HG Ch 34

<34>

He didn’t look fine. Just seeing him spit up blood as if he had just taken an internal injury from Cheongryong’s attack made it unbearable to watch. Having suffered something similar because of Yoon Iseo, Eunho didn’t feel any satisfaction at his misfortune.

Revenge, payback. Easier said than done. How could someone cause the same harm to another person just because they themselves had been harmed? It was simply that, because of his own mistake, someone was dying right in front of him, and it felt strange. The vividness of the graphics only made it worse.

What pulled Eunho back from the verge of panic was a tone of voice that sounded too indifferent for such a desperate situation.

“Instead…”

Startled, Eunho lifted his head, and Yoon Iseo jerked his chin toward Cheongryong. No wonder there hadn’t been any follow-up attacks. Right now, Cheongryong was standing still, jaws wide open toward Yoon Iseo.

Inside the gaping mouth, crackle, crackle—searing blue flames the size of a sphere gathered, so overwhelming in scale that just looking at them made one’s spirit falter.

“It’s a two-person mechanic now. Just help me with that.”

“Okay, I’ll help with anything!”

Eunho, suffocating under the pressure of the huge mistake he had caused, shouted eagerly as if he had been waiting for the chance.

At that, Yoon Iseo spread his arms wide, as if demanding something. What? He didn’t have anything to give. Eunho instinctively prepared to hand over the bag containing everything he had, when—

“What are you doing?”

“Huh?”

“I told you earlier. It’s an attack that both people take together by hugging. Come here.”

Eunho froze.

Ah, right. Fuck. Shitty eroge.

What kind of mechanic requires hugging and getting hit? His instinct to rebel surged too late, but for a useless guy on a rainy day, all he had left was a body that would rot once dead.

As if he had never hesitated, Eunho quietly leaned into Yoon Iseo’s arms. He relaxed his whole body and let himself be held, and at that moment, Yoon Iseo suddenly laughed.

“…What is it?”

“Just thought… you’re pretty obedient.”

“You’re only realizing that now?”

Because they were pressed so close together, Eunho could feel Yoon Iseo’s body shake every time he laughed. It tickled strangely. When Eunho unconsciously tried to pull away, Yoon Iseo held him tighter and covered Eunho’s eyes with his sleeve. Then he turned around.

At that very moment, lightning unleashed by Cheongryong struck Yoon Iseo’s back. Even Eunho, with his eyes covered, felt the blinding flash of light. As the tremendous roar shook the heavens and earth, Eunho was startled, wondering, Is this really a mechanic where we’re okay as long as we take the hit together while hugging?

The instant the mechanic ended, Yoon Iseo let go of Eunho and charged at Cheongryong again.

Then, he drove his spear fiercely into the part of its body where the scales jutted upward.

[Krrrraaaaaagh!]

When Yoon Iseo twisted the spear 90 degrees and pulled it out, Cheongryong let out a savage scream.

Soon, its massive body, which had been floating in the sky, came crashing down. With a sound like the world collapsing, clouds of dust rose thick into the air.

[Main Quest: Guardian of Hallasan (In Progress)] [SYSTEM] You have defeated the corrupted Cheongryong!

Yoon Iseo flicked off the black blood clinging to his spear. As the blood streamed down and splattered across the ground, the soil turned pitch-black. From Cheongryong, who was said to preside over life and birth, only the aura of death could be felt.

Yoon Iseo, who had put the spear back into his inventory and was now empty-handed in an instant, approached Eunho. Tilting his head slightly, he leaned down and said, “I really tried my best. Can you forgive me now?”

If he had said something like, ‘So you really wouldn’t help? I almost died, you know,’ or acted irritating, saying, ‘Honestly, I carried you. Admit it,’ then Eunho would have pushed back too. But since Yoon Iseo had cleared the raid alone, working hard, and was now behaving meekly like a child reflecting on his actions, Eunho’s anger began to melt rapidly.

“No, it’s just… I was too flustered and there was no time to explain, but it wasn’t like I refused to join because I was angry…”

“Mm.”

“…It’s just that the rain was so heavy that the ignition wick on the gun wouldn’t catch fire, so I really couldn’t help. I really didn’t mean it that way.”

Even as he explained, Eunho fully expected Yoon Iseo to just look down on him with disdain.

“Is that so?”

But Yoon Iseo only asked again and then brightly added, “Then since you’re the same as me, we can just call it even.”

“…Huh?”

“I didn’t really mean to put you in danger back then, either. So let’s say that and this cancel each other out.”

Lowering his voice as if coaxing a child, Yoon Iseo spoke gently. Catching on to that, Eunho turned his head away.

“What do you mean, even? I have actual proof that the ignition didn’t work, but Hyung-nim doesn’t have any proof.”

Feeling smug at having made another logical rebuttal, Eunho waited, and then Yoon Iseo said, “You’re not letting this go, huh.”

“Let what go?”

“Never mind. Anyway, you’re saying you still don’t trust me, right?”

“Of course. People don’t just forget like a goldfish. After being dragged into that kind of mess, what choice do I have?”

In truth, his feelings had already softened by half, but Eunho deliberately kept them hidden. While his eyes flickered toward the empty air as if checking something, Yoon Iseo let out a faint laugh. He spoke again.

“Alright. I’ll keep proving myself.”

“……”

“If the little one’s angry, I should yield. What else can I do?”

“Anyway, I really do apologize for back then.” With that brief addition, Yoon Iseo walked over to the fallen Cheongryong.

[SYSTEM] It has already suffered fatal wounds and has no chance of survival, but with a little care, it seems it could regain consciousness for a brief moment. [SYSTEM] Hear the full story of the incident from Cheongryong.

From his sleeve, Yoon Iseo pulled out large bodhi fruits and pushed one between Cheongryong’s massive teeth. Once the fruit rolled down its throat, he gave it another. And then another.

Eunho grew alarmed as Yoon Iseo stuffed nearly ten of them in so quickly.

“Wait, it said to take care of it, but this looks like you’re feeding coins into a slot machine…”

“It’s not like I can chew it up and feed it mouth-to-mouth.”

And then—had he stuffed in just as many again?

Suddenly, the massive body twitched, as though it had stirred.

Then, slowly, the great dragon lifted its eyelids.

[Who… are you?]

“……”

“……”

Thinking Yoon Iseo would naturally handle the conversation, Eunho stood still, but the silence dragged on. Before he knew it, he had stepped closer and nudged Yoon Iseo’s side.

“…Aren’t you going to answer?”

“…This is your main quest. How am I supposed to answer it for you?”

“It was you who gave it the bodhi fruits, Hyung-nim.”

“At that time, the dragon wasn’t in its right mind. Look, now that it’s awake, it’s only looking at you.”

“What the hell, seriously?”

Scratching his head, Eunho stepped up right in front of the dragon, whose eyes were barely open.

But then…

This is so embarrassing.

It had been a long time since he role-played, and with Yoon Iseo watching right next to him, it was unbearably awkward. Having to act in front of another transmigrated player weighed heavily on him as Eunho finally forced his mouth open.

“I am… MwonGaeSori.”

[MwonGaeSori…]

With an in-game name like that, he couldn’t immerse himself at all. Looking back and forth between Cheongryong and Yoon Iseo like a shy matchmaker, Eunho continued.

“…And this here is D305… Mr. Iseo…”

“It’s D205.”

“Yes, Mr. D205 Iseo…”

[……]

The awkwardness was so suffocating that it almost felt like even the NPC Cheongryong was uncomfortable. Just as Eunho was darting his eyes around in desperation—

[A fine name.]

As expected, the NPC was a professional. Even after hearing in-game names that sounded more half-hearted than the name of some countryside mutt, it still expressed admiration and opened a system window.

[SYSTEM] Cheongryong recognizes your noble name.

Just now, Yoon Iseo, did you smirk?

* * *

What followed wasn’t much.

It had lived on protecting Joseon, but gradually lost consciousness for longer stretches, until it finally succumbed to the power of darkness. Without even realizing it, it nearly destroyed the very country it loved and swore to protect.

[Thank you for stopping me.]

“There were countless Geuseunsae covering the Jeju sky pitch black. What happened there?”

When Eunho, slipping back into his role-play persona, asked, Cheongryong replied.

[It seems the Geuseunsae that once lived on the island evolved abnormally due to my corrupt energy. But soon, the corrupted me will disappear, and a new Cheongryong will be born. When that time comes, the evil energy that engulfed the island will be crushed by the pure aura of the sacred tree.]

So the divine guardian spirit of Jeju had fallen to corruption, and even the monsters under its command were affected. Eunho only nodded, and Cheongryong continued.

[That is why, for the last time, I need your help…]

As if it could no longer endure, the dragon let out a guttural, rasping breath from deep within. Soon, its eyelids slid shut again, and from its massive body burst forth streams of green energy.

The green energy split into two and seeped into the bodies of Eunho and Yoon Iseo.

Startled, Eunho quickly examined himself all over, while Yoon Iseo only wore a heavy, knowing expression. Noticing his expression, Eunho hurriedly asked, “Do you know something? That green thing just now, what was it?”

“You’ll find out soon enough. Want to know in advance?”

The way he said it felt like, ‘You’re going to get hit anyway, so do you really want to know when it’s coming?’ and Eunho faltered.

At that moment, Cheongryong forced its mouth open again.

[In return, I shall repay this debt with armor made from my scales. If you tend to it with care, it will never break, and it will serve as your guardian.]

And at last, with its final breath, Cheongryong began to fade, melting away like ice.

When it was gone, all that remained was a jet-black suit of armor that shimmered faintly blue whenever it caught the light.