700

 [Chapter 179]

[12 Years of Time]

After the regional assembly of Yongsan-gu and Jung-gu.

The power dynamics among clans in those regions changed greatly.

Of course, Pandora Clan started exerting influence in earnest, and so-called satellite clans that would act on Pandora Clan's behalf began to emerge.

"It wasn't unexpected that they would distribute roles to local clans since Pandora Clan doesn't have the manpower to manage two regions."

"The problem is that the clans taking on those roles didn't come from among us. At this rate, we'll just be pushed to the back in Yongsan-gu."

And so in Jung-gu, Hansung Clan.

In Yongsan-gu, Namsan Clan.

And separately in the Itaewon area, <Mercenary King>'s forces.

These three forces claimed to be Pandora Clan's satellite clans.

However, since Hansung Clan was originally the representative of Jung-gu, the changes in Jung-gu weren't large.

It could be said that Yongsan-gu experienced the biggest changes.

"The Pandora Clan Lord is really cunning... Using subcontracted work from business groups as if it's his own and throwing it as bait to the clans."

"When you need money, is there a time to be picky about bait? Didn't we want to bite too?"

"Yes, we wanted to bite too. But the problem is Pandora Clan threw it to the Namsan line instead of the Han River line."

Since Changhae Clan's dissolution.

Yongsan-gu was no different from a chaotic battlefield.

It was common for the representative clan to change every time there was a clan war.

Nevertheless, the clans that became representatives were limited to a few.

They were clans bordering the Han River, like DM Clan.

At some point they formed factions and took turns being the representative clan while taking profits.

In that process, they sometimes unfairly exploited the so-called Namsan factions near Namsan.

"At this rate, we Han River factions might really end up disbanding our clans."

""""Ugh...""""

To put it simply, the Han River faction and Namsan faction didn't get along.

But when Pandora Clan became the representative, the previously marginalized Namsan factions gained power.

"There's no way we'd look good in the Pandora Clan Lord's eyes. Come to think of it, weren't we the ones who most strongly opposed Pandora Clan's entry?"

"That's true, but from their perspective, we who were establishing ourselves as local influencers must have seemed dangerous."

"Is this the time to talk about that? Didn't we gather to discuss how to resolve this, not to analyze the situation?"

The Han River faction couldn't help but feel a sense of crisis.

So they even acted to please the Pandora Clan Lord in order to preserve their position.

But of all things─.

"─Why did you propose a game you couldn't win and make the situation like this?"

"Tsk, vomiting, shitting, and pissing at the dinner gathering... You really made a spectacle!"

"..."

When we should have been crawling under Noh Eunha.

The DM Clan Lord couldn't swallow his pride and proposed a game to Noh Eunha.

And got thoroughly beaten.

The Han River faction clan lords who had watched the DM Clan Lord make all kinds of disgraceful scenes then clicked their tongues.

The DM Clan Lord was too ashamed to say anything.

From the start, even within DM Clan, executives were saying the Clan Lord should be changed.

It could be said it was a miracle he was still in this position now.

Therefore─.

"─Give me one more chance. I'll do well this time."

""""..."

It was also his last chance.

If the situation continues like this, he would soon have to give up his position as Clan Lord.

So he needed to produce results.

The DM Clan Lord, who was once revered by them, bowed his head in front of them.

Then he spoke groveling.

The clan lords gestured with their chins as if telling him to speak.

"The Pandora Clan Lord probably doesn't really intend to strangle us to death. If he did that, the Namsan factions' power would grow and become difficult for Pandora Clan to handle too, would that happen?"

""""..."

"He'll probably throw some bait to us soon too. To keep the Namsan bastards in check, he'll clearly make a gesture of reconciliation to us sooner or later."

"So?"

"So we aim for that time, of course. We prostrate ourselves to the Pandora Clan Lord and beg forgiveness for the evil we've done to Pandora Clan, and entertain him extremely well."

""""..."

"Very, very well."

The DM Clan Lord snickered.

Wrinkling his face like a Hahoetal mask, he continued speaking.

"The Pandora Clan Lord is a man too. If we take him to where we play, the Pandora Clan Lord's mouth will probably open wide to his ears. Don't you think?"

"You mean teach him about entertainment. Well, since he just graduated from the Academy not long ago, he might be ignorant in that area."

"We're good at playing. Flattering others is nothing..."

Thoroughly captivate Pandora Clan Lord Noh Eunha's heart.

After hearing the DM Clan Lord's explanation.

The clan lords nodded.

Some clan lords even said vulgar things that couldn't be spoken aloud.

They snickered among themselves saying that was good too.

"Go to the place I often go. That place is really amazing."

"It's a bit expensive but a very good place for entertaining. Let's see, I should contact the madam there."

"Ah, I heard from the madam there that those girls will be coming out soon."

"Those girls? Who are they?"

"You know, those girls who were good at playing the pipa and geomungo. The girls with really amazing speaking skills. I hear they're becoming adults soon."

"Ah, those twins? Those kids really speak amusingly. They're becoming adults this year?"

"Hmm, good. With those girls, we could probably thoroughly captivate the Pandora Clan Lord's mind."

"Why just captivate his mind? Since they're adults now, they'll thoroughly captivate his soul too!"

The clan lords laughed.

Their dinner gathering where they spouted vulgar and obscene words ended like that.

And not long after, as they had expected, Noh Eunha sent a gesture of reconciliation.

"─That day, prepare the twins. Make sure to tell them not to entertain any other guys."

"I'll make sure to hold onto those girls even if I have to pay extra to the madam."

☆

After discussing with Han Seohyun and the sub-lords.

Eunha judged that Pandora Clan's current strength was insufficient to manage both Jung-gu and Yongsan-gu.

It can't be helped. I didn't expect to get Jung-gu in my hands this quickly compared to my plan.

So he decided to entrust Jung-gu to Hansung Clan for the time being.

On the other hand, as promised with <Mercenary King> before, he allowed them to have their own independent force.

He also protected them so they could have influence within Yongsan-gu and Jung-gu.

It's fortunate that public opinion supporting foreigners is growing in the Jung-gu and Yongsan-gu areas.

And Itaewon's forces are needed to keep the Yongsan-gu clans in check.

Itaewon's forces were destined to rely on Pandora Clan.

So there was no need to worry about betrayal.

That's why he allowed them to establish an independent force in Yongsan-gu.

If the local clans ever raise a rebellion, we can use Itaewon's forces.

If the Yongsan-gu clans are in a position to be kept in check.

Itaewon's forces were a sword to keep them in check and suppress them.

A sword that couldn't inflict any damage on Pandora Clan.

However─.

"─Seohyun, contact the Han River faction clans too. Tell them let's meet face to face and talk soon."

"Okay, I'll do that. It's about time to loosen up on them a bit."

They couldn't strike down all the local clans.

They were also reliable allies.

They needed to be persuaded while appropriately using the carrot and stick.

So Eunha decided to make a gesture of reconciliation to the Han River faction clans who hadn't received any work until now.

It's not good to give too much power to the Namsan faction clans either.

We need to make the Han River and Namsan factions keep each other in check, continuously drain their power, and make them submit to Pandora Clan.

We need to carefully watch the balance of power.

While deciding to give them a few carrots.

Eunha selected a date to meet with the Han River faction clans.

Han Seohyun and the administrative officers would take care of the rest.

So Eunha decided to do some training after a long time.

"Ah, Eunha."

"Eunha!"

"Noona was training too?"

"I was helping Yeonhwa train. Did you come to train too?"

"I haven't been able to move my body at all lately. Just came to stretch a bit."

Pandora Clan headquarters 3rd basement floor.

Eunha who came down to the training room was able to find Noh Euna and Ryu Yeonhwa who were coincidentally training.

Ryu Yeonhwa, who had been swinging her spear, soon welcomed Eunha too.

This worked out well.

I needed a practice partner.

Ryu Yeonhwa lifting her long hair to wipe the sweat on the back of her neck.

Eunha's eyes lit up seeing her.

"Noona, are you going to train more?"

"...Do you perhaps need a practice partner?"

Ryu Yeonhwa tilted her head.

Then she suddenly read his intention and asked.

Eunha nodded.

"I want to test a new magic, so it would be good to have a practice partner. Is your time okay? Want to do it with me?"

"Yeah, I have time. Let's do it."

Ryu Yeonhwa readily agreed.

She seemed somewhat excited.

Does she enjoy training that much?

As expected of someone who will be reborn as <Divine Spear> in the future.

Eunha burst into laughter.

Then he went up to the sparring ground she had used just before.

Ryu Yeonhwa followed behind.

"This is my first time using it too, so I'm not sure how it will go. So please be especially careful."

"Okay, got it."

"Just in case, I'll put up protective magic too!"

Magic obtained from Baek Myeonsang's skill stone.

Eunha had only embodied the principle, it was magic he was using for the first time too.

He couldn't know what would happen until he implemented it in reality.

That's why Eunha asked Ryu Yeonhwa to be careful.

Since Euna noona is putting up protective magic too, I can deploy it freely.

And since the opponent is Ryu Yeonhwa.

Since Noh Euna said she would use protective magic, there seemed to be no need to worry about danger.

Eunha drew the coldly blooming Winter and pointed it at Ryu Yeonhwa.

She also gripped her spear.

"Then I'm going."

"Okay."

Eunha closed his eyes.

He pulled out the embodied principle in his mind and constructed the most suitable form.

It was quite a complex principle.

After fumbling to construct the magic formula, Eunha could roughly understand what Baek Myeonsang's principle was.

It's magic that creates a doppelganger.

The corners of his mouth rose involuntarily.

The magic from Baek Myeonsang's principle was magic that materialized his doppelganger as a real entity, not an illusion.

But he couldn't understand how to move the doppelganger or how it was composed.

It seemed he would have to implement it to know.

And so─.

─Skill No. 001

Doppelganger

Though crude.

Eunha was able to create magic by patching together the principle.

This consumes a lot of mana.

Even though he only created one doppelganger, mana drained out in chunks.

It seemed he would have to consume quite a bit of mana even for incomplete magic.

Still, it would be good if it's efficient. If I can create doppelgangers, I can use them in various ways.

He could understand after activating the magic.

The doppelganger moves on its own without him controlling it.

From the start, he was still unskilled at magic so he didn't know how to control the doppelganger.

Anyway, he opened his eyes to check the doppelganger he created.

"""...."""

Where is it? he thought.

Eunha looked around left and right.

Then he realized Ryu Yeonhwa's gaze was directed at him.

The doppelganger was nearby.

Eunha turned his head from Ryu Yeonhwa who looked like she had been hit on the head, and lowered his gaze to the floor.

"...What are you?"

"Can't you tell by looking? I'm Eunha."

""..."

Some tiny little child.

A child with an appearance reminiscent of himself in elementary school was grabbing Eunha's pants.

When Eunha asked in bewilderment, the child retorted in bewilderment too.

"You're the doppelganger I created?"

"Why don't you believe me?"

"Hah, really..."

What an impertinent child.

Eunha was dumbfounded.

Then little Noh Eunha was also dumbfounded as he brushed up his bangs.

Right at that moment─.

"─Kyaaaah!! So cute!!"

""...!!""

"N-noona! What are you suddenly doing...!"

"Cute! The baby voice is so good! Whose little brother are you to be this cute? Ah, you're my little brother. Ah, so cute!"

Noh Euna exclaimed loudly.

Noh Euna who lost her mind seeing little Noh Eunha released the protective magic and rushed at little Noh Eunha.

Little Noh Eunha who was suddenly grabbed by her gasped for breath.

Meanwhile, Ryu Yeonhwa─.

"─So tiny. Cute..."

"Stop pulling my cheeks!!"

"What is this..."

Forgetting she was supposed to train.

Ryu Yeonhwa who threw away her spear and approached pulled little Noh Eunha's cheeks.

And the original sighed.

☆

There was no way they could train.

About 1st or 2nd grade elementary school.

What training could they do with a little kid about 120-130 cm tall?

Moreover, Ryu Yeonhwa said─.

"─I lost. I can't win."

She said that.

The person who will be reborn as <Divine Spear> in the future surrendered to little Eunha.

Regardless, they say little Eunha was busy rubbing his cheeks that had just been stretched by her.

And so─.

""""─So cute!!""""

Little Eunha had to go meet the clan members while captured by Euna and Yeonhwa.

The reactions of the clan members who saw little Eunha were all the same.

Especially the female clan members fought over who would hug him, their eyes shining.

"Ahhh! I said don't touch me!?"

"He's very polite unlike someone, even using formal speech."

"Ah, so cute! I can't believe this is Noh Eunha! How can such a little kid be Eunha!? This is too much! It's reverse puberty!"

It was utter chaos.

 Kim Minji didn't forget to insult the original while observing little Eunha.

Cha Eunwoo, who came late after hearing the news, hopped up and down to see little Eunha captured by the clan members.

Then she openly said things like it's reverse puberty and he was much better when he was younger, even though the original was right there.

"Young kids are supposed to look like that. Cha Eunwoo, you also reverse..."

"What do you know when you haven't even seen Eunwoo when she was young. But he really was better when he was younger."

"You've reverse pubertied too. Show me a photo if you have one. I'll tell you you've reverse pubertied."

Eunha opened his mouth to speak to Cha Eunwoo in anger.

Then Mok Minho snickered.

Eunha had to grind his teeth.

Meanwhile─.

"─How old is our Eunha? Hm? Tell me quickly."

"T-twenty... Ah, stop touching me!"

"What? Eight years old?"

"Jin Seona, that..."

Eunha let out a long sigh.

She's really treating little Eunha like a young child and touching him to her heart's content.

It feels like she's mocking him.

Eunha clenched his teeth.

"If you hate it so much, why don't you quickly get rid of it? Even if it's a doppelganger, I didn't want to see Eunwoo kissing your cheek."

"Put down the sword. I'm dying to get rid of it too."

Mok Minho revealed killing intent.

Eunha was dumbfounded.

Why should he be the target of killing intent?

If you're going to reveal killing intent, you should do it towards Cha Eunwoo or at least little Eunha.

Then Choi Eunhyuk who belatedly saw this scene said─.

"─We can't reveal killing intent towards a young child, Eunha."

"You put away your sword too. What on earth did I do wrong for you all to be like this?"

"Don't you know looking at it now? Seona is currently..."

"The one being sexually harassed isn't Eunwoo and Seona, it's me? Why are you all doing this to me?"

It's a total disaster.

This time Eunha had to argue with Eunhyuk.

He just felt wronged.

He hadn't done anything wrong, so why should he be treated like this by the clan members?

Rather, aren't the clan members who are shamelessly harassing little Eunha now the ones at fault?

How do I get rid of this?

I don't know how to get rid of it...

It's chaotic and just noisy.

The clan members are going crazy too.

So Eunha tried to quickly turn little Eunha back into mana.

But no matter how much he tried to cancel the magic, it wasn't happening as he thought.

It was because he hadn't fully mastered how to handle the principle forming the magic since it was so complex.

Right at that moment─.

"─Why are you bullying our child?"

""""...!!""""

Fairies' Prank

With a snap.

Hayang, who came down after working on the 9th floor, snapped her fingers.

Wind spreading from her center bound the clan members' bodies.

The wind didn't stop there.

Little Eunha who was in Jin Seona and Cha Eunwoo's arms was caught up in the wind.

Little Noh Eunha, who was already bound by magic like the other clan members, had to fly towards Jeong Hayang without being able to resist.

Soon little Eunha who was embraced by her opened his eyes wide.

"The unnies bullied you a lot so it was hard, right? It's okay now. I just spanked them."

"H-Hayang?"

"You should call me unni. Right?"

""""..."

"It's too chaotic here with so many people. Let's go up with unni. We'll play fun games up there."

"Huh? Uhh...?"

"Unni will treat you well. Let's play fun games. There are lots of yummy things up there too."

It's really, truly, a complete mess.

Before the clan members freed from the binding magic could make a move.

Hayang carries little Eunha with magic and heads towards the elevator.

The original Eunha could only sigh watching that scene.

"There's not a single sane person in this clan..."

"Hey, hey, hey! Eunha! How does it feel to have your girlfriend stolen by your doppelganger... Cough...!"

"Idiot hyung, stay quiet. Don't make it even more chaotic."

Eunha punched Jin Parang.

Meanwhile, the clan members seemed to have reached a dramatic agreement.

Before he knew it, they had all gotten on the elevator with Jeong Hayang.

Soon the elevator doors close.

Eunha was busy sighing deeply seeing the clan members crowded around little Eunha with big smiles.

Meanwhile, little Eunha who was captured by them reached out his hand to Eunha.

"─Please save me!!"

The doppelganger cries out with tears.

With that, the elevator closes.

The elevator goes up.

Eunha stood blankly in place looking up at the changing floor numbers.

I don't know anymore either.

This is really driving me crazy.

Eunha gave up thinking.