[Warning: grammatical errors, swear words]
___
Most of them were doing whatever they wanted. Some just sat at their place, some walked around the room, some looked toward the big screen.
TBOAH!Cale was one of the people who simply stayed put in his place. With a bottle of wine in his hand and flushed face, he looked around the place.
"Want some snacks?"
Ren sat beside him like before as he handed some of the desert he brought.
"... You don't want to switch place?"
TBOAH!Cale said in a whisper, but Ren could hear him just fine.
"What? You also want to kick me off of my seat?"
"What? No. It just..."
"Too lazy to switch. If you don't want me here, you're free to go."
Ren shrugged him off while he stuffed some desert onto his mouth. He missed this kind of luxury.
"I don't know what you went through."
Ren only looked toward the plate on his hand.
"But you're still alive. It's the bare minimum, but it's good enough."
He put some of the desert on his fork and place it in front of TBOAH!Cale.
"I always think sweet foods help with my mood."
TBOAH!Cale lightly push Ren's hand away before he put down the wine bottle and picked another desert for himself.
"Ha, and here I am, kind enough to give you some of my portion."
Ren said it with a snort, but TBOAH!Cale didn't feel any real venom behind his words.
"Now that I think about it. Didn't she called you 'Spara'?"
TBOAH!Cale said as he eat his desert with that elegance a supposed to be trash shouldn't possess.
"Oh? That," Ren cut another piece. "Because it's my middle name."
TBOAH!Cale stopped his movement. He stared at Ren.
"Your middle name?"
"Yes."
"You two must be close."
Now it was Ren who stopped his hand and looked toward him as if questioning what he was talking about.
"She called you with your middle name. So you two must be close... Right?"
"... Yes and no. I guess we have different culture."
Ren continued eating. TBOAH!Cale followed along. They sat in silence as they enjoy their deserts.
Not long after, there was another blinding light covering the room. They could see Nela standing right in front of the big screen.
"Took you long enough."
Noire said as she eat some chips that was placed between her and Kim Rok Soo.
"For your information, I'm not that free."
"What's that on your hand?"
Kim Rok Soo asked her when he saw some papers on her hands.
"Polling."
"About what?"
"Our next reaction."
Nela snapped her fingers, catching everyone attention.
"For the next reaction, I've had asked some people? Being? Whatever, for their opinion. And we got... Choi Han."
"Yes?"
Both Choi Han said at the same time. They were surprised because they got chosen.
"I hope you don't mind. Or do you want anything for a trade?"
TBOAH!Choi Han looked hesitate to answer, while TCF!Choi Han got a quick sermon of how he shouldn't let his information got showed for free.
In the end both of them agreed with the compensation to have some spars.
"Are you two sure? Noire will be happy, but this is not for her."
"Come on, just let them! If they want to fight, I'll give them the fight."
"And why me? You guys don't even know if I can fight!"
Noire and Ren exclaimed almost the same time.
"I want to see you fight though."
TBOAH!Cale off handedly commented.
"... Fuck you."
Ren sat back quietly.
TBOAH!Cale looked at him incredulously.
"... Fuck you too."
Nela awkwardly sat beside Noire and Kim Rok Soo.
"Let's just begin."
NAME
Choi Han
최한
ALIASES
Punk (by Ron)
Little Han (by Lee Soo Hyuk)
Choi Han of the Black Blade
Cale Henituse's guardian knight
"Oh, that's cute. Little Han."
Kim Rok Soo said with a smirk. He maybe already in neutral term with Choi Han, but he still wouldn't miss out the chance to tease him.
"Didn't this Lee Soo Hyuk person in another world? How can you guys met?"
Ren asking the real question everyone wondering about.
"Choi Han of the Black Blade? Sounds chuuni."
Noire also commented.
TCF!Choi Han hid his face with his hands. It really felt embarrassing for him even though it was only the beginning.
RELATIVES
Unnamed Parents (†)
Choi Jung Soo (nephew once removed,†)
Choi Jung Gun (uncle,†)
"Choi Jung Soo is the one in the Kim Rok Soo wiki right? Are they the same person?"
TBOAH!Cale asked.
"Yes, they are."
TCF!Choi Han answered him. It felt weird when he saw TBOAH!Cale, because he didn't have the same feeling he got from TCF!Cale. But it was one of the reasons TCF!Choi Han thought he was interesting.
TBOAH!Choi Han just read and watched in silence. He had heard about his uncle, but if his name was shown did it meant there was any correlation between them?
"Am I wrong to assume that there's something going on with your family?"
Ren asked TCF!Choi Han.
"Well, you can say that."
"Hmm," Ren hummed while nodding his head. "It's sucks right."
"What?"
"When you found out there's some secret about your family."
"You speak like you know it."
Noire chimed in.
"Kind of. The day I found out about that family's secret stuff was the day I found out I got disowned."
"Pfft."
Now it was TBOAH!Cale who splutter his drink.
"What the fuck?"
"The biggest 'what the fuck' moment in my life."
Ren casually nodded. Everyone glanced back toward the screen.
OCCUPATIONS
Swordmaster
Dragon Slayer
"What?"
"Dragon slayer?!"
Many people from TBOAH side looked toward TCF!Choi Han. He just awkwardly scratched his cheek.
"Ho."
TBOAH!Eruhaben looked toward TCF!Choi Han in interest.
AFFILIATIONS
Cale Henituse
Henituse Family
ABILITIES
Swordsmanship
Black Yong (east asian dragon)
"East Asian? Let me guess, it's another place?"
TBOAH!Alberu said with excitement gleaming on his eyes.
"Yes, your highness. It's part of continent."
TCF!Choi Han answered him.
"How do you get that?"
TBOAH!Choi Han asked him.
"Ah, that. I guess it'll be a little hard to explain, but someone give it to me."
TBOAH!Choi Han nodded at the answer.
ANCIENT POWERS
Sword of Disasters
Abandoning Life
Controlling Wyverns
"You also have ancient powers."
TBOAH!Choi Han inhaled sharply. He really felt like he was left behind. He already felt it from the moment they met, that he was weak, so weak compared to his counterpart.
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
MARITAL STATUS
Single
AGE
+60
17-18 years old (outer appearance)
"Noona, hyung really is an old man."
TBOAH!Lock said in half whisper, trying to lessen the tension on TBOAH!Choi Han.
"Yes, Lock, you're right."
TBOAH!Rosalyn also followed along.
They knew they successful when they could see that TBOAH!Choi Han tried his best to keep his corner lips from going upward.
DATE OF BIRTH
8th November
PLACE OF BIRTH
South Korea (Earth)
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
SPECIES
Human
GENDER
Male
HEIGHT
180 cm
EYE COLOR
Dark
HAIR COLOR
Black
"Hair color, black, eye color, dark, like my soul."
Ren commented in a low voice.
"...What?"
Ren sat beside him so TBOAH!Cale could hear almost everything he said under his breath.
"Hm? Don't mind me."
Ren glanced a bit at him before looking back toward the screen.
'How can I not?'
TBOAH!Cale decided to heed on his advice.
Choi Han was the original protagonist of The Birth of a Hero novel. In the current story, he becomes a loyal follower of Cale, who reached out a hand to help Choi Han after the destruction of Harris Village, and gave him a purpose and a place.
TBOAH!Choi Han frowned a little. It was different from his experience.
From what we have seen, we know that he is likely over a hundred years old, and has possibly even lived for several centuries, though he has the appearance of a 17 or 18-year-old. It is confirmed that he is at least quite a bit older than Ron, who is known to be over 60.
Another blur in the text was not missed by those who read intently.
"I'm really curious about that blurred part."
TCF!Alberu said to no one in particular.
Appearance
He has black hair and black eyes. Although his face is naturally kind and easy-going, frequently described as being pure, he's often seen wearing a cold expression, or generally one that is more mature than his physical age. He is handsome enough to draw people's gazes towards him.
Many people looked toward their respective Choi Han.
"Maybe because he's from another world, he really has different feel from others."
TCF!Rosalyn said as she looking toward TCF!Choi Han's face.
Both Choi Han felt embarrassed by people's attention toward them.
At the beginning, his clothes were worn-out and black, being described by a priest of the God of Death as something similar to a beggar’s.
"Even though I don't want to be associated with them, I still want to say sorry if they offended you."
TCF!Cage said with an awkward smile.
"Please don't worry. I also aware of my state at the time."
TCF!Choi Han answered her.
Personality
He is a hero for justice. He protects the weak and destroys the evil and the corrupt. He cares deeply for his new family and grows stronger to try to protect them.
"Your typical good natured protagonist."
Noire commented.
"Don't forget, he's also op."
Nela added.
TCF!Choi Han smiled a little. He would do anything to protect his new family.
TBOAH!Choi Han's eyes shook. New family. He then looked toward TBOAH!Rosalyn and TBOAH!Lock. They met not long ago, but looking at the situation from the other side, he could count on them to be his new family.
When he is fighting with his enemies, he is very cruel and cold-hearted and will completely destroy them, especially if the enemies hurt Cale or anyone of his family members in any way.
TCF!Choi Han nodded. No one hurt his family and left unscathed.
As remarked by Ron in particular, while Choi Han acts incredibly respectful towards Cale, to others he doesn't quite grant the same pleasure, showing a much more crass and disrespectful behaviour, even towards elders.
"Oh? Really?"
TCF!Cale, who kept silent the entire time finally spoke. He looked toward TCF!Choi Han as if asking some explanation.
"Well, Cale-nim, that is..."
TCF!Choi Han hanged his head low. Unknown to TCF!Cale, he actually glared at TCF!Ron who looked at him with a smug face.
Between Rosalyn, Lock, and Choi Han, he appears to be the calmest, but is actually the most vicious of them.
Both Rosalyn held their laugh at this. TCF!Rosalyn knew this already, but for TBOAH!Rosalyn, she knew that TBOAH!Choi Han was vicious, but she didn't know how much.
Background
Choi Han was sent to the Forest of Darkness when he was 17 years old. He had nothing but his school uniform on him.
"So you got sent either on your way to school or after school?"
Ren asked for a clarification.
"I'm sorry, I don't remember anymore."
TCF!Choi Han answered him. There was a tinge of bitterness behind his words.
He lived in the forest of darkness for tens of years after his sudden world-crossing into the forest.
"Your tenacity is crazy."
Ren commented. Everyone who heard him agreed. Not many would survive if they were on his shoe.
Before he fell into the world of [The Birth of a Hero] Choi Han lived in a village in the countryside, where his family had the biggest tiled-roof house in the entire neighborhood.
Plot
Original Plot
In the original novel, "The Birth of a Hero", Choi Han is the protagonist and the narrator. He transmigrates from Korea to Cale's world and lands in the Forest of Darkness. After surviving like an animal in the Forest of Darkness for many years, he is taken in by the people of Harris Village and shown comfort, friendship, and love for the first time. All of that is cruelly ripped away from him when assassins from the organization, Arm assassinate the entire village while he's away, warping Choi Han's personality into a dark one, and sending him on a murderous rampage directed towards the assassins.
Many directing pity toward both Choi Han. But TCF!Choi Han already moved on from his pain, while TBOAH!Choi Han got no time for other's sympathies.
Afterward, he tries to report the attack on Harris Village to the authorities in Western City, but because he lacks the appropriate paperwork and has the misfortune of running into the original Cale, he and the deceased villagers end up being insulted by Cale instead. This causes him to beat Cale to a pulp, after which the novel progresses in detailing his adventures as he grows stronger and gains a party of followers.
"You were lucky."
"I-what?"
"He could still on his rampage mode and kill you, you won't even know what hit you, you know that?"
Ren looked toward TBOAH!Cale straight in the eyes.
"I admit, I'm not a good person. I don't give shit about what you think of him or even the deceased villagers. And I'm sure you didn't even feel bad about it. But there's thing called tacts. Even those, the lowest of the low still use it."
TBOAH!Cale didn't said anything. It felt foreign for him, for someone actually scolded him.
"What I meant is, you're supposed to be sorry, not because of your opinion, since you're clearly won't change it anytime soon, but because you have no tact. If you have negative thoughts that's clearly don't need to be shared, keep it to yourself."
"Yes. It'll be better if you ask for forgiveness."
Someone chimed in. No one knew who it was.
(I'm sorry I can't choose anyone to say this line :")
"No."
Ren cut whoever that was.
"From my opinion, no one is obligates to ask for forgiveness."
Ren shrugged.
"You guys just need to be on neutral term. No one can really scale which did the worse. The same as how Cale didn't know about Choi Han's situation, Choi Han also didn't know Cale's situation. Right, Kim Rok Soo?"
"Why are you asking me?"
Kim Rok Soo frowned after his name got called.
"Because it's looks like you already made peace with whatever plagued you."
"And how do you know that?"
"I'm quite good at reading people."
Clap. Clap.
Nela clapped from her seat.
"Guys, let's continue later. We still need things to do."
Current Plot
In the current story, Cale takes precautions to make sure that he doesn't insult Choi Han, but rather smooths his way into the Henituse Household so Choi Han can report on the incident at Harris Village without a fight.
Choi Han begins following Cale as payment for being rescued and fed a meal in the Western City. Over the course of time, they start to genuinely rely on each other, instead of it being an obligation, as it was in the beginning since Choi Han was Cale's bodyguard.
"Oh, look, they actually can have a good relation with each other."
Noire said even as she could still feel the atmosphere from before.
Ren frowned when he saw how Noire's smirk.
Choi Han found out about Cale being Korean and him originally being Kim Rok Soo. During their (Choi Han and Cale's) conversation both found out that Choi Han is Choi Jung Soo's (Cale's best friend back in Korea) paternal cousin once removed.
"Oh, so you actually know?"
TCF!Rosalyn asked TCF!Choi Han who smile awkwardly.
"Yes. Even I was surprised."
The man who wrote The Birth of a Hero (the memoir found in the Dragon Slayer Village) was Choi Han's uncle who had disappeared as a teen (before Choi Han was born). Nelan Barrow—or Choi Jung Gun, as was his birth name, also ended up in the Forest of Darkness.
"It's a big ass spoiler."
Kim Rok Soo, who had read about the Birth of A Hero, knew about Nelan Barrow. But to thought that there was a connection between him and Choi Han, not even in his wildest dream had he thought about it.
"Dragon Slayer Village?"
TBOAH!Eruhaben, as an ancient dragon, he had heard many things in his life. One of those was the existence of the Dragon Slayer Village.
'To think it was real.'
After finding out about Cale being Kim Rok Soo, he starts to no longer feel the loneliness that he originally felt of being the only one in this world and grew even more attached to him. He starts to see Cale as a sibling and nephew and can’t imagine a life without him.
Seeing this, Ren sure of one thing.
'Even though they're almost the same. TBOAH!Cale couldn't give what TCF!Cale give.'
They're fundamentally different.
It was selfish to expect the same thing.
He didn't know what would happen after this. How much expectations would they put onto this eighteen years old's shoulders?
Abilities
A swordmaster who possesses or cultivates an aura of darkness which has been revitalized into a unique power called Black Light.
His initial power is named the "Dark Destruction Sword Art."
"Why so chuuni? Please don't tell me you went around shouting that name."
Noire said as she looked toward the embarrassed TCF!Choi Han and TBOAH!Choi Han who feigned ignorance.
Due to world-crossing, he has obtained a dragon's level of lifespan. Such a lifespan can last up to 1,000 years. So living over 500 years would be easy.
"Hyung, you can life as long as a dragon! That's so cool!"
TBOAH!Lock said as he looked toward TBOAH!Choi Han who smiled and patted his head.
He's an expert at both tracking and creating false trails.
He later on gets the ancient powers of the Fake Dragon Slayer. Though, the powers are only a half of its actual powers. The other real half of the ancient powers are owned by the White Star.
"That was where you got the ancient powers?"
TBOAH!Choi Han asked his counterpart. TCF!Choi Han nodded.
"Be careful. He was quite strong."
It was TBOAH!Choi Han turn to nod back.
Thanks to the God of Death, Choi Han eventually inherits Choi Jung Soo's ability, a Black Yong (East Asian Dragon). His Yong is influenced by his aura, so it became a power mixed of half despair and half happiness. The despair half has helped him to use his power even under Dorph's black wall. To use this power, it required a lot of strength.
"Oh, you got it from him."
TBOAH!Choi Han thought that it was not possible for him to get it, since they have different situation.
Though, there was another thing caught his interest.
His imperfect despair became an aura of half despair and half happiness? He wondered how that could happen.
In order to follow Kim Rok Soo into the sealed god's trial, Choi Han makes a deal with the God of Death to shorten his lifespan to match Raon's (meaning he will die when Raon does when before he'd have outlived all his friends). He does not regret this decision at all.
"It's better than to live a life where I am alone."
TCF!Choi Han said as he smiled toward his family. He knew there was nothing he could do about their livespan, everyone would die in the end, that just how life is.
TBOAH!Choi Han looked toward his counterpart. He finally realized what he had been feeling. It was envy. It was jealousy. Seeing that there was another him living a much better live with his family beside him, made him feel bitter.
'He won't be alone.'
Oh, how much he dreamed of that reality.
Trivia
He is canonically a terrible cook.
"I'm not that bad."
TCF!Choi Han said with an offended frown.
"Oh, Choi Han, should I remind you of the kitchen you burned a couple of weeks ago?"
TCF!Rosalyn said back.
The tense atmosphere from before dissipated in an instant, especially when the person in question flapping his hands in embarrassment, trying to make an excuse for himself.
"That was an accident!"
"Don't ever get close to my kitchen ever again!"
TCF!Beacrox said with a glare.
"Are you also bad?"
TBOAH!Rosalyn looked toward TBOAH!Choi Han. He just turned his glance.
"I don't know? I've never step inside a kitchen for a long time now."
He smiled awkwardly.
"Lock, reminds me to never let him inside a kitchen."
"Alright, Noona!"
TBOAH!Lock saluted his Noona while his Hyung looked at him as if he had betrayed him.
He is also a terrible actor (he's so bad it's painfully hilarious).
"I- I- that was-!"
"It's okay, Choi Han. No one can be as good as human."
Raon tried to reassure TCF!Choi Han whose face already beat red.
"I think using Cale as a standard is too much of an overkill."
TCF!Alberu added.
TBOAH!Rosalyn glanced toward TBOAH!Choi Han.
"I'm not that bad!"
"I didn't say anything."
According to himself, he is a slow reader and his memory is not that good. Although like Cale, Choi Han likes books. That’s why the first thing he did when he got out of the Dark Forest is learn how to read.
"Should we visit the library sometimes?"
TBOAH!Rosalyn offered.
"It will be great."
"Good! I'll tell you all of my favorite books."
He is very protective and sensitive when it comes to his family. He would not let anything who tried to harm his family live.
"Vicious... But in a good way."
TBOAH!Bud said.
"Shut up, Bud."
TBOAH!Glenn said. He didn't want to make enemies with any of these people.
His original dream was to become a martial artist and a teacher.
"Is that the reason you so passionate to teach me swordart, Instructor-nim?"
TCF!Alberu said in a tease tone.
"That's also why Hyung likes to teach my siblings, right?"
TCF!Lock also added.
"Siblings..."
It was TBOAH!Lock that was got his breath hitched. He tried to not think much about it, as they were no longer with him in his world.
But it was still clenched his heart every single time.
He has zero fashion sense.
"Hmm, is that why you always wear black?"
TCF!Rosalyn asked him.
"... Maybe."
TCF!Choi Han answered while he turned his gaze away. TCF!Rosalyn shook her head. She would need to take her friend for shopping.
"Oh, it's finish."
Nela said as the screen turned black.
"Should we rest for a bit and look at them sparring?"
"Let me rest for a moment before I move."
Ren said as he leaned deeper into the couch.
"You didn't even do anything before though."
TBOAH!Cale said as he frowned. Ren turned his head toward him.
"I'm on my 'do nothing' setting. I need time to change it."
"... I don't understand."
"I need to pump some adrenaline onto my system."
TBOAH!Cale decided to just go with the flow.
"Then let's have free time for 15 minutes before the sparring."
And with that, people went to do their own thing.
Tbc
_________
My mood kinda suck so there's a lil bit of angst. Can it be considered as angst? Oh well.
And as you can see, Choi Han wins by quite a lot. I'm actually surprised.
Alberu Crossman, our sun, needs to wait another time.