On Hiatus: God's Personal Reasons

Chapter 89: You, Be My Son-in-Law!

Let’s go over my current situation. I’m on the edge of my seat.

Slurp—

The main culprit was drinking a cup of tea made from a teabag.

“Tsk, is this the best tea you have? How can the principal of the academy be this pitiful?”

Choi Kang-San growled lowly at Ko Sa-Deuk. “Shut up and just accept what you’re given.”

Ignoring Choi Kang-San, Ko Sa-Deuk looked to his side. “Keke, you’ve grown quite a bit, Eun-Bi.”

“Please call me Department Head Choi at the academy, Hunter Ko Sa-Deuk.” The school nurse replied curtly in an office-like manner.

Ko Sa-Deuk shook his head lightly, “Aigoo, didn't you used to call me 'Uncle' when you were little? You were so cute back then! Now that you’ve grown, you’re so stiff! See that, Myung-Hee? This is why girls shouldn’t let their marriage age pass. Keep this in mind.”

Then, the virgin ghost-like lady beside him mumbled, “Yes, Grandfather.”

Chills!

The temperature instantly plummeted. As if sitting with a group of ghosts fresh from the afterlife wasn’t uncomfortable enough, the Choi father and daughter were glowering at them.

I briefly glanced at my empty wrist and stood up from the sofa. ““Aigoo, look at the time. Please continue your conversation. I’ll be heading back to class.”

“Keke, sit down. How can the main character be leaving?”

“I know you usually skipped teaching, so sit down when I’m still being nice.”

Glares from the two old men made me bring my ass back down on the sofa.

Then, the Grim Reaper asked, “So, how old are you?”

“I’m 23 this year...”

The Virgin Ghost clapped her hands together, “Oh, that makes you my orabeoni[1]!”

“So, a three-year age gap? We haven’t even looked at your compatibility. This is just nice, kekeke!”

“Seriously, Grandfather. I’m shy.”

My fingers trembled slightly. I’m scared... When I saw the Grim Reaper and the Virgin Ghost, I finally understood what they meant by “marriage was the grave of life.”

I mustered my courage and said, “I... appreciate what you’ve said, but I’m celibate and have no intentions of getting married.”

Since when, you ask? Right now! From this moment on!

“Besides, I’m not interested in the missus from the Immortal Guild...”

The virgin ghost interjected shyly, “Please call me Myeong-Hee, Orabeoni.”

“...Ms. Myeong-Hee is too much for someone like me.”

Especially for my heart, I added inwardly.

Ko Myeong-Ji’s older sister, Ko Myeong-Hee, had long bangs that covered her extremely pale face. The only facial feature that was revealed was her badly-drawn lips, which seemed to have been inspired by the movie Joker. I was afraid it would haunt me in my dreams.

“Keke, such humbleness. I’m liking you even more.” The Grim Reaper licked his lips again. “It’s already near impossible to meet someone who can command demonic spirits in this world. But this man here even evolved a B-rank skeletal soldier into an S-rank Death Knight. Do you think I’d miss out on someone like that?”

Choi Kang-San looked at me, seemingly asking what the old man was talking about.

Well, I could guess what the Grim Reaper was referring to. I’d evolved and named Ko Myeong-Ji’s summoned creature, Hades. But that was only possible because Hades was originally an S-rank serving the Mountain-Gnawing Titan.

Also, bestowing them names didn’t make them stronger. This became obvious after I named Akdol.

“I don’t like rambling, so excuse me for being straightforward.” Grim Reaper pulled something out of his pocket, heavily placing it before me. “How much?”

Uhm, Grim Reaper Grandpa? You watched too many soap operas...

The thing he placed on the table was a blank check.

“Keke, write the amount you want. I don’t expect much. Just give me three toad-like children, and you're free to live the rest of your life however you want. I just want your bloodline.”

Give birth to three children?! What am I, the fairy from the Fairy and the Woodcutter?!

Although, if the one standing before me was a peerless beauty instead of a terrifying virgin ghost, I might waver.

Ssss—

Picking up my ballpen, I scribbled something on the blank check and tossed it back to the Grim Reaper. “You must be quite rich, trying to bribe others. I’ll consider it if you can give me this amount.”

When he glanced at the amount on the check, the Grim Reaper’s eyes widened.

Yes, be shocked! Please give up and return to the afterlife!

“...Just a trillion? Much cheaper than I thought.”

“Uh-huh, Grandfather. Just sell a few family heirlooms and we’re good to go.”

“That’s unnecessary. An Arab parvenu wants to buy my Yaksha soldiers for a billion each, so maybe I can just sell a thousand of them.”

T-this wasn’t the reaction I’d expected. M

My lips dried as I watched the grandfather-granddaughter pair chattering away happily. While wetting my lips with green tea, I sent a desperate look to Choi Kang-San.

Homeless Hyungnim, please help me stop them!

Seemingly understanding the signal, Choi Kang-san nodded and said, “Hmm, Skeletal Punk. Actually, this kiddo can’t marry a woman.”

“What do you mean?”

“What else! He likes guys! So stop forcing it and give up already, Skeletal Punk!”

Pft! I spat the green tea I was drinking.

Hey, Mr. Choi! That’s too much! What makes you think that’s a justifiable excuse?

I glared at Choi Kang-San.

“Hmm.”

Choi Kang-San averted his gaze, implying that he had done his best.

Ssss—

Virgin Ghost, Ko Myeong-Hee, reached out to me. Her touch, as frigid as a corpse, sent chills down my spine.

Shiver!

“Orabeoni, is what Uncle Kang-San said true?”

“Y...yes! I like men!” I yelled with all my might.

Welcome, a new dark history of mine! I had no choice. As they said, fear ate away at reason at times.

Then, Ko Myeong-Hee’s rouged lips curved into a smile. She tucked her long hair behind her ears.

Flutter—

Her eyes were finally revealed.

“N-No! Don’t look into her eyes!” Choi Kang-San yelled, but he was too late.

Her eyes glowed mysteriously in the colors of the rainbow. With a honeyed voice, Ko Myeong-Hee whispered into my ear, “What do you think of my eyes, Orabeoni?”

“Wow, they’re really pretty...”

Her eyes gently turned into crescent moons.

Thump thump!

My heart began pounding heavily. Why did she have to cover her bejeweled eyes with her hair?! Truly, a loss for humanity!

Just then, my innate power, Blind Eyes of God, activated.

Ding!

-----

[Ko Myeong-Hee]

A mixed descendant of a mare and a female human. Around for 20 years.

Special note: Possesses a pair of charming eyes with the potential for transcendence.

-----

An unfamiliar phrase appeared. A mixed descendant of a mare and a female human? What did that mean?

“Orabeoni, please. Will you please be mine?”

Tears welled up in Ko Myeong-Hee’s colorful eyes. No man could reject such tender eyes, which stirred their desire to protect her. Even Choi Kang-San had to cover his face with his hands. Right, didn’t he warn me not to look into them? Unfortunately, I had already done so.

I said to Myeong-Hee, “No, I won’t.”

“Rea...huh? You won’t?”

“Yes. Isn’t the idea of owning others old-fashioned?”

Myeong-Hee became dumbfounded.

Then, I kindly gave her an advice, “Also, Ms. Myung-Hee, I think you shouldn’t cover those eyes of yours. They give off a completely different impression.”

“H-how are you able to resist my charming eyes...?”

Ding ding!

Just then, I heard notifications from my phone.

“Huh?! Oh no!” I checked my phone in a hurry and jumped to my feet. “I’ve got something urgent to tend to! Please excuse me!”

Rattle! Bam!

I rushed out of the principal’s office, leaving the stunned group. The notification that appeared on my phone was from God-Maker.

[Challenger Il-Ho challenges the Thirtieth Floor of the Tower of Warriors: Trial of Dead Dragon.]

This kiddo, I asked him to wait! Why is he attempting it alone?! Il-Ho is in danger!

***

Il-Ho was meditating in the waiting room of the 30th floor of the Tower of Warriors. Unbeknownst to Yu Il-Shin, time passed differently in the Tower of Warrios. Even though in reality, Yu Il-Shin had only been away for just a couple of hours, it had been over three days for Il-Ho.

Il-Ho kept contemplating the true meaning of muscles. He meditated for days motionlessly, like a stone statue. Then, he suddenly attained an epiphany and opened his eyes.

Grab! Swing!

His dumbbell sword was stuck in the ground next to him. Il-Ho took it and tossed it high into the air.

“Weight Increase! Ten tons!”

Ruuumble!

Then, the sword, which had grown tremendously in size and weight, fell straight toward Il-Ho.

“Muscles!”

Growing shadow loomed over him, but Il-Ho didn’t even bother to dodge. Instead, he contracted his muscles to the point of bursting.

Swoosh!

The heavy dumbbell sword, accelerated by gravity, crushed Il-Ho with enormous pressure.

Baaam! Crunch!

Every single bone in Il-Ho’s body shattered into pieces.

“Cough! B-back to the origi...”

Ssss—

Along with Il-Ho’s dying voice, the dumbbell returned to its original size.

[Eternal Seeker looks at Il-Ho with eyes mixed with amusement and worry.]

[Eternal Seeker bestows the Blessing of the Growth God Set upon Il-Ho.]

Tzzz!

A set of Blessings of the Growth God, containing mysterious liquid, appeared before Il-Ho.

“Ugh...”

Clenching his jaws tight, Il-Ho desperately crawled toward the bottles, opening one with his teeth.

Pop! Glug glug!

Although its effects weren’t instantly visible like Yu Il-Shin’s miracle, his broken bones did heal as soon as he drank it.

“Thank you, God Seeker.” Il-Ho bowed down deeply, thanking the god. But he wasn’t done.

“Haap!” Il-Ho tossed his dumbbell sword upward once more.

“Weight Increase! Ten tons!”

Baaam! Crunch!

Again, Il-Ho was crushed by his sword. He flailed for a while, then opened another bottle of the Blessing of the Growth God. Shortly after his recovery, Il-Ho picked up the dumbbell sword again.

“Weight Increase! Ten tons!”

Baaam!

At first glance, it might seem like he was being reckless. Nevertheless, Il-Ho had gained the Blessing of Steel from the Tower of Warriors before. The more steel was impacted, the harder it became.

Il-Ho abused his body, repeating the process hundreds of times. And somehow...

Bam bam bam!

The dumbbell sword could no longer crush Il-Ho.

Clang!

Instead of the sound of breaking bones, a metallic sound one wouldn’t expect from a body made of flesh and blood rang out.

“Not enough.” Il-Ho still wasn’t satisfied.

Despite this level of durability, he still hadn’t achieved the muscles he sought. Il-Ho looked beyond the entrance of the Trial of Dead Dragon, where eerie darkness awaited. The path to true muscles laid in that passageway.

“Forgive me, God Yu Il-Shin. But I was meant to face the trials of the Tower of Warriors by myself. Relying on you will only turn me into a burden, which I, Il-Ho, doesn’t wish for.”

Thus, Il-Ho stepped into the entrance of the Trial of Dead Dragon.

Thud!

-Grrr!

-Graaaah!

As if waiting for him, over 100,000 ravenous zombies underground crawled to the surface and swarmed toward Il-Ho! They were hungry for Il-Ho’s flesh and blood!

Kwaaaa!

Il-Ho glared at the tsunami of zombies and steeled his resolve. He might have gotten the easy way out before, but this time, he wouldn’t.

Because muscles are indomitable, they never break. And muscles never back down. Such was the path to muscularity that he had come to realize through meditation.

“Come at me, you rotten pieces of meat!”

Crunch!

Il-Ho clutched his dumbbell sword tightly, nearly breaking it, as he charged into the tsunami.

“I am Il-Ho, the first warrior of the great and merciful God Yu Il-Shin! Muuuuscles!”

Baaaaam!

1. Orabeoni is another way of saying oppa, but more 'polite'. ☜