Disciple of The Three Kings [EN]: Chapter 308

-Stop! A thunderous shout echoed through the training ground. Clunk! Whether they were martial artists raising their swords or those standing still, everyone was overwhelmed by the shout, creaking like broken robots. “……!” A shout imbued with immense internal energy. Thud. With the sound of the ground being stomped, the new guild members involuntarily lowered their heads. ‘To think it would be this much….’ The martial artists who lowered their heads were trembling. The vice-commander of the Milky Way, whom they had only heard about. They had never imagined his true power would be this great. “What is all this commotion?” A man appeared in the center, disrupting the formation. “I clearly told you all that today’s training was over and to take a rest.” His voice was ordinary, but the power within it was undeniable. Moreover, the internal energy contained in his voice revealed his emotions. “…….” Park Han-soo took a step back, as if asking for an explanation. ‘He must know.’ To him, this was also a test and an evaluation. “That is….” The martial artists who had caused this commotion were, of course, unable to speak easily. “Number 21, speak.” The one who had opened his mouth became Park Han-soo’s target. Park Han-soo, who had suddenly appeared in front of Number 21, was towering over him with his great height. His eyes seemed to flicker red. “What is going on?” Just by looking at the formation, one could tell. Two formations divided into two. The identities of those who belonged to them. “Could it be.” Instead of the one who couldn’t answer, Park Han-soo spoke. “It’s not what I think it is, is it?” The Milky Way’s rules strictly prohibited discrimination between players and martial artists. If such a fact was discovered, they would be disciplined according to the severity, but if a new guild member violated the rules like this, it might not end with just a disciplinary action. “…….” The martial artist seemed to be searching for words. “That’s….” And just as he was about to open his mouth. “It was a mock training session, Training Instructor.” Number 3 spoke. The one who had been threatened just moments ago. “Isn’t it a shame that tomorrow is the last day of training? So, we were having a mock training session.” However, he was actually taking the side of the martial artists, defending them. “A mock training session?” Park Han-soo frowned. No matter how he looked at it, it didn’t seem like one, and the fact that the victim was defending them made him feel something was off. “Is it really a mock training session?” Park Han-soo said. “I promise you here, there will be no disadvantage if you tell the truth. Even if it’s something that goes against the Milky Way’s name….” Park Han-soo seemed to be thinking about the aftermath. Not to lie out of fear of the martial artists’ retaliation, or fear of their sects. “The Milky Way will take full responsibility and protect those who tell the truth.” The Milky Way would protect them. At those words, the martial artists’ faces darkened even more. They never expected the Milky Way to come out like this. Even though the Milky Way promised equality to the players, they must have expected more special treatment for the martial artists. But this meant that they were willing to go to war with the martial artists’ sects for the sake of the players. The Milky Way had grown too big. Among the martial artists present, there were some from fairly decent sects, but in front of the Milky Way’s name, they were nothing more than fireflies before the sun. “So, you can speak honestly.” The situation was such that an uncontrollable event could occur the moment Number 3 opened his mouth. “Instructor.” At Number 3’s words, Park Han-soo looked at him. “Speak.” “It really was a mock training session.” He repeated the same words. “So, there’s nothing to worry about. Aren’t the other guild members surprised by how sternly you’re asking?” “What?” “We’re all going to be colleagues in the Milky Way, are you going to make them blush like this?” Number 3 was even scolding Park Han-soo. “…….” Park Han-soo seemed speechless at the sight and closed his mouth. “But well, we have nothing to say since we disobeyed the order to rest after training. Shall we call it a day here?” Number 3 was already leading the atmosphere again. “Y-yes…. Let’s do that.” The martial artists also agreed with Number 3’s words, which seemed to be covering for them, and eventually, Park Han-soo had no choice but to step back. “Tomorrow is the last day. Don’t overdo it.” That was how the situation was vaguely concluded. Lee Rowan slowly took a step, looking at Number 3. ‘If it ends like this, it’s disappointing.’ Clearly, the actions Number 3 had shown so far were impressive. Based on his actions so far, it seemed like Number 3 was covering for the martial artists to make them feel indebted, and then recruit them to his side. But that was arrogance. ‘Humans aren’t that easy.’ Especially the martial artists, who were full of pride. They…. “They don’t see players as people.” Debts are only valid between people. They don’t see players as people. Swoosh. Indeed, the gaze felt from afar allowed him to know what kind of emotions they held. “Oh, Special Recruit. You were quite loyal, weren’t you?” Number 3 placed his hand on Lee Rowan’s shoulder. Tap. Lee Rowan brushed off the hand and walked away. “Let’s see.” Whether it would end here, or if there was more to come. That would be known tomorrow. * * * “…….” The new guild members gathered at the training ground the next morning were enveloped in an eerie silence. It was because of what had happened last night. Thanks to Number 3, it had passed quietly, but in reality, it felt like an unbridgeable gap had formed between the players and the martial artists. In the chilly atmosphere, Lee Rowan quietly closed his eyes. “Everyone’s gathered.” Park Han-soo, who had appeared then, opened his mouth. “Today, as you all know, is the last day of training. Don’t misunderstand. There are far more training sessions you’ll have to undergo once you officially become a member of the Milky Way.” Park Han-soo also seemed a bit uneasy about what had happened yesterday. And then. “Huh?” Park Han-soo could notice something was off. “The numbers don’t match?” Park Han-soo, who had gauged the number of people by sight, began to check the numbers again. ‘One person.’ One person was missing. And that one person was…. “Number 3?” It was Number 3. “Hasn’t Number 3 arrived yet?” No one answered Park Han-soo’s question. Even though it wasn’t strange given Number 3’s bizarre behavior, he couldn’t shake off the strange sense of déjà vu because of what had happened last night. “Is there anyone who shares a dormitory with Number 3?” “…….” “Number 3 has a private room.” At the voice that was heard, Park Han-soo frowned. “Then go check.” It was the moment when one of the players was about to move at Park Han-soo’s request to bring Number 3. “I saw him leaving the dormitory last night.” The voice came from the martial artist side. “What?” “He left the dormitory as if he had something urgent to do.” “…….” Park Han-soo closed his mouth. Something was fishy. A fishy scent was stinging his nose. “Wait.” Instead of sending someone else to check, Park Han-soo moved himself. Other instructors were controlling the guild members, but. Smirk. Lee Rowan was aware that smiles were spreading on the martial artists’ side. Yesterday at dawn. ‘The price of complacency.’ Lee Rowan had already sensed everything. In the first place, he didn’t even sleep, and there was no one who could deceive his widely spread senses. -Hey. A group of martial artists who had come to find Number 3. -Follow us quietly. They called out to Number 3, who was sleeping, and took him somewhere. -If you don’t follow us quietly, your family will be in danger. Number 3, who seemed to have been fully prepared, followed them and disappeared. Park Han-soo returned. “Number 3 has disappeared.” An indelible displeasure was etched on his face. “Is there no one who knows what happened?” “Instructor, isn’t it possible that he ran away because the training was too hard?” A martial artist spoke. “He’s been showing signs of struggling since before. Isn’t that a common occurrence?” The martial artist was increasingly crossing the line. “Just….” Swish. His neck was already touching a blade. “……!” The martial artist was flustered. Park Han-soo was standing in front of him with cold eyes. “Instructor…?” “He’s a guild member of the Milky Way.” “……!” “You too, and that guy too. Even if you’re not official yet, you’re a guild member of the Milky Way with the name of the Milky Way.” Park Han-soo’s voice was more subdued than ever before. “I don’t know what you guys think of the Milky Way, but the Milky Way is not a place you can do as you please.” A martial artist who had grown up in a fairly large sect, living like a prince. He, who had been doing everything as he pleased, had finally crossed a line that should not have been crossed. “I’m going to find Number 3.” “Instructor…!” “Whether Number 3 ran away because the training was too hard, or if he was harmed, I’ll judge after I find him.” “Instructor!” “Shut up.” Park Han-soo said. “The last training will be replaced with finding Number 3. And if….” A red aura flickered in his cold eyes. “If Number 3 is dead, everyone involved in this will pay the price.” Swish. The drawn sword was placed back into its sheath. “There are no exceptions.” The martial artists’ faces stiffened coldly. They couldn’t hide their confusion, as they hadn’t expected him to go this far, no matter what. Swoosh. They seemed to be trying to send some kind of signal, but Park Han-soo didn’t step in even though he was watching. ‘They’re using their heads too.’ Park Han-soo, whom Lee Rowan had evaluated so far, was a steadfast person. Someone who couldn’t use their head and only moved with their body. Someone whose body moved before their head. But Park Han-soo was. ‘He’s planning to find Number 3 through them.’ He was intentionally letting them go to find Number 3. The moment Number 3 died, an irreversible event would occur, so the martial artists involved in this had to either return Number 3 alive or not even leave his corpse behind. To do that, they had to contact those who were holding Number 3 somewhere right now. Everything was under the instructor’s control. They would eventually be caught. ‘But….’ It might be too late that way. If that was the fastest method Park Han-soo could think of, then so be it. “That’s enough.” A voice echoed. Everyone’s gaze focused on one place. Park Han-soo was also looking at the source of the voice. His face was. “What…?” It was greatly distorted with anger. He was already extremely sensitive due to yesterday’s events and Number 3’s situation. “Are you also planning to cross the line?” But at the voice that was giving orders as if it were a superior, what he had been holding back was about to explode. The source of the voice. “The schedule doesn’t change. It would be better for the instructor to stay here and control the guild members.” Park Han-soo was approaching Lee Rowan. Thud! Thud! Like a rhinoceros, Park Han-soo seemed as if he would ram into Lee Rowan at any moment. “Dang Hwa-young.” But at the name that came out of Lee Rowan’s mouth, and. “Yes.” A woman appeared between Park Han-soo and Lee Rowan. At that sight. “……!” Park Han-soo fell backward in surprise.