipment…
Surprisingly, it was the President who came to my aid.
“Legion Commander, I don’t think that’s the right approach. While I understand your fondness for the Black Tiger Swordmaster, I’d appreciate it if you allowed me to handle this matter this time.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
“He saved the President of this nation. On top of that, I’ve received reports that he contacted you, the Tower Master, and even the new Chairman of the Geumo Group ahead of time. If not for the three of you mobilizing, last night could have ended in disaster.”
“Well, that’s true.”
“Yeah, I did wonder why he suddenly called me.”
“Therefore, I’d like to take full responsibility for rewarding him appropriately for this incident. As it happens, I have just the perfect protective suit in mind.”
“Wait a moment. Don’t tell me…?”
“Yes, that one.”
The Legion Commander’s eyes widened in surprise.
He seemed to recognize what the President was referring to.
When the President nodded firmly, the Tower Master furrowed his brows.
“What are you talking about? Hey, President, tell me already.”
“Combat uniforms and light armor are fine, but for someone like the Black Tiger Swordmaster, a protective suit is the most fitting. And when it comes to protective suits, nothing beats American-made ones crafted with materials from the Great Rift.”
American-made?
Great Rift materials?
Oh, no way…
The President turned his gaze to the side and nodded again.
The Chief Secretary entered the room, carrying a magical box.
A platinum box with an elegant, antique design.
It was exactly like the top-tier premium loot boxes in the game.
The Chief Secretary placed the magical box before me.
It seemed to have its own magical power, as it floated at the perfect height for me to open it.
“Please, open it.”
The President gestured toward the magical box.
With trembling hands, I opened it.
Brrrrr.
A powerful vibration.
A radiant glow surged forth.
The magical box slowly opened.
Inside, a single set of protective gear emerged.
It was exactly what I had hoped for.
–TL Notes–
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Nice, armour upgrade time!