Tearing the Gate Apart - Chapter 110

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 110.
Ha Gyeong had no idea what Dae Hyeonja was talking about.
Of course, gifts did arrive at his house from time to time.
The Fan Club sent them.
Occasionally there were threatening letters and filth as well.
But nothing had ever come bearing Dae Hyeonja’s name.
Ha Gyeong asked with a puzzled expression.
“A gift? For me?”
―Ha ha! I didn’t actually send you anything physical. I just gave a few statements, like last time.
“Do you mean you testified about the AI strategy?”
―Yes, I did.
Ha Gyeong had assumed it was Yu Se Ha.
But unexpectedly, it had been Dae Hyeonja who’d stepped forward.
Now the situation became clear.
During the fight with Blight Shaper.
Yu Se Ha hadn’t been there with Ha Gyeong.
So only Jon and Dae Hyeonja had witnessed both battle scenes.
Ha Gyeong let out a hollow laugh.
“I thought it was something Yu Se Ha did. I saw him scribbling away in a notebook.”
―He likely did conduct an interview as well. Though his testimony probably wasn’t as detailed as mine.
“Thank you for managing my image like this.”
―You’re a hero who saved the nation, so it’s important people know the truth. If it weren’t for you, the damage would have been truly catastrophic.
“You’re too kind. I don’t know where to put myself.”
―You deserve it, in my opinion. Well then, I’ll be in touch. I’ll bring something substantial next time.
“Yes, thank you.”
Click.
After hanging up, a wave of awkwardness washed over him.
The truth was, Ha Gyeong didn’t fight with any grand sense of mission.
It was just part of a long journey for revenge.
He moved for personal gain.
Yet here he was, receiving such lavish praise.
An inexplicable embarrassment crept up on him.
Just then, Jon nudged Ha Gyeong.
“Hey, bro.”
“Yeah?”
“You’re getting all sentimental. Not like you. Let’s train like we usually do.”
“How long ago did I rest?”
“Just loosen up, man.”
It was strange.
They’d only talked for a moment.
Yet his tangled thoughts had sorted themselves out so cleanly.
Moments like this, Jon seemed genuinely thoughtful.
Ha Gyeong let out a small laugh.
“Thanks, Jon.”
“Nothing to thank me for. Training keeps you from going home.”
……
Ha Gyeong immediately rescinded everything he’d just thought.
A human who defied common sense and wielded inexplicable influence.
That seemed like the healthiest definition for his mental well-being.
He shook his head slowly.
Yet his feet fell into step with Jon’s anyway.
Once at the training grounds, Ha Gyeong recalled the skill he’d recently acquired.
‘This is exciting.’
Talon Assault.
The name itself had hints of something mobility-based, didn’t it?
Lately, Ha Gyeong had felt the limits of Wall Current Shield and Crosswind alone.
All the Zardor Empire’s nobles flew around constantly.
Another mobility skill would make fighting easier.
He cleared the area and tested the skill.
[The Heart Core Guardian’s Will grants you momentary flight ability and acceleration]
Whoosh!
Ha Gyeong’s body shot upward at tremendous speed.
It felt like a recovery system pulling him skyward—the kind used to retrieve aircraft.
Like something had suddenly yanked him up.
Thud!
His head touched the training grounds’ ceiling, but not hard enough to hurt.
A system message appeared before his eyes.
[Talon Assault assault target set]
[Target: Dummy]
Screee-eek!
He’d only hovered for a moment.
Then Ha Gyeong shot downward at tremendous speed.
Like a bird of prey diving to strike.
Ha Gyeong instinctively swung the Crimson Edge.
Crash-boom!
“Urgh!”
The massive air resistance made movement difficult.
Still, he forced his body through the motions.
Slash! Boom!
Ha Gyeong cut the dummy, but the result was far different from what he’d expected.
It shattered as if struck by a massive hammer.
The shockwave from the impact had caused this result.
Meanwhile, his own body bore almost no strain.
‘This is insane.’
It felt like he’d stolen the aerial assault ability directly from Sky Mauler.
Moreover, control seemed surprisingly manageable.
Of course, the descent was unavoidable.
The speed was just too great.
But that moment suspended in the air?
It seemed he might be able to use it freely.
He could go through the preparation phase, fly around, and cancel the assault if needed.
Ha Gyeong tested the skill again.
‘The cooldown is pretty short.’
Not as short as Compressed Authority or Wall Current Shield.
If a fight dragged on, he could use it two or three times.
He’d obtained something far more useful than expected.
Ha Gyeong started to leave the training grounds.
That’s when Jon, returning from the bathroom, called out.
“Hey, bro. Leaving training already?”
“My head hit the ceiling. I want to test how high I can actually go.”
“Oh! I’m not missing this.”
Ha Gyeong’s estate covered seven thousand square meters.
Plus, he’d bought up all the surrounding land and left it empty.
There was plenty of open space to practice in.
Outside the house, Ha Gyeong cast Talon Assault again.
[The Heart Core Guardian’s Will grants you momentary flight ability and acceleration]
Whoosh!
Ha Gyeong shot upward at incredible speed.
[Talon Assault assault target set]
[Target: None]
Since he hadn’t set a target.
The time suspended in the air was quite long.
Ha Gyeong flew about freely in that state.
Then, when he couldn’t hold on any longer.
Crash! Thud!
By keeping the assault distance very short, he landed precisely on the ground.
An attack skill used as a mobility tool.
But the former nobles clustered together muttered in confusion.
―How is he doing that?
―What’s wrong? Isn’t it just his technique?
―No. That was a skill that was slowly blooming thanks to His Majesty’s Authority. We had to shelve it because it was too difficult.
―Then why is that bastard handling it so freely?
―I, I have no idea?
Kudin’s eyes were genuinely bewildered.
Jereon’s expression was grim.
He’d surrendered to avoid losing his life.
But he couldn’t stay at Ha Gyeong’s side forever.
Someday he’d have to return to the Zardor Empire.
Yet as time passed, his feelings became strange.
Rokan showed no signs of wanting to return either.
Kudin and Jereon were simply confused.
Then Rokan opened his mouth with a languid expression.
―Why struggle so hard to survive? Just give up like I did. It’s easier.
―Hey! Where’s your noble pride?
―Hmm? Did this senior lose their nerve?
Smack!
An indignant Jereon rushed forward, but Rokan subdued him easily.
The result was inevitable.
Rokan had regained part of his Authority.
It was all because he’d followed Ha Gyeong’s instructions well.
Whether Jereon got beaten or not.
Kudin couldn’t tear his eyes from Ha Gyeong’s movements.
―He’s handling Abyss Energy freely. That’s why he can use skills in so many different ways. An inferior species, and yet how…….
It was surprisingly accurate analysis.
After watching Ha Gyeong for a while.
Kudin suddenly muttered something and slouched.
―That bastard’s too damn good.
* * *
After the decisive battle with Blight Shaper.
The area around the Gate became a wasteland.
Still, the damage wasn’t severe.
Just a portion of the city.
Only infrastructure related to Awakening was destroyed.
The general population suffered almost no casualties.
So reconstruction could begin immediately.
On the surface, Korea seemed unchanged, but one thing had shifted.
“Ha ha ha! Thanks to our council member, the Association’s standing has become incredible lately!”
“Absolutely!”
Association President Jin Hyeong Gyu’s mouth was perpetually turned upward in a smile.
And Vice President Jang Myeong Cheol chiming in beside him.
It was naturally something to celebrate.
Korea, a wasteland for Awakened Ones, had repelled an invasion by the Zardor Empire.
Other countries’ associations were sending compliments without end.
Meanwhile, Ha Gyeong’s expression was sullen.
‘Why are they making a fuss in my office?’
Some might have welcomed a visit from the Association President and Vice President.
But he had little interest in advancement.
The old men’s formalities were just bothersome.
Noticing Ha Gyeong’s mood.
Association President Jin Hyeong Gyu quickly changed the subject.
“Ahem! We seem to be talking too much.”
“Not at all.”
“The truth is, we didn’t come without reason. There’s an important matter.”
“Given that you’re coming to me about it, it’s another assignment, isn’t it?”
“Oh! Your insight is as sharp as ever.”
“The United States?”
……
At Ha Gyeong’s words, Jin Hyeong Gyu’s eyes dimmed.
Like a child who’d had his snack taken away.
The unexpectedly innocent expression nearly made Ha Gyeong laugh.
He barely managed to hold it in.
Association President Jin Hyeong Gyu spoke with a disappointed face.
“Yes. The surprise just fell flat.”
“Is this about the Extreme Grade Artifact you mentioned before? Which Gate do they want cleared?”
“Northern Alaska.”
“Ah……”
Honestly, he hadn’t expected this at all.
He’d thought somewhere in the middle of America.
Some desolate location.
But the northernmost part of the United States?
Still, it made sense.
It’s an extremely cold place.
And the population density is very low.
Ha Gyeong nodded quietly.
‘Awakened Ones are still human. They’d need some infrastructure to access a Gate.’
For the United States, it was handling their most troublesome problem.
With a single Extreme Grade Artifact.
In a sense, it was mutually beneficial.
Artifact export was a serious matter, after all.
Ha Gyeong posed a question to Association President Jin Hyeong Gyu.
“So what Artifact are they offering?”
“The Overcall Ring. The cooldown is fairly long, but the effect is incredible. It can reset your skills.”
“Really?”
Honestly, Ha Gyeong had low expectations.
It was an Artifact meant for a foreign Awakened One, after all.
Just the name “Extreme Grade.”
Normally something with questionable actual value should appear.
Ha Gyeong recalled Association President Jin Hyeong Gyu’s previous visit.
‘That’s why he looked so excited.’
He’d wanted to brag about landing a big prize.
Anyway, this job didn’t need to be refused.
Even if it was somewhat bothersome, the compensation was excellent.
Ha Gyeong nodded readily.
“Agreed. What’s the deadline?”
“They asked for it to be handled as soon as possible.”
“Will you be sending a private plane again?”
“Of course. All expenses incurred during dispatch will be covered by the United States.”
“Sounds good. I’ll start preparing right away.”
“Ah, but there’s one thing I should mention……”
Association President Jin Hyeong Gyu let his words trail off.
It seemed like difficult information to convey.
When Ha Gyeong shrugged, he finally spoke carefully.
“There’s a minor penalty on the Artifact.”
“A penalty?”
“Nothing serious, just a slight side effect.”
“What kind?”
“When you reset a skill, the Artifact releases Abyss Energy. It comes with pain and a magical paralysis effect.”
Now Ha Gyeong understood why the United States had given up the Overcall Ring.
With such a drawback, most Awakened Ones would find it unusable.
But Ha Gyeong was smiling faintly.
‘For me, it’s actually medicine.’
Ripping Open the Gate
Author |
Moraetop
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Samyang C&C Co., Ltd.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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