Expelled Hero Is Too Strong

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Chapter 291. Question (2)

Cassandra’s Unique Skill, Prophecy.

The Prophecy was the ability to read fragmented information about the future.

It primarily revealed abstract information, but when combined with an artifact made specifically for her, the information became a bit more concrete.

Sometimes it showed sounds, sometimes images, and occasionally even videos.

There were even moments when she could perceive smells and tactile sensations.

However, there were instances where the future revealed nothing at all.

“Cassandra. If I remember correctly, that means…!”

Watanabe furrowed his brow tightly.

When nothing is visible in Cassandra’s prophecy, it indicates the impending death of a person.

“I wouldn’t recommend using the skill again.”

“…I’ve already used it twice.”

“What?!”

“The results don’t change.”

Cassandra shook her head at the unbelievable result after using the skill again.

When using the prophecy on the same person, it always yields the same outcome unless at least two months have passed in between.

Because of this, she typically only accepts clients who haven’t had their fortune told in over three months.

“Why is this happening? When I viewed it in Korea, it was definitely… No, it’s been quite some time, so the results could vary… But this is too big of a change… The rings rotating in the opposite direction must have some reason behind it…”

Cassandra muttered quickly to herself in a quiet voice.

It became so serious that those around were too afraid to interrupt.

At that moment, Kim Si-hu raised his hand cautiously.

“Um, is it a problem that nothing is visible?”

“This is a future that occurs for those who will die soon.”

“…!”

“It mainly appears for critically ill patients and elderly people in their 90s nearing the end of their lifespan… Ah.”

Oh no!

Cassandra covered her lips with her palm as she had absentmindedly continued explaining.

When telling a client about the results of the prophecy, she should explain as gently as possible.

She had carelessly blurted out her thoughts without caution.

“What did you just say?”

Lee Mi-a walked right up to Cassandra.

With tightly closed lips and narrowed eyes that were thinner than usual.

She looked a bit angry.

“Did you just say Ji-han is going to die?”

“…It’s not certain.”

“Then what is it?”

“There were just many cases of people who passed away. Of course, there was one exception.”

All but one of the individuals Cassandra couldn’t see in her prophecy had died.

However, even that exception had once been in a life-threatening situation.

They had merely survived by luck in a basement of a building with inadequate earthquake resistance.

It was a rare case where only one survivor remained from an accident that took over 100 lives.

“Chirp! Unfortunately, every living being learns they will eventually die!”

“That’s true,”

Chilla said, and Min Yu-ri nodded in agreement.

Every human eventually dies.

That is an unavoidable fate for any living being.

No matter how strong the body or how powerful the magic, living just a little longer than others doesn’t mean much.

One can never completely overcome the limits of their species.

“What I saw was not a distant future but a near one.”

However, what Cassandra glimpsed in her prophecy was within a year as the furthest timeline.

That meant Yoo Ji-han could die within the year.

‘I don’t like this.’

Lee Mi-a glared with dissatisfaction.

Even if the person in front of her was a Rank 1 Hero and exceptionally talented.

It deeply upset her to casually discuss Yoo Ji-han’s death.

At that moment, Yoo Ji-han spoke.

“You mentioned an exception.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Then it’s simple.”

“Pardon?”

“I just need to become the second exception.”

“…!”

As she watched Yoo Ji-han respond calmly, Cassandra’s eyes widened.

“You told me long ago that I have a tumultuous fate.”

“Y-yes, that’s right.”

“This time will be no different.”

Cassandra nodded without thinking.

Where does that confidence come from?

‘He can’t really be unaware of who he is.’

A hero who could comfortably count all the world’s celebrities among his clients.

Cassandra, the fortune-teller whom even the haughty Rank 1 Heroes visit first, bowing their heads.

As she had predicted his future before,

Yoo Ji-han and his party rapidly grew while facing daunting challenges.

By this point, he surely understands that prophecies are no joke.

“The forest must be Grudia, right? The air there must be really pure.”

—Of course! The air in Grudia can’t even be compared to that of Earth!

Yet he appeared completely unfazed, as if he knew this would happen from the start.

The look of expectation on his face was as innocent as a child’s.

—Hey! Crystal!

“Crystal? You mean me?”

Cassandra, referred to as Crystal by the Sylph, pointed to herself.

Was she being called Crystal because of the artifact…?

Thinking this, she heard the Sylph speak.

—Can you see my future too?

“It’s impossible for spirits.”

Seeing the future of spirits, which differ from ordinary beings, was a difficult task.

She had tried multiple times with Japan’s Spirit Masters, but nothing ever came through.

—Hehe! This is such a joke!

“J-joke…?”

Cassandra, who had not been dismissed by anyone in the past five years!

Not even the Prime Minister of Japan had neglected to check in on her regularly.

—There are variables, so don’t worry about Ji-han.

Cassandra had no choice but to remain silent, unable to argue against the Sylph’s words.

*

All predictions by party members other than Yoo Ji-han pointed to a forest.

The moment it became clear it referred to Grudia, which is predominantly forested.

“Can we use this entire area?”

“Feel free to use it as much as you like.”

Yoo Ji-han’s party rested for a night in the hotel prepared by Watanabe.

The rooms assigned to each party member were so spacious it felt wrong to use them alone.

After visiting a nearby hot spring and returning to the hotel,

Kim Si-hu, who grew bored in the large room, kept dropping by Yoo Ji-han’s room.

“Hyung, about what Cassandra said earlier…”

“Are you worried?”

“A little.”

Cassandra’s prophecy, which was not just some ordinary fortune-telling.

If he wasn’t worried, it would be a lie.

To that, the Sylph spoke.

—She’s surprisingly a joke.

“No one else would call her that.”

—Haha! A joke is a joke!

Kim Si-hu sighed, watching the Sylph flit around aimlessly.

Meanwhile, Yoo Ji-han fell into a moment of thought.

‘A future that is invisible…’

A future that had mainly appeared for the dead.

But why was the voice of the woman he heard while crossing dimensions coming to mind?

——You will despair and, in despair, end your life by your own hand!

A woman who blamed and cursed Yoo Ji-han more than anyone else in the world.

She certainly wanted his death.

‘Is it something I’ll hear again when crossing the dimension?’

The woman’s voice that couldn’t even be heard in dreams.

It was something he could only encounter while crossing the border of dimensions.

He resolved to confirm that while heading to Grudia shortly.

And the next day.

After meeting with Watanabe again, Yoo Ji-han said,

“Would you like to come with us to Grudia?”

Yoo Ji-han explained the brief circumstances surrounding Grudia and requested Watanabe’s company.

Watanabe, who had shown a reliable figure more than anyone else in Kallem.

The operation targeting Desa in Maz wouldn’t have been possible without him managing other regions!

Thus, if Yoo Ji-han was to entrust his back to someone who wasn’t a party member,

He wanted it to be someone like Watanabe or Yoon Do-ha.

“I understand the intention behind this request.”

“We will provide compensation as long as we can.”

“Hahaha, I appreciate the kind offer! …But it might be a bit difficult.”

Watanabe shook his head regretfully.

“I would like to join, but there are too many people around me trying to dissuade me.”

Watanabe’s family and friends, his guild.

And even the Japanese Hero Department and the government directly intervening!

With so many who hadn’t returned from another world aside from the Kallem Expeditionary Force,

It had become very difficult for Watanabe to leave Japan for his safety.

“Heroes from Japan, including myself, won’t be able to go to another world for the time being.”

“I see.”

“I’m sorry I can’t be of help.”

“It’s okay.”

Yoo Ji-han smiled bitterly.

He wasn’t too disappointed since he somewhat expected that response.

“Is Yoon Do-ha unable to go either?”

“I don’t think he can be absent either.”

The only Rank 1 Hero who had successfully returned to Korea, Yoon Do-ha.

While he was away, many tasks piled up in the Dice Guild.

Also, the Hero Department would be worrying about the complete disappearance of a Rank 1 Hero in Korea.

Taking Yoon Do-ha to Grudia was almost impossible.

‘There’s no one to take with me.’

Yoo Ji-han lamented his lack of connections.

Then he suddenly thought of Kim Hyun-tae’s party from Keroes.

But he realized they also hadn’t returned from the other world.

‘They seem like useless folks.’

And so, time in Tokyo passed.

*

“Thank you for the past few days.”

“It’s a shame you’re leaving so soon.”

After resting in Tokyo for about four days, Yoo Ji-han’s party bid farewell to Watanabe.

Lee Mi-a said with a slightly sulky face.

“Tokyo wasn’t so bad after all.”

“What’s that you’ve got in your hand?”

“…….”

Lee Mi-a silently hid the bag she was holding behind her back.

Her bag and suitcase, stuffed with various food items, were bulging, making her worry it might burst.

“Chirp!”

Chilla’s bag, also filled with a giant lollipop, was no different.

Cassandra, who had come to see them off with Watanabe, slightly glanced at Min Yu-ri’s face.

“Did you like the results of your love fortune from yesterday?”

“…Is it really accurate?”

“Hmm, just wait and see.”

Min Yu-ri wore a complex expression.

Cassandra smiled at her.

“Wishing you all a safe journey.”

A little while later, the vehicle carrying Yoo Ji-han’s party headed toward the subway station.

They were to move on to Kyoto, where Kim Si-hu’s father, Kim Geon-oh, was.

“No way, is that…!”

“Wow……!”

“……!”

Upon boarding the high-speed train specially prepared for heroes, all eyes focused on them.

As they took their seats, they felt the stares and the murmurs surrounding them.

It was a moment when the previously bustling subway fell into a deep silence.

‘They’re all watching us.’

Was it because of the culture known as meiwaku in Japan?

It felt like they wanted to speak but didn’t want to be a nuisance.

After traveling by train for about two hours.

Upon arriving in Kyoto, Yoo Ji-han’s party quickly exited the subway station.

In the lead was Kim Si-hu, who had previously come to Kyoto with his father.

“They said to wait over here…”

Kim Si-hu looked around in front of a building.

Just then, a man was running towards them from a distance.

“Dad!”

“Son!”

It was Kim Geon-oh, who had promised to meet them today.

As soon as he arrived, he gently embraced Kim Si-hu.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t go to Korea.”

This was their first meeting since Kim Si-hu returned from Kallem.

The way he lovingly ruffled his son’s hair was the very image of a father.

And.

—…….

The Sylph, small enough to fit in Yoo Ji-han’s pocket, was silently watching Kim Geon-oh.