The Healing Solaris Cleric-Chapter 298: The Black Sea (1)

-Kai, get back to work. Enough variety shows—let’s have some fresh raid content like the old days!

"I’m busy, too, you know."

Han Jung-Woo shrugged, a satisfied smile on his face as he admired how his old videos were climbing the charts in reverse order, like salmon swimming upstream.

"Well, surpassing number one is probably impossible."

And for good reason because the current number one trending video starred none other than Yoo Ha-Rin.

[Come and Witness the Goddess’s Beauty]

"How am I supposed to compete with that?" Han Jung-Woo chuckled and tapped on the post.

A video automatically played, showing the final scene from Dungeon of the Absolute episode two.

A bright full moon illuminated the Ithaca Jungle’s night sky. As the female vocalist's ending song filled the air with a deep sense of lingering emotion, Yoo Ha-Rin slowly removed her helmet. The bright moonlight illuminated her stunning beauty, and the scene itself became a masterpiece.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.

-Anyone who called the Goddess a guy, get down on your knees and raise your arms.

-And those who called her ugly, raise your arms even higher.

-I’m joining the Yoo Ha-Rin fan club right now.

-How is that beauty even real... My son and I were watching in a daze, and only I got smacked by my wife.

In fact, the person who benefitted the most from Dungeon of the Absolute’s broadcast was Yoo Ha-Rin. The show had debunked the misconceptions about her being arrogant and cold, revealing instead that those were just misunderstandings. Her painful past and the quirky moments she displayed in everyday life became endearing qualities that captivated the audience.

-Ha-Rinnn :’( I’m sorry for thinking you were rude before...

-Is there anything Yoo Ha-Rin can’t do? Anyone know?

ㄴShe has no weaknesses. Based on Dungeon of the Absolute, her gear repair, gathering, and trap disarming skills are at least Intermediate Level 8. On top of that, she’s even good at cooking

-Uh... just from reading this, she kinda sounds like a jack-of-all-trades, but at that level, isn’t she basically an all-rounder? lol

The crowning moment was when her face was finally revealed. At that very instant, the viewership rating soared past 50%, making any further explanation unnecessary.

That was also the moment when Han Jung-Woo received a phone call.

Who would call me this late at night?

He tilted his head as he stared at the screen, a subtle expression forming on his face.

"Well, well, speak of the devil."

He then answered the call with a lively voice. "Hello?”

—Oh, um... Hello. This is Yoo Ha-Rin.

"Yes, I have your number saved. What's up?"

His question was met with a brief silence before Yoo Ha-Rin responded in a calm voice.

—I just wanted to say thank you. You were right.

"What do you mean I was right?"

—You told me last time at the orphanage that no matter what anyone says, I’m still me. That running away isn’t the only option. That sometimes, you have to face things head-on, even if it means getting hurt.

He did remember saying something like that. It was advice he had given her without much thought while volunteering at the orphanage, after the two of them had grown a little closer.

"Yeah, I did say that. Now that I think about it, I might have crossed the line a bit to say such a thing...”

—Don’t say that! Those words... They really made me think a lot. That’s why I took your suggestion and agreed to appear on the show.

"Are you happy with how it turned out?"

At Han Jung-Woo’s playful tone, Yoo Ha-Rin chuckled.

—Yes, I am. Oh! Not because I gained popularity or anything. Just... after going through it, I realized that what I was so afraid of wasn’t such a big deal after all. I feel lighter now, and that’s why I like it.

"There will still be people who are jealous of you, who resent you, just like before."

—That’s okay. From now on, I won’t run away and I’ll face it head-on. Really, thank you.

"Don’t mention it."

After chatting a little longer, Han Jung-Woo suggested they go hunting together sometime and ended the call.

As he stared at his now-black phone screen, he smiled.

"I’m glad."

***

Once the reconstruction of Libertia was complete, the merchant district ended up even cleaner and more efficient than before.

"Hmm. It cost money, but now that it’s finished, I have to admit this looks much better."

"Didn’t I tell you it would turn out for the better?" Karundal said proudly, puffing out his chest.

"Then, as scheduled, we’ll resume the Ultimate Blacksmith Tournament starting this weekend," Kai replied.

This time, it was Karius who boasted, raising his chin with satisfaction. "There won’t be another attack like before. Not as long as our protective reinforcement barrier is in place."

Libertia was now protected by the reinforcement barrier magic cast by the merfolk. Without official authorization from the kingdom or the Wizard Tower, no one could teleport into the territory. The barrier even served as a solid defense against external attacks, which was something Kai was very satisfied with.

The only downside is that it constantly consumes mana stones...

Maintaining a single barrier cost at most 300 gold per month. In Korean currency, that amounted to about 30 million won. For most people, it would be a significant sum, but compared to Kai’s wealth, it was nothing more than a coin drop in a fountain.

Of course, thinking of it as a form of insurance, Kai had placed barriers around all three of his territories.

"By the way, according to reports from the merfolk, one of your territories, Haveros, was it? They say it’s practically a wasteland. Are you going to leave it as it is?"

At Karius’ question, Kai scratched the back of his head and replied, "I need to develop it, of course. But I don’t have a good idea yet. I’m trying to come up with something... something truly innovative that will grab people’s attention."

"Well, I’m sure you’ll figure something out. If you ever need help, just let me know."

"Got it. For now, I’ll be away for a while, so I’ll leave the tournament in your hands."

The World Tree, Luteria, perched on Kai’s shoulder, looked up at him and asked,

—My friend, are you embarking on another journey?

"Yes. I have to fulfill the request of the Sky God."

—Oh, the Sky God... That is a familiar name.

“You know him?"

—Of course. I’ve never met him in person, but I’ve heard about him often through the birdfolk.

At Luteria’s words, the Elf Queen, Elaina, clapped her hands as if she had just recalled something. "I’ve read about it in ancient records as well. Long ago, elves and the birdfolk frequently interacted, didn’t they?"

—Well, to them, the World Tree, brimming with the power of life, was the perfect place to build their nests. That’s why elves and the birdfolk were once close neighbors.

"The birdfolk... Now that you mention it, I haven’t seen them in a long time either. What happened to them?"

At Karius’ question, Luteria shook her head.

—I don’t know the details. The last I saw of them was when the Church of Muldine invaded the continent. They were flying toward the Black Sea.

"They ran away?"

—I’m not sure. However, before they left, they told me they were departing after receiving the Sky God's revelation.

"The Sky God's revelation, huh..."

That meant the one Kai was about to meet, Iska, would likely have the answers he needed.

"Thanks for the information. I guess I'll have to hear it directly from him."

***

Since Kai had visited the Sky God's island before with Helik, he was able to return using Shadow Shift.

"You have returned."

"Yes. I have come to keep my promise."

"You are someone who understands what loyalty means."

Ding!

[Affinity with Sky God Iska increased.]

Iska fixed his sharp eagle-like gaze on Kai and said, "Do you remember what I told you last time?"

"Yes. You mentioned that you had a request regarding the fruits you had borne."

"That is correct. My fruits... You should already understand what I mean by that."

"The birdfolk."

When Kai answered without hesitation, Iska closed his eyes and gently nodded his yellow beak. "My beloved and proud... and at the same time, my pitiful and unfortunate children."

Iska's voice was embedded with regret and lingering affection. It was the kind of voice that inevitably compelled the listener to ask questions.

"What happened to them?"

"My children are currently trapped on an island in the western seas, within the Black Sea."

"They're trapped on an island...?" Kai tilted his head in confusion.

If they were birdfolk, they would obviously have wings, so couldn’t they just fly over the ocean and escape?

"I suppose this explanation will take some time." Straightening his posture, Iska continued, "This story begins hundreds of years ago, during the war between the continent and the Church of Muldine. As Helik's envoy, you must already know this, but the Church of Muldine's power back then was immense. They put up fierce resistance even while facing all forces of the entire continent."

"Yes, I am aware of that."

"The truth is, the Church of Muldine realized early on that they were at a disadvantage. Yet, they refused to retreat and held out for as long as possible."

"Why?"

"Because they had a plan that could completely turn the tide of war."

"A plan that grand?"

When Kai blinked in surprise, Iska nodded.

"As you know, the continent is surrounded by the ocean on three sides."

"That's right."

Except for the unexplored northern lands, which were said to be connected to the world's end, the west, south, and east are all bordered by the sea.

"Using that to their advantage, the Church of Muldine maintained their northern front as long as possible while preparing an attack through the sea. Their plan was to attack the human kingdoms and take their kings hostage."

"Through the sea...? But did they have the shipbuilding technology to sail around the continent at the time?"

At Kai’s question, Iska shook his head.

"It wasn’t ships. As you know, the Church of Muldine was an evil force that committed all kinds of atrocities and inhumane experiments. Alongside Aosa and Zatan, they created many other monstrous beings. And among them were creatures capable of operating in the sea.”

Pausing briefly, Iska slowly continued, "The Sea Serpent. Because of that creature, the western seas of the continent became an uninhabitable place known as the Black Sea.”