Chapter 76

 

‘Agna?’

 

Who is that?

 

“Please come in.”

 

Her order was very natural.

 

But Seo Woojin was more concerned about something other than her tone.

 

‘Strong.

 

Surprisingly, the woman in front of him was strong.

 

Moreover, she was much stronger than him!

 

‘Comparable to Van Slaine or Dariel, perhaps?’

 

After entering the room, he observed her energy.

 

However, at Seo Woojin’s level, he still couldn’t comprehend Agna’s level.

 

“As I heard, not bad.”

 

Agna exhaled cigarette smoke and looked at Seo Woojin.

 

“Do you have an estimate?”

 

He was taken aback.

 

No way, did she even notice what he did for that brief moment?

 

‘This woman is also a monster.’

 

As he felt when he saw her for the first time,  she was a strong person who had reached her limit.

 

“Tell me your impressions.”

 

Agna said to Seo Woojin with an expectant look on her face.

 

“Well, I’m not sure.”

 

It was not a lie.

 

He knew that she was strong, but it was hard to guess how strong.

 

Agna chuckled.

 

“You’re a shrewd one.”

 

She flicked the ash from her cigarette, extinguished it, and gestured with her chin toward the chair.

 

“Sit down.”

 

Seo Woojin sat down on the uncomfortably stiff chair and rolled his head.

 

‘Who is she?’

 

Could she be one of the five superhumans called Guardians of the Empire?

 

If Agna is truly on the level of Dariel, she could be one of them.

 

But Seo Woojin had never heard her name before.

 

Sword Master Dariel.

 

Magician Martes.

 

Martial Artist Caron.

 

Dark Sorcerer Steroin.

 

And finally, Grand Master Briana.

 

These five individuals were the Guardians of the Empire.

 

Among them, Agna’s name was not mentioned.

 

It was at this moment.

 

“First of all, congratulations on winning the sparring training.”

 

“Oh, thank you.”

 

Seo Woojin slightly bowed his head and expressed his gratitude.

 

I don’t know who she is, but when someone congratulates you, you should at least say thank you.

 

“I never thought that Baek Siwoo, that boy, would be defeated.”

 

“I guess I was lucky.”

 

“Luck…”

 

Agna chuckled.

 

“You defeated an SSS class hero by sheer luck? The first and highest class in the history of the continent?”

 

It’s not just Baek Siwoo.

 

He also won a sparring match with Gu Dong-hwan, a Hero the Empire was paying attention to.

 

It was so overwhelming that no other adjective was needed but “easy”.

 

Moreover, there were rumors that some of the heroes trained with Seo Woojin every morning.

 

They also achieved excellent results in this competition.

 

‘But still, D-class?’

 

That doesn’t make sense.

 

Agna couldn’t help but feel a strong curiosity about Seo Woojin’s existence.

 

However, it was not something she could easily inquire about.

 

‘There will be plenty of opportunities to find out later.’

 

At least for today, Agna had called Seo Woojin for another purpose.

 

“Well, aside from that. Did you choose this sword as a prize?”

 

Agna pointed at Seo Woojin’s waist.

 

“Ho, it’s ‘Rune Dea’.”

 

She looked at the pure white sword and said its name.

 

“Rune Dea?”

 

“It’s a sword used by the Heroe during the Fifth Advent War.”

 

Seo Woojin looked at his new sword with new eyes.

 

He already knew that it was an extraordinary sword, but he didn’t know that it had been used by one of the previous heroes.

 

“Was he a strong hero?”

 

Seo Woojin asked with some anticipation.

 

“Well…”

 

Agna, who recalled memories for a moment, shook her head.

 

“He died in the war. Probably killed by the Demon King’s close associates, I suppose?”

 

Seo Woojin’s expression turned sour.

 

A sword used by a hero who died not at the hands of the Demon King, but at the hands of his close associates…

 

The sense of anticipation that had just risen a few moments ago quickly faded.

 

To the extent that an uncomfortable feeling crept in for no apparent reason.

 

It was like signing a contract to buy a used car that had been involved in an accident or a house that had been the scene of a murder.

 

Observing Seo Woojin’s expression, Agna chuckled knowingly.

 

“Are you making fun of me?” 

 

Seo Woojin asked with a forced laugh.

 

“You can think as you please.” 

 

Although there was a more complex story behind that sword, she had no intention of explaining it.

 

“But… who are you?” 

 

Seo Woojin asked, annoyed that he was being teased.

 

But Agna refused to answer.

 

“You don’t need to know who I am. It’s none of your business.”

 

Then why did you call me in the first place?

 

Seo Woojin pursed his lips but didn’t express his inner thoughts.

 

Agna seemed too strong for him to confront.

 

‘Let’s go back after hearing what she has to say.’

 

It wasn’t that it wasn’t completely unexpected.

 

After all, there was only one reason why an empire noble would meet a Hero in the first place?

 

‘Was it Uther?’ 

 

The noble who had previously proposed recruitment to Seo Woojin during their meal.

 

Whether he was a viscount or a marquis, the exact title didn’t come to mind…

 

He had definitely invited Seo Woojin to join him after the Advent War.

 

Many Heroes had shown positive responses to his proposal.

 

Seo Woojin thought Agna might be one of those nobles.

 

“I have a proposal for you.” 

 

Seo Woojin made an expression that said, ‘Alright then.’

 

However, Agna’s words were somewhat different from what Seo Woojin had in mind.

 

“Do you know about Sky Tower?”

 

“…Sky Tower?”

 

Of course, he knew.

 

Barsik, the mage who interpreted the pattern of the ‘Chronicles of the Demon King of Another World’ was also affiliated with that place.

 

“If you know, this conversation will be quick.”

 

Agna put a cigarette in her mouth and snapped her fingers.

 

Pop-

 

The flames flickered at the fingertips, igniting the cigarette.

 

‘Is it magic?’

 

As Seo Woojin stared in amazement, Agna opened her mouth with a serious expression.

 

“We requested your dispatch there.”

 

“Hmm-“

 

The smoke from the cigarette spread thickly and filled the room.

 

“Seo Woojin, Seo Woojin.”

 

Agna tapped her fingers on the table and repeated his name.

 

The conversation did not last long.

 

In the meantime, she was able to obtain a lot of information about Seo Woojin.

 

‘It is clear that he’s hiding something.’

 

From the first time Seo Woojin saw her, he had adopted a defensive posture.

 

Although he might not have been aware of it himself.

 

‘It wasn’t just about being wary of strangers.’

 

It wasn’t just that.

 

‘It’s not even D Class.’

 

Seo Woojin’s current level was 23.

 

Considering that he was level 10 when he first entered the academy, it was surprisingly fast progress.

 

However, compared to other heroes, he was still at the lowest level.

 

‘Still, the mana I feel…’

 

It surpassed Baek Siwoo.

 

The ‘Sword God’ with a level above 55 of the SSS class.

 

It was something she couldn’t understand based on her common sense.

 

Of course, since he had learned swordsmanship directly from Van Slaine, she understood that he was strong in actual combat.

 

But that also had its limits.

 

There was a huge wall between Seo Woojin and Baek Siwoo that could never be overcome in terms of practical experience.

 

“What is he hiding?”

 

Tap-tap.

 

She continued tapping on the desk and thought.

 

‘Did he fake his class?’

 

She shook her head.

 

If he had a higher class, then there would be no reason to lower it

 

That’s because he had no choice but to suffer a loss.

 

‘Then what level?’

 

That wasn’t it either.

 

Agna even sent her subordinates to Massive Guardian, to investigate Seo Woojin.

 

He had only leveled up nine times.

 

In other words, he hadn’t leveled up beyond level 10.

 

The testimonies of the soldiers who had participated in the expedition were all consistent, so it seemed to be true.

 

Even after he came to the academy, it was the same.

 

The number of times Seo Woojin leveled up was about the same as his current level.

 

Although there was a difference of 1-2 levels, she thought it was because he had leveled up on his own while hunting in the ruins.

 

So it was within the margin of error.

 

“If it’s not class and level, there’s only one thing left…”

 

Occupation.

 

Although Seo Woojin introduced himself as a ‘Sword Soldier’, Agna was sure that wasn’t the case.

 

A ‘sword soldier’ defeating a ‘sword god’.

 

It was a joke that wasn’t even funny.

 

‘Then why?’

 

Did he lie about his profession?

 

There was still very little information.

 

Agnar raised her head, pondering several assumptions about why Seo Woojin might deceive his profession.

 

“It’s meaningless.”

 

She was the head of the information bureau.

 

Forming assumptions with incomplete information could be an obstacle to future analysis.

 

What she needed now were facts.

 

“I should raise the rank.”

 

Currently, Seo Woojin was a ‘Grade 5 management target.’

 

Among the Heroes, he held a level of significance.

 

But it seemed insufficient.

 

“At least Grade 2.”

 

Agna hesitated for a moment, then stamped one seal on Seo Woojin’s documents.

 

[Grade 2 management target].

 

From now on, Seo Woojin became a presence that needed to be monitored with all of Cruciel’s capabilities.

 

Of course, he was unaware of such a fact, even in his dreams.

 

* * *

 

“There is no end in sight.”

 

The tallest building Seo Woojin had ever seen in his life was Lotte X Tower in Jamsil.

 

At that time, he felt overwhelmed by the imposing presence of the enormous building reaching towards the sky.

 

But here, it surpassed that.

 

“It really reaches the sky, right?”

 

It soared even higher after piercing through the clouds.

 

He couldn’t understand how such a building could exist.

 

“It must be magic?”

 

If not, it couldn’t be explained.

 

Well, even if it was magic, it was still hard to understand.

 

Swallowing dry saliva, Seo Woojin slowly approached the Sky Tower.

 

‘It’s like a magic elevator or something.’

 

The majesty of the Sky Tower, lacking a sense of reality, was somewhat nauseating.

 

“Mr. Seo Woojin?”

 

At that moment, a young boy approached, calling his name.

 

“Yes, that’s me.”

 

As Seo Woojin nodded, the boy smiled brightly.

 

“Hello. I’m a magician affiliated with the Sky Tower.”

 

The unfamiliar term “magician” brought a puzzled expression to Seo Woojin’s face, but the boy seemed to have no intention of explaining that mystery.

 

“Please wait inside; they are expecting you.”

 

The majesty of the Sky Tower, seen up close, was even more enormous.

 

It had reached a point where people really seemed like ants.

 

Seo Woojin followed the boy into one of the numerous doors.

 

Swish-

 

Some strange energy passed through his body.

 

‘It doesn’t seem like magic?’

 

Seo Woojin hesitated for a moment, and the boy urged him.

 

“Time is short, so please come quickly.”

 

“Ah, okay.”

 

Seo Woojin quickly moved his feet and followed the boy.

 

‘He’s surprisingly fast for being so small.’

 

Although it seemed like he was just walking slowly, the boy’s movements were inexplicably fast, to the point where Seo Woojin would have to run later.

 

“It’s this way.”

 

How far did they go?

 

The boy pointed to a splendid door on one side.

 

“You can enter here.”

 

“Ah, okay.”

 

With that, the boy disappeared.

 

Literally disappeared.

 

‘Huh…’

 

He was momentarily surprised, but he dismissed it as some kind of magic.

 

Right now, meeting the person who would be waiting for me was more important than that.

 

As Seo Woojin raised his hand to knock, the door opened smoothly.

 

“Huh?”

 

He stood there awkwardly and looked inside.

 

In the room, there was a Barsik he had seen before and a young girl whom he had never seen before.

 

“Come in. I’ve been waiting for you.”