Chapter 717: Hidden piece (9)

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Gugugu…

A golden light flashed, moving the earth wall.

It’s Hwang Jiho’s power.

‘I guess it’s over.’

It would be more appropriate to say that the earth returned to its original shape.

It felt like watching a rewind as the peaks and piles of dirt that were scattered here and there sank to the ground.

As soon as the wall disappeared, leaving behind golden energy waves and dust…

The senior-jerks mumbled as Hwang Myeongho appeared.

“Heol, who’s that?”

“Why’s he here?”

“Don’t you know where we are?”

The Class 3-0 primates seem to have forgotten that Mt. Cheonik is part of Eungwang High and that old man is the chairman of the school.

It’s no wonder that the chairman is in the mountains of his school. Probably.

‘I’m sure he won.’

Hwang Jiho stared silently and smiled.

As expected, he won.

The seniors looked at the chairman and then at me.

They shouted, not having any clue at all.

“Don’t tell me you conspired with the chairman.”

“You’re a coward, freshman!”

Aren’t they, third-years who are clinging onto their homeroom teacher, cowardly?

It wasn’t worth answering so I decided to ignore it.

Before the seniors could say anything more to me, Im Yeonhwa spoke up.

“Sorry, you guys.”

A thick concentration of energy waves surrounded Im Yeonhwa.

We don’t have a clue what happened with their battle because Hwang Jiho activated a boundary on the wall, but I had an idea of how intense the two fought.

Im Yeonhwa spoke to the seniors who were puzzled by the sudden apology.

“I lost to the chairman.”

“What?”

“I don’t think I can help you catch the energy of the universe. I’m sorry.”

“You lost… You’re sorry…”

Woo Kihwan rambled on as if he couldn’t fathom the idea that their homeroom teacher lost.

It was only after Im Yeonhwa told of her complete defeat that Woo Kihwan accepted it.

He had been holding back tears of humiliation and resentment until now, but he couldn’t hold it any longer.

I guess, more than his own defeat, he’s more sad that his homeroom teacher lost.

“No… if you cry like this your muscles will get weaker…”

“Waaah!”

Im Yeonhwa tried to appease Woo Kihwan, but it only made him cry louder.

The seniors who held back their tears like Woo Kihwan did started to cry as well, and those who were already crying wailed louder than before.

Meanwhile, Im Yeonhwa was concerned about her weak students’ muscles, so she ordered a large amount of protein sausages.

‘The plan worked for now.’

My proposal to the tigers was in two parts.

The first was to win a complete victory against Im Yeonhwa and Class 3-0.

The second is to find out why Woo Kihwan branded Sanryeong with the “energy of the universe.”

The second part was to lay the groundwork for the next move.

“I have something to ask you, Woo Kihwan sunbaenim.”

“Geuhk geuhk… What!”

It would’ve been more difficult if Woo Kihwan lied down and said he wouldn’t talk, but fortunately, he seems to intend to obey the strongman’s words.

“What you were tracking was Mt. Cheonik’s mountain spirit Sanryeong. But you call him ‘energy of the universe’.”

“Sanryeong…?”

“…Isn’t that found in books?”

Did they really think that Sanryeong was the energy of the universe?

Anyway, seeing all the seniors look at Woo Kihwan, it was clear that he was the one who coined that word.

“That’s a mountain spirit? I’ve seen him get energy from the universe though!”

“That’s the skill that Sanryeong uses. It’s a huge energy source and a limited skill that runs for a short time.”

“That huge energy source is the universe!”

“Hod did you reach that conclusion, sunbaenim?”

The tigers also watched with interest what kind of answer Woo Kihwan would give.

His classmates and Im Yeonhwa also watched intently.

Don’t tell me they haven’t heard the reason all this time either.

The primate seniors followed Woo Kihwan’s words for an entire year without knowing the reason.

The guy must be really popular.

“…Actually, I knew I was gonna finish second place until I graduated.”

“Kihwan-ah?”

Im Yeonhwa spoke with concern upon Woo Kihwan’s sudden words out of context.

She must think that something’s wrong with her weak student.

Woo Kihwan cried and spoke with his swollen eyes wide open.

“Keu… Now I really graduated second, and I don’t think I’ll get the energy of the universe either so it doesn’t matter!”

Woo Kihwan sounded desparate.

“How did I know that it was the universe? Because I saw it in a prophecy!”

The word “prophecy” quickly silenced the surroundings.

I wanted to think that Woo Kihwan really was crazy, but I don’t think he’s lying.

If it’s true that Woo Kihwan received a prophecy, then it wouldn’t be strange that he saw through the existence of the transcendent universe.

‘A prophecy. I thought he’d have some power, but I didn’t expect a prophecy.’

The ability to see the future was extremely rare and dangerous even in a world of worldly conflict, royal lineage, and superior beings.

Skills related to the future are largely about prophecy and prediction.

Although foreknowledge was an abstract force, it was managed at a national level because of its future-related characteristics.

‘Prophecy is more dangerous than prediction!’

Prophecies usually come down in the form of specific language.

Someone with a prophetic skill can either hear or read about something that will happen in the future.

The prophecy itself is ambiguous and unclear, but it is more accurate to the future than predictions.

However, few are known to have prophetic skills and it is very difficult to invoke.

Assuming that there are several prediction or insight skill users per country, the ratio for prophetic skill users is much lower.

Even the royal lineage who have a strong connection to prophecies can only receive one at the right place and the right time.

“Is that true Kihwan-ah?”

“It’s true.”

Im Yeonhwa held Woo Kihwan’s hand tightly.

The strong homeroom teacher seemed to be checking his pulse to see if his condition was normal and if he was telling the truth.

Seeing Im Yeonhwa’s expression, it seems like Woo Kihwan wasn’t lying.

The seniors were shocked, to say the least.

Then, Hwang Jiho talked to them.

“We set up a boundary to prevent damage outside Mt. Cheonik. The only people who have heard you are those who are here.”

Everyone was flustered that a big secret was revealed openly, but Hwang Jiho’s words brought some relief.

The seniors, who now have to carry a huge secret, were worried about Woo Kihwan but also resented him.

“This crazy bastard! Telling us about this thing!”

“Yeah, Woo Kihwan! Why’d you say that I don’t wanna know.”

“Hihihi… kekeke…”

Woo Kihwan laughed as if he had just done something mischievous.

After laughing for a while, Woo Kihwan revealed the prophecy that he heard.

It said that he’d enter Eungwang High and then fall behind Do Wonwoo all his life.

‘Come to think of it, Woo Kihwan said something similar last year.’

— Anyway the order’s going to be Do Wonwoo and then Woo Kihwan and Do Wonwoo and Woo Kihwan… No matter how much I study, I’m not going to be… hehehe.

That night on Mt. Cheonik when Gye Bastard and Sung Siwan got close, they encountered Woo Kihwan saying weird things.

I thought it was just Woo Kihwan’s weirdness, but it must be because of the prophecy.

Other than his future standing, he seemed to have received a few small prophecies.

That the TC Knights would never get out of being last place for years.

It was a useless prophecy, but the last thing that Woo Kihwan said was…

“…I also had one about the energy of the universe.”

The transcendent universe is watching this world.

‘Does that mean that the transcendent universe has been looking over this world since a long time ago, and Woo Kihwan sensed it?’

Woo Kihwan felt a strong power in his daydreams of prophecy, and he learned about the transcendent universe.

The fact that there was a person in this world who sensed the energy of the transcendent universe made me feel absurd.

In any case, just knowing about the transcendent universe would mean nothing, but Woo Kihwan took action.

“I went to Mt. Cheonik one day, and the power of the transcendent universe that I saw in the prophecy was coming down. Of course, I thought it was the energy of the universe!”

“You crazy bastard… Even if we lost, you can’t just reveal all that like a loser!”

“Kekeke, I can’t have prophecies now anyway so what’s the problem revealing it?”

Class 3-0 revolted against Woo Kihwan.

“Don’t talk nonsense!”

“You could be taken without a mouse knowing and tortured until a prophecy comes out!”

Even the merciful Im Yeonhwa began to scold Woo Kihwan.

“Why are you revealing such a big secret like a weakling, Kihwan-ah!”

Im Yeonhwa started nagging, worried about her weak and ugly student.

Woo Kihwan’s nonsense was full of surprises, but I was bothered that he said that he couldn’t get prophecies anymore.

‘Apis’ incarnation also lost the power of prophecy.’

Apis’ incarnation was a famous medium through which priests read prophecies of the future.

After some provocations, it turned out that he had lost that power.

It was inevitable that extremely rare prophets say that they lost their power to see the future.

While organizing my thoughts, I’m Yeonhwa’s nagging came to an end.

I asked Woo Kihwan one last question.

“When did you feel like you lost the power of prophecy?”

I thought he’d give a vague answer, but Woo Kihwan said the exact time.

“Last year, on the day of the entrance exam.”

The day that I came to this world.

***

Jeokho finished his work in the hideout of Class 3-0 and escorted Shinsoo and Sanryeong to the mansion.

He dropped them off at the main house and headed to the modern annex where Eunho stayed.

“I see. You did well.”

Eunho offered Jeokho some tea after hearing his report.

There were only two cups on the table.

‘Hwangho’s alter ego is not here.’

It was rare for Hwangho’s alter ego to not be in the annex.

He seemed to let his alter egos rest while he was dealing with Im Yeonhwa.

It has been a very long time since Eunho and Jeokho talked alone.

“Jeokho-nim, I have a question.”

“Please go ahead.”

Eunho had a gentle look as usual, but Jeokho was unknowingly nervous.

“Have you seen Ungnyeo recently?”

“…!”

Jeokho winced at the mention of Ungnyeo.

The name of his old love was treated as a taboo among the tigers, so it’s the first time he’s heard it in a while.

Jeokho agonized for a long time.

At the end of the Christmas Eve incident, someone in a red dress was seen around the exit of Eungwang High.

The sight kept repeating in his mind.

“I don’t know.”

After a long while, Jeoho answered.

Eunho observed Jeokho and thought,

‘Did he find traces of Ungyeo or someone similar?’

As a user of PMH, Eunho had some questions.

It’s a question that Jo Euishin might also have, but considering his character, he would never speak about it or intervene until the situation became clearer.

So Eunho decided to step forward.

“Then I’ll ask you one more question.”

“…Go ahead.”

“I’ll ask you about the day you broke the Tiger Clan’s defense mechanisms.”

The tension increased at the mention of those words.

Eunho asked, in defiance of Jeokho’s pale complexion.

“On that day, did you not feel anything odd from Ungnyeo? Was there anything strange?”

Jeokho was able to answer right away as he thought about it countless times when he was tied up.

Recalling Ungyeo’s last appearance, Jeokho answered without hesitation.

“No.”

“I see.”

Eunho didn’t ask any more questions, his thoughts sinking as he tilted his teacup.

There was almost nothing he gained from the question and answer, but Eunho was sure.

‘I’m sure there’s more to it.’

It must be a hidden clue, something he hasn’t found yet.

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