### Chapter 478 – Party Time – Who Will Be the Next Legacy Owner? (3)
—
– Elena
When I stepped out of Room 105, I quickly realized that quite a commotion was underway.
“Elena! You’re out!”
“Hey, sis, it seems a bit chaotic, huh?”
Eunsol smiled with a smirk, indicating that things were indeed a bit off.
About ten minutes ago, Kain had woken up first and, upon seeing Grandpa Mooksung and Miro, stumbled back in shock, sweating like he just finished a marathon.
“It seems like it’s due to his newly acquired ability. I bet the mental strain is pretty intense, right?”
“Why does it feel like Kain only gets headaches whether blessings or legacies come his way?”
“Haha! So true. So, Elena, what did you get this time?”
As my sister shifted the topic, the others who were waiting for breakfast turned their attention to me.
Luckily, my ability was pretty straightforward to explain.
“I got something called ‘Justified Defense.’ It makes it a bit easier because the greatest weakness of blessings and justice is their strict conditions.”
Hearing this, Eunsol smiled slightly, intrigued.
“Just hearing the term ‘Justified Defense’ gives off a vibe. If the enemy attacks you first, you just retaliate under the justification of defense? Without worrying about their morality?”
“Kind of like that. But honestly, it’s weaker than true justice. It’s more like a short form of justice.”
“Oh, I get what you mean!”
At that moment, the doctor chimed in with a serious expression.
“Which country’s definition of self-defense are we using here?”
“Excuse me?”
“The standards of self-defense vary tremendously from country to country.”
“Uh…”
“For instance, in the United States, if someone invades your property, it could very well be classified as self-defense.”
“Is that so?”
“Conversely, in Korea—”
Out of nowhere, Ari cut him off, lightning-fast!
— Slap!
“Hey, wait a minute!”
“Why are you bringing up irrelevant stuff? Isn’t Elena Korean?”
Well, I guess not exactly.
In truth, I’m not Korean at all.
“… I almost made a blunder there.”
Ari swiftly restrained the teacher, who was about to go into detail about the self-defense laws in South Korea, and then turned her beaming smile towards me.
“Elena.”
“Y-yes?”
“You only need to know the Russian standards for self-defense.”
“… What’s that?”
“In Russia, if someone locks eyes with you looking dangerous, you can shoot them right away. If they step on your property, you can fire a rocket launcher in retaliation.”
“…”
“What a load of nonsense!”
There’s no way my country could be that absurd—
Kim Mooksung: Meanwhile in Russia
Suddenly, Grandpa started posting bizarre, unidentifiable images in the chat.
“…”
There’s this totally normal street, but there’s a luxury car rolling around with a machine gun mounted on it.
A bear waving from the right passenger seat.
An old lady carrying what looks like a 50kg tree trunk by herself.
A bear riding a motorcycle.
A middle school classroom with a party going on in the back.
A bear dancing next to a guy playing the guitar.
“Half of these are bears! What kind of country is this?!”
“Hey, Elena, you might not know because you fled at a young age, but Russia is originally a mysterious country. It’s normal for every household to have an RPG-7 for self-defense.”
“Are you kidding me?!”
“In Russia, bears are like the Jindo dogs of Korea. Just a bit more rough around the edges?”
“Do you actually expect me to believe that?”
“Heh, should I send you more images to wake you up?!”
And so, our breakfast ended on that note.
No matter how I thought about it, I felt like everyone was just messing with me.
There’s no way a country exists where bears ride in taxis!
—
Around lunchtime, Kain stepped outside again.
He seemed much more stable now than in the morning.
Still, he was wearing an eye mask.
“I’m going to need to borrow this until I adapt to my abilities.”
Everyone just awkwardly smiled; no one really knew what to say.
“Uh, where’d you get that eye mask?”
“Eunsol Noona ordered it for me.”
“You asked her for help then.”
As everyone gathered around the afternoon snack table, all eyes were glued to Kain.
“…”
A tense silence lingered.
Kain finally spoke, belatedly realizing something.
“Uh, are you guys waiting for me to say something?”
“…”
Everyone was looking at Kain, but he was oblivious behind his eye mask.
“Hmm, thinking back, since what happened this morning piqued everyone’s curiosity…”
Of course!
“The ability I received is called ‘Insight.’ It’s a bit tricky to define what kind of power it is.”
“Insight!”
“Does it mean seeing the possibilities of a person or object? A highly developed intuition? Reading future possibilities from the past and present?”
It’s kinda like that, but…
Isn’t there an easier word to explain this ability?
Right, usually we call it ‘clairvoyance’.
“Did I gain something akin to foresight?”
“Foresight… I get why Elena came up with that term, but it’s a bit different.”
“How’s it different?”
“Foresight is about conjuring something from nothing, while Insight derives from something to gain a broader understanding.”
“Eh?”
I feel like we need some supplementary explanation here.
“For example, if I saw Grandpa in agony, nailed to the top of a spire, that would be foresight. If I only knew the scene from the past, that’s when it becomes Insight.”
“Yikes! Ugh!”
“Eww, what’s going on?!”
“Uh-oh! What’s with the sudden exclamation?!”
… Whoa.
I just got goosebumps.
Kain, don’t drop such shocking statements out of nowhere!
Grandpa just spit out the water he was drinking!
“Kain! If you saw such a horrifying scene, you should’ve warned us in advance! Were you going to say, ‘Oh, by the way, I saw this happen yesterday’ after I nailed to the spire?”
“… That’s why I’m telling you now. If I had foresight, I would have seen the scene without the need for any evidence.”
“W-wait, so what about Insight?”
“It’s different. When I read the hidden possibility based on small, tangible clues.”
So if clairvoyance is seeing something from nothing, Insight is about seeing possibilities derived from existing clues.
Which means there’s already some evidence that Grandpa ended up nailed to the spire and dying miserably in the future.
“…”
Grandpa swallowed hard, summoning his ‘One More Chance’ spell, rolling it in his hands.
“Is this really a thing? The price of the universe?”
“Probably.”
“Probably?”
“I don’t know the exact cause. Just be cautious.”
“…”
This is a heavy conversation.
Even if I learned about an ominous future, there’s no reason to avoid using the legacy I fought hard to obtain.
At that moment, Miro, looking pale, stood up suddenly.
“Me too!”
“…”
“Kain was shocked when he saw me in the morning!”
“…”
“What did you even see? Me nailed to a cross? Or me smeared with gochujang on a barbarian’s grill? Or getting hit by a truck while flying to another dimension—”
“Shush, it’s not like that! No gochujang involved.”
“Oh no! You mean it wasn’t gochujang, but soy sauce or ketchup instead?”
“… No, that’s not it at all!”
Kain awkwardly laughed, calming down Miro, and then gave her an answer which was somewhat different from Grandpa’s.
“I’ll think it over a bit longer before saying anything to you.”
“Huh? Why only me? You told Grandpa directly!”
“… Because I want to think it over more.”
Did you have a reason for telling Grandpa directly but withholding it from Miro?
Did you still not understand the scene related to Miro?
Or did you decide that telling her was more dangerous?
I guess it’s anyone’s guess.
— Clap!
“Okay, let’s change the topic. We also need to discuss the legacy.”
Who among us will get which legacy from the third ticket?
This had been on the table since Day One, with Kain suggesting asking the Patron for clarification.
Looks like they reached some conclusions there.
“Oh, Eunsol Noona, Ari.”
“Yeah?”
“Why?”
“About what you both mentioned two days ago.”
Ari believed that both legacies from Room 206 were necessary to save the world.
Eunsol thought one was sufficient rather than both legacies specifically from Room 206.
Who was correct?
“This portion was directly informed by the Patron. I think your argument holds more water, Noona.”
“Eh?”
“It’s less about what you choose and more about who will use it. That’s the answer I was given. It was the same story we got when we met face to face.”
“…”
So it’s more about who will wield it than which legacy we obtain.
Which means the specific legacy chosen isn’t really a pressing concern.
“Okay, if the Patron said it, then that must be true. They wouldn’t try to mislead us with this issue. Was there anything else?”
“Regarding who will be the user, I would like to ask everyone. If we chose Unyielding Rationality, would you have thought I would wield it?”
Everyone nodded, and Jincheol answered.
“That’s right.”
This was also relevant to our earlier discussions.
If it weren’t for Kain, who could ‘carry’ the blessing with the Holy Sun, Unyielding Rationality would be difficult to utilize.
Kain made a somewhat complicated expression before suddenly recalling experiences from the latter half of Room 206.
A universe filled with an absolute void.
A glowing angel streaking across a pale world, scattering the deities that had become one with him.
Realizations came after shedding the soul and power contained within the sun.
Everyone listened with wide eyes to his words.
Some looked so deeply impressed; it was as if they were on the verge of tears.
… My story?
“Too much is as bad as not enough — Miro, thanks.”
“Huh? Wait, what?”
“Yes, that’s what you told me.”
“…”
After a brief silence, Kain expressed his thoughts clearly.
“I already have too many powers entwined with me. The phrases left in the Grimoire, the ongoing issues with the Holy Sun, and even the Insight I’ve just obtained.”
“…”
“It feels like I haven’t even grasped half of the abilities given to me, so piling more on top would just be overeating. It would create indigestion.”
He was saying he didn’t want any additional legacies.
Since he gained ‘Insight’ as a reward for suffering in Room 206, he felt that was enough?
Or maybe he just didn’t want to add more anxiety to his already complex situation.
“Hmm, while I respect Kain’s feelings, others might struggle to fully utilize Unyielding Rationality.”
This was back to square one.
“No way! I’m a bit similar to that now too.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I won’t be overcharging the Holy Sun like before. I already fulfilled the contract to ‘sacrifice 144,000,’ so there’s no longer anything forcing me.”
“…”
“Ha, don’t get me wrong. I’m not suddenly going to become like some Chinese emperor declaring, ‘I won’t sacrifice the world for myself (不以天下奉一人).’”
“…”
“Just know that I won’t be zealously sacrificing an entire session merely to charge my legacies. Even without the cursed room left on the second floor, that’s something I can avoid.”
“Is that so…?”
After a moment of silence, he spoke with a remark that put everyone on edge.
“Lately, I often think about this.”
“Yes?”
“Should I break down completely, I wish for someone to be able to stop me. Not just for others, but also for my self’s sake.”
If Kain were to snap and fall apart, it means we must be the ones to stop him, even if just for his sake.
Thus, endlessly growing stronger alone can become dangerous.
It could be a sound judgment to ponder uniquely since he’s experienced the most psychiatric phenomena out of all of us.
“… Got it.”
Everyone was caught in a spiral of contemplation for a moment.
Based on what’s been discussed so far, it seems selecting Unyielding Rationality is a tough call.
First, the Patron mentioned, “Choosing which legacy isn’t a big deal.”
If this is true, then it’s unnecessary to select Unyielding Rationality to save our world.
Second, Kain is the only one who could effectively wield Unyielding Rationality, and he now possesses ‘Insight,’ an equally potent power.
He mentioned he wasn’t keen on complicating things further.
Ari cautiously raised an opinion.
“Um, how about the Irregular Polyhedron?”
“What do you think?”
“Well, I’m indifferent at this stage.”
Ari wanted Unyielding Rationality because she thought it was crucial for overcoming the crisis at hand.
Since the Patron didn’t think so, there’s no reason left to cling to it.
The teacher opened his mouth.
“The Irregular Polyhedron, Room 201’s legacy. My memories are a bit hazy, but I heard it requires a very high intelligence level.”
“Right.”
“The original user was the chief researcher? They were said to be a genius recognized worldwide.”
“That’s correct.”
A genius recognized worldwide!
Just hearing it gets my heart racing; I’ve never lived such a life, so I’m super envious.
What thoughts go through the mind of such a person in life?
Do they see everyone else as chimpanzees except for themselves?
“… Will they be able to use such a legacy well?”
“Well, it’s a legacy, not the original. So the user doesn’t necessarily have to be a historical genius. They still need some good sense, though.”
“We’re looking for someone brainy here.”
Something feels off in this atmosphere.
So, who would be excluded from being a candidate?
Dullards?
Knuckleheads?
Simpletons?
I wouldn’t consider myself a genius either.
Nonetheless, being openly excluded would feel really bad!
The tension in the room ramped up, and Eunsol jumped in with a grin.
“Awkward! When it was Kain’s turn to get a legacy, everyone just assumed he’d have something since he put in all that hard work in Room 206.”
Now that someone else is getting it, everyone feels slightly weirded out.
“C’mon, Kain, share what you think. You’ve likely already mentally earmarked a proper candidate, right?”
Could it mean who Kain thinks is the smartest candidate aside from himself?
“Er, um, um. Don’t misinterpret me, okay? It feels like the vibe turned awkward. I’m not placing you all in order of intellect or anything—”
Suddenly, Seungyub, feeling the inexplicable pressure mounting, had a knee-jerk reaction.
“Don’t lie! I’ve totally disappeared from your thoughts, haven’t I?!”
“…”
— Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!
Creating a ruckus complete with sudden crying noises, everyone turned their attention to Pero.
It’s like a rare event for Pero to chime in during discussions.
And then, Songyi translated Pero’s words.
“Pero says he would rather have it than me.”
That hit hard.
To have phrased it like that, I’d have preferred it if you didn’t translate it! Songyi has a real knack for mischief.
“… Pero probably wouldn’t get a legacy. At least not right now.”
“Argh! So Pero’s smarter than me? You stupid parrot! The pride of species—”
“Ugh! Can someone shut that idiot up?!”
Sorry, Seungyub, but this isn’t your moment to shine.
Looking at just this reaction, it feels far from right.
In the end, Jincheol grabbed Seungyub, and Songyi held onto Pero, calming down the atmosphere.
“…”
The atmosphere somehow grew fiery.
It feels less about who deserves to gain the legacy and more focused on ‘who’s the smartest.’
What’s Kain’s personal ranking of intelligence as I analyze this?
Honestly, it probably doesn’t rank high, but surely there are several beneath me, right?
At least Seungyub is included in that!
While everyone’s attention was on Kain, he finally began to speak.
“Looking back, my experience in Room 206 has proved beneficial. I managed to spot someone capable of using the Irregular Polyhedron well.”
In Room 206?
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