ALL NOVEL Chapter 285
Chapter 285. Departure (5)
“How can I breathe at this height?”
“… It’s more comfortable than being on the plane, though?”
The people who were flung out of the airplane were momentarily shocked by the massive incident.
They gazed in wonder at the unfamiliar view of the sky while looking down at the falling plane.
‘Is it time?’
The moment of the scheduled explosion.
Yoo Ji-han watched the airplane that was slightly smaller in his view.
Soon, a flickering light appeared from the engine of the plane, followed by small sparks and flames.
Kawa—Bang—!!!
Eventually, a huge explosion engulfed the airplane.
Thick smoke billowed, and countless fragments soared into the air!
With explosions erupting from each engine and the body of the plane, it quickly transformed into a pile of scrap metal.
‘That bastard…!’
Kim Si-hu noticed that the explosion was eerily similar to the one from the package he had received earlier.
A surge of anger boiled up from deep within him.
His magic, influenced by the raging emotions, became increasingly unstable.
“Stay calm.”
“… Okay.”
It was only after Yoo Ji-han intervened that Kim Si-hu regained his composure.
Yoo Ji-han then thought about the people who were falling.
‘This one is on a much larger scale.’
The airplane explosion was linked to Jung Young-wook, who had transformed from a promising member of the Dice Guild into a mage fleeing the scene.
Even if he was involved in this incident, it couldn’t possibly be something he orchestrated alone like Kim Si-hu’s package.
There had to definitely be someone behind it.
‘I have a rough idea of what they want.’
Using the meeting with Watanabe as part of a plan.
Yoo Ji-han understood what the architects of this plot were aiming at.
‘They want to kill us or humiliate us.’
Not being able to prevent a terrorist act despite having had the chance would be a lifetime shame to bear as a hero.
It was a flawless incident to undermine rising heroes.
‘But, why?’
Was there someone other than Jung Young-wook who harbored a strong grudge?
Yoo Ji-han briefly reflected on his past.
Excluding the events from when he hid his identity with Kim Hyun-tae’s party, since teaming up with Kim Si-hu…
If asked whether he had earned a massive grudge from anyone, he couldn’t honestly say no.
‘For instance, that guy.’
Min Ju-yong from the Nice Guild, who was an admission rival at Hero Academy.
Although there hadn’t been a direct clash, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that his relationship with Yoo Ji-han soured completely after he recruited Min Yu-ri, whom he desperately wanted.
Every time they crossed paths in the Hero Academy Building, their discomfort and hostility were quite evident.
However, since Min Yu-ri was in the party, it remained uncertain whether he would join this plan.
‘And Moon Kyung-jin.’
Moon Kyung-jin from the Knife Guild, whose name was similar to the Nice Guild.
He was a hero who had lost one of his legs and a party member during a clash with Yoo Ji-han’s party.
He was even someone who attempted to manipulate public opinion about Yoo Ji-han using their fellow survivors from Hero Academy.
Now that he was disqualified from Hero Academy and had completely disappeared, suspicion could only grow.
‘… Was there one more?’
Yoo Ji-han recalled a name he had momentarily forgotten.
IUPC, the International Union for Creature Protection.
An organization that had teamed up with the people from another world who had crossed over to Ajesia, causing large-scale terrorism in Korea.
After that incident, the IUPC members in Korea were dragged off to prison, and the Korean branch of IUPC was closed, while the international headquarters abroad faced suspicion and scrutiny from many countries.
However, the organization with unexpectedly solid support lines managed to survive by drawing a line against the events that occurred in Korea.
‘Did they say my reputation was not very good?’
Yoon Do-ha had casually conveyed a message after returning from Kallem.
It was information obtained from a low-ranking employee that the Dice Guild had planted through monetary bribes in the IUPC international headquarters.
——I hear your name often mentioned at IUPC meetings.
Despite the organization’s influence and standing sharply declining, Yoo Ji-han, rising like a star, had become a frequent topic in their discussions.
Since news would reach even a low-ranking employee, one could tell how concerned the IUPC executives were about Yoo Ji-han.
‘I don’t know exactly who’s behind this, but…’
I can’t just sit back and get slapped once.
Yoo Ji-han squinted at the sea, which was fast approaching.
“Are we, um, going to fall?”
“Wh-what do we do?! What now?!”
From cloud height, they could see the blue sea below.
People, seated tightly, rolled their eyes.
It was clear they would be underwater in just a minute.
At that moment, a man shouted.
“Yoo Ji-han! Yoo Ji-han!!”
“Yes?”
“Please, save us!”
“I will save you.”
“… But why are you just watching?”
“I’m going into the water.”
“What…!”
Heading into the water?!
The man and others gasped in shock.
Someone desperately unbuckled their seatbelt and stood on the seat, but it was futile.
“We’re falling!!”
“Waaaaahhh!!”
And as everyone eventually plunged into the water…
A thin film appeared over the bodies of the 200 or so people, looking like soap bubbles.
—Uheehee! What a fuss!
It was a wind orb generated by a Sylph.
In the sunlit waters, those holding their breath were wide-eyed.
Inside, they could breathe freely and even speak with ease.
“Wow, this is amazing.”
“Look over there! There are fish!”
“Feels a bit eerie, though…”
Flying in this new sea that resembled the sky.
Since the water didn’t touch their bodies, everyone was gazing around with wonder.
Some even pulled out their mobile phones to take pictures.
“Let’s go straight to Japan like this.”
Snap!
When Yoo Ji-han snapped his fingers, all the soap bubbles carrying people began to move.
They were headed toward Japan, where they had originally been flying.
“Where’s the nearest airport?”
“There’s a place called Komatsu Airport.”
As they headed to the nearest airport…
They spotted a huge ship approaching the surface.
*
Once aboard the ship, Yoo Ji-han was greeted with a handshake from a uniformed Japanese man.
“[It’s an honor to meet the prominent hero from Korea.]”
“This is the right way to greet me, right?”
“Perhaps?”
A Japanese passenger aboard the airplane, who could speak Korean, responded.
They were the rescue team dispatched by Japan’s Coast Guard.
“[How did you survive an exploding airplane?]”
“[I can’t believe it.]”
“[None of you even got wet.]”
The rescuers were incredibly surprised at the sight of the people who boarded the ship without any visible injuries or needing assistance.
In recent incidents they had responded to, it was the first time they had encountered such a large-scale event with no casualties.
They soon looked at Yoo Ji-han and said.
“[They say that hero saved everyone here.]”
“[I was also a hero, but your abilities are on an entirely different level.]”
“[If only we had a hero with such abilities among us…]”
The rescue team was envious of the abilities of Yoo Ji-han’s party.
Though there were people among them who were heroes, none possessed the outstanding skills to walk underwater with a group of over 200 people.
Meanwhile, Yoo Ji-han was looking into Kim Si-hu’s mobile phone.
“Si-hu, have you ever lent your phone to anyone else?”
“Uh… Why do you ask all of a sudden?”
Yoo Ji-han realized that the phone number stored in his phone for Watanabe Yosuke was incorrect.
The actual number for Watanabe was marked as spam.
‘Very crafty.’
Typically, people wouldn’t recognize an unfamiliar number, associating it based on the name stored in their contacts.
Since Kim Si-hu rarely contacted Watanabe, he had no choice but to be fooled.
‘The ticket that arrived initially wasn’t sent by Watanabe.’
The ticket that was thought to have been sent by Watanabe was actually sent by someone else.
Probably Jung Young-wook or someone behind him.
The message saying he couldn’t be contacted due to personal schedules along with the ticket was essentially to avoid them getting in touch.
[The phone number you have dialed does not exist…]
Currently, calls to that number weren’t connecting at all.
“I recently lent my phone to a stranger for a bit. They looked super anxious and said they needed to contact their parents.”
“Must’ve happened then. Do you remember what they looked like?”
“I don’t really remember… but I can find out.”
Kim Si-hu pulled out a low-grade magic stone from his pocket and imbued it with his mana.
Understanding the intent, Yoo Ji-han immediately sampled his memory.
—Ugh! Could you please lend me your phone…?
‘Is that the person?’
A woman with a nearly tearful expression, mentioning she would contact her parents while taking the phone.
Though Kim Si-hu had quickly forgotten about her, the circumstances of that time remained vivid in his memory.
Yoo Ji-han quietly watched Kim Si-hu’s mobile phone beside her.
‘Her hands are really fast.’
Tatatatata!
With surprisingly quick dexterity, the woman swapped out Watanabe’s number in the contacts.
She even made a call to another number while faking a sob!
It was as though she had hired a trained professional actor, her movements swift and precise.
“Sylph. Can you draw this woman’s face?”
—That’s…
“Not possible?”
—Very easy! Uheehee!
Returning to reality, Sylph drew a sketch of the woman on a white sheet of paper.
Seeing the perfectly drawn face that looked like a printed photo, Kim Si-hu yelled.
“Is, is this the person?!”
“We need to find her.”
As the ship carrying the party moved toward a nearby coast…
Yoo Ji-han sent a message alongside the woman’s photo.
“[We’ve arrived!]”
Having reached Japan, Yoo Ji-han’s party disembarked from the ship that had settled on the shore.
Following behind, the surviving passengers all expressed their gratitude to them.
“Thank you for saving us!”
“I will never forget today for the rest of my life!”
“How do I express my gratitude…?!”
While Min Yu-ri smiled awkwardly at the sight, Chilla raised one hand high as if he had become a famous singer.
“Chirp chirp! What’s my name?!”
“Chilla!”
“I can’t hear you! Say it again! Chirp!”
“Chilla—!!”
“Chirp, chirp chirp! Excellent!”
Indulging in the cheers, Chilla stroked his fluffy mustache proudly.
It seemed that the situation of being thanked by someone brought him considerable joy.
“Oh my, oh my! Yeo-ji!”
“Mom! Mom!”
Soon, dozens of people began to rush toward the shore.
These were the family members or acquaintances of the passengers who came looking after hearing the news.
“[Kenta! Kenta!]”
A Japanese man wearing a very luxurious suit ran over, calling out someone’s name.
Then he embraced someone of a similar age to him.
“[I thought you were dead…!]”
“[Brother. I’m not dead, so calm down.]”
The two greeted each other warmly.
After having a serious conversation, they soon approached Kim Si-hu.
“[Is this Kim Si-hu of Sweet Fun?]”
“Yes?”
Kim Si-hu looked at those calling his name.
They were unfamiliar faces.
“[We are these types of people.]”
Two men pulled out similar-looking business cards from their pockets.
Upon carefully receiving the cards, Kim Si-hu’s eyes widened.
“Raiku?!”
The identities of those two were the twin representatives of the most famous blacksmithing workshop in Japan.