Chapter 377 – As Your Temper Dictates (4)

There was only one sentence that came out of Cale's mouth.

"…What the fuck?"

It clearly showed his current emotional state.

What the heck was this?
He had faced many unexplainable things until now.
He could let most things go because the fact that he ended up inside a novel called 'The Birth of a Hero' was something that others would not be able to believe.

Kim Rok Soo was someone who had faced monsters appearing on Earth and in Korea, experiencing most things that one would only find in a raid novel or a modern fantasy novel.
He was someone who had lived for over fifteen years in such a world.

"Human, what is going on?"
"I don't know why he is acting like this."

Hong and Raon looked toward Cale with concern, but Cale was not in the proper emotional state to respond to the children.

This was the first time.
This was the first time he was completely flabbergasted since coming to this world.

'Is it a coincidence?'

Was it a coincidence that the title and author of this first Dragon Slayer's record book and 'The Birth of a Hero' were the same?

Was something like that possible?

'…Are there such things as coincidences in this world?'

Cale did not have the luxury of thinking about anything else.
His hand moved past the barrier around the altar.

Cale grabbed the book as soon as his palm touched it.
His hand was quickly moving as if he was in a rush.

"Hu-"

Raon, who was starting to call out to Cale and moving toward him, stopped talking after seeing a hand in front of him. Choi Han made the children step back.
Bud was already leaning on a wall with his arms crossed and a stiff expression on his face.
There were no traces of being drunk visible on his face anymore.

Choi Han was standing next to Cale, who was looking around, with his hand on the hilt of his sword.
However, Cale had not noticed any of that.

"…It's real."

Cale touched the cover of the book with his finger.

He could see the title of, < The Birth of a Hero > and the author underneath it.

Nelan Barrow.

This was definitely the author of the book that Kim Rok Soo had been reading. Kim Rok Soo had found the author's name to be odd when he first started to read 'The Birth of a Hero.'

It was because it was rare to find an author who used an English name like this.
It was one thing if it was a fantasy novel that was translated from a foreign country, however, 'The Birth of a Hero' that Kim Rok Soo had borrowed was a Korean fantasy novel.
The main character might face a lot of adversities, but other than that, it was just a Korean high school student who traveled through dimensions, became a munchkin, and then the hero of the world.

'But why?'

Why were the authors for that fantasy novel and this first Dragon Slayer's record book the same?
Nelan Barrow should be the name of the first Dragon Slayer.

– You're right.

Cale flinched and his body started to shake.
A voice that had been quiet until now finally reappeared in his mind.

The Scary Giant Cobblestone.
His voice sounded slightly heavy.

– Sorry for responding so late when you kept calling for me.

The Super Rock sounded apologetic as well.

– I was busy filtering the large amount of power that flowed into your body through the crown so that you could use it as is and let it out.

Cale remained quiet as he waited for the Super Rock to continue. The Super Rock seemed to have realized this as he continued to speak.

– Nelan Barrow. That was the name of the child I saved in the final battle.

The final battle where the Super Rock had died.
The name of the only surviving child from the battle was Nelan Barrow.

Cale slowly closed his eyes before opening them back up.

"Huuuuuu."

He took a deep breath.

Flip.

Cale's finger flipped the first page.
There was a preface written there.

< This is a record about a human who turned the world into both paradise and hell in his quest to become a god. >

It made Cale think about Wind Island which used to be one of the Three Restricted Areas.
He recalled the mural located on the ceiling of the temple.

It was the story of how the human who had the sky attribute as well as all five of the natural attributes and led an organization called the Forest of Darkness to become a god.

He wanted to become the sky itself in order to be able to turn some areas into a lush paradise while turning others into desolate hells so that he could rule over the people.

The Super Rock had talked about that person before.

'The White Star was destroyed on the day I died.'

The person who wanted to become a god was the White Star.
Cale then recalled something the Super Rock had said about the current White Star.

'Cale, I think that the current White Star is mimicking the ancient White Star.'

Cale started to smile.
The book in his hand right now was the first Dragon Slayer's record of the ancient White Star.

Tap. Tap.

Cale's finger tapped on the page.

"This was it."

This was the reason the current White Star could mimic the ancient White Star.

"It was this record."

The current White Star was able to mimic the ancient White Star after reading through this record book.
That certainty filled Cale's mind.

He read the next sentence.

< I chose to follow the final will of the Guardian. >

The word, 'guardian,' roamed around in Cale's mouth.

– Ahem, he's talking about me.

The Super Rock commented in an awkward voice, but Cale easily ignored it.
Why?

"…Do you know the meaning of this?"
– What are you talking about?

Cale started to speak again after hearing the Super Rock ask back.
He was pointing to the next sentence on the page.

"What does this say?"
– …Is there such a language?

The Super Rock responded back in confusion. However, Cale was barely able to maintain his calm after hearing voices coming from behind him.

"Hmm? Is he asking us? Huh? What language is that?"
"I've never seen it before! There are words that even someone as great and mighty as I do not know!"
"I don't know!"
"No idea!"

The group responded in confusion as well.
However, Cale managed to hear the very quiet voice in between Bud and the children averaging nine-years-old's louder voices.

"…Huh?"

It was Choi Han.
It was different than the normal Choi Han.
He seemed to be out of it.

Cale fixed the expression on his face.
This was the first time since he came to this world that he was thankful that he could put on a poker face.

The next sentence on the page was in a different language.
Cale was able to read the text that neither the Super Rock from ancient times, the Eastern continent's Bud, nor Raon who has learned many different languages could read.

< For a foreigner who might end up here as I did. >

And underneath that…

< Choi Jung Gun >

It started to get loud around him.

"Mm, I guess we need to do some research on this. Is it some ancient text?"
"Let's ask gramps! Or m, my m, mo-! Anyway, let's ask!"
"What interesting letters! They look more like symbols!"

Bud and the children averaging nine-years-old were loudly chatting away. They were trying even harder to find the answer because the pale Cale had asked after calming down a bit.

However, Cale could read these words.
They were in Korean.

Cale just calmly waited for the reaction from the quiet individual.

He could hear Choi Han's extremely quiet voice through the loud chatter.

"…Uncle?"

'Haaaaaaaaa.'

Cale had to stop himself from laughing.
It wasn't because he was happy.

It was because he was in disbelief.
He was completely flabbergasted.

He almost let out a scoff.

Choi Han had been born in a happy family and grew up with his parents' love. However, he ended up traveling through dimensions on his own and had to spend a long time in the Forest of Darkness alone.

Choi Han.
Choi Jung Gun.

Cale had a certain thought every so often ever since coming to this world.
This thought filled his mind more often ever since the White Star showed up.

'How was Choi Han able to become the main character here?'

How was Choi Han able to defeat the White Star?
Even though he had many powerful friends such as Rosalyn and Lock, how could Choi Han have defeated the White Star without most of his current friends such as Raon, On, and Hong by his side?
Such questions like that filled Cale's mind every so often.

There was also a different thought as well.

He had only read up to volume 5.
In that case, wasn't it likely that there would be 'something' for Choi Han later?
Plot armor as the main character to be victorious?

He couldn't help but think about it.

And now, Cale had found that 'something' for the 'main character Choi Han.'

"Human! There's more written on there in that weird text!"

There were more things written in Korean on there.

< I have no way of knowing whether this book will be given to a foreigner like me. Of course, it is much more likely that a foreigner would never see this book. >

He was right.
It was much more likely that it would never happen.
How would a foreigner be able to see a book that is located in a region underneath the Castle of Light that only someone with the Dragon Slayer's crown could access?

However, Cale was thinking that this book would have somehow ended up in Choi Han's possession in the original story.

< I guess I will just call this a memoir. >

This record book was a record of the ancient White Star as well as the memoir of Nelan Barrow, the first Dragon Slayer, formerly known as Choi Jung Gun.

< This text is something only a foreigner who comes from the same place I came from could read. That is because I did not share anything about my hometown with this world. >

It made Cale think about information regarding the first Dragon Slayer.

It was said that he had no family.
He never got married and never had any children.

Why had he not paid attention to that?

He was someone who had one day appeared in this world, similar to how Choi Han had ended up here.

The preface did not end with just one page.
Cale flipped to the next page of the Korean portion of the preface with as calm of an expression as possible.

Flip.

In the short instant he was about to turn the page…
Cale had to close the book right away after seeing the first few words on the next page. Thanks to that, the others were not able to see the contents.
Cale could see someone reaching for the book at that moment.

"I…"

It was Choi Han.
He looked calm, but Cale could tell that Choi Han's mind was in a state of chaos right now.

Choi Han reached his hand out toward Cale.

"Cale-nim, I, may I look at the book?"

He then heard the voices of the others.

"Oh! Choi Han! Can you read it? Did you figure something out?"
"Mr. Choi Han, you want to take a look?"

Raon and Bud asked Choi Han at the same time.

"Hey, alcoholic Mercenary King! Our Choi Han is actually very smart! Much smarter than you!"
"I agree! Choi Han is smart!"
"Our youngest is right!"

Bud then had to listen to the children averaging nine-years-old tell him that he was dumb.
Cale still had his usual stoic expression through all of this.

"Cale-nim."

Choi Han called out to him once again.
It was possible that he had found the first traces of his hometown after tens, no, an uncountable number of years. And that trace related to someone he believed was his uncle.
Cale could tell how Choi Han was feeling even without asking.

"For now."

However.

"…Cale-nim?"

Cale frowned as usual before bluntly adding on.

"We don't have the time to look through this book for now if we want to smack the White Star from behind."

Choi Han wanted to say something, but Cale kept going.

"You know how good my memory is, right? I am someone who can remember both texts and images."

Tap. Tap.

Cale tapped on the book.

"I will first quickly memorize the contents of this book. I just need to memorize the image if it is something I can't read."

The Mercenary King started to clap.

"Ahh! My friend truly is amazing! Ahh!"

Cale naturally ignored him and continued to speak.

"Choi Han, do you know about this language?"
"…I think I do."

'Think my ass. Of course you know Korean.'
Cale held back a sigh and continued to talk normally. At least he tried.

"Then even better. I will first memorize the contents of this book as images. Let's come back after taking care of the White Star to read through it more thoroughly."

Some of the group nodded their heads.

"In that case, there should be no issues with Choi Han reading through the text even if something goes wrong in the battle against the White Star since I would have memorized it all."

Cale looked toward Choi Han and continued to speak.

"We need to hurry. The Lord-nim, Eruhaben-nim, Ron, and Beacrox will be in danger if the White Star realizes that they are the only ones there."

Choi Han had no choice but to look away from the book and nod his head.

"You're right, Cale-nim. Let's hurry back and then return."

Cale was relieved that Choi Han cared more about his friends than the traces about his hometown.
He waved his hand and told everyone to move away.

"Stand back. It'll only slow me down if you bother me."

Everybody stepped back without any complaints.
Cale's mouth started to go dry as he watched the others move away from him.

His palm that was holding the book was sweating.
It was difficult to even open the book.

He recalled the words he saw before he had quickly closed the book.

Record.
The power to record everything he sees.
Unlike what he told the others, Cale had already been using his power since they entered the village.
All of the records were filling up his mind.

Even the information on the next page was recorded with that quick view.
He was able to close the book right away because it was a speed that nobody else could follow.

Cale clearly recalled the next words that were already memorized in his mind.

This was what Choi Jung Gun, first Dragon Slayer Nelan Barrow, had recorded.

< I realized that I aged extremely slowly. It was to the point where I could live as long as the Dragons. >

This was the case for Choi Han as well.

< However, I chose death. >

Choi Jung Gun chose death for himself.

< I created a sword with my remaining life force. >
< The name of that sword is the Sword of Disasters. >

It was a name that Cale was familiar with as well.

The Sword of Disasters.
It was one of the ancient powers that the Dragon Slayers received each generation.

< I still think about it now. >
< I wonder if we could have killed the White Star quicker and had fewer Guardians die if I had fought with my life on the line as well. >

Cale now had an idea about how Choi Han would have defeated the White Star in the novel.
He could almost predict it.

He probably charged at the White Star without caring for his own life.

He recalled the last Korean text on the preface.

< If I could return to the past, I would have fought to protect my friends, even if it cost me my life. >

'What stupid nonsense.
Why would you put your life on the line? Who would that help?
This motherfucking Birth of a Hero.'

Cale's usual temperamental self would have ripped this book up, burned it down, somehow destroyed the ashes, and make every trace of it disappear from the world.

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]