Sabacheon (3)
It was a well-known fact that the founder of the Seongcheon Yoon Clan, Yoon Ji-yoon, had come from another world.
As such, it was only natural for the people of this world to be curious about beings from another dimension.
After Yoon Ji-yoon, who brought about world peace, left Sabacheon,
various forces, including the Seongcheon Yoon Clan, did their utmost to attract the ‘Second Brain’ to their side.
They scoured the globe to find Earthlings, promising immense sponsorship and starting to entice them.
Of course, it wasn’t only gentle methods that were used.
From kidnappings and threats exploiting their immaturity to inhumane crimes like human experimentation.
For a while, there was much confusion due to some organizations that acted without consideration, and that chaos only began to subside when it became clear that not all otherworlders could be like the Brain.
But it was clear that their growth was significantly faster than that of other practitioners, even if it wasn’t exactly what had been anticipated.
After all, even the most reticent had to be at least somewhat talented, so continuing to support these otherworlders certainly wouldn’t hurt.
Though he would eventually return to Earth, until then, he could be used as a valuable mercenary.
And if the ‘Second Brain’ truly came out, it would be a jackpot.
And, naturally…
Having an otherworlder as their founder, the Seongcheon Yoon Clan operated such a sponsorship system as well.
“You will be staying here from now on. We have everything you would need, and there is always a caretaker on site, so please let us know if you require anything, and we will prepare it immediately.”
Lucette, who had directly guided Hoon to his lodging, turned back to him.
She had an expression that seemed utterly calm, as if she had never been excited, but her flushed cheeks betrayed her exuberant feelings.
‘Well, from their perspective, I guess he must seem like a figure from legend that they’ve only heard about.’
It had been such a long time since individuals who had worked alongside Yoon Ji-yoon had passed away from old age.
So facing someone who had come from that legendary figure’s life made sense…
Shrugging his shoulders, Hoon looked around the lodging.
“By the way, I heard there aren’t many otherworlders staying in the Yoon Clan… but this place is huge?”
“It’s not just big in size. The internal amenities are even more impressive than the façade. You could probably live luxuriously in here for years without stepping outside.”
A massive structure reminiscent of a grand mansion.
To put a guest in such a place…
This had to be one of the top-tier forces in this world.
“And…”
A hesitant voice from Lucette, who was leisurely enjoying the mansion while carrying Ramu, reached his ears.
Turning to her, he saw her bowing her head deeply as she continued.
“I sincerely apologize again. I was so flustered when So-hwa was kidnapped back then that I acted without proper consideration.”
“Ah.”
Only then did he understand why someone of her caliber had taken it upon herself to personally guide him.
She was likely seizing the opportunity to have a conversation with him.
“It’s alright. Given the situation back then, it’s understandable. Well, it wasn’t like anything serious happened, anyway.”
“Still, wrongs are wrong. If you ever need assistance in the future, don’t hesitate to let me know. Although it may be a stretch… I will resolve anything I can.”
A practitioner at a deeper level symbolized the might of a faction.
It could be said that there was practically nothing she couldn’t accomplish within her clan.
Thus, her words held tremendous value in this world.
Essentially like a blank check.
‘Can she really just offer such things so easily? That seemingly earnest woman?’
Of course, it was only natural to stay wary of any suspicious individuals.
Especially if they openly used sinister powers like Hoon.
Moreover, the fact that she was presenting a blank check without employing any tricks felt a bit excessive.
‘…Ah! I see. Unlike other otherworlders who are merely receiving sponsorship… I’ve already proven my worth.’
However, if that came with a prerequisite, the story would change.
After all, Hoon was the one who had rescued a kidnapped clan member while taking down even the higher-level practitioners due to the Yoon Clan’s inadequate response.
Wouldn’t treating him the same as others be rather unjust?
They would likely start offering various incentives to entice him from here on.
‘There’s no reason to refuse such offers. Who knows what might happen later.’
The kidnap victim, Yoon So-hwa, had been taken immediately after Hoon’s verification process.
In fact, it would have been more unusual if she hadn’t been called upon as soon as they returned here.
He had probably waited only for the sake of Lucette’s reputation.
“The caretaker is here to greet you. Then I will be on my way. I have many tasks to handle regarding the aftermath of the kidnapping incident.”
“Yes, thank you for guiding me thus far.”
“It was no trouble at all. And…”
As they exchanged farewells, Lucette bowed her head once more.
This time at an angle far deeper than when she first apologized.
“Thank you genuinely for rescuing So-hwa. If anything were to happen to that kid, who is practically my… sibling…”
Her trembling voice faltered, unable to finish the sentence.
During their first meeting, she hadn’t seemed so emotionally volatile, but it seemed that given the current situation, she had been holding back this whole time.
Watching her as she repeatedly expressed her gratitude while leaving, Hoon awkwardly scratched his head.
‘Hmm… perhaps that blank check was simply a pure expression of gratitude.’
Shrugging, he turned his body towards the lodging.
First, he needed to lay Ramu down and observe the details closely.
*
In a dark underground interrogation room.
“What do you think?”
Hmm…
A group of older individuals gathered in one place, their faces serious as they looked at someone.
The gaze was directed toward a peculiar-looking old woman who had strange patterns around her eyes and could barely contain her astonishment.
“Goodness, there’s nothing to say but that it’s extraordinary.”
She scanned over the people lying limply to one side, then roughly ruffled her hair as she lazily glared in the direction of the elderly men.
“First off, it’s definitely not chakra being used here.”
At her words, a few visibly relaxed.
They had previously checked once, but the old woman’s declaration eased even some underlying anxieties.
But her words were not over yet.
“However, this… seems more dangerous than using mage chakra.”
“…What do you mean by that?”
“How should I put this…”
The old woman hesitated, and the elderly men frowned at her words.
Seeing their expressions, she smirked and continued.
“It’s like mental contamination has completely distorted the psyche. Even if they wake up, they won’t be able to function properly. Goodness, I’ve never seen such heinous malice in my lifetime. It’s odd that one can still remain intact after having such thoughts poured into their head.”
Had it instead been an attack using the same chakra, there would have been some possibility of recovering from the aftereffects.
Finishing her statement, the old woman clicked her tongue.
The elderly men exchanged serious looks upon hearing her words.
They were all considerable power holders, so they quickly discerned what her words meant.
“What do you think?”
“Well… for now, it doesn’t seem like having that ability in our grasp is bad news.”
“It’s not something to take lightly. It could turn out to be a double-edged sword.”
“By the way, I heard that person is from the same land as the founder? And So-hwa mentioned that they had even met face to face…”
The elders of the Yoon Clan exchanged opinions—descendants who had been the ones alongside the founder in establishing the clan.
After struggling and fighting to uphold the former glory, they had successfully avoided the downfall of the Seongcheon Yoon Clan.
Their gazes once again turned to the outlaws involved in the kidnapping incident.
“Well, one thing is certain. That Hoon isn’t like the otherworlders.”
“I heard that otherworlders aren’t that strong right after crossing dimensions.”
“Who knows? It’s been a while since he crossed over; he could have been hiding his abilities.”
“If he’s capable of this much without chakra, just imagine if he had chakra too…”
The eyes of the elders filled with intense heat as they quietly discussed.
The limitless glory of the clan.
That was the value they had pursued their entire lives.
For that glory, they were willing to do anything without hesitation.
While they avoided anything excessively unethical that could jeopardize their objectives, they had always managed to rationalize and compromise with reality when it came to matters that dipped somewhat into immorality.
Given the circumstances, having such an irregular— if honed properly, it could become a weapon rivaling the heavens— made it impossible for them to contain their excitement.
‘If we could wield him however we wish…’
‘Not only could we navigate through these uncertain times, we might even recreate the former glory!’
They felt the current global situation was becoming increasingly precarious.
The recent kidnapping of Yoon So-hwa was a clear indicator.
How could someone from the clan be abducted right within the Seongcheon Yoon territory?
They were pursuing the leads behind it and formulating their own countermeasures, but in situations like this, having more cards to play was always better.
Nodding at one another, the elders seemed to be sharing similar thoughts.
Thus, the attention of the Seongcheon Yoon Clan’s upper echelon quickly focused on Hoon.
…It was uncertain whether they would really be able to manipulate that reincarnated being to their will after going through so many worlds.
*
Hoon let out a small sigh.
Ramu had been unconscious for over a day and showed no signs of waking.
When he had awakened for the first time after his own awakening, he had done so in just a few hours.
‘For now, there doesn’t seem to be any major problems with her health. In fact, it’s odd how full of life she seems, having not eaten anything in a day.’
In that case, it was rather ambiguous to take immediate action.
Not knowing the exact circumstances, he could inadvertently worsen the situation by meddling unnecessarily.
‘If only my “Mental Resonance” could reach a deeper level, I could communicate with Ramu to find out the situation.’
But with his current abilities, such refined control was out of his reach.
After all, it had not been long since Hoon began to handle this ability.
If he attempted to force his way through and project his thoughts into her mind, it could damage Ramu’s psyche, requiring a higher proficiency than he had now to reach her deeper mental landscape.
‘In the end, if I want to find out anything right away, I need to level up my “Mental Resonance.” And that won’t happen overnight, right?’
Indeed, that was the logical conclusion.
Generally speaking.
“Hello, Hoon. I am Yoon So-so, here to assist you in opening your chakra.”
But very coincidentally…
There was a method.
“Chakra is the power that opens the inner microcosm to guide phenomena. Theoretically, there’s nothing impossible. The limitations merely depend on the ability of the one wielding it.”
The alluring beauty in her twenties— the mid-level practitioner Yoon So-so continued to explain in a soft voice as a delightful fragrance filled the air.
“I specialize in manipulating the chakra of scents, so I can freely combine and amplify any fragrance in existence. I can offer support to a patient with the calming aroma of Rapila flowers, a pain-relieving concoction, and the regenerative scent of Talum, or conversely, I could combine scents that boost vitality and strength for battle.”
Every time their eyes met, she flashed a smile as if she had just received an order from above, but thanks to his “Mind Hub,” Hoon maintained his composure and met her gaze with steadfast eyes.
‘Is it because it’s created with chakra? The scent is nice.’
As he momentarily thought such trivial thoughts,
He noticed Yoon So-so’s smile tremble subtly.
‘What is this…?’
She had been confident when she first met him, but now, the overwhelming presence radiating from his body left her feeling overshadowed.
No, she quickly realized what that presence was.
Passion for learning.
It was felt clearly as she stood before him, radiantly burning.
‘No way. Is he seriously unchanged by my gaze…?!’
As Hoon had predicted, her motivation to attach to him stemmed entirely from orders from above.
She was no ordinary practitioner; in fact, she was an exceptionally rare agent who had opened four types of chakra and elevated them to mid-range levels.
The publicly known “scent” and the few in the upper echelons knew of her “emotion,” “enchantment,” and “secret.”
In other words, she was the embodiment of seduction optimized for the beauty trick.
‘What’s this? Is this guy a prude? No, it feels a bit different than that…’
No matter how high her level or strong her mental fortitude, she could not easily perceive the allure of her combined four chakras with Hoon’s overwhelming passion for learning.
The naturalness of evoking primal human emotions without artificially manipulating them through chakra was her aesthetic, after all.
‘The effects are clearly in play! Why? Why is it not working?!’
However, she couldn’t show any sign of confusion over such unexpected developments.
After all, she was a professional in this field.
Having successfully opened four chakras, her teachings were practical and incredibly useful.
‘So, simply having many chakras isn’t always advantageous.’
Hoon, with a face full of passion for learning, nodded in agreement.
When one fills the inner psyche that forms the basis of one’s microcosm with only a single element, the results will differ vastly from those where it is divided among many.
If one seeks the ultimate, focusing solely on a single chakra is the right choice.
Unless one had previously grasped their limitations like Yoon So-so had.
‘One mind, one chakra…’
Hoon tilted his head.
Yet, one question emerged in his thoughts.
‘So, what does that make me?’
He closed his eyes gently.
And reflected on his inner self.
Through “Avatar,” “Mind Hub,” and “Persona,” his inner psyche was divided into a total of thirteen.
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