MTLNOVEL Chapter 225: To Soando Island
After a few minutes, the assistant returned to Seojun, who was patiently waiting near the main hall.
"Mr. Han, I have completed your registration," the assistant said while adjusting his glasses. "The departure for Soando Island is in a few minutes. We were lucky to register just in time."
Seojun gave a small nod, his expression calm as usual.
"The other participants are waiting in Room 431 on the second floor," the assistant continued. "It was confirmed that you'll be traveling by ship. Unfortunately, I won't be able to accompany you on the journey, but I will follow as soon as possible."
Seojun glanced at his assistant before turning his gaze toward the Elevator. "Alright," he said simply.
Seojun found the room and entered. It seemed like they were waiting for him. The room was wide, filled with many people.
"Aha! Finally, the last person!" someone exclaimed, standing up.
"Since we're complete now, we can leave, right?" another person said with an impatient tone.
Your next chapter awaits on My Virtual Library Empire
Seojun's system spoke in his mind. [Just starting, and you're already in their bad side, host.] The system laughed.
At the front of the room, a woman turned her head towards Seojun. She had brown curly hair tied in a ponytail, glasses resting on her nose, and wore a tight, stylish outfit. She looked at the holographic screen in front of her before speaking.
"You must be Mr. Han Ji-hoon?" she asked, her voice calm but professional.
Seojun nodded.The woman smiled and introduced herself.
The woman smiled and looked at Seojun.
"I'm Sylisa, Just call me Ms.Sy, the supervisor for this quest. Nice to meet you, Mr. Han Ji-hoon," she said with a friendly tone.
She then turned to the rest of the group, who were now standing. "Alright, everyone! Since we're all here, it's time to leave."
Seojun noticed some people whispering among themselves.
"Why didn't she check his Beast Doctor license?" one person muttered in confusion.
"Yeah, she looked at all of our licenses, but she didn't ask for his?" another whispered.
Before Seojun could react, the door opened, and a mage entered the room. The mage wore a long robe with glowing symbols on it. Without saying a word, the mage began chanting. A bright magic circle appeared beneath everyone's feet.
Seojun quietly stepped to the side, watching the process.
The circle glowed even brighter, and suddenly, light filled the entire room.
As Seojun covered his eyes from the sudden brightness, he slowly adjusted to the scene before him. They were now outside, standing on a dock near the sea. The sun was shining brightly above, and the sound of waves crashing against the shore filled the air.
In front of them was a massive ship, sleek and modern in design. Its metallic body reflected the sunlight, and the large sails were embedded with magical runes that glowed faintly. The ship had multiple decks, with glass-paneled walkways, and at the very top, there was a control room surrounded by reinforced windows.
Ms. Sy turned to the group and clapped her hands. "Alright, everyone! Please board the ship one by one while I check your passes."
One by one, the participants entered as Ms. Sy carefully checked their identification. Seojun, however, purposely made himself the last to enter.
When only he and Ms. Sy remained, she smiled and reached into her pocket, pulling out a small card.
"Here is your Beast Doctor license," she said, handing it to him. "I had a mage apply an illusion to it."
Seojun took the card and looked at it. The illusion had changed the name to "Han Ji-hoon," making it match his current identity. He nodded slightly and said, "Thanks."
With that, he entered the ship.
Inside, the ship was more advanced than he expected. The floors were made of reinforced steel with elegant patterns engraved into them. Magic-powered lights lined the ceilings, creating a soft but bright glow. Transparent windows stretched across the halls, giving a full view of the endless ocean.
There were floating holographic signs that directed passengers to different areas—dorms, training rooms, dining halls, and even a leisure area with a library and a game center.
Ms. Sy walked to the center of the group, her heels clicking against the smooth floor. "We will be on this ship for the next 24 hours before we arrive at the island. While we're traveling, I will be giving you all a tour of the ship to help you settle in."
She gestured towards the hallway ahead. "Follow me, and I'll show you around."
As Seojun stood with the others, some people quietly whispered to each other. One man leaned over to his frien and said, "Originally, going to Soando only takes not more than 8 hours, right?"
His friend, clearly not impressed, turned to him and scoffed. "What are you, some kind of rookie? Did you just wake up yesterday?" he said with a mocking tone.
A couple of other passengers nearby overheard the conversation and couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, seriously. The world's been changed for 5 years now. Dungeons, monsters, players—everything's different. You really think the seas are still the same as before?" one of them chuckled.
The man who had asked the question looked uncomfortable, clearly not expecting such a response. He scratched the back of his head. "But... why would it take 24 hours now? Isn't that a bit much?"
Another person rolled their eyes. "The seas aren't safe anymore, you idiot. The monsters are everywhere, and some areas are even blocked off now. You don't just go straight to your destination like before. The waters are full of dangers. That's why we're taking the long way."
One more person added, "You should've known. Haven't you heard of the sea monsters and all the new things popping up? You really think it'd be the same as 5 years ago?"
The first man stood there, now red-faced, as the others laughed softly at his expense. He mumbled, "I... I didn't realize. Guess I've been out of the loop."
As Ms. Sy continued giving the group a tour of the ship, Seojun followed along with the others. The group was a mix of different personalities—some serious, others chatty—but Seojun didn't pay much attention.
The ship was massive, with multiple decks, lounges, and even a garden area. Ms. Sy explained everything in detail, pointing out the different rooms, the places for relaxation, and the various amenities available to the passengers.
As they passed through one of the lounges, Seojun noticed the guy from earlier—who had been standing with the group—move away from the others and walk toward him. He was trying to act casual, but Seojun could tell the man was a little nervous. The guy finally came to a stop beside Seojun, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
Seojun glanced over at him but didn't say anything. The man seemed unsure, but after a few moments, he spoke up.
"You probably think I'm an idiot too, right?" the man asked, his voice a little hesitant, but there was a nervous laugh in it.
Seojun gave him a quick look, not bothering to hide his thoughts. "Yeah," he replied bluntly.
The guy froze, wide-eyed, not expecting such a straightforward answer. His face flushed red, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say. But then, as if realizing there was nothing else to do, he let out a chuckle.
"Hah... wow, okay. Didn't expect you to be that honest," he said, scratching his head, clearly embarrassed but also amused. "I thought you were one of those nice people who'd just... let it slide."
Seojun shrugged, not really caring about being kind or pretending to be anything he wasn't. "It's not about being nice. It's about being honest. If you're acting foolish, might as well own up to it."
The man laughed awkwardly, rubbing his neck. "Yeah, guess you're right... I've just been out of touch with everything. It's been five years, and things are completely different now."
Seojun nodded but didn't say anything. He didn't feel the need to engage much. Instead, he focused on the tour around him, his gaze wandering toward the other passengers.
The man, feeling a little less nervous now, continued. "I didn't even realize how bad it was until I woke up. It's... it's a lot to take in," he said, pausing for a moment. "I was in a coma for five years. I woke up last month, and everything had completely changed. I didn't know what was going on at first, but now... it's like the world is not the same anymore."
Seojun glanced at him once more, his tone calm and matter-of-fact. "The world changes. You either adapt or get left behind."
The man, now more serious, nodded slowly. "Yeah, I think I'm starting to get that now... I'm gonna work on it. Thanks for not sugarcoating it." He gave Seojun a grateful look.