Arena

We spent a good amount of time in leisure. Occasionally, we took the car and went to play around here and vacationed over there and when we were home we would spar.

Cha Ji-hye and Marie teamed up to attack me but because I had reflex mastery and dynamic visual acuity, it became a pretty even fight.

We ate and watched TV as we hung out and when we got bored at night we looked into getting more information about the territory I was given.

I was able to study a lot since the Korean Arena Research Agency and the Nordic Exam Group as well, gave me their intel.

First of all, I saved the data to my tablet and decided to look at it now and again.

I could look at it when I’m in Arena so there was no reason to rush the studying. I mean, it’s already been proven that I’m a dud when it comes to studying. Just look at the civil servants exam for evidence.

And I received communication from Chief Lim Chul-ho and Chairman Park Jin-seong on a regular basis.

We were getting closer to having Chairman Maglun, the representative for America’s Arena businesses, join our side.

And finally, I received word through Chief Lim Chul-ho that Chairman Maglun had made it to Korea.

Several days later, a car from the Korean Arena Research Agency arrived.

We took the car and arrived at the helipad of a nearby army base, then took the helicopter to move to the Korean Arena Research Agency.

“It’s been a long time. The chairman is looking forward to seeing you again.”

Same as last time, Dana came up and greeted me.

Chairman Maglun was smiling behind him.

It seemed he came with no other entourage besides Dana Litalin.

“Now that we’ve all gathered, we should head on inside. Or would you like to tour the outside of the research agency?”

Chief Lim Chul-ho had asked me that before and was now was asking Chairman Maglun in English.

Chairman Maglun nodded his head and said something as he pointed to the shores encircling the research agency island.

Dana kindly explained to me what has happening in Arena’s language since I don’t know English.

“He would like to feel the breeze.”

“Oh……”

Cha Ji-hye, of course, and even Marie knew some English so they were able to somewhat understand the conversation so I was the only one that was embarrassed. I really have no relationship with studying.

Circling once around the island that the research agency is situated on, Chief Lim Chul-ho explained the various parts of the island.

Seeing an old ajusshi explain fluently in English, I was just in awe. These social elites sure are different.

It was when Chief Lim Chul-ho and Chairman Maglun were looking at the scenery around the research agency.

“Mr. Kim Hyun-ho?”

Dana approached me.

“Yes, Mr. Litalin.”

“Your recent growth has been impressive.”

“I had a lot of luck.”

“It does indeed look that way. Since you have so many special skills that others don’t even have one of. The spirit summons or the flame of life, it seems this time around as well you have gained something?”

“Yes.”

I acknowledged it honestly. What’s the point in hiding it? I’ll end up showing it to him in the deal anyway.

I just had to not show him that I could bring electronics through to Arena via my virtual space.

Would he faint if I told him I’m working with the Nordic exam group on a plan to send up a satellite in Arena?

“It won’t be a plain assist skill that can be gained with a karma prize, it must be a special skill.”

He knew exactly what the skill couldn’t be.

I neither agreed nor disagreed.

“But there is something I’m very curious about.”

Asked Dana suddenly.

“I too have used magic and all sorts of things to attempt to create majeong in our world and failed at them all. How is it that you, through what means, can acquire majeong in a place that isn’t Arena?”

“I can bring animals that inhabit Arena over to Earth.”

At my words, Dana momentarily went blank. Then, his face washed over with surprise.

“That is possible?”

“Yes.”

“I have tried many things myself, no matter how many protective measures I used through magic, I couldn’t even bring back small bugs, not even a plant seed. They disappeared without a trace.”

“I have a special skill, it’s a storage skill like the item bag. When I raised the skill level, it became possible to store living organisms.”

I can store electronics too but I don’t need to tell him that.

“Then you can also bring back beasts?”

“If I capture them without killing them. But I don’t want to bring any beasts back. It would be a bit too dangerous having a beast reside on our world.”

“That is a very interesting skill. So your special skill is actually the ability to make skills such as these, is it not?”

Yeah, but hold up, why do you keep single-handedly interrogating me?

Instead of answering, I replied with a question.

“There’s something I’ve been curious about too, Mr. Litalin. Are you currently clearing the missions still? Or are you postponing the exams and becoming a corrupt examinee?”

I was asking him to reveal his secret since I told him mine.

Dana laughed as he answered.

“I’ve pushed it off for 4 exams. It hasn’t been that long now but I’ve started accruing minus karma.”

“I see.”

Though officially, it’s been recorded that he has enough karma to be ranked 1stin the world. This had to mean that he’s cleared that many missions.

I think Dana Litalin is probably a lot closer to the ends of the exams than I.

Maybes that’s why he can’t clear any more and keeps pushing it off.

If, from that point on, not knowing that that might be the end of the exams, he may have guessed he was already at the final destination.

And he’s been using the word magic a lot.

It isn’t hard to deduce that his main skill is magic.

‘The fact that Chairman Maglun has come to Korea means that he’s thinking of accepting our deal though, doesn’t it?’

Chairman Maglun was also a senator, there’s no way he didn’t understand the context. He would’ve known what we wanted right away.

We will show you a way to get majeong, he will have come to Korea knowing our intent to target the exams.

“Sylph.”

-Meow?

Sylph appeared midair and was being cute, rubbing her face on me.

“Can you see if anyone is watching us nearby?”

-Meow.

Sylph immediately went up into the sky.

Having circled around us once, Sylph returned and shook her head.

It meant there was no one watching.

I looked to Dana and smiled.

“Shall I show you what you were most curious about?”

“I really want to see it.”

Dana smiled wide too. Really, he looked like a Hollywood actor with an awesome smile.

I glimpsed back at Cha Ji-hye but thankfully, even at Dana’s awesome smile, she showed no reaction.

Marie too had no interest in Dana and was just looking at me, with an expression of quick, show me something interesting.

I took out the 3rd rake eagle from my virtual space.

The 1st and 2nd are already full grown, the 6th and 7th are excessively large, so there’s a chance they could reveal my expedited growth skill.

So that’s why I picked the 3rd of the babies who was the average size of a rake eagle.

It was still a baby and wasn’t full grown but Dana wouldn’t know that.

“Beek?”

Suddenly being thrust outside, the 3rd looked around the surroundings.

Through the mastered animal training skill, I could tell how number 3 was felling.

Suspicious but curious.

There was no fear because, I, the owner, was right next to it.

“It is a rake eagle.”

Said Dana with a surprised face as he looked at number 3. Number 3 looked back at Dana, staring, as if to say ‘what are you looking at?’

Number 3 looked at me to ask ‘is it okay if I bite him’ but I shook my head.

Number 3, having been trained to not bite anyone without my order, tsk tsk’ed his lips as if he was disappointed.

“Have you got an animal training skill?”

“Yes, mastery.”

“You’ve got a fun assist skill.” freℯ𝓌e𝚋𝐧𝘰vℯl.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Dana stretched out his hand to number 3.

Oddly, I think he didn’t like Dana.

He was so docile even when he met Cha Ji-hye.

“Woah! Wowwww!”

This shouting voice full of excitement was none other than Marie.

Marie pointed to number 3 as she asked me.

“Is this Hyun-ho’s?”

“Yes.”

“Me! Me, I want to touch it! No, I want to ride it!”

“Do as you wish.”

“Hehehe!”

Marie ran up to number 3 and hugged it.

This time, unlike with Dana, he gently let himself be hugged by Marie.

Seeing this brought up a hypothesis for me.

‘Does it not like men?’

Then again, number 3 is a male.

“Mr. Kim Hyun-ho? What is that……”

Chief Lim Chul-ho, who had been conversing many things with Chairman Maglun, asked as he came over this way.

Since a large eagle appeared out of nowhere it was enough to surprise anyone.

Chairman Maglun was looking at number 3 with surprised eyes, as he said something in English too. Dana, in turn, replied in English and it looked like he was explaining to Chairman Maglun.

Chairman Maglun said something in English again and Dana looked at me as he translated.

“If it is not dangerous, the chairman would like to touch him.”

“He can. He won’t attack.”

Chairman Maglun carefully approached number 3, who was currently being hugged by Marie.

Chairman Maglun’s right hand headed towards number 3’s head but his hand was slightly shaking as if he was scared that he would be pecked and injured.

But number 3 calmly accepted his hand.

Because of my order, it didn’t react with any refusal and accepted it.

It didn’t feel upset or repulsed by it either.

‘How strange?’

It got so upset when Dana tried to touch him, so what is the reason he is calmly accepting Chairman Maglun’s hand?

So it’s incorrect that he just doesn’t like males and it made me more curious.

That means there’s something about Dana that got on his nerves.

But it’s not something that really matters so I didn’t think much of it. If the opportunity arises later I’m sure I’ll find out then.

While he was petting number 3’ head, Chairman Maglun said something to me.

I, of course, couldn’t understand but from beside me, Cha Ji-hye kindly interpreted.

“He’s asking if you can bring back any animal.”

I nodded my head.

“As long as it’s an animal that won’t cause damage to the Earth. But there is a limit to the volume so it would be better if it wasn’t a too big of an animal.”

Cha Ji-hye nodded her head and explained in English to Chairman Maglun.

On top of that, Chief Lim Chul-ho, in English, added some explanation to it.

I couldn’t understand but here and there I could hear the word ‘Big Rat’, so he must be telling him about the failed Big Rat ranch.

Carefully looking at number 3 and listening to the story, Chairman Maglun’s eyes shone bright and he threw out a question.

Dana translated it.

“The chairman is asking what you want in return.”

“I think he already knows what I want.”

Dana smiled wide and delivered my words to Chairman Maglun.

Chairman Maglun smiled and said something in English to Chief Lim Chul-ho.

Chief Lim Chul-ho then said.

“He said let’s go inside and work out a deal.”

“Let’s.”

I put number 3 back in the virtual space before all of us moved inside the research agency.