Preparation for Flight
The cities of the whole plane are structured like a web. Each city across the continents, while similar, plays a unique role based on its location. At first glance, they might seem isolated, but from a broader perspective, they are interconnected, each fulfilling a necessary function.
The northern continent, where my companions and I currently reside, is home to numerous cities. At its center lies the metropolis of Barbara, surrounded by four major cities: Princica to the east, Halo to the west, Khan to the south, and Pamela to the north. Each of these major cities oversees two smaller towns, creating a network of mutual support and reliance.
To elaborate, Princica governs Eden to the northeast and Dana to the southeast. Halo oversees Dorothy to the northwest and Beth to the southwest. Khan manages Koran to the southeast and Monica to the southwest. Lastly, Pamela is responsible for Mule to the northeast and Montana to the northwest.
One metropolis, four major cities, and eight smaller towns. While some cities, like Khan, are managed by a coalition of mid-sized clans, typically, a single representative clan governs each city. These clans are tasked with roles befitting their locations, a concept unimaginable in the free-spirited western continent. However, the presence of the Golden Lion Clan, the strongest single force in the northern continent, makes it possible here.
For instance, the southern cities of Khan, Koran, and Monica are currently focused on conquering the Iron Mountain Range, serving as a forward base for advancing into the central continent. Conversely, the northern cities of Pamela, Mule, and Montana border uncharted territories. It’s known that a major city, Atlanta, lies further into the central continent, but it’s beyond our current reach. The northern uncharted region remains a mystery.
Pamela, along with Mule and Montana, is tasked with monitoring and stabilizing the uncharted areas. While exploration and conquest were once part of their duties, these activities are currently prohibited. Yet, based on information shared by Hanbyeol that night, I am certain that events I remember will soon unfold.
Initially, I planned to head to Montana, a small city in the northern continent, but I decided to change course to Mule. The primary reason for this shift was Ahn Hyun. I vaguely recall hearing about a rare spear-related profession, the “Qi Spearmaster,” discovered in a cave in Mule. Although I don’t know the specifics, acquiring such a rare profession would significantly bolster our strength, so I decided to investigate.
“Our first destination is Mule.”
When I announced our plan to head to Mule, a small city, everyone looked puzzled. Most users operate in major or regular cities, so choosing a small city seemed unexpected. Ahn Hyun, curious about the decision, asked with a hint of intrigue.
“Hyung, isn’t Mule the northernmost city? I heard it’s the most recently developed city and quite dangerous. There are frequent vagrant sightings, so it’s risky without sufficient skills.”
Ahn Hyun wasn’t wrong, at least from a general perspective. I wanted to teach him to assess the flow of the whole plane, but that requires experience. Still, I appreciated his thought process and ruffled his hair. He looked up at me with a blank expression but didn’t resist my touch.
To explain the rationale for going to Mule, I needed to discuss the current movements of the Golden Lion Clan. It didn’t take long to convey the atmosphere and rumors to Ahn Hyun and Yoo Jung. As I turned to Sol, who had been quiet, I noticed her watching my hand on Hyun’s head with a curious expression. I quickly withdrew my hand.
To advance to Atlanta beyond the Iron Mountain Range, several issues within the northern continent need resolution. These can be collectively defined as “stabilization.” This involves ensuring all nearby monsters are dealt with, identifying any dangerous areas within our territory, and preventing interference from vagrants.
Stabilization is crucial within the whole plane. If a continent is fully stabilized, even a failed expedition can be recovered from. It means building a solid foundation before attempting to advance into the central continent. The problem is that users have varying opinions on what constitutes stabilization.
The downfall of a once-dominant clan across the continent serves as a lesson. The Golden Lion Clan made a hasty decision. Cities like Mule were newly developed, and the northern continent was far from stable. Yet, they seemed driven by something, hastily preparing for an expedition.
Reflecting on the first cycle, I recalled that one of their failures was inadequate stabilization. Their only significant policy was a victory in a large-scale battle against vagrants in Halo, a western city. However, they were too complacent. Vagrants, scattered and elusive, are resilient like cockroaches. A single victory wasn’t enough to relax. Yet, they celebrated prematurely and marched into the Iron Mountain Range, leading to disastrous results.
Considering the timeline, the first expedition to the Iron Mountain Range would occur about six months after my entry into the whole plane. With 13 weeks already spent in the user academy, we have roughly three months until the expedition. Including the time for the expedition’s return and the subsequent maneuvering of various clans, we have about 100 days. During this period, I need to establish a foothold and gather strength.
In this context, the small cities of Mule and Montana are ideal for my plans. Currently, there are signs of efforts to clear out vagrants as part of the expedition preparations. Users with keen senses might notice the growing tension in the northern continent.
Vagrants are likely retreating further into the shadows, moving stealthily, waiting for their moment to rise in the western continent. Assuming my predictions are correct, the upcoming storm will hit the west and south. With the focus of power shifting in that direction, the east and north are relatively safe from their threats.
“There’s nothing left for us around the well-known cities. While not fully conquered, they’ve been significantly developed, and competition is fierce with many users and established clans.”
“But as you mentioned, a large-scale expedition might happen soon.”
I shook my head at Ahn Hyun’s words. We currently lack the qualifications to participate in the expedition. Rather than getting caught in a conflict beyond our means, it’s more beneficial to start from the ground up, taking steady, sure steps.
“Who can guarantee the expedition’s success? Even Barbara, the city we’re in now, took four years of preparation and countless sacrifices to develop. Crossing the Iron Mountain Range, which is likely more challenging than Barbara’s conquest, seems difficult.”
“Hmm… Do you really think so? Somehow, it feels convincing when you say it, hyung.”
“Oppa, does that mean there’s still a lot to gain in Mule?”
Despite my explanation, they seemed reluctant to let go of their ambitions. I understood their confidence, having just graduated from the user academy with top ranks, but I couldn’t allow it. I spoke with more conviction.
“Don’t worry about the vagrants. Most users and vagrants are focused on the upcoming expedition. Currently, users are leaving Mule, and development has stalled. As they abandon it, opportunities open up for us.”
Of course, I couldn’t reveal everything, so my words were mixed with speculation. While I could speak with certainty, knowing the future, whether they would accept it was another matter. I looked at them seriously.
Ahn Hyun was deep in thought, mulling over my words. Yoo Jung also seemed to be pondering something. As for An Sol, who had been silent… Why was she pouting at me? Did she have a complaint? I clicked my tongue and looked away from Sol. Just then, Yoo Jung raised her head and spoke in an unusually serious tone.
“Oppa.”
“Yes.”
“I have something I’m curious about. Can I ask?”
“Of course, go ahead.”
I thought I had explained everything in such detail that there wouldn’t be any questions left, but it seemed I had missed something. Still, I preferred this curiosity and expression of thoughts, like Hyun’s, over blind obedience. So, I nodded willingly.
As soon as I gave my permission, Yujeong scooted closer and gently took my hand. Instead of asking her question, she just held my hand, bringing it up to her lips. Her mouth opened, revealing her white, even teeth. And then…
“Chomp.”
Yujeong bit my hand playfully, her eyes glinting mischievously.
”…”
”…”
”…”
The expressions of Hyun, Sol, and I froze instantly.
“You said I could ask, so I did,” Yujeong mumbled with a grin, my hand still in her mouth. I looked down at her in disbelief. She soon burst into laughter and released my hand. Hyun looked at her with exasperation, while Sol glanced around, embarrassed.
I tried to maintain a calm facade, but I was slightly annoyed. We were discussing important plans for the journey ahead, and she pulled a stunt like this. If it had been someone else, like Jiyoung, I would have frowned immediately. But this was Yujeong.
Having observed her for a while, I knew she had a tendency to intensely dislike people she didn’t care for, like Park Dong-geol. But for those she liked, she showed this kind of playful affection. So, I managed to swallow my irritation. Still, I felt the need to teach her about time and place. Sensing my mood, Hyun spoke up before I could.
“Hey, what are you doing when he’s talking about something important?”
“Sorry, really sorry. Oh, oppa, I’m truly sorry. It’s just, your face was so serious, I couldn’t help it.”
“Well, it’s a matter of life and death, so of course it’s serious.”
Hyun retorted with a stern face, and Yujeong playfully rolled her eyes, continuing with a cheerful tone. She seemed oddly pleased.
“At the training camp, whenever we asked, you always said you were thinking. I never imagined you were thinking about this. Honestly, I couldn’t even begin to think about it… But I decided to follow you from the start, right? Anyway, I’m all for it.”
Hyun nodded in agreement with Yujeong’s words, muttering to himself, “As if you’d ever think of something like this,” before Yujeong kicked him in the shin. Hyun glared at her, but when she glared back, he turned his head with a huff and looked at me.
“Listening to you, I think going to Mool is a good idea. So, how do you plan to get there? It’s quite far north, so walking would take a long time.”
I felt relieved. Hyun’s sensible question seemed to bring our slightly derailed conversation back on track. I sighed inwardly and answered in a calm voice.
“We should get there as quickly as possible. There might be other users with similar ideas. The fewer competitors, the better. Some less skilled users might give up on expeditions or battles and head to unexplored areas. So, let’s use the warp gate.”
Every city has a warp gate. The cost depends on the distance, with closer destinations being cheaper. Since Mool is far north, it would typically cost about 2 gold per person (1 gold = 100 silver = 10,000 bronze).
Hyun looked concerned as he spoke.
“I heard the warp gate fees are expensive…”
I was about to remind him of our weekly pay but paused to gather my thoughts before continuing.
“Normally, frontier cities reduce warp gate fees to encourage users to travel. Although there’s talk of this ending soon, it should still be in effect. Have you all saved up your weekly pay?”
The three of them exchanged glances. Surely they hadn’t spent it all. There wasn’t much to spend it on. While I, with my 1,000 gold, worried needlessly, they suddenly burst into laughter. For a moment, I thought they had collectively lost it, but then I saw Yujeong extend her hand towards me, holding a pouch.
When I took the pouch, Yujeong spoke in a lively voice.
“Hyun, Sol, and I saved all our weekly pay. It should be about 7 gold and 80 silver.”
“Why am I managing this? It’s your money.”
“It’s not ‘your’ money, it’s ‘our’ money.”
Yujeong corrected me immediately. Hyun, looking a bit sheepish, chimed in.
“We thought it would be better for you to manage it than for us to hold onto it individually.”
“And I tend to make impulsive purchases,” Yujeong added, sticking her tongue out playfully.
I looked at them, momentarily stunned. As I met their eyes, a fresh, unfamiliar feeling stirred within me. I forced the emotion down, tossing the pouch into the air and catching it again. It was a meaningless gesture.
Yet, the weight of the coins in my hand felt heavier than usual.
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------=
Some of you might have exclaimed, “What is this?” while reading today. There are two reasons I included Yujeong’s scene. First, to balance the overly serious atmosphere. Second, I noticed some comments criticizing Yujeong… haha. Please don’t hate her too much! She might be a witch to those she dislikes, but to Suhyun, she’s just a playful kitten.
I’ve decided on a name for the protagonist’s clan, but looking at other city clan names, they seem a bit cringeworthy. If you have any good suggestions for a clan name, please let me know.
Please take your time with this chapter. It contains a lot of important background and flow of the Hol Plane.
『Reader Comments』
Airilia: Congratulations on being first! You’ve achieved a two-time streak. Haha. I just saw your comment about the modern wizard. It’s currently on hold… I can only apologize. I’m considering it for my next work. Thanks for pointing out the typos!
Blami: As they say, “Form is emptiness, emptiness is form…” (?) Yes, the first and last comments are the same. Haha. The only difference is that the first comment always gets a reply…
HumanLife: There are countless types of points. Ability points, special and potential ability points, and GP points. You can focus on these three main types.
GradeRown: It’s more of a stage concept than a job change. For example, with Sword Master: Sword Beginner - Sword Expert - Sword Master - ???. Even if you get a regular job, you might evolve into a secret or rare job later. By the way, jobs can overlap, but it’s rare because it can lead to strange special or potential abilities unless your stats can handle it.
Like the Wind: Ah… continuous updates… hmm… More applause! Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap! (haha)
Kriasen: Honestly, Suhyun is a bit of a cheat character. Besides his innate abilities, he knows the future, so he makes what others see as risky choices without hesitation. If it were his first time, he would have joined the Golden Lion Clan without a second thought. Of course, he didn’t get an offer in the first round. (First round.)
Toranoanal: I also think those who update daily are amazing. I used to have a backlog, so I could update continuously, but now that it’s gone, no matter how hard I try… So now, even if I post one chapter a day, I do my best within my abilities.
Kyuubi: The protagonist is quite realistic. He’s not like in comics where he says, “Hmm, you seem promising. Come back when you’re stronger, and we’ll fight again.” He’d cut down his enemies before they could rise. He left Woo Jungmin’s group alone because there were too many eyes watching, and he wanted to observe them a bit more. Their rise to fame with the Red Fang Clan is still a long way off. Haha. It will naturally unfold as the story progresses. Please be patient. :)
Spring Breeze: Your username is lovely. I really like it. “Deep-set eyes” is translated as “deep eyes” in English. It’s similar to “deep pupils.”
Let’s Play, Yeook: Haha. No, thank you for asking. Of course, more companions will join. Please look forward to who will join next. And thank you very much for suggesting a clan name. Haha. :)
I wish I could reply to each of you, but many have asked me to shorten the afterword. I’ve reduced the reader comment section a bit. I’ve replied to all the messages about the afterword. Please check them.
I always read every comment thoroughly. Please don’t feel too disappointed if I don’t reply to each one. If you have any pressing questions, feel free to message me directly, and I’ll get back to you!
With that, I’ll take my leave for today.
I hope you enjoy reading my work with a relaxed mind.
Your support, recommendations, comments, critiques, and questions are always welcome.