WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Dionysus

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◈ Xianxia Cultivation with a Dragon Heart ◈

Chapter 42: The Great Rift Initiation

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As Han Yujin took his place for the full-scale firepower test, he quickly regained his composure.

He had only been flustered and awkward because he had suddenly become the center of attention in a scene he had never imagined. It was not as though such treatment made his heart swell with pride or made him feel honored.

'I’ve become somebody in this little well.'

Once he sorted through his thoughts, that was all he felt.

He too came from this well, but he already knew roughly what the world beyond it looked like. Once one’s perspective had broadened through enlightenment, it was very difficult to lower it again.

"Please let us know when you're ready."

"Yes. Let's begin right away."

His voice, as he addressed the Training Center employee standing beside him, was utterly calm.

"Then... please begin by destroying the nearby targets."

The employee spoke while giving the signal to the others over a radio.

The firepower testing area was a sort of trench. Low hills stretched out ahead, with metal targets positioned at intervals all the way to a distance of one kilometer.

Some targets were stationary, while others moved. Some had special technology applied to them, blending into their surroundings so well that an ordinary person would struggle to spot them even from close by.

Those concealed targets had naturally been prepared specifically to test observation abilities.

As he formed three or four Flame Projectiles in his hand at once, Han Yujin suddenly wondered whether the number of cameras filming him was nearly in the triple digits.

With that idle thought in mind, the fireballs shot forward at high speed and struck the nearby metal targets.

Kra-kra-kaboom!

Boom!

Rumble...!

Flashes and deafening explosions erupted. The ground shook, and shockwaves fierce enough to be felt even from afar spread visibly through the rising clouds of dust.

'I should reveal Fire Spirit Bird Art now, at least.'

The Flame Projectiles forming in his hand immediately transformed into Fire Spirit Birds.

Flapping their wings like living creatures, they flew toward their respective targets along trajectories even faster and more unpredictable than before.

Flashes and explosions burst forth again.

The faint tremor traveling through the ground made their explosive force palpable, while clouds of dirt billowed up in an instant before scattering in every direction and vanishing, creating a striking visual spectacle.

'Since I'm doing this, I should prove it properly. So no one can bother me later.'

With that thought, he created more Fire Spirit Birds, properly infused with dharma power. He intended to destroy every target, including those one kilometer away.

In an environment like this, with no obstacles or interference, it was not difficult at all.

* * *

The verification ended quickly. Looking at the number and standing of the people who had gathered, it almost seemed questionable for it to end so soon.

But given the circumstances, the real main event had long since shifted to after Han Yujin’s S-Rank ability verification. He had to spend quite some time greeting various people.

But that was as far as it went.

The banquet and interviews that someone had prepared afterward did not proceed properly. Naturally, that was because Han Yujin, who should have been the star of the event, refused all of it.

"I'm sorry, but I'm tired and need some rest."

He brushed off everyone trying to hold him back with that half-hearted excuse and left immediately. Quite a few people wore displeased expressions, but he did not care much.

He had no interest at all in the power or prestige he could gain by associating with them.

'Having to make a fuss with everyone over something so insignificant is exhausting.'

If it had been a gathering to celebrate him reaching the Core Formation Stage or Nascent Soul Stage, that would have been different. But they were only celebrating his reaching the Dharma Soul Stage and becoming an S-Rank Hunter recognized within this little well. There was no way he could get excited.

It was not that he meant to disregard the people who had come, but there was nothing he could do about it.

'I'm really glad I showed Park Seryong that illusion.'

At present, Park Seryong was almost the only comrade who could look beyond the well with him.

'...Or maybe not.'

Thinking that, Han Yujin got into the Administrative Officer’s car and sighed, feeling that he had finally finished all the troublesome business. The Administrative Officer and the case officer in the car both seemed momentarily taken aback.

"Here. This is my knowledge related to Mana."

"Ah."

The Administrative Officer reflexively accepted the USB drive Han Yujin handed over, then came to his senses a little late.

"Have you... finished organizing it all?"

"Yes. How long will it take for the patent registration to be completed and distribution to begin?"

The Administrative Officer thought for a moment before answering.

"Normally, it takes at least half a year. It could take over a year."

"...That's too slow. Can't it be done faster?"

"If you want it to be, it isn't impossible. This is the knowledge of Han Yujin, who is now an S-Rank Hunter in both name and fact, after all."

As he spoke, the Administrative Officer looked at the USB drive in his hand as if he were looking at a treasure.

The knowledge stored on it consisted of half of the Returning to the Origin Art, excluding the formula sequence for elevating the soul into a Dharma Soul, as well as seven basic spells.

'Flame Projectile Art, Jade Skin Art, Wind-Cloud Art, Object Manipulation Art, Healing Art, Concealment Art, and Spirit Vision Art.'

Adding Purification Art and Clear Mind Art, which were included in the Returning to the Origin Art, meant that it contained knowledge for nearly every aspect of survival, from offense and defense to evasion, healing, and utility.

"How quickly could it be done?"

"It should be possible within three or four months."

"Any faster than that?"

"Faster... Is there a particular reason? Depending on the reason, we could skip quite a few procedures."

The Administrative Officer must have realized it by now. Han Yujin was not trying to distribute that knowledge merely for money or fame.

If he wanted those things, he would not have rejected the banquet and interviews before getting into this car.

"If Park Seryong also pushes strongly for this, how much faster would it be?"

Instead of explaining the reason, Han Yujin asked that question.

"Uh... In that case, um... I think it could be done within two months."

"That sounds good."

He could wait that long. It did not seem as though urging them to move faster would accomplish anything.

Han Yujin immediately took out his smartphone and sent Park Seryong a message as he spoke.

"Let's go home now. If we stay here any longer, I think those reporters will come over."

"Understood."

"Oh, right. I don't think I've told you yet, but I'm planning to go to the Great Rift as soon as possible."

"Pardon?"

"I ended up telling Park Seryong first, but there must be procedures I need to handle, right? Filling out documents and such. It would probably be good to sign that management support contract you mentioned before as well."

"I'll explain it."

The case officer stepped forward in place of the Administrative Officer, who was driving. The Administrative Officer stared at Han Yujin with a somewhat bewildered expression before starting the car.

Han Yujin’s image in the Administrative Officer’s mind had surely undergone a major transformation in many ways today.

* * *

Two days.

That was how much time Han Yujin had before going to the Great Rift.

He received his S-Rank Hunter certificate and Great Rift entry permit, signed all sorts of consent forms, and entered into a management support contract with the Special Ability Management Bureau.

It was a very busy two days.

As an aside, in the middle of that busy schedule, he also dealt with messages from acquaintances that he had put off for a while.

Not only his university friend Park Huiwon, but middle and high school classmates, and even elementary school classmates he barely remembered, contacted him. Amusingly, among the people who reached out was "that guy," who might have triggered Han Yujin’s own awakening.

Yoo Junseok.

They had lost contact when Yoo Junseok entered a Hunter vocational school around the time they started high school, and Han Yujin no longer even knew his number. Yet, amusingly enough, it seemed Yoo Junseok had kept Han Yujin’s number all this time.

'Or surely he didn't find out by asking his girlfriend?'

Though the memory of his awakening naturally came to mind, Han Yujin did not reply to him. He simply did not feel like it.

Additionally, as he dealt with messages from acquaintances, he naturally learned the public’s response. To summarize it briefly, it was nationalistic fervor.

When he opened MyTube, he could immediately find videos of his own firepower test. No, before he even had to search, they appeared on the main page through algorithmic recommendations.

The videos were not limited to official government and news channels. There were also plenty made by self-proclaimed fans who had apparently appeared out of nowhere, loaded with flashy effects and grand background music.

Some were edited with the sort of background music that made Han Yujin cringe so hard his toes curled.

'These aren't fans. They're antis...'

If he could, he wanted to report those videos and have them taken down immediately.

In any case, thanks to that, he spent those two days busily but without getting bored.

And then came the day he was to leave for the Great Rift.

* * *

Ordinarily, Han Yujin would once again have simply ridden in the Administrative Officer’s car to the Great Rift at the front lines.

But before dawn, Park Seryong contacted him.

"Yes, I'm listening."

The instant Han Yujin answered, Park Seryong spoke in a slightly urgent tone.

- Today is the day you're coming, correct?

"Yes. Did something happen?"

- I've sent a helicopter to the safehouse apartment. There is a helipad on the roof. Could you wait there and board it when it arrives?

"A helicopter...? What's going on?"

- Signs of a Wave occurring without warning have been detected. Everyone here has been urgently mobilized.

A Wave.

It referred to a large-scale attack by monsters from within a Rift, gathering into a massive horde for unknown reasons. Naturally, it was a very rare and correspondingly dangerous phenomenon, one that could not be found in ordinary Rifts.

- If you arrive early, junior, we may be able to hold the inner defensive line. Even if it gets pushed back, the damage should be greatly reduced.

"I'll wait on the roof."

Park Seryong thanked him and ended the call immediately. The surroundings had been noisy throughout the entire call, so it truly seemed to be an urgent situation.

'A Wave.'

It looked like he would receive a proper initiation on his very first day.

'It's good that I can gain Karma, but could it be dangerous?'

Slightly concerned, Han Yujin quickly finished preparing to leave and went up to the roof. He did not forget to bring Muyong with him.

Bringing a pet along when he was heading into battle might seem absurdly leisurely, but he could not forget that Muyong had abilities capable of competing with a B-Rank Hunter.

Moreover, he would not be commuting to and from the Great Rift every day. He would be staying in the accommodations there, and he could not simply leave Muyong behind at the safehouse.

Any doubts people might have upon seeing a Rabbit-Weasel could simply be crushed beneath the authority of an S-Rank Hunter.

After waiting with those thoughts in mind for a short while, a helicopter appeared from one side of the sky.

It drew near quickly and began landing on the rooftop helipad. Seeing in person something he had only ever seen in movies felt rather novel.

"Hunter Han Yujin!!"

Someone called to him from inside the opening helicopter door, their voice cutting through the thunderous roar of the propellers. Han Yujin did not say anything unnecessary and immediately approached and boarded.

The gaze of the Hunter guide, a man in his thirties who had called out to him, suddenly shifted to Muyong in Han Yujin’s arms. His expression quickly turned strange, but he did not dare point anything out.

"Put on your seat belt!"

Han Yujin could fly even if the helicopter crashed, but he obediently followed the instruction and fastened his seat belt. In the meantime, the helicopter rose and turned as though every second mattered.

His impressions from riding in a helicopter for the first time in his life could be summed up briefly.

It vibrated heavily and was incredibly loud.

He instantly understood why people always wore headsets in videos, and he found himself looking for one without anyone having to tell him.

To say a little more, he also felt quite a thrill whenever its speed changed or it turned. It was probably because of the vivid view of open sky stretching out through the window beside him.

Han Yujin was covering Muyong’s two ears with his hands. The expression on the Hunter guide seated across from him was truly something to behold. Given the situation, he could not say anything, but if he could, he looked as though he would have let out every complaint imaginable.

'This is somehow kind of funny.'

If it had not been an emergency, Han Yujin might have snickered.

About fifteen minutes later, just when he wondered if they had reached halfway, the helicopter seemed to descend sharply and began preparing to land.

"We're here already?!"

Han Yujin shouted to the Hunter across from him. The Hunter somehow heard him clearly and nodded.

What happened next was simple.

Han Yujin got off the helicopter and followed the guide, running down a well-paved road without even having time to look around.

That was when he saw the Great Rift. It was impossible to miss the supernatural "rift," as tall as a respectable commercial building and more than one hundred meters wide, pouring out rainbow-colored light.

It felt completely different from seeing it in photos or videos.

'So this is the Great Rift.'

Just as that thought naturally arose, the guide entered the Rift without even checking whether Han Yujin was following properly. Everyone around them was moving in such urgency that Han Yujin did not hesitate and immediately followed.

That familiar, unpleasant sensation he had experienced once before washed over him.

It felt as if he were forcing his way through a fierce current, while every scene around him distorted dreamily and he lost all sense of direction.

Only after more than ten seconds had passed did he escape that unpleasant feeling and step into a normal space.

Squeak! Squeak!

Muyong squirmed in his arms, making a small startled cry.

"This way!"

The waiting guide turned and began running again. He was moving much faster than an ordinary person sprinting at full speed, but Han Yujin could follow with ease.

The surroundings consisted of a dense forest. It was not quite as thick as the primeval forest where he had trained, but it was about half as dense.

The road they were running along was a temporary dirt path, and on either side, for a considerable distance, were traces of felled trees. In those cleared spaces, quite a few Hunters were rushing around as they dealt with the situation.

Then, while they were moving along.

Roaaar!

A great commotion suddenly erupted from the forest to their left, along with a roar. Everyone nearby visibly startled at the sign that something dangerous was approaching in a group.

From Han Yujin’s perspective, the Hunters here were weak rear-support personnel.

"W-What? Why are they here...?!"

"Tankers! Tankers to the front!"

"Help move this! Quickly!"

Seeing them panic and shout different things, they did not seem especially experienced in combat.

The guide appeared to recognize that too. He stopped, momentarily torn between prioritizing his mission or stopping the monsters here.

"Which is more urgent, dealing with this place or going to our original destination?"

At Han Yujin’s question, calm enough to sound almost leisurely, the guide came to his senses a little.

"Probably... If we don't stop them here, there could be some casualties...?"

"Then wait a moment."

The instant he spoke, Han Yujin moved toward the commotion, which was becoming clearer as it drew closer.

Just as it seemed a gust of wind had swept through, his body shot forward at a speed fast enough to leave an afterimage. The guide’s eyes widened as he belatedly reacted to that speed.

It was Wind Escape Art.

Lightning Escape Art was faster over short distances, but it was too conspicuous. Earth Escape Art would also attract attention, since his body would sink into the ground and disappear.

More than anything, Wind Escape Art was enough.

Like an arrow fired from a bow, he crossed the cleared area and entered the intact forest. Before another ten seconds had passed, he spotted a group of monsters running toward this direction.

The instant he saw them, his hand moved. Six Fire Spirit Birds formed and flew toward them along different trajectories, striking the monsters directly.

The slaughter had begun.

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