Chapter 5

The Swordmaster Wants to Live Peacefully - Chapter 5 (5/390)

The Swordmaster Wants to Live Peacefully Chapter 5

Regained Peace (2)

Seohyun City, next to the city hall in the Central District, Yuseongwoo visited the Awakened Registration Center and said to the center's window staff:

"Please show me your ID."

"Here."

Yuseongwoo handed over the new resident registration card he had received.

A moment later, the staff member handed him a document containing his personal information and said:

"Please wait, and come when we call you."

Yuseongwoo nodded in response and sat in the waiting room of the quiet Awakened Registration Center, waiting for his name to be called.

While waiting, other people were called and came out with various expressions.

Some had a sad face, and some were smiling.

The reason for the varied reactions was due to the judgment grade. Currently, it is the Great Abyss Era.

After awakening, receiving a high grade is like standing on a different starting line compared to others.

Therefore, those with a sad face were disappointed for not receiving a high grade.

Those who were smiling had a victorious expression because they were on a faster starting line compared to others.

'Hmm.'

Yuseongwoo yawned and observed their faces, but soon realized it was futile.

Awakened. This term refers to those who have gained special powers for some reason.

In other words, it was not power they had built up themselves.

In contrast, Yuseongwoo had built a tower of 'strength' from one to ten, from ten to a hundred.

"Mr. Yuseongwoo!"

"Yes."

Not long after, Yuseongwoo's name was called.

Yuseongwoo yawned widely and got up to walk over.

The registration process for Awakened was not very complicated. First, a physical examination.

"You are quite tall. 191 cm and 120 kg..."

His hearing and vision were also fine.

After the physical examination, he went through a basic personality test.

It involved a one-on-one Q&A with the examiner.

"If an old man is pulling a cart full of waste and struggling to climb a hill, what would you do?"

"Since it could be a monster in disguise, I would pass by without relaxing my guard."

"...A child is crying in the middle of the road. What would you do?"

"Since the crying could be a magical trap, I would approach after preparing protective measures."

"...If you find a bundle of money on the street?"

"Since it could be a trap, I would ignore it."

Similar Q&A sessions continued.

The examiner noted excessive paranoia on Yuseongwoo's evaluation sheet.

Since he had already informed them that he was a Returner, he received a judgment typical of Returners and passed the personality test without any issues.

Finally, there was an ability test for grading. Since it was similar to the measurements done in the underground of Meteor Industries, he completed the test without much difficulty.

However, this time he controlled his strength appropriately.

This was because Yujisu had mentioned that if he received an S-grade Diver rating, journalists and scouts for new divers would swarm around him.

"The test is complete. Your final grade is D."

"Appropriate."

Yuseongwoo said this as he took the grade evaluation sheet.

The staff member who handed him the sheet tilted their head. Usually, when someone receives a D grade, they either cry or sigh.

But Yuseongwoo seemed indifferent as he took the evaluation sheet and left.

After that, he submitted the evaluation sheet at the window, and a diver's license was issued based on it.

"Here is your diver's license. Congratulations on becoming a noble explorer of the abyss!"

"Thank you."

He took the rectangular card, similar to an ID, and stepped out of the center to look at it in the light.

The semi-transparent light green card, made of some unknown material, emitted a faint glow.

His uncombed photo and the name 'Yuseongwoo' were embossed in white, with a large 'D' written next to it.

"A noble explorer of the abyss."

He said it well.

He knew very well what the result of fighting monsters, fighting, and fighting again would be.

"Such a thing cannot be called honor."

He chuckled and put the license in his pocket, then heard someone calling him.

"Mr. Yuseongwoo?"

"Ah. Secretary."

"My name is Seoyeonjeong."

"What about my brother?"

"I came to take Mr. Yuseongwoo home as instructed."

It was convenient.

Yuseongwoo had taken a taxi to the Awakened Center, but now he didn't need to catch another one on the way back.

Although it was the first time a taxi had come to pick him up, he got into Seoyeonjeong's car without hesitation.

A large black SUV he had ridden before.

After fastening the seatbelt and closing his eyes, he could only hear the engine sound.

After a short drive, Yuseongwoo spoke.

"You seem anxious."

Even with his eyes closed, Yuseongwoo could sense Seoyeonjeong's unease.

The air was trembling sensitively, and cold sweat was running down Seoyeonjeong's back.

It was almost a habit.

He assessed the situation by receiving auditory and tactile information from his surroundings.

Seoyeonjeong didn't seem to have come just to pick him up.

It wasn't that difficult to get home, and he had planned to take a taxi anyway.

The fact that Seoyeonjeong was personally taking him home indicated that something was definitely up.

"Is something wrong?"

"…It's not something Mr. Yuseongwoo needs to worry about."

"Tell me. What's going on?"

His serious voice.

Seoyeonjeong realized that Yuseongwoo wasn't just saying it.

"If it involves my brother, I need to know. What's going on?"

Seoyeonjeong hesitated for a moment.

She had been instructed by Yujisu to keep Yuseongwoo at home until the matter was resolved.

She wondered if it was appropriate to bring up the issue herself.

But after a moment, she spoke.

Based on the physical ability values Yujisu had shared, she judged that Yuseongwoo could be of help in this situation.

Or rather, Yuseongwoo's aura made her think so.

The aura he exuded was not ordinary, even to her as a civilian.

"Mr. Yujisu is currently heading to the Abyss urgently. A research team inside the Abyss has been stranded, and the rescue team sent to help them has also been stranded."

"…Stranded."

"A new rescue team is being formed with Mr. Yujisu at the center, but he is concerned that friction might arise in his absence."

"Friction?"

"Friction with other companies. Meteor Industries is a rapidly growing company with many enemies…"

"Hmm."

Yuseongwoo seemed to ponder for a moment, then said to Seoyeonjeong:

"Take me there."

"…Understood."

Needle and thread go together.

If the brother is there, the sister follows.

Where there is violence and brutality, Yuseongwoo goes.

* * *

The place they arrived at in Seoyeonjeong's car was the northeastern outskirts of Seohyun City.

In the middle of a clearing surrounded by trees, a large black hole was visible, and the wind blowing out of it enveloped those around it.

"Mr. Yujisu!"

"Why did you bring my brother?"

A black SUV stopped in front of the clearing, and Seoyeonjeong and Yuseongwoo got out.

Yujisu, who was standing among the people, slightly relaxed his stiff expression when he saw them.

"What's with that outfit?"

Yuseongwoo asked.

Yujisu was not wearing his usual suit but a long white robe and a latex-like outfit underneath.

A staff and a dagger were attached to his waist, which was unusual.

"My combat gear. Why did you bring him here when I told you to take him home?"

Her gaze turned to Seoyeonjeong.

She bowed deeply and said:

"I'm sorry."

"I decided to come. I heard you're in trouble."

"…This is my business, not yours. I have to take responsibility for what happens under my watch."

She was a model of a good supervisor.

But Yuseongwoo could see the anxiety in her face.

A justified anxiety for someone in a leadership position. Moreover, the fear of reaching into the unknown.

Having faced and dealt with such fears countless times, Yuseongwoo understood very well.

He turned his head to look at the Abyss in front of the people.

A black hole.

A dimensional rift where one cannot see even a foot ahead.

The abyss, a hole leading to another world, seemed to be beckoning him with its tongue.

It was undoubtedly the mouth of a monster.

After assessing the situation, Yuseongwoo muttered:

"This is a kind of dungeon."

Except for the connection to another dimension, it was similar to the dungeons in the other world he had been in.

A living maze that changes its appearance and lures people to devour them.

"How many are trapped inside?"

"Four researchers, two guards. Five people went in as a rescue team…"

"Then we don't have much time."

Yuseongwoo stretched his arms and loosened his body, as if preparing to enter the Abyss.

Seeing this, Yujisu said:

"Are you going in too?"

"Would I let you go alone?"

"You have no experience entering the Abyss."

"True, but I have experience living in something similar."

He recalled the months of hardship he had endured to obtain necessary items in a dungeon and exhaled deeply.

This was a good opportunity.

He hadn't shown Yujisu his strength yet.

It would also be a good warm-up.

Since he had rested well after returning to Earth, he felt he should at least do his part.

If things got worse and something happened to Yujisu, he wouldn't be able to rest peacefully.

"Let's go."

Yuseongwoo muttered and stepped into the Abyss first.

Yujisu, who was flustered, shouted:

"Damn it… Control the Abyss! If we don't come out in two hours, don't send additional rescue teams, just seal the Abyss!"

She shouted loudly and followed Yuseongwoo into the Abyss.

* * *

A 5th-grade Abyss formed in the northeastern part of Seohyun City.

If we start from the lowest 8th-grade Abyss, this one falls into the lower-middle category.

It is a place where a few B-grade individuals can clear the inside, but currently, even with more than four B-grade individuals inside, there is no sign of progress.

"Eleven people are stranded in this environment."

The inside of the 5th-grade Abyss was a frost-covered forest.

The entire forest was frozen white, but the strange thing was that it wasn't very cold.

One only felt the cold when touching the frozen plants.

Just walking carefully, one was strangely unaffected by the temperature.

"In the 5th-grade Abyss, 'Frost Forest,' a cold-resistant herb called 'Cold Grass' was discovered. That's why we won the bid for the Abyss despite the risks."

"I see. So this dungeon… has become an important resource even in modern times."

"Yes. Do you need information on the monsters inside the Frost Forest?"

"No, I don't."

"Ah, right. You probably don't need it. We don't know how the inside of this Abyss has changed…"

Yuseongwoo, ignoring Yujisu's muttering, took confident steps into the forest.