Chapter 17
Chapter 17. What Should We Do About Our Oppa…?
Rokan acknowledged my natural aptitude, going so far as to label me an outright prodigy.
He offered Sia an even greater outpouring of admiration than he had shown to my face, speaking of my potential until his throat must have grown parched from the sheer volume of praise.
Listening to his high opinion of me brought an unending, radiant grin to Sia’s lips.
“Even with such promise, neither of you should allow overconfidence to take root. Regardless of how gifted you are, Minjun, walking this path will never be simple.”
“I understand completely.”
Rejoicing now would be utterly premature when my journey had scarcely taken its first real step.
Lowering my vigilance was the last thing I intended to do.
“Regardless, I shall look after Minjun with utmost diligence, so ease your mind, Shasha.”
[I know I can trust you, Grandpa! Oh, that reminds me, Grandpa. Please pass along the item I entrusted to you yesterday, alright?]
“I shall hand it over.”
Was it some sort of gift? Though I maintained an impassive expression, my curiosity flared instantly.
“I will reach out to you before long.”
[Understood! Oppa, our reunion isn’t far off at all now. Let’s see each other then! Give me a ring as soon as you arrive home!]
“Understood. I will dial your number.”
The second our connection was severed, I pressed him regarding the unfamiliar object.
“Lord Rokan, what exactly did Sia leave behind for me?”
“Take it.”
Reaching into his dimensional storage, Rokan withdrew the object left in his care.
To my bewilderment, the article was a body-worn recording device.
“Fasten this to yourself whenever you step through a Gate. Shasha and I intend to review the captured footage to dissect your performance—identifying your strengths alongside the mistakes requiring correction.”
Standard video gear would have severely constrained the scope of their assessment. However, thanks to the structural enhancements Sia had woven into the hardware, it possessed the unique capability of tracking the faint currents of mana that conventional lenses failed to perceive.
Just when had she conceived the notion of crafting an instrument like this?
She was my partner, yet setting personal affection aside, our Sia possessed an astonishing intellect.
“I am deeply grateful for the continuous support you both provide.”
“Save your gratitude. Focus entirely on your training.”
“I will ensure your faith in me is not misplaced, Lord Rokan.”
With this level of backing from those around me, slacking off was not an option I could even contemplate.
With that thought in mind, another inquiry surfaced in my thoughts.
“Lord Rokan. Provided it causes no inconvenience… would you permit me to practice within this area for a brief spell before I head back?”
Returning straight to my quarters offered little productive value, and locating an appropriate venue for rigorous exercise nearby was practically impossible.
Furthermore, apart from Sia, Rokan remained the sole living being qualified to impart wisdom concerning Dragon Tongue.
Should his consent be granted, continuing my drills right here was my preferred course.
“You are welcome to do so not merely today, but whenever the desire strikes you.”
From the moment Rokan granted me free access to his sanctuary until the late hours of the night, I set my jaw and poured every ounce of energy into relentless conditioning.
What did manifesting one’s intent actually entail? What physical or mental sensation was supposed to accompany the invocation of Dragon Tongue?
The entire process felt as futile as pulling oars through thin air.
As expected, by the conclusion of that session, Dragon Tongue remained entirely out of my grasp.
Mastering such an art within a single day had never been part of my expectations to begin with.
Yet, as long as I persevered, a day would surely arrive when wielding Dragon Tongue became second nature.
Come the following dawn, having swallowed a hasty morning meal, I launched a Hunter coordination application and began skimming for lucrative Gates awaiting subjugation.
Solitary drills carried distinct benefits, yet was not actual bloodshed the ultimate forge for one’s capabilities?
Sifting through the available postings for an appropriate dungeon, I opted to enlist in an expedition targeting a D-rank Gate situated roughly an hour away via mass transit.
‘The silence feels unnatural.’
Prior to that harrowing ordeal, Sia had accompanied me on well over ninety percent of every Gate subjugation I had ever undertaken.
Perhaps that history explained why scouring the listings alone and enlisting alongside unfamiliar comrades felt so profoundly disorienting.
The moment the raid roster filled, I placed a call to Sia.
Without hesitation, I selected video communication.
Before the initial dial tone could even fade, Sia accepted the link.
“A pleasant morning to you.”
[Good morning to you as well, Oppa! Did you rest peacefully?]
We eased into the interaction with casual pleasantries, exchanging accounts of how the previous night had treated each of us.
Once the initial inquiries concluded, our dialogue shifted toward the events of the preceding afternoon.
[Oppa. How did your drills go yesterday? It must have pushed you to your limit, didn’t it?]
“I cannot claim it was effortless… but it was hardly enough to finish me off either.”
[Hearing that is a relief. Were you able to grasp the core principle?]
“Unfortunately, not in the slightest. I remain entirely blind to what this ‘dragon’s will’ is truly meant to be. Even with your grandfather offering guidance at my side, making sense of his explanations proved impossible.”
I vented my minor frustrations regarding the training to Sia.
I had urged Rokan to outline the exact mechanics of unleashing one’s inner resolve through tangible terms, yet from my standing, his responses consisted of nothing more than convoluted theories and physical demonstrations.
Naturally, comprehending the discipline at my current stage was an impossible demand.
[Such a reaction is only natural for now. Perhaps I ought to observe your drills as well moving forward.]
“Our face-to-face encounters are restricted to a single day each week. Under those terms, would spectating not prove impossible?”
[We have video feeds. I can simply supervise your progress through the camera. Oh, that reminds me! I acquired a massive monitor specifically for our video conversations, Oppa.]
‘…A monitor?’
‘The apple certainly does not fall far from the tree.’
Sia rotated her device’s view to reveal the newly installed hardware.
Spanning an entire wall was a colossal monitor, easily measuring double the proportions of the screen I had observed inside Rokan’s domain just yesterday.
[I plan to monitor your drills using this display. Since being by your side in person isn’t an option, watching over you like this is the next best thing.]
“Ah…”
Were we capable of spending ordinary days together like common sweethearts, Sia would never have felt compelled to arrange such elaborate measures.
A dull, unprompted ache pressed against my ribs at the realization.
Nevertheless, another realization promptly drew my focus.
“Have you already secured a personal residence?”
At present, I was occupying the very residence Sia had inhabited prior to her demise.
Given our current constraints barring us from cohabitating, I could not help fretting over where she might lay her head.
Lingering indefinitely in her grandfather’s domain would have proven similarly uncomfortable for her, leaving me to wonder what course she would pursue.
Seeing that she had acquired independent living quarters brought genuine reassurance.
[Indeed! Grandpa accompanied me on an inspection, and this spot proved superior to the alternatives.]
“If you surveyed the land alongside your grandfather to claim it, does that imply you carved out your own lair?”
[Precisely. I formed the domain with my own hands.]
So that was the methodology dragons utilized to establish their homes.
Considering one held the power to forge a mystical lair, seeking out conventional housing was entirely redundant.
[You must come call upon my lair without delay, Oppa!]
“Without question. Why not hold our forthcoming date right inside your sanctuary?”
The occasion would serve simultaneously as a housewarming gathering and a private retreat, and I harbored genuine intrigue regarding how Sia had furnished the interior.
[Oh, that sounds delightful! I would love that dearly.]
“Where is your domain situated, then? If the travel isn’t too demanding, I shall journey over to you.”
[Well… the separation is considerable, making a regular journey quite arduous. I will simply fly over to collect you.]
“What is the location?”
Operating out of Seoul as a lone resident, I had assumed her choice would fall somewhere bordering the metropolitan sector.
Clearly, my assumption was incorrect. Given that her elder kin resided within Gangwon Province, had she carved her sanctuary within its vicinity?
[Adjacent to Hallasan.]
“…Ah.”
No matter the circumstances, a plentiful feast of citrus fruits would be guaranteed whenever I dropped by.
Our banter drifted through minor topics for an extensive period, until Sia remarked that her battery reserves were dwindling and promised to ring me again shortly.
Aware that our dialogue had spanned an immense stretch of time, I glanced toward the call monitor.
<Duration 03:53:12 Call: of>
While conversations stretching beyond an hour were hardly rare between Sia and me in days past, chatting across nearly four continuous hours set a completely new milestone.
Even so, such extended interactions would likely turn into our daily norm going forward.
Checking the time was an immediate necessity.
“…My window has practically vanished.”
The expedition assembly was slated precisely for one o’clock in the afternoon.
The digital clock display indicated 11:50 a.m.
Transit via the city transit network demanded roughly an hour, meaning that even if I dressed and sprinted out the doorway immediately, my arrival would be cutting it down to the wire.
“Urrgggh—.”
If only traversing space via Teleport was an art I could command as effortlessly as Sia.
Having conversed with Minjun across the digital line for close to four full hours, Sia determined the midday hour had arrived and ventured into her grandfather’s domain to share a meal with him.
“Grandpa!”
“Step inside, my dear Shasha. Have you partaken in food yet?”
The arrival of his granddaughter was invariably an occasion for joy, and Rokan greeted her appearance with genuine warmth.
“Not yet. I traveled here specifically to dine beside you.”
“An opportune arrival. I was on the verge of preparing a spread myself.”
In short order, Rokan arranged a bountiful spread across the surface, and the pair indulged in the banquet amidst lively discussion.
“Grandpa, how did Oppa fare during yesterday’s drills?”
Though the full narrative had reached her ears throughout their marathon exchange, discerning her elder’s perspective remained essential to her.
Naturally, their assessments would stem from distinctly separate viewpoints.
“Though a solitary day provides limited observation, his relentless work ethic is beyond dispute.”
While nearly identical praise had reached her the previous day, Sia could endlessly absorb commendations centered on Minjun without a hint of weariness.
“The speed of your companion’s development will likely surpass your initial projections. He could conceivably command Dragon Tongue before long. Yet, that very prospect stirs distinct apprehensions within me.”
“Apprehensions?”
Sia’s gaze wavered with sudden unease.
“The instant he commands Dragon Tongue, the remaining members of our bloodline will register Minjun’s presence, however muted the signature may appear.”
Concealed from nearly all mortal awareness was the reality that Sia and Rokan did not constitute the sole draconian beings residing upon Earth, and these sovereign beasts maintained quiet recognition of one another.
By virtue of the singular resonance intrinsic to their species, their senses pierced across any expanse of this mortal sphere to locate a fellow kin.
‘Up until this era, every one of us maintained a silent pact of mutual non-interference…’
The fundamental dilemma stemmed from the fact that once Minjun commanded Dragon Tongue—even in a crude manifestation—the remaining dragons roaming the earth would pick up his energetic footprint in kind.
“I recognize… that such an occurrence could bring complications.”
Sia patted her chest with a breath of relief, under the impression that the crisis carried far less weight than her initial panic suggested.
Rokan, however, weighed the matter with profound gravity.
“Shasha. This carries far graver weight than you presume.”
Rokan was well aware that warmth toward Minjun would not be universally shared across their entire species.
A mere mortal manipulating Dragon Tongue represented an unprecedented anomaly; certain dragons might regard him with intrigue despite holding no inherent affection toward mortals.
Conversely, Rokan knew with equal certainty that other dragons would burn with profound revulsion at the notion of an insignificant mortal wielding their sovereign legacy—the majestic art of Dragon Tongue.
“I… comprehend.”
Confronted by Rokan’s somber counsel, Sia dropped her gaze in quiet despondency.
She longed to dismiss the reality and shut her ears to the truth, yet the harsh landscape offered no room for denial.
“Is there… any measure I can undertake to protect Oppa?”
Her inquiry drifted toward Rokan, carrying a rare, hollow frailty.
“Regrettably, nothing at present. I share this warning strictly to keep you vigilant, but speak nothing of this to Minjun yet. Burdening his awareness at this juncture yields no positive outcome.”
“I shall keep silent…”
Nevertheless, an additional, profound truth lingered that Rokan dared not disclose even to Sia.
Select prehistoric dragons of Rokan’s standing eventually awakened a Third Eye, an esoteric perceptual organ capable of discerning the imprints etched upon the soul rather than the physical vessel.
Upon the manifestation of that eye, distinguishing between righteous intention and deep malice became effortless, revealing the raw core of an entity’s spiritual framework.
‘It appears none among our local brethren have attained that vision as of yet.’
According to Rokan’s understanding, virtually none of the dragons currently dwelling upon Earth shared an antiquity comparable to his own.
Yet, should one of his brethren eventually unlock that identical visionary sight, granting them the ability to inspect the ancient records woven into Minjun’s very spirit—such as the Throne—that dragon’s wrath would eclipse ordinary indignation entirely.
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