Chapter 139
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The Fortunate One Ⅰ
Shin No-a
1
As covered in previous episodes, 'monopolizing fortuitous encounters' is impossible in this world.
More precisely, one could do it if they really wanted to, but what kind of backlash would strike later remains unknown.
Much like a high-carbohydrate dessert cake that's bad for your body.
"Hmm."
And I agonized exactly like someone insisting on a diet plan would when faced with a delicious cake right before their eyes.
A monkey's paw sat upon the table.
'Just where exactly does a fortuitous encounter end and not-a-fortuitous-encounter begin?'
For instance... right.
I make a pilgrimage to famous restaurants in Busan as quickly as possible to form a connection with Tang Seo-rin.
A精选 restaurant pilgrimage course consisting only of Tang Seo-rin's favorite dishes.
This was information I had gathered by running around personally, accumulating through iterations.
Does the Fortune Total Amount System anomaly even treat this kind of regressor knowledge as 'fortune'?
'If so, that would be rather unfair. My very regression ability itself would have to be treated as fortune.'
I chuckled to myself.
Upon some research, it appeared the Fortune Total Amount System wasn't quite that strict.
I had shed sweat, time, and sometimes even life to obtain the regressor's knowledge.
Achievements earned through ceaseless effort, not fortune suddenly falling from the sky.
Therefore, spirit medicines like the 'Heart of the Ten Clans' had no side effects even if I consumed them. Oh Dok-seo had worried for nothing.
'Hmm. So then, what exactly constitutes true fortune?'
I couldn't help but grow curious.
'Shall I test it?'
It happened to be the 590th iteration. For me, who typically enjoyed a 'vacation iteration' every 5 or 10 cycles, the timing was perfect.
I marked the regression and finished various early-stage schedules (recruiting the Saintess, employing Noh Do-ha, etc.).
Then this time, I headed straight to Jeju Island.
The tutorial dungeon in Jeju Island had already concluded as well. It had opened long before Busan Station, so naturally.
I found the 'Monkey's Paw' near the summit of Seongsan Ilchulbong. Beside Kuro, who had already turned into a hairy beast, I made my wish.
"Monkey's Paw, Monkey's Paw. Grant my wish."
-…….
"First. Grant me endless fortune."
The monkey's paw trembled. This must have been the correct way to make a wish.
"That is to say, let me fully enjoy fortune that I would absolutely never be able to experience under normal circumstances. Fortune that would be considered nearly impossible."
-……!
"Second. Have the side effects of fortune find me exactly 10 years from now."
-……! ……!
"Third. Even after all wishes are granted, postpone turning my body into a hairy beast to 10 years later. That's also a form of misfortune, after all."
-…….
At that moment, bizarre laughter echoed from all directions.
-Uk-kiki-kigi! Hee! Uk-kiki! Hik!
Monkey laughter. No, a sound like an AI imitating monkey laughter—strangely mechanical.
Along with that sound, the monkey's paw suddenly crumbled into powder and melted away.
"Oh."
If I were to interpret it freely, something like 'Your wish has been granted.'
The powder was entirely absorbed into my forearm, though at a glance, there was no change whatsoever to my body.
'So from now on, fortune continues.'
Just what kind of events would be waiting for me?
I stayed still for a while at the summit of Seongsan Ilchulbong. But no incidents occurred whatsoever.
"Hmm."
Did the wish actually work properly?
Half-doubting, I returned to the mainland.
Even after settling the National Road Management Agency organization and devoting myself to various schedules for a while, no events worthy of being called overwhelming 'fortune' occurred.
Just when I was thinking perhaps the Fortune Total Amount System's level wasn't high enough that my wish failed—
Knock knock.
Someone opened my office door. Since I hadn't yet subjugated the Inunaki Tunnel in this iteration, I was temporarily staying at the National Road Management Agency headquarters.
"Who is it?"
-I heard the finest swordsman in the Korean Peninsula resides here, so I have come to visit.
"Hmm?"
It was the first time I'd heard the voice of the person who knocked.
This was quite strange. Let me say again—this was a story from the 590th iteration. By this point, I had met virtually every human living in Busan at least once, without exaggeration.
As the old man Sho had said, wondering 'if there might be a [Teleport] ability user somewhere in this world,' I normally made active efforts to build relationships with strangers.
Yet a completely new voice?
And they've come seeking the finest swordsman in the Korean Peninsula? That means an extremely unique character—and I don't know someone like this?
"I don't know what business brings you here, but please come in."
-Then excuse me.
The door opened.
How should I describe it?
An incredibly beautiful young man stood there.
"Uh…."
Anyone who's heard my stories would know that I don't casually evaluate others' appearances.
If I use expressions like 'beautiful' or 'pretty,' that means there truly exists a charm in the other person so overwhelming that I cannot bear it without offering the highest praise.
Just as a mountain must be called a mountain, what is beautiful must be called beautiful.
Only about such 'irresistible' faces, a kind of miracle nature has bestowed upon humanity, do I describe.
Therefore, the young man before me carried a self-luminous effect on his facial appearance more than any man I had ever seen.
Gray hair. Not a color faded by age, but a hue brimming with vitality. Proof that the stranger was an Awakened.
His fashion was peculiar. Modernized hanbok? No, he wore ragged hemp clothes that looked like something one would wear in the Joseon Dynasty.
An outfit that should have had a -30 debuff effect on appearance, yet it couldn't suppress the visitor's aura at all.
I was surprised once more.
Until my 590th iteration, I had never seen such a person?
Even if I hadn't seen them, this was someone whose looks would be constantly discussed on SG Net?
"Ah, my apologies. I stared at your face too much. How rude of me."
"It matters not."
His voice, too—how should I put it—was incredibly refreshing.
I belatedly noticed that the visitor's speech pattern was extremely strange.
The tone was so exquisite that I hadn't paid attention to the content.
His hair color and appearance were completely different, but if there were a 'male version of Ko Yeo-ri,' it would be at this level.
'Strange. I've heard this speech pattern somewhere before, but where did I hear it…?'
I couldn't quite recall.
The gray-haired beautiful young man spoke very politely.
"More importantly, are you the finest swordsman in the Korean Peninsula, the one who simultaneously slew two Hearts of the Ten Clans, the Undertaker?"
"Huh? Ah, yes. Though other Awakened helped as well, it's true that my alias is Undertaker."
"Hmm. I have found the right place."
The beautiful young man lightly tapped his waist. Even his finger posture was elegant.
A sword hilt hung at his hemp clothing's waist. It looked like a practice sword rather than a real one.
"This humble one also walks the path of a warrior, foolish as I may be. Having heard of Lord Jang's renown, I have come despite the discourtesy of a first meeting. Would you not share a sword exchange with this humble one?"
"…Uh."
Wait a moment.
'This humble one? Warrior? Aluminum practice sword?'
——A terrible sense of foreboding seized my mind.
As if a swamp had spread right before my eyes, yet I couldn't use lightness arts to cross it and had to enter wearing sandals—such a bizarre emotion suddenly washed over me.
But I, Undertaker, was called a master of mental management. I suppressed the foreboding with effort and spoke calmly.
"…Hmm. I can accompany you for martial arts practice anytime, but may I ask your name?"
"My goodness. Look at this. This humble one forgot to introduce himself. As one ages, propriety should naturally emerge, yet I've gone and forgotten—truly, I am still far from calling myself a cultivator. Hehehe."
Thwack.
The young man, whose appearance was at most around 18 years old, blamed his age and performed a fist-and-palm salute. An extremely proper form that would have appeared in old Hong Kong films.
"This humble one is called Sword Marquis. I am a noble of the fallen nation of the Shiland Duchy far away, and the Sect Master of the Huashan Sect."
"……."
"Fortunately, this humble one recently attained great enlightenment and underwent rejuvenation. However, not being content with this realm and devoting oneself even more to training is the duty of a warrior! Thus I travel seeking the strong of Haidong, and I ask you, Undertaker, to grant me instruction as well!"
"……."
This is driving me crazy.
2
Sword Marquis… in other words, the beautiful young madman claiming to be Sword Marquis was, first of all, incredibly powerful.
"Hehehe! Indeed, the world is vast and there are many masters in the martial world! To think such a swordsman who has reached such profound heights exists even in this remote region of Haidong. This humble one has learned something!"
"Ah, yes…."
I won the duel. I won, but then again, victory was a basic option that should be granted to a regressor of the 590th iteration.
The problem was the process leading to victory.
Sword Marquis crossed swords with me for a full 101 exchanges.
Practically speaking, he was at the level of the Sword Demon that appears in Dream-within-a-Dream's Great Void—someone who could call themselves the finest under heaven if I were excluded.
The gray-haired madman before my eyes possessed ability sufficient to entrust with an entire front line fighting against anomalies.
An outstanding fighting force had joined as an ally.
So I should have been pleased.
I should have been pleased, but.
"Young man… you really know how to have fun……."
"Heh! However much senior this humble one may be in years, how could I accept such teasing from a junior who surpasses me in attainment? Do not embarrass this old one."
"Yees……."
"Hmm! I shall stay here in Dongrae for a while. I have gained the conviction that my current realm is still insufficient to restore the glory of the Huashan Sect. I intend to focus solely on training until I can at least exchange swords evenly with you, Undertaker."
"……."
What is this.
Why is this so cringe?
Did this crazy martial arts fanatic really look like this in the past? So he actually knew how to use a sword this well?
Are you telling me to believe this right now, anomaly?
"Haah."
"……?"
That's right. Actually, this was all Ko Yeo-ri's illusion!
Kuk. To think she cast an illusion without me even noticing! Ko Yeo-ri, what a scary child…!
I employed every means to torture my own cheek. For some reason, I didn't wake from the dream.
Damn it.
"Why have you been acting that way? It is not good for a young person to develop a habit of abusing their own body."
I am thousands of times older than you.
No, that's not what's important.
"Um. Elder. You said you underwent… metamorphosis and rebirth, correct?"
"Hmm. I did."
"As you know, Elder, the world is so chaotic these days that even phenomena like metamorphosis and rebirth could possibly be the work of some anomaly. If I may ask, through what specific path did you encounter such a fortuitous encounter?"
"Ah. That is fine. The profound principles of enlightenment should be shared among like-minded friends!"
Sword Marquis stroked his chin.
As if a long beard existed there.
In other words, one could say that when delusion reaches this level, it approaches performance art.
"It happened when this humble one was sitting in meditation on the beach of Ullung Island, immersed in a hwadu."
Right. Meaning you were fishing on the Ulleungdo beach? I got it.
"However, though it was not yet night, did the color of the sky from the distant horizon not transform into the Milky Way?"
"……?"
"Indeed. This humble one suddenly sensed that a moment of enlightenment had arrived. Upon reflection, the boundary between day and night is merely a temporary distinction made by humans, and in the ceaseless flow of time, it is merely the principle of an endless cycle that repeatedly brightens for a moment and darkens for a moment—thus all worldly affairs are so. The reason one finds it strange that day unfolds into night and night unfolds into day is precisely because this humble one was still trapped in prejudice. Then, a warrior is a being who either pushes forward that stubbornness with a single sword, or slightly accelerates the blade of principle that will someday unfold perfectly—a choice between two paths. This humble one still maintains day as day, preserving its own beauty, and night remains as night, illuminating the Milky Way alone—therefore, even if it be but a moment, gazing upon that moment is the privilege of this individual called 'I'. Oh! Then my desire to extend this privilege is not mere selfishness for myself alone, but devotion for all living beings who live and die in that moment, is it not!"
I apologize for transcribing this entire long formula, but Sword Marquis really did speak that way, so it couldn't be helped.
I wanted to interject in the middle, but it was ambiguous to do so. Sometimes even I forgot, but the total food production of the Korean Peninsula rested on the old man (now not old) before my eyes.
That meant I shouldn't carelessly interrupt and offend his mood.
"So……. Hmm, after you obtained that enlightenment……?"
"When I awoke, I had undergone rejuvenation. Hehehe."
What?
That's just a fortuitous encounter that could be summed up with 'got lucky'——ah.
Ah!
'Got lucky!'
I finally recalled the past of making a wish to the monkey's paw in Jeju Island a year ago.
That's right.
Sword Marquis had 'fortunately' 'somehow' obtained enlightenment by the beach and then undergone metamorphosis and rebirth.
Truly fortune. A fortuitous encounter that had never occurred even once throughout 590 iterations!
I glanced at Sword Marquis. The young-old-man or old-youngster was chuckling.
And.
As would be revealed from now on, Sword Marquis's rejuvenation was merely the beginning of the 'fortune' I would experience in the 590th iteration.