Chapter 37

00037 To the Hall Plain!

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* I limited today’s replies to 20. Please forgive me for exceeding 15; there were just too many comments I wanted to respond to… T.T

The moment the barrier disappeared, the tightly shut inn door opened, and a group of people rushed in. Judging by their attire, they were the users who had already entered.

The place where I was starting was a major city in the northern continent named Barbara. Given that these users were based in one of the few major cities on each continent, it was no surprise that each of them exuded a sharp and formidable presence.

They all wore a badge with a golden lion on their right chest, a symbol I recognized immediately. The Golden Lion Clan of the northern continent, a clan that had made a significant mark on the Hall Plain. Although they would eventually decline due to weakened forces from an overambitious expedition and conflicts with other clans, that was a story for later.

A towering man, over 190 cm tall, wearing a plain priest’s robe that seemed out of place with his sturdy build, looked around the inn in surprise and spoke.

"There are more people in the second hall than expected."

He wasn’t addressing us. The other users who had entered behind him also seemed to share his sentiment. One of them calmly counted the survivors and nodded before replying.

"Wow. There are forty-three new users in the second hall. It’s a real baby boom, something we haven’t seen in a long time."

"Is this almost the highest record in recent times?"

"Maybe. Compared to last year, it does seem like a lot for a single hall. How about the other inns?"

The survivors (new users) looked anxious as they watched the existing users chatting among themselves. However, some of them were keenly observing the surroundings or listening to their conversations. I decided to remember their faces.

"They’re probably tallying the numbers now. Hyun-woo is coming from the first hall. Everyone, line up."

At the mention of Hyun-woo, the users who had been chatting loudly quickly formed a neat line by the side of the inn door. Hyun-woo. Golden Lion Clan. The moment these two words connected, a memory surfaced. If my guess was correct, this could be Park Hyun-woo, who would later become a high-ranking member of the clan.

A man walked into the center of the users lined up on both sides of the door. He had a clean-cut appearance and a handsome face with neatly cut hair. He seemed a bit younger than I remembered from the first cycle, but his eyes confirmed that he was indeed Park Hyun-woo. I increased my mana slightly and activated the Third Eye.

『User Information (PLAYER STATUS)』

* Name (NAME): Park Hyun-woo (4th year)

* Class (CLASS): Normal Sword Expert

* Nation (NATION): Barbara (Global City)

* Clan (CLAN): Golden Lion

* True Name · Nationality: The One Who Leaves the Shadow of a Sword · Republic of Korea

* Gender (SEX): Male

* Height · Weight: 179.2cm · 68.7kg

* Alignment: Neutral · Moderate (True · Neutral)

『Abilities』

* [Strength 90] [Endurance 81] [Agility 73] [Health 87] [Mana 89] [Luck 60]

As expected, it was Park Hyun-woo. His endurance and agility were not outstanding, but since he was still a Sword Expert, there was potential for growth. If he could advance two more levels, he might become a Sword Master. Ah, that’s right. He was the one called the Welcoming Sword Master in the First Coalition War.

I had heard of his reputation early on, but we had never crossed swords. His agility was particularly disappointing, but his mana was decent for a swordsman, so there was room for improvement.

I decided to stop focusing on him for now. I had heard that the Golden Lion Clan would eventually be destroyed in the coalition war, and he would be killed. Given that he was already part of a large clan, it would be difficult to accept him as a comrade.

While I was lost in thought, the attention of the survivors was on Park Hyun-woo. He slowly walked in, carefully observing our faces. After a moment, he looked surprised and spoke calmly.

"There are quite a few new users in the second hall. It seems to be more than forty."

"Forty-three. How many survived in the first hall?"

"Nineteen. Anyway, that’s good. Classify them by profession and gather them in the square. We’ll bring the new users from the third, fourth, and fifth halls soon."

After answering the giant’s question, Park Hyun-woo left the inn with a neutral expression.

*

The square was bustling with users. It felt new to be back in the central square of Barbara. The square wasn’t particularly grand, but it could be compared to an open-air theater.

A stage was sunken in the center, with steps leading up in layers. The new users were seated on the steps, divided by profession. The cold from the bricks made their butts numb, but they endured and focused on the central stage.

On the stage, users with the golden lion emblem on their right chest were moving in unison. Some of them looked at us with a condescending gaze, as if we were animals in a zoo.

If someone familiar with the Hall Plain saw this, they might say that Barbara was in a relatively better situation. The western continent, managed by American users, had an open policy for all races, attracting a significant population. It was called the continent of freedom, but its security was not particularly good.

The Golden Lion Clan, the top clan in the northern continent managed by the Republic of Korea, was known for its strict internal discipline, though they could be a bit arrogant.

I was currently separated from my group, but I wasn’t alone in this. Most of the new users were also separated from their original groups due to the existing users’ arbitrary classification.

I wondered what professions Ahn Hyun and the others had chosen, but I decided to save that for later. Clearing my mind, I turned my attention back to the central stage, where Park Hyun-woo and a few others were talking. There was nothing to do but wait, so I quietly increased my mana to enhance my hearing.

"Let me report the numbers. First hall: 19, second hall: 43, third hall: 22, fourth hall: 29, fifth hall: 17. Total: 130."

"Profession classification?"

"Close combat: 75, ranged combat: 26, mana talent: 18, priests: 11. Secret, rare, and other professions: 0."

"…I see. Understood. Let’s start then. Yubin, set up the sound amplification magic. And bring that guy to me."

That guy? Who is he talking about? I remembered there was some commotion in the second hall, but I didn’t have time to investigate as we were quickly led outside to join the waiting users.

My question was soon answered. Park Hyun-woo led a battered man to the central stage. The moment he stepped on the stage, the murmurs died down, and the square became eerily quiet. Park Hyun-woo dragged the man up with one arm and then dropped him in front of the stage.

The man was none other than Park Dong-geol. He was foaming at the mouth, and his right arm was twisted in a grotesque manner. He occasionally twitched, and his face showed intense pain.

The other existing users seemed indifferent to Park Dong-geol’s suffering. Park Hyun-woo, looking at all the new users, began to speak.

"First, I’m glad to meet the new users who have passed the initiation. I’ll skip the formalities. You’ve probably heard most of it from the angels. However, there’s one thing I need to address. We, too, were citizens of the Republic of Korea. We also went through the initiation you just completed. The only difference between us and you is that we entered this Hall Plain first, while you entered later. In other words…."

Thanks to the sound amplification magic, his voice filled the space, reaching the ears of all 130 users. He moved to the front and stood in front of the fallen Park Dong-geol.

"We are not here to send you back home."

This statement clearly had an impact. A sense of unease spread among the new users, who had been listening quietly. However, neither I nor Park Hyun-woo blamed them. I had felt the same way. No matter how much you hear from the angels, it’s natural to feel disappointed when you hear it publicly in a gathered crowd. Park Hyun-woo, looking at them silently, spoke in a softer tone.

"I know very well that you were forcibly brought to this wretched Hall Plain and that it’s unfair. We were in the same situation, and we still are. You might be wondering why we are here. The purpose is simple: to help you adapt to this Hall Plain and survive. We are here to guide and assist you in the early stages."

He paused and looked down at Park Dong-geol. Despite his pain, Park Dong-geol’s pride was still intact, and he seemed to be trembling with humiliation. However, the moment he met Park Hyun-woo’s eyes, he lowered his gaze. I felt a sense of satisfaction.

"To put it simply, think of it like high-level players helping new players in an online game. However, this man insulted and verbally abused the user who was guiding him. We respect individual freedom and rights. Some of you might not trust us or want our help. If that’s the case, I’ll give you a chance now. If you don’t want our guidance, please stand up and leave this place. We will not impose any restrictions."

No one spoke or stood up. The square was enveloped in a deathly silence. After a moment, Park Hyun-woo nodded and said,

"No one? Then those who remain will be considered to have accepted our guidance. If any user causes harm to others through misconduct, we will take appropriate action. There will be some control during the guidance process. If you feel the control is excessive, you can quit at any time. Now… Yubin, cancel the sound amplification magic."

The mage named Yubin canceled the sound amplification magic, and their voices were no longer audible. Park Hyun-woo called a priest and pointed to Park Dong-geol, speaking to him. I quickly activated my mana to enhance my hearing again.

The priest called was the giant I had seen in the inn. A giant priest—how unbalanced. The giant knelt on one knee and bent over Park Dong-geol. He raised his hand, now glowing with a holy light, and moved it close to Park Dong-geol’s right arm.

"Heal."

Puff!

As the giant uttered the word "heal," the glowing hand burst into a brilliant light. The light rose into the air and was absorbed into Park Dong-geol’s right arm. His twisted arm gradually returned to its normal position, and some of the new users gasped in amazement.

Park Dong-geol’s eyes flickered, and he seemed equally surprised. He groaned and stood up, moving his right arm slightly, which appeared to be fully healed. Park Hyun-woo watched him with a neutral expression and spoke quietly.

"Stand up."

The moment he spoke, Park Dong-geol quickly stood up, a typical display of being weak to the strong and strong to the weak. Park Hyun-woo, seemingly displeased, frowned and continued in a growling tone.

"Even if you’re a new user, opposing a member of the Golden Lion Clan, the representative clan of Barbara, is foolish. I’ll let this slide this time, but if it happens again…."

I could sense a deliberate threat in his words. Park Dong-geol, sensing the subtle killing intent, nodded frantically.

After receiving a nod from Park Hyun-woo, the priest led Park Dong-geol to the close combat group. Once he confirmed that Park Dong-geol was following the rules, Park Hyun-woo turned back to us.

============================ Author’s Note ============================

Hello, I’m Ro Yujin. What a burning Friday! And an exciting weekend… :)

Recently, Memorize has been receiving more attention and love than I ever imagined. I never thought I’d be listed on the Noblesse Tube. I feel very sorry for not being able to meet the expectations of the readers with my irregular updates. ㅜ.ㅠ

To those who have clicked the favorite button, recommended, commented, and sent coupons, I am truly grateful. Even on tough days, reading your comments makes my head feel clear. Wow, I’m so excited while writing this afterword. Hahaha.

Dear readers, I sincerely hope you have a peaceful day and a happy weekend. Now, let’s move on to the replies.

『Replies』

1) Creammongshell: Congratulations on the first comment! You always get the first comment, which is a great sense! Park Dong-geol… what a creative nickname. By the way, Park Dong-geol in my novel is a character I don’t like from the start, so this is not intended to insult anyone. I hope anyone with the same name doesn’t feel bad.

2) Energi: Wow, you know such a specific detail, that’s amazing. ㄷㄷ I also check the rankings a few times a day. I never thought I’d be on the Tube. :)

3) Gayeon: You might be a bit disappointed later… ㅜ.脲 But Hanbyeol has his reasons. He’s a very clever kid.

4) Katamune: I’m really sorry for the irregular updates… 허헝.

5) Kdknight: Thank you. There was an error when I copied and pasted the draft. I fixed it after seeing your comment. Thank you again. :)

6) CrossDie: No, no! Thank you for the coupon. I’m really sorry for the irregular updates… ㅜ.脲 It hurts my heart….

7) Seolbiyeon: I was surprised to see your message from a while ago when I checked my inbox. It seems many readers who read this story a while ago are still following. ㅋㅋ

8) GradeDown: The perverted author who had strange thoughts about the word "period"… Hanbyeol does want to trust the protagonist, but he’s the type to address issues. It’s fortunate that Hanbyeol’s character is getting more attention. :)

9) Estel: Of course. I’m planning a flashback or side story. Stay tuned~.

10) Jinta: Loyalty! Stay healthy during your military service! When you return, there will be a lot of new chapters. Haha.

11) Pobori: S-Sorry. 6, 6 consecutive updates ㅎㄷㄷㄷ. 6, 6 consecutive updates…6 consecutive updates…@[email protected]

12) Arilirilia: Nice to meet you! I always welcome comments. :) This story has gained a lot of attention thanks to the readers. I’ll work harder.

13) JoWoon: Y-Yes? Y-Yes?;;; Y-Yes;;; Thank you. (ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ)

14) VincentScarlett: No, no! I’m not writing for the comments, but it’s true. ㅋㅋㅋㅋ I feel my fingers tingling when I try to be tsundere. ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

15) Latidoll: If I do as many consecutive updates as the number of coupons… Hmm… I might easily surpass Atlanta. @[email protected] Sob….

16) Baekintimo: Hehe. That’s right. Suhyun’s rivals are more numerous than expected. I have some ideas about this part. :)

17) Blami: Yes. Not all countries are included, only those from the Republic of Korea, Japan, the UK, and the US. ㅇㅅㅇ

18) HeavenCry: That’s too… too many consecutive updates… really… ㅜ.脲… I’m sorry… ㅜ.脲

19) Allumina: Thank you! I’ll address the issues and tie up all the loose ends as you suggested! Checking every few hours… Wow… Wow… It’s a bit overwhelming… ㅜ.脲

20) AvidReaderC: Thank you for your support. I’m always grateful for the kind words from many readers. :) If you have any thoughts, I’m always happy to hear them.

To those not mentioned in the replies, I check all comments, so please don’t be disappointed. If you really want to be mentioned, please signal me. I’ll do my best to catch it.

That’s all for today.

I hope you always read the story with a comfortable mind.

Favorites, recommendations, comments, reviews, and questions are always welcome.