Kali — Part 1
A welcome sound to my ears.
I almost burst out laughing.
No, no. That won’t do.
I need to keep my expression in check.
‘Think of something sad. Something sad.’
If I laugh here, it’ll look like I’ve been waiting for this moment.
Instead of laughing, I stiffened my face.
“What do you mean by disciple? What are you talking about?”
“Well, uh…”
Kali glanced at her parents before turning her gaze to Baek Sorin and Janet.
Then, biting her lower lip hard, she finally spoke.
“This time, I truly realized something. A person must have strength.”
“Kali, it doesn’t necessarily have to be physical strength, does it? Superhumans aren’t the only ones who can be strong. There are plenty of other ways to become powerful.”
The ambassador’s wife spoke in a soothing tone, trying to dissuade her. But Kali seemed resolute in her decision.
“I think making lots of friends is good. Becoming someone important to the nation is also good. But if it weren’t for sister Sorin and Janet this time, Dad might’ve died. Especially Janet. She’s younger than me, yet she blocked that bastard’s attacks multiple times.”
“But, Kali…”
“I’m not saying I won’t become a diplomat. You can still be a diplomat after becoming a superhuman, can’t you? Grandma even said I had enough potential to inherit Kalaratri.”
The ambassador’s face twisted in frustration.
“Do you have any idea what happened to your grandmother in her final days?”
“I know. But still…”
“I refuse to raise you to become a superhuman. If you insist on it, be prepared to never see me again for the rest of your life!”
The ambassador was going to extremes.
Understandably so.
Kali’s grandmother—her father’s mother—had gone on an expedition to the Great Rift and met a tragic end.
No, it wasn’t just a tragic death. She had mutated and become an otherworldly entity.
If Janet’s personal quest leads to the Great Labyrinth, then Kali’s personal quest is tied to the Great Rift.
Her personal quest would conclude with raiding her grandmother, recovering Kalaratri, and collecting her grandmother’s relics.
“Dad…”
Kali’s face was filled with shock and confusion.
She had never expected her father to react so severely.
Baek Sorin and Janet also wore expressions of alarm.
I bowed my head deeply, breaking the heavy silence.
“First, let me express my respect and gratitude for your mother’s dedication to humanity.”
“Hmph! She was just someone who lived the way she wanted and then passed on. There’s no need for respect or gratitude.”
“However, because of people like her—because of the efforts of senior Protectors—we’re still alive today. As a current Protector, I feel compelled to show my respect and gratitude.”
“A current Protector… Hmm, that’s right. You are a Protector too, Black Tiger Swordmaster.”
The ambassador’s gaze shifted to my chest.
It landed between the two honorary paladin crests, where the Protector Alliance badge hung unobtrusively.
“I intend to one day explore the Great Labyrinth and embark on an expedition to the Great Rift.”
“Ha! Are you serious? Exploring the Great Labyrinth? An expedition to the Great Rift? You, Black Tiger Swordmaster and future Legion Commander, who has wealth and glory already guaranteed?”
So that’s how the rumors had spread.
Instead of denying it, I calmly replied.
“I want to grow stronger. Staying confined to reality only allows for so much improvement. I’ve heard that even the Eastern Army Commander used to treat the Great Labyrinth like his backyard in his youth.”
“Superhumans…”
“Ambition isn’t exclusive to superhumans. Even ordinary people have it, don’t they? Isn’t it the same for you, Ambassador? Without ambition, you wouldn’t have climbed this high. And you won’t continue to rise without it.”
“Hmph!”
The ambassador’s gaze seemed to ask what my point was.
I focused my attention on Kali, who was listening intently, and spoke.
“There’s a misunderstanding you have, Ambassador.”
“A misunderstanding? What do you mean?”
“It’s about Miss Kali. Don’t you think she’s too beautiful?”
“What does that have to do with anything…”
“And this cruel world is always dangerous for someone beautiful.”
The ambassador fell silent.
He immediately understood what I was trying to say.
“I understand that you oppose Miss Kali becoming a superhuman because of your mother’s final days. But think carefully. How did your mother manage to survive to such an old age, give birth to you, and raise you so well? Wasn’t it because she was a superhuman? If she hadn’t been a superhuman, could she have protected herself during the Indo-Pakistan War and ensured you could be here today?”
Kali closely resembled her grandmother.
Though she was of mixed Indian and Korean descent, her Indian lineage was more prominent.
That’s why she was destined to inherit Kalaratri in the future.
The ambassador let out a low groan.
“You’re not entirely wrong. But I still oppose it. The superhumans I’ve seen constantly sought out danger to level up. I would rather cut ties with my daughter than watch her live such a life.”
“Dad!”
“Honey!”
“Listen carefully, Kali. I only came here because you were so insistent on meeting the Black Tiger Swordmaster. But becoming a superhuman is out of the question. If you want to be a mage or an operator instead, I’ll support you. But a superhuman? Absolutely not!”
He’s more stubborn than I expected.
As I was contemplating how to persuade him, Baek Sorin suddenly interjected, escalating the situation.
“I don’t think an incompetent father has the right to say that.”
“What did you just say?”
“Isn’t it true? You could’ve become a superhuman too, couldn’t you? Why didn’t you? If you had been a superhuman—if you’d at least reached Level 5—you could’ve defeated those terrorists no matter how many attacked.”
“Level 5 isn’t as easy as you think!”
“At the very least, you wouldn’t have died helplessly, right? You know that, don’t you? If our teacher had been just a few minutes late, you’d be dead right now. You’d have left Kali all alone in this world. Can you even imagine what kind of life a daughter would live after witnessing her parents die right in front of her?”
Baek Sorin’s words shot out like a machine gun.
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she clung tightly to Janet’s hand, her knuckles turning white.
Right, that’s how it was.
Janet’s parents had died right before her eyes.
They had died while helping Janet, who had been turned into an experimental subject, escape.
“It’s okay.”
“I’m sorry. I got emotional for no reason…”
“It’s okay. Really, it’s fine.”
The much younger Janet, still far smaller in stature, embraced Baek Sorin and comforted her.
Taking advantage of the moment, I decided to explain Janet’s situation.
“Janet was born with innate psychic abilities. Because of that, many mages targeted her from a young age. She was even kidnapped by a mage tower and nearly turned into an experimental subject.”
“Hmm…”
“In the process, her parents lost their lives.”
“That’s… I see. My deepest condolences.”
“The reason I’m bringing this up is because I’ve heard that Miss Kali also possesses innate psychic abilities passed down through her bloodline.”
“Kali too?”
Baek Sorin and Janet turned their heads sharply toward me.
Meanwhile, Kali’s eyes grew wide with surprise.
Her expression made it clear that this was news to her.
The ambassador coughed awkwardly, looking uncomfortable.
“It’s not certain yet.”
“Are you absolutely sure? I’ve heard that every woman in your family awakens their psychic abilities without exception at the age of 18.”
“We don’t know yet!”
“I’m genuinely curious as to how you plan to suppress her psychic abilities without awakening her as a superhuman. You’re aware of the kind of pain unawakened individuals have endured, aren’t you?”
“That’s something I’ll handle on my own. It’s not a matter for the Black Tiger Swordmaster to interfere in.”
“And that pain will be your daughter’s to bear.”
I deliberately laced my words with sarcasm.
The ambassador shot up from his seat, glaring at me.
I shifted tactics, choosing to address the ambassador’s wife instead.
“Madam, I don’t think you’re aware of this, so I’ll tell you now. You might want to prepare yourself mentally.”
“Excuse me! What exactly are you trying to say?”
“What is it now?”
“The bloodline of the ambassador’s family carries the essence of Kali, the goddess. This essence awakens in women at the age of 18. If they don’t properly manage it by becoming superhumans, they suffer as their heads and limbs are torn apart. Many have died because they couldn’t endure the agony of their brains splitting apart.”
Kali is a goddess with eleven heads and ten arms.
Women who inherit her blood experience the same phenomenon.
To mitigate this, the martial art Kalaratri was created.
Without mastering Kalaratri, they either die, become monsters, or, if lucky, end up spending their lives in a hospital.
The ambassador’s wife’s mouth fell open.
“My goodness, that’s… That’s even worse than Divine Fever! Honey, is this true? Say something!”
“There is a solution. You know my friend, Dr. Pallashi, don’t you? Dr. Pallashi has developed a procedure to effectively suppress divine blood. Soon, Kali will undergo the procedure. That way, she can live a normal life without needing to become a superhuman. She won’t have to risk herself in dangerous places like the Great Labyrinth or the Great Rift.”
Oh, really?
It seems the procedure had some degree of success.
Given that Kali lived for several more years in the game, it must have worked.
But now I can see it clearly.
The method wasn’t perfect.
A man this stubborn couldn’t have possibly allowed Kali to awaken as a superhuman in the game.
In the end, the procedure must have failed, and Kali’s own determination must have led to her awakening, which he was forced to support wholeheartedly.
I let out a short, derisive laugh.
“Of course, it must have gone through clinical trials, right?”
“Well…”
“Suppressing divine blood with human technology, huh… Well, sure. We’ve already killed and imprisoned gods in the Westphalian Covenant of Divine Annihilation. What’s so hard about suppressing their blood? Not a century-old technology, not even a decade-old one, but some brand-new, untested method? Sure, good luck with that.”
I delivered the sarcasm with sincerity and ended it with a smirk.
“Hmph, this is absurd.”
The ambassador’s expression was noticeably sour.
Looking at his wife, who was still seated, he shouted.
“What are you doing? There’s no need to listen to this any further! Get up! We’re going home.”
“You can go home by yourself.”
“What?”
“And if you mention disowning her or anything like that one more time, prepare for a divorce.”
“What? What did you just say?”
The ambassador’s wife didn’t even glance at him anymore.
Instead, she gently stroked Kali’s face a few times and then looked at me with desperate eyes.
“I’ve heard of Kali’s daughters before. Every time we visited the Shiva Temple, the priests would act unusually respectful toward her. So that’s what this was about. They always asked when Kali would begin her superhuman training…”
“It’s because she carries the blood of the goddess. Half out of reverence, half out of concern. Shiva Temple priests would know this better than anyone.”
“Sigh… And this man never told me anything about it… How could he?”
The ambassador’s wife glared at the ambassador.
Her eyes were sharp, like those of a high-level superhuman or a prowling tiger.
Her intense gaze made even the ambassador flinch.
“If she learns under your guidance, will my daughter become strong enough not to be controlled by Kali’s blood?”
“Honey! I told you, it’s not necessary! Dr. Pallashi’s procedure will…”
“Stay out of this!”
Her roar was like a lion’s, booming through the room.
The ambassador flinched and looked away, pretending to be preoccupied.
It seemed he was genuinely afraid of his wife when she got serious.
I glanced at him before nodding slowly.
“It’s possible. Miss Kali carries the blood of a goddess. To those who don’t understand it, that may seem like a curse, but with the right knowledge and training, it becomes a blessing. My prediction is that she will reach Level 5 within a year.”
“Level 5 within a year? Haha, even though I’m not well-versed in these things, I know that a Level 5 superhuman is extraordinary. I heard it took my mother-in-law quite some time to reach that level.”
“Everyone’s talent is different. You’ll see for yourself.”
“Isn’t it true that one has to undergo mana surgeries at birth, consume rare elixirs like daily meals, and train under renowned mentors just to reach Level 5?”
“That’s not always the case.”
I patted Baek Sorin on the shoulder.
“My disciple, Sorin, has been a superhuman for less than six months. Yet, she’s already Level 4 and on the verge of Level 5. From what I can tell, Kali possesses similar talent.”
“Is that so…”
“If she had started superhuman training from a young age, she’d already be Level 5 by now. Even so, it’s not too late. But it’s important to start as soon as possible before it becomes too late.”
Come to think of it, I was speaking as if it was already a foregone conclusion that I’d become Kali’s teacher.
I shifted my gaze toward Kali.
Her crimson-tinted eyes met mine, brimming with determination.
“Do you want to become my disciple?”
“Yes!”
Kali nodded without a hint of hesitation.
“I didn’t know I had a connection to the goddess Kali, but regardless of that, I want to become a superhuman! Sister Sorin and Janet told me about you. They said that while your training is really tough, you’re a great teacher… I want to learn from you and become stronger as quickly as I can!”
“Kali, no matter how much you—”
“Honey!”
A thunderous roar cut through the room.
The one who tamed the ambassador was none other than his wife.
Once again, the ambassador shrank back, pretending to stare at the distant mountains, avoiding confrontation.
It was clear now—convincing the ambassador’s wife was the correct approach.
“Very well. With talent like Miss Kali’s, I’m sure I’ll learn a lot myself. A descendant of a god… Miss Kali, welcome as my disciple. I’ll be a bit rough with my teaching methods, but I hope you’ll persevere.”
“Wow! Really? You’re accepting me? I can call you Teacher now, right?”
“Go ahead.”
“Yes!”
“This is great!”
“You did it!”
Kali burst into laughter, and Baek Sorin and Janet jumped with excitement, celebrating the outcome.
Judging by how well they got along, it seemed they’d already formed a bond during the Westphalian Covenant of Divine Annihilation.
It was a good decision to group these three together.
The ambassador’s wife also smiled warmly, but there was one person in the room who couldn’t bring himself to smile.
“Hah, really…”
His face was twisted with unease.
He looked at Kali, his lips trembling slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, no words came out.
That was likely because his wife’s piercing glare was fixed directly on him.
I couldn’t blame him entirely.
The ambassador had seen firsthand the grotesque transformation his mother had undergone. It was so horrifying that it left a trauma deep enough to paralyze him.
But still, this wasn’t the behavior of a mature adult.
In any case, this was an issue that would be resolved later.
There would be some distance between Kali and her father for a time, but once we retrieved her grandmother’s relics from the Great Rift, things would smooth over.
To make that happen, I needed to train Kali into a superhuman as soon as possible.
“Let’s get started.”
“Huh? Started on what?”
“What do you think? Your first lesson.”
“Already?”
“You heard from Sorin and Janet, didn’t you? My training style is Spartan.”
Welcome to hell.
–TL Notes–
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