《SSS-Class Revival Hunter》 Chapter 1: Legendary Jealousy

Chapter 1: Legendary Jealousy

Breaking news! The ck Dragon Guild confidently dered that theyd clear the Towers fortieth floor and show everyone the skill of one of the best guilds in the world. Unfortunately, ck Dragons ended uping back without any achievements once again. Yet the Fire Emperor, the number one ranked Hunter, has singlehandedly taken down another boss monster! I nkly watched the television, envious of the man on the screen. I was so jealous of him that I felt like I was going to go nuts. Hello, Mr. Fire Emperor! Ah, yeah. Hi... The man on the screen frowned slightly. Somehow, even his furrowed brow looked cool. You set a new record once again! And I must say, youre the only Hunter whos made this many feats on your own. How do you feel about it? First of all, I want you to stop calling me that shitty name. Im sorry? Im talking about you people calling me Fire Emperor. I have a name, you know. Whats with that bullshit nickname? Id honestly prefer Fucker to that cringe-ass name. I swear Im going to hunt down the bastard who came up with that someday and bury him alive. U-umm... The anchor stammered perplexedly, but he couldnt say anything to the man. After all, the man was the star of this era and his exploits were the stuff of legends. In contrast, I was an extra who didnt even have a name for myself. Ah... I muttered. I really envy him. How good would it feel to be able to say anything I wanted, even on television? I picked up my smartphone and got on an onlinemunity about Hunters, wondering how people would react to the Fire Emperors interview. As expected, the onlinemunities were already engaged in a fiery dispute as they watched the interview. Guys, the Fire Emperor is talking shit again! The fire emperor is fire-emperoring again lol Would it kill him to watch his words? The whole world is watching this interview not like its his first time doing this ^This. TBH its the medias fault. Everyone knows what kind of a person he is. True dat... The anchor is doing it on purpose to boost their ratings lmao the Fuckers fanatics are here too gross I want to be like the Fire Emperor. The onlinemunities couldnt have been more clearly divided. Mr. Fire Emperor, I hope you will improve your character and be a Hunter who can represent Korea with both your exemry personality and skills. As a fellow Korean, I shamed whenever a tranted version of your interview goes viral on the inte... Its I am ashamed, not I shamed. Why dont you worry about your grammar skills in your mother tongue before you worry about foreigners? Besides, nationality doesnt matter in the Tower. Yet youre fine with your master swearing in Korean. Dont embarrass yourself here, Fire Emperor.[1] Im just pointing out their grammar, so why are you insulting me? Get a life. Hmph. Youre the one that needs to get a life. I want to be like Fire Emperor. It was chaos. In fact, every onlinemunity that was even slightly rted to Hunters went crazy. WTF?! The Fucker has a girlfriend now! Hes dating the Saintess! The Saintess? Seriously? my friend is a Hunter and he saw the fire emperor and saintess hanging out together. Im actually friends with the Saintess. She told me they arent. I want to be like the Fire Emperor. Somemunities were busy talking about who the Fire Emperor was dating. Whoever wrote the post kindly attached a photo, which they imed was the best photo of the Saintesss life. Just like the Fire Emperor, the Saintess was one of the most famous Hunters in the world. She was known for her angelic personality as well as her beautyand this post was saying that the Fire Emperor was dating her. In the end, I had to put down my smartphone and bury my head between my knees. Arghh... I want to be like the Fire Emperor. I was the one who wrote thatment on the post I had just read. It was my habit to leave thosements on any kind of online post I ran into. People might ask me why I would always make the samement every time. I envy him! I envy him so much! I want to be cool and famous too! The reason was that I deeply envied himbut the only reason I could be this candid was that I lived in this studio on my own. If people got a look at my walls, their jaws would drop because the walls were entirely covered with newspaper and magazine clippings about the Fire Emperor, the worlds Rank 1 Hunter. The Fire Emperor has cleared the thirty-ninth floor on his own! The Fire Emperor has created another legend by singlehandedly clearing the thirty-eighth floor! Yoo Soo-Ha, the Fire Emperor, has officially be the first Korean to earn the highest ce in the Hunter Ranking. ... With the disappearance of the Sword Star, the seat of the worlds Rank 1 Hunter is empty. Who shall inherit his seat? All foreign experts unanimously agree that the most likely candidate is Yoo Soo-Ha from Korea. The unassable tenth floor has been cleared. Who is this mysterious hero? It has been twenty-two days since the Sword Star went missing. Could this be the start of the greatest chaos the Hunter industry has ever seen? Some of the newspaper and magazine clips covering my walls were brand new, but others were tinged yellow with age, reflecting the range of dates they canvassed; from the most recent to over a decade old. It was the Fire Emperors history itselfno, the history beginning even before Yoo Soo-Ha earned the title of Fire Emperor. Ah... I want to be sessful like the Fire Emperor... I wish I could thrive in life so that other people would envy me instead. When Im sessful, Ill be able to teach those people a lesson for looking down on me. After that, Ill forgive them and pat them on the shoulders and telling them to be kind to others from now on. I want people to think Im a big-hearted man... Yes, I was jealous of the hero on the screen. Mr. Fire Emperor. For gods sake. Didnt I tell you to call me by my real name, not Fire Emperor? I thought you media jackals brains went rotten because of your tabloid shit, but I guess they rotted your ears, too? I-Im sorry. But before we finish the interview, can you say something to our viewers out there? The Fire Emperor scratched the back of his head in annoyance. Phew. What am I supposed to say? Many aspiring Hunters look up to you and try to follow in your footsteps, Mr. Fire Emperor. You entered the Tower in your early twenties, but you Awakened right away! Less than a month after your Awakening, you killed a boss monster! Youre writing legends as Yoo Soo-Ha the Fire Emperor! So can you give all the aspiring Hunters out there one piece of advice? Im sure that if they can seed with just one piece of advice from me, then they never needed it to begin with. The Fire Emperor chuckled dryly. Still, can you give them one? Ha... you people from the media are seriously... Tsk. Fine, but Ill make it short. The Fire Emperor scratched the back of his head irately, his ck ponytail swaying from side to side. He red straight into the camera. Those who are destined to seed will be sessful no matter what. But dont get cocky with me even if you do. Ill crush you. Pardon? Thats it. I have nothing else to say, so dont follow me. The Fire Emperor just stood up from his seat and walked away from the camera, unceremoniously ending the interview. Mr. Fire Emperor! Mr. Fire Emperor! What is that supposed to mean?!the anchor shouted after him, bewildered. The anchor waspletely ignored. I nkly stared at the Fire Emperors back and let out a sigh. I was angry. The anchor was the one who was insulted, but for some reason, it felt like the Fire Emperor had disrespected me. It made me furious. Only if I had one decent Skill... I trailed off. The reality was, I was just a lowly ss F Hunter, and my life was far from sessful. My interview wouldnt go viral in real-time, and no one cared about my private life. Thest thing that was going to happen in my life was me bing rich and sessful with my own abilities... I want to win in life... I wish I had a ss S Skill... Arghhh... I just want to be sessful even if I dont get to be rich. How cool would it be to have the Fire Emperors Skills...? If anyone saw me right now, they would think I was crazy for voicing my wildest fantasies aloudbut again, the only reason I could do it was that I was living alone in my studio. I relieved my stress by talking to myself when no one was around. I knew it was absolutely pathetic, but who cared? It was better than going outside and screaming into peoples ears. No one was listening anyway. ...Huh? It looked like I was wrong. A golden light appeared in front of me as if someone had heard me. C-can it be...? The only time I saw this kind of light was in videos online; it signified the moment a Hunter Awakened a Skill. I had pressed the y button thousands of times every morning after I woke up, letting my jealousy consume me. Its golden! The golden light indicated that the Skill was ss S or higher! My heart pounded so hard that it hurt. Before long, the golden light pool coalesced. [It would be extremely difficult to find something as ugly as your jealousy!] [The Tower, appalled by your ugly jealousy, has decided to get you a Skill and be done with it!] Huh? The voice is a little different from what I heard about... It was said that when a Hunter received a Skill, they usually heard a majestic voicevishing them with praise. It varied from The Tower is touched by your resolve, or The Tower has rewarded your upright yet challenging cultivation, or The Towerpliments your aplishments. But the voice I heard just now was telling me that my ugly jealousy was what made the Tower toss me a Skill. It was like the Tower was throwing a coin to a beggar, hoping to get rid of him. N-no. It doesnt matter. I got a ss S Skill. I had an uneasy premonition, but I ignored it. I had been waiting for this moment forever, so I shouldnt jinx it. [Creating a Skill Card.] The golden light shed and turned into a card of the same color. I grabbed the card with shaking hands. I Want To Be Like You ss: S+ Effects: It will automatically activate after an enemy kills you. You will be able to copy and turn one of their Skills into yours. The Skill you copy will be chosen at random, but you cant copy your enemies Skills more than once. However, you will die! Whoaa! W-wh-whoa... Huh? My voice died out. I blinked. Huhhh? At first, I thought I misread something, so I slowly reread the description on the card from top to bottom. However, it really said that I was going to die after using this ss S Skill, so the only thing I could do was stare nkly at it. A breeze entered through my window, fluttering the newspaper and magazine clips that covered my walls. What the fuck! How am I supposed to use this Skill! After a long silence, my scream rattled my studio. No one in history has ever gotten a shittier Skill than the one I got today. 1. The raw is ???, ???. This is a Korean meme. People are embarrassed to reveal their real identities and defend themselves, so they pretend to be a third party. But they often get caught, so Koreans jokingly say this when an advocate defends someone in a rather awkward way. ? Chapter 2: But you will die (1)

Chapter 2: But you will die (1)

Skills, which made many Hunters fall on their knees in despair, were acquired on a myriad of asions. I hit training dummies ten thousand times and automatically got one. I heard Gods voice one day! You want to know how I used that magic spell just now? I dont know. Ive been able to do it since I entered the Tower. Some Hunters couldnt escape poverty due to theirck of gifts, even though they were kind-hearted and tenacious. On the other hand, there were Hunters who made a decent living despite their ill temper. A prime example of thetter would be the Fire Emperor, the number one Hunter in the official ranking. If peoples lives were games, the Fire Emperors would earn the Game of the Year award. He would be able to get anything he wanted in his game. Meanwhile, my life was... just a second-rate gacha. Most people would think that the moment of greatest despair during gacha was if they never got Five Star items or characters, no matter how many times they tried. However, anyone who paid money to get more gacha pulls would know better... True despair was when they acquired the most useless Five-Star items or characters out there. My Five-Star Skill was worse than most One-Star gacha pulls. I Want To Be Like You ss: S+ Effect: It will automatically activate after an enemy kills you. You will be able to copy and turn one of their Skills into yours. The Skill you copy will be chosen at random, but you cant copy your enemies Skills more than once. However, you will die! Ha. Shit... Yes, my life was a second-rate gacha. Once Hunters acquired a Skill, they were supposed to visit the Hunter Management Bureau and report it, but I didnt. My Skill wasnt even fair, so I didnt want to embarass myself too. Hello, Mr. Hunter. How did you acquire your Skill? It was because I envy the worlds Rank 1 Hunter. Sorry? I yelled that I was going to go crazy because I envy him so much, and the Tower tossed me a Skill Card. Haha. You know, the Tower also told me that they never saw something as ugly as my jealousy. I couldnt tell them that! Instead, I ended up drinking like there was no tomorrow and left the pub, wandering and staggering for who knew how long. I wound up in a deserted alley and couldnt hold it any longer and vomited. rghhhhhh! I wiped my mouth. If I was going to be unlucky... I shouldnt have been lucky at all. ...But where am I? I wasnt even good at finding the right ce to vomit. Where was I? I had never been to this alley. How did I end up here? I remembered nothing. Would I have to sleep on the ground tonight? Ah, I want to cry. I held back my tears. go! Ah! Why would you suddenly do this...! Just then, I heard a faint scream from further inside the alley. My head cleared up right away. The scream was too vivid for me to have hallucinated because of the makgeolli I had. Although I wasnt sure who it was, they were definitely screaming because their life was in danger. Whats going on? I carefully picked my way down the alley and took shallow breaths to be as stealthy as possible. One step after another, I made my way toward the source of the scream. The voice became clearer as I approached. M-Mr. Fire Emperor, why are you doing ...Its useless. No one is around.... And that was my second stupid mistake for the day. I should have run as soon as I heard the scream. Of course... my first mistake was to drink until I pickled my brain, but that was because I had never gotten drunk in my entire life before today. Infuriated by the fact that I had a ss S shit, I had gulped down makgeolli as if it were water. I poisoned your ss. Po-poison? I already told you, I dont understand what you are talking about, Mr. Fire Emperor. Wow, youre a great actress. If anyone saw you right now, they would buy it instantly. A couple was standing deep in a dead-end alley without a single street light shining on them. Perhaps standing was an understatement, because the man was threatening the woman. I used Basilisk Acid. Its the same poison you used in my ss before. The man leaned closer to the woman. I gotta hand it to you. I would have been in real trouble if it wasnt for my Skill. Hmm? Whats wrong? You look pale now, Miss Saintess. Impervious Body...? N-no way. You dont have that Skill. I dont. The mansughter quietly echoed down the alley. But I happen to have a slightly better Skill than Impervious Body. That was when I recognized the man. Even though the alley was pitch dark, there was no way I wouldnt remember his ponytail after seeing him walking away in the TV interviewst night. Its really the Fire Emperor! He was the officially recognized number one Hunter in the rankingpiled by the Hunter Management Bureau, the star of this era, and the idol of everyone. That was why everyone was envious of him, especially me. ...And shes the Saintess! I covered my mouth so they wouldnt hear me breathing. The Saintess was a Rank 9 Hunter and was currently rumored to be dating the Fire Emperor. I had only seen her beauty from videos and photos online. Yet here she was, being threatened. But Ive had enough of this game. You have to pay the price for messing with me. H-hold on, Mr. Fire Emperor. Youre misunderstanding something The only thing I want to do is clear the Tower together! Thats what I thought, but I was wrong. Please stop and think about it! If you and I work together, we can not only clear the fortieth floor, we can clear the fiftieth floor within a year! Yes! No human ever managed to clear the fiftieth floor, but we can! I thought so too, but we probably wont, the Fire Emperor scoffed. My jaw dropped to the ground. They... arent dating each other? Two heroes in lovethat was what people on the inte and the media said about them, but there was nothing romantic about this. In fact, a lovers quarrel was thest word I would use right now. The Fire Emperors voice dripped with murder. In my eyes, this conversation was between people who were about to kill and be killed. Lets talk it out, please! Im sure we can sort out this misunderstanding. Talk? Ah, yes. I like talking. Its what gentlemen do. The Fire Emperor grabbed the Saintess by the neck. The Saintess moaned in pain. But I make the rules. She gasped and writhed. His grip must have been suffocating. The more she struggled, the more suffocated I felt too. Oh, no. Oh my god. It should never have happened, but it was happening right in front of me. I ask questions. The only thing you have to do is answer. You dont need to answer out loud. If I guessed correctly, you nod. Otherwise, you can shake your head. Its simple, right? the Fire Emperor demanded. The Saintess desperately gasped for air. Ill spare you if you cooperate. You know what? Ill even give you the antidote as a bonus, but if you choose to turn down my generous offer... Well, you dont need me to exin, right? I heard youre from Oxford University. Put your smart brain to work. The Saintess desperately hit the Fire Emperors arm to escape from his grip, but it didnt affect him one bit. After all, the Saintess was a Healer, so even though she was a renowned Hunter, it was impossible to physically overpower the Fire Emperor. Actually, I only have one question for you. The Saintess struggled harder. Who ordered you to kill me? Was it the witch from the ck Dragon Guild? The Saintesss resistance immediately stopped. Think carefully before you answer. I may not have Impervious Body, but I do have a lie-detecting Skill. Ill cremate you right here if I catch you trying any fuckery with me. It seemed the Saintess hesitated a bit. The alley was dark, so I couldnt get a good look at her facestill, I could tell she went quiet before she slowly nodded to the Fire Emperor. I knew it. The Fire Emperor chuckled. Goodbye, Isabel the Saintess. The fire he started reached the Saintesss neck first. She desperately thrashed as she was slowly engulfed by the fire, but the Fire Emperor didnt even budge. He watched the Saintess burn with an expressionless face. Hmm... The Fire Emperor was nonchnt even in the zing fire. It eventually devoured the entire end of the alley, but he never let go of the Saintess. She wed at his arm, but in the end, she gave up and reached for the night sky... Her arms soon drooped, and she no longer moved. The fuck...! I shut my eyes. A hero died right in front of me. Perhaps that wasnt an urate description: Yes, the Saintess was murdered by another hero of the people, the Fire Emperor. Hes insane. The Saintess was already a lump of charcoal now, but the fire didnt die out because the Fire Emperor chose not to let it. He burned her flesh and bones until they turned into a pile of ashes, and yet he never even batted an eye. Hes not in his right mind. I stumbled backward. I should run away right now. And then I made the third andst mistake of the day. Crack. It was very faint. It wasnt even from a can. I stepped on a ss fragment. Maybe it was from someones soju bottle or it got carried here by a breeze... I didnt know why it was there. ...Hmm. The Fire Emperor turned his head. Although I didnt have to know why the ss fragment was here, there were two facts that I couldnt ignore: I had just made a foolish mistake, and the Fire Emperor was a predator who would never miss someone elses mistake. I thought I dealt with all the rats nearby, but I must have missed one. The moment I met the Fire Emperors eyes, I squealed and ran away without looking back. His eyes belonged to a killer. He was a devil who had killed dozens of people at least, and today he was going to kill me. Ha. The Fire Emperor sneered. Its cute that you think you can run away from me, you shit. I felt a burning sensation near my ankles and immediately went rolling across the ground. At first, I didnt get why I fell downthen I saw both my feet still t on the ground. I gasped. My feet were severed with my sneakers still on. The famous logo on the side of my sneakers looked unusually white today. P-please dont kill me! Spare me, please! Then you shouldnt have run away in the first ce. You scared me for a moment there. The Fire Emperor bent over to pick up my foot and tossed it up and down like a baseball. Hey, did you see it? I-I didnt see anything! The Fire Emperor approached me. What did you not see? I dont know anything! P-please, I dont know any What do you not know? Please... Mr. Fire Emperor. Please...spare me. I wont say anything. I wont say anything to anyone... A shadow was cast over my head as the Fire Emperor crouched over me. Wow, so you saw me and know Im the Fire Emperor. You saw pretty much everything. Please... Bro, youre making me upset. You know everything, so why would you keep bullshitting me? The Fire Emperor turned my foot this way and that. Tell me. Who sent you? Is it the ck Dragon again? I... I really dont know anything... I know nothing.... Yet you were quietly watching me and the Saintess from there like a rat. That sounds so trustworthy, doesnt it? I would have bought it if I was an idiot. The Fire Emperor grinned crookedly. But Im not, you dipshit. Woosh! The Fire Emperor started another fire on the famous logo on my sneakers. Before long, the sneakers I had worn for a long time disappeared. I had been with my feet longer, but they were now gone too. Next will be your head, so answer me. My head went nk. This devil... was crazy. There was no talking to a psycho, and he was one. Everything inside his head was the absolute truth, so he was supposed to be always right. In truth, he was just a psychopath who would kill an innocent without hesitation. The Fire Emperor was the Rank 1 Hunter, so how could heno, how could a human do that? Had I been fanboying for a psycho? I used to think that he was a hero and I liked him for his candor and straightforwardness. That was what other people thought toobut he was just a lunatic. L-lie... What? Lie-detecting Skill... You said you have a lie-detecting Skill, I desperately blurted. You told the Saintess to think carefully before she answers because you can tell if shes lying. Use the Skill on me, and youll know Im not lying. Mr. Fire Emperor, i-it really was a coincidence. Please believe me! The Fire Emperors expression subtly changed. I was lying. Chapter 3: But you will die (2)

Chapter 3: But you will die (2)

What did you just say? It was a lie. You know what bluffing is, right? I dont have a lie-detecting Skill, I bluffed to make the Saintess talk. The Fire Emperorughed quietly. Oh, man. You and the Saintess are so naive. I cant believe you two actually fell for it. Th-then... My lip quivered in shock. ...does that mean you killed the Saintess without any proof? Unlike the psychopath standing in front of me, the Saintess, the heroic Hunter who was in ninth ce of the official ranking, was a decent person. Most of her earnings were donated to orphanages, which was what had eventually earned her the title of Saintess. Did he seriously kill her because she was a little suspicious? Then...hes the lunatic of the century, not the Hunter of the era. Hey, give me some credit here. I do have proof. The Saintess actually tried to kill me. If I hadnt killed her first, she would have poisoned me to death tomorrow. The Fire Emperor spat on the ground. Fuck! Just thinking about it makes me feel like shit again. H-how would you kno I know, the Fire Emperor answered right away. I just know. I have a way, but its none of your business. I was rendered speechless. It was...not just because the Fire Emperor was absurdly confident. There was certainty I could see from the Fire Emperors eyes; he actually had a reason for killing the Saintess. That was what it looked like to me at least. Well, judging from all your talk about the lie-detecting skill, I guess youre really innocent. Ah... I remember all eighteen of the rat shitters that were crawling around here. Eighteen. It was like they wanted to prove they were a group of fuckers.[1] Mmm... Anyhow, its my first time seeing you. Yeah, I dont remember seeing a softie like you among them. The Fire Emperor stroked my head with a grin. Did he finally believe I was innocent? Th-thank you! But you know Im the Fire Emperor and you saw me killing the Saintess. The Fire Emperor stroked my head once again. So you should die. The Fire Emperor stopped stroking my head. My name is Yoo Soo-Ha. Goodbye. At that instant, it felt like someone put a hot frying pan on top of my head. ...No, it was inside my head. My brain was devoured by fire, its fluids boiling and sizzling like a barrel of oil. That was how I learned that a human couldnt scream in the face of true pain. This...is how I diekilled by a lunatic. Kim Gong-Ja was the name that the director of my orphanage had given me, hoping I would be a great person like Confucius.[2] However, my life and death were nothing like Confuciuss. Ah. It was sad. Nothing changed in my wretched life even until the day I died. If my life was a game, nobody would buy it. [You have died.] I hated it. [It has been determined that your death met the requirements for Skill activation.] Why did I have to die? No, why did I have to live like this? It was unfair. Everything was unfair. I could have lived a better lifeactually, my life should have been a little better. I just made mistakes, that was all. I died because of the three mistakes I had made today. My life was full of mistakes. I had been born because of someones mistake; maybe my birth itself was a mistake too. [Duplicating Hunter Yoo Soo-Has Skills at random.] [Creating Skill Cards] I couldnt hear or see anything except for faint points of light, which buzzed in front of me like a swarm of bronze fireflies. They looked fairly easy to catch. There were silver fireflies in lesser numbers, but there were still many of them. I would be able to get them too, but there was one singr golden firefly that shone like the sun. It was fast. It actually flew so fast that I felt like it would be impossible for me to catch it. [Choose a Skill Card.] I still reached out for the only golden light. [You have chosen a Skill Card.] I got it. [Copying the Skill.] And I embraced my death. [The Skill is active.] Name: I Want To Be Like You. ss: S+. Effect 1: It will automatically activate after an enemy kills you. Effect 2: You will be able to copy and turn one of their Skills into yours. Effect 3: You cant copy your enemies Skills more than once. Effect 4: The Skill you copy will be chosen at random. However, you will die! Now I could tell others what hell looked like with confidence. There was no inferno, nor even ordinary fire. There was a gas stove lying around, but it wouldnt be enough to start an inferno. To my surprise, hell gave me a little fridge, a small bed, and...a second-hand television. Huh. In other words, it looked like a replica of my studio. ...Wait, I wasnt in hell. This was my twelve-square-meter studio with a charming rent. Huh... Uhh... Uhhh? I felt around my head with my hand. It was fine. Just in case, I checked my reflection on my smartphones screen and I saw a face that looked like God had given up just before theypleted their masterpiece. In other words, it was moderately handsome and ugly at the same timebut I didnt have any burn marks. ...What? What happened? What in the world happened? Did the Fire Emperor treat me and then dump me here? It was ridiculous as fuck, but...it was the only exnation that came to my mind. Maybe the Fire Emperor was kinder than I had thought. Sure, he was a lunatic, but perhaps he wasnt a psychopathic killer. He may have pretended to kill me and ended up sparing me instead. Breaking news! Then was the Fire Emperor the one who had left the television on? Breaking news! The ck Dragon Guild confidently dered that theyd clear the Towers fortieth floor and show everyone the skill of one of the best guilds in the world. Unfortunately, the ck Dragons ended uping back without any achievements once again. However, the Fire Emperor wasnt in my twelve-square-meter studio. It wasnt like he had left the TV on and stepped outside for a moment. Yet the Fire Emperor, the number one ranked Hunter, has singlehandedly taken down another boss monster! Instead... Instead, the Fire Emperor was on the screen with his brow furrowed. *** Hello, Mr. Fire Emperor! Ah, yeah. Hi... You set a new record once again! And I must say, youre the only Hunter whos made this many feats on your own. How do you feel about it? First of all, I want you to stop calling me that shitty name. Im sorry? The LIVE logo was in the corner of the screen. I nkly watched the interview on my old television. Im talking about you people calling me Fire Emperor. I have a name, you know. Whats with that bullshit nickname? Id honestly prefer Fucker to that cringe-ass name. I swear Im going to hunt down the bastard who came up with that someday and bury him alive. The worlds Rank 1 Hunter, the hero of the current generation, the person I had been jealous of... Yoo Soo-Ha was there. Perhaps I was putting it too mildly given that he had killed me. Impossible. Despite what I said, I was already reaching for my smartphone. When I checked the date, it was the same date I saw yesterday. My hands trembled, but I got to the onlinemunities. Guys, the Fire Emperor is talking shit again! It was the same here. Would it kill him to watch his words? The whole world is watching this interview It was also the same here. WTF?! The Fucker has a girlfriend now! Hes dating the Saintess! The websites,munities, SNS... everything was the same. The posts I saw yesterday were being posted in real-time. I swore that I had seen those posts yesterday, but people acted like it was their first time. Ha... Nevertheless, there was one difference. I want to be like the Fire Emperor. Thements I had written werent there. It was only naturalaround this time yesterday, I had been busy writingments on every post, but right now I was zoning out after I realized that I really had returned to yesterday. ...Show me my Skill Card. I Want To Be Like You (S+) The golden Skill Card appeared in front of me. I had read it several times since yesterday, so I remembered every word in the description. It was supposed to be a ss S Skill, but it was trash of the century because it cost me my life to use it. But... Oh my god. ...there were two glittering cards shining in front of me right now. I Want To Be Like You (S+) Returners Clockwork (EX) How? I stared at the two floating golden Skill Cards, my heart pounding. The Skill I had was the one I would never get to use, but that was all. I.... wasnt supposed to have a Skill named Returners Clockwork, especially if its Skill Card was golden. It was my first time seeing this Skill Card; I hadnt had it until the Fire Emperor had killed me yesterday How did it happen? I didnt know how the Returners Clockwork became mine. I couldnt understand it yet. However, I could tell that this card was mine. Its mine. Mine. And I also had a feeling that it might change my life. I reached out for the card and grabbed it, flipping it around. Returners Clockwork ss: EX Effect: It is activated automatically upon your death. You will return to twenty-four hours before your death. Your memory and abilities will be preserved even after your return. You will receive a penalty after the Skill activation. The higher your ss is, the stronger the penalty is. This Skill has been copied from Hunter Yoo Soo-Ha. Return. He returned to twenty-four hours before his death. Ah... Goosebumps spread over my skin as realization sank in. Th-this is the Fire Emperors secret... The Fire Emperor was the worlds Rank 1 Hunter. The boss monster in the Towers tenth floor had previously thought to be undefeatable, but he had taken it down on his own. And for some reason, he was so certain that the Saintess was going to kill him. I finally understood the truth behind everything hed said and done. The Saintess actually tried to kill me. If I hadnt killed her first, she would have poisoned me to death tomorrow. I just know. I have a way, but its none of your business. That was what the Fire Emperor had told me. The Saintess had actually killed the Fire Emperor. Just like he had said, she had poisoned him, causing him to return twenty-four hours before hisst death. That was why he had a vendetta against the Saintess. And he also killed me. I clenched my fists. I didnt do anything wrong, but he killed me just because I got in the way of covering up his murder! He had toyed with me like a bug before he killed me. My feet had been severed, and my head had been burned. The TV interview was still ongoing. But before we finish the interview, can you say something to our viewers out there? The Fire Emperor scratched the back of his head in annoyance. Phew. The man I had seen yesterday was a hero, but all I saw today was a psychopath. It didnt matter if he was the worlds Rank 1 Hunter or a renowned hero. He was my enemy now. The Fire Emperor scowled at the camera. Those who are destined to seed will be sessful no matter what. I red back at him. But dont get cocky with me even if you do. I clutched the golden Skill Card. I had copied this Skill from the Fire Emperor, so he would have the same card. The Fire Emperor was the first ce in the official Hunter ranking, and I wasnt even on the ranking. However, our start would always be the same from now on. Ill crush you. It was my turn for revenge. 1. The raw is ?? ???? ???? ? ??? ??? ???... ??(Sibal) means fuck in Korean, and it sounds incredibly simr to the number eighteen(Sibpal). ? 2. Confuciuss Korean name is Gongja. ? Chapter 4: Hunt the Hero (1)

Chapter 4: Hunt the Hero (1)

I cant beat the Fire Emperor with an ordinary method. My heart pounded. I tried hard to be calm, but it wasnt easy. Maybe it was only naturalit hadnt been long since Id died from the fire that he started in my head. On top of that, I had still been alive while my flesh and bones were sizzling... The pain I had experienced... was horrible. Fuck you, son of a bitch. I red at the newspaper and magazine clippings covering the walls. All of them were from interviews he had been in from when he was an obscure, rookie Hunter until he became the number one Hunter in the world. Of course, I also had the Fire Emperors photos on the wallsI now wanted to rip down those photos of his smug face. Tsk. But this fucker will also return to twenty-four hours ago if he dies. The biggest problem was that the Fire Emperor wouldnt stay dead even if he was killed. Its the ultimate cheat. The difference between the Fire Emperor and I was like that of the sun and a firefly. My opponent was the Rank 1 Hunter while I wasnt even in the ranking. Even though the Tower had acknowledged my jealousy... it didnt mean I was strong. Even if I relied on every possible coincidence and miracle in the world, it was unlikely that I could kill the Fire Emperor. Even if I manage to kill him, I still have problems. When he died, the Fire Emperor would simply return to twenty-four hours before and try to kill me using any means possible. Once he realized he couldnt kill me, he would create a dungeon in his basement and lock me up forever. With the Fire Emperors abilities, it would be a piece of cake to subdue me, so Kim Gong-Jas second attempt at life would end with fabulous eternal incarceration. Ah, fuck. Fuck, fuck... The chances of me killing him were close to zero, and killing him wouldnt even be the end of my problems. How am I supposed to get revenge on this psychopath? How should I do it? How can I screw over the number one Hunter in the ranking? I cooped up myself in my studio for over a day, ring at the newspaper clippings on the walls. They had all the information and history about the Fire Emperor, so they might give me an idea. The Fire Emperor has cleared the thirty-ninth floor on his own! The Fire Emperor has created another legend by singlehandedly clearing the thirty-eighth floor! Yoo Soo-Ha, the Fire Emperor, has officially be the first Korean to earn the highest ce in the Hunter Ranking. ... With the disappearance of the Sword Star, the seat of the worlds Rank 1 Hunter is empty. Who shall inherit his seat? All foreign experts unanimously agree that the most likely candidate is Yoo Soo-Ha from Korea. The unassable tenth floor has been cleared. Who is this mysterious hero? It has been twenty-two days since the Sword Star went missing. Could this be the start of the greatest chaos the Hunter industry has ever seen? Just then, a tingle ran down my spine. Huh? Wait... This is... I mumbled as I touched one of the newspaper clippings. The clipping was from the Fire Emperors magazine interview. The article was online, but I had printed it myself to put it on the wall. Mr. Yoo Soo-Ha, how old were you when you Awakened? I was twenty-one years old. Its already been eleven years since that summer. You must have very good memory to remember the season. I never really thought I had a good memory, but the day I Awakened just happened to be my birthday, June 7th. Thats why I remember it. It was an ordinary interview, but... it was an invaluable piece of information for me. Whoa, wait a minute. Seriously? Its...really going to work. There was a way to kill the worlds Rank 1 Hunter. It was far from easy, and people would call me crazy if they heard about it. But it was the only way to kill the Fire Emperor as a lowly ss F Hunter. I really can get revenge on him! Just then, I heard shouts from outside the window. Fire! I opened the window, wondering what was going on. The nearby residents were buzzing about smoke rising from the side of the neighborhood. Oh, no! This isnt the time to stand around here. Lets go help extinguish the fire! Okay! The residents went running toward the fire. The ce I lived was different from the outside world; this was the city made by the people who had entered the Tower to be Hunters. The city on the Towers first floor had various names, because it was popted by people from around the globe. Some people called it Babylon or Abaddon. It was sometimes just Floor 1 City, but some even referred to it by an elegant name: Ascending City. Most people living here were Hunters. Whether they liked it or not, they had all looked death in the eyes, so they moved faster in an emergency than people from the outside world. As I quickly left my studio and joined the others, I checked the time on my smartphone. What the fuck. It had already been around twenty-four hours since I had been killed by the Fire Emperor and regressed in time. It was also around the time that the Fire Emperor was going to kill the Saintess. In other words... ...its the Fucker! The Fucker set the fire to erase the evidence! Yoo Soo-Ha, the Fire Emperor, was truly an evil son of a bitch. *** The Watchman Leagues Hunters were already at the site of the fire, followed by other Hunters from major guilds. They usually fought like cats and dogs, but they joined forces to deal with the fire. Those of you with water-type Skills, dont use them on your own! Yes, use them together! Thats it! The ck Dragon Guild will takemand here! Please follow the ck Dragons lead on this one, people! A couple of High Rankers also showed up. I kept ncing at them as I helped other people. I-I finished closing off the area. The problem is whether or not there are survivors... We should hurry and send a rescue team. She was the Rank 5 Hunter and was called Master Alchemist, who led the Alchemist Office, the guild of doctors and pharmacists. Its okay. It used to be a slum and its been abandoned for five years now. Ever since, ess has been prohibited, so I guess thats one silver lining. That was the Pdin, the Rank 10 Hunter and the assistant leader of the Watchmen League that maintained order in the city. The only time Id met them before this was in the newspapers. Unlike many High Rankers out there, these Hunters were known to work with others to help people. They got on the site before anyone else and took charge of the emergency response. The Saintess was supposed to be with them too... But she wasnt. She had already been killed by the most arrogant of the solo High Rankers. The only people who knew of her death were the Fire Emperor and I. Even those two High Rankers didnt know it yetno, they would probably never know. The Master Alchemist looked around. Strange. Why isnt Miss Saintess here yet...? She told me that she had ns tonight. Although I dont know what it is, its probably a date. The Pdinughed quietly. She hangs out with the Fire Emperor pretty often nowadays. ...I dont like the Fire Emperor. The Master Alchemists shoulders drooped. Something doesnt feel right about him... Although I know its not polite to talk badly of him, I still think Miss Saintess deserves someone better. Your standards are too high. The Fire Emperor is the Rank 1 Hunter, so if she has to find someone better, whos she supposed to date? This is why you still havent found yourself a partner. A-age has nothing to do with this now... And Im still in myte thirties. Its not toote... The Master Alchemist trailed off. Speak of the devil... Its the Fire Emperor! The firefighters ground to a halt. Even the High Rankers turned to look. The Fucker just ambled in wearing a hoodie and sweatpants. What the shit? the Fucker demanded, obviously annoyed. Who yed with fire without my permission? He was indeed an absolute psychopath. Wee, Fire Emperor. the Pdin nodded in acknowledgment. Yup, your big bro is here. As you can see, a fire broke out in the old slum. Can you help us? the Pdin politely asked. However, the Fire Emperor wasnt fazed. What do I get if I help you? Youll feel great about helping many people for free. Ah, drop the bullshit and make me a real offer. The media around the globe will print front page articles about you tomorrow. The headlines will be something like The Fire Emperor extinguished the fire, saving a lot of people. Itll be a refreshing shock to people, and youll be able to improve your image. Ha. The Fire Emperor sneered with his hands still in his pockets. I dont remember tiptoeing around those media jackals. He was one crazy asshole. The residents already had their phones out and were filming the Fire Emperor, so his facial expressions and the words he said would be broadcast around the globe right now. People on the inte must be having a heated discussion, either advocating for or criticizing the Fire Emperor. What would the Fire Emperors advocates say? Hes right. ofc you should look out for yourself Only an idiot would help out people for free. I like how hes still honest even after bing a hero. My head went nk. No one knows who he really is. A shiver ran down my spine. He isnt honest. Hes...just crazy. He isnt in his right mind. The fire was right near me, but I felt cold. The Fire Emperor had started this fire and all the tragedy that apanied it, yet he had the audacity toe back and ask for a price with a straight face. That was when I resolved myself. He has to go! It wasnt just for my revenge. For the sake of humanity and the honor of all Hunters, the Fire Emperor had to be eradicated. He was no different from monsters, and it was Hunters duty and lifes mission to hunt monsters! I have to kill him...by whatever means necessary. A fire-spitting monster was living in the Tower. Yes, there was, but that was going to change. That monster was now my prey. Even if it costs me my life... I walked past the heroes, who were discussing how to sort out the aftermath. Ordinary Hunters were also working hard to put out the fire, but I brushed past them as well, headed toward the seemingly unquenchable inferno. Huh? Hold on, where are you going? And I walked. Hey, bro! Dont get too close! And I walked. Huh?! Hes crazy! Somebody stop him! Who the fuck is that?! And I ran. I could hear people going wild behind me. Some people anxiously jumped up and down, unsure of how to stop me. On the other hand, several guys yelled at me as they fought the fire. I ignored them and charged straight into the fire. People called me crazy, but I wasnt; in fact, I couldnt be more level-headed right now. I understood the situation. Its hot! I was in hell. The fire came at me like a snake flicking its scarlet tongue. It hurts! Whenever I took a step, more of my flesh melted. I could feel the surface of my eyes being burned to a crisp. But its better than the time I got killed by the Fire Emperor! This was the only way to kill the Fire Emperor. I ran for a long time, but at the same time, it also felt like only a minute passed. I kept coughing because of the smoke. By the time I stopped coughing, I heard a voice. [You have died.] Yes. [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] It was my second death. *** ...Im back. It was my hell, my twelve-square meter studio. The walls were covered in newspaper clippings, and my old television was ying the Fire Emperors live interview for the third time. Breaking news! The ck Dragon Guild confidently dered that theyd clear the Towers fortieth floor... I returned to yesterday. Okay. The Skill is working. Unlike thest time, I didnt even spare a nce at the TV. I didnt need to because all I had to know was that my Skill that rewinded me twenty-four hours worked. With this Skill, I would be able to kill the Fire Emperor. [Your current Hunter ss is F.] [You will not receive your Skill penalty.] I knew it, I muttered to myself. Returners Clockwork... The description said that a higher penalty would be given if my Hunter ss was high. In other words, ss F Hunters like me wouldnt receive one at all. Now is my one and only chance to kill the Fire Emperor. I pulled a dagger out of my backpack. It had been with me ever since I had started working as a Hunter. The dagger was now too dull to hunt monsters, but... it was sharp enough to kill a human. How shall I kill The Fire Emperor? I had been contemting it. The Saintess isnt dead yet, so should I work with her? Maybe I can reveal my ability to the ck Dragon Guild. Then they might help me incarcerate the Fire Emperor forever. Or when the Fire Emperor kills the Saintess, I can secretly film the moment and send the footage to the media. All of these methods were good, but they didnt guarantee the Fire Emperors irreversible demise. I dont have any way to make the Saintess trust me. I didnt have any reputation. The guild might just discard me when its done. I didnt have power. Is it seriously possible for me to film the Fire Emperor without getting discovered? I didnt have confidence. But... I go back twenty-four hours after I die. I still had Returners Clockwork, the Skill I copied from the Fire Emperor. Yeah, I have the Skill. Dont worry, Kim Gong-Ja. You can do it. I swallowed my saliva and stared at the clipping of the Fire Emperors magazine interview. Mr. Yoo Soo-Ha, how old were you when you Awakened? I was twenty-one years old. Its already been eleven years since that summer. You must have very good memory to remember the season. I never really thought I had a good memory, but the day I Awakened just happened to be my birthday, June 7th. Thats why I remember it. Eleven years ago. June 7th. Summer. Yoo Soo-Ha, the Fire Emperor, hadnt had the Skill that summer eleven years ago. If I counted back from today to that specific June 7th, it was... 4050 days. Yes. I die 4050 times. It was the only way to kill the Fire Emperor. Yoo Soo-Ha. If you wont stay dead, you monster... I raised my dagger up high. ...Ill kill you before you be a monster! And I stabbed myself in the neck to go back to the past, where I could kill the Fire Emperor! Urgh...! It was hot, and it hurt. As my heart raced, I could vividly feel every one of my nerves scream. After some time, I couldnt see or feel anything, but I heard a voice. [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] When I went back another day, I found myself lying on my bed. The TV was off, but the clippings were still all over the walls. Going back a day wasnt enough to erase the Fire Emperorno, that lunatics death. I red at Yoo Soo-Has photo. A day, a week, a month, a year... I didnt care how long it would take. Now... I held up my dagger again. ...4049 days to go. And I stabbed myself again. Chapter 5: Hunt the Hero (2)

Chapter 5: Hunt the Hero (2)

4048 days. [You have died.] 4047 days. [You have died.] 4046 days. [You have died.] Just as Rome wasnt built overnight, the Fire Emperors legend wasnt made in a couple of days. I was erasing his seemingly eternal legacy from the Tower. It was difficult, of course, but it wasnt impossible. Fuck...! I screamed as I killed myself. Whenever I wanted to give up, I recalled the moment the Fire Emperor had burned me to death as if I were a moth. It brought back the pain, the frustration, and the anger I had felt at the time. He was the one who had set the fire in the old slum, but he had the audacity toe back and tantly demand money for his help. Ill kill you. I stabbed myself in the neck with my dagger. Ill kill you, Yoo Soo-Ha! I was killing myself, but it also meant the Fire Emperor was closer to his death. [You have died.] [Rewinding 24 hours.] 4040 days, 4039 days, 4038 days, 4037 days... I started to lose track of how many times Id killed myself. It felt like my work wasnt going to end, like an hourss that never ran out of sand. The Fire Emperors tower of aplishments seemed solid like a pyramid that didn''t crumble down on its own, but it began to crack. The Fire Emperor has cleared the thirty-ninth floor on his own! The Fire Emperor has created another legend by singlehandedly clearing the thirty-eighth floor! Yoo Soo-Ha, the Fire Emperor, has officially be the first Korean to earn the highest ce in the Hunter Ranking. ... With the disappearance of the Sword Star, the seat of the worlds Rank 1 Hunter is empty. Who shall inherit his seat? All foreign experts unanimously agree that the most likely candidate is Yoo Soo-Ha from Korea. The unassable tenth floor has been cleared. Who is this mysterious hero? It has been twenty-two days since the Sword Star went missing. Could this be the start of the greatest chaos the Hunter industry has ever seen? The clippings on my studio walls, the trophies of the Fire Emperors history, disappeared one by one. The Fire Emperor has created another legend by singlehandedly clearing the thirty-eighth floor! Yoo Soo-Ha, the Fire Emperor, has officially be the first Korean to earn the highest ce in the Hunter Ranking. ... With the disappearance of the Sword Star, the seat of the worlds Rank 1 Hunter is empty. Who shall inherit his seat? All foreign experts unanimously agree that the most likely candidate is Yoo Soo-Ha from Korea. The unassable tenth floor has been cleared. Who is this mysterious hero? It has been twenty-two days since the Sword Star went missing. Could this be the start of the greatest chaos the Hunter industry has ever seen? One after another, the clippings disappeared like an old mans teeth, revealing the wallpapers behind. The Fire Emperor has created another legend by singlehandedly clearing the thirty-seventh floor! Yoo Soo-Ha, the Fire Emperor, has officially be the first Korean to earn the highest ce in the Hunter Ranking. ... With the disappearance of the Sword Star, the seat of the worlds Rank 1 Hunter is empty. Who shall inherit his seat? All foreign experts unanimously agree that the most likely candidate is Yoo Soo-Ha from Korea. The unassable tenth floor has been cleared. Who is this mysterious hero? It has been twenty-two days since the Sword Star went missing. Could this be the start of the greatest chaos the Hunter industry has ever seen? They continued to vanish. I see the end now! I still had a long way to go, but... it was okay. It was bing clear that the psychotic Fire Emperor wasnt immortal or indestructible. Then I could keep going as long as I needed to. It isnt impossible! I swung my dagger again, eliminating the Fire Emperors time of clearing the Towers thirty-seventh floor. Yoo Soo-Ha, the Fire Emperor, has officially be the first Korean to earn the highest ce in the Hunter Ranking. ... With the disappearance of the Sword Star, the seat of the worlds Rank 1 Hunter is empty. Who shall inherit his seat? All foreign experts unanimously agree that the most likely candidate is Yoo Soo-Ha from Korea. The unassable tenth floor has been cleared. Who is this mysterious hero? It has been twenty-two days since the Sword Star went missing. Could this be the start of the greatest chaos the Hunter industry has ever seen? Next was when the Fire Emperor became the best Hunter in the world. With the disappearance of the Sword Star, the seat of the worlds Rank 1 Hunter is empty. Who shall inherit his seat? All foreign experts unanimously agree that the most likely candidate is Yoo Soo-Ha from Korea. The unassable tenth floor has been cleared. Who is this mysterious hero? It has been twenty-two days since the Sword Star went missing. Could this be the start of the greatest chaos the Hunter industry has ever seen? I eliminated it. The unassable tenth floor has been cleared. Who is this mysterious hero? It has been twenty-two days since the Sword Star went missing. Could this be the start of the greatest chaos the Hunter industry has ever seen? And I did it again. It has been twenty-two days since the Sword Star went missing. Could this be the start of the greatest chaos the Hunter industry has ever seen? [You have died.] Finally, my old dagger was as good as new again, and my hands were also less wrinkly. I had moved from studio to studio in the past, so I got poorer as I became younger, leaving me in a studio that was much smaller than my previous one. When I went to the bathroom to take a short break, I could see a much younger reflection of myself in the mirror. Ah... And there was nothing on my walls. All of the newspaper and magazine clippings were gone. It waspletely empty. I had actually erased the name Fire Emperor from history. I did it, I nkly mumbled. I came back... It was May 6th, eleven years ago. I returned to a month before Yoo Soo-Ha got his Skill. *** I dont need to hesitate or wait. A hoodie and sweatpants. That was everything I had in my early twenties, and I put them on like armor. However, I didnt...feel thrilled that Ide back to the past. Yoo Soo-Ha... I wont let my guard down until Ive killed that guy.... Id killed myself 4090 times to return to this day. It was forty times more than I had nned. It also took longer because of my breaks in between deaths. I had also collected every piece of information about Yoo Soo-Ha I could find by repeating May 6th ten times. 11 A.M. That was when Yoo Soo-Ha usually woke up. Today was no different. He had a deep frown on his face right from the start of the day, probably because he had gulped down four bottles of beer yesterday. 2 P.M. Yoo Soo-Ha left his studio. His apartment building was popr among ss F Hunters. Low-ss Hunters were often killed during their hunts, so thendlord leased the studios with low rent and high deposits. He was a great businessman. 3 P.M. Yoo Soo-Ha began hunting slimes in the hunting ground of the Towers second floor. They didnt pay well. At 3:11 P.M., Yoo Soo-Ha grumbled, Ah, fuck. When will I get to be famous like the Sword Star...? Gosh, hunting slimes is really boring, Yoo Soo-Ha muttered four minutester. Twenty-one-year-old Yoo Soo-Ha was an ordinary ss F Hunter who hoped to win the jackpot someday. He was nothing like the thirty-two-year-old Fire Emperor. I wish I could win the lottery... Yoo Soo-Has wish was actually going toe true soon. The Merchant Association, also known as MA, was the only one that could issue a lottery within the Tower. The winner was announced every week, and all of their names were recorded by the MA. That list was soon going to include a young man who would one day be known as the Fire Emperor. He was going to be so lucky that he would win twice in a row. Although the truth was that it was the first thing he was going to do with his time regression Skill. And he will win it in three weeks and then again four weeks from today. However, the Yoo Soo-Ha whom I was watching, was not going to have that future anymore. Youll die here today. Yoo Soo-Ha was going to head to a different hunting ground at 5:31 P.M. Maybe he thought he would get nowhere in life if he only hunted slimes. The new hunting ground was a little more remote and dangerous, so rookie Hunters rarely went there. No one except for Yoo Soo-Ha was going to be there for 36 minutes. ...Hes here. I had been waiting for him here. Its him. Yoo Soo-Ha swaggered in, yawning. I had traveled back eleven years, but I still didnt fail to recognize him every time. It wasnt because I had great eyes; Yoo Soo-Ha looked the same even after eleven years. He must have found an elixir of eternal youth or something. I actually wanted to thank him for being such a greedy pig! Come. My heart pounded so hard that it hurt, but I suppressed it. H-hey, Mr. Hunter! I said. Please help me...! Huh? Yoo Soo-Ha looked at me. I got attacked by the wolves... Sob. Please help me. Do you have a potion you can spare...? I was covered in blood. It belonged to the monsters I had hunted in advance, but I would look like a rookie Hunter who was about to die in other peoples eyes, including Yoo Soo-Has. Ah, shit. What? You already messed with the monsters in this area? Fuck, I wont be able to hunt anything today. Pl-please... Do you have any potions Are you freaking kidding me? Youre the reason why I have to go home dirt poor today. And youre asking for my potion? Yoo Soo-Ha approached, sighing. How much are you going to give me? What? How much are you going to give me for my potion, mister? I dont do charity, so do I have a reason to donate this expensive potion to some dude Ive never met before? I dont really think so. Yoo Soo-Ha pulled out a stic bottle with the Alchemist Officesbel and dangled it in front of me. Red liquid sloshed inside the bottle. It was a health recovery potion that cost twenty gold a bottle. The office also offered a set of five recovery potions that cost neen gold. I-Ill give you twenty gold... Ill pay you right now. Please Wow, youre one stingy dude, arent you? Yoo Soo-Ha crouched down and met my eyes. Cant you tell whats going on? Youre about to die, and this potion will save you. And youre going to buy your life only with twenty gold? Is that how much your life is worth? Umm... I know its harsh, but think about it. If I leave right here, youll die, mister. Unless you want that to happen, you have to pay the right price. Yeah, I knew that already. F-forty gold... Just give me everything you have right now. I knew what kind of a person he was. Well, you cant even move your hands, so I guess youre in too much of a mess to give it to me even if you wanted to. Dont worry, Ill do it for you. I can do that much. Yoo Soo-Ha reached out and went rummaging through my pockets, making sure to check my hoodie as well. When he finally found my leather wallet in my pants pocket, he grinned. Lets see. One gold, two gold, three gold... Hmm. It looks like sixty gold in total. Why are you so poor, mister? You should carry around more than that. Urgh... Thats all my savings... Its okay. Ill put it to good use. Yoo Soo-Ha stroked my head after putting my wallet in his pocket. Just like how he had doneno, he was going to do 4050 dayster as he burned me to death. Thats just life, isnt it? Yoo Soo-Ha put his recovery potion back in his pocket, despite his promise. Instead, he pulled out a knife. It was a tool that was used to kill people, not save them. Ha. I looked up at Yoo Soo-Ha, but I wasnt angry. I just couldnt believe he was the same as ever. He seemed to understand my reaction in a different way. Dont give me that look, Mister, he said with a shrug. I thought about giving you the potion, but... you might take revenge on meter, you know. I dont want that to happen. People shouldnt live looking over their shoulders. Since you also saw my face, you need to die. Yoo Soo-Ha never stopped grinning. I had spent ten years worshiping him as a hero, and I had been so jealous of him; I had only gotten to see his back on the screen before any of this, but I had desperately wanted to be like him. It turned out that a heros bare face was much uglier than I had thought. Alright. I quietly watched Yoo Soo-Ha adjusting his grip on his knife. I wont leave anything to look over my shoulder for. When he slowly held up his knife, I kicked him in the groin using my right foot. Urgh! Yoo Soo-Ha lost his bnce as he was swinging his knife. It was only for a moment, but that was enough for me. Huh? He murmured. After narrowly dodging Yoo Soo-Has knife, I stabbed his neck with my dagger. I was different from Yoo Soo-HaI didnt waste time by needlessly talking to my target. The moment I pierced his neck, I twisted the dagger and cut his throat. When I withdrew my dagger, a fountain of blood sshed out from his neck, quickly drenching my hands. Ur-urgh...! Yoo Soo-Ha groaned. Only once he hit the ground did he let out a scream. Arghhhhh!!!! It didntst long because the surging blood slowly suffocated him to death. He must have also instinctively realized that his life was draining away second by second. He stopped writhing on the ground and hunched over on his side. Although he mped his hands over the wound, it wasnt enough to stop the bleeding; the hole actually bled harder, squeezing blood through the gaps between his fingers. Okay. I stepped on Yoo Soo-Has neck. His wide eyes were filled with questions and anger, but I didnt have the slightest reason to answer his questions. His eyes were going to turn nk soon. Ill just think of this as a good learning opportunity. I swung the dagger that had killed me 4090 times. This time, it was to kill a monster. Chapter 6: Hunt the Hero (3)

Chapter 6: Hunt the Hero (3)

Gah... Hah. Hooo...! It wasmonly said among Hunters that the way to acquire a Skill was to face death. Perhaps it was true. At least, it sounded more usible than receiving a Skill for the worlds ugliest jealousy. Huff...! That was why I swung my dagger again. I couldnt let my guard down; I had to stop the slightest chance of the psychopath in front of me Awakening his Skill. Gasp... huff... Die. I gritted my teeth. Whoo... What made me the most angry wasnt the fact that this psychopath had burned me to death as if I were nothing. He told me his name. It was what Yoo Soo-Ha had told me with a smile before he had grabbed and burned my head to a crisp. But you know Im the Fire Emperor and you also saw me killing the Saintess. So you have to die. My name is Yoo Soo-Ha. Goodbye. Only a maniac would talk like that. Thest part of his remark, though, was really strange. He told me his name. It was very sudden. He couldnt have possibly thought that I didnt know his name. He wanted to show off. That made me unbearably angry and disgusted. He was a killer, but he believed he was a warrior stating his name before a sacred duel. The moment he had killed me, he had probably thought, I dont hide my identity when I kill. Therefore Im honorable. How dare you... How dare a psychopath like you think like that...! It was only a coincidence that I had witnessed his crime, but he had killed me anyway. He had shamelessly pretended to be innocent in front of the fire he had started. This inhumane thing was an animal. No, he was worse than that. He was a devil, but he acted like he was noble. Dont be ridiculous! I stabbed Yoo Soo-Has neck. Yoo Soo-Ha had already gone quiet. He didnt scream or moan. Hey on the grass, staring up at the sky of the remote, empty hunting ground with nk eyes. Yes, he was dead. Huff, huff... Huff... Maybe that wasnt an urate description. He wasnt an ordinary Hunter, and his death was far from normal. The man would have be the legendary Fire Emperor, the first ce in the official Hunter ranking. The Towers tenth floor remained uncleared for years, but he was going to clear it on his own. And I killed him. Phew. I let out a sigh. I can finallye to my I was going to say I could finally regain someposure, but I had to stop talking. Big wolves were roaming around nearby after getting a whiff of Yoo Soo-Has blood. Grrrr.... They were no ordinary wolves, they were monsters called in Wolves. Each of them bore a ck symbol resembling a tattoo. The moreplicated the symbol was, the stronger they were. The ones in front of me had rather simple symbols, but I still couldnt take them lightly as a ss F Hunter. I first got back my wallet from Yoo Soo-Ha. Then, as I cautiously retreated, I pointed at the body. You want him, right? I dont need it, so take it. And I kept backing away. Grrrrrrr. The wolves approached the body. One of them bit the jacket off the corpse and all of the other wolves followed suit. I couldnt see the body anymore with the big wolves covering it. Enjoy yourselves. I quickly left the area. Is it over? My clothes were drenched in Yoo Soo-Has blood, so I buried them deep in the hole I had dug in advance and washed myself using the water bottles I had brought. Even after I pulled new clothes from my backpack, everything still felt unreal. Is it really over? Since people would get suspicious if my clothes were too clean. When Id gotten them dirty enough, I headed back to Babylon, the city on the Towers first floor. A guard from the Watchmen League was standing at the entrance and nced at me...but he soon looked away with a yawn. Ah. No one knew what happened. Its really over. I went inside a pub and ordered a beer. I gulped it down and ordered another one, and no one cared or knew what I did. I quietly closed my eyes and listened to the news on the pubs old television. Hunters from Rank 2 to 7 gathered and set out to clear the Towers tenth floor. However, the team has been brought to their knees once again... ...The criticism toward the Sword Star is getting stronger every day because he never takes part in a Tower Raid Team even though hes the Rank 1 Hunter... No matter how long I waited, breaking news of a missing Hunter in the Towers second-floor hunting ground never arrived. It was only natural, really. There was nothing new about rookie Hunters deaths. Just like no one cared about me right now, they werent interested in learning about an obscure Hunters disappearance. Its over! In other words, I had seeded in hunting the monster. *** I held up my empty ss. One more draft beer please! Youre drinking a lot today. Did you have a lucky hunt today? Yes. Yes, I did! It was awesome! I shouted delightedly. Id never felt more free than I did right now, so I spent several hours filling up myself with beer. Only when I saw the sun setting outside the pub was I brought back to reality. What should I do now? There was a lot I could do. I can win the lottery. No one knows how to clear the higher floors, so selling them that information is also an option. Mannnn, my life is going to be smooth sailing! I looked up at my Hunter Status Window, which only I could see. Name: Kim Gong-Ja ss: F Skills(2/4) 1. I Want To Be Like You (S+): Passive 2. Returners Clockwork (EX): Passive 3. Empty 4. Empty Yeah, I dont need snacks to go with my drink. I giggled. I was practically having steak and caviar. My status window came with a ss S Skill and a ss EX Skill, and I was sure that most people had never even heard of a ss EX Skill. Im a greedy pig if I want things to be better than they are right now. I smiled contently. ...But I dont have an attack Skill. Maybe humans were all greedy pigs. What I didnt have began to bother me. Even if I can make good money, a Hunter has to be strong... Otherwise, someone will rob me one day... The Towers society was much more menacing than the outside worlds. If I put it in a cool way, the rule of the jungle prevailedbasically, only the strong survived. It wouldnt matter if I could run off to the outside world, but... ...You never leave once you enter the Tower. That was the unbreakablew. Even a ss S Hunter with a teleportation ability couldnt travel outside the Tower. The leader of the Merchant Association, known as the Countess, was the only one who couldmunicate with the outside world from Babylon. Still, the Countess can only send and receive goods. Shes stuck in the Tower too... People may enter the Tower at will, but leaving the Tower wasnt up to them. Their identity, assets, social connections, nationality... only someone who had given up everything of the outside world could enter the Tower and be a Hunter. Perhaps...their humanity was also part of the cost. Yeah. It was the same for me. I should be sessful in the Tower even if its sink or swim, I muttered, my courage buoyed by beer. I desperately wanted to be sessful. There was a good reason why I had idolized the Fire Emperor, and it wasnt because of his astonishingly fucked-up personality. My reason was very simple: I had been envious of the Fire Emperors incredible aplishments. Lets be sessful, Kim Gong-Ja. Youve already died 4090 times, so nothing is impossible for you. Lets be sessful... Just then, the bell on the pubs door rang. *** At first, I didnt bother looking to see who entered the pub. It was still early in the evening, so whoever entered the pub couldnt possibly be a renowned Hunter. But then the other drunkards began to chatter among themselves. Hey, did you see him over there...? What? It really looks like him. Why would hee to this pub...? Everyone tried not to make noise, leaving the pub oddly quiet. At this point, I had to turn and see who it was. An old man in a fine ck suit was standing there. Hmm. A in red necktie neatly circled his neck, making him look ready to go step into an office right away. He surprisingly looked like an average office worker, so looking at him made me feel like I was back in the outside world. Whoa. What kind of fashion is that? However, he was wearing red sneakers, not leather shoes. It was a very oddbination, but it wasnt the only strange part of him. One cup of milk, the old man curtly said. What? Give me one cup of milk mixed with a little bit of vodka and sugar. It would be better if you could use honey instead of sugar. The pub owner looked perplexed by the absurdly specific order. Umm... Sir, Im not a bartender... Ill pay the right price. Dont worry. The pub owner nodded reluctantly and started working on the mans order. On the other hand, the pubs other upants kept stealing nces at the old man in a suit. They kept whispering about him. It seemed that the old man was really famous. Who is it? I narrowed my eyes. Strange. I can recognize most famous Hunters. I wasnt particrly proud of it, but not many people envied those famous Hunters more than I did. I could state every Hunter on the ranking from the second to the hundredth ce because I was jealous of all of them. Yet...strangely, I couldnt recall this man in a suit. It feels like Ive seen him from somewhere though. Where was it? Where? It took me some time to remember. Ah! One of the newspaper clippings that used to cover my studio walls had the mans photo. It has been twenty-two days since the Sword Star went missing. Could this be the start of the greatest chaos the Hunter industry has ever seen? Its the Sword Star! Yes. The Sword Star used to be the most famous Hunter before Yoo Soo-Ha had made a name for himself as the Fire Emperor. The Sword Star had been active too long ago, so I had forgotten about it. Even I couldnt recognize a Hunter who hadnt been active for more than ten years. Besides, he was going to go missing soon, although I didnt know what happened. Ah, yeah. That will happen eleven yearster, actually. I realized again that I had returned to the past. That old man is the strongest man in this generation, not the Fire Emperor... I knew it was rude, but I couldnt stop myself from ncing at the Sword Star. How should I put it? I felt like I was meeting a historic figure whod died long ago. It was amazing and weird at the same time. He probably has ss S Skills too. I sipped on my beer with a grin. And not something weird like mine. Its a proper attack skill... Huh? I put down my beer. The ss S Skill I had crossed my mind all of a sudden. I Want To Be Like You ss: S+ Effect: It will automatically activate after an enemy kills you. You will be able to copy and turn one of their Skills into yours. The Skill you copy will be chosen at random, but you cant copy your enemies Skills more than once. However, you will die! Hold on. Another light bulb moment struck me, much like when I had thought of a way to kill the Fire Emperor. I Want To Be Like You was a remarkable Skill. I could get killed by any Hunter if I wanted their Skill. The fact I had to die was the biggest w. But I...dont die anymore. Because I had another SKill. Returners Clockwork ss: EX Effect: It is activated automatically upon your death. You will return to twenty four hours before your death. Your memory and ability will be preserved even after your return. You will receive a penalty after the Skill activation. The higher your ss is, the stronger the penalty is. The Skill has been copied from Hunter Yoo Soo-Ha. Goosebumps slowly spread all over my body. Can I really copy any Skill? The obvious truth hadnt crossed my head because of the pressure and anxiety driving me to kill the Fire Emperor as soon as possible. ...Will I also be able to copy the current generations Rank 1 Hunter? I gulped down the beer in my mouth. The Fire Emperor, the Rank 1 Hunter after the Sword Stars disappearance, had the cheating ability to return to the past. In that case, what kind of Skills would the Sword Star have? They must be as great as the Fire Emperors. If only I can get that... I looked at the old mans back. ...Jackpot. It looked like my hunt wasnt over yet. Chapter 7: The Reason He Talks To Himself (1)

Chapter 7: The Reason He Talks To Himself (1)

I searched for information about the Sword Star on my smartphone. He used to be an elder in a wealthy, prestigious family from Northern Europe. His name is Marcus Carlenbery. A renowned family, a myriad of social connections, huge assets... He had everything, but he abandoned all of it to enter the Tower. No one really knows exactly what Skills he has. He has a habit of asionally talking to himself. I clicked my tongue. This isnt really helpful. I searched up videos of his interviews just in case, but I got nothing. From the looks of it, the Sword Star was the exact opposite of Yoo Soo-Ha, the Fire Emperor. Although Yoo Soo-Ha tended to talk harshly to reporters and anchors, he was still an attention seeker, so he would often expose himself to the media. On the other hand, the Sword Star remained eternally mysterious, so all of the information circting online was pretty vague and spective. Well. I turned to look at the Sword Star, who was drinking vodka milk at a corner table. It looks like the information about his habit seems to be correct. The unusually dressed old man was having a unique drink of milk mixed with vodka. Even now, he kept sipping his drink without any snacks while he babbled to himself. ...Shut up. Be quiet. Youre... I couldnt hear what exactly he was talking about, but the Sword Star kept talking to himself with a deep frown whenever he put down his cup on the table. It was actually a little scary. Is he mentally ill? However, he was the number one Hunter in the world, meaning he was a nuke that could go off at any time. It was horrifying. ...Come to think of it, the Fire Emperor was also a psychopath. Perhaps being mentally ill was the requirement to be the Rank 1 Hunter. Almost all High Rankers are wackos, I guess. I shook my head as I continued my search. All the information I could find was still spective, but one anonymous post caught my eye with its interesting title. [Caution] You should never say this in front of the Sword Star! Hmm? The post was from an onlinemunity that required a Hunter license from the Hunter Management Bureau to join. In other words, only Hunters got to hang out there. There is a topic you should never mention in front of the Sword Star. Dont ever bring it up unless you have a death wish. I witnessed it myself. What is it? Dont mention anything about his grandchildren. A couple days ago, some Rankers picked a fight with the Sword Star in the ninth-floor hunting ground. Judging from you, I can see how messed up your grandchildren outside the Tower are. Thats why you left them, aint it? After all, theyre your grandchildren, so they must be just as cocky and all. How embarrassed would your grandchildren be if they knew you act like a dickhead here? After that, he killed them. what he just killed them? Yeah, he really did. Thest guy was dead before he could finish speaking. No one saw the Sword Star move. There were a lot ofments under that post. bullshit this is just astroturfing from one of the big guilds Yeah those guilds always find talented people like the Sword Star an eyesore Most of thementers didnt believe the poster, but the user who wrote the post defended it persistently. I dont care if you believe me or not! I just posted this because I thought you guys should know too. I personally think the Sword Star isnt at fault here, its the guy who brought his family for no good reason, but all the High Rankers are furious for sure. Look at how the media keeps criticizing the Sword Star nowadays. Anyhow, watch your words if you run into the Sword Star. Bye-bye. That was thestment the user wrote, as if that was all they had to say. I put down my smartphone. The topic I should never mention in front of him... I thought. I looked at the corner of the pub where the Sword Star was still sitting and talking to himself. ...Youre too noisy. Ill take care of it, so leave me alone... It really looked like he was mentally ill. Even if he was, it didnt change the fact that he was the Rank 1 Hunter, so he probably had remarkable Skills. That was enough for me. Alright. Its worth testing. *** Thanks for the drink, the Sword Star told the pub owner. Ha-have a good night! After emptying his cup, the Sword Star left the pub. Immediately after that, the drunkards, who had been keeping as quiet as possible, heaved a sigh of relief. He finally left. Is he going senile? Why does he keep talking to himself? Who knows? But it killed my mood tonight for sure... It looked like all of the customers in the pub had been waiting for the Sword Star to leave. Although I had been waiting too, my reason was different from theirs. There was no time to waste. I quickly calcted my tab and handed the money to the pub owner. Here you go. Ah, yes. Thank you. I hope to see you again! The beer was great. Good night. I bowed back to the owner. The pub doors bell rang as I walked out the door. It was alreadyte in the night, so the street was dark. Where are you? I looked around. The street was lined up with pubs and bars, so it was quite crowded. Dozens of people giggled under the night sky, letting out their alcohol-infusedughter. Where are you, Rank 1 Hunter? There you are! Fortunately, it didnt take long to find the back of the person I was looking for, thanks to his unique fashion style. The Sword Star was the only person who would walk around Babylon in a suit. I quickly quieted my steps and followed him. My heart pounded. The Fire Emperor had a ss EX Skill that allowed him to go back to the past. The Sword Star has been a renowned Hunter even before the Fire Emperor, so what Skills could he have? It must be even better than the regression Skill, right? That Skill was going to be mine if my luck allowed. *** After following him for who knew how long, the Sword Star and I were out of the downtown and headed to a remote alley. When we went a little further, we werent even in an alley. The Sword Star kept striding forward until he reached a very remote, barren field with no buildings. Hmm, this ce looks good. The Sword Star turned around, his figure illuminated by the dim starlight. Come out, young man. No one will know what happens here. The Sword Star was looking right at the tree I was hiding behind. I sighed. Of course he got me. Well, it was far-fetched to think that to think that the Rank 1 Hunter wouldnt notice me following him. I readily epted my ipetence and walked out from behind the tree. Please excuse my rudeness, Mr. Sword Star. I have a favor I would like to ask from you. Although I tried to sound as polite as possible, the Sword Star simply scoffed for some reason. Ha. Werent you being clumsy on purpose so I would notice you? Im just an old man, so I dont get what kind of favor makes a scary man like youe for me. Huh? I didnt understand why, but he seemed to believe that I had made sounds on purpose. Although I wasnt doing anything, the Sword Star grabbed his sword. He looked ready to fight. What is up with him? This was good for me since my goal was to get killed by the Sword Star, but I didnt do anything else except follow him... My obvious confusion only deepened the Sword Stars frown. His eyes oozed murder. ...Youre quite the actor; as expected from an elite assassin. What? Dont feign ignorance. You may have been able to fool other Hunters, but it wont work on me. I know youre one of the ck Dragon Guilds elite assassins. Umm... The Sword Star seemed to be having a grave misunderstanding. I dont know if I like it or not. Anyhow, it worked out for me. It looked like he was going to kill me even if I didnt mention his grandchildren, but I really had no idea how he mistook a ss F Hunter for an elite assassin. Ha! How despicable. You just wont drop the act, will you? The Sword Star sneered at me, carefully watching my reaction. I already said you cant fool my eyes! I highly doubted that I had the face of an assassin, but his contempt for me looked sincere. At this point, I had to ask. Umm, sir. This is a genuine question... Why do you think Im an elite assassin? I think I look pretty ordinary. Shut up. The Sword Star drew his sword. I have many Skills, but one in particr got me through many crises. It tells me how many humans my opponent has killed. What? It took me a few extra seconds to understand him. Ah, I killed Yoo Soo-Ha. Yes, I had hunted Yoo Soo-Ha today. Although I had done it because I knew what kind of monster he would turn out to be, people in this generation didnt know that, so I was just a killer to them. Murder was a lot moremon inside the Tower than it was in the outside world...but it was still a crime. In other words, the number 1 must be floating above my head in the Sword Stars eyes, signifying Yoo Soo-Has death. It was understandable that the Sword Star was vignt of me. I understand, Mr. Sword Star. Hmmm. Your vignce ispletely valid, but please hear my excuse first. Although I cant tell you everything, I swear to God that I did it for a very important reason. I meant my every word, but it seemed to send the Sword Star in an odd direction. My sincere exnation made the Sword Stars face contort. You devil. Say what? Your nonsense disgusts me. I cant say my hands are spotless...but I never ughtered so many people as you! The increasingly chaotic situation left me bewildered. Wait a minute, sir. What do you mean by ughter? I killed only one person in my entire life. You just dont know what shame is, do you? The Sword Star pointed his sword at me. I can see the number 4091 above your head! My head was going nk. What are you... I stoppedmy tongue froze mid-sentence when I realized where the number 4091 came from. Ah. One of them was because I had killed Yoo Soo-Ha, and the rest was... ...its the number of times I killed myself. Brace yourself, devil! I dont know if the ck Dragon Witch sent you or someone else, but I will not hold back anything! In the Swords Stars eyes, I was the killer of the century, the murderer of 4091 people. No, this isnt a matter of whether or not I can copy the Sword Stars Skill anymore! A shiver ran down my spine as I realized that the problem was a lot bigger than I had thought. The Sword Star is going to kill me whenever he sees me! Rightto him, I was a despicable human butcherer, and a virus like me should be eliminated as soon as possible. Wa-wait! I extended my arm. Please, hold on...! The Sword Star swung his sword at me. Chapter 8: The Reason He Talks To Himself (2)

Chapter 8: The Reason He Talks To Himself (2)

I managed to avoid the Sword Stars attack by sheer luck. Hmm? The Sword Star raised an eyebrow. He thought I was an elite assassin, so he had been braced for a counterattack or for me to skillfully dodge his attack... But he had probably not expected that I would choose to roll on the ground like a fool. M-Mr. Sword Star, wait. Please hear me out! I didnt care if I died since it was the whole reason why I had followed him down here. However, I wanted to avoid a needless fight next time, so I tried to figure out if there was a way to resolve the Sword Stars misunderstanding. Im really just an ordinary ss F Hunter You are indeed an elite assassin! the Sword Star confidently dered. You dodged my sword! Come on! Do you have a hearing problem, old man?! The misunderstanding only grew, which was quite a problem. Again, I only managed to dodge his attack because I had been lucky. I still didnt even know which direction he had swung his sword. Ill never be able to dodge his next attack with my physical abilities! I embraced my death, wondering if I had to give up on persuading the Sword Star as I watched him slowly approach me. Suddenly, he came to a stop. Huh? I thought. Is he going to hear me out? He was not. The Sword Star wasnt looking at me, he was frowning at the empty air. I nced up in the sky to see if a mosquito was flying around, but, as I expected, there was nothing there. ...I told you Ill take care of it, the Sword Star said to the air. ...Be quiet. What do you mean, capture and interrogate him? This kind of devil doesnt deserve to live... What? He was talking to himself again. The Sword Star had looked like he was ready to kill me right away, but he lowered his sword for some reason, postponing my imminent death. I narrowed my eyes. ...Is he talking to himself because of his Skill? Yes, that might be it. Although I had assumed at the pub that he was just mentally ill, now that I got a closer look at him, I noticed that his mumbling was a little too borate. The Sword Star actually seemed to be talking to someone. Is his Skill telepathy? Then... is he telling other people about me? Another shiver ran down my spine. I knew that telepathy was an actual Skill in the Tower, which made my theory entirely possible. Hes telling other people that he found a guy who ughtered 4091 people? That would guarantee me a spot in the Hunter Management Bureaus wanted list. Though the Bureau rarely put people on their wanted list, everyone on it was practically kill-on-sight. They would be hunted by all of the major guilds and High Rankers so they could be publicly executed in Babylons za. I cant let that happen. I clenched my teeth. I need to die right now! I had to go back twenty-four hours so none of this would ever happen, eliminating the possibility of the worst possible futureing true. I red at the Sword Star. He was still talking to himself. ...Forget it. My mind is set. Even if youre my teacher... I was still unsure if the Sword Star was mentally ill or was actually talking to someone...but I had to prevent the worst-case scenario. How are your grandchildren? I asked. The Sword Star stopped talking and slowly turned toward me. I heard that its quite dangerous in the outside world nowadays. You must be so worried about your adorable grandchildren. His blue eyes were still as the ocean depths. Your family used to be famous back in Northern Europe, right? Isnt that the type of family that terrorists usually love? Who knows? Your grandchildren might have already been murd It sounded like a ripe apple was cut in half. Huh? At first, I couldnt understand what the sound was. I was watching the Sword Star the entire time, so I was certain that he hadnt moved an inch; he was just standing there with his wrinkled lips pursed. Where could that sound havee from? While I was still processing, the world gradually tilted. The Sword Star was standing straight, but the half-moon in the night sky was turned upside down so that it looked like a little boat. The waxing moon was waning, leaving only an old man on the horizon. The Sword Star continued to look at me with blue eyes that resembled the starry night. Now I understood why he was called the Sword Star. Ah. And I realized that it wasnt the ground that had turned upside down. My head had been cut off, and it was falling to the ground. Its beautiful. It only took one sh. Even though I couldnt follow his movement, I got to see the world cut in half afterward, and I thought it was beautiful. After a moment, I hit something. I felt light-headed, and my ears were numb. I couldnt hear anything; it took me a little longer to realize that my head had hit the ground. By that point... I couldnt see anything. [You have died.] What kind of Skills did he have? How long did he train to reach his current level? [It has been determined that your death met the requirement for the Skill activation.] It feltpletely different from the time I had been killed by the Fire Emperor... I felt betrayed by the Fire Emperor, so I wanted to get revenge. But I didnt with the Sword Star; it was the opposite. I want to be like him. I envied him. I want to reach his level. It was just like the times before I knew the true colors of Yoo Soo-Ha, the Fire Emperor. I want to be like him! Jealousy, obsession, yearning...an endless stream of desires rushed over me. A voice answered my burning emotions. [Duplicating Hunter Marcus Carlenberys Skills at random.] Skill Cards arose in the dark world. [Creating Skill Cards] I could only see the back of the cards; maybe it was to hide which Skills the cards had. Well, I can see the colors more clearly than when I was killed by the Fire Emperor. Perhaps Id gotten used to dying. Just like what the Sword Stars kill count Skill said, I had already died 4090 times. I was certain that no Hunter would be more used to dying than I was. That isnt particrly something to be proud of. I smiled bitterly. [Choose a Skill Card.] The Skill Cards began to fly through the air. Whoa! It caught me by surprise, but I swiftly pulled myself together and focused on the cards. I dont need anything else. Gold! I must pick a golden Skill Card! They were so fast that it was impossible to keep track of them. Oh my god. The Skill Cards had been quick even when I had been killed by the Fire Emperor. How had I actually picked a golden Skill Card? I realized once again how incredibly lucky I was. Who knows? I might get lucky this time too! Now, where are you, golden card? Gold Skill Card! But something was weird. Huh? No matter how hard I looked, I couldnt see it. There... is no golden Skill Card. Among the flying Skill Cards, there were shit-colored Skill Cards, along with some silver ones. However, I couldnt find a single Skill Card that was shining with golden light. I looked around several times, unable to believe my eyes, but there was still none. I was left with only one answer. N-no way. He seriously doesnt have any? My jaw dropped to the ground. *** Impossible! I wanted to scream. Hes the Rank 1 Hunter. He was a legend before the Fucker came around. How can the Sword Star not have a single ss S Skill? It was hard to believe this horrifying, shocking news, but it was the truth. My Skill showed me that Marcus Carlenbery, the Sword Star, reigned as the number one Hunter without any ss S Skills. No, no! It cant be! I chose to deny the reality presented to me. There must be an ultimate cheat Skill Card among the silver ones! Some may think I was desperate and would no doubt call me a loser for trying to reject the truth. Anyhow, I red at the cards with feverish eyes. Three shit-colored cards, and four silver cards. A total of seven cards flew chaotically in the air. Ill ignore the shit-colored ones. It was a reasonable choice. The problem now was picking which silver Skill Card to get! These cards would probably include the Sword Stars kill count Skill and the mysterious, overpowered skill. I wanted his overpowered Skill, obviously, which would be as good as the Fire Emperors time regression Skill, not a Skill of questionable usefulness like his kill count. I have a one in four chance! It all woulde down to my luck. Please! Please, please! Come on, Sword Stars overpowered Skill! I snatched a silver-colored card from the air. [You have chosen a Skill Card.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] I gasped and immediately sat up. My luxurious seven-square-meter studio weed me with the moldy smell of my long unwashedforter. Unfortunately, I couldnt afford to look around. D-did I get it? I checked my Hunter Status Window first to see if I won my gamble. Name: Kim Gong-Ja. ss: F Skill (3/4) 1. I Want To Be Like You(S+): Passive 2. Returners Clockwork(EX): Passive 3. Sword Constetion(A+): Passive 4. Empty Ah... I groaned, both happy andmenting. Well, at least I managed to pick a ss A+ Skill... Although it wasnt a ss S Skill, the good news was that I had picked the best Skill I could get from what was given. I could consider myself lucky that I had managed not to get a questionably useful Skill like the Sword Stars kill count. ...Its a passive Skill. And then Imented for my failure to get a high-levelbat Skill. I was trying to get abat Skilla rare martial art, swordy, a Skill that would awaken my aura... Most of those abilities were bound to be active Skills. I sighed. Come to think of it, Im just whining about my blessing... Numerous low-ss Hunters would go nuts if they heard meining even though Id received a ss A+ Skill. I decided to be optimistic and focus on the Skills I had. Show me my Skill Cards. The Skill Cards floated before my eyes. I Want To Be Like You (S+) Returners Clockwork(EX) Sword Constetion(A+) I had no idea what kind of Skill Sword Constetion was based on its name. Well, I Want To Be Like You does sound strange too. I couldnt really tell whether Id received a shitty Skill or a jackpot based on the name. I consoled myself with the possibility that maybe it was a great Skill and grabbed the silver Skill Card. Ah, why is it so noisy around here? A voice I shouldnt have been able to hear echoed. Gramps, I already told you this several times. Listen to your teacher, please. If you want to go out and train at night, do it quietly. When you move, I automatically follow you, so you dont need to bother waking me up. Have some manners, okay? I slowly turned toward the voice. In the corner of myforterwhich was small even for me on my ownwas a man who resembled a bull with his back to me. His form was faint, but he was definitely there. I felt goosebumps rising on my skin. Excuse me. Who are you? Huh? Then I met the mysterious mans eyes. Huhhh??? There was nothing life-like about the mans appearance. He was like a ghost, but he also looked menacing. I would have mistaken him for a gori if he hadnt been wearing clothes. When the robust ghost even furrowed his brows, I could see a monster straight out of a horror movie. Hey, who are you? ...Thats my question. Who are you? You can see me? I nodded reluctantly. Thats right. And you can hear me too. Umm, since we can talk... I think so. What? Am I talking to a ghost? I wondered. I had thought that ghosts would act like monsters seeking revenge for their grudges from before their death. But it was different with this ghost. Except for how his form was very faint, he talked like an ordinary human. Huh, thats strange. This shouldnt be possible. The ghost tilted his head in confusion. It seemed I wasnt the only one who couldnt make sense of what was happening right now. Where am I? This is smaller than most dog houses. Where is Gramps Marcus, boy? The ghost finally said something I could understand. Marcus... Marcus Carlenbery? Are you talking about the Sword Star? Tsk, tsk. The ghost clicked his tongue discontentedly. That title is too fancy for a beginner like him, but yeah, thats the guy. Where is he? Hes supposed to be around here. I was dumbstruck. The Sword Star is a beginner? Since I had killed Yoo Soo-Ha, the Fire Emperor, the Sword Star would continue to be the Rank 1 Hunter far into the future, yet the ghost sitting in front of me was calling him a beginner. Who in the world was he? And why could I suddenly see this ghost? To answer my questions, I flipped the silver Skill card over and read the Skill description. Sword Constetion ss: A+ Effect: He is from another world and managed to clear the ny-ninth floor of the Tower in his world. However, he was brought to his knees right on the verge of reaching the Towers hundredth floor. Due to his regret, he failed to find eternal peace and became a Guardian instead. He cant physically influence the world, but he is able to talk to you. He has abundant experience and is incredibly skilled, so ask him for advice! No one can perceive your Guardian except for you. The Skill has been copied from Hunter Marcus Carlenbery. I was speechless. Hey, where is Gramps? Hey, hey! Are you ignoring me? I used to be famous back in my day! Blinking was enough to make most warriors crawl on their knees, so dont you ignore me! Oh my god. It looked like Id duplicated the Sword Stars Guardian. Chapter 9: The Reason He Talks To Himself (3)

Chapter 9: The Reason He Talks To Himself (3)

I exined to the Guardian how I duplicated him, but he still went wild. Take me back to Gramps right now! My studio was small even for me alone, but now it had a ghost flying around in it. It was like a three-meter-long mosquito was flying around my ears. My human rights were being threatened. Oh, for crying out loud! I told you, I cant bring you back even if I want to! You said that you copied me using your Skill, so you should be able to cancel it too! Dont you know what a refund is? Refund! What are we, cavemen? We have to be able to get a refund! For thest time, I cant cancel it! Arghhh... Gramps Marcus! Your teacher got kidnapped! Your one and only teacher got kidnapped by some loser off the street! The Guardian started crying his eyes out while hanging upside down. Ahhhhhhh, this is your fault, Gramps Marcus! This disaster happened because you treated your teacher like shit! This is why I always told you to treat your teacher with more respect. Your teacher is worth more than this! Excuse me... I massaged my aching temples. My fear of seeing a ghost for the first time in my life was already gone. Who cared? Anyone would get a headache if the ghost were this noisy. Lets please live peacefully. Okay? What do you mean, live peacefully?! Im already dead! Ah, then rest in peace. What a son of a bitch. Im already sad because Im dead, and you want me to die one more time. People, look at this bastard over here! Weve only just met, but look at how he already treats me! Whoa. I gaped. Today was the first time in my life I got to see a ghost, but I hadnt seen anyone who talked this muchthis fucking mucheither. And I now realized why the Sword Star had been constantly talking to himself in the pub like a headcase... Yeah, he never stopped talking, but most of his words were simr. Shut up. Be quiet. Youre too noisy. Ill take care of it, so leave me alone. Ny-nine percent of the things he said to himself were to tell someone to be quiet. Its only natural he would keep talking if he has a ghost like this beside him... Huh? Are you trash-talking me to my face? How old are you? You should treat me with respect like the elder I am, brat. Shit. My shoulders drooped. I could feel my doomed future already. I have to spend my entire life running away from the Sword Star, but I got a ghost instead of a Skill that can help me. Huh? What do you mean you have to run away from Gramps? The Guardian tilted his head in confusion. You wont be able to find a Hunter with a kinder heart than Gramps Marcus. Though hes my student and I have to admit that hes a geezer. Oh, yeahnever mention his grandchildren in front of him. Hes usually calm and all, but his lid seems to flip whenever those kiddos are mentioned. Im already very familiar. I sighed. He has that Skillwhat do you call it? The one that shows him how many times someonesmitted murder. Oh, are you talking about the Detectives Wise Eyes? Thats a useless Skill, the Guardian answered right away. It looked like the Guardian seemed to know all of the Sword Stars Skills. So the name of the Sword Stars kill count Skill seemed to be Detectives Wise Eyes. So what? The only purpose it serves is to find out if someones an assassin or not. Besides, a higher count doesnt guarantee that theyre actually an assassin. 4091 times. Hmm? The kill count above my head is 4091. Umm... You wouldnt happen to be delusional, would you? The Guardian crumpled up his face in disbelief. He was a ghost, but it looked like his expression changed more often than most living people. I think I actually will be if I spend one more day with you. Youll drive me nuts with your babbling. No, I mean... youre aplete beginner. The Guardians voice became a little serious. Youre a beginner of beginners. It looks like you havent even learned how to use aura. Theres no way a guy like you killed 4091 people. I managed to clear the Towers ny-ninth floor and even I didnt kill that many people. Its because I didnt kill 4091 people. Huh? I shrugged. I only hunted down one very bad guy who will be called the Fire Emperor... I exined the whole situation to the Guardian. After getting killed by the Fire Emperor, I had been incredibly lucky and copied his time regression Skill. I didnt have any other method to get revenge on him, so I had decidedand actually done itto go back over four thousand days. ...What? You killed yourself over four thousand times just for revenge? the Guardian asked. Yeah, I did. The Guardian was silent. In contrast to his look of disbelief earlier, he was looking at me contemtively. He seemed so serious that I couldnt believe that he was the same ghost who almost shook my seven-square-meter studio with his yelling. It took a long time for the Guardian to break his silence. Hey. What is it? What is your name? Its Kim Gong-Ja. Okay, Gong-Ja. Why did you choose Gramps Marcus, out of all the people in the world? the Guardian asked, picking his words carefully. Hmm? As soon as you finished getting revenge on Fucker character, you decided to copy Grampss Skill. Why did you do that? ...Isnt it obvious? I replied drily. The answer was blindingly obvious. I should get the strongest persons Skill first, and hes the best Hunter of the century. So its because you believe its the fastest way to be strong, is that it? Yup, thats right. ...Youre giving me the honest answers to my questions because theres no risk of me telling someone your secret. Its already said in the Skill Card that no one can perceive me except you. Am I right? Well, yeah. Silence fell upon my studio once again. Hmm. The Guardian flew around me with a very serious look. On my left side, he got a look at my face, and then he measured my height from the right. I frowned, wondering what the heck he was doing. Lets see. Hmm. Your physique can be improved with training. You have the tenacity of a bloodhound. And you also have the desire to be better. Youre still in your right mind, so you know when to be clever... I see. Mmm... With material like you... What is he talking about? Judging from the way he kept talking to himself, it seemed that the Guardian was indeed the Sword Stars teacher. Like teacher, like student. He flew right in front of me. Hey, Kim Gong-Ja, he said. Yes? Go kill some monsters. *** I hunted some monsters. Are you satisfied now? I had nothing to do in my studio even if I stayed cooped up inside, so I headed to a hunting ground at daybreak. Besides, I had other business to take care of. Since I regressed by one day after getting killed by the Sword Star, I had to hunt Yoo Soo-Ha again today. I knew it... Im right. The Guardian nodded. What do you mean, youre right? Before I died, I was called the Sword Emperor. It was still early dawn, so no one was around in this remote hunting ground as I listened to the Guardian. Im not from around here. From your perspective, Im from another world. Anyhow, a Tower showed up in my world, just like the one here. And I cleared the floors faster than anyone else in my world. Was all that build-up just to brag? Yeah. Well, I still failed to clear the hundredth floor of the Tower in my world. Thats written in your Skill Card, isnt it? Thats what actually happened. The Guardian chuckled. Sword Constetion ss: A+ Effect: He is from another world and managed to clear the ny-ninth floor of the Tower in his world. However, he was brought to his knees right on the verge of reaching the Towers hundredth floor. Due to his regret, he failed to find eternal peace and became a Guardian instead. He cant physically influence the world, but he is able to talk to you. He has abundant experience and is incredibly skilled, so ask him for advice! No one can perceive your Guardian except for you. The Skill has been copied from Hunter Marcus Carlenbery. Its still remarkable to think about. The Fire Emperor used to be a legend for clearing the fortieth floor until I had regressed. However, the Guardian in front of me had cleared the ny-ninth floor, a height no human had ever reached before. When youre as good as me, one look is enough for me to see if a Hunter will be a smash hit or just get smashed by life. Thats why I asked you to hunt monsters, Gong-Ja. Aha. I smiled bitterly. So you were trying to see if Im good with the sword? There were many novels about a protagonist who wasnt aware of their gift. One day, they suddenly fell off a cliff or met a legendary martial artist in seclusion and awakened their true power. Tsk, tsk. You wasted your time. Unfortunately, that was the type of luck I didnt get to receive. I have zero talent forbat. Zero. Nada. That is why Im chasing after other Hunters Skills. If I were gifted, I wouldnt be a ss F Hunter right now. What the hell are you talking about? Youre talented, the Guardian said with a furrowed brow. What? Its actually remarkable. This wasnt the reaction I had expected. Come on. Youre trying to tease me, arent you? I dont joke about this kind of stuff. The Guardian quietly shook his head. Yes, your gift isnt in martial arts. Your movements are clumsy, and your physique is mediocre at best. From the looks of it, itll take you very long to learn how to use aura through ordinary methods. Regardless, you have a very rare gift. His eyes were serious. You dont fear death. Im actually surprised by the fact that you arent scared of it at all. He stroked his chin. Killing yourself over four thousand times must have erased your fear. Thats what I think is happening here. You may not have noticed it, but youre being very reckless when you charge toward monsters. People normally hesitate at least a little because theyre scared of dying or getting injured, but you just throw yourself out there. Umm... Does that count as a gift? Of course. There is more to talents than what youre born with. People can acquire a new gift as they live. Among those gifts, oveing the fear of death is the hardest one to build, but youve already done it. Thats incredible. I was a little taken aback. No one in my life told me this. Even I had never thought this way. I was just angry at how the Fire Emperor had treated me like a bug... I was so furious that I had blindly killed myself 4090 times. But the Guardian was telling me that it was my gift. Let me ask you one more question. ...What is it? You said that Gramps Marcus killed you. How did you feel at the time? I recalled myst death. It hadnt been more than a couple of hours, so I could remember the night sky, moon, and that soundless sh. They made me feel... ...I thought it was a beautiful attack. Hahahahahaha! The Guardian threw back his head and roared withughter. Hisughter was so loud that it seemed to fill up the empty, dimly lit hunting ground. Only after a long time did the Guardian stopughing. Interesting. The Guardians eyes sparkled. You copy Skills, not steal them. In other words, Gramps Marcus has another me as his Guardian. Im curious to see who will be a better Hunter: you or Gramps. The Sword Constetionthe ghost who used to be called the Sword Emperor for clearing the Tower up to the ny-ninth floorthe man who was now my Guardian looked straight into my eyes and held out his hand. Let me help you be as strong asno, a lot stronger than Gramps Marcus! Lets conquer the Tower! I realized that I had found myself a partner. Chapter 10: The Headstart(1)

Chapter 10: The Headstart(1)

What would make for the most annoying morning? It could be a phone rm setst night which was especially loud today. Perhaps it was the hair that got too oily overnight. Or it might be the irritating fact that today was another work day. Wake up! Get off your ass right now! Ah, would you please be quiet... Im going to sing you my favorite song from back home until you wake up. Keep in mind that I learned how to use the Soundwave Strike before I died. It only took me one verse to make thirty soldiers heads explode! Everyone was wrong. The worst way to start a day was with the endless chattering of a ghost who failed to find eternal peace. Do you know what time it is? Its time to get up already! What time is it? I squinted at my smartphone lock screen, which showed me that it was 4:01 A.M. in a fancy font. Its still four in the morning, Mr. Crazyhead! No, no. Even bugs are already up and wriggling. Youre weaker than bugs, so you should get up earlier. Youre just bored because you cant sleep! I dont know what youre talking about. The Guardian avoided my eyes. Wow. This is why the Sword Star always wakes up at four in the morning and trains! Its not because hes diligent. Its you, talking his ears off! Fine, I woke him up because I was bored. Are you happy now? But its good for you to regrly train early in the morning. You know what? You should be grateful to me, honestly. Get on the floor and bow to me. I-I want to kill you... Hehe. But you cant because Im already dead. If you have a problem with that, you can die! Oh, yeah. you cant stay dead, can you. Youre practically a zombie. From now on, Im going to call you Kim Zombie, not Kim Gong-Ja. Shit. The ghost in my tiny studio just kept yapping. I couldnt bear it and ended up putting on my jogging suit and headed outside for the sake of my mental health. It was still dawn, so the sky was dark as I jogged. The Guardian floated beside me. Huff, huff... Zombie, I told you this before, but you have zero gifts except for your dogged tenacity. I usually like to train people from scratch, but you have zero basis to scratch from because its somewhere down in the abyss. It had already been three days since I had copied the Sword Constetion from the Sword Star. Meanwhile, I had hunted Yoo Soo-Ha one more time and actively avoided the Sword Star. At the same time, I had been training ording to the schedule that the Guardian had made for me. You technically have the gift of an abyss. Gosh, isnt it cool? I envy you! Huff... Im running... Huff. Dont interrupt me...! What Im saying is that you need a special lesson, but its going to be expensive. In order to get the lesson, you need to be ready. The Guardian grinned. Lets go and win ourselves the lottery, Zombie. *** The guild called the Merchant Association, also known as the MA, was led by the Countess, the Rank 3 Hunter. Since she was the only one who could export and import goods from the outside world, she was a one-manpany. With her ability, the MA was the leading guild in the Towers economy. It was one of the reasons why the MA was the only guild that could issue lotteries in Babylon, the Towers first-floor city. Excuse me. I tapped on the desk. Yes, Mr. Hunter. How may I help you? Im here to collect my winnings for the lottery. Ah, you must have won the MA Happy Lottery! The desk assistant with a cat-eared hat pped in delight. Yeah, one thing led to another. Congrattions! The desk assistant bowed and gave me a business smile that resembled a sunflower in full bloom. Hey, Ive always been curious about this. Why do they wear cat-eared hats? The guild leader has cats of her own, I told the Guardian. Even if she likes cats, people normally dont put cat-ears on other people. I bet that shes a perv. Does it matter right now? I was pretty sure that the desk assistant also thought that his hat was stupid as fuck. However, he was just a desk assistant. Even if the guild leader told him to wear cockroach antennas on his head, he had to suck it up and wear it. On the bright side, he didnt have to suffer alone. The guild uniform he was wearing was unisex... Pardon me for asking, but have you checked the date of the lottery? Your winning isnt collectible if its been over two years since your purchase. Its okay. Its fromst week, I replied. Im d to hear it! I had bought it as soon as I had gotten possessed by the Guardian. I had to win one anyway, and the Guardian kept on lecturing me about how I needed capital to start from. Then Ill get to the identity verification process right away. Oh, by the way, which ce did you win with your lottery? First ce. Excuse me? the desk assistant instinctively asked. I won first ce. You can check the numbers here. I pointed to a section on my lottery ticket. An electric sign board that said MA Happy Lotterys First ce Winner was hung above the desk assistants head. It disyed the umted amountfifty-three thousand goldlike a casino slot machine. If I converted it to the currency back home, it was around five and a half billion won[1]. Its easy to earn money, right? The Guardian hummed in the now-silent MA headquarters. ...The numbers have been confirmed, the assistant fumbled, obviously bewildered. P-please give me a moment, Mr. Hunter. Ill go get the person in charge. Take your time. The assistant hurriedly walked away. I could see some people stealing nces at me as they talked among themselves. Judging from their envious eyes, it looked like they had heard me when I said I had won first ce. Is this okay, Zombie? Someone might shank you in a dark alley tonight, the Guardianmented, eyeing the same Hunters. I have a n. I shrugged. Besides, its not something I can hide. All of the Hunters who won the lottery were recorded, including Yoo Soo-Ha, the Fire Emperor. That was how I learned that he had won it twice in a row before. People are going to find out sooner orter, so its better to be done with it. The MA was the one who had to sell the lottery tickets, so they would suffer more than I would from a rumor that people who won their lottery were going to get assassinated. After a moment, a man dressed in a much fancier uniform approached me and bowed. Thank you for your patience, Mr. Kim Gong-Ja. My name is Arthur Taylor; Im in charge of the MA lottery. He was very polite, although he was still wearing a cat-eared hat. My title is Safekeeper. For convenience, I would appreciate it if you could call me by my title. Im Kim Gong-Ja. You seem to have a title that suits your affiliation very well. Haha! I hear that a lot. The Safekeeper smiled good-heartedly. Please follow me upstairs. Although he was perfectly polite, having a title meant that he was one of the top 300 Hunters. A ss F Hunter like me would normally never be able to look him in the eyes, but he continued to be polite. Zombie, youre a guest worth fifty thousand gold. Of course hes polite. You know, Ive been thinking about ityou seem to be touched too easily. Maybe its because you never received anyones approval? Remember when I told you you had a gift for dying the other day? Your eyes went all teary. It was pitiful. The ghost killed my mood once again. Ah, please shut up. Please, I hissed. A man shouldnt be easily impressed. Take after me. Think that everyone in the world exists to serve you. No matter how bad things got for me, I would never take after the Guardian or Yoo Soo-Ha. Come to think of it, both of their titles ended with the word emperor. Perhaps having that word in their titles meant they were all wackos. Um, excuse me, Mr. Kim. Is something wrong...? the Safekeeper asked as he guided me upstairs. He seemed rather cautious of my mood. Its nothing, I immediately answered, eager to quash any suspicions of my sanity. My mind wandered for a moment. Oh, I see. The Safekeeper heaved a sigh of relief. You didnt look too good, so I was worried that Id made a mistake without realizing it. Im relieved to hear that I havent offended you... What? Is he an angel? I wondered. Tsk, tsk. Youre too easy. Too easy. Ignoring the heartless ghosts nagging, I followed the Safekeeper into a VIP meeting room. The table was already piled high with gold coins; it looked like another employee had already set everything up. The Safekeeper smiled. These are your winnings, Mr. Kim. ...Its incredible. Over fifty thousand gold coins drank in the light from the ceiling and brightened up the room. Just looking at it got my blood going. I wasnt sure if they had staged this for dramatic effect, but it was working extremely well. Youre free to take all of this gold or buy a safe in the MA to store your winnings. How would you like to proceed? Mmm... I tried to pull myself together. Money is really tempting. However, I aimed to reach the zenith and be so famous that everyone would envy me. Money was just a means to get there. I should be the one who controls my money, not let it control me. Dont let it happen, Kim Gong-Ja. I regained myposure and slowly nodded. Ill store it in the MA safe. That is a truly wise choice, Mr. Kim! the Safekeeper quickly shouted. That is what I personally rmend to all the winners. I understand that you would want to take it yourself, but there are always people who harbor ill intentions... And... I paused. ...I would like to be an honorary member of the MA. Pardon? The position of a second-ss honorary member costs ten thousand gold, yes? I approached the table and put my hand on the pile of gold. The gold coins sparkled with a seductive light, but I already knew another kind of golden light that was more tempting. For the sake of my future, I was going to invest as many gold coins as necessary. Ill pay in full right now. The Safekeeper carefully observed my face. Mr. Kim... you arent part of any guild yet. Is that correct? That is correct. A Hunter didnt join a guild just to hang out with other Hunters. The biggest reason was to receive the guilds protection. Although the Hunter Management Bureau and Watchmen League existed to maintain Babylons order... I might get attacked the second I let my guard down. The fact that the Fire Emperor and Sword Star had killed me was proof enough of how dangerous it was in Babylon. Compared to a developed country in the outside world, this city waswless. I shouldnt be an idiot and walk down the Fire Emperors path. The Fire Emperor had been full of himself, so it wasnt hard to deduce what he had done after winning the lottery twice in a row. Yoo Soo-Ha wouldnt have paid a protection fee to any guild; no doubt hed gone off to have fun with his money since it was rightfully his and his only. Thats why people try to assassinate him. It was pathetic. There was no need to make an enemy out of the major guilds. ...Understood, sir. The Safekeeper pulled out a notebook and wrote something down. Anyone can be an honorary member of the MA with the right price. Ill instruct one of the employees to issue you a second-ss honorary members identification card. Oh, yeah, I went on. And Im living in a cheap studio, so I would be very grateful if the MA could rmend temporary amodations for me. Of course, Ill pay the right price. The Safekeeper noted down my requests. The media will likely try to find out who won first ce in the lottery. You dont have to tell them my real name, but it would be great if you let them know Im an honorary member of the MA. The Safekeeper stood there and gave me a dazed look for a moment. Y-youre very thorough, sir. Its a dangerous world, isnt it? I think its better to be safe than sorry. ...It is. Youre right. Zombie, it looks like he was thrown off guard because he thought you were a pushover. Ah, this is fun. This is why I never get bored of watching elites flounder. The Guardian guffawed behind the Safekeeper. What? Youre the one who tsked me because Im touched too easily. Its romance when you do it, but its adultery if other people do it?[2] Did I do that? I dont remember, so I probably didnt do it. Wow. How could he be like that? I should never be like him. Well, anyhow, you seem to be doing a good job on your own. I was worried that Id have to change your diapers too, but it looks like youll be fine. The Guardian grinned. If only you werent a smooth talker... What? Youre smiling too. That was right. Although I grumbled, I was happy. Of course, Im just getting started. I had died 4090 times to go back 4090 days. It was time to enjoy the privileges of a returner that I hadnt got to enjoy because of my revenge on the Fire Emperor. 1. About four million USD ? 2. The raw is ? ???????. Its a Korean saying about double standards. ? Chapter 11: The Headstart (2)

Chapter 11: The Headstart (2)

Zombie, do you know whats most essential in lessons? What I want to know is when youll stop calling me Zombie. The sooner the better, by the way. Its the tuition fee. After I finished my business in the MA headquarters, I headed outside. It was noon, so the streets were lively with people out to have lunch. Retired Hunters, who now ran restaurants and general stores, were out searching for customers. Of course, business was slow in many of those shops. The owners just sat by their doors and vacantly stared into the air. Sessful people tended to aplish more feats in life, but those who often faced losses only saw more failures. It was the cruel but immutable truth in both the outside world and Babylon. And you got the fee just now, so what do you need now? Mmm, a good tutor? No, no. You have one right in front of you, the Guardian said without so much as a twitch. The answer is good textbooks! You need textbooks that will help you get stronger more quickly. Textbooks... Yeah, Im talking about martial arts manuals or elixirs. But you wont understand martial arts manuals even if you read them, which leaves you with raking up fuck-off expensive elixirs. I knew he was right, but he had a way of saying it in the most annoying possible way. Keep in mind that I dont let my students work with cheap elixirs. Theres a guild called the Alchemist Office, right? The one where doctors and pharmacists join? Go to one of their shops and only get elixirs made by their best Chemists. Huh. Theres a ce where Gramps Marcus often goes. I know where the shop is, so dont worry. Once we clean out their elixir aisles... H-hold on a second. I lowered my voice because some pedestrians were walking past me. Hmm? Why? ...Arent those elixirs really expensive? Yeah, they are, but theyre really good. The seller sets the price, but people still buy them. Though your jaw will probably drop once you hear the price. Do you want to know how much it roughly costs? The Guardian snickered. ...Lets hear it. The Guardian whispered the price, which was an eye-opener. It cost way more than Id even imagined. I can only buy around four elixirs even if I use all the money I have right now! Hehe. They give you a discount if you buy several elixirs at once, so youll probably get around five of them. The guild really knows how to run a business. This is why doctors who know the taste of money are the scariest. I-its too expensive... Oh my god. I had been imagining the rosy future I was going to have with the first-ce lottery winnings, but I was going to be poor again immediately. Well, I understand youre reluctant to use up all your hard-earned money at once, but what can you do about it? The tragedy is caused by yourck of gifts, so think of it as your destiny. Mmm...? The Guardians expression turned serious. Gong-Ja, hide. What? Quick. Even his voice was serious. I automatically hid behind the closest cover, a metal dumpster that reeked of rotten food; it was used to throw away leftover food from nearby diners. Why are you suddenly telling me to hide? I asked with a furrowed brow. Be careful. Its Gramps Marcus. Trying not to make a single sound, I peeked around the dumpster at the street. The Sword Star, the current Rank 1 Hunter who had Detectives Wise Eyes, was walking down the street with his white hair tied behind his back. Itll be a real problem if he sees me. My heart pounded hard. The Guardian seemed to notice how tense I was and stopped yapping like he usually did. The two of us quietly hid behind the dumpsters, following the Sword Star with our eyes. Fortunately, it seemed the Sword Star didnt notice me because he continued on his way. As always, he was talking to himself. ...Again? Youre noi... The Guardian frowned as he saw the building the Sword Star entered. Ah, damn it. Tsk! It wont work. Thats the Alchemist Offices best shop. The best shop? That shop is run by the best Chemist, so they have the best elixirs. Ah, for real?! All Chemists are crookspared to him. We really have to get elixirs from there...! The Guardian bit his fingernails. It was my first time seeing this ghost genuinely upset. I fell into contemtion. Its too risky to go to the same shop as the Sword Star, but I do need a good Chemist. When I searched for High Rankers on my smartphone, I got a list that started from Rank 1. Rank 1: Sword Star / Guild: None. Rank 2: ck Witch / Guild: ck Dragon (Leader). Rank 3: Countess / Guild: Merchant Association (Leader). Rank 4: Inquisitor / Guild: Pantheon (Leader). Rank 5: Viper / Guild: OJP Sect (Leader). Rank 6: Babel Linguist / Guild: Late Bloom (Assistant Leader). Rank 7: Broadband Communicator / Guild: Retrospective Newspaper (Assistant Leader). Rank 8: Pdin / Guild: Watchmen League (Assistant Leader). ... She isnt there, I blurted. What? Whos not there? Your goddess of luck? the Guardian questioned, finally sparing his fingernails from his teeth. No, quite the opposite, actually. I was overflowing with luck. It might cost a lot less than I thought. What? Well only have to spend pennies to get the best-quality elixirs. I grinned. I know a very good Chemist. I left the downtown area and then headed to a remote alley in a poor neighborhood. In the dark alley, some Hunters observed me, their eyes shining with greed. Due to ack of money, the worn-down neighborhood these people lived in was close to being a slum. ...A good Chemist actually lives here? the Guardian asked, his voice thick with disbelief. She isnt just a good Chemist. Shell be legendary. Drop the bullshit. Why would she stay in a ce like this if shes that skilled? Dont believe me if you dont want to, I snorted. The Hunters in the alley clicked their tongue and looked away, mistaking me for a madman because of my mumbling. Although a slum like this was usually very dangerous, the residents rarely messed with crazy people. I held back myughter. What would happen if they found out my wallet is full of gold? It was obvious that they would lose it and throw themselves at me like a bunch of jackals. Since I had no obligation to kindly show them the truth, I just headed deeper into the alley. It was tinged with the smell of rotten corpses. Just then, I heard a high-pitched scream. P-please, at least give me back myb equipment! a young woman shouted. Are you freaking kidding me?! an angry man shouted back. My boys and I already gave you more than a couple of warnings! Look where it got us! Its been half a year since you failed to pay the money on time. Its about time you made it up to us. I followed the voices. When I reached the intersection of the maze of alleys, I found an old shop in a rtively open space. The people were fighting in front of it. I-if you also take my equipment... I really have no way of putting food on my table... Ignore her. We dont need to hear her excuses. Take them all! Bulky gangsters loaded machines onto their handcart. A woman in herte twenties, who seemed to own the old shop, clung onto the handcart. A week! she pleaded. Give me one more week, please. Actually, if you can just give me five more days That one week became a month, and then half a year! Some of the gangsters shoved the handcart, sending the shop owner tumbling helplessly to the ground. Despite the scrapes on her knees, she still reached out for the handcart. I-I havent finished making that potion...! Sigh. How did I get involved with a crazy Chemist like you? Lady! Listen to me! Never get involved with the potion-making business again! I mean it! The gangsters pushed away the hand cart deep into the alley, leaving behind the shop owner, the nearby residents, and me. Lost in despair, the shop owner absentmindedly sat on her knees, staring at the ground. On the other hand, the spectators were busily whispering among themselves. Tsk, tsk. I knew that the shop would go out of business someday. Her potions are too expensive. What kind of health recovery potion costs forty gold a bottle? Shes young, so she thought business is easy... After hearing bits of the spectators whispers, the shop owner quickly looked up. Wh-what do you mean expensive! My prices are barely profitable! She was quite a mess. Her long hair was greasy like she hadnt washed it for days. Her sses looked very old, enough to be an antique. Even her voice was extremely thin; it felt like her voice could shatter a ss window, instead of it being as clear as ss. Im the only Chemist in Babylon who sells potions that are as high quality and as cheap as mine! Y-you should thank me for setting up a shop in this shabby neighborhood. Yes, thats right! Urgh, shes still in her own little world. Lets go. I cant believe it. Its not like shes actually achieved anything... The spectators shook their heads. Oh... W-wait. Since you guys are here, why dont you try out my health recovery potion...? You only need one of my special health recovery potions to revive a dying Hunter. No, I wont! The shop owner btedly tried to sell her products to the spectators, but it was no use. She had lost everyones favor long ago with her words and actions, so the spectators just walked away, swearing at her. Its really good... Im not lying... In the end, the shop owner flopped down onto the ground. Hey. That loser isnt...the legendary Chemist you were talking about, right? the Guardian quickly asked. What if she is? Id be seriously worried about your head. Killing yourself over 4000 times must have messed with your brain. Ill introduce you to the best therapist in Babylon. Iughed quietly. I think you shouldve started worrying about me when I saw a ghost. Shes the legendary Chemist I talked about. Dont worry. No, you freak! Shes the legendary loser! Ignoring the Guardians scream, I strode toward the shop owner. Excuse me. The shop owner looked up questioningly. She seemed even more like a beggar once I got a closer look at her. Both her top and bottom hung on her as if she had gotten them from a clothing donation box. Only her whiteb coat made her recognizable as a Chemist. Are you open for business? I asked. Yes, she wasnt a beggar. An ordinary Chemist was certainly not the right description for her either. If you are, I would like to order some potions. She was the Master Alchemist, a Chemist who was going to be the Rank 5 Hunter. Although she was currently outside the rankings, she would without a doubt make it someday. Theyre a littleplicated to makecan you do it? I asked. Ah, yes, yes! Of course! I can make you anything! The Chemists face brightened up. Complicated potions meant expensive potions. Her shop was on the brink of going out of business, so she must feel like someone had pulled her back from the edge of a cliff. But howplicated are the potions youre looking for...? In the future, I would never be able to order from this Chemist, no matter how rich I was, but it was different right now. Well, I think they would cost around twenty thousand gold in total. The Chemists jaw dropped to the ground. Who cared if she looked a little like a beggar? In my eyes, the Chemist looked like a goose who was going toy me eggs of pure gold! I beamed. So...can I make an order now? I was going to be her first regr customer. Chapter 12: The Headstart (3)

Chapter 12: The Headstart (3)

I-its shabby... but pleasee in. Its really shabby... The Chemist awkwardly showed me into her shop. She wasnt being humble. The inside of the shop was a chaotic wreck that looked like a storm had passed through it. ss fragments were scattered all over the floor and copsed bookcasesy on top of piles of books. The specks of dust in the air rounded off the ensemble. Wow. The Guardian pped. Before I died, people always used to tell me that I should clean more, but I have to hand it to that youngdy. What excellent hygiene. Zombie, do you really want elixirs made by thatdy? Umm, are you really going to give me an order of twenty thousand gold...? The Guardian and Chemist asked at the same time as if they had nned it. I smiled bitterly. I can pay upfront if its difficult to trust me. N-no need... The Chemist stopped fidgeting after a moment....No, I think upfront payment is better if possible. Her face was as red as a tomato, ashamed of the fact that she was making such a request. It looked like her financial situation was so bad that it was difficult for her to protect her dignity. You can take as much money as you need from my vault. Ill tell the employees at the MA. As much as I need... the Chemist nkly repeated. Yes, but my money isnt endless. I would appreciate it if you keep the budget within twenty thousand gold, I told her. Oh, s-so what kind of potions are you trying to order...? The Chemist looked happy and nervous at the same time about having such an enormous budget. Im sorry, but I wont create narcotics. Its a matter of principle, so...if youre here for narcotics, Ill have to turn you down... Oh. Though shes clumsy in many ways, she really is going to be the Master Alchemist in the future, I thought to myself. Not many people could turn down a deal that would bring them tens of thousands of gold, especially if their business was on the brink of ruin, yet the Chemist set down her foot when it came to narcotics. She looked very feeble, but she took pride in her work. Haha, theyre far from narcotics, so dont worry. Ah... I-Im d to hear it. The Chemist smiled sheepishly. What kind of potions are you ordering? Hmm. I looked at the Guardian, who had been silent and grouchy since entering the shop. Only after I gave him the eye did the Guardian let out a sigh and break his silence. Phew. Fine. I really dont think thatdy is a skilled Chemist, but Ill tell you the recipe. I felt like he could have given up sooner and saved everyone the trouble. Listen up: it needs a rabbit-pigs liver, a balloon cats eyes, a desert wyrms shell... So here are the ingredients: a rabbit-pigs liver, a balloon cats eyes, and... Ah, please wait a moment! I-Ill write them down! The Chemist jotted down the ingredients and form. It required twenty-three ingredients. The Chemists expression grew more serious as the list got longer. Thats thest ingredient. Mixing them depends on her skills. Those are all the necessary ingredients. The Chemist bit her fingernails as she examined what shed written in her notebook. If you mix these together...itll heighten your reflex to the limit, but by calming your nerves. Its done by tensing them. No, I guess the right description is awakening them. Huh? The Guardian quickly turned to look at the Chemist. This is a very high-quality form, she continued to mumble. Ah, I might be mistaken since all I have are the ingredients... These ingredients need to be as fresh as possible and should be brewed at the same time, yes? They arent dried or refined in advance? Yeah, thats correct... I nodded. Youre right. I knew it! Its very weak, but desert wyrm shells are poisonous, she eximed. One way to neutralize it is to consume a rabbit-pigs liver. Depending on the method, the effect is...! The shy, stammering Chemist became lively and talkative, verging on chirpy. It turned out that she was one of those people. Shes still stumbling her way through this world but shes good at what she does. People like her gave everything they had to the field they loved, and would aplish remarkable feats someday. I liked experts like her, but I had a feeling that the conversation wouldnt end at this rate. How long do you think itll take? I interrupted. Oh. The Chemist blinked, slowly realizing that she had been lost in her own world. She quickly bowed. I-Im sorry! Its been a while since I saw a beautiful form like this one, so I didnt even realize what I was doing... Its okay. How many days would it take though? With enough money...f-four days will be enough. It usually takes less, but I have to get new equipment and tools... I can wait that long. I smiled. Before my regression, it took at least a year to get a potion from her. Waiting four days didnt even count as waiting. Zombie, I cant say Im fine with this yet. Many guys out there may be smooth talkers but dont have the skills to back it up. Thats why therere so many crooks out there. Ugh, Im dead certain youve thrown your money down the drain! The Guardian continued to grumble even after I finished talking things out and went outside the shop. So where did you learn thatbination? I made it myself by drinking all sorts of poison. Its the best elixir out there. Without me, you wont be able to get that elixir no matter how hard you try! I chuckled. The Chemist called it high quality, and it only took her one look to see the true worth of it, so trust her. She may not look like it now, but shell be the leader of the Alchemist Office in ten years. The Guardian pursed his lip. He already looked threatening, but his pursed lip made him look like a giant toad. You were trash-talking me just now, werent you. Are you going to point fingers at anyone now? I asked, feigning innocence. He was annoyingly sharp. *** Four days passed by quite quickly. Meanwhile, the Chemist didnt hold herself back from taking as much gold as she needed from my vault. An employee from the MA came by and asked me if it was alright, but I told him to let her. It didnt matter how much it cost if it meant I was getting the Master Alchemists elixirs. Zombie, do you want to make a bet? What is it now? Thatdy will just run away with your money. Im sure of it. I dont know about the rest, but I have a great eye for people. Thedy had the face of a grand thief! Just kill yourself, Kim Zombie! Kill yourself four times so we can go back to four days ago! Of course, a ghost couldnt have a good eye for people. At lunch on the fourth day, the Chemist came to my room with boxes of elixirs. I-Im sorry. I wanted to deliver them sooner than this, but I began to mix some stuff and it took me longer than I expected. No, its fine. You told me it was going to take four days, and here you are. The Chemist brought three boxes of elixirs in total. If I took them three times a day, it wouldst thirty days. However, I would have only gotten two days worth of elixirs if I had gone to the shop that the Guardian had rmended to me. This result was fifteen times better than what it would have been with his original n. And itll be more effective than the elixirs from the other shop. This is how you use money. I smiled contently. Umm... Yes? I-I know its strange to ask you this now, but why did you make such an expensive order to an obscure Chemist like me? The Chemists fingers fluttered. I-I can guarantee my skill, though. I believe that only I and one other person in Babylon can understand yourbination and properly concoct potions based on it... But people think Im just a freak... Mmm... The reason why I chose this Chemist in front of me to create my elixirs was that she was the genius of the century. She was going to be the leader of the Alchemist Office, so I also wanted to build a rtionship before it happened. But that isnt the only reason. Before my 4090-day regression, when the Fire Emperor had set a fire in the slum, the woman in front of me had arrived at the site before everyone else. She put her High Ranker title to good use and took charge of the firefighting effort. As she had helped me, the Master Alchemist had quietly raised concerns. ...I dont like the Fire Emperor. Something doesnt feel right about him... Although I know its not polite to talk badly of him, I still think Miss Saintess deserves someone better. She had recognized the true colors of the Fire Emperor. It had to have been her gut feelings, not based on evidence. Even if that was the case, the Chemist had an eye that was astute enough to recognize a psychopath. She was skilled and kind enough to immediatelye running to the site of an ident. I would be losing out if I didnt get on her good side. You look like a good person, I said. Huh? I helped you because you look like a good person. Well, you would have made it on your own without my help, but good Hunters like us should be sessful so that we can help each other in the future. Its unfair if only wacky psychopaths get to thrive. I dont want that to happen, so lets do our best. I told her what I truly felt without a speck of lies. Actually, I couldnt be more honest than I was right now. The rest depended on how the Chemist took my words. She stared at my face for a moment. ...Youre right. Yes, you need to be sessful first to change the world. Thank you, sir! I wont give up, like you told me! the Chemist said, clenching her fists. It sounded like she had found her resolve. Feel free to call me whenever you need to make an order again. Ill always prioritize your orders! Im d to hear that. We exchanged a handshake and a smile before we said goodbye. Unfortunately, my smile didntst long. Its been a while since Ive seen a Hunter who called himself good. And its my first time to see someone who didnt say anything about it. Hey, are you two nuts? Tsk, tsk, tsk. Both of you are out of your mind. ...I know it was cringe, so lets just get on with my training. On the next day, we headed to a hunting ground. My bag was loaded with a sleeping bag and elixirs. One difference from usual was that I was on the third floor, not the second. The third floor was a little high for a ss F Hunter like me because goblins, orcs, and other monsters that were too much for me to handle roamed the area. I watched them from afar. What do I do now? Drink an elixir first. I nodded and gulped down the elixir from my thermos bottle without question. Mmm... I expected it to taste like ginseng essence, but it was pretty ordinary. It smelled like lemon and actually tasted rather pleasantly of honey. I gasped. My heart beat harder than usual. At first, I thought I was mistaken, but I wasntmy back was drenched in sweat immediately. It was amazing...I could feel every drop of sweat running down my back. What? I frowned. It wasnt just my sweat. I could feel the texture and pressure of the air around my fingers, and even the ground I was standing on. A blink of an eye seemed to take thirty seconds. This...is... Its because of the elixir. Only the Guardians voice sounded normal; the rest of the world moved at a crawl. It slows down your perception time to an extreme level. Well, itll be easier to understand as something that gives you as much time as necessary. I hate to admit it, but thatdy is quite skilled. It was horrible. I could feel every strand of hair on my body as if I was covered in hundreds of thousands of ants. Even the movements of my veins were clear to me. If I didnt know it was an elixir, I would have mistaken it for poison. Cant you feel it? Feel...what? Its moving around your heart. There was definitely something there, flowing. I had never felt it this clearly in my life. It wasnt my blood. It was much softer and thinner than my veins; however, it was clear that it was slowly circting within me, centered around my heart. That is your aura. Every Hunter in the Tower has an aura of their own, but they just carry on with their daily lives without realizing it exists. The deciding factor of a fight is how much aura a Hunter can draw on, the Guardian said. His quietughtersted over twenty seconds inside my head. Although he probably onlyughed for a split second, my perception of time made it stretch. It was so exhausting that I would lose consciousness if I let my guard down even for a second. You normally get used to the flow of your aura by meditating in the lotus position or training on your own. But thatd take too long. Through the swarm of sensations, I could feel that something huge was approaching me. I heard a footstep, stretched unnaturally long like the Guardiansughter. When I managed to look up, I saw a giant orc walking toward me. If a personcks talents like you, you have to make up for it through pain. Fuck. Now, draw up your aura unless you want to get hurt, Kim Zombie! Someone like you has to train through realbat! You wont stay dead even if you die, so who cares if it ruins your body? You...freaking ghost...! Hmm? You know, I have trouble hearing a loser who cant even use his aura. Once again, the Guardian burst into manicughter. Does it hurt? You can kill yourself if you dont want to do this. Oh, wait. Itll increase your kill count. With over four thousand, Gramps Marcus will be so much nicer to you, wont he? Ah, my partner was a true viin. Chapter 13: Do You Have A Skill Too? (1)

Chapter 13: Do You Have A Skill Too? (1)

Grrrrrr! Maybe the orc didnt roar. It probably just growled for a moment, but to me, it sounded like a roar ringing around my ears for a good fifty seconds! Urgh...! It felt like my brain was going to be shredded at impossibly slow speeds. Hey, focus! the Guardian snapped at me. Dont let low-level monsters like orcs scare you! An orc is freakishly strong, but its attacks are very straightforward. As long as you know where the attack ising from, you can dodge or counter it. Its a piece of cake. Thats...easier said...than done...! Itsing. The orc swungno, was swinging its bat. Although it was slow, the orc was clearly aiming for my head. Unless I did something about it, my head was going to be crushed in less than twenty seconds. Fu...ck! I leaped to the side with all my might, but it didnt work out like I had thought. Im slow as a slug! Even though it only took one step to dodge the orcs attack, taking that one step took too long. It was frustrating as hell. I was sure I could avoid it! I knew which direction the attack wasing from! You can dodge it. Dont give up. Use the aura around your heart and strengthen your foot! Push more of your aura to the right foot! Come on! Shit. I know youre a ghost, but did you really have to be just all talk?[1] I was sensing my aura for the first time in my life, so how in the world was I supposed to focus it in my foot? It was really easier said than done, but...I didnt have any other choice. I had to do it somehow. Even though it was true that I didnt fear death, I hated the idea of getting my head crushed by an orcs club! Move! I yelled at myself. The pure flow, centered on my heart and thinner than my veins, was somehow as refreshing as a clear brook. I tried to push the sensation toward my right leg, and it worked, somewhat. I could feel my aura starting to move from my heart, but... Its more difficult than you think, isnt it? ...Yes, it was. Thats because your pathways for your aura havent been developed enough. Theyre like remote trails deep in a mountain. You need to pave them into expressways to be considered an expert in aura. I took a deep breath and concentrated on my right leg. My heart was a clogged faucet, and my leg was a cup below the faucet. The clogged faucet dripped out aura drop by drop. The only reason you can sense your aura is the elixir you drank. It wouldnt have been possible without it. Tsk. Thedy has a questionable sense of hygiene but shes damn good. I could feel the wind beat on my skin as the club narrowly brushed past me. It left a small whirlwind behind which scattered against my leg. I would have been crushed by the orcs bat if I had been just half a secondte. Wh...at...happensss...? I was relieved that Id managed to avoid the orcs attack, but that feeling didntst long. The orc snorted in anger, upset by the fact that a weak prey like me had dared to dodge its attack. The orc immediately raised its club again. The orc was getting ready to plow through my waist with a horizontal swing. There was no time to restI focused my aura into my torso. Hmm? What do you mean what happens? Once I make the trails...into expressways...! It was still difficult. My heart was still a clogged faucet with no signs of running like a river. My mouth burned with thirst, but only a drop of aura came out of the tap. I hate to admit it, but hes right. His analogy couldnt be more urate; the pathways for my aura were remote trails choked by weeds. That was why I wondered, when I finally surpassed my current level... ...What...happens! Ha. The Guardian chuckled. You got your head chopped off by Gramps Marcus before you could do anything, right? Indeed, I recalled how the waxing moon had waned that night. That is the level of neat avenues. The beautiful sh I had seen was just at the level of avenues. Gramps Marcus still has a long way to go. Im sure I dont have to hurt my mouth repeating the same thing for you. Zombie, I dont give you hell because I have a trashy personality. Im doing it for a good reason, heh. I clenched my teeth with determination. Hmm? I sucked in a breath and ducked. The orcs club swished right over my head. It was already the second time I narrowly avoided the orcs attacks. I wasnt going to let the orc attack a third time. Wow. I focused my aura into my feet. Look at you. And then I flexed my legs. As I gathered my aura, I also tried to bend my knees, bunching up my legs like a coiled spring. One second, three second, five second... It was not much, but the moment I had gathered some aura, I leaped as high as I could with my dagger aimed at the front of the orcs neck! The monster looked down at me and made a dumb noise. I could see me and the dagger reflected in its eyes, growing bigger by the second. I stabbed its neck with my dagger, and the orcs face contorted in pain. Its scream echoed over the empty hunting ground. I did it. The moment I thought it was done, I heard the Guardians shouting at me. Dont let your guard down just yet! Orcs have thick skin! Focus your aura at the tip of your dagger! No, thats too hard for youjust pour out everything you have! I did just that. I squeezed out every drop of aura from my heart and pushed it into my dagger. Every time I added another drop, the orcs screams of pain became louder. Krrr. Grrrr.... Krrrr...! The orcs blood sshed onto my face, but I let it drip down my skin without even blinking because I was fully intent on jamming more aura through my dagger. Di..e...! For a fleeting moment, I could feel that Id pierced the orcs neck. Grrr... Grr... The orc staggered. Even that took a long time. I was still holding onto my dagger, so I had also fallen with it when it had finally copsed. I wed for breath as I looked at the orcs corpse. Breathing wasnt my only problem; my muscle aches caught up a littleter and my head was spinning. Urgh... Does it hurt? Yeah, Im sure it hurts like hell. You havent even built proper pathways yet, but you still pushed yourself to your limit. Theres no way your feeble body can handle that! Serves you right! The Guardian smirked as he flew around me. You evil Oh, yeah. I like how you used your aura to jump. Good job on that one. You always have to be creative when using aura. Many people are mistaken about thissmart people tend to be better fighters. That was none of my concern right now. H-huff..! Urgh...! My biggest interest was how to quell this bone-crushing, vein-bursting pain. Pain tended to subside over time, but the elixir I had consumed made the sensations stretch into an eternity. It hurt. It just hurt. I felt like I was going to die. Does it hurt so much you feel like youre going to die? Cant you...see...? Itll get better if you actually die. What? Forcibly building pathways for aura nearly paralyzes you. The injury is irreversible, so its not something potions can fix, which basically means you voluntarily crippled yourself to kill an orc. Wh...at...? I already told you, Zombie. I wouldnt have rmended this kind of training if it werent for your time regression Skill. Gramps Marcus also drinks elixirs, but he just sits in the lotus position and meditates. He doesnt throw himself at monsters. Something was fundamentally twisted with this ghost. But you go back in time if you die. Its awesome! Youre fine with whatever method of training because you dont have to suffer the consequences! Gosh, I envy you. I envy you so much. It wouldve been so great if I had a time regression Skill like you! Wow. How could anyone be this annoying? Maybe the Guardians passive Skills were Smirk or Be a Dickhead. Otherwise, I had no way to exin his fundamentally twisted nature. But it increases your kill count when you kill yourself, right, Zombie? So...? We dont need to take the risk. Itll make it even more dangerous if Gramps Marcus sees you. I heard a loud, ominous thump behind me. I had an unnerving feeling that Id heard the same sound not too long ago. When I turned around, I realized that I was on point: another orc, practically identical to the orc I had just defeated, was standing there, drooling. Sh...it... It was the same type of monster, but my condition wasnt the same. Every part of me ached and I couldnt even lift a finger. Just like the Guardian had said, I was nearly paralyzed. Its okay! So many Hunters out there never learn how to use their aura their entire lives. It only took one elixir for you to get the gist of it; at this rate, youll only need to die one hundred times to get the hang of it! Its said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. You need to die first to reach one hundred deaths! The Guardian grinned. Lets go, Zombie! Start with one death! The orc swung his club down on my head. I watched it fill more and more of my vision. Ah... Crap... My nose was broken, my skull was shattered, and my brain was crushed. I was sure that not many people would have experienced this. That was good for them because it felt like shit. The one constion was that I heard a voice as soon as my brain exploded. [You have died.] The world was now normal, although it was more that my sense of time that returned to its original state. Phew... I sighed after I found myself in a dark world. This was the ce I briefly stayed in after I died and was waiting for time to be rewound. Although I was starting to get used to the ce now... someone I didnt want to get used to was also here with me, floating in the air. Huh? It was the Guardian. Wow, what is this? ...Its where I wait after I die. This is where I picked the Skill Cards when the Fire Emperor and Sword Star killed me. Im calling it the Underworld for now. Its super interesting. The Guardian looked around the dark world. But why am I here too, Zombie? Who knows? Its probably because youre haunting me. I sighed. After a little while, I hear a voice that says Rewinding twenty-four hours, and I go back in time. Oh, I wonder if youll also Just as I was about to finish... [It has been determined that your death met the requirement of the Skill activation.] [Duplicating Monster: Orcs Skills at random.] ...Huh? What? The Guardian and I froze. We turned and looked at each other at the same time. The Guardian had a dumbfounded look on his face, and I was sure that my expression wasnt any different from his. [Creating Skill Cards] Looking up at two bronze-colored cards floating in the dark world, I nkly thought, ...Monsters have Skills? What the hell! This is so broken! the Guardian yelled. 1. The raw is ????? ?? ?? ????! Its a Korean y on words. ?? ?? ????(Only your mouth is alive) is an expression that a person is all talk, so Gong-Ja is using the Guardians death as aeback. ? Chapter 14: Do You Have A Skill Too? (2)

Chapter 14: Do You Have A Skill Too? (2)

Regardless of what the Guardian kept yapping about, the voice told me that it was true. [Choose a Skill Card.] Two bronze cards whizzed through the air. They were moving so quickly that I was getting dizzy, but that wasnt the most confusing thing about this situation. Its so unfair that he gets to copy monsters Skills too. No, this is a fraud! Hey, who the hell manages the Tower?! Im a good Hunter, but you never gave me a Skill like this. Why are you giving it to ame Hunter like him?! I frowned. Can you please be quiet? Come out! This doesnt count. Freaking hell! The Guardian floundered around angrily. It was...ugly. I had to wonder if he was really an adult; he was acting like a child who didnt get to have a lollipop. Sigh. Lets focus on the cards. I stared at the two flying bronze cards. Theyre both shit-colored, so Im sure they arent good Skills... However, my heart was pounding nheless. I couldnt believe itI got to take a monsters Skill! I felt like I was doing something that would get me thrown into jail if I got caught. Im curious. I slowly extended my hand. Lets just choose something! The moment I was about to touch one, the damned ghost stuck his nose in my business again. What? Youre going to choose that one? The butterflies in my stomach were massacred. Seriously, the Guardian was great at killing the mood. Yeah, it doesnt matter what I choose, I sourly answered. The Guardian gave me a look from behind the cards. What do you mean, it doesnt matter? Since youre milking your life with this overpowered Skill, you may as well pick the best Skill you can get. Both of them are bronze-colored, so I dont know which Skill Card is better. This is just a game of luck. Huh? Why cant you tell which is the better one? Why are we talking in circles today? I shouted, frustrated. The cards are the same color! I only see the back of them, so how fuck am I supposed to know which one is better? I can see them though. The Guardian tilted his head. You can what? I can see the front side of these cards, the Guardian continued with a straight face. I gave him a dumb look. What the heck are you tal... I trailed off, realizing that Id ignored one important factor: location! No matter how I turned my head, the cards would move with me. I only got to see the back of the cards and had no way of knowing what was written on the front, much like how a person on Earth couldnt see the far side of the moon. However, the limit only applied to me, and the Guardian could freely fly around in this dark world. Naturally, he would be able to fly to a spot where he had a good look at the front side of the Skill Cards. Oh my god... I mumbled. Can you really see the Skill descriptions from there? The Guardian frowned. Of course I can. Do you think Im blind or something? Ever since I was a boy, Ive been famous for my sharp eyes. There was this kid named Gaeddong in my neighborhood; when I was five, he used his slingshot on me, but I managed to dodge it. Thats how good my eyes are. Thats actually how I managed to learn Hawkeyester too. Hah! Do you understand how great I Eureka! What the fuck? Did you just lose your mind? Why are you shouting? I was too busy rejoicing in my sudden good fortune to worry about the Guardians reaction. Eureka! Eureka! Eurekaaaaaa! Maybe I called you Zombie too many times and your brain actually turned into a rotten mush. Tsk, tsk... The Guardian looked at me like Id gone crazy. *** Blessing of Reproduction ss: E Effects: Ah, although Mother Nature gave us a home to live in, she also tested us! Orcs ovee Mother Natures trials by maximizing their ability to reproduce. Did an orc just die? Dont worry, there are still nine more orcs left. You just havent run into them yet! However, you will always be in heat. Shik-Shik ss: F Effects: We say shik at every end of our sentences. We dont know why we do it, shik! But why dont you try it too, shik? The orc holds its thumb up. You will never get bored of it, shik! However, shik-shik. Whoa... ording to the Guardian, both Skills were insanely bad, as expected from shit-colored Skill Cards. It was hard to keep my mouth closed. How is it? You might have gotten Shik-Shik if I didnt stop you, Gong-Ja. Since youre a man, you gotta try living with the stamina of an orc. Come on. Bow in gratitude! The nonsense the Guardian kept spewing was equally incredible. Everything right now was so remarkable that all I could do was be amazed. First, I chose to ignore the Guardian and put my brain to work. Hmm. If I have to pick one, Shik-Shik seems better. What? You cant be serious. No, Im on the right track. I nodded to myself. Ive considered them very carefully, and Shik-Shik is more useful than the Blessing of Reproduction. Hey, hey! Hold on! Think about it a little more. Keep your head cool... I watched the Guardian panic and smirked. It looks like you and I think the same. Before the Guardian could stop me, I snatched one of the shit-colored cards. Despite the speed at which they flew, I didnt have any problems. It might have been different if there were many of them, there were only two Skill Cards right now. [You have chosen a Skill Card. [Copying the Skill.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] N-no!!! Yes!!! The Guardian and I screamed together. [Your Hunter ss is F.] [You will not receive your Skill penalty.] The dark world brightened. *** Hmm! I opened my eyes, feeling refreshed in my mind. Ah, this is good. Yeah, the best way to relieve stress is a good sleep. Instead of my seven-square-meter studio, I was in a hotel room big enough for one person, the amodations the MA had rmended for me. After winning the first ce lottery, I was staying here for the time being. Shit! I thought youd fall for it! Youre needlessly sharp! Meanwhile, the Guardian was kicking his feet at the air, frustrated that hed failed to trick me into getting a worse Skill. Just the sight of it made me feel as tranquil as andscape painting. Hehe. Okay, I should pack my elixirs again... And show me my Hunter Status Window. I had no time to waste, so I checked the status window as I headed to a hunting ground. Name: Kim Gong-Ja. ss: F Skills (4/4): 1. I Want To Be Like You(S+): Passive 2. Returners Clockwork(EX): Passive 3. Sword Constetion(A+): Passive 4. Shik-Shik(F): Active Nice. My Skill slots were full, but that was okay. I could just overwrite Shik-Shik with a new one, and I would use Shik-Shik as best as I could until that happened. Gong-Ja, this got me thinking... Meditating isnt a bad way to train either. It hurts when you die. You dont need to train in such a painful way. Besides, inner cultivation in the lotus position is a cool way to train yourself! Phew. I arrived at the third-floor hunting ground where orcs were roaming. Grrrr-shik. Keeping an eye on the orcs locations, I pulled out my elixir in a still-warm thermos and drank it up in one gulp. Hey, Gong-Ja. Cant you hear me? Lets train in a more peaceful way. I can help you get the hang of using your aura in half a year even if you just meditate. There are no better or worse methods to train with, okay? Trust me. Wow! It tastes good! I said, smacking my lip. It looked like the Chemist had also considered taste. Although it was only my second time drinking her elixirs, I felt like I was already getting addicted to the vor. You know what, Mr. Sword Emperor? I asked as I waited for the elixir to kick in. Hmm? What? Are you going to start meditating? Im feeling generous today, so Ill give you a chance to fix your habit. You call me Zombie if you feel like youre at the upper hand, but Gong-Ja when its the opposite. And youve been calling me Gong-Ja today. As soon as I finished speaking, the world around me slowed to a crawl. I could feel the faint flow around my pounding heart again. It was my aura! The Guardians training method was certainly effective. I was able to feel my aura more vividly than myst try. I calmed my breathing as I approached a huge, green monster. When it sensed my approaching presence, the orcs ears twitched and it slowly turned around. Grrr? The orcs eyes widened. It must be confused to see prey voluntarily walking toward it. Grrrrrrrrr! The orc held up its club. It decided to dly ept this lucky opportunity. I, too, was quite pleased. [The Skill Shik-Shik has been activated.] Shi...k! Shik...! The orcs eyes widened much more than before and its club stopped mid-swing. Shik... Shik? Sh...ik? The orc tilted its head, wondering how it should deal with the fact that its prey was speaking in itsnguage. Due to the orcs limited intelligence, it was impossible for the green monster to understand what was going on, and I was smart enough to not miss this golden opportunity. Shik! I spoke in perfect Orcish like a native orc! The orc stopped growling. Sh...ik? it cautiously said. The orc was clearly getting more and more confusedso confused that it didnt even put up a fight when I came at it. I added a drop of my aura to my de; not too much, not too little. I swung my dagger and slit the orcs throat in one smooth leap. The huge orc copsed to the ground, blood spraying from its wound in a grisly fountain. Sh...ik...? Shik... It continued to shik-shik, confused and angry. Perhaps it was saying something like, Et tu, Brute? Shik. I smiled victoriously. I ached all over because Id forced my aura...but I was much, much better than I had been thest time. If I only used this much aura, it was okay. I didnt have a problem. Thats so low! I knew you would do this! The Guardian trembled in anger. How are you going to sleep at night after fooling a good orc like that? You never considered how the orcs would feel about this, didnt you? Innocent orcs are harmed because of filthy humans like you! Instead of bothering to quote, There are no better or worse methods to train with, I sneered and replied with one word. Shik! Arghhhhh! This is so fucking annoying! Its irritating as hell! Why did you give such an overpowered Skill to this weasel, Tower! After a week, I started to train in the fifth-floor hunting ground. Chapter 15: Do You Have A Skill Too? (3)

Chapter 15: Do You Have A Skill Too? (3)

A week passed. Grrrr.... The Goblin King staggered, grumbling like a pot at a boil. The ruler of the fifth-floor hunting ground slowly fell to the ground, bleeding from the cut on its throat. Gorr. I looked down at the Goblin Kings body solemnly. For thest week, the monster in front of me had been my greatest enemy. I died so many times trying to kill this monster. Feeling like an honorable warrior who was bidding a farewell to his rival, I Stop fucking around, you wacko zombie, the Guardian scoffed. Ah, please. It took me six Coins to kill it. Cant you let me just enjoy the moment? I grumbled. The number of Coins equaled how many times Id risked my life. Since I was on my sixth Coin, I had died five times to get this Goblin King. What? I always speak the truth. Only a wacko would get sentimental after killing one monster. Is that so? Mr. Sword Emperor is such an honorable man. Perhaps it was noticeable from how casually I was talking to my Guardian, but Id gotten used to using my aura now. Even as I bantered with the Guardian, the world was slow because I was on my elixir again but I was speaking a lot faster than usual by using aura in my tongue. Gorrrrrr. However, I had used an expedient to win the fight, rather than fighting the Goblin King fair and square. Scratching my head, I pulled out a shit-colored Skill Card. High Society of Goblins ss: F Effects: A problem greatly troubled the Goblin King: Goblin culture is too uncivilized. Every sentence ends with kerr-kerr. I cannot show my dignity like this! Just then, a stroke of genius struck the Goblin King. Thats right! From now on, I shall end my sentences with gorrr. Gorrr! It suits my elegance, gorr. However, it will intensify the conflict within the race. The Skill has been copied from Monster: Goblin King. I clicked my tongue. Goblins worry about the most useless stuff. Kerr and gorr arent that different from one another. Thats why theyre goblins. Humans arent any different from them though. Pardon? I was talking to myself. I was about to press him when I heard a voice in my head. [Your presence has be stronger.] It was my first time hearing the message, but I knew what it meant. Many Hunters talked about it in their interviews, and some of them actually streamed it live. F-finally! I clenched my fists. I had been a ss F Hunter all my life and I was constantly worried that I might still be the same until myst day. However, after acquiring the Skills to duplicate Skills and regress in time, I had ovee numerous trials and tribtions. Finally, the moment of leveling up arrived for me too! [Hunter Kim Gong-Jas level has increased.] Ah... I marveled. [Your Skill slots have increased!] [Your Hunter ss is E.] I was still a ss E Hunter though. [May luck be with you.] My aura surged from within me, rising as fiery red streams that enveloped me before it dripped downward and disappeared. ...Is it fire? the Guardian mumbled, his brow furrowed. Blood? Hmm... Its confusing. It looks like it could be either of the two... The visual effect just now means I leveled up, right? Its not just about looking cool. Its sort of like a hint. The Guardian scratched the back of his head. A hint? Yeah. How your aura reacts when you level up determines the form of your aura. For example, the Fire Emperor, the guy you killed, would have had an aura of fire. Im sure of it. Fire... I remembered how the Fire Emperor had burned the Saintess to death in the slum alley. Although I never wanted to remember it again...I agreed that his aura would have been in the form of fire. The form of a Hunters aura usually depends on their trauma. Well, it doesnt have to be trauma, but it normally is. Its like a reflection of your subconsciousness. Notable incidents, moments, and memories that impact the rest of their lives are reflected in the form of their aura. I see. From the looks of it, I think yours is either fire or blood. That made me wonder. Then...whats the Sword Stars aura? Moonlight, the Guardian casually replied. When he was a boy, Gramps Marcus got lost in a mountain. Since he didnt want to die, he forced himself to get to the top of the mountain. The canopy became thinner as he got closer to the top, slowly revealing the night sky. When he finally got to the peak, he had a full view of the sky. It got him thinking. The moon doesnt shine on its own. It merely reflects the suns light, but its still beautiful nheless. He wanted to shine like moonlight by embracing life. That incident left a very deep impression on him, so hes been trying all his life to live by that conviction. You said he was a boy back then, I had to ask. Yup. It happened when he was twelve years old. What kind of a twelve-year-old is capable of thinking that deep? Thats why Gramps Marcus is a natural-born geezer. Tsk, tsk. When I was his age, I was thinking about the best way to beat the crap out of a gangster that was bothering me. The Guardian nodded to himself. No...I wouldnt exactly call it normal...either... If the Sword Star was a natural-born geezer, then was the Guardian born to be a bully? Anyhow, since youve gotten used to the fifth floor, lets get to the hunting ground on the sixth floor. Oh, about that. Can we head straight to the tenth floor and work on taking down the boss monster? What? I now know that I can copy monsters Skills and Im somewhat familiar with using my aura. I think Im more than ready to take down the tenth-floor boss monster. The Guardian gave me a sharp stare. Kim Gong-Ja, youre still a greenhorn. Isnt it too soon for you to get arrogant? Definitely not, I asserted. The tenth floor of the Tower in my world had remained uncleared for several years, and was believed to be unassable. Despite the difficulty, I dared to suggest clearing it, so the Guardian had every right to be concerned. Im really confident about this, I repeated. No, I was sure that I could do it. If I fail to kill the tenth-floor boss monster within two Coins, Ill call you Teacher. Huh? Two Coins? The Guardian looked very tempted. It took you six Coins to take down the goblins leader; are you seriously telling me that youll take the boss monster down with only two Coins? You may not know this, but I always collect my winnings no matter what it takes. But! There are conditions. Huh? I raised my index finger. Tell me all the Skills that the tenth-floor boss monster has. You cant lie or hide their Skills, and dont do anything to the cards either. Hmm... Okay. Thats fair... And! I grinned. If I win, call me Mr. Gong-Ja as politely and respectfully as possible. What? Are you scared? Well, you can quit if youre a chicken. There was nothing a bully hated more than being called a chicken, and the Guardian was no ordinary bully. He was the strongest bully who had cleared the ny-ninth floor of the Tower in another world. A hot stream of air blew out of his nostrils. Ptoo! One overpowered Skill made a greenhorn cocky enough to mock me, the Sword Emperor! Aaaaaaalright!!! Fine! Lets make this bet! Deal. Deal! Kim Zombie, I guarantee that you wont be able to kill the tenth-floor monster. Youll call me Teacher for the rest of your life. Oh, riiiiight! You cant even die, so youll have to call me Teacher forever. Is one of your passive Skills Delusional? Get ready to serve your master. Hehehehe. Hehehe. We snickered sinisterly and red at each other. The Hunters hunting goblins watched us from a distance. Hey, did you see that guy? He keeps talking to himself. Hesughing to himself now. Is there a problem with his head? Shhhh! He might look at us. Pretend you didnt hear anything. We heard nothing. ...I realized I should try to not look like I was talking to myself. I mped my lips shut and headed to the tenth floor. *** Unlike the other hunting grounds, a guard dispatched from the Hunter Management Bureau was standing in front of the entrance to the tenth floors boss monster. He listened to my request and frowned. Youre going to challenge the boss monster on your own? Thats right. In less than two seconds, I became a crazy guy in the guards eyes. Umm, Im not sure if youve seen the news recently, but... The ck Dragon Guild made a Tower Raid Team with thirty of their elites and four High Rankers and they still failed. Hunting on your own is practically suicide. I dont see anything wrong with my request, I insisted. Bureau regtions say to let all Hunters in if they want to challenge boss monsters. You arent wrong, but... The guard answered, looking troubled. Im sorry, but I have to record all the Hunters who enter the room. My superior in the Bureau is going to check it...and then I be the bad guy who let a Hunter walk to their death. Please cut me some ck here. Mmm... I calmly stroked my chin, wondering what I should do. What is this bureau? The Tower in my world never had guys like that! As expected, I was the only one who was calm. Theyre allzy pigs! I never liked them! This is why these so-called Hunter Management Bureau and the guilds are still twiddling their thumbs on the tenth floor! They wasted too much of their energy on politics! Hey, Kim Zombie! Just beat him up and go fight the boss. Why would I beat an innocent person? I silently asked the Guardian. He dares to stand in my way. I clicked my tongue at the Guardian. As expected from a psychopath, he treated humans as worse than mosquitos. Sir. I pulled out a pouch. I can tell that youre a hard-working man. Youre right, challenging the boss monster is practically suicide, but...thats what I want. Say what? Things have been too hard for me recently... I smiled bitterly. My lover died a year ago, and the Alchemist Office has recently diagnosed me with a terminal illness. I have half a year at most, and Im not sure I can endure it without my lover. Ah... What? What kind of shitshow is this, Zombie? The Guardian frowned. Ignoring him, I softly continued, But Im a Hunter, although my ss is low. I dont want to be hospitalized in the Alchemist Office until the end of my life, wondering if Ill die today or tomorrow. If Im going to die, I want to challenge a monster like a true Hunter. What a story... The guard gave me a look of pity, the one people usually made after listening to a tragic story. Here is the money I saved for my treatment. I handed him the pouch, heavy with one hundred gold. ...Why dont you take it? I have no use for it anyway. I-I cant take that! Im going to die anyway, so I want to do it with no regrets. Sir, please dont record my name in the entrance list either. This is myst request as a Hunter... The guards eyes got teary. Part of the weight on his heavy heart was no doubt the pouch full of money. ...Okay. Go. I didnt see anything... The Guardian was dumbstruck. Hello? Are you two shooting a movie? Someone please tell me there are cameras rolling around somewhere. Regardless, the guard let me in. I walked across a stone path that led to a fancy mansion. It seemed to have once been owned by a noble family. I stood in front of the mansions gate and slowly pushed it open. The tenth floor was originally cleared by Yoo Soo-Ha, but thats going to change. I listened to the gates hinges squeal as I opened it and took a step inside. Ill recreateno, create legends that are even more incredible than the Fire Emperors. The stage began with peals ofughtering from all directions. At the same time, the gate I entered through swung shut. The ce turned dark instantly and creepyughter from beyond the darkness grew louder and louder. Are you here to y? No one made a move, but candles glued all over the floor lit up one by one, revealing dolls everywhere. They were girlish dolls that children would y with. Are you going to y with us? The dolls opened their mouths. Freeze tag? Red light, green light? Hide and seek? The ice melted. The street light is gone. Hide and seek it is! Yeah! y with us! y hide and seek with us! Hehehehehe! Alright, Ill y. I got into position. My aura, which I had spent thest week training, billowed out of me. I heard a voice, as if to affirm my decision. [One challenger has entered the boss monster stage.] [The challengers name is Hunter Kim Gong-Ja.] [May luck be with you.] This was the start of the Hide and Seek in the Infernal Mansion, the stage that no human managed to clear yet. Chapter 16: The Penalty of Trauma (1)

Chapter 16: The Penalty of Trauma (1)

Ever since the Tower had appeared in this world, the ck Dragon Guild had been the best guild. The ck Witch, the leader of the guild and the Rank 2 Hunter, had attempted to clear the tenth floors boss monster stage dozens of times already, but had failed every time. Still, she had managed to bring back all of her Tower Raid Team members alive. Our abilities arent why we failed to clear the tenth floor. We were just a little unlucky. That was what the ck Witch had said in one of her interviews. However, the Fire Emperor had made an incendiary deration after singlehandedly clearing the tenth floor. Winners make their own luck, you losers. The interview was named Shoutout for Loserster. Having be a group of losers overnight, the ck Dragon Guild became hostile toward the Fire Emperor... Well, that wasnt important anymore because I had already killed Yoo Soo-Ha, eliminating the possibility of him saying anything like that in an interview. The problem at hand was why the Fire Emperor had been the only one who could clear the tenth floor. Was it the Fire Emperors overwhelming power? Was there another reason? Those questions were about to be answered. *** [Initiating the boss monster stage.] All the candles that illuminated the mansion fell over at once, starting a fire. The mansion was alight in no time, as if the entire structure had been doused in oil. Only the dolls were unaffected by the zing fire. Hehehehehe! Youre it, Mister! Well run away! Lets run. Lets run! Lets run away from here! There were thousands of doll girls in the first-floor lobby alone, so I assumed that there were tens of thousands of dolls in the entire mansion. Its one of them. I swallowed. Only one of them is the real one. Being forced to gamble on one in some ten thousands odds was the reason why the Hunters before me had failed to clear the stage. Everyone burned to death while trying to search for the real doll. They have ten minutes to search at most if they want to escape before they die. The fire currently consuming the mansion was no ordinary fire; it was Hellfire, the fire of aura. And its burning up the whole mansion. The boss monster of this floor knew how to use aura! The Raid Teams that hade before me had met one of the two endings: they had died in the Hellfire or escaped before their demise. One of the Hunters had risked his life and bet against the odds, but it was useless. He had ended up as yet another Hunter who met a gruesome, painful end in the fire. The stage was an unassable sea of fire. And...that was the reason why the Fire Emperor got to clear the tenth floor. He certainly rides on his luck, I muttered. Rightthe Fire Emperors aura was fire, the same type as the boss monsters. To other Hunters, this mansion was an inferno, but the Fire Emperor had found it asfortable as his own home. Tsk. To sum up, the Fire Emperor was a great match for this stage. He would have just wandered around until he found the real one. Yet he had the audacity to im it was a matter ofpetence. I really couldnt find any redeeming features. Arent you the Hunter who rides on luck, Zombie? The Guardian smirked at me. I frowned. What are you talking about? Even right now, Im using my aura, but Im barely holding out. Sweat dripped between my eyebrows. It was really hot; far more intense than any sauna and much sweatier. If I hadnt enveloped myself in my aura, I would have already been burned to a crisp. Yeah. You have at most one minute left, though. The Guardians assessment was annoyingly urate. You might like to know that Gramps Marcus has no problem holding out here for at least thirty minutes. Do you want to know why he hasnt tried this stage yet? Its because he wants to get better first and increase thirty minutes to one hour. ...Yeah, yeah. Thank you so much for telling me about the difference between the Sword Star and I. Hehehe. The Guardian freely flew around the burning lobby. The doll on the floor gave gurgles brightly, and a ghost giggled in the air. This was truly a haunted mansion. So what now? You only have two Coins. What do you mean what? I have to die first, obviously. Hello? Do you seriously think youll suddenly have all the aura in the world if you die here? the Guardian scoffed. There are only two ways to clear this stage! You get incredibly lucky and find the real doll, or you should be a master of aura so that you can endure the mansions fire until you find the real doll. But you made a stupid choice and only bet two Coins, didnt you? It wont work. Hehe. I didnt stopughing even though I was drenched in sweat. You only considered one side of this. Maybe you think you considered both sides, but there are actually three sides to this.[1] What? Lets see who wins after I die. When I had twenty seconds left until I ran out of my aura. I walked toward the closest doll. I didnt...really have a reason for it. If I had toe up with one, it would be that it was too boring to stand around and wait for my death. Perhaps I would be really lucky and find the real one. Are you going to y with us? The dolls head twisted around, the rest of its body remaining unsettling still. Despite the fire burning everything in the mansion, the frilly dress the doll was wearing didnt so much as sizzle, as if it were immune to fire. Movie makers should have scouted this doll for their next horror movie long ago. I got you, I said, putting my hand on the dolls head. Wrong! Im not the one youre looking for! The doll gurgled. The doll let out aughalong with its lips, skin, eyes... The entire doll melted away like candle wax. Even as the fire devoured it, the doll kept mumbling like a broken record. Its not me! Its not me! Its not me! Not! Not...me. Im... not... Its... Its not me... Im...not... Its...not me... Wow... I was speechless. A chill went down my spine even though I was surrounded by fireit was more gruesome than I had imagined it would be. Thats creepy. Why did the Tower have to make the boss monster stage like this? No one knows the Towers divine will, Zombie. They even gave an overpowered Skill to a weasel like you. If the Tower was a person, they would be a perverted psychopath. Out of all the ways you could have said it... Ugh. I couldnt grumble any longer. The moment I ran out of aura, the fire swallowed me. The first thing that melted was the soles of my shoes; next was my sleeves and then my hair. Agh... Arghhh! Urgrhhhhh! From head to toe, I was covered in fire. The fire kept burning away at me even after it had eaten away my skin and flesh. It only grew more wild when it found tastier food. As it reached my nerves, bones, esophagus, and intestines, I screamed. And youre an even bigger pervert than the Tower. Wowza. I know you want to be the best Hunter in the world, but you have no problem getting burned to death? Youre a real pervert, Kim Zombie! You have my approval! I wanted to die as soon as possible, even if it was just one second sooner! At one point, I couldnt make a sound nor hear one after my eyes and ears had been burned away. The moment I felt like my brain became so hot that it was going to explode, I heard the voice I had been waiting for with all my heart. [You have died.] Shit. The freaking fire could have killed me sooner. *** I breathed like a man who had barely managed to escape a watery grave. In truth, I only felt like I was breathing because I was actually in the Underworld, the world of darkness where I moved around like a ghost. [It has been determined that your death met the requirement of the Skill activation.] [Duplicating Monster: Hellfire Maidens Skills at random.] And this was also mynd of opportunity. [Creating Skill Cards.] Cards floated in the dark, empty air. Somewhat surprisingly, the boss monster only had one golden card. The rest of them shone with a silver or shit-colored light. Now, you havent forgotten about our promise, have you? I know. Do you think Im a guy who would go back on his word? Dont worry. The Guardian quietlyughed. Lets see what Skills this youngdy has. The Guardian floated around to the opposite side of the Skill Cards to tell me what was written on them, as we had promised. He started with the golden card. Whoaaaa! Hey, this is a jackpot. Infernal Barrier ss: S- Effects: Your unresolved grudges, your unheard voice, and your unfulfilled hope. Burn them all. Its hot. Is that so? Turn the world into a ball of fire. I feel like Im going to die. Kill everyone instead. As long as you desire, your Hellfire will manifest within a two-kilometer radius. No one can escape this hell without your permission. No one. However, you must be within the barrier too. It was a formidable Skill. This is a must, Zombie. We dont need to bother looking at the others. Pick this one. ...Hmm? Hey, Kim Zombie. Why arent you saying anything? No, its just.... My brow furrowed. Something bugs me, but I dont know why. What was wrong with me? Even though it was a genuinely remarkable Skill, something about it kept bothering me. It didnt feel right, like an upset stomach after a meal, or the water pipes at home were broken but I didnt know exactly which pipe was malfunctioning. ...Anyhow, read the next Skills please. What? I dont think youll get a better Skill than this one. Dont you have to pick this one? I have a specific Skill in mind, soe on. I gestured at the Guardian. He pouted a bit, but he continued to list the Skill Cards like I asked. Alright, listen up... Labyrinth Creations ss is A-. Next is Doll Control; this is ss B. Remote Control is ss B-. This ss C Skill is Trap Instation... He came to an abrupt stop before exining thest Skill Card, one that shone silver. The fuck? His lip quivered. I grinned. I knew it. No, hey... Wait... Its okay. I can tell what it is, so you dont need to bother reading it out aloud. I was certain that Id gotten the Skill Card I was looking for. [Choose a Skill Card.] The cards flew around me like a hurricane, but I was focused on one card only. It wasnt much of a problem. Hey! Gong-Ja! Hey! Lets not do this. The Guardian also knew what I was trying to do and was dead set on stopping me. Look at this golden card! Its ss S Skill! Its awesome! With this Skill, youll be able to use the Infernal Barrier whenever you want! How cool is that! I dont know. Why wouldnt you know how cool it is? If I were a woman, I would fall head over heels for your infernal bad boy charm! Lets gooooo! Today is going to be day one of Kim Gong-Jas chick ma liiiiife! You should have noticed that something was wrong from the start. I chuckled. There was a clue. Only one doll is real among the tens of thousands of dolls. The real doll owns the Skill, so its immune to fire, naturally. But why would the fake dolls be fine in the fire? I reached out and snatched the silver card. Arghhhh! No! No! Fuck no! There is only one answer to this question, Mr. Sword Emperor. I flipped the silver card. Always Be Careful Of Fire ss: A Effects: Ouch, its hot! Your entire house will burn down if such a strong fire is left unattended. But rest assured, animate and inanimate objects you select are immune to fire. Be free from the fear of fire and enjoy a life of safety! However, it will make you 300% more vulnerable to water and ice. That was right: in the Hide and Seek in the Infernal Mansion, the tenth-floor stage, the boss not only had the ability to burn but could also prevent something from burning. I clenched my fists, rejoicing in my imminent victory. Yes! I came, I saw, and I got it! The Guardian lost it. No... No... Hic. Hnnngh. This is wrong... This is so wrong... What do you mean, no? All I have to do is use the fire immunity Skill on myself, and Ill have all the time in the world to search for the real doll. Then its game over! Youre going to be calling me Mister Gong-Ja real soon! Shit... Fuck... What kind of fuckery is this... This bet is a scam. Its broken as hell... Hahahahaha! Call me Mr. Gong-Ja! Myughter echoed in the dark world, joined by a quiet voice that wasnt mine. [You have chosen a Skill Card. Copying the Skill.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] It was a cannon announcing that I was close to winning the bet between me and the Guardian. All I had to do now was to go back a day and challenge the tenth-floor boss monster again. [Your Hunter ss is E.] But that wasnt it today. [Initiating your Skill penalty.] Huh? Oh, wait. I never heard the penalty message until now because I had been a ss F Hunter. Since I was now a ss E Hunter, I was going to receive the Skill penalty for the first time in my life. What would it be? [Recreating your killers trauma.] [The penaltys intensity level is weak.] [The penaltys theme is hell.] Huh? Trauma? I tilted my head at the unexpected word. What does it mean my killers trauma will be Before I could finish my thought, the world around me turned pure white. 1. The raw is ??? ??? ?? ?? ????. ??, ?? ?? ?? ??? ??. Its about the Korean idiom of how one should consider a matter from various angles. ? Chapter 17: The Penalty of Trauma (2)

Chapter 17: The Penalty of Trauma (2)

[Initiating your Skill penalty.] [Recreating Monster: Hellfire Maidens trauma.] I found myself in an elegant mansion. Perhaps that wasnt the right description. Although I was aware of my existence, I wasnt technically here. Like a ghost, I watched everything in the third person. What? I was perplexed. What is going on...? S-save me. I heard the voice of a boy who was shackled by his foot in a corner of the mansions lobby. At first, I thought the boy was seeking help from me, but he wasnt. He was begging a man who dressed like a noble. Save me, please... Im so hungry... Food... Please give me food... Anything... Hmph. Orphans like you are a gue on this kingdom. Food... You orphans dont work and just wander from vige to vige, spreading diseases. Your existence will eat away at society unless something is done about it. That is why I stand as a warden and guard, quarantining you from the kingdom. A flood of memories rushed into my head. This generation had many homeless people due to ack of food. The nobleman had gathered many orphans and trapped them in his mansion, disguising it as an orphanage. Outside the mansion, the nobleman was a rich gentleman, a great businessman, and a conscientious academic. Other people may think you orphans are from a breed that is rotten to its core, but not me. Im going to educate you. Within his huge mansion, however, the nobleman was just a tyrant. Only animals would devour food in front of them because theyre hungry. Yes, you were born in the streets like animals. That doesnt mean you should grow up as animals. Im hungry. Im... Endure it. Endure it even if youre hungry. Endure it to be a human, the nobleman said with a gentle smile. The boys rib cage was visible through the holes in his clothes, but the noblemans smile didnt falter for a moment. It looked like there had been or was a world in which a constant smile was a virtue; however, the mad smile only attracted another madman. Repent! Ahhhh! Oh, children of the witch! You may be Zrakuas poison and an illness besetting our kingdom, but fear not. As my god never abandons his followers, neither will I abandon you, young sheep! The priest raised his hammer. It h-hurts... Hurts... I-it hurts... Pray! This was a generation where madness was dressed as a virtue. The screams never stopped in the mansion. Im...hungry... Neither did the hunger. No... Please forgive me... Why...? No, Im sorry. Please forgive me... The torture and brainwashing went on. Ah, thank you. Youre good and kind... This is your reward for enduring the pain. You kept your promise, thank you. Thank you. Youre kind, Mister... Dozens, hundreds, and thousands of children arrived at this mansion, and so did death. Although they were already close to death anyway, they never imagined that the interim would be nightmarishly painful. The lives shing before my eyes left me reeling. What in the world... What the fuck is this? Thanks to a certain dude, I was able to pull myself together. Youve been watching too? I thought you werent here. I should be asking you the same question. Ive been watching from the beginning, but I didnt see you until now. Hmm, it looks like only our consciousnesses are here... I dont give a damn about that right now. What in the goddamn are these people? Ha! Educate children into humans? How can those assholes teach other people to be human when they arent human? the Guardian spat. ...This is probably what the tenth floors boss monster stage is made from. Right before my consciousness ended up here, I had heard a voice saying [Recreating your killers trauma.] My killer this time...was the real doll hidden in the Infernal Mansion, which meant that everything the Guardian and I were watching was the dolls trauma. I never knew this, I whispered. Monsters used to be humans...? Not all monsters were humans. The Guardian clicked his tongue. Its mostly true only for boss monsters because their stages are created based on true incidents from other worlds. Many boss monsters used to be creatures or heroes from other worlds; it bes moremon after the Towers eleventh floor. What? Why are you only telling me this now? You didnt ask. The Guardian answered so shamelessly that I couldnt argue. But its my first time seeing this kind of stuff. What kind of stuff? Im talking about what were watching right now.their past. I know that boss monsters were based off of real things in different worlds, but how was I supposed to know what they went through? Its not like I have a mind-reading Skill... Watching it makes me feel like shit, though, the Guardian mumbled. ...It really does, I agreed. Incidents like this would always ur somewhere in the world. In fact, they could be worse than the one unfolding in front of me; however, knowing that was different from watching it with my own eyes. Although I wasnt sure if it was a good or bad thing, the recreation of the dolls trauma didntst for a long time. F-fire! A servant identally knocked over a candle without noticing. It happenedte in the night when everyone was in their bed, so by the time someone noticed the fire, it was already toote. Cough cough! We should run... The first-floor lobby burned up first, taking its fancy chandelier with it. Next was the bedroom of the mansions owner; the fire found its way to his luxurious bed, the elegant curtains, and crept down the stairway to the deep basement. The zing fire reached the ropes and chains in the basement. They were used to hang up the orphans, so all the brainwashed, tortured, and starved children were also caught in the fire. The fire seemed to erase whatever spell they were under. Ah... The children gasped. Because of the heated shackles around their wrists and ankles, they dangled helplessly like puppets on strings. The only thing they were able to do was scream, but I could still hear them voice their grudges and resentment in my head. I dont want to die. Im hungry. I want to live... Mister, you were kind... I didnt do anything wrong. I had no family. But it was okay. I still wanted to y a little longer... It was... Its not my fault. Its unfair. It isnt me. Im hungry. I dont want to die. Sparks flew in the air. From afar, the only thing I could see was the burning mansion. [The trauma recreation has beenpleted.] [Ending the Skill penalty.] And I went back a day. *** Even after we opened our eyes, the Guardian and I were quiet. Both of us sat on the bed in silence. I was shocked... I wasnt sure how I should deal with this. Mmmm... After a long time, the Guardian scratched the back of his head. Its really tragic. Someone should remember them, but there isnt much else we can do. Is that seriously the first thing you say? Whats wrong Yeah, fine. Im fucked up. The Guardian frowned, making him look like an angry gori. Maybe he was part gori. But truth always sucks! The tenth floors boss monster is just a monster now. Those children already died somewhere in their world. The dolls are just copies of them! It happened long, long ago, so what can you do about it, Zombie! If itd happened in this Tower, then yes! Kill yourself five thousand times to go back to the past and fix it! But it happened in another world and a different time. This tragedy cant be solved even if I were alive or I were the Sword God! Impossible is impossible for a reason. He was right. Hunt down and kill the real doll. Then get to the eleventh, twentieth, thirtieth, fortieth, fiftieth floor and so on. Clear them all. If youve decided to be the strongest Hunter, then find a way to take care of your conscience on your own! He was right again, but I had to disagree this time. Thats what the Fire Emperor would have thought. Huh? The Fire Emperor. The Fucker. Im talking about Yoo Soo-Ha, the first person I ever hunted. I stood up from the bed. I tied my sleeping bag to the top of my backpack and secured my dagger to my belt. Although I looked clumsy, I equipped myself like the Hunter I was, ready to head outside my hotel room and climb the Tower. You know what? Even if he saw the boss monsters trauma, Yoo Soo-Ha would have found the real doll and immediately smashed its head. Im sure of it. So what? I dont want to be like him. I got to the tenth floor and fooled the guard like myst try. And once again, I stood in front of the mansions gate. The estate looked exactly the same as the one I had seen in the Hellfire Maidens trauma. Hey! Are you a child? What are you going to do now? Not kill the boss monster because you want to be different? You have to kill the boss monster to clear the stage, Zombie! Who said that? What? I put my hands on the gate. Damn, I mumbled. Im an idiot. What are you talking about? You and I are both idiots. Goddamn it! The truth was right there, and we never noticed it. Are you nuts? The Guardian frowned. Its totally true that youre an idiot, but dont drag me into this. People called me a child prodigy. The Skill Card. I said, holding back my annoyance. The Infernal Barrier. The ss S Skill we havent picked. Do you remember? You went all wild about how I had to pick that one. Hmm? Of course I remember. Say it. I gestured at the Guardian. I cant believe it. Who do you take me for, Zombie? ...Fine, listen up. The Guardian recited the Skill description with a frown. It looked like he wasnt lying when he said he used to be a child prodigy. He didnt miss a single detail of the Skill description. Infernal Barrier ss: S- Effects: Your unresolved grudges, your unheard voice, and your unfulfilled hope. Burn them all. Its hot. Is that so? Turn the world into a ball of fire. I feel like Im going to die. Kill everyone instead. As long as you desire, your Hellfire will manifest within a two-kilometer radius. No one can escape this hell without your permission. No one. However, you must be within the barrier too. When he was done, I posed a question. You dont see the issue, Mr. Sword Emperor? Gosh, youre frustrating the hell out of me. What in the world is supposed to be wrong! Im talking about thest part. No one can escape the Infernal Barrier without the boss monsters permission. No one. So how in the world did the Hunters who challenged the boss monster survive and escape? Ah? The Guardian blinked. ...Huh? Fuck. You''re right. Ever since the Tower had appeared in this world, the ck Dragon Guild had been the best guild. The ck Witch, the leader of the guild and the Rank 2 Hunter, had attempted to clear the tenth floors boss monster stage dozens of times already, but had failed every time. Still, she had managed to bring back all of her Tower Raid Team members alive. It doesnt make sense. I slowly pushed the gates open. Its impossible to escape without the boss monsters permission. Thats how the Skill is designed... It doesnt make sense that an entire team of Hunters managed to escape unscathed without killing the boss monster. Then...what the heck happened? Theres only one damn possible conclusion! The gates swung open like arms spread wide for an embrace. The boss monster allowed them to escape! The Infernal Mansionthe indomitable boss monster stage of the Towers tenth floorwasid open. [One challenger has entered the boss monster stage.] [The challengers name is Hunter Kim Gong-Ja.] [May luck be with you.] It should have been obvious from how Hunters were able to escape if they wanted to. The boss monster and dolls never considered Hunters their enemies. [Initiating the boss monster stage.] They just wanted to y with the visitors. The candles all over the mansion fell over, starting a fire. Amid the fire, the dolls stood. They couldnt move,as if they were tied to something. The only thing they could do was to turn their heads and look at me. They opened their mouths and let out peals ofughter. Are you here to y? Are you going to y with us? Freeze tag? Red light, green light? Hide and seek? The ice melted. The street light is gone. Hide and seek it is! Yeah! Lets y! y hide and seek with us! Hehehehehe! The first-floor lobby burned up first, taking its fancy chandelier with it. Next was the bedroom of the mansions owner; the fire found its way to his luxurious bed, elegant curtains, and crept down the stairway to the deep basement... Everything burned except for the childrenthe dolls. I clenched my teeth for a moment. Alright. Ill y with you. [The Skill Always Be Careful of Fire has been activated.] I used the fire immunity Skill I had gotten from myst death. The moment the Skill was activated, the heat around me vanished. I could breathe much more easily and observe the mansions surroundings a little more clearly. Huh? You arent burning, Mister. I looked carefully at the dolls. All of the dolls looked different but were equally expressionlessyet I could tell what they felt. Isnt it hot? Mister, youre strange. Can you y with us? Are you going to y with us? I nodded. Yeah, Im here to y hide-and-seek. You guys better brace yourselves. I never lost hide and seek when I was young. Hahahaha! Youre really weird, Mister! Hide! Everyone, hide! The dozens, hundreds, thousands of dollsno, childrenughed. Although I told them to hide, no one moved because they couldnt free themselves from their locations. Donte out, donte out, wherever you are. I got you. I began to walk around the mansion, starting our game of hide-and-seek. Whenever I stroked one of their heads, the child would slowly turn its head to look at me. Wrong! It isnt me! The children disappeared with a smile. It isnt me! It isnt me! The mansion was filled with children, so I stroked their heads one by one as I walked by, making sure I got to every one of them. Hey, youre... Youre giving them a requiem... the Guardian mumbled. A requiem was made to console the deceased. Without answering the Guardian, I continued to walk around the mansion. Along the way, I found the chains and shackles that had been used to bind them. Whenever I encountered those bindings, I also saw children amid the fire. It isnt me! It isnt me! It isnt me! No, it isnt me! Im not... Its...not me... Im not... Its...not me... After some time, I arrived at the foot of the long stone stairway that led to the basement. Children were copsed on the stairs as if they had tried to crawl to freedom. After tagging every child on the stairs, I stood in the basement in front of thest child. Are you going to y with us? Thest child was sitting in the innermost depths of the mansion. Hammers, icepicks, and saws were scattered around the child. I slowly walked toward him and stroked his hairless head. I got you. The creator of the hellish inferno had a surprisingly small head, small enough for the whole thing to fit into my hand. ...Youre it now, kid. After a moment of silence, the child slowly turned his head. Just like the other children, he was perfectly expressionless. Youre kind, Mister, he said. The doll let out aughalong with its lips, skin, eyes... The entire child melted away like candle wax. Even as the fire devoured it, the child kept mumbling like a broken record. Thank you. And it kept melting. Just like how the candle me would disappear into the wax when it reached the end of the wick, everything disappeared. The chain and shackles liquefied, along with hammers, icepicks, and saws. Thank you. The fire embraced the child, erasing its hunger and all other traces of its existence. Death left no traces. I stood in the center of the ruins, surrounded by the empty space that once held the mansion. [Congrattions.] [The normal stage has been cleared.] [The hidden stage has been cleared.] [The boss monster stage has been cleared.] The Towers tenth floor, which no human had ever cleared for years, was cleared today. Chapter 18: The Penalty of Trauma (3)

Chapter 18: The Penalty of Trauma (3)

[The champion is Hunter Kim Gong-Ja.] [Calcting the reward for clearing the tenth floor...] [The calction isplete.] [The reward will be given after you enter the eleventh floor, which will open in twenty-four hours.] I cleared the boss stage that had stymied everyone else. My name wasnt even on the ranking, and I didnt have a title of my own. The world would be flipped upside down if this went public. Phew. However, I couldnt enjoy it as freely as I had hopedI was happy and gloomy at the same time. I walked through the ashes like a lonely poet. Hey, why do you look like shit? You even cleared the hidden objective. Even I only managed to clear a handful of hidden stages before I died. Youll probably get a great reward. A psychopath like you wouldnt understand why Im feeling down. You dont have an ounce of empathy. Oh. You look like shit because youre full of shit. It was incredible how onement from the Guardian made my gloominess vanish. Yeah, it was impossible to be sentimental with a wacko like him. ...I just thought that the world is fucked up. Huh? You saw it in there. Whichever world it is, fucked-up stuff like that always happens. The Guardian nodded. Well, I think humans are the same wherever you are. We stood in silence, letting time pass as we watched the mansions ruins. After a while, the Guardian violently shook his head. Forget it. Forget it! Phew. This is really not my vibe! By the way, Kim Gong-Ja, you surprised me earlier! What? I mean, you found your own way to clear the boss stage. It was amazing. Good job! Though I could tell that he was giving me an honestpliment in his own way, it gave me the creeps. ...Who are you? I demanded, brow furrowed. Why are you suddenly giving mepliments? Oh,e on. Ipliment people when theyve earned it. You solved a problem with your own abilities this time, not by relying on your luck. Besides, youre my partner, so I should celebrate with you when something good happens to you, right? I narrowed my eyes. Youre acting suspicious... What do you mean, suspicious? Great job, Kim Gong-Ja! Youre awesome! When the eleventh floor opens up, lets keep this up and snatch the seat of the Rank 1 Hunter! Who cares if some people say its a fraud? If they have a problem with that, they should have gotten overpowered Skills themselves! The Guardian gave me a bright smile. What? What was suddenly wrong with him? There was no way he would act like this unless the sun wasing up from the west tomorrow or the Tower was going to copse. The strange moment was dramatically interrupted. [Announcement.] [The tenth floor has been cleared today.] [Announcement.] I heard a voice, but it wasnting from my head this time. The voice reverberated from the sky. [The tenth floor has been cleared today.] [The eleventh floor will be unlocked in twenty-four hours.] Fireworks went off in the sky, announcing the beginning of a new era. Purple fireworks went off first, and then it was red, blue, and yellow. The show continued, decorating the sky with blooms in dozens of colors and thousands of streams. Ah... I nkly looked up at the sky. The fireworks in the air didnt disappear even after they went off. Each spark moved like a serpent, slowly transforming the fireworks into something new. [24:00:00] [23:59:59] The glittering clock began the countdown to the next floor opening. The Guardian and I stood side by side and watched the sky. This is where the real story begins, the Guardian mumbled. I nodded. It looks like it. I watched this firework show before I died. Ive seen it too. I clenched my fists. But back then, I was at a bar on the first floor. I was just an extra in this story. I floundered for a long time because I didnt know what happened and lost my chance and stayed a ss F Hunter all my life... Damn, I was a real idiot. Heh. The Guardian giggled. So how does it feel to be promoted from an extra to a main character? Rather than answer, I pulled out my smartphone to check peoples reactions in Hunter-rted onlinemunities. wut. wtf is this firework show? Theres fireworks going off on the first floor. Is this only happening on the first floor? no, its also loud and bright as hell here. im in the third-floor hunting ground. As expected, the firework show in the broad daylight set all the onlinemunities on fire. Did anyone hear a voice just now? It said the tenth floors been cleared. Is this fr? did the ck Dragon Guild do it? they didnt make any announcements whats going on? Their next expedition is in two weeks. I saw it on the Hunter Management Bureaus announcement channel. Its definitely not the ck Dragon Guild! Look at this photo! All their executives are in a cafe near Babylon Bank intersection Who cleared the floor? It didnt stop. Breaking News: The tenth floor has been cleared. The identity of the guild who cleared the boss remains unknown. The ck Dragon Guild remains silent despite the Towers announcement. Dozens of posts were made by the second. It wasnt just happening in the Hunter-rtedmunitiesthe fire quickly spread elsewhere. The media in Babylon quickly published one-line news shes, while tabloids were busily starting other fires. who did it if it wasnt ck dragon? I dont think its the Pantheon. Im praying in the Pantheon, and I saw the Inquisitor gather up his priests. Its insane here. Right! It must be the Sword Star! the Sword Star def cleared it on his own no cap oh lol yeah thats possible The fires remained contained in themunities they started in at first. Somemunities believed that it was the work of the Pantheon. The Sword Star, Countess, Viper, and Pdin were also mentionedbasically, every High Ranker was proposed as the hero who cleared the tenth floor. WTH are you talking about? The Sword Star is drinking milk in a bar. ^Hes really at the bar. See the photo. Viper is teaching his student at his dojo. Whatre you talking about? bro the pdin is working in babylon za I asked the Sword Star. He says it isnt him. No wait that doesnt make sense here. An MA executive here. I cant tell you guys my real name and title, but it isnt the MA. Why is no one saying they did it? wtf The fires soon came together into one big question: Then who is it? No one knows who cleared it? Who is the Hunter that cleared the tenth floor? Who in the world... I turned off the screen and answered the Guardians question from earlier. How do I feel? I was smiling. I feel awesome. It was the first time in my life Id felt like this. Although no one was saying my name, I could instinctively tell that this was how it felt like to stand at the top. I feel like the entire world is mine. Right? The Guardian grinned. But thats just an illusion right now. You dont have the world. Youve only cleared the tenth floor. Still, you arentpletely delusional since youre closer to the top than anyone else in your world, Gong-Ja. I know. I turned my head. All thats left to do is really get to the top. I could see someone running up the stone pathway that led to the Infernal Mansion. It was the guard I had tricked into believing I was terminally ill. Huff, huff...! Huffffff. Mr. Hunter...! The guard was drenched in sweat. It looked like he had sprinted the entire way here. He stopped in front of me, panting. W-was that...y-you, Mr. Hunter? Im not sure what youre talking about. I-Im talking about the tenth floor clear! the guard yelled. Im in charge of the stage today...and youre the only one who challenged the stage today. So... I-its chaos right now. The bureau keeps calling and demanding an answer...! Hmm. I looked at the guard. Even as we spoke, something in his pocket kept vibrating. It was probably his smartphone receiving a call. Just like he said, it must be madness in the Tower. I smiled. What are you going to do if I actually cleared it? Eh? If Im really the Hunter who cleared the tenth floor, what are you going to do about it? U-um, I... The guard fumbled for words, bewildered. I didnt get to check your license...so I need to do it now. Huhhhh? Sir, that doesnt really sound right. You took a hundred gold from me. I dont think that counts as an ident. W-well I appreciate your hard work, though. I patted the guards shoulder a couple of times. The guard gave me a nk stare as I walked right past him and began to make my way down the stone pathway. After a moment, I heard his desperate cry from behind me. P-please wait, Mr. Hunter! You can just give me your title! No, please tell me your title at least! Otherwise, my seniors in the management bureau will beat the hell out of me! I dont have a title, I answered without turning around. Have a great dayoh, dont follow me, though. If you do, Im really going to run away. Fortunately, the guard didnt follow me, not that it was a problem even if he did. He was exhausted after climbing his way up to the mansion, so I could easily lose him. Hey, look at his face. He looks like he saw a ghost. The Guardian cackled at the guard. Good job, by the way. Thats how you increase your value. Yes, thats right; you should hide your identity and make the otherse looking for you. I didnt teach you, but youre doing a goo Mr. Sword Emperor. Hmm? What? I stood in front of the teleportation stone installed at the entrance of the tenth floor. I just realized something. Realize what? I realized why youre suddenly showering me withpliments, I remarked as I made a reservation to be teleported to the first floor. Its because of our bet. The Guardian stiffened. I remember now. You promised to call me Mister Gong-Ja if I managed to clear the boss monster stage within two Coins. And, uh-oh, I actually did it. Wow, Mr. Sword Emperor is in trouble. Hey, Gong-Ja... Thats wrong. The Guardian pulled a long face. You and I, were partners...and partners are supposed to be equal. Im the one who cleared the ny-ninth floor, and you will be the future challenger of the one-hundredth floor. My partner! My friend! How cool is that! I beamed. From now on, if you want to talk to me, you can start your sentences with Mister Gong-Ja. Forever. The Guardian descended into the pits of despair. Chapter 19: Do you fancy a cup of coffee? (1)

Chapter 19: Do you fancy a cup of coffee? (1)

Who in the world cleared the tenth floor? Im checking the news, but I got nothing. Theyre all tabloids... Maybe the ck Dragon Guild is hiding it on purpose to be dramatic... Ah, Im telling you its the Sword Star! Babylon, the city on the Towers first floor, was in an uproar. People were overjoyed by the news. The unassable tenth floor had been cleared! However, the identity of the one who had done the deed remained a mystery. Even the people on the patio of the cafe I was in were talking about it. How would they react if they found out that the guy next to them was the person they were talking about? Mmm. Its sweet, I said, sipping on my caramel mhiato. The cafe located opposite the MA headquarters was Babylons one and only Starbacks. No one could leave once they entered the Tower, but they had managed to build a franchise cafe in this ce anyway. I really respected their entrepreneurial spirit. The Tower also had franchises from the red-nosed clown and the plump grandfather mascots. Ah, human greed was truly amazing! What do you think, Mr. Sword Emperor? Isnt victory really sweet? Frankly, I feel like even an espresso would taste sweet to me. Hmm? Are my earphones not working? Thats strange. I cant hear your answer. I pulled out one of my earphones and tapped on it a couple of times. Actually, my earphones made no sound. It was a simple decoy because, without it, I would look like a crazy guy who was talking to himself. It worked quite well, judging from how no one in the cafe took me for a weirdo. Mr. Sword Emperor? Oh, Mr. Sword Emperor. Hey, Mr. Psychopath! Excuse me, Mr. Crazyhead? I heckled in a sing-song voice. ...Yeah. Phew. I can finally hear you. You had me worried there for a secondI thought you had a problem with your ears. Tsk, tsk. You shouldnt make me, the great Gong-Ja, worry if you have a heart. Oh, riiiiiight. You dont have a heart, youre a ghost! I forgot! Im so slow. Come to think of it, Sword Emperor, can we talk casually now? Youre supposed to serve me, so its a little weird if I speak to you formally. Fu...ck... Ive never been humiliated like this... An emperor... They called me the emperor of swords. How did I end up in this disaster after my death... The Guardian floated on the other side of my table, trembling. Im joking, of course. Im joking. Even if you call me Mr. Gong-Ja, youre a senior Hunter with much more experience than me, so I cant do that. Well, nothing is technically stopping me from being casual with you, but Ill keep calling you Mr. Sword Emperor because Im a man of manners. How does that sound? Do you like it? Just kill me! the Guardian cried. Get a new Skill and overwrite the Sword Constetion! Then everything works out, you shit! Just kill me already! What? What are you talking about? Were partners. Partners for life! No one in the world kills their best friend. Were together forever. The Guardian sobbed. Forget it... Im not going to say anything. Gramps Marcussss, I want to go back to you... I looked up at the sky, enjoying my extra-sweet coffee. [22:32:50] The countdown in the sky showed that one and a half hours had already passed. It was about time they came... Meow. Hmm? A brown cat ambled toward me. She was too well groomed to be a stray, not to mention the two gold coins dangling from her neck. I nervously considered my next action. Shes the Goldcoin Cat. What? The Goldcoin Cat. Shes really famou Oh, yeah. That isnt a thing right now. The cat wasnt ordinary. In five years, she was going to be a famous mascot. ...I didnt expect a tycoon like her toe all the way over here herself. I guess I should pretend I dont know anything. Maintaining myposure, I looked at the cat. Are you lost? Meow. The brown cat rubbed her head against mine. It left me a bit dumbstruck. If I hadnt known her identity, I would have thought she was a real cat who happened to be rather friendly. Do you want to stay with me until your owneres to look for you? Meow. I picked up the cat and put her on myp. She immediately curled up like that was exactly what she was aiming for. She even meowed again and let out a yawn. I did hear that shes obsessed with cats, but shes quite the actress. I stroked the cats head, amazed. Meoooow. After I spent a while listening to the cat purr, a group of Hunters entered the cafe. One of them spoke first. Excuse me. Is your name Kim Gong-Ja? Mmm. I gave them a quick scan and noted their expensive gear, which indicated that their guilds hadnt sent nobodies. They may not be the leaders, but they were at least executives of their guilds. Yet they were here at Starbacks. I pulled out my identification card and showed it to them. I wondered how long it would take. Exactly one and a half hours. Seeing my identification card made the Hunters eyes widen. They hurriedly pulled out their smartphones and made calls. Yes, I found him! Hes at the cafe across the street from the bank... No, the other guilds are here too... Yes. Yes! Understood, Colonel. Dont worry, maam. Ill never lose him to a different guild! I pleasantly watched the calm before a storm. I feel like a VIP. Well, most guilds would be hellbent on recruiting you. No one managed to clear the tenth floor until you did. And you did it alone. That makes you a real VIP. You have a point. The guy who cleared the ny-ninth floor calls me Mr. Gong-Ja and serves me with respect. It would be weird if I wasnt a VIP. Fuck! Fuck! Fuckkkkk! The Hunters finished their calls one after another, all looking nervous. I quietly waited for one of them to step up. A blonde Hunter with arge physique made the first move. Im the Human Resource Team manager of the Watchmen League, Mr. Kim, he said. Im sure you already know that the Watchmen League is the most honorable guild in Babylon. If you join my guild! Give me a moment please. I held up my hand, interrupting him. Im really sorry for cutting you off, but I would like to make two things clear before we begin anything. First of all, dont mention my name to the media. I slowly looked around at the Hunters. I was sure that none of their sses were lower than mine. Before the regression, I wouldnt have dared to look them in the eyes, but I now had no reason to feel intimidated. I had the glory of clearing the Towers tenth floor! That was a reputation that no one could belittle, regardless of their ss. And the more capable Hunters were, the more they valued feats of strength. If they werepetent officers, then they wouldnt treat me lightly. Ill never sign a contract or make a deal with any guild who leaks my identity to the media. Please remember that before we continue. Umm... Another Hunter raised her hand. H-how long does that condition stand, though? The reporters from the Retrospective Newspaper are hovering around every guild looking for answers... Mr. Kim, Ill be honest. The guilds can try hiding it, but we cant guarantee your anonymity. Well, Im not asking you to do it forever. I pointed at the sky, drawing the Hunters eyes. [22:25:31] Please keep the news embargo until that countdown hits zero. Oh! Yes...we can make it work. The Hunters heaved a sigh of relief. I have to hit the ground running as soon as the eleventh floor opens up, so I cant waste my time with reporters. Thats my first condition, I continued with a smile, and the second is... The Hunters looked at me with dark expressions, worried that my second condition would be difficult. However, I just grinned and gestured around at my surroundings. This is a public ce, so lets be considerate of the other guests. Excuse me? Im surprised you havent noticed that people are watching us. Everyone is confused because you guys came rushing in. Indeed, most of the guests on the patio were stealing nces in this direction. They looked at the Hunters and me skeptically and were whispering amongst themselves. Some of them even held up their smartphones, seemingly trying to discreetly film everything. Its a public nuisance. I understand that it would have been hectic for all of you to find me, but its not like Im going to run off anywhere. E-excuse me. The Hunters btedly came to their senses and scattered. Im sorry. Im not at liberty to discuss what is happening, but if you would please excuse... Sir, I would like to rent the cafe for an hour. How much would it cost? Thank you for your understanding, people! If you visit the OJP Sectter, the guild will express... Their work was wless. They bowed to the guests and asked for their understanding and then borrowed the cafe from the owner. All told, it took less than five minutes to empty the cafe. We went inside to resume the conversation. Alright. Lets begin the negotiation. I gestured at them. State your terms. Funnily enough, all of the Hunters were holding a cup of coffee after I had told them that they were being a nuisance. It was adorable. ...The Watchman League can offer you ten thousand gold as a signing bonus. That was the trigger. Ten thousand gold? Did you really have to show how poor your guild is here? Mr. Kim, please join the Adventurer Association. The guild can guarantee you twenty thousand gold as a signing bonus, plus an executive position. Why dont youe to the OJP Sect, Mr. Kim? The guild specializes in raisingbat Hunters in the most ssic way. Youll immediately be appointed as an instructor and receive a signing bonus of twenty-five thousand gold. That kind of positiones with cumbersome duties. Why dont you think about this, Mr. Kim? The Pantheon offers you an honorary position, but it would be great if you could take charge of advertising the guild in and outside the Tower. The signing bonus will be thirty thousand gold, but separate bonuses The Hunter Management Bureau! The bureau would like you as a promotional ambassador! The cafe became rowdy with the HR managers voices. I could understand their desperate attempts to win over me, though. Major guilds would be feeling pressured by the Sword Star; he was the Rank 1 Hunter and he didnt join any guilds or even work with anyone! Because of him, people couldnt help but wonder if it was necessary to join a guild. Perhaps a Hunter was better off standing alone after all... But the Sword Star is a special case. Regardless of what the truth was, it badly affected the guilds image. And now they have a new hero wholl be as popr as the Sword Star. I smiled. Theyll use any means necessary to recruit me. It was obvious that each of the recruiters were under strict orders to keep me out of the hands of the other guilds. T-the Watchmen League...can offer you thirty-six thousand gold If your guild is too poor for this, why dont you just stay put? Please? This is never going to finish if you only raise the price by one thousand gold at a time. Cant you read the room here? The Alchemist Office The MA will give you fifty thousand gold, a charismatic voice interrupted, catching all of the Hunters attention. Their eyes turned to the cat on myp. She meowed and used her fluffy hind paws to leap into the air. By the time shended nimbly on the floor of the cafe, her paws had turned into human feet wearing shoes. Your signing bonus will be fifty thousand gold. Ill give it to you right now if you want. The woman turned around. The two gold coins on her ne bumped into each other with the distinctive clink of metal. And youll be the MAs assistant leader. How does that sound? Fifty thousand gold and bing the MAs assistant leader. She was the Countess, the Rank 3 Hunter and leader of the Merchant Association. She had the ability to transform. She must be over forty years old, but looked like she was in her twenties. Well, she was the richest Hunter in the Tower, so she must be drinking top-quality elixirs of eternal youth every day. Although she was a tycoon the likes of which the old me would never have been able to meet, I maintained myposure and gave her a smile. Hmm, now it sounds like a negotiation. The first round of bidding wasplete. Chapter 20: Do you fancy a cup of coffee? (2)

Chapter 20: Do you fancy a cup of coffee? (2)

Hmm, youve got guts. The Countess smirked. A cat turned into a human, but you dont look surprised... You arent like most youngsters nowadays. Oh, that was apliment. Thank you. Ive gotten used to these things because I can see ghosts and stuff. Hahaha! You can even afford to joke now? The Countess produced a fan and fanned herself. Youre incredible. I wasnt joking though. Uhh.... Ummm... The Human Resource Team managers had been screaming about my signing bonus until not too long ago, but right after the Countess had shown up, they now only exchanged nces. Only the Countess wasughing now. The blonde Hunter with arge figure cautiously said, Um, excuse me, maam... Youre excused. Isnt...a fifty thousand signing bonus and the MA assistant leader position too much? I-it is remarkable that he cleared the tenth floor, but we dont know...how great...a Hunter he actually...is... The Hunter trailed off into silence. Not because he suddenly lost the ability to speak, but because the Countess was looking at him. Her mouth was hidden behind her fan, and she was smiling only with her eyes. The Hunter closed his mouth, btedly realizing that everything he said was meaningless. After all, he was talking to the Rank 3 Hunter, who was in a whole different league. Are you done? ...Yes, maam. Then bring your superior before you embarrass yourself any further. Im sorry, but its pointless to talk with youwell, I dont really mind if one of you can bet more than fifty thousand gold. Make yourselffortable if you can, she told them, an elegant way of suggesting they get lost. If someone as high up as her told middle management to get lost, then all they could do was get lost. One by one, the HR managers stood up and left the cafe. It took ten minutes for new Hunters to walk into the cafe, carrying the metaphorical batons passed by the HR managers. That MF! God fucking damn it! The first person to enter was the Viper, the Rank 5 Hunter and the leader of OJP Sect. Hmm. She got a drop on us, the Inquisitor, leader of the Pantheon and the Rank 4 Hunter remarked. I guess I was toocent. Calling itcent is wrong. Our job today is to prevent chaos from spreading among Hunters, not wee the new hero. The Countess went too far, the Pdinmented. She was the Rank 8 Hunter and assistant leader of the Watchmen League. Behind her was the ck Witch, who was the Rank 2 Hunter and led the ck Dragon Guild. Whoa. I didnt show it, but I was impressed. Heroes assembled. Every one of them was a High Ranker, someone I had only ever seen in their interviews and the newspaper articles about them. They were now moving right before my eyes and sitting at my table. Once again, I realized how high my value was. Wee, all of you. The Countess rested her chin on her palm and gave them a beautiful smile. I dont know how long its been since we werest gathered. I feel like it was only yesterday we cleared the second floor. Time flies. Were old now. Shut up before I cook you into a butterfly stew, mofo. the Viper growled. He was a middle-aged man who wore an eyepatch over one of his eyes. Apparently, it covered the scar he had gotten after challenging the Sword Star. He was also known for clearing the second floor. I heard on the way you offered fifty thousand gold and to make him assistant leader. Did your brain turn into an animals after spending all those days cosying as one? I dont care about you throwing your money in the air because theres nothing new about your shit, but why in the hell would you make him assistant leader Now, now! the Inquisitor interrupted, beaming. Lets make our orders first! Its very rude to stay in a cafe without ordering. Were ensuring the Towers order as the major guilds leaders, so we should set an example! Ill get a mocha. What about you? Oh, I would like a hot americano. I want a coldtte. ...Hot hazelnuttte. Add an extra shot, and make it grande. The guild leaders had their orders ready and took care of it with minimal fuss. The Viper was the only one who didnt go along. What? Coffee? he demanded. Hey, the whole world turned upside down because the tenth floor is cleared. Are your brains pickled in caffeine? Its an espresso for you, Viper, isnt it? Alright. You fucking sycophant! Sir! Id like to make an order! the Inquisitor yelled, ignoring the Viper. Y-yes...? The Starbacks barista standing behind the counter flinched. He went pale when he realized that he had to make coffees for the High Rankers. The Inquisitor beamed at the barista, his blonde hair fluttering. People from all over the world were gathered in the Tower, so he was responsible for preventing religious conflicts. He was also known for speaking to everyone with respect, even the terrorists that he tortured. I would like to get one iced mocha, one hot americano, one icedtte, one hot hazelnuttte, and one espresso. Can I get the first three tall, but the hazelnuttte grande with an extra shot and the espresso to be in doppio! the Inquisitor rattled off. Yes! Yup. Yes...! Oh, yeah. The Inquisitor slowly turned his head. What would you like to order, Mr. Kim? All five people watched me carefully, gauging my reaction. Amusement, belligerence, joy, coldness, and nonchnce. Each of their eyes contained different emotions. The Guardian spoke up. Dont chicken out. Think of them like theyre nothing! They are nothing. You were killed by Gramps Marcus, right? None of them are better than Gramps Marcus. I know. I knew it very well. Theyre just trying to bring me down a notch. And all of this was part of their little charade I shrugged. Can I see a menu, sir? I asked the barista. Pardon? I had a caramel mhiato earlier, so I dont really feel like having another coffee. I want to look at the menu first... Hmmm, on second thought, its fine. Can I have hot chocte if you have it? Ah, okay. The barista nodded. I needed to show themposure. They didnt run into each other here by coincidence. Even the Human Resource Team managers from different guilds had arrived at the cafe together, just like their leaders. Could that really be a coincidence? Hell no! Their n is to use their numbers to confuse the hell out of me. They were only pretending it was a coincidence. It was a ssic gangster move. Well, these Hunters are much scarier than ordinary gangsters... The tension was so thick that I could cut it with a knife. This is nothingpared to getting burned to death. In other words, their pressure wasnt even lukewarm inparison. If all of this had happened before the Fire Emperor killed me... I would have been scared shitless, but not now. It wasnt scary at all for one very simple reason. They can kill me if they have a problem with that. I would be fine even if they killed me! Yes, I told you that you have the advantage! The Guardian nodded fervently. Scowl at them! Taunt them into killing you already if they are going to do it. Sit up straight! Theyre a bunch of losers who cant keep you dead! They shouldnt call themselves High Rankers! Umm... Thank you for taking my side, but Im not canceling our Mr. Gong-Ja arrangement. Ah, shit...! The Guardian clutched his head in despair. The Inquisitors eyed me curiously Hmm, interesting. I found no notable history before you cleared the tenth floor. Its like you became a different man... I guess you never know where life will take you! He does have some notable history. The Countess smiled with her eyes, covering the lower part of her face with her fan. This young man has recently won my guilds lottery. Hes lucky as well as bold. Im not sure how he did it, but judging from the fact that he cleared the tenth floor, hes also skilled. Luck, courage, and skill. Any youngster with these three elements will always thrive. The Viper looked at them across the table and sighed. Phew... Thats why I told you guys to just recruit him! Dont rely on cheap tricks! Tsk. I knew this act wouldnt work at all... He cleared the tenth floor, so he cant possibly be that naive. It doesnt matter. The ck Witch, the leader of the ck Dragon Guild, broke her silence. Just because a monk wasnt able to save face, doesnt mean Buddha is also disgraced. Were all busy people, so letsy out the meter. Cough... Mr. Kim. The ck Witch looked at me with eyes that were as dark as ink. Ill be honest. Which guild are you nning to join? If youre going to be like the Sword Star and not join any guild, tell us in advancewe need to discuss how we shall deal with the media. What if Im going to join a guild? I tilted my head. An intense recruiting war will start, the ck Witch calmly answered. Weve been stalled on the ninth floor for far too long... I guess thats an understatement. Weve just been embarrassing ourselves. But thanks to you clearing the tenth floor, we now have an opportunity to advertise the Towers value to the outside world. An opportunity... Yes, an opportunity to bring more people from the outside world, not just refugees. The barista came over with a tray full of coffee. The guild leaders quietly received their coffee. No one said anything. The ck Witch took a sip of her hazelnuttte and then put it down before she continued, Above all, once the eleventh floor opens, the Hunters in Babylon will be inspired. Even the realists who forgot about their adventurous spirit will want to step outside the first floor and peek at the eleventh floor; everyone wants to explore the unknown world waiting for them I nodded. Itll help the food shortage. The ck Witch stopped for a moment, surprised by my answer. ...You catch on quick. Yes, its getting difficult to meet our food demands by selling goods from the ninth floor and below. Im keeping the trade route to the outside world open all day. The Countess smiled. But its not like Im as vigorous as I used to be. Its getting tougher as I age. We need new products, the ck Witch continued. We have to attract adventurers to the world beyond the tenth floor so we can search for goods that can only be found there. Plus, you will need a means of advertisement so that you can announce the beginning of a new era. And thats me, I spected. ...Yes, that would be an urate assessment. That was precisely what was going to happen in the future. It was also the reason why major guilds couldnt kick around the Fire Emperor, despite how full of himself he was. He used to be a hero and the icon of a new generation, regardless of whether or not they liked it. In order for the Towers society to grow, people needed a hero like them! But the ck Dragon still tried to assassinate the Fire Emperor. I remembered the conversation I heard in the slum alley. Who ordered you to kill me? Was it the witch from the ck Dragon Guild? The Saintess had slowly nodded. Unless she had been lying, the witch in front of me had actually tried to assassinate the Fire Emperor, although I would never know why she had done it... Were going to get along great. A person who hates the Fucker cant be a bad guy! I joyfully thought. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, as it was said, so I felt a sense of camaraderie with her. I understand what youre saying, I said. Any guild that sessfully recruits me also bes the symbol of the new era, while the other guilds will end up as sidekicks. Correct. That makes me feel a little bad...so heres how well settle this. When the Hunters waited for me to continue, I pulled out my cards. The ck Witch tilted her head in confusion. Cards? Are you seriously suggesting youre going to pick your guild with a card game? Yes. Ill join the guild of whoever wins this poker game. I dont need a signing bonus or a high position. I grinned. But! If I win, I will join all of your guilds at the same time. Oh, Ill be an ordinary member, but I want to be treated equal to all of you. You get to use my image, and I get to be treated like the major guild leaders. How does that sound? The guild leaders expressions changed. Hahahaha! The Countess threw back her head. You only cleared one floor and yet you want to be treated like us? Yes. That is, if I win in the poker game with all of you. Intriguing. I like it. The Countess put down her coffee cup and looked around. How about the rest of you? Im good with it too as long we arent using any tricks! the Inquisitor answered first. ...Lets not use any Skills either. If you do, you guys will have too much of an advantage. Whoever gets caught using their Skills will automatically be eliminated, the Viper suggested. The Pdin nodded in agreement. This is better for me. My guild is poorer, so Ill inevitably lose if we start bidding. I wont suffer any losses even if Im defeated in this game, but winning would be a jackpot. Okay, the ck Witch agreed, rounding off the group. I ept your offer. After the deal was struck the High Rankers and I detailed the rules. The rules themselves were rather simple, but the High Rankers examined the cards very thoroughly to see if I had rigged them in any way. While the cards were distributed, I said, Mr. Sword Emperor. You really hate calling me Mr. Gong-Ja, dont you? Huh...? The Guardian, still wallowing in despair, nkly looked up. Heres what well do. Do what...? You only have to call me Mr. Gong-Ja until the end of this game. Seriously? I can? The Guardians eyes as big as saucers. Yeah, sure, I told him, the ends of my mouth rising. In return, tell me all their cards. Yes! Yes! Woohoo! Hell yeah! God damn. The Guardian hopped ecstatically. Youre like the reincarnation of Confucius! So generous! Dont worry one bit. Mr. Gong-Ja, Ill tell you if theyre pulling a fast one on you as well as their cards! Now, let the game begin. Chapter 21: Do you fancy a cup of coffee? (3)

Chapter 21: Do you fancy a cup of coffee? (3)

Mr. Gong-Ja! His hand is a straight. You better fold this one. Ill fold this round. I dropped my cards on the table. Oh, hes bluffing with a pair! Silly him. Silly! I think you can just call this round and kill him. Hehehe. Call. Look what shes got here! She has a two pair, butuh-ohyour two pair is better! Gosh, this is so much fun. Lets go, Mr. Gong-Ja! Shell see whos going to win! Ill raise. Whoa, he seems to be aiming for a full house. Dont worry, Mr. Gong-Ja. I took a peek under the table just now to see the cards, but shell never get a full house even after thest card is revealed. Trust me on this one. Lets go! All in. I smirked. After around thirty poker hands, the Viper was shaking from anger, his face bright red underneath his eyepatch. Fuck! This is a fraud! He sprang to his feet, rocking the table. The other Hunters picked up their cups as if theyd seen iting, preventing their coffees from being tragically spilled all over the table. Hmm. Impable reflexes, I noted, impressed by what Id just witnessed. It doesnt make sense! Weve already done this over thirty times, but he didnt lose even once! Bluffing doesnt work either! I dont know if its a passive Skill, but hes definitely using one! Im sure of it! This whole game is rigged! Do you have proof of that? I sipped on my hot chocte, although it was lukewarm chocte now. Well, it had a charm of its own like this. Who knows? Maybe Im a poker master. Im deeply hurt if youre using me without any proof. Besides, I want to be on your good side. Ive always respected you. Hey, is he really a ss F Hunter? the Viper yelled, looking around at his fellow Hunters. Theres no way hes actually F! I bet he bribed the bureau guys to lie for him! That smug face belongs to a ss B Hunter at least! Wow! How did you know Im not a ss F Hunter? Yes! I knew I actually became a ss E Hunter yesterday. I was so busy clearing the tenth floor that I didnt get to report to the bureau. I smiled. Im ttered you have such a high opinion of me. By the way, I think youre out of chips, sir. Errr.... The Viper staggered toward the table where the eliminatedpetitors gathered and watched the rest of the game like. Wee, Mr. Viper! The Inquisitor, the first one to drop out from the poker, beamed at him. I thought it was about time you were eliminated, so I ordered you another espresso! No need to be polite. Help yourself! I dont like espressos... Yes, I know that! But being picky is bad, so ovee it! Goddamn preacher... The Viper slumped into his chair with a morose expression. Three Hunters had survived until the end. I and the ck Witch were two of them. To my surprise, the Pdin was still at the table, too. Hmm. The Pdin frowned at her cards. She was known for her uprightness and fairness. In fact, her entire wealth had been donated to orphanages. She was also working as the assistant leader of the Watchmen League, which had been founded to maintain order in Babylon, the Towers first-floor city; in the outside world, she would be simr to a policemissioner. I lost. The Pdin put down her cards and sighed. I was quite confident with my poker face. Mr. Kim, do you happen to have a mind-reading Skill? Well, it might be a mind-reading Skill or it could be x-ray vision. Why dont you make a guess? ...Its so hard to deal with young Hunters nowadays. The Pdin smiled bitterly. After a bow, she walked toward the dropout table. Hey! You shouldnt give up that easily! The Viper huffed and puffed. His mouth was dirtied by smears of espresso. You should go after him like a tenacious hound regardless of whether it works or not! Are you going to let that conman rob you? Conman? Youre too harsh on our new hero. Its obvious that hes using a Skill! The Pdin shrugged. I knew that when we started. Huh? What? It would be strange not to notice. Theres no way a rookie Hunter would have suggested a poker game with us relying on raw luck. The challenge itself is a deration of how confident he is that he can win without us discovering what kind of Skill he was using. And we epted the challenge. The Viper gaped at her. I-is that so? Mr. Viper... Its good that youre dedicated to your training, but try to analyze the situation every now and then. The Pdin looked down at the Viper with eyes filled with pity. From the start, we had nothing to lose. Although a win would be a huge boon...its still good even if we lose. The rookie Hunter said that hell join all of our guilds. Thats a good oue in its own way. B-but what about our pride!? Hes a greenhorn, so how can we treat him Does your pride feed you? The Viper couldnt refute that. It feeds you an espresso. Drink up, Mr. Viper! The Inquisitor put the espresso cup into the Vipers hand. Damn it... Thest two survivors were the ck Witch, the Rank 2 Hunter, and me. This is good, the Witch remarked as she examined her cards. What do you mean? I finally have a chance to talk with you. The ck Witch raised the stakes. She was probably trying to provoke me. Im from Ukraine, or somewhere that used to be Ukraine, to be more urate. After losing my family in a civil war, Ive been living abroad all my life. As you may already know, theres nowhere good for a woman to live alone. Youre right. I boldly raised the stakes higher. The ck Witch hesitated for a moment but tapped the table a couple of times, signaling that she would ept my challenge. The Countess, who had been acting as the dealer after she was eliminated from the game, revealed the cards. What are you trying to say, though? I stroked my chin, pretending to ponder. Its difficult to find people in the Tower who dont have a sad story, especially those who entered earliest. Im an orphan myself. My hand had a single pair. ...This ce is like home to me, the ck Witch answered. Her hand was a flush. Im from Ukraine. The OJP Sect leader is from China, and youre from Korea... But none of that matters in the Tower and people dont ask. We made it that way. Is that so? Yes. Thanks to the Towers blessing, we can understand what everyone else is saying. Were equal contenders here. Its more fair than it is in the outside world, at least. It looked like I was going to lose if I tackled her head-on, but I calmly raised the stakes. The outside world people seem to treat this ce like a garbage can. A rose can sprout even in a garbage can. The ck Witch gestured to call the round without a second thought. Mr. Kim. Once the countdown in the sky hits zero, all the media will be publishing a ton of articles about you. Your life will bepletely different than what it has been until now. I hope you can deal with the change wisely. Thats good, I answered. The Countess flipped another card onto the table. Its not something to be proud of, but I like attention. Thats pretty much all there is to me. I want peoples praise, their respect, and their envy. I mean it. My hand was two pair now. ...Youre honest. You seem to bepletely different from the Sword Star, the ck Witchmented. Her cards were still a flush, meaning that I was at a tremendous disadvantage. All in. The ck Witch stared at me. Im confident. I looked up from the cards and met the ck Witchs eyes. Let me use this chance to make one thing clear: Im not hoping to receive the same treatment as you guys just because I cleared the tenth floor. The twentieth, thirtieth, fortieth, fiftieth, and hundredth floorIm going to clear them all and conquer the Tower, no matter how long it takes. I can tell that you guys treasure the Tower. I respect that and I dont want to fight you guys, but Ill still consider you mypetitors. I was going to build a legend that would capture everyones mind; always the one who climbed up to the highest floor in the Tower, the greatest hero out there. People would remember me, praise me, envy me, and feel jealous of me. I want to see the world beyond the Tower, not inside it. That was why I was going to climb the Tower. To be honest, I dont really have time to attend to these refugees and food shortage issues. But if you need my reputation to solve the matter, use it. Do it as many times as you want, but help me climb up the Tower. I wanted to feel the sensation of reaching the zenith. I only got to taste it once after I had cleared the tenth floor, but...I already felt addicted. It was just that incredible! ...Phew. The ck Witch broke her silence with a sigh. I was wrong. Youre exactly the same as the Sword Star. She used both hands to push her stacks of chips into the pot, which copsed into a pile stretching into the center of the table. She was all in. Is it apliment? I asked. No, Im insulting you. You two are both incredibly greedy. Thest cards were flipped. Her hand was still a flush, while my cards were a full house. That is apliment. I grinned. Thank you. I was victorious. Then as we agreed, Ill expect treatment equal to all of you. Can I expect you to fulfill your duties since youre also enjoying the rights? Pardon? Oh, isnt it a Hunters duty to climb the Tower? Dont worry. Ill continue to do my best. The ck Witch smiled bitterly. You have awfully thick skin for a rookie Hunter... Yeah, thick skin indeed, Zombie. If having thick skin was a Skill, yours would have been a ss S Skill. ...Youre seriously calling me Zombie right after the game is finished? Of course, you zombie! Mr. Gong-Ja, my ass! Zombie! Zombie! Zombieshit! I never knew how tragic it was to call you by your proper name, Zombie! Ill never make a bet with you again, weasel! The Guardian flew around ecstatically. Youre so ugly... I silently clicked my tongue at the Guardian. How could an emperor of swords be that ugly? Are you going already? The ck Witch asked as I stood up from my seat. Yes, I am. The eleventh floor opens soon, so I need to get ready. I dont want to fall behind. We dont know what kind of ce the eleventh floor is. How are you going to prepare for it? Hmm. It wouldnt be a bad idea to give them a hint. Since I was now of equal standing with them, I decided that it would be useful to make them indebted to me. Its role-ying, I said. Huh? The theme from the eleventh to the twentieth floor is role-ying, I repeated. The ck Witch and all of the other Hunters gave me an intense look. It was only naturalthe slightest hint could give a Hunter an advantage, so the information I gave them was invaluable. The hint was my reward for clearing the tenth floor. That was a lie. I hadnt received it since it was going to be given after the countdown in the sky hit zero. However, I had the knowledge of the future, so I knew what was going to happen and had no reason to not use the knowledge. This is all I know. ...Okay. Thank you for sharing your information. The ck Witch nodded. Ill make sure to pay you back for thister. Her remark made me look forward to the future. *** After a good sleep in my hotel room, I headed outside. The za was in a festival mood. Hunters celebrated the fact that the tenth floor had been cleared after years. Some bars gave out free beers and those who were confident unted their singing skills in the za. However, the one unanswered question continued to bother people. But who really cleared the tenth floor? There still hasnt been an official announcement yet... Some people saw the guild leaders gathering in one ce. Have you seen the Sword Stars video? His frown was really scary. Its not me. Then who in the world is it? As I listened to the conversations of the people next to me, I had to hold myself back fromughing. Im right next to you. [00:02:09] I was among the crowd, right in the center of the festival. Nearly a day had passed since the tenth floor had been cleared. Meanwhile, the countdown in the sky continued to tick down, slowly but surely. Some Hunters raised their free beer while others looked at the sky and talked about the mysterious champion. They were like people counting down to the new year outside the tower. [00:00:10] Ten! No one asked them to, but when the countdown in the sky reached ten seconds, the Hunters began counting out loud. [00:00:09] Nine! [00:00:08] Eight! Seven, six, five... The Hunters synchronized shouts shook the za slightly. It wasnt a new year, but everyones eyes were filled with anticipation for a new era. [00:00:04] Four! I pulled out my smartphone and checked the news. It looked like the news embargo about me was still intact, because there werent any articles about me. [00:00:03] Three! Just three seconds before the countdown hit zero, Babylons general news website released a flood of articles. Maybe they were hoping to publish an exclusive even one second before the other newspapers. [00:00:02] Two! I checked the news. Breaking News: The person who cleared the tenth floor is an unknown rookie ss E Hunter! Breaking News: The real name of the man who cleared the tenth floor is Kim Gong-Ja. Hees from Korea... Breaking News: The Hunter who cleared the tenth floor joined all of the Five Guilds at once. Breaking News: The ck Dragon Guild officially announces their wee for the new hero... [00:00:01] One! I met the new era with a smile. Chapter 22: Welcome, Heroes! (1)

Chapter 22: Wee, Heroes! (1)

[00:00:00] Zero! The Hunters broke out into cheers as the countdown hit zero. In the za, thousands of them threw their hats in the air. It looked like a cloud of dandelion seeds taking flight in spring. [Announcement.] [The tutorial has beenpleted today.] [Announcement.] [The tutorial has beenpleted today.] Before the hatsnded on the ground, the voice in the sky dered the end of the prologue and the beginning of the main story. The Hunters mored excitedly. I couldnt remember thest time I had seen this many Hunters so enthusiastic. Many of those in the za were old or middle-aged Hunters who had retired and set up shops; some of them lingered around the second-floor hunting grounds and had given up on climbing the Tower any further. But at this moment, at least, all of them were Hunters. Eleventh floor! Eleventh floor! Eleventh floor! Open up the eleventh floor! Hey, the news is up... Ummm... In response to their fervor, the light that had formed the countdown burst. It was so bright that the Hunters were forced to shut their eyes. They could barely look up at the sky between their fingers. I was no better off. [Greetings to the warriors who climb the Tower.] [Congrattions for crossing the Infernal Mansions river of grudges.] A huge person was floating in the sky. An angel or a goddess seemed to be the apt description for her. Her white dress, radiant with holy light, fluttered. It was a divine sight that deserved to be prominently depicted on the wall of a temple. Whoa... Shes pretty. Hunters all over the za ooh-ed and ahh-ed. Most of them were mesmerized by the beautiful goddess in the sky. The Guardian maintained his rationality, though. Get a hold of yourself, Zombie. That isnt a goddess. Thats just part of the system to exin the quest to you guys. He was the Sword Emperor who had cleared up to the ny-ninth floor of the Tower in his world. Hence, he wasnt deceived by the holy sight in front of him. ...Is she some sort of an NPC? I asked. Yup. Even if there was a goddess, thats just a pre-recorded video of her that ys after anyone clears the tenth floor. Tsk, tsk. People are pathetic. It made me wonder. How are you so sure? Huh? Thats because [Warriors! There is a world under attack by the nefarious Demon King and desperately needs your help. You will be summoned to the world as heroes on a quest to save humanity. Should you wish to ept this mission, say Send] Before the video finished speaking, someone leaped into the air. An agile Hunter jumped onto the roof of a building and used it as a stepping stone to reach higher buildings. After a three-, five-, and seven-story building, he finally reached the roof of the zas bell tower, and then he used it to go even higher. He was Marcus Carlenbery, the Sword Star. The Rank 1 Hunters sword split the sky and the goddess in half. It was quick and beautiful, but it all happened so fast that no one could do anything but gape. Huh? Huh...? The strike only left its mark for a moment. Like a cut in the ocean, the video of the goddess was restored in no time and the goddess in the video went on with her beauty untouched. [Should you wish to ept this mission, say Send me, and you will take the great step to the eleventh floor, warriors.] The video of the goddess still glowed, yet it wasnt holy anymore. A god cut in two was no longer a god. Hmm. The Sword Starnded back on the bell towers roof. He was wearing a ck suit, just like the day I had first seen him in the bar. This time, though, his expression was sour. He watched the sky for a moment before he looked down at the now-silent za. Well, thats what I did in the past. See? Its an NPC, the Guardianmented. I was dumbstruck. ...Do you always have to check it yourself? Yeah. I cant understand those who dont have to do that. When something big shows up in front of you, dont you want to cut it down? Isnt that what every human wants? Phew. They were wackos indeed. That was probably why they were student and teacher. I enhanced my vision and hearing with aura to watch the Sword Star, taking caution to avoid meeting his eyes. Send me, he murmured. The same kind of light that the video of the goddess emitted enveloped the Sword Star. After a moment, he vanished. The only thing left on the Italian-style rooftop was white streaks of bird poop. Hahahaha! A burst ofughter in the silent za caught the Hunters attention. They turned and saw that it belonged to the Inquisitor, the Pantheons leader. He got the drop on us again! Ah, what a marvelous day! The Inquisitor beamed. He took off his priest hat to bow to those who were looking at him. Then lets all meet on the eleventh floor! Please send me! The white light shrouded the Inquisitor and he shortly vanished as well. The Hunters vacantly watched him disappear. Btedly, they realized that the Sword Star and Inquisitor were ahead of them on the eleventh floor. That set off a chain reaction of hasty shouts. Uhh... S-send me! Send me! Send me! Whenever one of them said the words, a pir of light arose from the ground. Soon there were tens of thousands of them, drowning the za in light and brightening the sky. [Warriors.] The quiet voice from the video continued its message. [While climbing up the Tower, your faith will be tested from the eleventh to the twentieth floor.] The goddess sped her hands against her chest as if she were praying to someone. [...You will find your answers. The answers you find will tell you who you are. That is how you will learn about yourselves...] Not many people were paying attention to the message anymore. Most of them were desperate to not fall behind; the few people left in the za were busy filming the goddess. Its a shame, someone mumbled. It was the Pdin, the Watchmen Leagues assistant leader. What do you mean? Think about it. Although we dont know who built the Tower, they must have put in a tremendous amount of work for us, including this message. But no one cares. The Pdin sounded bitter. It was supposed to be something people admired for a little longer. Actually, the Towers existence and the fact that we have our Skills are miracles in their own right...but weve already got too used to them on the tenth floor. I didnt expect you to be sentimental. I majored in music in the outside world. The Pdin smiled wryly. Does it make me seem more attractive? Oh... It sounds like youd have a hard time making a living. Oof. Right where it hurts. We quietlyughed. Naturally, the Guardian interrupted the moment. Be careful, Zombie. Shes suspicious. What now? Theres no way she would talk to an ugly man like you unless she had something to gain. You dont have the looks or the personality. Theyre both shit. Yes, I know what she is now! Shes a wicked con woman! Im sure of it! This dude was seriously... No, I shouldnt waste my energy. Excuse me, maam! Just then, people with cameras on their backs approached us. They didnt seem to be reportersmore like online streamers. I-is the man next to you Mister Kim Gong-Ja, the Hunter...? Oops. The Pdin looked slightly annoyed. I seem to have attracted too much attention. Im sorry, Mr. Kim. Ill head to the eleventh floor first. ...Wait a minute. I had a sneaking suspicion that she was up to something. Is this why you came to talk to me? The Pdin looked guilty. Haha. I have a way to tell if someone is being sincere. Sincere? Did she mean that she was confident she could figure out what kind of person I was? The Pdin scratched the back of her head like a mischievous child caught after pulling a prank. I wanted to know what kind of a person you were, so I came to talk to you. I would appreciate it if you considered it a way of showing my interest. So what kind of person do you think I am? Hmm. Well, lets say the answer is in your heart. Send me! The Pdin left, throwing me to a horde of reporters and streamers. Wow, she wasnt even subtle about the fact that she was running away. See? Im right. Im always right! Shit. Be quiet, I snapped at the Guardian. After the Pdin disappeared, more streamers and reporters swarmed me. Hunter Kim Gong-Ja! Please give us ament! Is it true that you cleared the tenth floors boss monster stage on your own? Many rumors say that your simultaneous enrollment to all the major guilds is just part of their n! The official announcement dered that youre Hunter ss E. Many people question the uracy. Can you confirm if the official announcement is co What is your rtionship to the Pdin of the Watchmen League? You two looked very close. Are you two well-acquainted personally? Hunter Kim! Whoa. So this is the famous Hunters Let me shake your hand!, huh? Its the sign of a celebrity Hunter, but theres just no end to it... I now understood why the Fire Emperor had been so annoyed by reporters. For a moment, I wondered how I should answer. I decided to keep it short. Im also going to clear the twentieth floor. What? Have a great day, everyone. Send me. White light emerged from below me. Ah. W-wait! Mr. Kim Gong-Ja! No! Get him! Please answer a few more questions! Im sorry. I think staying mysterious is the best choice for me. Right before the light fully enveloped me, I listened to the apparent goddess voice for thest time. [Those of you who climb the Tower, may luck be with you.] *** The light around me slowly died out, revealing...a vast battlefield. Grrrrrr! Roarrrrr! Goblins, orcs, ogres... Hideous monsters were swarming from beyond the horizon. I had seen them in the hunting grounds below the tenth floor, but there were too many of them now. They nketed the battlefield like a swarm of ants. Stop them! I-its impossible! Theres too many of them! Dont back down! The empire is doomed if we lose this harbor! Only a handful of people were opposing the army of monsters. Judging from their armor, their civilization seemed to be somewhere between the ancient and medieval eras. These human soldiers were desperately holding positions in the harbor. They had positioned themselves with their backs to a deep river, deliberately leaving them no room to retreat. What? What in the world is going on...? Whoa! E-everyone, be careful! Arrows areing from all directions! The Hunters had been dumped onto the battlefield without warning, so it was understandable for them to be looking around nkly. Up until now, they had been hunting monsters in safely prepared hunting grounds. They had never experienced an actual battlefield, but this was going to be their daily life now that they were above the tenth floor. The tutorial is over, I thought. Every floor was a battlefield in which they had to risk their lives every day. Someone approached the bewildered Hunters. He didnt seem to be an ordinary soldier given his splendid armor. My, my! Youre here to save the empire! Thank you, heroes! the manthe generaleximed. Heroes? the Hunter mumbled. What is he talking about? Idiot, didnt you hear what the angel said in the za earlier? Theyre under attack from the Demon King. Thats why were ying heroes here. Please be quiet! The people in the back cant hear him! Whoa, is this for real? Are those soldiers real humans or NPCs... Would you please be quiet over there! More Hunters continued to arrive as they spoke. They pushed each other away to make some space, but more people showed up in the newly created space. It was chaos. Heroes! Please help me and the army and save the empire! Fortunately, I and some of the skilled Hunters knew how to enhance our vision and hearing using aura. While the less skilled Hunters were nking out, we few listened to the NPC general. This harbor is the empiresst lifeline. It must be protected so that the capital can continue to receive supplies. Heroes from another world, please protect the Aegim Empire with us! Just then, I heard a voice in my head. [The quest of the eleventh floor has been given.] The system window opened in front of me. Defend the Supply Line Difficulty level: F~A Goal: A disaster has befallen the Aegim Empire. Its name is the Demon King. This legendary figure has finally raised an army. The wicked and strong Demon King wishes to cut the empires first supply lines. Protect the harbor! This battle will be the first stepping stone in the Aegim Empires salvation. However, the twelfth floor will not be opened if you lose the battle. It was said that seeing is believing. Quest...? See? The Demon King is here. Ive never heard of the Aegim Empire. The confused mass of Hunters slowly grasped the situation. They stopped talking and pulled out their weapons. Teams were formed from the Hunters who were already working together, and some of the Hunters started swinging their swords at the goblins right away. I see, the Sword Star muttered to himself as he drew his sword. He was standing in the front lines. Everyone around him was covered in blood and monsters after he had cut off the heads of around six monsters like straw puppets. ...Although I dont understand what exactly is going on, I guess the point is to take them down. The Sword Star rejoined the battle, which was enough to bring the rest of the Hunters back to their senses and kick them into action. Whoaaaaa! Yes! Follow the Sword Star! You fucking goblins! Ive chopped up thousands of you over thest six years! Thousands of Hunters raised their weapons and charged into battle, followed by thousands more. The humans hopeless defense turned with a surge of new bodies. While the battle was turning into a messy melee, I remained in the rear with a smile dancing on my lips. Alright. I heard a voice that other Hunters didnt get to hear. [Wee, Hunter Kim Gong-Ja.] [Your rewards for clearing the tenth floor will be given now.] My special reward had arrived. Chapter 23: Welcome, Heroes! (2)

Chapter 23: Wee, Heroes! (2)

[You have received the God of Wars blessing for clearing the normal stage.] [You now have the map of the Tower from the eleventh to the twentieth floors.] A translucent map appeared in front of me with red and blue dots scattered chaotically across it. It was like a mini-map from a game. Judging from the positions, the red dots indicated monsters, and the blue dots meant humans. Tsk, tsk... The Guardians face scrunched up. Yeah, I knew you would receive an unfair reward! While we peasants are walking on the ground, you fly above everyone. Phew, fine. Ditch the training, and throw away the chance to build a strong foundation. Weasel out from everything in your life. Seriously, this Tower is really unfair. People just dont realize it. The rich just get richer The Guardians geezer grumbling cut short. [You have received the God of Mortalss blessing for clearing the hidden stage! [You can now see the names, abilities, and locations of all NPCs from the eleventh to the twentieth floors.] ...Huh? I wasnt done receiving my rewards. [You have received the God of Trades blessing for clearing the hidden stage!] [You can im one of the items on the eleventh to twentieth floors.] Two lists blinked into existence beside the mini-map. One listed the NPCs names and abilities, and the other had the items and their effects. Kill them! Stay calm, and keep them at a distance! Arghhhh! The g-goblins are throwing spears! The Hunters were diligently engaged in the battle on the front line. The orcs howled, and the human soldiers bled. Amid the chaos and mor battlefield, the Guardian and I were the only ones who were silent. We were at a loss for words. Ah, I finally whispered. This system is as good as a Game of the Year... What the fuck is this? A second-rate gacha has less RNG than this! *** Each floor of the Tower had a theme. Perhaps a more apt word was genre. From the first to the tenth floors, it had been a tutorial so rookie Hunters could get used to the Tower. Hunters had rtively safe hunting grounds and a city where they could rest without the slightest worry. In contrast, the genre from the eleventh to the twentieth floor was... ...the Demon Kings invasion. It could also be considered the Demon King versus the heroes. Since the Hunters were protecting a human empire, it was close to a defense game. Hunters are supposed to fight off the Demon Kings giant swarming army. Anyhow, the important part was that Hunters were going to engage in a totally different type of battle. Monsters in the tutorial hunting grounds used to roam around alone. However, starting from this floor, they moved in groups which soon evolved into an army. There were only two ways to defeat the monster army the Hunters and I were confronted with. Be a one-man army... I eyed the Sword Star, who was massacring monsters with blue shes of aura. ...or make an army of my own. I grinned. Im going to choose thetter. Since I had awesome gifts, it would be a waste not to use them. I didnt have the necessary skills to lead an armywhich was only natural since I had never done ithowever, one could always make new Skills, and I had the means to create any Skills I needed. Show me my status window. Before I jumped into the battle, I first checked my status. Name: Kim Gong-Ja ss: E Skills (5/5): 1. I Want To Be Like You(S+) 2. Returners Clockwork(EX) 3. Sword Constetion(A+) 4. High Society of Goblins(F) 5. Always Be Careful Of Fire (A) The God of Wars blessing is in effect. The God of Mortals blessing is in effect. The God of Trades blessing is in effect. Good. Hey, Mr. Sword Emperor, I said, smiling. Did you say a second-rate gacha has less RNG than the Tower does? Yeah, thats exactly what I said, you rotten Zombie! Let me show you why I think the Tower made a system thats as thoughtful as a Game of the Year. I first pulled up the NPC list that the God of Mortalss blessing had presented me. Enju Social Status: Conscript Location: Harbor City Kungur of the eleventh floor Caria Social Status: Private Location: Harbor City Kungur of the eleventh floor Sorte Social Status: Serf Location: Panbasa Barony of the thirteenth floor. Lapa Casabe Social Status: Sergeant Location: Orome Barrier Valley of the fourteenth floor Dopep Social status: cksmith Location: Imperial Capital Arkmnia of the twelfth floor. ... The list seemed to contain hundreds of thousands of people. It was all a jumbled mess. Only show me NPCs on the eleventh floor. It looked like the list understood my request. It moved on its own and deleted many of the names, leaving only the NPCs on the eleventh floor, as I had asked. Enju Social Status: Conscript Location: Harbor City Kungur of the eleventh floor Caria Social Status: Private Location: Harbor City Kungur of the eleventh floor Corte Social Status: Sergeant Location: Harbor City Kungur of the eleventh floor Amargam Social Status: Conscript Location: Harbor City Kungur of the eleventh floor ... I wasnt done. List the one hundred people with the highest Skills. The Guardian inhaled sharply. He realized what I was trying to do. Immediately, his grumblings were reced by a genuinely urgent attempt to dissuade me. Hold on, Zombie! This isnt right. Lets fight after you build your strength step by step. Please? Train step by step, build a solid foundation, and learn more about swordy! Thats best for you! I can do itter! Eeeekk! I know youre a weasel, but this is too much cheating! Dont you feel ashamed to your namesake? Well, no, Im fine. No matter what the Guardian said, the list continued to move in response to my request. The letters dispersed and reassembled. When it wasplete, I had a new list. Rohan Panbasa Social status: Panbasa Knights Commander Sarbas Aegim Social status: Kungur Regional Brigadier General. Joshua Camancha Social status: Senior Imperial Knight Tomund Social status: Leading Shield Unit Private ... This was it. I was almost there. While the Guardian was raging, I yelled, Show me the top three NPCs with militarymand Skills! Arghhh! Ahhhhhh! Yes, I didnt know how to lead an army, but that wasnt a problem at all. I could take it from other NPCs! Sarbas Aegim Social status: Kungur Regional Brigadier General Rohan Panbasa Social status: Panbasa Knight Commander Sein Camen Social status: Shield Unit Colonel The list of hundreds of thousands of people had now been shortened to three people. I gave one more order: Show me these three peoples locations on the map. You fraud! The list from the God of Mortalss blessing turned into three green dots of light on the God of Wars mini-map. It was perfect. I now had the locations of the NPCs withmand Skills. It just needed one final touch. Okay. Show me my current location! I turned to the Guardian. See? The system is a perfect GOTY. It only requires basic application skills to upgrade rewards from moderately nice to super good. All of this is possible because Ive been diligently using my brain to solve the problems I face. No, you didnt! You just weaseled out of problems! Hehe. Weaseling requires a brain too. I was ready and had no reason to wait around any longer. I located the nearest NPC, who was the general that had weed the Hunters in the beginning. He happened to have the bestmand Skill overall and was conveniently nearby, so I immediately went running to him. General Sarbas Aegim. Hmm? Oh, youre the hero from another world. Is something wrong? The general, who had been giving orders to his subordinates, turned to face me. He had a nice mustache. His Skill would be nice too. Run! Run away, you idiot NPC! Hes not a hero. Hell use you to the soul if he has to, like those guys in Yongsan![1] the Guardian screamed. The guys in Yongsan? The ghost seemed to have be Korean after living with me for thest few days. Im d to hear that you trust me, General. But Ill have to use that faith to ask you for a favor. Go on! My people and I never thought we were going to win, but thanks to your arrival, we now see a hope for winning this war. Ill do anything in my power to help you. Please kill me. The generals eyes widened. What do you mean? ...I actually have a secret weapon. Its a sort of self-offering. If I die, everyone on the battlefield will receive a divine blessing. Once the blessing is active, the empire will win without a doubt. I tried to look and sound as resolute as possible. It was actually easier than I thoughtall I had to do was remember the moment the Fire Emperor had burned me to death. Argh! Hes lying! This Zombie doesnt have a sacrifice Skill like that! Hmm? I think a loser ghost who died right before reaching the Towers hundredth floor should be quiet here. W-why would a blessing work like that...? No, waitI still cant take the life of a hero! General Sarbas Aegim, lets think this through: Im going to kill myself, regardless of whether or not you help me. I looked unwaveringly into his eyes. This is the most sure way to help the empire. But Im asking you to do this as a personal favor. A personal favor...? Youre themander who is tasked to protect this harbor, and you want the empires victory more than anyone else. That is the kind of person whose hands I want to put my life in, rather than killing myself or being murdered by evil monsters. The generals expression turned grim. We have no time! Hurry! Even if its for the empires survival, I cant believe I have to take the life of a person who came all the way from a different world to help us... Hey. Hey! Do you seriously believe him? What the heck? You buy this? Out of everyone in the universe, you choose to trust Kim Zombie? Seriously? Ahh. My world must be cursed. The Demon King was supposed to be a legend, but he has emerged into the real world. Endless swarms of monsters gue the empire, and now I have to take the life of a hero. Its all because of the curse... Curse, my ass! Your peanut brain is the curse! My goddess. Please do not forgive me... The general let out amentful sigh plucked straight from a tragedy and wrapped his hand around the hilt of his sword. The fine de was unsheathed. ...I will finish it in one strike so itll be painless. Thank you. I meant what I said. I didnt care about dying, but I hated pain. Please tell me your name, the general politely requested. Its Kim Gong-Ja. Kim Gong-Ja... On behalf of the Aegim Empire, I offer you my sincerest gratitude. You are a true hero! Just like the general promised, his aura-infused sword delivered a clean execution. [You have died.] [Duplicating NPC Sarbas Aegims Skills at random.] As expected, it was possible to copy an NPCs Skills. When I couldnt feel anything anymore, I heard the Guardian screaming. Stop dying, you little shit! Are you happy that all your Skills are freebies!? Even Confucius wouldnt say no to this! I replied. It was time to repeat an exciting day. 1. The raw is ??? ??(hero/pronounced as Yongsa)? ??? ???(pronounced as Yongpari)?! Its a Korean wordy using the simrity of the two words pronunciation. ??? is a derogatory word for peddlers in Yongsan Electronics Market. They used to be notorious for forcing/deceiving their customers. Their marketing strategy eventually led to their downfall. ? Chapter 24: Welcome, Heroes! (3)

Chapter 24: Wee, Heroes! (3)

The saying went that there was always a bigger fish. There was also a saying that said that some Hunters wielded their swords, while other Hunters led soldiers. The second one was said by me, Mr. Gong-Ja. Hey, what is that! Huh? He looks like a Hunter... Hunters, who had been diligently ying monsters, turned and stared. Looking away while standing among howling monsters was a dangerous move, but the Hunters could afford it because of the momentary respite I had created for them. Hero! the general shouted, turning slightly to look back at me. Are you sure this is the right direction? When the general shook, I also shook because we were riding on the same horse. While the general took the reins, I sat in the back. It wasnt afortable ride, but it was an awesome ridebecause a thousand soldiers were following the general and I. Yes, Im sure. Head straight until I tell you to turn right. Once you do that, youll see the Demon Kings legion-master. There are quite a lot of monsters around us, but itll be fine. We can wipe them out first. Ohhh! Understood! All of you, follow me! The general held up hismand baton. The hero sent by the goddess protects us! The soldiers let out a mighty roar and charged out of their defensive positions. They now marched to break through the monster army. Goblins and orcs stood in their way, but the monsters efforts were futile. Hehe. I snickered. Thanks to my mini-map, I could advise the general to aim for the region with the least number of monsters. Ah. Turn right here, please. Yes, hero of the goddess! It took more than my mini-map to earn the generals trust, though. The main reason why this was possible was that I repeated today and had made preparations. When I had gotten the generals Skill, I had also happened to witness his trauma. Well, that was a story for another time. Now was the time to focus on the ongoing battle. Show me my status window. Name: Kim Gong-Ja ss: E Skills (5/5): 1. I Want To Be Like You (S+) 2. Returners Clockwork (EX) 3. Sword Constetion (A+) 4. High Society of Goblins (F) 5. Battlefield Eyes (B) The new Skill I got is war-rted. Battlefield Eyes was a very self-exnatory Skill. Using this ability, I could instinctively understand the battlefield. It allowed me to tell where the enemy was vulnerable to being breached. It also told me if my allies could be advantageous for the battle. But the Skill wasnt all I used to make this work. I held up a sword with a grin. It wasnt an ordinary sword or the dagger I used to kill myself; it glowed with holy light and its pommel was sculpted into the shape of a roaring lion. When the sword unleashed a pir of silver light, the soldiers across the battlefield were stunned. The goddess has blessed us! Thats the first emperors holy sword. Ah, the goddess hasnt abandoned our empire! Glory to the Aegim Empire Yes, this sword, which I had chosen with the blessing of the God of Trade, was thest piece of the puzzle that I needed to lead the army. Lefanta Aegims Holy Protector Sword Rarity: Legendary Description: The saying, The one who possesses the holy sword shall have the continent,es from the legend of the Aegim Empires founding emperor. In the legend, the goddess bestowed the holy sword to him. However, the sword alsoes with the saying The one who has the continent will be bound by fate. The founding ancestor left after choosing his sessor. It is unclear if he killed himself or was murdered. The legend and history are yet to determine his true fate, and his and his holy swords whereabouts still remain unknown. Only a single line of prophecy has been left to guide everyone: The wielder of the holy sword shall arrive on the day of destiny. Whoever possesses the holy protector sword gains absolute trust and support from the people of the Aegim Empire. The legendary item was super effective. Hurray for the empire! Hurray for the hero! My goddess, please protect us! Attack them! Sweep away those filthy monsters! The soldiers charged with redoubled courage. From their perspective, I, with my Skill, was a true hero from their legends. Though the general NPC was their actual leader and I was just an advisor...I felt like I was theirmander. It was an exhrating feeling. Ah, this is great. Just fantastic. The sight alone is enough reward for clearing the hidden stage. The Guardian went on a rampage. Thats the shittiest item ever! Its just a sturdy, shy sword. Thats it! Tsk, tsk. Did you lose your sentimentalism when you became a ghost? Its a sturdy, shy sword that makes the NPCs on the eleventh to twentieth floors love me. Dont you get it? NPCs arent just tools to give us quests! They should be used to clear them! It was just a matter of thinking outside the box, but it actually worked. While the other Hunters were shedding blood sweat and tears as they fought, I rode freely across the battlefield with the general. Whenever I brushed past the Hunters, they were left perplexed and ck-jawed. Is that...? Why does he get to be the only one who goes around with the general? Isnt he an NPC? Hold on a second. I think hes giving the general an order... Look at his clothes! Hes a Hunter! Who is he...? Surprise, doubt, envy, jealousy... Those were the mostmon reactions when someone was forced to look up at someone else. Ah, this is it. Man, this is good. The thrill was intoxicating. ...You lunatic. I taught you how to use aura so that you would hone your sword skills, not enhance your hearing and eavesdrop. Youre something else, Zombie. Youre a true zombie... Im just honest. I like the feeling! The human armys charge was seeding. Many of the monsters were brought down one after another despite their attempts to stop the humans. However, on the left were skilled Hunters, led by the Sword Star, massacring orcs. Hahaha! What an incredible day! A new type of battle! A new era! How Shut up! If you have time to talk, use it to kill more goblins! On the right were the Inquisitor, the Viper, and the others from major guilds. The wings of the monsters formation broke down. The monsters couldnt afford to spare any more of them to stop us from breaking through. Inevitably, the goblins heads were crushed under the hooves of the cavalry and the soldiers thrust their spears through the orcs guts. We can win! Follow the general! Follow the hero! Break through. Break through! The humans finally managed to break through the enemys lines, bringing them onto the doorstep of the Demon Kings legion-master, who showed up as an unusually red dot in my mini-map. I looked over the generals shoulder and spotted the Goblin King anxiously pacing back and forth in the distance. Gorr. Gorrr. Ha. I couldnt help but sneer at what I saw. I didnt expect the enemymander of the eleventh floor to be a Goblin King. Since it was leading a legion of thousands of monsters, it would be stronger than the Goblin King I had killed on the fifth floor, of course. However, it was still a goblin. The Goblin King was still helpless if the cavalry charged it together. Above all, I had a Skill that specialized in dealing with goblins. [The Skill High Society of Goblins has been activated.] Gorrr! Gorrrr! The Goblin King held up its staff, directing the monsters around it. It was simr to a human saying, Stop them, you fools! I roared at the Goblin King in perfect Goblinian! Goorrrrr! G-gorr? Gorrrrrr! Gorrrr? The Goblin King was visibly confused, which naturally made the monsters around panic too. The humans didnt stop marching. The Goblin King could have used the moment to stop them, but it had lost itsst chance. Only then did the Goblin King realize that it had been deceived. Gorrrrr? it sputtered. However, it was toote. It was good gorrring with you! I infused my holy protector sword with aura and chopped down at the Goblin King. The holy sword smoothly sliced through the Goblin Kings head like a hot knife through butter. Something hardwhich I assumed to be its neck bonesstopped the sword for a moment, but before it could let out a proper scream, its head went flying in the air. The general slowed down his horse and shouted, The hero took out the enemy leader! He wasnt speaking to me. It was meant for his soldiers. The general focused his aura into his neck so that his voice could be heard over the chaos of the battlefield. The cavalry riding near the general immediately understood what theirmander was trying to do. The enemy leader is dead! The goddesss hero has in the enemy leader! The word passed from the general to his entourage, and from his entourage to his officers. The message ryed on and on until it reached everyst soldier, echoing over the battlefield like thunder. The regiments waved their gs and cheered wildly. This battlefield had imed theirrades and nearly drowned them in monsters, but the soldiers could finally rejoice. I got off the horse and looked around. My eyes met those of a g bearer. He seemed to have lost his arm during the battle, and held up the g with only his right arm. However, he smiled from ear to ear and raised the dirty, stained g higher. The warm sunlight shone down on it. Glory to the Aegim Empire! We were victorious. Wipe out the stragglers! Attack! Attack! Spare no monster! The tide of the battle had turnedpletely. Krrr, krrrr. Howl! The monsters, who used to be like ferocious beasts, began to run away. Huh? Look at those bastards. The Hunters expression changed. Although all-out war wasnt their specialty, hunting down lone, scattered monsters was a different story. The Hunters bared their fangs and went after the goblins and orcs. Kill them all! The hunt was on. It was a one-sided massacre and didnt take long toe to an end. Soon, a voice was heard in our heads. It was as clear and loud as the generals victory cry. [Stage Clear!] [Announcement.] [The eleventh floor has been cleared today.] [Announcement.] [The eleventh floor has been cleared today.] It was the sound of victory. Woahhhh! Is this for real? Were so strong! All hail the ck Dragon Guild! Now the Hunters, like the soldiers, broke into celebration. Some threw their hats in the air, like they had done in the za. I could see several Hunters hugging each other. They advanced like an angry tide, and it took less than a day to clear the eleventh floor! It was a remarkable achievement. [Calcting the number of champions...] [The calction has beenpleted.] [The number of champions has exceeded the maximum limit.] [Selecting the top ten champions.] The Hunters looked up and watched the light turn into a long list. The Quest Completion Contribution List: First ce: Kim Gong-Ja Second ce: Sword Star Third ce: Inquisitor Fourth ce: Viper Fifth ce: Pdin Sixth ce: ck Witch Seventh ce: Countess ... Familiar names filled the list, but the increasingly loud buzz among the Hunters didnt concern them. Huh? The first ce doesnt have a title? Sword Star is in second ce? Wait, Kim Gong-Ja is... It hadnt been long since the media had disclosed my name, so it was natural for the Hunters to not recognize it. However, it didnt take long for someone from the crowd to shout, Oh, its the tenth-floor champion! Thats right! The champions name is Gong-Ja! Wait, a Hunter the Tower hasnt even given a title became the top champion again? Is he a martial artist who came out of seclusion...? Hmph. No way he is. Hes just a skilled weasel... The Guardian pouted. Why dont you admit that the Towers system is GOTY? I cant admit it! I wont admit it! The Guardian turned his back on me petntly. It looked like he was sulky because Id neglected my sword training. This ghost...had the tendency to value peoples basic abilities over their Skills. I smiled bitterly. Ill train my swordsmanship before Iplete the twentieth floor. Dont get too angry. What? Really? The Guardian turned ever so slightly. Yeah, of course. Im with the Sword Emperor, so I have to learn everything you can teach me. You cleared the ny-ninth floor, after all. I should be begging you to teach me. That is right! Man, you finally recognize my true value, Zombie. You know, the stages were a little different from those of your Tower, but nothing could stop me in the Tower from my world. The eleventh floor was just a light exercise! The Guardian spun around in the air as if hed never been sullen. Oh, it was so easy to please this ghost. I had no idea anyone could be this simple. As I watched the Guardians air show, the general approached me. Hero of the goddess. He was covered in monster blood, but his face was clean. Maybe he had cleaned it before he came to look for me. Thanks to you, we could win. Thank you. You have my eternal gratitude. The general beamed. No, it was a team effort. Hahahaha. The general awkwardly scratched his cheek. I guess I was worried about nothing. Pardon? The temple gave us a prophecy long ago. The Demon Kings legion will arrive, but heroes from a different world will also be summoned someday. Therefore, we dont have to worry... I was skeptical about the prophecy. This world isnt even theirs, so I believed that it was unlikely for these heroes to fight for us. But I was worried for nothing. The general smiled. I would like to thank you again. The general held out his hand, offering me a handshake. Although we were from different worlds, handshakes carried simr meanings in both of our worlds. Perhaps this was because humans in both worlds had two hands. Please keep up your great work. Ill try. Iughed quietly. We shook hands. [Calcting the rewards...] [The calction has beenpleted.] [Preparing the rewards for the top ten champions.] A light enveloped me. It wasnt just mepirs of light emerged from all across the battlefield. One, two, three, four... A total of ten light pirs shot into the sky. [The top ten champions will enter the twelfth floor first.] [The remaining champions cannot enter the twelfth floor until the top ten champions receive their rewards.] [Announcement.] [Before the top ten champions...] That was bad news for the eleventh or twelfth Hunter, but the reward system was quite fair. Please protect the empire, the general said before the light pir covered my vision. And we were summoned to the twelfth floor. Chapter 25: The Chosen Ones (1)

Chapter 25: The Chosen Ones (1)

Hey, hold up. Gramps Marcus is one of the top ten champions, so you all are teleported to the twelfth floor, hell lose it as soon as he sees you and attack. How are you going to deal with that? the Guardian asked as the light around me became brighter. Dont worry. Its fine. The worst thing that can happen is I die. Kim Zombie, you... The Guardians eyebrows twitched, which was a sign that he was about to start nagging. Oops. Im saying that its fine because I have a n, I quickly added. Im Kim Gong-Ja. The Sword Emperor-certified weasel! Trust me on this. You really have a n? Of course! Its concrete. Ill show you soon. Ahem. The Guardian crossed his arms, unsure of my answer. Whether he liked it or not, it was already toote. The teleportation of the top ten champions had already begun, and I had no way of escaping this light. I had to face the Sword Star and deal with whatever future was waiting for me. I closed my eyes. [The teleportation has beenpleted.] When I opened my eyes again, I was already on the twelfth floor. It waspletely different from the eleventh floor. While the eleventh floor was the intense, messy battlefield where people fought for their very lives, the twelfth floor was the luxurious pce of the Aegim Empire. ...No. I looked around. I guess imperial politics is as intense and messy as an actual war. The other top ten champions were teleported to the pces audience chamber one after another. I had never met some of them, but most of them, like the ck Witch and Countess, I had met yesterday. They were the leaders of the major guilds for a reason. Oh? Hmmm. My eyes met those of the other Hunters. Each reacted differently. Some gave me a bright smile as if they knew I would be here first, but there were other Hunters who frowned. Evidently, they had not expected me to take first ce again. Mr. Kim, that was marvelous! the Inquisitor eximed. He was a clear case of the former. I had fun watching your brilliant performance on the eleventh floor! I never thought about using NPCs like that. I was impressed! With his small stature, he looked like a puppy as he came running to me. Is the sword on your belt a special item? I noticed that the NPCs began to follow your lead the moment after they saw it. Is it your reward for clearing the tenth floor? Well, yeah... I knew it! The Inquisitor looked up at me, brimming with positivity. You used the reward from the tenth floor to achieve the greatest results on the eleventh floor. Youre pretty resourceful, arent you! Ummm, well, its not that special... People will be jealous of you, Mr. Kim. Theyll treat you like a Hunter who just got lucky, but ignore them all! All your achievements are built on your skills! Is he an angel? I wondered. Hey, Kim Zombie! Idiot! the Guardian yelled all of a sudden. His voice was urgent, different from his usual teasing tone. Be careful! Behind you...! Before the guardian could finish speaking, an incident broke out. The first one to react was the Inquisitor. Hmm. His smile vanished for the first time and his eyes narrowed. He pulled on my wrist, causing me to lose bnce and stumble a step toward him, allowing him to push me behind him and take my original position. Divine Form: Carnal Body. I heard a loud ng of metal hitting something hard. It wasnt some random piece of metalit was a sword, swung with the clear intention to kill. Haha. The Inquisitorughed, but his eyes were cold. This is a surprise, Sword Star. When did you change your upation to assassin? Move, the Sword Star coldlymanded. The senior gentleman in a suit was pointing his long sword at the Inquisitor and me. No, I was wrong. He was only pointing it at me. Im going to kill him. *** A tense silence filled the chamber. My skin stung as if the air were charged with electricity. Only the Inquisitors remained unaffected. Excuse me, he said, his cheerful tone unchanged, but are you talking about Mr. Kim Gong-Ja? Exactly, the Sword Star answered. If you wont move, Ill take one of your arms. The corners of the Inquisitors mouth rose slightly. Now thats quite a problem! I cant move out of your way right now. Mr. Kim earned the recognition of not only my Pantheon but also the rest of the Five Guilds! Young man, you really have no attachment to your arm, do you. Thats a bit of a problem too! I still need both of my arms for a variety of purposes. The Inquisitor tilted his head and smiled. Can you tell me why youre after Mr. Kim? I have no obligation to do that. Is there no way to make you give up? No, there isnt. Just get out of my way already, the Sword Star demanded. Yes, the Sword Star didnt know about my Skill, so from his perspective, I was a butcherer who had killed over four thousand people. I could understand his reaction. Ill tell you again. Im going to kill him. Hmm! Then I guess theres no other choice. The Inquisitor pressed his hands together. Ill have to subdue you here. Divine Form: Teleportation. Just then, a sh of light behind the Sword Star introduced two more Hunters to the scene: the Viper of the OJP Sect and the Pdin, the assistant leader of the Watchmen League. Both Hunters, well-known for their skills in closebat, let out a shout and swung their weapons at the Sword Star. You flies... The Sword Star clicked his tongue, and immediatelyunched his first attack. It only took two aura strikes for the Pdins cheek to be scratched and the Viper to end up with a cut in his arm. Everything happened in a sh. Y-youre a monster, old man! What in the hell do they feed you! Why are you still so energetic?! Get old already! Retire! Because of people like you, young people like me cant shine! the Viper spitefully screamed. Youre already over forty, too, the Sword Star scoffed. In the eyes of truly young people, youre also old. Dont be ridiculous! Forty is still the prime of life. Actually, its the true beginning of li Mr. Viper, you are old! And you look old too! Is that damn preacher really on the same side as me? Phew. The Pdin sighed. Focus on the opponent in front of you, Mr. Viper. Were already at a disadvantage here. She didnt drop her guard. If anything, she was only growing more wary. The Inquisitor, the Viper, and the Pdinno less than three High Rankerswere surrounding the Sword Star, but he continued to stand tall. We definitely are, the Inquisitor agreed. He turned to his reinforcements, beaming. Miss Countess! What? Please give me some money! How much do you need? Fortunately, the Sword Star hasnt gone mad. Subduing him for a moment will suffice. Ill need ten thousand gold, please! The Countess drew her fan. Thepound interest will be fifteen percent. You can make monthly payments. I wont ask for interest in the first three months. Does that sound okay to you? Hahaha! You misunderstood me! I didnt ask you to lend me money. I asked you to give me some money. Huh? Are you forcing a donation out of a merchant? Thats right! You made that money with foul deeds anyway. Donate it in the Pantheon. Ill put it to good use, and you can go to heaven! Youre a worse robber than me... The Countess shook her head but pulled out a pouch decorated with a snail pattern. She untied the golden string around the pouchs mouth. Withdraw ten thousand gold. A small fortune of gold coins poured out. The pouch was probably a very rare item. Once the Countess had made a steep hill of cold coins, she closed her pouch. Here you go, Mr. Priest. Its exactly ten thousand gold. Well received! The Inquisitor pped his hands together, smiling as always. Divine Form: Devotion! The pile of gold shone brightly, its light filling the chamber. The Inquisitor, positioned in the center, moved his hands swiftly. Divinity Transfer: Physical Enhancement; targets, the Pdin and the Viper. Duration is three hundred seconds for both targets. The gold will never leave your hands. The Divine Form Incantation ispleted! Inexplicably, the gold vanished without a trace. In exchange, the Pdin and the Viper shone with the same kind of light that the gold coins had. It resembled aura. Now. The Inquisitor spread his arms. The Pdin and the Viper are going to be significantly stronger for the next three hundred seconds, Sword Star! Youre strong, but youre dealing with me, the Countess, the Pdin, and the Viper. Itll be difficult to withstand attacks from all four of us! Besides, the Countesss safe isnt empty yet. Haha! To be honest, I dont think that day will evere! I encourage you to test it out! Which one will happen first? Will the Countess go broke first? Or will you lose your head? The Countess pouted. Why are you putting my innocent safe on the line? I just made a donation because a priest asked for one. Phew. Its so hard to be an honest merchant in the Tower and outside... The ck Witch, the Rank 2 Hunter and the ck Dragon Guild leader, looked at the Sword Star. ...Let me add that you will have to deal with more than four of them, she announced in a cold voice. I will fight you with them. Mr. Kim Gong-Ja and the Five Guilds have made an official treaty with all of the guild leaders present. The Sword Star frowned. A treaty, you say? The ck Witch nodded. Yes, thats what I said. Mr. Kim joined all the Five Guilds. In return, we promised to treat him as equal to us, Sword Star. If youre pointing your sword at him, its the same as attacking all of us. And by we, Im talking about the Five Guilds. The ck Witch pulled out a handful of mirrors. The ck Dragon Guild, the MA, the Pantheon, the OJP Sect, and the Watchmen League. One, two, three... A total of six mirrors floated around the ck Witch like hounds trying to protect their master. Can you really handle all of us, Sword Star? she asked. All five Hunters leveled their weapons at the Sword Star. Yes, even if the Sword Star is formidable, he isnt strong enough to make all Five Guilds his enemies, I thought. It was for this moment that I had made the treaty with the guild leaders. The day I would be stronger than the Sword Star mighte somedayno, I was going to make it happen. However, it wasnt going to happen today or tomorrow, which meant that I needed a solution until that day came. I suppressed a smile. Do you remember what I said on the eleventh floor? What? There are two ways to deal with a powerful enemy. Either be a one-man army or build an army of my own. The Sword Star is a solo yer. But I was different. On the other hand, I already have allies. That was why I would win a fight against the Sword Star every time, at least right now. See? This is my n. Apuse, please. Tsk, tsk. Do you really have to prove youre a weasel every time...? The Guardian sighed. However, he didnt look too upset. He seemed quite satisfied with the fact that I had actuallye to the twelfth floor with a working n. The ghost may not show it, but he worried about me a lot. Mr. Sword Star. I took a step forward, catching the attention of all the Hunters in the audience chamber. I looked straight into his eyes and offered him aposed smile. Can we talk for a moment? Listen up. Gongja is talking.[1] 1. Gongja is Confucius in Korean. Its said that Confucius liked to talk with people because it was a chance to gain new wisdom. ? Chapter 26: The Chosen Ones (2)

Chapter 26: The Chosen Ones (2)

...You want to talk? the Sword Star repeated. His voice dripped with disbelief. YesI am truly perplexed. I stood in the center of the audience chamber, the twelfth-floor stage inspired by a certain empires pce. My voice was low, but it rang out clearly. I dont understand why you would attack me. Im sure its your first time seeing me, although Ive been a fervent admirer of your sophisticated sword arts. Im at a loss. Why would you want to kill me all of a sudden? The Sword Stars face darkened, although I was only speaking the truth. Yeah, of course hes angry. I understood why his expression was so tense. The night I had first met the Sword Star, though he wouldnt remember it anymore, he had roared at me as soon as he had seen me. I know youre one of the ck Dragon Guilds elite assassins. I dont know if the ck Witch sent you or someone else, but I will not hold back anything! He had and was suspecting me of being an assassinan assassin whose hands were drenched in blood after killing countless people under the ck Dragon Guildsmand. Actually, his doubts may have gone even further. Perhaps he thinks Im a super secret assassin trained by all the Five Guilds. Well, you do look really weird to other people. The Guardian nodded. That is true. I had shown up and be a new hero when no one had expected me. Despite being a ss E Hunter, I had cleared a stage when no one could. I was now in a treaty with the Five Guilds and was promised equal standing with the leaders... Im too suspicious. Exactly. In Gramps Marcus eyes, you havent made it on your own. Youre a fake hero, created by the Five Guilds from beginning to end. Tsk, tsk. Zombie, you said your kill count is around 4090, yes? Itll probably show up as 4093 now. Yeah. In Grampss eyes, 4093 isnt just the number of people you killed. He believes you dont work alone, you were raised to be the Five Guilds minion. To sum it up... He thinks thats the number of people that the Five Guilds assassinated using me. All evidence pointed to the major guilds, the de facto rulers of the Tower, all being in it together. Although it was just the Sword Stars misunderstanding...he would be disgusted by the sight in front of him. Four thousand and ny three victims. If the Sword Star had been just a little lessmitted to justice, he would have stood down. However, he didnt know how topromisethough even if he had known, he still would have refused. Ha. Babylon is no better than the outside world. Every day since I entered the Tower, all of you tried to seduce me into joining your guilds, but I always said no. Do you know why? The Sword Star tightened the grip on his sword. His hands were old and creaky, but the power in his wiry muscles hadnt aged in the slightest. A lions mane may thin over age, but his fangs remained sharp. Blood ties, nationalities... People in the outside world are so bound by them that it reeks. I want to show Babylon that, unlike the outside world, one can stand at the zenith with only their sword, their abilities, and their effort. The Sword Star red at the crowd, his sapphire eyes gleaming like the finely honed edge of a sword. That is the hope I want to bring, which is why I didnt join any of your gangs. This, though? The Sword Star pointed his sword at the five guild leaders. You are rotten to the core. He was basically dering war on the guilds. The guild leaders reacted in their own ways. The Inquisitor continued to smile as if it meant nothing to himhowever, most of the guild leaders faces were stained with anger, humiliation, or ire. Sword Star, out of all the people in the world, you cant... Ha! You must have gone senile already, old man! Did you already forget that youre the only one who sat out while we cleared the fifth floor?! He has a point, Mr. Carlenbery. If you used your outside connections to help us, our food shortages would be less severe, and my MA... The guild leaders mored to air their grievances. The Hunters here had known each other since the beginning of the Tower, so perhaps they had many unresolved grudges. Their emotional outbursts quickly muddled the situation, making them forget why they were in the audience chamber. If youre the Rank 1 Hunter, you should have acted like it, but you act all high and mighty. Thats why you survived. Do you know how many Hunters we could have saved if it werent for your ego? the ck Witch spat. No, it isnt just the fifth floor. If we had your help on the seventh and ninth floors, old man, we could have reduced our casualties by half! The Viper of the OJP Sect palpably radiated bloodlust. Since you used to be part of a prestigious noble family in the outside world, you could have secured order in the Tower, unlike what it is now. The Countess from the MA gave the Sword Star a menacing re. You think were rotten? Fine. Then youre just an irresponsible child. It was a disaster. Even after facing the guild leaders unfiltered spite and bloodlust, the Sword Star just frowned. Be quiet, he demanded. All of you are adults but you talk on and on... Do you think Im your grandfather or something? Drop it. If you have a problem with me, fight me. His remark was like pouring oil into an already roaring fire. The air in the audience chamber became irreversibly hostile. Only the Guardian was impressed. He didnt know how to read the room. Man! Thats my Gramps Marcus. Hes my only student, alright. Theres nothing more disgusting than Hunters yapping about social connections and politics. If they have time to care about that, they should practice their sword some more! He had a point, but...the sight rather made me sad. We fight, even when theres only ten of us. The Hunters paused just as they were about to cross the point of no return, and looked at me. I sighed. Even the NPCs on the eleventh floor came together to protect their empire. But look. We, Hunters, are screaming and ming each other. Isnt it a bit embarrassing to be worse than NPCs? ...Mr. Kim, the ck Witch said, this matter has nothing to do with you, and its much more serious than you th Yeah, I know. I know, but were Hunters. And we have a job to do. I looked around the audience chamber. Lets focus on clearing the twelfth floor. Its good to give hope to people. I think its also cool that you guys try to minimize casualties while clearing the Tower, but please focus on clearing the floor were on right now first. I looked pointedly at the Sword Star. Yes, theyre just NPCs...but their empire is in danger. And theyre asking for our helpthe heroesbut were too busy fighting among ourselves to care about their safety in the slightest. How embarrassing is that? You... I meant what I said. Besides, the Sword Star couldnt keep threatening me here due to the clear difference in power. Therefore, my priority now was clearing the twelfth floor. That was it. I didnt really care about theplicated emotional or political conflicts between the Hunters. A hero isnt anything special. Its just a person who solves a problem that others cant. We already cleared the eleventh floor, so lets take care of the other stages too. Fortunately, the Pdin, the Watchmen Leagues assistant leader, stepped up and took my side. Mr. Kim is right. We got too worked up. I still dont understand why the Sword Star attacked Mr. Kim, but its clear that this isnt the time to fight among ourselves. Although the Pdin tried to mediate, no one let their guard down. The Sword Star, Viper, Countess, and Inquisitor were all ready to attack at the slightest provocation. Words...werent enough to persuade them because of the distrust that had umted over the years. Phew. The Pdin sighed. It looked like shed reached the same conclusion I had. Fine. I guess theres no other choice. Ill make a bit of a sacrifice here. That caught all of the Hunters attention. The Pdin quietly said, Open my Skill Card. Faint light floated up from the Pdins hand, revealing a silver card. Other people could not see a Hunters Skill Card without their permission. ...Pdin. The ck Witch sounded worried. A Skill was a Hunters secret weapon, so showing their Skill Card to other people like handing them a loaded gun. That was why High Rankers were reluctant to reveal their Skill Cards. However, the Pdin did it without hesitation. Its fine. It doesnt matter. Everyone, look. Lie Detector ss: A- Effects: You can tell if the target is lying or not. It works not only on humans but also on NPCs and monsters! However, what the target considers to be truth may actually be a lie objectively. It ultimately depends on you to trust the other party. However, there is no guarantee people will trust you. Lie Detector! My eyes widened. That was the Skill that the Fire Emperor had falsely imed to have. It turns out that the Pdin had it all along. That Skill suits the assistant leader of the Watchmen League really well! The Watchmen League was a guild that maintained order in the Tower. Naturally, the Tower had many criminals. Even the Fire Emperor and the Sword Starthe former and current Rank 1 Huntershad murdered me when no one was around. This was the kind of world Hunters lived in, so a lie detector would be incredibly useful for identifying criminals. As you can see, I have the ability to tell if a person is lying, Sword Star. She waved the card. Its no exaggeration to say this is the Skill that made me the assistant leader of the Watchmen League. ...What are you trying to say? If you choose to believe me, you can ask any question to Mr. Kim here. Ill tell you if hes lying or not. The Pdin calmly looked back and forth between the Sword Star and me. Its the same for you, Mr. Kim. I can vouch for your answers if you trust me. Doubt is an insidious poison, and truth is its strongest antidote. It isnt going to be enough to recover all the trust weve lost, but well be able to cooperate on the twelfth floor. Hmmm... The Sword Star stroked his beard contemtively. Woah, this couldnt have gone better if I tried, I thought. A golden opportunity had practically fallen out of the sky. It really was the perfect answer. The reason why the Sword Star had begun to suspect me was his Skill, Detective Eyes. It was only natural to use a Skill to resolve the suspicions created by another Skill! I like the idea, I immediately answered. It was better to ept this kind of offer as soon as possible. ...Miss Pdin, youre the only person here who hasnt killed any humans, the Sword Star mused. Okay, Ill trust you on this, too. The Pdin nodded. Ill take that as a yes from both of you. Then, Sword Star, you can begin asking questions to Mr. Kim. I swear on my honor and that of the Watchmen Leagues to keep this questioning fair and unbiased. The Sword Star red at me grimly, as if the moment he had been waiting for had finally arrived. He looked certain of his victory. He was probably already thinking that he was about to show the world how insidious a person I was. No... No.... Gramps Marcus... You geezer, this is why I always tell you and Zombie not to rely on your Skills too much. Those who rely on their Skills will be betrayed by them! No... No... the Guardianmented. Unfortunately, the Guardians voice didnt reach the Sword Star because he was my ghost. Be quiet. Hunter Kim Gong-Ja. Yes, I replied. You murdered over four thousand people, didnt you? The Sword Star pointed at me with his free hand. It somehow felt like a scene from a movie where the hero listed the viins wrongdoings. I smiled. I did. See?! You wretched people, I will use any means and find out what youve been using this assassin for. When I do that, I shall reveal it to the wo Hes lying, the Pdin said. What!? Hes lying, the Pdin calmly repeated. Mr. Kim answered your question with yes. He lied. In other words, Mr. Kim did not kill over four thousand people. Do you have any more questions? The Sword Star was silent. Meanwhile, the Pdin tilted her head thoughtfully. Thats a strange question, though. Can one person kill over four thousand people? Its impossible, to my knowledge. I-its because you trained this young man to be an elite assassin... I beamed. Yes, Im an elite assassin. Hes lying, the Pdin said again. The Sword Stars jaw dropped to the ground. M-Miss Pdin, I must have misjudged your character! I thought youd mediate this session truthfully. It depends on you and the others to trust me, the Pdin answered, unfazed. Do what you want. Believe me or not. This is why I asked both of you in the beginning if you would trust me. If youre going back on your words right now, thats a bitno, thats downright craven, Sword Star. It isnt like you. H-hold up! The Sword Star quickly turned to look at me. There is no way you didnt kill a single human! Ah, yeah, thats right. I did off someone once. The Pdin nodded. Its true. See?! But I only killed one person, I added. ...What? The Pdin nodded again. Its true. The number doesnt change the fact that Im a murderer, of course. But, sir, my hands might not be spotless, but I can tell you this. The guy deserved to die. He tried to kill me first. Its true. I wouldnt say this if he tried to kill just me: hes a butcherer. I also happened to witness himmitting a murder, and whoa... God, that fucker didnt even blink as he burned a person to death! Its true. I cant tell for sure, but he must have killed dozens, hundreds of people. Its more than possible with him. Thats the kind of man I killed. You can call me a murderer if you want, but you know what? Id kill him again if I went back in time. Itd be the first thing I do. Seriously, no one could ever be as evil as he was. The Pdin slowly nodded. Its all true. The Sword Star looked around in confusion, hoping to get some idea of what was going on. All of the guild leaders were watching him, silently wondering what in the world he was doing. Hahahaha! Hahahaa! The Inquisitor burst intoughter, his eyes teary. Mr. Kim Gong-Ja is the Five Guilds elite assassin? Thats an interesting idea. It would have been great if it was true, but unfortunately, yesterday was the first time we met him, Sword Star! That is also true, by the way. The Pdin gestured at the Inquisitor. The Sword Stars silence stretched. The Guardian just clicked his tongue. Tsk, tsk, tsk. He who lives by the Skill, dies by the Skill. Well, I guess youre done with your questions. I gave him a bright smile. Everything Confucius said was right.[1] It looks like both of us were having a grave misunderstanding. Im d theyre just misunderstandings, Sword Star. But, sir, it led you to attack me. Without the guild leaders protection, I would have most likely died a very unjust death. I believe I deserve an apology now. What do you think? The Pdin nodded. That is perfectly a valid conclusion. Apologize to Mr. Kim, Sword Star. The senior gentleman turned pale. 1. This is part of the joke from thest chapter. Its said that Confucius often talked about the value of talking. ? Chapter 27: The Chosen Ones (3)

Chapter 27: The Chosen Ones (3)

The Hunters watched the Sword Star. For a long, tense moment, the Sword Stars mouth remained shut. I-I... Mr. Kim... he finally croaked. The Sword Star had many choices right now. First of all, he didnt have to trust the Pdin because he had no reason to. Although the Pdin was known for her upright character, she was also a high-ranking figure in one of the Five Guilds, so he could get angry and shout, All of you are in this together! Or...the Sword Star could reveal his Detective Eyes, which was the Skill that showed him someones kill count. And then he could say, I didnt doubt Mr. Kim because Im a geezer. Its because of my Skill! Its what my Skill told me, so what am I supposed to do? Its only natural to trust my Skill over someone else. Revealing his Skill wasnt the wisest choice, but it would make for a decent excuse. When people were at fault, they tended to be distrustful or make excuses to justify their actions to other people. Then there are psychopaths like the Fire Emperor who would just kill other people. Distrust, excuses, or a cover-up. The Fire Emperor had proved himself to be a psychopath by covering up his crime...and just like him, the Sword Star would decide what kind of person he was by the choice he made next. It was as simple as that. The Sword Stars lips moved without a sound until he came to a decision. ...Your name is Kim Gong-Ja, yes? It is. If you truly didnt kill anyone innocent... No, no. That isnt what Im trying to say. The Sword Star sheathed his sword, shaking his head. Sighs of relief wafted through the audience chamber as the Hunters surrounding Sword Star let down their guards a little. The Sword Star adjusted his necktie. Let me say it again. Im truly sorry. The Sword Star bowed deeply. Im in the wrong here. I reached a hasty conclusion which turned out to be a misunderstanding. A persons life should not be decided so hastily, but that is what I have done until now. I decided who should die and killed them as soon as possible because that is what I believed. The Sword Star bowed a little lower. But it wont happen again from now on. His voice was low, barely audible across the audience chamber, and thick with self-loathing. Since words are cheap, I would like to say that I would do anything you want... but please dont take my life. I still want to live so that I can reach the top of this Tower. ...I made a grave mistake and it almost got you killed. But can you forgive this ugly old man so he can continue on with his life? The audience chamber was utterly silent. The senior gentleman had many choices. He could have chosen not to trust the Pdin or used his Skill to excuse himself. However, he didnt; instead, he admitted that he may be wrong. My eyes met those of the Pdin, who was stealing nces at me. She nodded without saying anything. It was only a nod, but I could tell the Pdin was saying that everything the Sword Star had said was true. He was genuinely sorry and wasnt going to kill someone based on his Detective Eyes. And he didnt want to die yet, so he wanted my forgiveness. Youre really a geezer, Gramps, the Guardian mumbled. He didnt say anything else, he just looked at the old man with a little regret. It seemed to say that he was going to let me decide if I was going to forgive the Sword Star. His silence helped me make a decision. Mr. Sword Star. Speak. Teach me about the sword. The Sword Star stood up straight and looked at me inquisitively. Its more...please ept my request whenever I ask you to spar. I have a swordsmanship teacher, but I dont have a sparring partner, which is also important. Im hoping you could be the one. I had promised the Guardian on the eleventh floor that I was going to start honing my sword skills. Making the Sword Star my sparring partner would be a good way to keep that promise. It would benefit me and grow my sword skills... No, that wasnt what I was trying to say. I shook my head. Im sorry. Let me say that again. Frankly, I can forgive you without any payback. But that would be embarrassing. I feel like Im pretending to be more generous than you are, Mr. Sword Star. Im not that remarkable. Im just happy that a strong Hunter like you doesnt consider me an enemy anymore. Still, blood was almost shed because of me. Its just as embarrassing to say Okay! and forgive you. I just dont want to do that, so Im going to ask you to teach me your sword since thats whats most valuable to you, Sword Star. I still felt so embarrassed that I was having a hard time keeping a straight face. Then I wont be embarrassed...and you can save face, Sword Star. Fuck! I couldnt believe how embarrassing it was to speak from my heart! Oh my god. I really had to believe that the reason why the Sword Star could have candidly asked for forgiveness was because he wanted to live. He seemed like a prideful person, so it was an amazing sight. I never knew that someone could genuinely apologize and beg for forgiveness to someones face. I would never be able to do it. I would rather kill myself instead. ...Oh, my god, the Pdin mumbled. Its...all true, surprisingly. The audience chamber fell into a heavy silence again. Silence was silence, but the air felt totally different from earlier. Uhh... For real? the Viper blurted, breaking the silence. He can forgive the Sword Star unconditionally, but hes too embarrassed to act kind...? So he just wants the Sword Star to be his sparring partner? I know its hard to believe, but its true, at least ording to my Skill. What? Is that rookie from and of unicorns or something? How can he be that pure? the Viper murmured. Hed better shut up before I turned him into snake soup. ...This is new, the ck Witch said reluctantly. How should I put itIve only met people who wed to get as much benefit as possible... Its been a while since Ive seen someone like Hunter Kim Gong-Ja. Its a miracle that youre still alive. I wanted to scream that Id died. I died a lot. I died over four thousand times, to be specific. For some reason, the Inquisitors eyes were teary. Ahhh... How beautiful this is! One side gives a most sincere apology, and the other side epts it wholeheartedly! Yes, people fight without end, but that is also why we can endlessly forgive each other! This is indeed a holy miracle! Ahhh, everyone, I... Shut up. You talk too much. Okay. The Viper actually made the Inquisitor shut up with one sentence. That was a real miracle. Umm, it looks like everything is sorted out and everyone seems happy. But doesnt this mean my ten thousand gold was wasted for no good reason? the Countess whined. No one listened. I sighed. I had a strong urge to drink soju. Anyhow, thats how I feel, Mr. Sword Star. Please be my sparring partner. We dont need to do it right away, but please hang out with me when I ask. The Sword Star spent a quiet moment observing me. I... His mustache trembled. I cant believe Ive misunderstood such a good young man like you! Ummm... You say you want me to teach you my sword and be your sparring partner? Of course! I would love to be your sparring partner whenever you need me! The Sword Star grabbed my hand with both of his. Mr. Sword Star? Please call me Grandpa Marcus! Pardon? How old are you, young man? It looks like youre less than thirty. I have a very kind granddaughter whom I left in the outside world. She has a heart of gold. If she also enters the Tower, Ill tell her all about your charms! The Sword Stars eyes sparkled. No, its really fine... I wasnt interested in dating. I cared more about how much my hand hurt now. The Sword Stars grip strength was amazingconcrete proof that he didnt win the seat of Rank 1 Hunter in a poker game. What? Are you telling me you arent interested in my granddaughter? Umm, yes. Im sorry, but Im just not interested in dating at all... No! Thats terrible! His grip tightened like a vice. The young should enjoy the warm breeze of love. You dont have to marry, but dating is an essential part of life! It gives you a new perspective. You can learn so many new things! Yesabove all, you can learn how ugly you can get! Ah, is that so...? Do you know how important it is to know your ugliness? Let me tell you my experience. When I was sixteen years old, I belittled everything in life, but after I met her, my other half... Huh? All of a sudden, I found this old man extremely tiresome. He was also too closeclose enough that I could see his ckheads. It was honestly too much. I was already hoping he would get away from me as soon as possible. I told you hes old both in good and bad ways. Do you know what makes a geezer? Its when a man doesnt listen. Thats what Gramps Marcus does. Put nicely, the mans principles are unshakable. The downside is that itll be harder to gain enlightenment. The Guardian clicked his tongue. I didnt know and never wanted to find out in the first ce. Anyhow, dont worry, young man! Ill take good care of you. Oh, do you need pocket money by any chance? I just left my money piled up in my vault at the MA, and its getting uncontroble now. The Sword Star was practically glowing. Umm. Pocket money? Im a grown-up, sir. I can earn my own money... It just hit me that your clothes are too old! No, this isnt good. A mans clothing is a reflection of his mind. I know a good tailor. Why dont you have a suit custom-made! What? Was this part of Let me shake your hand, Mr. Famous Hunter? I was a fan of the current Rank 1 Hunter, so I should be happy. But I really wasnt. I felt terribly embarrassed, honestly; it was like I was listening to my grandfather bragging about meif Id ever had one. It wasnt even me who was bragging, so why was I embarrassed? What should I do? Shall I just kill myself and restart the day? I quickly asked the Guardian. Youre nuts... [Wee, Hunter Kim Gong-Ja.] [You are the Rank 1 champion of the eleventh floor.] The voice from the Tower began speaking as if it had been waiting for my fight to end. *** Ah. I instinctively looked around. Most of the Hunters sighed in relief that the Sword Star had stopped fighting without any bloodshed. It looked like no one else had heard the voice yet. Im the first! I smiled. I dont know why, but little is known about the twelfth to twentieth floors. Perhaps there had been media control. I had no way to learn about the truth now; however, before I had regressed to the past through over four thousand deaths, the information about the twelfth to twentieth floors was almost nonexistentpared to the other floors. It was as if the major guilds united to hide the truth. I soon found out the reason behind the secrecy. [The reward for clearing the eleventh floor will be given.] [The Goddess of Protection offers you a reward.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rain offers you a reward.] [Choose between the two rewards.] I blinked. Huh? I have to choose one? I hadnt heard anything about this in thest stage. As if responding to my shock, two system windows appeared in front of me so I could choose. Goddess of Protection Description: The guardian goddess of the Aegim Empire is moved by your devotion and has decided to appoint you to an important position in the empire. You can be the empires prime minister, grand general, or imperial knightmander. Once you choose a position, you will receive the abilities and fame thate with it! Hero of the goddess! Unite with your fellow heroes, and destroy the Demon Kings core on the twentieth floor! However, you cannot choose the goddesss reward if you pick the Demon Kings. I nodded as I slowly read through the description. This part is the same as what I already know. It was role-ying! After choosing a role, Hunters would act as people of the Aegim Empire. They could be the empires prime minister ormander of the imperial knights. It wasnt just a titlethe Hunter who acted as themander received the knightmanders abilities and reputation. Hunters that had cleared the previous stage with high ranks were given a reward. They could choose a special role before other people! [Listing the twelfth floors special sses.] [Prime Minister of the Aegim Empire] [Grand General of the Aegim Empire] [Finance Minister of the Aegim Empire] [Foreign Minister of the Aegim Empire] [Imperial Knight Commander of the Aegim Empire] [Imperial Guard Captain of the Aegim Empire.] ... It was a long list of morous titles. Man. I was impressed. I only got to choose a role like Guard A... Before the regression, I had been on the twelfth floor, too. However, it waspletely different back then. High Rankers had already taken roles like the imperial knightmander. Rankers also chose less important positions like a chief guard. How about now? The stage reward is fabulous. I could choose to be the empires prime minister and grand general. I was astonished by how different it was. I couldnt agree more with the saying about striking while the iron was hot. ...What is the Demon Kings reward though? I turned to the second window, which had a description I had never heard of. Demon King of Autumn Rain Description: The Demon King is impressed with your performance and offers you the opportunity to work with it in secret. The Demon King promises you the exact same gifts as the goddess, plus one additional reward. Kill the rest of the top ten champions! Once you seed, the Demon King will use its ability to teleport you straight to the ny-ninth floor of the Tower. Only one of the top ten champions can receive the Demon Kings reward. If more than one person chooses the reward, one of them will be selected at random. If no one chooses the reward, the Demon Kings reward will vanish. I was at a loss for words. When I responded a littleter, I heard two voices in my head. What? Huh? It was the Guardian and me. We blinked and reread the description of the Demon Kings reward. However, it remained the same. [Kill the rest of the top ten champions!] [Once you seed, the Demon King will use its ability to teleport you straight to the ny-ninth floor of the Tower.] That was what was written on the window. I looked around. The Sword Star, the ck Witch, the Inquisitor, the Countess, the Viper, and the Pdin. I...can get to the ny-ninth floor right away if I kill all of these people? I held my breath. The voice spoke once again. [Hunter Kim Gong-Ja.] [Choose between the two rewards.] Chapter 28: The Autumn Rain Is Blood (1)

Chapter 28: The Autumn Rain Is Blood (1)

The Guardian and I went silent. The Demon Kings reward would send me to the ny-ninth floor right away. I read the reward description over and over, and it kept circling in my head. Its a trap. Zombie, its gotta be a trap. Dont fall for it, the Guardian firmly said, trying to stop me from getting any ideas about it. I...know. Its definitely a trap. For sure... I mumbled in my head. It was obvious. Theres no way the Fucker wouldnt have chosen the Demon Kings reward. Hes the type of person who doesnt have a problem killing other Hunters. But...he only got to the fortieth floor, not the ny-ninth floor, which means... I had a great example named Yoo Soo-Ha, the Fire Emperor and the psychopath of the century. I calmly analyzed what I knew. ...The Demon Kings reward is definitely a trap. The Fucker would have probably chosen the Demon Kings reward the first time, but he regressed after realizing that it was a trap. Im not sure what kind of trap it is exactly... However, my heart was still pounding. ...Its so tempting. This is the chance to get the Skill of the ny-ninth floors boss monster. Even if the Demon Kings reward was a trap, there was one big difference between the Fire Emperor and I. Unlike him, I didnt have to defeat the boss monster. I benefited if I just walked in and got killed by it. The ny-ninth floors boss monster would be the strongest, aside from the hundredth floors... I would be lying if I wasnt feeling greedy. Ny-ninth floor... If I used conventional methods, how long would it take me to get to the ny-ninth floor? One year? Five years? A decade? It would take a lot longer than that. Even the Fire Emperor, who had been butchering people like a psychopath, had taken a decade to reach the fortieth floor. However, the reward was saying that I could skip all the waiting. Gong-Ja. Dont do it. The Guardian locked eyes with me. He sounded nothing like he usually did. Look at me. Im the Sword Emperor. I actually got to the ny-ninth floor on my own before I failed, and Im telling you that this is a trap. Its a disgusting, nasty trap. Youll likely fail to kill all ten High Rankers. Even if you pull it off, youll still have problems. Youll never surmount the ny-ninth floors wall. Give up on that reward and dont ever think about it again. I felt silent. The Guardian was very persuasive; he was the only one in this Tower who had gotten to the ny-ninth floor. Is that how strong the ny-ninth floors boss monster is? I asked the Guardian. There isnt one. The Guardian frowned. Pardon? There is no boss monster on the ny-ninth floor. Its much more Ah, fuck. That suddenly reminds me of the old years. Anyhow, its a trap! The Guardian sat with his back to me, like a sulky child who didnt get to eat his candy. I was a bit perplexed. What in the world is waiting on the ny-ninth floor? Youre scaring me. This is the first time Ive seen you react like this. Is there a Demon God or something? Hmph, Im not telling you! I stood corrected. He was a child. I dont want to admit it, but youre doing a good job, Kim Zombie. Keep it up and youll clear the ny-ninth floor eventually. I fell into contemtion. My hand unconsciously moved to the grip of the dagger on my belt. It had helped me when I had been killing myself over four thousand times. I had also used it at the time I had killed Yoo Soo-Ha. It was a cheap dagger, but feeling it helped me calm down. Alright, I decided. Ill ditch this try. You will? The Guardian furtively looked back at me. Yes, Im going to choose the safest route by giving up both rewards. Ill use this try to see how things turn out. Give up both rewards...? Wait, you arent even going to receive the goddesss reward? Why? Arent you ying it too safe? Its okay. Its a strategic retreat to guarantee my victory. As they said, haste makes waste. Excuse me, everyone, I slowly said, gathering the attention of all of the Hunters in the audience chamber. I have a system window about the eleventh floors rewards in front of me right now. Is that so? Thats good, the ck Witch responded. Perhaps she hadnt seen what the rewards of the goddess and the Demon King were. Her expression was nk, as usual. I was starting to get bored waiting for the quest to arrive. Once you choose your reward, well also get to pick our reward in the order of our rankings for clearing this stage. Take your time. Yes, I already made up my mind. I wont choose any reward, I dered in front of the High Rankers. The Inquisitor and the Viperwho had been ying cardslooked up. The chamber was utterly silent for one, two, three seconds... The ck Witch frowned. What? It was already toote though. [You havent chosen any stage reward.] [You will be unable to choose from the twelfth floors special sses.] [If you give up on your reward, you can choose a special ss only after your arrival on the thirteenth floor.] [Are you certain about your choice?] My mind was set. Yes; I, Hunter Kim Gong-Ja, will not choose a reward. The system windows in front of me shattered. A divine voice spoke in my head, then a gloomy one. [The Goddess of Protection questions your choice.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rainughs quietly.] The Hunters were dumbstruck. Mr. Kim Gong-Ja? What in the world did you do...? The Sword Star narrowed his sharp eyes; they were scanning something in the air. In terms of the ranking for clearing the eleventh floor, I was in first ce, and the Sword Star was next. It was the Sword Stars turn to learn about the rewards of the goddess and the Demon King. ...I see. I understand. You made the safest choice. The Sword Star eyed me. But did you have to give up your reward, young man? Im pretty sure Im worried about nothing, but I cant help myself to tell you this. Being too cautious might hold you back instead. Thank you for your concern. However, I dont regret it. Well. Thats good to hear... the Sword Star grunted. The other Hunters watched our conversation with confusion. Without seeing the rewards themselves, they didnt understand a single thing. ...I still think its too passive to give up the rewards. Im sorry, young man. He shook his head. Ill choose the goddess reward and pick the role of the Aegim Empires imperial knightmander. The audience chambers door opened as soon as the Sword Star made his decision, and a group of knights in shiny silver armor marched in. When they arrived in front of the Sword Star, they went down on one knee. We swear loyalty to the empires most honorable sword! The Sword Star looked down at the knights with interest. Ah, so this is what happens if you choose a role. The Inquisitor was in third ce, so it was his turn now. Hmm? Aha? He tilted his head in confusion for a moment before letting out a sigh of realization. I see. I also understand it now! Haha, its simr to the game mafia[1]. Besides me, the Sword Star, and the Inquisitor, the other Hunters were still confused. I have no idea what you people are talking about, the ck Witch said with her brows furrowed. Dont worry! Ill tell you! The Inquisitor opened his arms and infused aura into his fingers, allowing him to engrave letters on the smooth marble floor. All of you can take a look! The Hunters rushed toward him and peered at the floor. Goddess of Protection Description: The guardian goddess of the Aegim Empire is moved by your devotion and has decided to appoint you to an important position in the empire. ... The Hunters began to discuss among themselves. What? The ny-ninth floor? Is this for real...? They hadnt shown any particr reaction when they read the goddesss reward, but their demeanor changed drastically after they got to the Demon Kings reward. Their expressions darkened, and they were visibly shaken. The ck Witch looked particrly grim. This is... Yes! Its simr to mafia! For convenience, Ill call those who chose the goddesss reward heroes, and the one who picked the Demon Kings reward will be called the traitor. The Inquisitor smiled. The biggest difference from the game is that this game is much more disadvantageous for the traitor! There are nine heroes, but theres only one traitor. On top of that, we have the assistant leader of the Watchmen League! The Inquisitor pointed at the Pdin, who was examining the writing on the floor calmly. Think about it! Miss Pdin has the Lie Detector Skill. Shes like the Police from the game. Its okay even if one of us chooses the Demon Kings reward! Miss Pdin can quickly find out who the traitor is! Umm... Youre right. The Pdin slowly looked up. That is, if all of you will trust me. In any case, this game cannot be more advantageous for the heroes! Mr. Kim Gong-Ja, I think it waspletely unnecessary for you to give up the reward! The Inquisitor adjusted his hat. Its not everyday that you get to clear the eleventh floor as the Rank 1 champion, but you still didnt choose any reward. Hmm! That is a decision that I cannot imagine making. You have my respect. I shall choose to be the Aegim Empires grand general! The door to the audience chamber opened again, admitting the generals retinue. They stopped in front of the Inquisitor and saluted sharply, their red capes fluttering behind them. We swear our loyalty to the empires most honorable g! Ahh, marvelous. Nice to meet you! The NPCs lined up behind the Inquisitor. This was the final blow that convinced the rest of the Hunters. Tsk. I hate mind games. Anyhow, what you guys are saying is that its better to choose any reward, right? Then Ill choose to be the imperial guard captain, the Viper decided. Ill be the foreign minister, the Pdin continued. It looks okay. ...Ill be the prime minister, the ck Witch said. Please, please do not choose the Demon Kings reward. The reward will disappear on its own if no one chooses it. Its the wisest choice. Please keep that in mind, everyone. Dont worry, the Countess assured her. Well, I think its only right for me to choose the finance minister. All of the Hunters chose a reward except for me. The audience chamber was filled with NPCs now. The imperial knights were lined up behind the Sword Star, the imperial knightmander; on the other hand, the ck Witchnow the prime ministerhad civil servants behind her. Whoa. The only empty region in the vast audience chamber was behind me. Youre really the only one who didnt pick a reward. Are you sure about this, Zombie? You did say youre going to throw this try, but isnt this overdoing it? the Guardian asked. No, this is the right answer. I had a feeling. Maybe it was my instinct as a Hunter. I had to know when I should rush in and dig my dagger into my prey. However, there was also a time when I had to give up and retreat. I believed it was time to take a step back. [All of the top ten champions have made a choice.] [The rewards have been finalized.] [Kim Gong-Ja, the Sword Star, the Inquisitor, the Viper, the Pdin, the ck Witch, the Countess...] The Hunter exchanged nces whenever the voice called their names. [The number of people who have given up the rewards: 1] The Hunters looked at me. I was the only one who had publicly dered I would forego my reward, and the voice was my proof. For a brief moment, the Hunters looked surprised that I actually hadnt received any rewards. [The number of recipients of the goddesss reward: 8] Their faces rapidly hardened. [The number of recipients of the Demon Kings reward: 1] The Hunters looked at each other. [Announcement.] [All of the top ten champions have made a choice.] The audience chamber became silent again. [The number of people who have given up the rewards: 1] [The number of recipients of the goddesss reward: 8] [The number of recipients of the Demon Kings reward: 1] The silencested for a long time. [May luck be with you.] *** The sound of the ck Witchs teeth grinding together finally broke the silence. You fools...! I told you not to choose the Demon Kings reward, but...some idiot still chose it! The ck Witch radiated bloodlust. Her expression was not so dry now; her face was painted with hatred, contempt, and anger. She red at the crowd, her face twisted into a vicious rictus. Well, theres no talking sense into an idiot. Fine! As the leader of the ck Dragon Guild, I promise you that although I may not know who dared to betray us yet, I promise I will bring them the most painful death imaginable. Im surprised. The Inquisitor stroked his chin. The game is extremely disadvantageous for the traitor, but someone chose the Demon Kings reward anyway... The ck Dragon Master is right. Its a very foolish choice! Haha, it also makes the choice so very human. Ah...fuck. The Viper scratched the back of his head. I remember. I remember it now. The tension. The air. This feels just like the time we cleared the lower floors of the Tower... Yeah, I feel a chill running down my back. People are going to die today. I agree. It feels like the time when the Five Guilds were the Ten Guilds. The Countess fanned herself. Her tone was gentle, but her eyes were as cold as a lions. Many people died at the time, didnt they? Everyone, shut up! This isnt time to get sentimental, the Witch snapped. Pdin! Yeah. Interrogate everyone with Lie Detector right now. All of you! Ill kill anyone who refuses to answer or doesnt answer her questions on the spot! Everyone knew that the ck Witch meant what she said. Her aura billowed with bloodlust, staining it pitch ck. Its color seemed to reject all light. The Pdin nodded. I was nning on it even if you didnt ask, she agreed. First of all, let me begin by saying that Im not the traitor. The Pdin turned and approached...me. Mr. Kim Gong-Ja, she said. Yes. You didnt choose a reward, so you arent a suspect. It may not be necessary to question you at all, but Ill still ask. Did you choose the Demon Kings reward? No. I shook my head. All the Hunters watched us. After a few seconds of silence, the Pdin nodded again. Its true. Sighs of relief were heard across the chamber. Meanwhile, the Pdin went on to the next person on her list. The audience chambers floor was marble, so each footstep sounded unnaturally loud. Sword Star. Go on. The Sword Star gestured to the Pdin. Did you choose the Demon Kings reward? The Sword Star crossed his arms. I swear on my honor that it was not me. Never. Its true. Tap. Inquisitor. Yes! Ask me anything! the Inquisitor cheerfully answered. Are you the one who chose the Demon Kings reward? Im sorry. The Inquisitor let outughter where no one did. There was something slippery about hisughter. It slid down the marble floor and bounced back from the armor of the knights and generals. But its not me! I dont want to get killed by the ck Dragon Master just yet! Its true. Tap. Viper. Are you the one who chose the Demon Kings reward? Fuck no! ...Its true. Tap. Countess, did you choose the Demon Kings reward? ...I didnt choose it either. Its true. Tap. The sighs of relief when the Hunters found out that I wasnt the traitor were reced with terse silence when the Hunters were dered to be honest one after another. The silence was slowly suffocating us like water filling up the chamber. The Pdin faced the ck Witch. All of the other Hunters had already been questioned except for her. She was thest one. The Pdin took a deep breath before she began questioning the second strongest Hunter and the leader of the strongest guild in the Tower. ck Dragon Master. ...Yes. Did you choose the Demon Kings reward? The Witch was silent for a brief moment. No... it wasnt me. The silence stretched until the Pdin slowly said, ...Its true. Total silence fell over the chamberwe practically choked on it. What...? Wait... Then what? The Viper looked around. Who the fuck is it then? The Sword Star looked at the ck Witch, who turned to the Inquisitor. However, his eyes were on the Countess, while hers were on the Viper, who gave a desperate look to the Pdin. She, however, looked at me in silence. Everyone was watching everyone else. Why is everyone saying no...? But no one answered. Who the fuck betrayed us! the Viper screamed. No one. 1. A party game based on deception, also known as werewolf or The Town of Salem. Simr concept to Among Us. ? Chapter 29: The Autumn Rain Is Blood (2)

Chapter 29: The Autumn Rain Is Blood (2)

Everyone was deathly silent. The only voices that we heard were those that didnt belong to any of us. [The Goddess of Protectionments the heroes foolishness.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rain bursts intoughter.] Judging from the Hunters dark expressions, I assumed that I wasnt the only one who could hear the voices. ...Calm down, the Pdin forced out. Despite what she said, she was quiet for a long time as she carefully contemted how to proceed. Dont panic. Yes, maybe the traitor has a Skill to hide their lie. I know it sounds ridiculous, but we might have someone here with a split personality. Everyone has a secret, dont they? Its not impossible... Or... the Sword Star said, looking at the Pdin with cold eyes, or the truth is simpler than that. You might be the filthy traitor. Cold tension gripped the audience chamber. The Hunters exchanged nces sharper than swords. It hadnt been long since the Sword Star and guild leaders had nearlye to blows. Their boiling blood hadnt even cooled down yet, but they were already butting heads again. The ck Witch frowned. Are you doubting us? Yes, the Sword Star immediately answered. Even if Miss Pdin isnt the traitor, the chances of her lying to us are high. You Five Guilds leaders have been close for a long time. Arent you guys covering up for each other, just like how a crow hides amid other crows? Hah! The ck Witchs fingernails dug into her palms. Youre seriously Im sure! the Pdin urgently shouted. Both the Sword Star and ck Witch stopped quarreling and looked at her. The Pdin carefully adjusted herself. Im sure that its logically possible. Yes, I might be the traitor. But more importantly, we have to stay calm. Weve ovee many crises together, havent we? As long as we trust each other, Im sure we can Hahaha. Theughter belonged to the Inquisitor. Miss Pdin, youre naiveno, pure. Trust. Hmm. Trust. Yes, its a beautiful word! But it takes a long time to build it. It took us ten years for the Five Guilds to build solidarity. In other words... The Inquisitor adjusted his mitre and brushed the dust from his clothes. ...its difficult for me to trust anyone other than those from the Five Guildsand its too inefficient to spend another decade building a trustworthy rtionship with other Hunters. Yes, I feel like its a waste of time! ...Wait. The Pdins voice and expression were heavy with urgency. She seemed nothing like the woman who had leisurely asked me if a woman with a music major was charming during the festival on the first floor. Now isnt the time to pursue efficiency, Inquisitor. Please The Inquisitor held his hands together. White light enveloped them. Divine Form: Carnal Body. Viper, you take care of the Rank 10 champion. The white light spread. Ill kill the Rank 8 and 9 champions. Inquisitor! No! the Pdin screamed. Divine Form: Teleportation. The Inquisitor and Viper vanished. In the blink of an eye, the Inquisitor had moved behind the Rank 8 champion. ...Huh? He instinctively looked behind him. Overshadowed by the Five Guild leaders, hed been so far content to remain a quiet extra. No, I felt bad for calling him an extra because he was standing there for his performance on thest stage. Compared to me in the past, this Hunter had a promising future. However, that promising future was being cut short. Im sorry! The Inquisitor gave the champion a blooming smile. Although he was unarmed, his fingers were heavily infused with his white aura. Ah...? Blood gushed out of the mans body as he slowly toppled. He wasnt an influential figure from a major guild, nor was he a Hunter with such tremendous martial prowess that he could stand alone like the Sword Star. It wasnt even as if he was in an alliance with the guild leaders like I washe was just a Hunter who had been a bit impressive on the eleventh stage. However, he died. He died all too easily. [A hero has died.] [The deceased hero was not the Demon Kings underling.] [The Goddess of Protection mourns the deceased hero.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rain sneers at the heroes.] The murder was done in a sh. The Rank 10 champion of thest stage squeaked. Luckily, he didnt have to stew in fear for a long time. The Viper, teleported by the Inquisitor, swung his sword. All it took was one sh to send the poor Hunters head to the floor with a thump. [One hero has died.] [The deceased hero was not the Demon Kings underling.] Blood flowed across the marble floor. [The Goddess of Protection purses her lip.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rain bursts intoughter.] The Sword Star drew his sword. You people have finally revealed your true colors! The Sword Stars expression was contorted with fury. All of you are disgusting! Nothing about you has changed from the old times! Stop right now. Otherwise, Ill Divine Form: Teleportation. The Inquisitor disappeared. The Rank 9 champion had begun to flee as soon as he witnessed the Rank 8 and 10 champions deaths. The fact that he didnt scream showed an abundance of caution; however, the moment he was about to escape through the door, the Inquisitor teleported right in front of him. The Hunter extended his hand. Ah, h-hold on... Yes! The Inquisitor beamed. Im sorry! The corpse helplessly copsed onto the floor, its hand still extended. The bloody debris of its pulverized head scattered across the chamber. The voice, once again, quietly announced the results. [A hero has died.] [The deceased hero was not the Demon Kings underling.] [The Goddess of Protection stays silent.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rain is pping.] The Inquisitor pulled out a handkerchief and slowly wiped the blood from his face. After a couple of wipes, the handkerchief was too bloody to serve its purpose. Hmm, all three of them werent the traitor! The silence was deafening. This is quite a problem. I was certain that one of the three was the traitor! This means that one of us is the culprit. The Five Guilds ten years of trust is going to crumble like a sandcastle today! The Inquisitor dropped the bloody handkerchief on the floor. Itnded on a pool of blood, floating like a paper boat. I...I told you to wait... The Pdin quivered. I clearly told you to wait... I begged you! I begged you to be calm, Inquisitor. This is just like thest time...! I dont understand, Miss Pdin! I am calm. The Inquisitor smiled gently. It looked like he wasnt done. He used his right hand to pull out another handkerchief. I rationally analyzed that those three Hunters were the most likely suspects, but it turned out I was wrong! Ill just be content with the fact that the most suspicious people have been eliminated. Ah, it would be a big problem if the media was watching us. Fortunately, no one filmed any of it... Just then, the Inquisitors yet unstained handkerchief flew into the air. Before it hit the ground, something a little heavierndedthe Inquisitors right arm. Ah, he mumbled. It was fortunate that he only lost his arm. If the Viper hadnt stopped the Sword Stars attack, the Inquisitors head would have ended up on the floor, not his arm. Fuck...! the Viper cursed as he battled the Sword Star. Hey, preacher! Give me a sign before you kill someone! Ah... the Inquisitor looked down at the floor with a slight frown. A littleter, his handkerchiefnded on his loose arm, quickly turning scarlet with blood. The problem has be very serious, haha. I cant form Divine Form hand seals without both of my hands. Im sorry, everyone! I wont be able to assist you! Do you...seriously think...thats the problem right now...?! the Viper panted. He was obviously struggling to deal with the Sword Star. Not only did the Sword Star strike the Viper with his sword, but he also poured a barrage of aura attacks onto the Viper. The Viper narrowly managed to block them. Someone. Please. Fucking. Help me! Im going to die. Im really going to die! Mr. Kim! the Pdin yelledor more urately, screamed. Ill entrust all of my power with you. You can even kill me if you decide its necessary! You are the only one who didnt take a reward. Any one of us has a chance of being the traitor, even if its very small, but youre the exception! You cant be the traitor! So please! I beg you! Please stop the Sword Star! The din of shing swords filled the audience chamber. The ck Witch and Countess joined in and were fighting against the Sword Star. Only the Pdin was unengaged. She looked pleadingly at me, her shoulders slumped powerlessly. I briefly examined the ongoing fight in front of me. Sword Emperor. Yeah? What? ...Am I destined to be loved by psychopaths? I expected a disaster. The Hunters already seemed to be on bad terms, so I anticipated an immediate execution if the traitor emerged. That was why I gave up the reward entirely. But I didnt think it was going to be such an absolute disaster... I sighed. Ah, thats good. Not a bad idea! The Inquisitor stood between the Pdin and me, pouring a bottle of potion on his arm to stop the bleeding. Surprisingly, he didnt seem to be in pain at all. A majority vote wont solve anything in a situation like this. Lets also abolish the Five Guilds system. Its inefficient! Its better to consolidate our power on the one person who we know cant be the traitor. Do you mean... The Inquisitor smiled from ear to ear. Yes! He brandished his severed arm. Ill trust Mr. Kim Gong-Ja to make all my decisions! Hmm, I was certain that one of the three was the culprit. I apologize for that, but nothing can be done about the past! I wont trust my judgment until we get the traitor. Ill do what you say, Mr. Kim! The Inquisitor giggled. Yeah, it looks like your destiny is to be loved by psychopaths. Maniacs like this are rare. I only saw one like him when I climbed up the Tower, the Guardian murmured. I hated my destiny. Suddenly, I have the power of the Watchmen Leagues assistant leader and the leader of the Pantheon... Youve made it. Congrattions. Isnt that why you gave up the reward? I was admiring you, honestly. I expected a disaster but not this. The three guys died for nothing. I should really regresster... I nced at the Pdin, who was standing still with her face in her hands. I have a question. The Pdins sigh escaped through the gaps between her fingers. It seemed she already knew what I was going to ask. ...Youre right. Hes always been like that. By he, she meant the Inquisitor, of course. When we first entered the Tower, chaos prevailed. The issue of religion was particrly bad. Anytime someone believed in different religions, wed have problems. Conflict broke out even over the finer points of the same religion. People continued to divide and fight against themselves. Thats when the Inquisitor showed up... And? ...And he killed them all. The Pdin sighed again. He executed anyone who started a fight over religion, regardless of their nationality or beliefs. Murder is the only way he knows how to solve a problem... Wow. I thought the Pantheon had been founded because religious organizations in the Tower had grown weary of constant conflict. That was what the media had saidbut in truth, it was made possible by massacring anyone who would oppose it... Save! Me! the Viper screamed. His voice seemed to get an octave higher after every minute. Im going to die! Fuck! Im really going to die! Today is going to be the day the OJP Sects leader dies, you shits! The Inquisitor adjusted his hat with his one arm. Hahaha. Im aware that my poor judgment started a catastrophe. Im ashamed to ask, but can you please stop the Sword Star in exchange for my full power as the Pantheons leader? Phew. Youre... Nevermind. I shook my head. Lets talk about youter. Ive got a lot to say about you. Right now, it looks like Mr. Viper is really going to die if we leave him alone, so lets solve that first. Yes, please! I turned away from the Pdin and the Inquisitor and strode toward the battle. Well, this isnt so bad. I get to control the Watchmen League and the Pantheon, albeit briefly. Both of them are big guilds... That was how I convinced myself. An intense and skillful fight was tearing up the other side of the audience chamber. Actually, I wasnt at a level where I could follow their movements with my eyes. Jumping in on the fight was suicide, but I knew the magic word that could stop the Sword Star. Mr. Sword Star! I didnt get any response. Mr. Sword Star! Since you heard me out today, why dont you do it one more time? Please stop fighting so that we can talk! Again, he didnt reply. I had no other choice. I took a deep breath and gathered my aura. Ill ask your granddaughter out on a date! The Sword Star froze. If your granddaughter enters the Tower, yeah, sure, Ill go on a date with her. No one knows if itll turn into a romantic rtionship, but Im sure shell be charming, considering that shes your granddaughter. Who knows? I may be your future grandson-inw, so I ask my possible future grandfather-inw to please stop fighting! The Sword Star quietly turned his back on the fight. After a brief silence, he said, ...I havent forgiven them. Yes, I know. I definitely didnt stop because of what you said. But the battle got me thinking that I could kill these people any time I wanted, so I can find the traitor and wipe the rest outter, cant I? I wanted to ask why in the world he had to tell me that, but instead of saying it aloud, I nodded. Youre right. You can kill them in a bit. The Sword Star slowly lowered his sword. Huh...? What? the Viper, opposite the Sword Star, panted. A-am I alive? Is it over...? Nothing was over. All I did was temporarily pause the fight. Everyone, please, lets be calm. I looked around at the Hunters. I dont know who the traitor is. We might never find the traitor, but thats a problem for another time. We can ovee the crisis even if we dont find the traitor. ...How? the Pdin asked. The fact that someone chose the Demon Kings reward means that someone is out for our lives. We could be stabbed in the back at any time. Look at this. I pointed at the marble floor where the three corpsesor the blood and pieces of three corpseswere scattered. However, the Inquisitors engraving was there as well. Goddess of Protection Description: The guardian goddess of the Aegim Empire is moved by your devotion and has decided to appoint you to an important position in the empire. You can be the empires prime minister, grand general, or imperial knightmander. Once you choose a position, you will receive the abilities and fame thate with it! Hero of the goddess! Unite with your fellow heroes, and destroy the Demon Kings core on the twentieth floor! This says that the Demon Kings core is on the twentieth floor. I looked each of the Hunters in the eyes. Dont focus on finding and killing the traitor. Thats a trap. Dont fall for it. Who knows? The traitor might be terrified because the Towers system selected them by force. Lets kill the Demon King first. The group fell silent. Once the Demon King is killed, its reward is gone. Its as simple as that. No matter what kind of fucked-up trial the Tower puts us through, the solution will always be simple. It wont change even if the Tower tries to turn us against each other. I heard the two voices in my head. [The Goddess of Protections eyes shine.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rain clicks its tongue.] Lets climb the Tower, and crush the Demon Kings core on the twentieth floor, I said with determination. That was my answer. It was not only for the Hunters but also for the Tower. A voice answered me. [Initiating the twelfth floor quest.] Chapter 30: The Autumn Rain Is Blood (3)

Chapter 30: The Autumn Rain Is Blood (3)

[Initiating the twelfth floor quest.] As soon as we heard the voice, something rattled against the windows. Raindrops were sliding down the audience chambers ornate windows. Our attention immediately turned to the panes. We werent surprised by the sudden rainthere was something else. Oh.... Ohhhh.... Its the nightmare... Its the rain of nightmares again! The rainit was as red as blood. Perhaps it was actually blood. All of the NPCs in the chamber covered their ears and moaned in pain. It didnt matter if they were military officers or civil servants. Dear goddess, please do not abandon us! W-what? Whats wrong with them, all of a sudden...? The Viper, exhausted from fighting the Sword Star, looked around blearily. Its the Demon King... an NPC in armor whispered. He was curled up on the floor, trembling. The fear spread like a wildfire. The empire is doomed... The Demon King ising... Your Majesty... Where is our emperor...? Not one NPCs face showed a single trace of hope. Instead, they had resigned themselves to despair andmented their fate just like any other humans. The Viper swallowed nervously. Th-this is interesting. Hey, this is all staged, right? Whats going on now? Its the beginning of the quest, I quietly said. It doesnt look like were going to keep fighting. If its difficult to incite internal conflict, the next option is to attack directly. Whos going to attack us? Who else could it be? I red through the window. Its the very same person who tried to make us fight each other with his reward. I heardughter in my head. [The Demon King of Autumn Rain has affirmed your statement.] The rain got stronger. Its insistent knocking on the windowpanes grew violently. Dozens, hundreds, thousands of red drops assaulted the ss. I approached a window, but I couldnt see a thing outside; the rain was now so strong that the entire window was covered in red. I shattered the window with the pommel of my de. Red poured into the audience chamber, but I finally could see what was happening outside. The audience chamber was at the center of the pce; outside the pce was a city, which was surrounded by high walls. [The Demon King of Autumn Rain has appeared.] And beyond the walls was the Demon King. Pitiful ones, it whispered through barely parted lips. Yes, it was a whisper. A mere whisper reached past the outer walls and the many walls of the pce and entered the audience chamber through the shattered window. You summoned the humans from a different world and appointed them to lead your empire. You call them heroes, but do you really believe theyre your heroes? Can they really protect you? The rain poured down. Do it. Do it as many times as you want. I say, why not? Call thousands of heroes. Summon tens of thousands of knights. Theyre still humans like you. Because of your foolishness, you dont know your end. I pity you. The whisper slipped through the endless downpour, drifting insidiously into the audience chamber, just like it did before. The Demon Kingughed loudly, violently bouncing inside of our skulls. Ah, argh... The Hunters were a little better off than the NPCs. Unlike them, we were hearing the Demon Kingsughter for the first time, so it was bearable. However, it would not be the same if we had to hear it all year long. You people dont see humans as people. Red dots appeared on the mini-map, my exclusive blessing from the God of War. One, two, three... It was slow at first, but the red dots multiplied into hundreds, thousands, and tens of thousands. Before long, the world was painted red to the horizon and beyond. Let your malice consume you. Lightning bolts struck the ground, turning the world pale white. The brief light revealed that all of the red dots on my mini-map were monsters. A grand army of monsters, vastlyrger than what we faced on the eleventh floor, wasing. The monsters opened their mouths and howled. The red rain dripped down the goblins disfigured faces. It seemed that the red rain was practically holy water for them. Like knights on a holy crusade, the monsters looked up at the sky and basked in the crimson downpour. ...I told you. I tightened my grip on my weapon. This isnt the time to fight among ourselves. A system window appeared in front of me. Imperial Capital Defense Difficulty level: A~SSS Goal: Heroes! You have bravely fought against the Demon Kings army and protected the empires supply lines. Sensing a problem, the Demon King, who can summon its legion of monsters anywhere, has personallye to the empire. The Demon Kings goal is the Imperial Capital, Arkmnia, the heart of the Aegim Empire. Fortunately, the Demon King has been weakened by manifesting at such a distance. Stop the Demon King! However, the thirteenth floor will not be opened if you lose the battle. ...The Demon King is weakened? Seriously? the Viper mumbled after a brief silence. He said what everyone else was thinking. This is...unfair. How are we supposed to clear this? This quest wasnt made to bepleted in the first ce. Even if everything up to the tenth floor was just the tutorial...this is too much of a difficulty spike. Stop. Lets approach this calmly. I turned and looked at the people in the audience chamber, both the Hunters and the terrified NPCs behind them. We can do it. The Tower doesnt give us quests we cant clear. But how are we supposed to kill that many monsters...? That is why Im telling you to stay calm. I pointed at the NPCs. We arent alone here. Did you forget about the choices you made? Mr. Viper, youre the captain of the Imperial Guards of the Aegim Empire. So lead the Imperial Guards. We Hunters cant clear the stage on our own. Treat the NPCs like actual humans. Persuade them to rise, so you can lead them to the battlefield. Yes, that was how the eleventh floor had been cleared. We cant be fighting among ourselves. Mr. Sword Star, youre the Imperial Knight Commander. You cant attack the Imperial Guard Captain. Theres no way a country like that can stop a foreign attack. I turned to the Viper again. Were you happy that you became the captain? You should be happy, but now that you have the privileges, you also have to carry out the duties thate with them. Whether you like it or not, you have the role of a prominent figure in the empire, so its time to role-y. I turned to the Pdin. Ms. Foreign Minister. Mmm. The Pdin gave me her full attention. This is the audience chamber, but I dont see the emperor. He should be somewhere in the pce. Please take the civil servant NPCs of your ministry and find the emperor. The NPCs wont follow our orders without their leader. The Pdin nodded. Understood. Mr. Grand General. I looked at the Inquisitor. Yes! Despite the fact that he lost his right arm, the Inquisitors grin never went away. In fact, his eyes on me were sparkling with interest. Thats me! I hate Hunters like you. I really do. Your antics earlier convinced me that I really need to get rid of you. But youre the Grand General. We cant afford to lose you. Hahahaha. I like you more by the minute! You gave me all of your power, so shut up and listen, I said. I watched the map. The red wave was getting closer to the capitalnot much time was left. There will be a lot of soldiers near the walls. A tsunami of monsters ising. Theres no way that theyre in their right minds. Youre the Grand General, so get to the soldiers and rally them. Hmm! Noblesse oblige, I see! Please protect the walls by any means necessary. We fail this stage as soon as theyre breached. Dont worry. The Inquisitor smiled. Ive never broken a promise in my life. Ill hold the walls with my life! Okay. I looked at the crowd. Ill get going first. It was time for war. *** While I left the pce, the remaining Hunters from the eleventh stage were being summoned. Whoa. Where am I? I like it. Were not at that shabby harbor at least. The Hunters looked around the capital streets like tourists. Huh? Is this acid rain? Whats up with the color...? Get to cover! Come on! Hey, it says for our reward were supposed to choose a role. A role? What role? The newly arrived Hunters had no idea what was going on. Well, even the High Rankers that got to the twelfth floor doubted each other enough to fight. Three of the top ten champions were dead because they were suspicious of each other. Even the front-runners were like that, so I couldnt expect much from the Hunters who had just arrived. Even at this moment, the Demon Kings army was approaching. I dont have to persuade them right now. Ill stop the attack first using the NPCs! I ran down the street, ignoring the Hunters. The streets were freakingplicated. Fortunately, I had my mini map, so I had no problem finding the shortest route to the outer walls. Just when I got out of the street, someone showed up beside me. Mr. Kim. Miss ck Dragon Witch? Call me ck Dragon Master. I dont like my title. She looked like she was using her aura in her feet to slide smoothly down the street. How did you get here? I asked. ...Its my Skill. I can teleport to anywhere I can see. What an overpowered Skill! Hey, Zombie. Get killed by her! Her Skill is awesome! I wont say anything this time! Die, now! Why didnt you go to the walls? I asked, ignoring the Guardian. Im here to pick you up, of course, the ck Dragon Witch nonchntly replied. She didnt look tired at all despite how fast she was moving. You have a sword that works on these NPCs, dont you? I saw it on the eleventh floor. I dont know what sword it is, but it can boost the NPCs morale. The person the soldiers on the walls need to see is you, not me. The ck Dragon Witch looked at me. I need your agreement. What? I need your explicit agreement that you want to teleport with me. Otherwise, I cant teleport you. I was a little perplexed. Hold on. Teleportation Skills must be at least ss S. Are you sure you want to tell me the restriction? That Skill is your ace in the hole. Thats a weird question. The ck Dragon Witch wiped her forehead. The incessant downpour kept her locks stered to her pale skin. Her ck eyes bored into me. ording to you, Im this empires prime minister. Isnt it only natural for the prime minister to use all of her cards to protect her country? We dont have much time. Any kind of agreement will work, so get on with it. I nodded. I agree to be the subject of the ck Dragon Masters Skill. Immediately, the ck Dragon Witch reached out with her left hand and grabbed my right. Her hand was slick from the rain so she locked her fingers with mine. Huh? ...There is one more restriction. The ck Dragon Witch gripped my hand and whispered, Teleport. In the blink of an eye, we arrived on the ramparts. As expected, the walls were a scene of anarchy. Despite the imminent arrival of the army of monsters, the soldiers of the empire didntor maybe couldntdo anything. They cowered behind the walls, shivering or praying to the goddess. The end is near... Dear goddess, take pity on us... Hnngh. Hoooo... They were NPCs, but they behaved no differently from actual humans. Even if they looked like illusions, their fear and despair werent imaginary. ck Dragon Master, thank you for bringing me all the way over here. Ill take it The ck Dragon Witch sighed. Hold on. I cant leave just yet. All Ive done so far is disgrace myself in front of the rookie. Pardon? I didnt be a guild leader by sitting on my hands. The ck Dragon Witch took a deep breath. ...Soldiers of the Aegim Empire! She released a ck aura that was a little darker than the rain. Rise! What are you doing behind the walls? Do you think the stones will protect you? Youre deluding yourselves! The walls that protect us arent these rocks. You are the walls! The soldiers of the empire! Cant you see? The curled-up soldiers, recognizing the ck Dragon Witch as their prime minister, slowly raised their heads. Prime minister...? Its the prime minister. Her remarks spread like wildfire. The ck Dragon Witch nodded. Rise! Imand you all to stand. The walls will fall someday, and our homes might be destroyed, but as long as all of you are standing, our Aegim Empire will never fall because you are the empire! She lookedpletely different from her usual self. Every fiber of her being was charged with emotion. Stand up! the ck Dragon Witchmanded. No trace of her cold, emotionless face could be found. From atop the ramparts, she looked down at the soldiers with burning eyes. Wherever her gaze passed, the soldiers became captivated by her. Get on your feet, soldiers of the empire! You are Aegimsst bastion and the bones of the empire itself! Warriors raise your weapons! It doesnt matter whether you hold a spear or a sword! Fight until your des shatter and your hands bleed! Rise for the empire and for yourselves! The ck Dragon Witch tightened her grip on my right hand and held it up. The goddess is with us! I realized what I had to do. I drew the holy sword and held it high. The red rain continued to pour down, but the holy sword shone brightly nheless. Its white radiance illuminated the soldiers even through the torrent. Its the first emperors sword... Its the holy sword. Its the holy sword that the goddess bestowed on the first emperor! [The Goddess of Protection has expressed her gratitude for your choice.] [The Goddess of Protection has gathered every drop of her remaining power.] And there was light. Chapter 31: The Scarlet Sword (1)

Chapter 31: The Scarlet Sword (1)

On the eleventh stage, when I had Sarbas Aegim, the NPC general, kill me, I witnessed his trauma. He stood among many other people, screaming. I pity you. You dont see humans as people. No one knew exactly why, when, and where that being showed up from. Its existence didnt need other peoples understanding. Youre born as humans and yet you devour the lives of other humans. Do you try to console yourselves by iming that this is the fate of all humans? I call that animal karma. I dont see a reason why I shouldnt butcher animals today. However, red rain, the rain of nightmares, poured down whenever that being showed up. A river of blood soon flowed across thends. Retreat! Its the rain again... Run to thend where the rain doesnt follow! Small countries in remote regions fell first. Next were bigger countries formed by the unions of those small countries. This led to the silent fall of more small countries, those that had been relying on the bigger countries to be their walls. The history of mankind was reaching its end as one nation fell after another. Every time a country fell, thend of humans got smaller. Yet the red rain continued. Find a ce where it doesnt rain... It went on. Its the end. The end of the world. The rain poured down. Dear goddess, please dont abandon us... And it never stopped. What littlend humankind could im as their own grew smaller and smallerthe history of man was on itsst page. Historians carefully sharpened their old quills. They had epted their fate; thest thing they would write would be, Thus, humanity has fallen. Only one empire remained on the continent. You pitiful humans, let your malice consume you. The master of nightmares. The king of all monsters. Thest historians named the being The Demon King. *** Rain poured down, but the sky was lit as bright as day. The light from my holy sword pierced the red clouds, leaving clear skies wherever it shone. Ohhh... The soldiers, their faces covered in blood rain, turned their eyes to the sky when they realized that the rain had stopped. Oh goddess... Not all of the rain stopped. The downpour only stopped where the holy swords light reached, buying them a short reprieve. The goddess... The goddess protects the empire! However, sometimes a little thing was enough for people, especially for those who were already left with very little. To the people of the empire, their country was the pitiful scraps of what used to be an entire world. They were living thest page of their history. The soldiers, generals, low-level civil servants, high-ranking officials... Everyone in the empire knew this fact. That was why no NPCs could be seen in the audience chamber. The empires prime minister had given up on the nations affairs. The grand general gave up on the military. The Imperial Guards no longer protected the empire. The Imperial Knights didnt uphold their duties. Everyone had abandoned the empireand that was probably why the Tower chose it as the eleventh stage. Just how the abandoned children were ced in a certain mansion on the tenth floor. Rise! the ck Witch shouted. One after another, the soldiers staggered to their feet. Some soldiers on the walls and their spears; others grabbed theirrades hands and helped them up. Stand! The ck Witch told them to be the empiresst wall. Yes, they would be the walls; just like how the Demon Kings voice passed through the empires wall, the ck Witchs words reached all of the empires soldiers. Stand up! Our prime minister is here! Shes with us! The first emperors sword protects us! Every man returned to his position. The empires walls stood. As the soldiers returned to their duties, spears, swords, and other weapons were returned to their hands. Get up. Get up! Youre disgracing yourselves in front of the prime minister! Aides walked around and pped the empires soldiers until they came to their senses. They adjusted their helmets; blood dripped off of the rims, but it couldnt block their vision anymore. The soldiers looked toward the enemies with clear eyes. Phew... The ck Witch sighed quietly and allowed her ck aura to gradually subside. A few drops of sweat dotted her forehead along with the red drops of rain. ...What? The ck Witch looked at me. Is it your first time seeing a Ukrainian giving a speech? Uh... My country has had many dictators. The ck Witchs lips rose slightly. It took me a moment to realize that she was smiling. I hate dictators, but there is something to learn from them. They give great speeches. Huh? The ck Witchs lips dropped. ...Its nothing, she said, her expression nk again. What? I had no idea what she was trying to say. I think shes just embarrassed that her archaic joke didnt work, the Guardian interjected. Huh? That was a joke? I dont know. It sounded like it, when you respond like that... Forget it. Zombie, dont ever think about joining apany and sucking up to your boss. Just be a Hunter like you are right now. Okay? Although I still didnt understand what it meant, one thing was clear: the ck Witchs speech had given our allies a solid start for this battle. What are you going to do from now on, Mr. Kim? I believe we should hold the walls. Youre right. I red at the red horizon. Countless monsters surrounded the Demon King. The ck Witch could bring me to the Demon King with her ss S Skillhowever, there was no guarantee that the Demon King would be the one who would kill me. We would be mobbed by monsters in no time, and both of us were going to die. I had to find a way to be alone with the Demon King. We have to bring the Hunters up while the soldier NPCs can still hold out. Then well be able to fight on equal terms. Once the Demon King sends in more monsters to breach the wall... What then? Please teleport me to the Demon King. The ck Witch stared at me. Youre going to assassinate it. Exactly. Are you nning to die? It was a reasonable question. I was still only a ss E Hunter. Although I didnt have an exact measure of how strong the Demon King was, this world wouldnt be on the brink of doom if the Demon King could lose its head to a ss E Hunter. Overwhelmed, inadequate... No words would be enough to fully describe how much of a disadvantage I was facing. Im nning to win, I answered. But death didnt mean defeat to me. It merely was a step on the stairway to victory. I have a card up my sleeve too. Trust me. The ck Witch sighed. Yes, like you said, all Hunters have their secrets. I hope your secret weapon is sharp enough to work on that boss monster. Youre ridiculous, Goddess. Even your franticst-ditch efforts are puny. Light, huh? Your people wont be able to reap the fruit of tomorrow, so what is the use of your light on them? Have all these years coddling your pitiful people made you as weak as them? Ill show them light too. A deafening sound rattled the capital city. The ck Witch and I didnt let our guard down. Our eyes were on the Demon King the whole time, so we knew what the sound wasing from. On the horizon, the Demon King slowly swung its sword. The de slowed down the space around it, as if the Demon King was cutting through time. However, what the Demon King was actually cutting was the sky. The Demon Kings strike was like a redser beam aimed precisely at the gates. With a loud explosion, a storm blew over the entire area, enshrouding the area in dust. The ck Witch and I instinctively closed our eyes. Through the thick cloud of dust, I could hear the soldiers screams, followed by stone crumbling. Gah. Cough...! After a moment, the storm subsided a little. We immediately turned in the direction of the screams. The remaining dust prickled my eyes painfully, but I was too shocked to notice. The ck Witch coughed several times. ...Did the Demon King really get weakened? she whispered. The gates were shattered. You pitiful things, the Demon King sneered. Its mockingughter shook the ground and the sky, slowly blending with the rising dust cloud. The red rain continued to fall. Do you still think youre the empire? *** The gates werent the only thing that had fallen. Theser beam had cut straight through the gates and kept going, reducing the streets and the buildings lined up behind them to rubble, and ultimately, the soaring spires of the pce at the far end of the city were caught in theser beam as well. A part of the pce copsed. Like a ship that hit an iceberg, the ornate pce tipped over and slowly crumbled. [A hero has died.] [The deceased hero was not the Demon Kings underling.] My ears rang. I could hear the sound of the imperial pce breaking apart in the distance, while death was announced in my ear. The ck Witch and I exchanged nces. ...The audience chamber was there, the ck Witch said first. The Sword Star, Inquisitor, and the Viper probably arent there because theyre leading the knights, guards, and officers. You asked the Pdin to search for the emperor, so shell be busy doing that. That leaves... The Countess, but she wasnt the traitor. ...You shouldnt have died first, you heartless girl, the ck Witch muttered to herself. She didnt dwell on it. Instead of giving a long goodbye, she shook her head several times. I assumed that it was her own way of moving past her friends death. ck Dragon Master, if Miss Countess actually died, then the outside world... Lets...lets focus on the matter at hand, the ck Witch quietly answered. The second strongest Hunter in the Tower just red at the prey on the horizon. Even the Demon King wont be able to keep using attacks like that. Mr. Kim, hold the breach with me. The behavior of the red dots on the mini map had changed. Unlike their movements before, which resembled an ocean wave, the red dots were now traveling in a line that led directly to the opening theser beam had just blown open. Their formation was sharp as a spear. It looked like the monster army was trying to break through. Yes, I think thats the best course of action. I grabbed the ck Witchs hand. She nodded. Teleport. We headed into the breach. The monsters were a lot closer now. Goblins, orcs, skeletons...all sorts of monsters came running toward us, howling like animals. The archers atop the ramparts released their arrows, but it was far from enough to stop the red tide. We had around two minutes before the first wave arrived. Zombie, one minute will do. No, it doesnt matter if you manage for only thirty seconds, the Guardian said. Hundreds of monsters emerged from the cloud of dust. However, a hundredfold more monsters were approaching, creating new clouds of dust. Hold out on your own. In order to win this war, you need to be their hope. No ally stood in my way. I was alone on the front line. Hold out on your own. It doesnt matter if its only for thirty seconds. Its important to show them that you can stop those monsters on your own. A hero isnt someone who survives for thirty years; its the person who gives thirty seconds when everyone needs them. I dropped my backpack on the floor. Be a hero. I pulled out a bottle from my backpack. It contained the elixir made by the Chemist, who would be known as the Master Alchemist in the future. Ill help you. One sip, two sips, three sips... I poured the entire elixir down my throat. I promised sword lessons until we reached the twentieth floor, didnt I? Its a little early, but its time for a practice session. My heart hammered against my chest. ce your back foot at a slight angle. It beat in one-second intervals. Put pressure on your front foot. My heartbeat became faster. Look forward. I did just that. Two goblins are at the very front. Their innate eyesight is already bad, but theyre squinting because of the dust clouds. When their vision is obstructed, creatures instinctively swing their swords wide. Theyre trying to get a lucky hit, not worrying about where their enemy is. Thrust your sword before they swing their weapons. My heartbeat grew faster over time, but one second became slower and slower. All your holy sword does is shine, but its perfect to temporarily blind your enemies. One second on an absolute measure doesnt matter, but in a fight, its one second on their rtive scale. Take away their vision and you take one second from your enemies. That was how one second for me became a little quicker than my heart. Theyre here. My sword would be faster than one second. Lets go, partner. The Guardian stood right next to me. Its time to be a hero. I swung my sword. Chapter 32: The Scarlet Sword (2)

Chapter 32: The Scarlet Sword (2)

I saw a stream of blood spurt across my vision. Kieeehhhhh! A goblin screamed for a long time. Its scream didnt die out in my time. One down, the Guardian counted. A fan of blood arced through the air, exactly the same color as the rain. The drops of blood were still flying and the rain hadnt hit the ground. And yet, the entire world was scarlet. I adjusted my grip on my sword. Take care of the left one next. I swung. Before the first goblin died, I sliced into the second goblin. It happened in a sh. The goblins didnt even see meing. Blood gushed out and screams rose from my left and right. By the time one monster died, another one was dying. This repeated. Another monster started screaming before thest ones scream died out. The screaming around me never stopped. I wielded my sword like a conductors baton; the main instrument in this sonata of screams was also my sword. One seconds passed. Dont stop. Keep your swings separate. Connect the attacks as you y your enemies, the Guardian said. I wielded my sword. Cut from top to bottom. Its not over just because your sword is positioned low now. This is just like music. Think about it: a low note is just a stepping stone to go higher again. Screams pierced the air. Connect them! If your sword is at the bottom now, swing it up. Build a sequence. Thats how you connect your attacks. Another second passed. Time is of the essence when ites to the sword! A beginner can only control one second at least. One swing and thats it. They are blinded by this one second, so they dont know how to connect their attacks. Someone whos a little more proficient controls five seconds. My enemies let out their blood; I let out my breath. Dont waste the time you have! Dont waste it! Its not over because you killed one enemy. Nothing is over. Look for where you should swing next! People let time pass by, but a swordsman should not! Dont throw away your one second. Live your one second to the fullest. My sword flew between me and my enemies; they bled out as I finished exhaling. A swordsman is a man whose life is the sword. I swung my sword. Do you think its easy to live one second to the fullest? Do you really think youre living that second? I did it again. A man isnt alive when he just lets the time pass by. The only time hes genuinely alive is when he devotes his time to something. Gong-Ja, youre a swordsman, so your life should be the sword. My sword was swung once again. Make those seconds in your life shine brighter! A goblin wed my arm until I bled. It made me feel lightheaded and my heart quivered. Despite the horrible pain, I swung my sword and kept looking forward. Endless monsters were emerging from the cloud of red dust, which meant that the amount of enmity was equally immeasurable. All of them were monsters who were out to eat my flesh and drink my blood. They charged me, stained blood-red by the rain. Now youve reached ten seconds. This was ten seconds. Only ten seconds. Burn brighter, Gong-Ja. Dont let your life slip away. Make it shine. I clutched my sword as tightly as I could. Show them who you are. And I roared. My voice swept over the front line, to the center of the battlefield and then the gaping breach in the walls. For a moment, the archers shrank back and the monsters swarming out of the dust cloud halted. Fuck yes. Thats it. Now youre looking a little less like a zombie, boy! The Guardian giggled. I sprinted forward. My target was one of the goblins startled by my roar. Before it could react, I cut off its head. It flew through the air with its mouth agape. My next prey was the orc vacantly watching me kill the goblin. I stabbed its head before it could raise its club. Blood spurted out of the wound. A little more. I used my sword to kill a skeleton. A little more. Next was another goblin. A little more. Many orcs were taken down. More! A little more. I continued to swing my sword. Look at me! Me! I was alive. When I used my sword, I was alive. A howling ogre surged out of the dust, swinging its huge club. Once, twice... Every time the ogre swung, a small storm followed. It pushed away the thick dust around the copsed gate. Some small goblins were caught by the ogres wild swings and mmed into the walls with a sickening crunch. They were reduced to a grisly pulp. The ogre had no sense of camaraderie. I was sure that it didnt understand kinship, sympathy, or mercy either. That was why the ogre was a beastan ugly beast. The beast howled loudly, baring its fangs. Its fury was directed solely at me. Come. Here stood a hunter who was out for his prey. Ill show you. The ogre took a step. A part of the castle wall which had precariously managed to remain standing crumbled helplessly. The ugly beast had giant feet. Whenever it took a step, the ground trembled, and some of the wallsthe empiresst line of defensecopsed. Set your feet, look forward, and wield your sword to kill the enemies. The task at hand hadnt changed one bit. I threw myself at the beast. The huge beast took another step. That was the moment I had been waiting for. The moment its club came up to throw me out of its way, I moved my sword right in front of it. The holy swords white light shot into its eyes. However, the ogre was already too far into its swing to change the course of its attack. Why? Why did you give a ss EX Skill to a bastard like him? A moment stretched into infinity. As I avoided the ogres club, I thought about Yoo Soo-Ha, the Fire Emperor. I wondered...why the Tower had given him the regression Skill. It didnt have to be a saint. All you had to do was give the Skill to a more reasonable, sane person. Then there wouldnt have been any problemso why? Why in the world did you have to give that Skill to a psychopath? The ogres club brushed right past me thanks to the holy swords blinding light. It gave me a brief opening, so I ran. Wait... Is that it? Yoo Soo-Ha is the only one who could conquer the Tower? Do people have to be like him to stand at the top? The ogres eyes widened when it realized that I was in the air. The beast tried to use its club on me again, but it was toote. Dont be ridiculous! Ill clear the twentieth stage instead of the Fire Emperor. Not just the twentieth stageIm going to do the same with the thirtieth, fortieth, fiftieth, sixtieth, seventieth, eightieth, nieth, ny-ninth, and the hundredth floor! I was going to show them. All the way to the top. [Your presence has be stronger.] [Hunter Kim Gong-Jas level has increased.] My sword cut neatly through the ogres neck, sshing blood across the ground. The ogres hide was tough, but my sword was sharper. Although the ogre had vibrant vitality, it was dullpared to my aura. The ogre refused to die. Even in itsst moments, it swung its arms. There was no need to panic. I just attacked it one more time. [Your Skill Slots have increased.] [Your Hunter ss is D.] The ogres head fell to the ground. Its body joined it a littleter. [May luck be with you.] The dust cloud gradually settled. I saw the monsters marching for the ruins of the gates. The seemingly endless wave of monsters slowed, cowed by the fall of the huge ogre. No sound could be heard other than the rain. The empires soldiers watched me from the walls, while the Demon Kings monsters were gripped by fear. I stood alone. More eyes were drawn to me with each passing moment, and more of the Demon Kings creatures began to back away. Congrattions, you dominated thirty seconds. The Guardian grinned. Someone stepped past me. I could tell who it was just from their back. They were wearing a ck suit and had white hairit was the Sword Star. The Sword Star sprinted past, sshing his way through puddles. The strongest Hunter drew his sword and swept it in front of him. One attack cost dozens of goblins their heads and just as many orcs their lower bodies, adding more red to the battlefield. One second, two seconds, three seconds... It was over quickly, but the fresh blood was darker than the rain, making the Sword Stars impact impossible to ignore. He slowly turned away from his bloody painting and looked at me. His lips moved, but time was still moving too slow for me to really understand him. The Sword Star noticed that I was behaving oddly and smiled faintly. He added a little aura to his voice. ...That was splendid. The Sword Star held up his sword in the rain. Its color was red, so his sword remained scarlet even after the rain washed it clean. My name is Marcus Carlenbery, young man. I had no words. I realized that the Sword Star was paying his respects to me in his own way. It was my second time listening to the Rank 1 Hunter introducing himself. My first time was when I had still been wandering on the first floor. In a remote alley, the Fire Emperor had clutched my head as he whispered to me, My name is Yoo Soo-Ha. Goodbye. I had been killed on that day. Today, I heard my second introduction. They were different names and belonged to different people. Suddenly I felt that I was different as well. It made me realize that I now had the opportunity to do something that I never got to do the first time. My name is Kim Gong-Ja, sir. Today, I got to introduce myself. Chapter 33: The Scarlet Sword (3)

Chapter 33: The Scarlet Sword (3)

It rained. When an inferno tried to burn up an entire in, it started from a handful of sparks. A deluge that could drown the world began from a few water drops. I couldnt say that I was an inferno or a deluge, but I had a fistful of sparks and a cup of water in me. A senior gentleman stood boldly under the rain. He inclined his head to me. Lets fight together, young man. The Sword Star, the Rank 1 Hunter and the imperial knightmander, now joined my side. Someone sshed through the puddlesthe only thing Demon Kingsser had left in its pathbringingughter with him. ...Hahahaha! Im sorry Imte! I would havee a little sooner, but it isnt easy to move an army! The reflections in the puddles showed me that theughter belonged to a one-armed priest. Thank you, Mr. Kim. Youve bought us time. Now its my turn. The Inquisitor adjusted his hat with his only hand. It was foggy behind the Inquisitor, but I could hear footfalls in the rain. Thousands of the empires soldiers were dodging around the debris and jumping over pits and puddles. People who werent soldiers also stood with them. Some werent even wearing armor. Many of them didnt even have helmets. They were basically wearing nothing to protect themselves, but they marched forward nheless. Everyone, I order you as the Grand General... The Inquisitor grinned. Thousands of soldiers and tens of thousands of citizens roared in reply. Butcher those sons of bitches who dared bare their teeth against the empire! The Inquisitor, the Rank 4 Hunter and leader of the Pantheon, joined the battle. For the empire! It rained, the droplets gathering into a river. The Demon Kings endless waves of monsters stopped. High tide hade and gone, and the waters started to flow away from the ruins of the gates. The tide of battle had turned. The goddess is with us! It rained. Glory to the Aegim Empire! And it rained. Ah. I didnt know when I ended up running at the front. I was the first drop of this tsunami. On my left was a refugee from a small, remote country wielding a spear. A farmer, who once worked thends of a destroyed vige in the empire, stood on my right side, swinging a pickaxe. When I looked behind me, a Hunter brandished a sword, her equipment no better than mine. All of them kept talking, but I couldnt understand them. Perhaps it was the rain. Or it was the peoples yelling. Could it be the monsters screaming? Maybe it was because my time was slowed down. Or was it because I was wielding my sword? It could be because I, a water drop, was flowing with them. Further and further. I had to go further until the inferno burned everything across thend and the deluge reached every corner. ...Hey. Among tens of thousands of voices and hundreds of millions of drops, one touched my shoulder and talked to me. He was wearing an eyepatch. Good job. Sorry Imte. I should havee sooner. Tsk! I had to bring my guild members with the Imperial Guards. But dont worry, Ill show you why my guild is called the OJP Se The man stopped talking. Why did he stop? He just looked at me with his one eye. You arent listening. Is it trance? Haha. Youre really something else, arent you? I like you, kid. Heughed quietly. Hey, my name is Rao Fan. You probably cant hear me, but it doesnt matter... You saved my life earlier in the audience chamber. As the OJP Sects leader, I cant leave my debt unpaid. Keep going forward. Dont look backIll take the enemies on your left. He picked up a sword. Remember, this is premium service. No one who stood by my right side ever died. It rained and rained. Go, Rising Star. I have your back. My sword rode the swelling tide. Im sorry Imte! I was busy looking for the emperor. I did find him, but he already killed himself with poison. I dont think using the emperor to bring together an army is an option. Im really sorry. I have no excuse. Its okay. We wont need any more manpower. You can just join us and fight, Miss Pdin. Of course. Hmm? Whats wrong with Mr. Kim Gong-Ja...? Dont interrupt him. Hes enjoying a golden moment. The rain continued. Pitiful ones. Just because you have time, do you really think it belongs to you? Yes, the goddess has been looking after you, but her power dwindles. There is no more god in the empire. What will you rely on then? Yourselves? Can you prove yourselves? The Demon Kings sneer blended with the rain. Fine. Show me. I saw a red light, but many things stood in my way. Hey, Witch! Pull up your mirrors! I know. I missed the first time, but Im not letting it happen again! Old man! Once she scatters theser beam, lets cut it down! I can do it on my own. Itsing, people! The rain continued. ...Scatter. Six mirrors shed as the red beam hit them. The first, second, and third mirrors were destroyed. However, the fourth mirror held out and deflected the entire redser beam. Sword Star! Viper! I heard a gasp and an exhale. In between, both the sky and the redser beam were split like Moses parting the Red Sea. Five distinct voices continued to chatter. See? See! My prime is far from over! You could throw a little more weight into it instead of messing around. Now is your chance! one of them whispered in my ears. Ill teleport you straight to the Demon King. Everyone, hold onto me! Hurry! All of this is for nothing if the Demon King summons more monsters again! The five voices ovepped and became one. Someone reached out to me. Hunter Kim Gong-Ja! Rain was dripping down her face. Grab it! We dont have much time. Come on! The eternity came to an end. I could see the people making the noise. Where I was, why I was here... Every memory came back to me. I was in the center of a battlefield. The empires soldiers and citizens were pushing back the line of monsters. More Hunters poured out of the breach; theyd finally figured out what was happening on the twelfth floor. Hunter Kim Gong-Ja! The High Rankers and I stood at the front line, in front of an innumerable mass of humans. The Demon Kings redser beam had also obliterated monsters, so it was an empty highway from where we stood all the way to the Demon King. More monsters woulde to fill up the pathway, but they werent there yet. Come on! The High Rankers were all gathered in the same spot. It was a bit ridiculous in a way. The Inquisitor was piggybacking on the Viper, who was holding the Sword Stars arm with a grimace. The old man put his hand on the Pdins shoulder with an even uglier expression. The Pdin indifferently grabbed the ck Witchs left hand. ...If I took a photo and uploaded it online it would instantly go viral, I whimsically thought as soon as I saw it. It certainly wasnt an everyday asion. While I was lost in a silly thought, the ck Witch yelled, Im going to leave you here on your own if you dont take my hand right now! She was holding out her right hand. Ahh. I realized that what I was watching was going to disappear soon. When the Sword Star and I had a sharp quarrel, he had sheathed his sword only after the Pdins earnest persuasion. He had bowed to me to express his apology, but the Inquisitor had brutally murdered three Hunterster. We had fought against each other, stopped fighting, and now were fighting together. Everything will disappear. All of them were going to fade away like the rain. They wont remember anything. However, that was okay. What are you doing, Partner? We have to go take down the boss monster. Even if they couldnt remember any of what happened, it didnt mean that any of it was meaningless. I had my sword. And, on this floor, there was a man who had died on the first floor and another man who died on the ny-ninth floor. No one remembered their deaths, but we were here nheless. ...Okay. Once I regressed, all of the problems would be unsolved. The Sword Star would be suspicious of me. When it was time to choose our rewards, the Hunters would turn on each other again. Lets go. However, I was a little stronger. I wasnt going to let innocent people die. Nor was I going to let the Countess get killed and sever the Towers connection to the outside world. I now had an idea of who the traitor was, so I was confident that I could do a little better. Good! The ck Witch grabbed my hand tightly. Teleport! We crossed the battlefield and dived through the air. Five of usnded simultaneously in front of the Demon King, who stood proud with a sword in hand. How amusing. The goddesss heroes are here. The Demon King was dark. It was like a shadow taking the form of a human. It had a head but not a face; arms and legs, but not hands and feet. The Demon King didnt seem to be standing on the groundit looked precariously nted, as if copsing where it stood. The Demon King was actually copsingits skin dripped like that sewer sludge. However, new sludge emerged from within the Demon King as it dripped away. The master of nightmares. The moving and eternally rotting shadow. This was the Demon King. Heroes, do you know that you have a traitor among you? Im sure you do. Yet you try to weave your shattered trust and make it into your armor. Do you really think it will work? I really didnt see the reason to listen to the Demon King. I grabbed my sword and leaped forward. Mr. Kim! the Pdin shouted, shocked. No! Wait! You cant go on your own! We need to work together Im sorry. See you in the next life. You wont remember what happened today. Are you here to kill me, Hero? The Demon King looked at me charge forward on my own andughed. Itsughter was bizarre. Since it didnt have eyes or a mouth, theughter seemed to originate in its skin. Whenever a streak of shadow dripped down its mass, a burst ofughter emerged. Youre a fool. The Demon King swung its sword. It was impossible for me to stop the attack at my current level, so I didnt even bother holding up my holy sword and pretending to block it. Instead, I politely raised my middle finger right before the de sliced through my neck. No, I came here to get killed by you, fucker. See you in the next life too. It was short, but I didnt miss the Demon Kingsughtering to an abrupt halt. ...!.. Wa! Soon, I couldnt hear anything. My vision, the pain...my senses began to fade as I lost consciousness. However, I could feel the rain dripping on my face until the very end. [You have died.] [It has been determined that your death met the requirement for the Skills activation.] [Duplicating Monster: Demon King of Autumn Rains Skills at random.] [Creating Skill Cards.] It was time for round two. Chapter 34: My Death (1)

Chapter 34: My Death (1)

Now I could say I was back to this ce. Yes, I was back again. [Duplicating Monster: Demon King of Autumn Rains Skills at random.] My consciousness ended up in the Underworld, the pit of my hell. People had called me a loser, and I was one. I had then received an opportunity here when I had died in the fire that people called the Fire Emperor. I didnt miss the opportunity that the Tower had given me. [Creating Skill Cards.] But why? Out of all of the people in the world, why had the Tower given me an opportunity like that? I used to be a loser who would scroll through intemunities consumed by jealousy. Why had I received that chance? The question was simr to Why did the Tower grant such power to Yoo Soo-Ha, the psychopath? Ive finished reading the Skill Cards. Do you want me to read them out to you now? the Guardian asked. Yes, please. Okay! As I listened to the Skills that the Guardian recited, I thought that perhaps the Tower was disappointed by the way Hunters handled their gifts. Grudge Rain ss: S- Effects: They dont see and cant see. Humans believe that things dont exist when they cant see it. Theyre blind. Yes, they are. Theyre fools. If so, show them. Show them how many lives have died because of their ignorance. The sky will dly return all of the innocent blood that was spilled. However, only as much innocent blood as you have seen being spilled will rain down. I was certain that Yoo Soo-Ha, the Fire Emperor, had crushed the tenth floor. I didnt mean that he had cleared it quicklyhe would have literally crushed the mansion, ignoring the childrens grudges, resentment, and cries of pain. The Tower must have been disappointed by his resolution. Whats the next Skill? Its this, the Guardian said. Hearts Echoing Cry ss: A+ Effects: Your aura is strengthened, fueled by your emotion. The stronger the emotion is, the stronger your aura bes. Vengeance, hatred, sorrow, anger, love... It doesnt matter what kind of emotion it is. A fire burns on fuel. However, you will be addicted to the emotion over time. I took my time pondering the matter. Yes, the Tower must have been disappointed. Every floor has a hidden quest. Just like how there was a quest to console the children in the Infernal Mansion, I assumed that the twelfth floor would have one too. I listened intently to the Guardian, hoping to find the answer in his words. Monster Legion Summon ss: SS Effects: You are able to summon those youve killed as monsters. The deceased wont have their original abilities or their memories. They are only summoned as monsters like goblins, orcs, zombies, and skeletons. However, you can summon your legion only once a week. Even aside from those three Skills, the Demon King of Autumn Rain had many lesser Skills, but those three drew my attention the most. ...Okay. I nodded. Ive made up my mind. I decided what Skill I was going to choose and how I was going to clear the twelfth to the twentieth floors. Ill choose this. Huh? That one? The Guardian tilted his head, surprised by my choice. Hmm... Im not sure about this. I believe this will be the best Skill to clear through to the twentieth stage. Well... You can give it a go. I dont know what your n is, but Im sure it involves weaseling. You can look forward to it. I stopped as I was reaching for the card to ask, Mr. Sword Emperore to think of it, you know the Sword Stars daily routine pretty well, right? Huh? Yeah, I do. His daily routine is the same day in and day out. Hes an old man through and through. I need his evening schedule. Alright. I grabbed the card, the voice rang out in the dark world. [You have chosen a Skill Card.] [Copying the Skill.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] And so I went back a day. [Your Hunter ss is D.] [Initiating your Skill penalty.] [Recreating your killers trauma.] Of course, I had to deal with the penalty and witnessed the so-called Demon King of Autumn Rains trauma... But my priority now was resolving the problems waiting for me on the twelfth floor. [The penaltys intensity level is intermediate.] [The penaltys theme is the Preta[1] Realm.] Experiencing the nightmare could wait. *** The Guardian taught me to live the entire second and how difficult it was for a human to live even one second properly. Today, I realized just how true that was. ...Are you going already? The ck Witch looked up at me from her chair in the cafe. It wasnt just herall of the Five Guilds leaders were watching me, each with a different intent. Even the Countess, who had died in the Demon Kings attack on the twelfth floor, smiled faintly as she fanned herself. I was back in the cafe in Babylon where I had made a treaty with the guild leaders. All that was one day... Once again, my mind was blown by how long twenty-four hours was. We had begun a new era, cleared the eleventh floor, and fought the Demon King on the twelfth floor. I couldnt believe that all that happened in less than a day. ...Yes, the eleventh floor is opening soon. My voice choked up a little. I cleared my throat before continuing, Id better get ready so I wont fall behind. We dont know what kind of ce the eleventh floor is. How are you going to prepare? There was no problem on the eleventh floor. The problems began on the twelfth floor where the Demon King interfered. There, they would be divided against themselves. One of them would even go so far as to betray the rest of them. That could not be reversed. There would be casualties. ...Mr. Kim? The ck Witchs brows furrowed. Are you okay? You suddenly dont look too good. Are you sick? Mmm? No, Im fine. Its just that all of you are such incredible people who lead guilds of your own, so I got a little choked up being here with you. It makes me realize how much things have changed, I calmly lied. The Guardian watched me without saying anything. Anyway, yes, youre right. I know what the eleventh floor is likeand I also know what the quest is. The guild leaders expressions changed. Information was as valuable as lives, and I had basically just told them that I had a clue to a problem that their lives depended on. I could understand their reaction. I received information for clearing the eleventh floor. ...And youre revealing it right now, the ck Dragon cautiously said. Can we take it that youre willing to share the information? Of course. But I have a condition. I raised my index finger. Go on. Im happy to listen. When I ask you for a favor someday, please do it, no matter what. I looked at each and every one of the Hunters sitting around the table. A favor sounded like a small thing, but it carried a lot of weight. The Hunters looked torn. What is this favor? I cant tell you yet, but I can promise you that it will not endanger your lives nor am I going to ask you for money. Im not going to ask you to kill someone for me, either. You can just say no if the favor I ask you for is impossible. The Inquisitor stroked his chin with his right handthe hand he had lost to the Sword Stars sword during thest try. It sounds reasonable to me. Frankly, I think its an extremely good deal for us, haha! This information will help us handle the next floor better; there are rarely any problems that cant be solved with enough information. I say yes! Hmm. Since we still have a say in it... Im good with it too. The Countess nodded. The other guild leaders contemted it and eventually agreed to my terms. Alright. The first stage of my n was finished. The eleventh to the twentieth floors are based on an empire in another world known as the Aegim Empire, I quietly began to exin. Theyre under attack by the Demon King. The eleventh floor is a battle over their supply lines and... When I finished exining the eleventh floor, the guild leaders began to discuss among themselves. They were buzzing with ideas. ...I see. Everything so far has just been a tutorial. Well be thrown straight into arge battle on the eleventh floor. This is invaluable information. Right! Our strategies are going to changepletely! Well need to share some of this with our guild members too. Phew. But my MA kids arent exactly fighters... I nodded. Itll be a lot easier to clear the eleventh floor now. The future was already changing in many ways, but it wasnt enough. Then Ill get going... I stood up from my seat. Ah, Miss Pdin. The Pdin looked up from her third americano. Whats wrong? Youre the assistant leader of the Watchmen League. Would you like to take a short walk outside? I want to talk to you about something. The Pdin took a look around and shrugged. Well, I was going to leave soon anyway. Its okay as long as it doesnt take too long... It wont. Thirty minutes will be enough. Then its okay. The Pdin put down her coffee cup. Ill dly go on a date. *** The city was packed with people. In a za, at a bench next to a fountain, or at an outdoor restaurant, the Hunters were all talking about who cleared the tenth floor. Look, no announcement was made yet! An obscure, rookie Hunter cleared the floor! I really dont think its that. Im pretty sure that the Five Guilds are coordinating something before they make an announcement. Seriously. Who cleared it...? I want to clear a stage too. Their tomorrow had been erased, so clearing the tenth-floor stage was a brand new event to them. I was the only one who weathered the flow of time untouched. Hey, Zombie. Hes here. Hesing. No, I technically wasnt alone. The Guardian was by my side. Are you sure? I asked. Yeah, I am. Dont look back. Several conditions had to be met to clear the twelfth floor safely. One was to get the cooperation of the Five Guilds leaders. And the second one was...to make the Sword Star not antagonize me. Solving the Sword Stars misunderstanding on the twelfth floor would be toote. I should do it before I climb the Tower. On myst try, I could feel the animosity between the Sword Star and the guild leaders viscerally. The moment he pointed his sword at me, he would trigger a fight with them. They were already at each others throats, but the traitor was like dropping a bomb at their feet. It was a fast track to destruction and disaster. Wow, marvelous. You probably wont find him even if you look. Gramps Marcus has a stealth Skill too. Okay. Just keep an eye on him and see if he continues to follow me. I was baiting the Sword Star. After learning his daily routine from the Guardian, I had used that knowledge to catch the Sword Stars attention. The Sword Star was now following me, abandoning his dinner at his usual outdoor restaurant. The Pdin, walking beside me, didnt know about that, of course. Mr. Kim. Where are we going? This alley only leads to a bit of a shady neighborhood... Theres a shop that I want to introduce you to. A shop? Yes. Its run by an obscure Chemist, but shes really good. Im sure shell be a hit once she makes herself known, but things arent too good for her right now because advertising herself isnt easy. You can take a look at her merchandise and help her if you also think shes good. The Pdin stared at me. I knew what she was doing. She activated her Lie Detector. Do you mean what you said? she asked. Of course. Why would I lie to you? I wasnt lying since I really was going to introduce her to the Chemists shop. Im only saying this out of concernare you up to anything suspicious? Im just seeking your help, Miss Pdin. Even if anything dangerous happens, its my life thatll be in danger, not yours. Trust me. Everything I said was true. The Pdin slowly nodded. Im sorry, she said with a small smile. I often hear Im too paranoid. Lets keep going. Okay. Another stage of my n has been cleared. We passed through the alley and safely arrived at the Chemists shop. The Chemist was carrying a heavy boxit looked like shed gotten a new machine for her shop. At first, she tilted her head in confusion at us when we approached, but she broke out into a bright smile when she recognized me. Ah! Sir! Are you closed for the day? Hahaha. Yes, I am, but the shop is always open for you, sir! Youre my first regr customer. The Chemist put down her box. Only a matter of days ago, her hair and clothes were in shambles; now she looked like apletely different woman. It seemed she had been to a salon and purchased new clothes, because she was the image of a proper shopkeeper. Phew. Oh, Im sorry. Shes...? Shes the Hunter who currently upies the role of the Watchmen Leagues assistant leader. Youve heard of her, right? Her title is Pdin. The Chemists lip quivered. ...The what? T-the W-watchmen Leagues assistant leader? Yup. Shes literally from another league! I guess this was a normal reaction for an ordinary Hunter. W-what brings you to my humble shop, assistant leader...? Hic! Is it for narcotics? Is this a narcotic raid? I-I never made any drugs! My shop is in a shady alley, but Ive never made any narcotics. I never made a gram of bad potions, either! I lived true to my morals and Ill continue to do so. Please dont close down my shop! The Chemist prostrated herself in front of the Pdin. This was not a normal reaction. The Pdin looked lost. ording to her Lie Detector, everything the Chemist said was true, so the Pdin was left wondering if the Chemist was a weirdo or a conscientious merchant. Now, now. Dont worry. I patted the Chemists shoulders. Im not here to tattle on you to the Watchmen League. I know how skilled you are and I know you have a heart of gold. Then... Your business isnt too good despite your skills. It always sat wrong with me, so Im here to introduce you to the assistant leader here. The Chemist looked up, ck-jawed. You mean you... I mean what I said. Why dont you give her some samples? Who knows? If she thinks its good, she might sign an exclusive contract for the Watchmen League. Itll make things a lot easier for you. The Chemist blinked. It seemed she needed a little time to process what I told her just now. She grabbed my hands. Y-youre an angel...! Im Gong-Ja, not an angel. You made a really big order right before I was about to sell my shop. A-and now youre bringing me more clients... Are you really an angel...? How do I repay you...? The eyes of the Chemist, who was going to one day be called the Master Alchemist, sparkled brightly. Just then, we heard new footsteps in the quiet alley. It was quite loud, so the Pdin, the Chemist, and I all turned to look. ...Everyone, leave me and that young man over there alone. An elderly man in a neat suit red coldly at me. It was the Sword Star, the senior gentleman who was yet to trust me. I would like to have a private conversation with him. Alright. Now it was time to fulfill the second condition. 1. A preta is a ghost from religions and mythology. Its hunger is said to be insatiable. ? Chapter 35: My Death (2)

Chapter 35: My Death (2)

Sword Star...? The Pdins brows furrowed. What business do you have here? She wouldnt have expected to meet the Sword Star in an alley like this. Unexpected meeting aside, the bloodlust that the Sword Star exuded made it very hard to think it was a coincidence. Do you have a hearing problem already, youngdy? the Sword Star, snapped, openly belligerent. I told you to move because I have a business with that young man over there. Your tongue is quite sharp. Why would you need to be alone with Mr. Kim Gong-Ja? Hmph. I dont care what his name is. The alley was instantly fraught with tension. The Pdins furrowed brows now sat above a pair of ring, vignt eyes. She was a highlypetent woman who was second-inmand of a major guild, so she had already noticed that his business with me was anything but pleasant. Get out of my way, the Sword Star said. Ive already told you three times. When something is not going to happen, it doesnt matter if you say it three or thirty times, Sword Star. Has your age made you forget the most simple truths of life? The Pdin slowly reached for her sword. Mr. Kim Gong-Ja joined all of the Five Guilds, which means that attacking him is a deration of war against all of the guilds. I dont know what youre trying to do here, but dont think that I, the Watchmen Leagues assistant leader, will just watch. Ha! The Sword Star sneered. I knew it. All of you are in on it together. ...Together? I really dont understand what youre trying to do here. The alley grew menacing. Ive already received several reports about your asional man hunts, Sword Star. The Watchmen League isnt free enough to interfere with your personal beliefs, but Im not about to let you do it right in front of me. Different? Ill stop you with my life. Do you think youre good enough to stop me? No. The Pdin red at the Sword Star, unfazed. Ill fight you with all my might and Ill die. When I do, youll be the scumbag who butchered an innocent woman. Feel free toe at me if thats how you want to spend the rest of your life. Im sure you dont have much time left anyway. Ill make sure to turn the whole thing into a nightmare. The Sword Stars wrinkled face was scrunched up. The sun was rapidly setting over the alley. It was already evening. In the far distance, we could hear the sound of pedestrians passing by, but no one except us entered the alley to interrupt the Sword Star and the Pdins confrontation. Yes, I brought the Pdin to create this situation. The Sword Star is weak to the innocent. And the Pdin was probably the only innocent person among the Five Guilds leaders. In thest try, when the Sword Star had tried to kill me in the twelfth stage, the Pdin had volunteered to mediate between him and me. He had readily epted her offer with a mysterious remark. ...Miss Pdin, youre the only person here who hasnt killed any humans, the Sword Star mused. Okay, Ill trust you on this, too. It sounded like an off-handment, but I didnt miss the deeper meaning. It means the Pdins kill count is zero. Even if the Sword Star had violent principlesno, it was those extreme principles of his that made the Pdin a good person in his eyes. The Sword Star wont be able to harm the Pdin. They were a goodbination, really. To those who were evil, the Sword Star was a fearsome executioner, but he was merely a harmless old man to good people. Besides, it isnt just the Pdin. The Chemist stood between me and the Sword Star. She had been frozen stiff due to the Pdin and Sword Stars arrival, but she finally worked up the courage to step between me and the Sword Star. E-excuse me! The Chemist was so nervous that her teeth ttered as she went on. She opened and closed her mouth, but her arms were spread wide. I have no idea what is going on... but this c-customer! Is my savior! The Chemist was going to be the Master Alchemist, who would be the leader of the Alchemist Office and had a tremendously sessful career in her futurebut that wasnt her right now. Right now she was trying to muster every scrap of courage she could get. Babylon doesnt havews like the outside world, but...its only natural to protect my customers... I wont let anyone hurt my customer, even you, Sword Star! I-I already have enough problems because of some roughhousing gangsters! Im sorry, but Im officially asking you to leave the premises! the Chemist yelled. If she were to fight the Sword Star directly, she would lose her head in less than a second. Yet... instead, his hostility weakened for the same reason as before. The Saintess, the Pdin, and the Master Alchemistthey would be known for their kindness in the future. When the Fire Emperor burned down the slum, the Pdin and Alchemist were the first ones to arrive at the site. Kind people always sacrificed a little more and dealt with a little more stress than other people, so many people treated them as pushovers. However, they were the only kind of people who could stop the Sword Star. No one else could do it. What are you going to do? the Pdin asked. Im more than willing to y along if you want to make your life miserable. The Sword Star was at a lossbut supposing that my spection was right, the result was already decided. After a long, tense moment, he took his hand off of his sword. ...I suppose today is not the day. The Sword Stars bloodlust subsided. Even as he slowly turned back, he continued to re at me. Pray you dont run into me again. If it wasnt for Miss Pdin and the shopkeeper over there, your head would already be rolling. Good. The second condition was now met. Unlikest time, where he had attacked me as soon as he had seen me, I would be able to briefly talk to him before he would try to kill me again. A brief moment was all I needed. Mr. Sword Star! I shouted before he turned his back on me. Ill wait for you in the vacant lot north of the city at noon tomorrow! Its okay even if you choose not toe. Ill wait for you alone. I mean it! Pleasee at noon tomorrow if you want to know what kind of person I am! The Sword Star turned his head just enough to re at me. His blue eyes peered at me, but he did nothing else. The Sword Star quietly left the alley without giving me an answer. Only when his footsteps hadpletely faded away did the Pdin finally heave a sigh of relief. Phew! That was a close call. I didnt expect to run into a homicidal tyrant. ...Is that what people think of the Sword Star? The Pdin shook her head. It isnt a well-known fact, but the Five Guild leaders, at least, are very familiar. When he was in the outside world, he lost his daughter to a murderer. I dont really know the details because he isnt really the type to talk about himself. Regardless, it seems to have made him merciless and cruel to murderers. But, well, the Five Guilds and I are basically overlooking the matter due to ack of evidence... Hmm, Im sure you already know this, but this stays between us. Yeah, Gramps Marcus told me about it. A serial killer murdered his daughter and son-inw. Only his two grandchildren survived, the Guardian interrupted. Why did you wait this long to tell me that? I asked in disbelief. Huh? What are you talking about? You didnt ask me, the Guardian shamelessly answered. Yeah, that was the kind of person he was. Well, I can understand how he feels. The Pdin looked around with a bitter expression. Despite the evening glow, the shabby alley in the citys poorest neighborhood was shrouded in shadows. My time at the Watchmen Leagues given me a fair number of encounters with criminals. When I talk to them, I often wonder if its truly okay to leave people like them alive. Even I sometimes have the urge to kill the ones who deserve it, the Pdin mused. All of the major guilds leaders have stories of their own, Mr. Kim. Since youre working with us now, Im sure youll eventually hear them, but... some of them are so rotten that it reeks. I wonder how youll react... Hmm. The Pdin shook her head. Maybe she thought that she had said too much to people outside her guild. I got sidetracked. She purposefully made her voice brighter. So how much does a potion cost here? The Watchmen Leagues budget is always tight, so if its too expensive... *** The next day, I stood in the vacant lot, looking at my smartphone. People barely passed by this ce on a usual day, but not a single person could be seen today. It was only natural because the Hunters were having a festival in the za, simr to myst try. But some things changed. I read the articles being published on my smartphone. Breaking News! The eleventh floor is a group battle. All of the ck Dragon Guilds executives have been summoned. In the middle of the festival, the major guilds are urgently forming Hunter Raid Teams... An exclusive Interview with the Inquisitor! Get into a team if you want to clear the eleventh floor. Is this another collusion by the major guilds? The source of information remains a mystery... Yes, the world was a little different. I was the one who changed it, and it was going to change a little more. The Sword Star slowly walked across the lot toward me. His ck suit made the sky behind him look especially blue today. I heard distant cheersing from the city. The glowing countdown hung in the sky. [00:01:31] The Sword Star put the sky, the cheers, the countdown, and everything else behind him as he approached. You actually came alone. Are you confident that you can handle me on your own? Well, I guess its only natural for an assassin with a body count like yours to have confidence in his skills. I found the look in his eyes quite unfamiliar. It waspletely different from thest try where those eyes had held recognition and trust. Both emotions were nowhere to be found right nowinstead, they were reced by distrust and hostility. This time, he looked at a killer. Zombie, are you okay? Yeah, Im fine, I answered. My heart just ached a little. I got myself together. Mr. Sword Star. Theres something I would like to talk to you about. Go on. Ill listen to yourst words. I know why youre trying to kill me. The Sword Stars mouth curled into a smirk. I see. You know your crime, dont you. Its because of your Skill, Detective Eyes. The Sword Star stiffened. How in the world did you know that...? I really need you to trust what Im about to tell you, I said. I knew how difficult it was to gain someones trust. Everyone was stubborn in their own ways. The Sword Stars stubbornness came from his Skill Detective Eyes, the Skill that showed him peoples kill counts. He just ignored the fact that the Skill might be wrong and could lead him awry. That was how the senior gentleman had been living until now. That was why I called it stubbornnessstubbornness couldnt be separated from the stubborn persons life because they were inextricably linked together. The moment that person gave up on their beliefs was the day they gave up on life. Thats the type of person I have to persuade. I had to make him abandon everything hed done in life. On top of that, I had to make him trust me. Again, how difficult was this? But... I can do it. I clenched my fists. I can put my life on the line too. Mr. Sword Star, I said, Im a irvoyant. What? I have a Skill that allows me to see the future. Thats how I know about your Detective Eyes. Youre going to kill me. Before you do it, I ask you why I should die and you tell me about your Detective Eyes. ording to the Skill, I have the number 4093 above my head. It was a little lie, but I had to do it to persuade the Sword Star. I could only safely clear the twelfth floor if he was convinced that I could see the future. [00:00:00] The countdown in the sky reached zero. Fireworks went off in the distance, and people loudly celebrated the beginning of a new era. The Sword Star and I were the only ones who stayed away from the festival. After a while of staring silently at me, the Sword Star said, ...Guess. Guess what? My left hand is behind my back. Guess how many fingers Im holding up. If youre a irvoyant, you wont have trouble figuring out the answer. Okay. So this was how he was going to react. Id expected something like this. If you give me an incorrect answer, Ill assume that you dared to pull a wool over my... The Sword Star was probably prepared for any possible way I could attack. An ambush, an item, a Skill... He would have stopped any kind of attack with ease, but he wouldnt have expected this: before the Sword Star finished speaking, I pulled out my dagger. He immediately noticed it and took a defensive stance. Then I stabbed myself in the neck. What? The Sword Stars eyes widened. He had been prepared for an attack against him, not me stabbing myself in the neck. I could kill myself thanks to his tiny oversight. [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] It was all I needed. I restarted the day. After climbing down the hill where the Infernal Mansion was, I met the Five Guild leaders and yed poker. I won. A littleter, I asked the Pdin to join me and headed to the Chemists shop. In that alley, I ran into the Sword Star, and the Pdin and Chemist stood up for me. The Sword Star stood down, and I shouted at him to meet tomorrow at noon. [00:00:00] And here I was. Just like yesterday, the Sword Star said, ...Guess. The test was the same as thest one, but my reaction was different this time. Instead of parroting him like a fool, I said, Youre going to hide your left hand behind your back. Youll hold up your fingers and ask me to guess how many they are. Youll say that if Im a real irvoyant, Ill figure it out with ease. The Sword Star stiffened. Mr. Sword Star, please trust me. I do have a Skill that helps me act like a irvoyant. Its easy to kill me here, but its impossible to safely clear the twelfth stage if you kill me. Many people will die. ...Wait. Hold on, the Sword Star said. This isnt enough evidence. You might have X-Ray Vision or a mind-reading Skill. Theres no guarantee that youre a irvoyant... Yeah, one time wouldnt be enough. I expected that. [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] It wasnt easy to persuade someone, especially if they were an old man at the top of his field. That isnt enough evidence. You might have You think that I might have X-Ray Vision or a mind-reading Skill, not irvoyance. Theres no guarantee that Im actually a irvoyant. But it was okay. He could test me all he wanted. [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] Doubt me as much as you need to. [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] It didnt matter if it took a week or fifteen days. [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] I was confident that I could persuade him. My death made my time longer than his life. The Sword Star pursed his lip after all his doubts had been quelled. Please trust me, Mr. Sword Star. You cant kill me here. Otherwise, there will be many casualties on the twelfth stage. Im speaking the truth. Im not trying to tell you that Im innocent or asking you to spare me forever. ...Then what do you want? Give me five days. I held up my fingers. Dont kill me for the next five days. Keep an eye on me and see for yourself if I really deserve to die. The Sword Star was silent, but there was no need to take my dagger and stab myself again. I knew he was still torn. He needed something to push him over that final hurdle, and I knew exactly what that was. You still cant trust me. Later, though, youre going to tell me a name that will instantly make you believe me. ...What is it? Sword Emperor. The Sword Stars eyes widened. I dont know who that is, but you said it would make you trust me. Silence arrived at the vacant lot, although we could still hear people cheering in the city, and I saw a glimpse of the goddess descending and giving a speech. When she vanished, the Sword Star finally broke his silence. Did you say five days, young man? Yes, five days. Fine. The Sword Star looked into my eyes. For the next five days, Im going to follow you around. Im going to keep an eye on your every word and action. Then Ill decide if you really deserve to die or if you approached me because youre a true irvoyant. Satisfied? This was good. ...Yes, it will. I bowed. Im deeply grateful for this. Id met all the conditions: The first was to exact a promise from the Five Guilds leaders. The second condition was to stop the Sword Star from killing me as soon as he saw me. Lastly, I had to make the Sword Star trust me, even if it was just temporary. Finally. The guild leaders and Sword Star werent going to fight even on the twelfth floor. They wouldnt doubt each other and end up killing innocent Hunters unnecessarily. See you on the next floor, Mr. Sword Star, I said, trying not to choke up. The Sword Star was looking at me, his eyes filled with mixed emotions. I couldnt care about that right now because I had a job to do. I closed my eyes. Send me. White light enveloped me. Feeling my pounding heart, I thought, All I have to do now is to hunt the Demon King. Just wait, Demon King. The world changed. Now it was going to change a little more. Chapter 36: My Death (3)

Chapter 36: My Death (3)

The white light faded. When I opened my eyes, I found myself back on the battlefield. My eyes quicklynded on a familiar sight. Monsters howled and human soldiers bled as they fought against the monsters. A legion of monsters threw themselves at the harbors defenses. It was the eleventh-floor stage, also known as Defend the Supply Line. The soldiers were in their first battle to protect the Aegim Empire. My, my! Youre here to save the empire! Thank you, heroes! Sarbas Aegim, the NPC general, came out to wee me and the Hunters, the same as thest try. He was wearing the same armor, had the same look on his face, and said the same line. Heroes! Please help me and the army and save the empire! That was all that stayed the same. The Hunters organized response to the general waspletely new. ck Dragons, assemble! a cold, piercing voice ordered. The ck Witch, the leader of the ck Dragon Guild, just like she had in a battle which now only I remembered, used her aura tomand her guild. Something about her voice captivated people. The ck Dragon Guild will takemand of this battle! the ck Witch boldly dered. OJP Sect and the Watchmen League! Take the left! The Pantheon and MA will take the right! My ck Dragons will handle the middle. Break through their lines! If anyone has a problem with my orders, speak after the battle is over! If you have time to talk, you have time to kill another orc! The world had changed. Those words were the evidence. No Hunters zoned out like thest try, having been forewarned that the eleventh floor was going to be a battle. Kids, keep up! If anyone dies before me, Im going to kill them! The Vipers OJP Sect. What nonsense is he... No, no. Everyone, support the OJP Sect! We have to stop those boars from getting stranded! The Pdins Watchmen League. Hahaha! Anyone who goes rogue gets an immediate execution! Do not step away from your team! The Inquisitors Pantheon. Everyone is quite energetic. But the MA will take it slow and not go out of our way too much. Just back them up. The Countesss MA. The guilds created a perfect defense and stayed true to their roles, allowing them to break the monsters advance. Fighters stood in the front line wielding their weapons while supporters chanted magic spells from the rear. It was like a raging river washing the monsters away. Ohhh...! The general rejoiced at the sight in front of him. The goddess hasnt forsaken the empire yet! Look! Heroes from a different world are valiantly fending off the monsters! But we shouldnt leave everything to them! Soldiers of the Aegim Empire, follow me! The general and soldiers charged into battle with a loud cry. I watched everything from a step away. Yes, all it took was a little lie. My small changes and secretive moves were enough to create apletely different approach to the eleventh stage. Zombie, are you alright? the Guardian quietly asked. Huh? What do you mean? Wont you get less attention if you do it like this? The Guardians brows furrowed. Youre the worlds biggest attention seeker. You love it. Well, youre right. I shrugged. But this isnt bad either. Huh? Haha, you mustve matured a little. Not really... Im still going to milk it for all its worth. I felt eyes on my back. I turned around and found the Sword Star watching me. Uh... What are you doing over there, sir...? Im watching you, the Sword Star answered, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. I told you that Im going to watch you for the next five days and then Ill decide if Ill kill you or not. Thats why Im watching you. ...Uhh... Umm... Are you really going to watch me 24/7 for the next five days? What a strange question. Of course I will. What? Did that mean that I was going to have a stalker? You should kill some monsters too, sir! The reward will be given in the order of the highest contribution in this battle! The Sword Star looked away and flicked his sword. A blue streak of aura cleaved through over twenty goblins. They lost their heads before they could even scream. The Sword Star nonchntly looked back at me as flowers of blood bloomed on the battlefield. Ill wield my sword every now and then, so dont worry. Dont mind me, just do your job. He was indeed a master swordsman in a different league from me. Phew. I shook my head and headed over to the ck Witch. The ck Dragon Guild members stopped me. When they saw the Sword Star behind me, they tensed. The ck Witch saw we wereing and gestured at her people to let us through. What is it, Mr. Kim Gong-Ja...? Her eyes narrowed. And youre here too, old man, she noted, obviously annoyed. Things are hectic for me because Im leading the guilds. I would appreciate it if you state your business within thirty seconds. I dont really have business with you, the Sword Star answered indifferently. I just followed this young man. What? What is that supposed to mean No, forget it. Im not interested! I dont have time to listen to you, so please leave if it isnt important, she snapped. Ah, hey! Team 4! Hold your position! Dont stand in front of everyone like idiots! Hold it with your life unless you want to end up with a spear up your ass! Team 12! What are you doing? Do you think were here to take a stroll? Hunt properly! I-Im sorry, ck Dragon Master! If you have time to apologize, then swing your sword again! She really looked busy, so I quickly got to business. ck Dragon Master, I have the reward for clearing the tenth floor. Im sure you do. So what? I have a mini-map of the battlefield. Enemies and allies show up as dots, so I know where theirmander is. The ck Dragon finally turned and looked straight into my eyes. Are you serious? Why would I bother lying? Its the truth. Then what in the world have you been doing? You should havee to me sooner! The ck Witch grabbed my right hand. Tell me! Where is the boss monster! It looked like she tended to show her true nature when she was busy. Over there. I pointed in the direction the mini-map showed me. I cant really see it because its surrounded by monsters, but its over Say I agree to be the subject of your Skill. Come on! Um, I agree to be the subject of the ck Dragon Masters Skill. Teleport! After a moment, the ck Witch and I were high above the battlefield. We were falling out of the sky. The monsters were fighting against the human army way down below. Where?! the ck Witch shouted, her hair whipping around her. Over there! I screamed over the wind. Where Im pointing! Teleport! Each time she said the word, we closed in on the boss monster. I hugged the ck Witch a little tighter. It didnt mean anything, I just thought that I might fall from the sky if I only held onto her hand. It looked like she understood, because she didnt say anything or try to shake me off. How confident are you with that sword? she asked, still frowning. Im good enough to kill the boss monster! Then Ill teleport you right above it! One strike! Got that?! Yeah, yeah! I knew exactly what she was thinking. Teleport! After thest teleport, we were now directly above the boss monster. Just ten meters below, the Goblin King was quacking at the monsters around it. With the splendid golden staff it held, it looked like it wasmanding its army in its own way. Mr. Kim! That was my signal. I enveloped myself with aura and let out a shout. The Goblin King heard our voices and looked up, tilting its head in confusion. Gorr? The Goblin King saw me, but it was toote. My sword cut right through the top of the Goblin Kings head and split it clean in two. Despite being a boss monster, it couldnt even put up a fight. It just looked at me angrily until the lights went out. Well, I had technically killed it twice, so I guess it was a little unfair. The monsters, abruptly bereft of a leader, blinked dumbly at me. Everything happened so fast that they were still processing it. Why? I grinned and nted my feet on the Goblin Kings body. Do you guys want to end up in two pieces too? Btedly, the monsters screamed. Low-level monsters like goblins and orcs scattered in panic. It started with one monster, but it soon became six. Six quickly turned into thirty. Like a line of falling dominoes, monsters in all directions started running away. Yes! The ck Witch clenched her small fists. Great job, Mr. Kim! Oh my god! We cleared the stage in less than an hour! I think less than fifty Hunters are dead. Maybe even less than thirty... Ahhh! I couldnt ask for a better result! The ck Witch was so worked up. I had never seen her like this. She had been expressionless in thest try... Was it because quite a lot of Hunters had died in the chaos? And she was now happy because of the low casualties? Shes simpler than I expected. Her sadness and happiness depended on the number of casualties. I smiled. Now, now. I think you got too excited. You should calm down. If this isnt the right time to be excited, then when is!? Let me say it again: youve done an excellent job, Mr. Kim! This is the lowest casualties ever since we started clearing the Tower. You should be proud! The ck Witch beamed. It wasnt like a thin smile like when she delivered her speech up on the rampartsthis was genuine, downright glowing happiness. Im sure it was tempting to keep the tenth-floor stages reward all to yourself. Really...Im d that the new hero is a person like you. What a relief. Brace yourself! All eyes in the Towers media are going to be on you starting today! The ck Witchs eyes were filled with pure goodwill as she held out her hand for a handshake. Yeah. Thats right, I thought, grabbing her hand. Im... happy to receive attention from ordinary people. It feels really good to have those people believe Im the best and their hero. Their envy, jealousy... Everything about it feels awesome. But it isnt as good as earning these peoples recognition. The Sword Star had achieved dominance by merit of his swordsmanship alone, and the ck Witch was leading the biggest faction in the world of the Tower. Aside from them, countless people in the Tower diligently led their lives. I couldnt say that they made the best of their lives, but they certainly tried their best. I... I held her hand tightly. I want to live a life where I can earn their recognition. My goals didnt stop there. I want to protect these people. They had been working so hard. I wanted to stop the Demon King from toying with them. The Fire Emperor had insulted their efforts. Some mocked them. There were those who tried to undermine their efforts with nasty schemes. I didnt want any of that. I purely wished to acknowledge their hard work and earn their recognitionno, their respect. It might be an impossible dream. But that is how I want to live. I wanted to change, just as the world had changed ever so slightly. That was my deepest desire. Watching you grow is quite a sight, the Guardian murmured. Before long, the announcement of clearing the eleventh stage was made. Huge letters floated up in the sky. Quest Completion Contribution List: First ce: Kim Gong-Ja Second ce: ck Witch Third ce: Inquisitor Fourth ce: Viper Fifth ce: Pdin Sixth ce: Countess Seventh ce: Sword Star. ... As the world had changed, the ranking was slightly different. The Sword Star took a significant hit and was now in seventh ce down from second. However, the former sixth ce, the ck Witch, rose high and took second ce. [The top ten champions will enter the twelfth floor first.] [The remaining champions cannot enter the twelfth floor until the top ten champions receive their rewards.] [Announcement.] And now the twelfth floor, the start of all tragedies, opened. If we can keep this up, well be able to clear the twentieth floor in no time, the ck Witch said, her cheeks slightly rosy. I thought wed have to sacrifice at least five thousand people... Were off to a good start. A really good one. No, we were going to pay a dear price on the twelfth floor unless something changed. We would lose the Countess, the MAs leader and our critical link for trading with the outside world. If that channel was severed, the Towers economy would instantly copse. It would be anarchy. Then it wouldnt just be five thousandfive hundred thousand people could die. So Ill carry everyones weight. A bright light enveloped us. *** When I opened my eyes again, I found myself back in the imperial audience chamber. The sparkling white marble floor was still unstained by blood. Whoa! Hmmm. Hunters were summoned one after another. They regarded me with various expressions. Some smiled at me like they expected me to be here; I also saw Hunters who looked angry that Id taken first ce again. It was just like thest try. Mr. Kim Gong-Ja! The Inquisitor came running over, singing praises again. You were amazing! I didnt expect you to work with the ck Dragon Master like that! Haha. Did you find the boss monster with thest stages reward? Im guessing Im Unlike thest try, I raised my hand to stop the Inquisitor. Hold on. The Inquisitor tilted his head in confusion. Pardon? Theres something I need to talk to you about first. All eyes were on me. Each person thought something different. While The ck Witchs cheeks were still slightly rosy, the Vipers brows were furrowed. The Pdin looked nonchnt, and the Countess fanned herself... What about the Sword Star? I immediately turned to check. He was quietly standing alone in the corner of the audience chamber. Although I met his eyes, he didnt show any reaction; he simply looked at me with his arms crossed. It was very different from how he had drawn his sword on me as soon as he had seen mest time. It worked! Its okay now! The frustrating fight that had broken out shortly after the Hunters arrival on the twelfth floor was now gone. I had erased the possibility and sessfully stopped the Hunters from antagonizing each other, even if it was temporary. There was something I asked from all of you yesterday, I said, my heart pounding. Yesterday? the Inquisitor repeated. Im talking about the favor. I asked all of you to do me a favor no matter what when I asked. Ah, yes! Of course, I remember! The Hunters ears perked up. Id like to call in that favor right now. I slowly looked around at them. For the next five days, please stay here and dont do anything. If you do that... I took a deep breath before I continued. Within those five days, Ill clear up to the twentieth floor. Chapter 37: The Heros Title (1)

Chapter 37: The Hero''s Title (1)

[Greetings to the warriors who climb the Tower.] Hunters energetically counted down in the za. A goddess descended from the sky and spoke with the solemnity of a prayer. [While climbing up the Tower, your faith will be tested from the eleventh to the twentieth floor.] None of the Hunters paid any attention to the goddessa new era and a new stage wereing. The Hunters were so excited to finally see the stage that theyd been waiting for for so long that their minds were fully upied by the eleventh floor. One Hunter actually tested if he could kill the goddess with his sword. [...You will find your answers. The answers you find will tell you who you are.] [That is how you will learn about yourselves...] [Those of you who climb the Tower, may luck be with you.] But I didnt leave the za. Instead, I chose to stay and listen to the goddess prayer until the end. When I arrived at the twelfth floor again, I recalled what I had heard in the za on myst try. Now that I thought about it, we had already received a hint about what would happen on the twelfth floor. What we needed to think about wasnt what reward we were going to choose, nor who was most suspicious. The Tower had already given us a hint. The only thing that mattered was the answer we found. With a nod, I gave my answer. Ill clear up to the twentieth floor within five days. *** The ck Witch was the first one to break the silence in the audience chamber. Wait a minute. Five days...? The ck Witch looked confused. Did I hear you correctly? I think I just heard you saying that youd clear the twentieth floor in five days. If that was a joke, it wasnt funny. No, you heard me correctly. Im not joking either. The ck Witch went silent and the audience began to buzz. The Hunters faces disyed with dumbfoundedness and disbelief. Some clearly werent sure how to respond. Its natural to react like that. My deration was just in nonsensical, but I stood strong under their gazes. ...Thats impossible, Mr. Kim, the ck Witch said after a moment. You know that it took us years to clear the tenth floor. Of course, Im sure youre feeling confident since you cleared the eleventh floor in less than an hour... but youre reaching too far. Are you sure youre thinking clearly? ck Dragon Master. I bowed. Please let me do this. Although I cleared the tenth floor, I didnt do it for all of you. I did it because I wanted to, but I shared everything I received for clearing the tenth floor. I had warned them that the eleventh floor would be a battle. I also told them about my mini-map, which showed the location of the boss monster. The information I provided allowed the guilds to minimize their damages, which was why I could speak with confidence. ...Everyone benefited from what I shared. Im entitled to make this request to you. Im not asking you to wait for me until I clear the twentieth floor. I only need five days. It doesnt matter if I seed or fail to clear the twentieth floor. Just wait for five days. This is my request. The audience chamber was silent, but I didnt feel like the silence was against me. [Wee, Hunter Kim Gong-Ja.] [You are the Rank 1 champion of the eleventh floor.] [The reward for clearing the eleventh floor will be given.] Maybe that was why I heard the voice a lot sooner than before. During thest try, it had taken a very long time and I had only gotten to choose my reward after the Sword Star had raised hell. In contrast, now I was allowed to choose my reward as soon as I began talking. Alright. It was like someone was in a hurry to catch my attention. [The Goddess of Protection offers you a reward.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rain offers you a reward.] I didnt choose any reward. I just suppressed my smile. Are you getting anxious because we arent fighting, Demon King? The system windows showed me the goddess'' and Demon Kings rewards. I gave them a nce, but that was all they were going to get from me. [The Demon King of Autumn Rain rmends you to choose a reward.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rain hints that it could give you no reward at all.] I heard the voice prompt me several times, and it didnt look like it was going to stop any time soon. Still, I was adamant. I didnt care how many times the Demon King urged me. I ignored everything that both the goddess and the Demon King offered me. [The Demon King of Autumn Rain is confused.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rain doesnt understand your choice.] Its okay. Dont get anxious. Keep wondering whats happening. Then Ille for you. It was still silent in the audience chamber. The Inquisitor looked around and burst intoughterit looked like hed decided to speak first. The problem is simple! Mr. Kim Gong-Ja shared information that was essential to clearing the eleventh floor. In exchange, he asked us to do him a favor, and we promised wed give him it unless it was impossible! The Inquisitor grinned. Waiting here for five days without doing anything isnt an easy request, considering how the media will be hounding us the whole time... But its certainly not impossible! So I say yes! Its not impossible, but... The ck Witch trailed off. A promise is a promise, ck Dragon Master! The ck Witchs face darkened slightly. After opening and closing her mouth several times, she heaved a sigh. Yes, a promise is a promise. That was basically a yes. Those two were the most sophisticated and most psychotic Hunters here, respectively. And with their agreement, the other Hunters agreed to my request one after another. Even the Hunters who werent guild leaders were dragged along and promised me five days of silence. I had everyones agreement except for the most geezer Hunter in this ce. The Sword Star scoffed. I never gave you such a promise. The promise you and I had is to keep an eye on you for the next five days. I have no reason to give you any favor other than that. If youre going to leave to clear the twentieth floor, Ill follow you, ording to our promise. I nodded. I understand. Its okay. I was going to go up against the Demon King on my own from now on. Even though I was confident that I could win on my own... I would basically have a reinforcement of a thousand people with the Sword Star behind me. I didnt need to bother stopping him from following me. Thank you for doing this, everyone. I looked around the audience chamber and then slowly walked away. See you in five days. I opened the audience chambers door and headed out. Outside the gate was the empires expansive pce, tucked inside high walls. When I passed all the walls, I arrived at the streets of the Aegim Empires capital city. I had already seen everything on thest try, but something was different. Huh? None of the NPCs are moving. The Guardian looked around as he walked by my side. He was right. Every single NPC from the pce to the city was like that. A knight was supposed to be guarding the pce, but he wasnt; a merchant stopped selling fruits on the streets; a bored-looking guard on patrol was frozen mid-yawn. Its because the quest hasnt begun. Time was paused right now. I walked across the frozen street, the Sword Star following me from afar. The quest? Yeah, no one has chosen a role. There was no prime minister or imperial knightmander in the empire, despite the fact that they were essential figures. Hunters were supposed to fill those roles as part of the quests on the twelfth through the twentieth floors. The quest was given as soon as we entered the eleventh stage. Thats probably the normal timingthen it took a very long time on the twelfth floor. That isnt normal. I had received the quest only after the Hunters had chosen their roles. Which means that the quest wont start unless we choose roles. In other words, the Demon Kings legion wont start their invasion, and theres nothing for the empires army to fight. That was why the NPCs were on pauseand it would stay that way. The situation isnt going to change as long as we dont choose roles. The top ten champions choosing their roles was the trigger to start the quest. And you know what, Mr. Sword Emperor? I asked as I crossed the street. Each pedestrian was frozen up in a different posture, so I had to carefully pick my way through them. It was like walking in abyrinth made from humans. Even then, I continued to hear the voice. [The Demon King of Autumn Rain rmends you to choose a reward.] I ignored it. [The Demon King of Autumn Rain rmends you to give up your right if you arent going to choose a reward.] [If so, the right to choose between the rewards will be transferred to the next rank champion.] I continued to ignore the voice and walked on. [The Demon King of Autumn Rain urges you to make a choice!] Finally, I was out of the city and saw a in spread out in front of me. What do you think will happen if the Demon King dies when the whole world is on pause? I asked the Guardian. What? I could see a single red dot flickering on the translucent mini-map given to me through the God of Wars blessing. No monsters had been summoned yet, so the red dot could only be one thing: the Demon King. What do you think will happen if a boss monster dies before the quest even begins? Its simple: no one will get to choose the Demon Kings reward, hence no traitor. The Demon King will be eliminated before it can start scheming. I traveled across the in headed straight for the red dot. It didnt take long to get there. I would meet the boss monster shortly. [The Demon King of Autumn Rain is angry at you!] Finally realizing my intentions, the voice in my head began to harbor different emotions. [The Demon King of Autumn Rain has appeared!] The dark sky undted and a dark hole opened that dripped with thick, foul fluid. It started as a trickle, and then a stream, which soon blobbed into a distinct mass. Follow the proper order, hero of the goddess. How insolent of you toe here without making any choice. Only those who received a post in the empire have the right to take me on. The Demon King was furious. What nonsense are you talking about? I touched my sword. I made a choice. What...? See? This is the best choice. The quest hadnt begun, so the capital wasnt being invaded by the Demon King. No one had died in this world. Demon King, Ill kill you before the quest starts. Then no Hunter nor a single person from the empire will die. There wont be any traitors, either. See? Its a happy ending without any tragedy. I grinned. I always hated bad endings; I prefer a happy ending. Maybe its just my personality. But I cant see one happening because you just wont get your freaking nose out of the empire. Im sorry, but please die. You... youre going to stop me on your own, without the empires help?! The Demon Kings body fluids roiled. Yeah. I drew my sword and pointed it right at the Demon King. Who needs help? My sword was going to be the ticking minute hand of this timeless world. Heroes are supposed to fight alone. The eternal five days began. Chapter 38: The Heros Title (2)

Chapter 38: The Hero''s Title (2)

It opened its eyes on a rainy day. It didnt have a form or a namejust calling it a shadow would be fitting. When the shadow opened its eyes on a rainy day, it saw its first creature. Croak. At first, it didnt understand what the creature was. It didnt know many things, but it could hear sounds... The sound of rain and croaking was all around it. The rain carried a sweet scent. It instinctively crawled toward the creature in front of it like a snake, although it didnt even know what a snake was. The creature, which also carried a sweet scent, was unaware that something was approaching. It just looked up at the rain and croaked. The shadow opened its mouth and devoured the cute croaking creature. Croak! The shadow didnt have teeth, so the creature wasnt ripped apart. It just slowly melted in the shadows stomach. The rain continued. By the time the creature was mush inside the shadows stomach, the shadow realized that it now had front and hind legs. It was stepping on the ground, and the area it couldnt reach was the sky. The rain connected the sky and the ground. The world became a little clearer in its eyes. Feeling alive, it gasped at the sensation of raindrops hitting on its slimy, green skin. Croak. It opened its mouth and made a noise of happiness. Croak. It rained. The shadow wanted to live a little longer. *** The fight ended with one strike at first. I couldnt even see it attack even though I had drunk the elixir that stretched time. I squeezed one second for all it was worth, but the Demon Kings attack was still faster than that. [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] After I went back a day, I used a ck marker to draw a line. The lines would help me remember how many days passed, even in the far future, like a prisoner tracking the number of days that had passed since he was deprived of his freedom. Yes, it was a prisonthe prison of time. Zombie, its swordsmanship itself isnt remarkable, the Guardian told me. Its attack is closer toshing out with everything it has. Thats still scary because you can smash almost anything with enough power, but... But I can dodge if I know which direction the attack ising from. I nodded. Exactly. What would happen if I approached the quest in a conventional way? How many soldiers had died in the battle during thest try? Every soldier that died was someone who would have had at least another twenty years in front of them. Twenty years were gone with each death. Two hundred years with ten deaths. Two thousand years for a hundred deaths. I wanted to save that time from fading away, so I didnt choose a role. Instead, I simply stood in front of the Demon King with my sword in my hand. [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] If that was what I wanted, I should be ready to incarcerate myself in this eternity. But the problem is whether or not youre capable of dodging it even if you can tell which direction an attack ising from. You puny zombie! Ah, be quiet. Hehehe. [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] When I went back a day, I repeated the day as I reflected on the previous fight. Youre still clumsy with your aura. Thats the problem. All you have to do is focus your aura into your feet to dodge the attack. I cant maintain my form if I try to move with my aura focused on my feet. So you need to bnce it. Use aura in your thighs, waist, and shoulders too. Thats easier said than done... [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] You can die if you dont want to do it. The Guardian cackled. Fuck. Day after day passed. Follow the proper order, hero of the goddess. How insolent of you toe here without making any choice. Only those who received a post I had listened to the Demon Kings furious voice too many times already. Bottoms up. What? I was starting to get sick of this Q&A session, so I chugged my elixir without further ado. As I felt time slowing down, I charged the Demon King and swung my sword. Unfortunately, the Demon King blocked my attack with ease. You... The hero ys the Demon King. [You have died.] The Demon King ys the hero. [You have died.] What more do I need to say about this? Come, Demon King. [You have died.] Im the empires sword. Fine! The Demon King scoffed. [You have died.] Then prove it to me! [You have died.] Prove your resolve! [You have died.] Yeah, Ill show you. [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] In this frozen world, my sword was the only proof of the flow of timethe ticking hand of the clock. Each second my sword could fend off the Demon King was one more second this world continued to exist. I was merely a sword who lived for one second, but the worlds life depended on that singr second. Just as a flood starts from a single drop of water, I would stretch one second into an eternity. I continued to live my life. Great job, Mr. Kim! A day passed. Unbelievable! We cleared the stage in less than an hour! Another day passed. I think less than forty Hunters are dead! Maybe even less than that... Ahhh! I couldnt ask for a better result! Whenever I got to the eleventh stage, I always grabbed the ck Dragons hand and teleported together to kill the boss monster. It was now part of my daily repeat routine. Then I challenged the Demon King, lived and died a day. At some point, the eleventh floorincluding the ck Witchbegan to change. Excellent job, Mr. Kim! Oh my god! We cleared the stage in less than fifty minutes! Your advice was genius! I found that private named Tomund from the shield unit and worked with him to reinforce the defenses on the right. And it worked great! Im sure less than thirty Hunters are dead! The change was small at first, but it was solid. We did it in less than forty minutes! I think less than twenty Hunters are dead! I made changes to make the day quicker, more efficient, and more lethal to my enemies. Every time I repeated the day, the ck Witchs face and voice got brighter. Yesterday, she had smiled because only around twenty people had died. She looked happier than she had been a year ago when there were less than fifty casualties from the Hunters. Ah... I lived through a day. Impossible... Great job, Mr. Kim! I just followed your advice on treating that knight named Jeshua and asked him to deal with the golem, and it worked perfectly... Ahhh. Maybe less than ten people are dead... I didnt think thatd be possible in a battle like this. I didnt know... I lived through a day. What is wrong with you? the Demon King asked one day. What? Why are you smiling? Im happy. My heart pounded. Im smiling because Im happy. Youre about to die, so how can you be happy? The Demon King brandished its sword. You wont understand me. No one would. Youre arrogant, hero of the goddess. Im just a guy who finds happiness in the little things. I swung my sword. You pitiful thing. The Demon King cut me in two. [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] However, I didnt give up. I had no reason to. My sword was quicker than yesterday, so it would be faster tomorrow because I was alive. Alive. The day arrived without a sign. The ck Witch grabbed my hand. Although she wouldnt know, the number 100 was written on my hands numerous times. These numbers were the invisible wrinkles that told me how many days had gone by in this hellish incarceration. I...I just checked, Mr. Kim. No one... The ck Witchs voice trembled, just like the hand that held mine. No one died. Her quivering voice soon became a sob. I checked with the Pantheon too, but no one died... There are some idiots who got hit with arrows in their arms, but... no one died. The ck Dragon Guild was the number one guild ever since the Tower appeared. Led by the ck Witch, the Rank 2 Hunter, they had tried to clear the tenth floor dozens of times, but had failed every time. Despite her defeats, she had always brought back everyone alive. That was who she was. And now she leaned her head against my chest. Thank you... Really, thank you... She wasughing and crying at the same time. I wanted to live a little longer. Yes, time flowed in my heart. I swung my sword as long as my heart beat. How dare you! How dare you even think of stopping me without the empires help! My eternally beating heart drove me across the frozen world to the ins outside the city. I wasnt going to stop taking up my sword. Yup. A hero is supposed to fight alone. You fool! The Demon King became furious. It didnt have a form or a namejust calling it a shadow would be fitting. The shadow held up its blood-red greatsword. The air trembled ominously as it brought it down on me. I dodged it. You...! I did the same with the next strikes. You humans malice is what made my shadow! The Demon King swung its greatsword, delivering the fourth strike, which had stopped me from moving on to the next second for nearly a year. That was when our fight became different from before. The Demon Kings sword was blocked with an almighty crash! It had to retreat, prickled by fragments of light. ...Im sorry, Mr. Kim. A womannded lightly beside me, her long ck hair fluttering in the air. The ck Witch, the leader of the ck Dragon Guild, looked at me with a tiny smile. I tried to stay put in the audience chamber like you asked, but I was getting cabin fever. It was going to kill me, so I followed you. After a request like that, I wanted to find out what you were doing... Hmm. Youve been ying an interesting game on your own. Im ying hero. Is it fun? Iughed. It feels awesome. Well, it does look like a beast worth hunting. I cant let you have all the fun. Im in too. Five mirrors rose into the air. Come on. Im so close to taking it down. You cant steal my kill like this, I grumbled. Dont you know that thats the best feeling in the world? I cant say no to that. Laughter danced across the barren in. You... the Demon King growled. A Demon King probably came into existence at a time when no one was allowed tough together. Im sorry, man. I waggled my sword at it. I tried to take you down on my own, but now that I think of it, the hero should gang up on a Demon King. Thats what tradition and history tells us, right? Im sure you can understand the custom. Youre just ying with words! The Demon Kings unnatural body churned. Im done ying with you and your sword! The foul water poured across the ground in an endless flood, as if the Demon Kings body fluids were limitless. The in was dyed ck in moments, like a giant shadow had been cast over thend. Monsters, answer my call. The shadow gurgled and popped. Each and every bubble the shadow created took the form of a monster. Some turned into goblins. Orcs appeared too. One of the orcs shook its head, shaking off the body fluid. The flow of the bubbles left behind thousands of monsters surrounding me and the others. This is... The ck Witch narrowed her eyes as she looked around. This isnt something we can deal with on our own. Sword Star! What are you standing over there? The least you can do is help. I was going to watch a while longer. Its been less than thirty seconds since the young man and the sewer thing started fighting. Who knew that sewage could summon monsters? The Sword Star answered, drawing his sword. No doubt his eyes had been glued to me the whole time. Hes right. I was thinking about asking for his help after Id held out for at least a minute, I remarked with a smile. Id had to endure his gaze for over thirty weeks anyway. Men... Forget it, the ck Witch huffed. Mr. Kim, take my hand. We have to get out of here. Sword Star! Youe over here too. Im sure youve already seen the number. However, I didnt take the offered hand. No, its okay. The ck Witch frowned in confusion. Instead of answering her question, I quietly said, Monster Legion Summon. The Demon King stiffened. What did you? Before it could finish its question, a voice replied to me. [The Skill Monster Legion Summon has been activated.] The voice certified my qualifications. Change soon arrived on the ins. Chapter 39: The Heros Title (3)

Chapter 39: The Hero''s Title (3)

The shadow grew bigger. A frog... Yes, the shadow now knew that the first creature it had swallowed was a frog. Actually, it knew a lot more than it did before. It now knew what a frog, a snake, and an eagle were. When it was a frog, it knew the happiness of feeling the rain on its skin. After bing a snake, the sensation of sliding across the smooth earth brought it joy. When it became an eagle, it learned the happiness of letting the wind carry its weight. It realized that the rain, ground, and the sky each held a happiness of their own. The shadow finally became a lion and learned the joy of killing. The moment it sank its teeth into its prey, blood rushed into its mouth. It was so fragrant that the shadow felt like it could die then and there. Naturally, it would have be an elemental spirit or a divine spirit if it hadnt coincidentally run into a certain noisy creature. The creature ran away from the shadow. Ah... Eeekkk! Ahhhhhh! The shadow instinctively followed the creature. H-help me...! Dad! Dad! Save me! The creature was loud but slow, and threw itself facedown onto the ground. The shadow was yet to realize that the creature had tripped because it didnt know what tripping was. It traveled between the ground and sky, swallowing countless creatures, but this was its first time meeting a creature that was stupid enough to fall over while running. I dont want to die! Dad! Hel Before the noisy creature got any louder, the shadow sank its teeth into it and ate the creature up. The blood flowed into the shadows mouth. When its mouth was full of blood, the shadow was stunned. It was so fragrant. The scent was unbelievable. Captivated by the blood, the shadow lost itself in the feast and consumed everything there was about the creature. Blood... Flesh... Bones! Intestines! Everything about the creature was a delight. As the shadow sank its teeth deeper, its hind legs got thinner and its front legs became longer. While the hind legs remained legs, its front legs became arms, and its mane became a head of hair. It quietly devoured everyst bit of the creature. When it was done with thest morsel, the shadow slowly gained the creatures memory. A humanthat was what the creature was called. The human had been born in a remote vige and its family showered it with endless love. However, life alwayscked one aspect, and for this human it was health. There was no way to treat the humans illness in this remote countryside. Even if the illness could be cured, the family didnt have any money. Love was the only thing that was abundant in this family. The human continued to creep closer to death day by day, but admirably, she refused to die in her bed. I want to take a walk before I wont be able to do it anymore! Im going to get as much fresh air as possible. That was her mistake. While testing to see how far she could get, she wandered off too far and reached death inside the shadows stomach. Honey! Estelle! There you are! The shadow stopped being it. I told you several times not to go out on your own! Its dangerous near the forest. You never know when a beast will attack you. Never wander off on your own like... Wait, whats wrong with your clothes? Dad. She smiled. I think Im healthy now. Estelle was the first name that the Demon King got to have. *** [The Skill Monster Legion Summon has been activated.] The ins started to change, beginning right under my feet. My shadow expanded endlessly, covering the wastewater spread by the Demon King. Something emerged from the shadowhuman skeletons. They looked like demons trying to escape from hell. Mr. Sword Emperor, you wanted to know why I chose Monster Legion Summon? Huh? Yeah, I did. I considered getting a different Skill in the beginning, too. The aura-enhancing Skill was tempting too because the redser beam that the Demon King fired was formidable. It would be awesome if I got to attack like that. However, I changed my mind after giving it some thought. Show me my Skill Card. Monster Legion Summon ss: SS Effects: You are able to summon those you have killed as monsters. The dead wont have their original abilities nor their memories. They are only summoned as monsters like goblins, orcs, zombies, or skeletons. However, you can summon your legion only once a week. Summon those I killed as monsters, I muttered as I scanned the golden card. Heres the question: how many people do you think I have killed? Uhhh... You and that guy you call the Fucker. Isnt it two people? The Guardian frowned. Thats what you would think, right? I smiled. But why would the Sword Stars Detective Eyes show that I have a kill count of over four thousand? What? Honestly, its way too high. I did kill myself a lot, but I didnt murder anyone innocent. It was just me and me only. So why would the kill count be over four thousand? It should be two. I looked in front of me. In other words, the Tower uses a particr method to count death. Killing the same person twice counts as two deaths, not one. In front, more monsters emerged from the shadowed ins. I could also see a group of skeletons who had already escaped from my hell. Now, Ill ask again. A legion of skeleton soldiers spread across the ins. How many deaths do you think I caused? I hadmitted 4097 suicides. After hunting Yoo Soo-Ha for the first time, I had been killed by the Sword Star before a day passed, so my Yoo Soo-Ha hunts had to take ce twice. That made 4099 deaths. Set out on the ins were the traces of my death. I nodded at the hell I had created myself. Wow... I really died a lot. The skeletons bared their teeth. All of them looked the same and shared my physique. I suppose it was only natural since those skeletons were the evidence of my death. Their weapons are the same too. All of the skeletons were holding a dagger, the weapon I used when I had taken my own life and Yoo Soo-Has. Impossible...! I was the only one who was leisurely examining the skeletons weapons. The ck Witch and Sword Star were looking around warily. What is this? Mr. Kim, is it your Skill? Yes, it is. I nodded. Youve got to be kidding me. The ck Witchs jaw dropped. Oh my god. Ive never heard of a Skill that can summon thousands of monsters! So this is how you cleared the tenth floor! Uh... No, thats not... It seemed the ck Witch was having a misunderstanding, but before I could correct it, she was distracted by the skeletons. Well, it wasnt important. Well, yeah. Youre right. I knew it! The ck Witch clenched her fists. We can talk more about thister. There was no reason I had to settle this misunderstanding right now. We couldnt afford to chat with the Demon King right in front of us. How...are you using the same Skill as me...? The Demon King was equally bewildered and was just standing there, frozen. She didnt have a face, but I could tell from her voice alone. It was a shameI would have gotten to see how much a persons face could scrunch up if she had one. But I tucked that thought away. Do you want to know how? I grinned. Butuh-oh, too badIm not going to tell you. Keep wondering. Or, I can tell you in exchange for your head. How does that sound? I cant believe it...! This shouldnt have been allowed! When are you going to stop making a fool of me, Goddess? My resentment! My grudges! Our promise is to embrace them all! How could you...! The Demon King howled like a wounded lion. Mr. Sword Star! I didnt listen to the Demon King screech. She had her reasons, but she was my enemy which meant I had a job to doand if she was distracted, I had an opportunity. Please fight alongside the skeletons! Theyll be able to equally go toe to toe with the monsters if you''re by their side! ...Okay. I dont feelfortable fighting together with monsters... but I guess its better than helping you, the Sword Star grumbled. Thank you! Help me, ck Dragon Master! Lets crush the Demon King! On it. Just dont slow me down! The Sword Star swung his sword, and the ck Witch released her aura. It seemed that they had decided to follow my lead until we took down the Demon King. I nodded and shouted at my death. Skeletons! Over four thousand skeletons growled quietly. Show me what you do best! Kill and die! Imanded, The legion obeyed. The skeletons jumped onto the monsters from all directions. They were merely bones, so they were light. One of them sailed through the air andnded on an orcs head. It squeezed the orcs skull with its bony legs and brought its dagger down using both hands. It frantically swung its dagger again and again, tearing the orcs eyes, mouth, and neck. The orc let out a short scream before it copsed on the ground. The impact cost the skeleton its left arm, but it didnt care. It simply ran toward its next prey. Somewhere else, a goblin screamed in pain. A skeleton, down to only its skull, bit off the goblins arm. Other skeletons mobbed the goblin. Each of them was missing somethingan arm, a leg, a headbut all of them were holding daggers. The goblin iled, but it was meaningless. The skeletons surrounded it and stabbed the goblin, creating arge pool of blood. Whoa. Those skeletons certainly take after your tenacity. An army of monsters who arent afraid of dying. Fuck! Thats scary! The Guardian shook his head in disbelief. The massacre infuriated the Demon King. How dare you! You dont have the right! Youre just a man from a different world! You dont carry any of the malice, the grudges, the life of this world! How dare you stand in my way! she howled. Her shadow constantly poured out wastewater. If it were red, I would have thought that she was bleeding. The Demon King screamed so hard that anyone else would have coughed blood after screaming like that. The howl echoed off of heaven and earth. Why does it matter where Im from? Im standing right here. If thats not enough... Before the echo died out, I heard the voice again. [The Tower has bestowed a title on you.] [Your title is Death King.] The voice went on. It felt like someone had been watching me for a long time and was now blessing and celebrating my liberation from the prison of time. [Hail to the king who reaps deaths.] Yes, someone remembered me. Even if I had to relive a day, someone knew why I was standing here. That was enough for me. Dont tell me about my rights. I brandished my sword at my enemy. The Tower is my witness. Death King was my second name. Chapter 40: My Time (1)

Chapter 40: My Time (1)

She never aged. Her youth was timeless. Estelle. She grew more beautiful every day. Her fingertips carried the scent of fresh apples, and her feet gave off the smell of ripe grapes. Everywhere she walked, people were entranced as if they had drunk too much wine. Her fluttering hair resembled a field of golden wheat and exuded the scent of autumn, captivating the entire vige whenever she passed. Estelle, the Saintess of the Outskirts. That was what people began to call her. One day, an impoverished woman came to Estelle with a sick baby in her arms. She said that she had followed a long trail of rumors before she arrived here. My saintess, I beg of you. My baby is sick. Please bless my pitiful baby... she pleaded. Are you aware of the rules? Yes, yes. I am aware...! Estelle nodded. Leave the baby here. You cane back tomorrow at daybreak. The woman bowed as deeply as she could and left behind her small baby. The baby was wrapped in an old yet soft quilt, made from the womans softest rags to keep her baby warm. Humans were very desperate to protect their loved ones. Estelle buried her nose in the old quilt. It carried the typical lively scent of a baby... It was fragrant. The baby cooed and felt Estelles hair. It made Estelle smile. The babys quilt may be made from rags, but his life was vibrant. Estelle found happiness in witnessing such a wonderful miracle in this world. Its okay. It wont hurt anymore. Estelles shadow moved and opened its mouth in front of the cooing baby. You pitiful thing. Estelle quietly swallowed the baby. The babys death was peaceful. Instead of fighting back, he helplessly drowned in the shadow. The moment the babys flesh and bone melted, his memory flowed into Estelles mind. The pain of the birth, the sensation of a sore throat, his mothers smile... The memories were short like his life had been. After embracing his brief life, Estelle gestured at her shadow, which boiled in response. Yes, live a little longer. Some of the shadow boiled down to the form of a baby. Its dark shade gained a peach tone, and its lips slowly formed into an innocent smile. Estelle smiled. You pitiful thing. The woman came back as soon as the dawn arrived. She looked haggardperhaps she hadnt slept at allst night. Estelle, who had also been waiting by the door for dawn to arrive, handed the woman her baby wrapped in a quilt. He should be healthy now. Ah... He wont get sick easily. Please continue to treasure him like youve always done. A smile broke out on the womans face. Thank you... The stories spread from the distant provinces. My saintess... The stories reached small, remote countries first; they swept through them like a wildfire. Thank you, my saintess... Estelle. Next were big countries made from the joining of those small countries. Saintess Estelle. Those bigger countries were the anchors of yet other small countries, so these lesser states were swept along as well. The continent was vast, so unfortunate people were everywhere. For some, horrible illnesses made their flesh rot from their bones. Others could onlyment as they limped through the streets. Some were born deprived of their abilities, such as vision. Saintess of Salvation! Estelle slowly gathered all the blind eyes, limp limbs, and rotten flesh in the world; her shadow grewrger by the day. You are our salvation! The bigger Estelles shadow grew, the smaller thend of humans became. Officials couldnt tend to viges that the residents had abandoned. The kings and their cities were no better off. You are the salvation of all the sick! Rulers realized that Estelle was the name of the new gue they were dealing withand they knew exactly how to end the gue. Burn it! It was fire. Burn the witchs nest! Estelles people screamed as the fire consumed them before her eyes. Show no mercy. All of them are cursed monsters! Dont miss a single one! No, humans were burning humans. *** You dont see humans as human beings. In one way, it was a moan, but in another way, it was closer to a scream. Moans amassed into shadows, and screams into des. Let your malice swallow you! The Demon Kings sword quivered like a tormented moan as it sliced through the air. Mr. Kim! the ck Witch shouted. Its okay! I faced the Demon King. A st of wind rushed over me. It looked like the Demon King was about to fire herser with her sword. Is it right? I focused my aura on the bottom of my feet. Or is it left? It was a fifty-fifty chance. The Demon Kings sword howled. Something redder than blood and hotter than fire struck me. [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] Its left. I died. Whenever I died, I went back twenty-four hours. [6 days 23 hours 53 minutes 27 seconds remaining until you can use the Skill Monster Legion Summon.] Returners Clockwork explicitly stated in its description that the Skill owners memories and abilities would be preserved. Skills were one of those abilities. [You have died.] [5 days 23 hours 51 minutes 42 seconds remaining until you can use the Skill Monster Legion Summon.] Just as the Sword Emperors memory was preserved when I regressed, my Skills statuses were preserved as they were at the time of my death. That included the additional effects, damage, causations, memories, and of course, the Skills cooldown time. [You have died.] A day was rewound. [4 days 23 hours 49 minutes 33 seconds remaining until you can use the Skill Monster Legion Summon.] I cleared the eleventh floor again without anyone dying. After I got up to the twelfth floor, I raised my sword against the Demon King. The ck Witch helped me. The Demon King, furious, summoned her monster legion, and I threw myself at them and died. [You have died.] [3 days 23 hours 47 minutes 15 seconds remaining until you can use the Skill Monster Legion Summon. ] I died. [You have died.] [2 days 23 hours 45 minutes 28 seconds remaining until you can use the Skill Monster Legion Summon.] And I died again. [You have died.] [1 day 23 hours 43 minutes 13 seconds until you can use the Skill Monster Legion Summon...] Another day was rewound. [You have died.] [23 hours 41 minutes 53 seconds remaining until you can use the Skill Monster Legion Summon.] The day arrived again. [The Skill Monster Legion Summon is avable again.] After every seven fights, I could have one ultimate battle. ...Mr. Kim! the ck Witch yelled. I nodded. Its okay. In this life, I ran to the right without even looking at the iingser beam. Theser only managed to strike a couple dozen skeletons. The casualties of goblins and orcs were dozens of times higher. You! Youre just a mere mortal! Do you have irvoyance or something?! The Demon Kings voice shook with anger. Something like that. Like that, except for the part where it cost me an entire week to see. How tenacious. You have the spirit of a bloodhound. The Guardian clicked his tongue. He continued to show me where I should swing my sword and how I had to move my feet. But this Skill is super useful, Zombie. Test if you can double your legionter. Use the Skill and coop yourself up somewhere, and then a weekter, use it again and bam! My brows furrowed. Lets talk about itter, please! I think the former summon will be canceled and only leave behind the skeletons from theter summon. But who knows? Four thousand may be eight thousand. Perhaps well see the eight thousand skeletons miraculously bing eighty thousand! Man, youll be promoted to the Zombie King! Kim Gong-Ja the Zombie King! How cool is that! Would you please shut up?! Youre distracting me too much [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] Fuuuuuck! Even if Kim Zombie dies a thousand times and bes a skeleton; I dont care whether or not Kim Zombie has a soul; His pathetess will never change. [1] Youre the reason why Im dead! I have to repeat a week again! Thats because youre weak. Definitely not because of me. The Guardian giggled. I swear Im going to kill you someday! Wow. But Im already dead. How are you going to kill a ghost? Arent you getting pissed, my zombie? The Guardian blew raspberries at me. For crying out loud... Use it to take down the Demon King. I cleared the twentieth floor on my own even without your overpowered Skill. How pathetic are you, Kim Zombie? Shit! Despite what we said, me and the other Hunters continued to corner the Demon King further and further. While my skeletons fought the Demon Kings legion, the Sword Star would massacre any monsters that approached us. I prophesied the Demon Kings iing attacks with my seven deaths, and the ck Witch used that to sessfully strike the Demon King. ck Dragon Master! The next attack ising from the right! Okay! The ck Witch scattered her ck aura onto her mirrors. One time, two times, three times, four times... Every time the aura was reflected off of her mirrors, its strength doubled. The dark aura, its strength multiplied dozens of times, obliterated the Demon Kings waist. Arghhhhhhhhh! The Demon Kings scream shook the sky. Hahahaha! Nice shot, maam![2] Iughed as I swung my sword. Who are you calling maam! Im not even married yet! Why are you still not married?! Im. Still. Young! Come on. I know its all your eternal youth elixir! ...Lets talk in private after we take down the Demon King. We overcame death countless times. The ck Witch was sometimes caught in the red beams. From time to time, it was the Sword Star. We fought tooth and nail. Every single one of the Demon Kings attacks was deadly, so letting down our guard for one second was instantly fatal. After one second, it was another second. [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] But it didnt matter. My determination was stronger than the Demon Kings lethality. You... How dare you people... My grudges and resentment arent...! Only after the ck Witchs aura had pierced the Demon King twelve times did she be a little slower. Her dark, viscous body boiled in the areas that had been struck. Huh? I could be mistaken, but I felt like I saw a glimpse of rosy skin before the wastewater boiled over again. It was really just a glimpse, so by the time I tried to find it again, the Demon King was already covered in wastewater. Urgh! The Demon King hefted her sword. Although she didnt have a face, I could feel that the Demon King was ring at us. [The Demon King of Autumn Rain has decided to retreat.] What? [The Demon King of Autumn Rain has retreated to the thirteenth floor!] That was so unfair! Blood instantly rushed to my head. Hold on! What kind of a boss monster runs away right before the end! Dont fool yourself! Im going to return! Look at this bastard. I swung my sword, but the Demon King disintegrated before I could hit her. It was like there was an invisible sewage tunnel under the ground because the Demon Kings wastewater disappeared very quickly. Hey! You sesame milkshake! I cursed at the Demon King. It wasnt just the Demon King. The monsters born from her shadow copsed into bubbles like someone had flushed the toilet. The whirlpool of dark bubbles disappeared into the ground. Wow. What the heck... Out of nowhere, only I, the ck Witch, the Sword Star, and a few thousand skeletons were left behind. I was stunnedwere my countless deaths going to be meaningless just like that? Just then, I heard the voice. [The Tower has epted your decision.] [Creating a hidden quest.] [The twelfth-floor quest has been revised!] ...Huh? The notifications kepting for a long time. [The thirteenth-floor quest has been revised!] [The fourteenth-floor quest has been revised!] [The fifteenth-floor quest has been revised!] [The sixteenth-floor quest has been revised!] [The seventeenth-floor quest has been revised!] [The eighteenth-floor quest has been revised!] [The neenth-floor quest has been revised!] It was my first time dealing with something like this, so I didnt know how to react. Could quests really be revised? While I stood there ck-jawed, a system window showed up in front of me. The Hero of the Paused World Difficulty level: Unknown Goal: You have decided that you wont ept a single victim. Its said that justice is about not asking for the price of salvation, and devotion is about not seeking recognition from those you save. A person who devotes themself to justice is called a hero. Hero! The world will never know your justice or your devotion. However, it will not change the nature of your justice and devotion. The wounded Demon King fled but couldnt get far. If you wish, youre free to chase after her. What remains now is your choice: will you continue to be a hero in the paused world? After introducing a quest only meant for me, the voice delivered a question. [Will you ept the quest?] My heart pounded. I didnt have to think twice. Yes, I will. [The Hidden Quest The Hero of the Paused World is active!] [May luck be with you.] White light enveloped me. 1. This is a parody of an old Korean poem called ???. It was made when the writer was asked tomit treason. Its about his unwavering loyalty. ? 2. The raw is ??? ??? ?. This is a joke that started from how Korean bosses used to line up their employees and the employees would p at their bosses excellent golf swings. Its now purely used to describe a good swing/hit/strikes. ? Chapter 41: My Time (2)

Chapter 41: My Time (2)

I wasnt the only one touched by the white light. [Searching for the Demon King of Autumn Rains presence on the twelfth floor...] [Unable to locate the Demon King of Autumn Rain.] [It has been confirmed that the Demon King of Autumn Rain retreated.] [Initiating History Reformation.] The white light covered the vast in like a dimly sparkling mist stretching all the way to the capital city. Drops of lightthe only way to describe themflew in the wind like dandelion seeds, descending on thend in an endless shower. This is... The ck Witch looked around in confusion. Mr. Kim, what in the world is going on? Um, Ive never seen anything like this either... My eyes were on the light drops covering the world. Mr. Sword Emperor. Do you know whats going on? No, this is my first time seeing this too. What the heck is this? Its scary. The dude was absolutely useless except for his sword lessons. I really had no idea how a gori like him had managed to clear the ny-ninth floor. Hmm? The Guardian frowned. Kim Zombie, you just trash-talked me in your head, didnt you? What do you mean? I just thought that you were so great that a lowly man like me would never know what goes on in your mind. Strange. The look on your face says otherwise... the Guardian grumbled. While we bantered, a change caught my eye. Huh? I pointed at the capitals high walls. ck Dragon Master, look over there. What? Up on the walls. There seem to be a lot fewer gs than before. The golden and red gs of the empire waving on top of the ramparts were quickly disappearing. There used to easily be hundreds of them, but I could only see a few dozen of them now. The numbers were still decreasing. ...Yeah, youre right. The ck Witch narrowed her eyes. Hold me. I need to check. Yes, I agree. Teleport! The ck Witch grabbed my hand and used her Skill. The next moment, we were standing on the ramparts, giving us a full view of the spectacr city. Oh my god... the ck Witch breathed. Everything is changing. She was right. The refugee camps were gone. The Demon King had destroyed their homes, forcing refugees to flee to the capital from all across the continent. Their camps used to make up a slum, but when the white light descended... it was gone the next minute as if nothing had ever been there in the first ce. The clothes of pedestrians on the streets also changed from rags to unmarred clothes. Even the rotten apples in the market stand slowly became fresh and glossy. History Reformation... I muttered to myself. What? History has changed. The number of guards patrolling the walls was also significantly lower. It wasnt just the numbertheir eyes were no longer filled with the despair the Demon King had instilled in them. They were now just bored by the routine patrol; they were just people who were spending their daily lives. The Aegim Empire is supposed to be being invaded by the Demon King. They had to either win the war or lose and perish. It was do or die, but... I swallowed. ...it never happened in this world. The possibility of the Demon Kings invasion was erased and no one was even aware of it. Yes, I made it disappear. ...History has changed. The result was right in front of me. [The eleventh-floor stage has been revised.] [The twelfth-floor stage has been revised.] The white light covered the entire city. It touched a wandering waifs cheek; some of the lightnded on the sleeves of a blind man who staggered through the city wondering where his next meal woulde from. The citys streets, the intersections, an old shop with broken pirs, the houses which people would go back to after a day at work... The droplets gently covered the world like a soft nket. [The History Reformation has beenpleted.] They soon disappeared. Both the ck Witch and I were silent. Not a sound could be heard in the frozen world, so it felt like the whole world was holding its breath with us. However, the silence was soon broken. ...Its cheap! Very cheap! Fresh apples from Alebrandt! Freshest around! Sir, even elves wont miss fruits in season! Why dont you take a look at these fresh apples? The public bathhouses are poorly managed nowadays. I can actually see the dirt in the water. Gosh, those so-called civil servants cant even properly manage the water, so what are we supposed to believe in... I could hear sounds; time had resumed after I had epted the quest. I heard that the royal children cause problems every day! Its said that when you walk near the pce walls at night, you can hear His Majesty wailing every night. I know its just a rumor, but I think... Do you want to have a drink this evening, just the two of us? Please spare us a coin. A coin! The goddess loves you. Alebrandt apples, even the elves love them! Get them here for cheap! Life in this world breathed again. One of them paid attention to us. You over there! Who are you? The ck Witch and I turned. A general pointed his sword up at us. How rude of you to waltz onto the ramparts! Get down here right now! the general shouted with a scary scowl. I found him vaguely familiar. Sarbas Aegim... The general NPCs eyes widened. It was like he had never seen me in his life. Huh! You are an odd trespasser. How do you know my name? ...I see. I closed my mouth. The general shouldnt have been here. He was supposed to be the first one to wee Hunters on the eleventh floor. I had also intentionally gotten killed by him to copy his Skill. Hey! Didnt I tell you people toe down! the general yelled. He treated me like a stranger now. The history of both the twelfth and eleventh floors had changed. Ah. I could feel my heart beating against my chest. Indescribable emotions clogged my heart, my chest, and then my entire body. The emotions were so intense that I couldnt even speak. Why? The world regained its life, but my voice seemed to have been taken away. I looked down at the general, moving my lip soundlessly. No, waitI still cant take the life of a hero! On behalf of the Aegim Empire, I offer you my sincerest gratitude. I was skeptical about the prophecy. This world isnt even theirs, so I believed that it was unlikely for these heroes to fight for us. But I was worried for nothing. I would like to thank you again. Please protect the empire. My memories with the general had already be old. The generals smile from ourst goodbye crossed my head. Ah, yes. That was what it was like. Ha. Hahahaha. Ahaha! Hahahaha! I didnt know why, but I burst intoughter. Iughed so hard that I was bent over, clutching my stomach. The general gave me a look of utter bafflement. All of the soldiers eyes were on me too. While the ck Witch looked at me as if I was weird, the Guardian saw me as a madman. But I didnt care. I was sad that the people of the empire had forgotten about me, but a much stronger emotion took hold of me. I cleared my throat and opened my mouth. ...I protected it! My roar startled the general. I protected it! The soldiers on the rampart unwittingly took a step backward. I protected your empire! Yet I didnt stop. Instead, I blended my roar with my red aura, spreading it far and wide. I kept the promise! The imperials in the streets, the intersections, their homes, and the shops raised their heads. My voice reached past the walls of the city and the pce and into the audience chamber. Iughed. Myughter echoed on and on. I did it without any shame or regrets! I stood proud on the ramparts and pointed at the sky. My palms were ckened by countless tally marks. I just didnt want to have a single victim, so I had repeated the same day hundreds of times until I defeated the Demon King of Autumn Rain. Im proud of it! I did it! I was happy. I had never been this happy in my entire life. My life used to be trash; I had been jealous and jeered at other people. My days had been drowned in alcohol. I had tried not to feel anythingI kept telling myself that I was keeping my cool, but in truth, I had given up on my life. [Stage Clear.] [The twelfth floor has been cleared today.] But it was different today. I could stand tall, at least today. I was able to hold my head high in front of the ck Witch, Sword Star, the empire, and the world. Above all, I could truly be proud of myself. [Announcement.] [The twelfth floor has been cleared.] That was the person I could be right now. [Calcting the number of champions...] [Calction has beenpleted.] My heart raced in joy. [Announcing the three champions.] Light inscribed words in the sky above the empire. The Quest Completion Contribution List: First ce: Death King Second ce: ck Witch Third ce: Sword Star The NPC general probably wasnt able to see it, so he stayed frozen by my roar. W-what are you talking about... Sarbas Aegim! I beamed at the general, making him flinch. Protect your empire! Im sorry to say this, but since the Demon King has been defeated, the heroes job is done! Im sure that your empire is rotten in ways people cant see and there are many problems you need to solve! Still, you are on your own! Good luck! Try your best! Ill do my best too! Lets go, lets go! I-I have no idea what youre talking about... I really...have no idea... The general NPC opened and closed his mouth like a goldfish. Hahahaahahaha! Pfft! Hahahahaha! Heeheeheee! Y-you lunatic! You wacko! You Zombie! I thought you mightve grown up a little and learned from your past, but wow. You wacko, you just brag to everyone close enough to hear! I really want to know how your brain works! Scientists would be all over you! Zombie, I have to hand it to you! Youre a real piece of work! The Guardian rolled around in the air,ughing. I slicked back my hair. Then what else was I supposed to do? I find myself absolutely fabulous today. Y-you madman...! You Kim Wacko! Hahaha! Alright! I like your spirit! Hahahaha! The Guardian rocked from side to side. I turned back to the ck Witch. Now, now. ck Dragon Master! What are you waiting for? Lets get to the thirteenth floor! The ck Witch sighed. She wore aplicated expression. Yeah... Not many strong Hunters are sane. I understand. I consider it fortunate that youre at least better than the Inquisitor. Huh? The ck Witch grabbed my hand and activated her Skill. Teleport. The next moment, we were back on the ins. The ck Witch grabbed the Sword Stars arm and before turning back to me. The Rank 1 champion always gets to enter the stage first, the ck Witch exined. Say it on behalf of everyone, Death King. That was the first time I was called by my title. A lot of things were my first today. I smiled. Okay... Send me. And I headed to the next stage. Chapter 42: My Time (3)

Chapter 42: My Time (3)

When the seemingly endless battles were finally over, the ck Witch, the Sword Star, and I finally arrived at the thirteenth floor. Even the number is ominous. Thirteen. Ominous or not, the ce had an extraordinary presence. As soon as we were teleported to the stage, twopletely different voices greeted us. One was happy, and one was dreadfully miserable. [Wee, Death King.] The happy voice spoke first. The Tower no longer called me Hunter Kim Gong-Ja. I was now officially recognized and weed as a legitimate resident of the Tower. Was I too simple if a small thing like this made me happy? Arghhhhhh! I wont forgive you! The voice that followed was a piercing scream. How dare you! My children! I took those children under my wings, and you took them from me! You mock me. You deceived me! Are you going to take away my flesh, my blood, and my soul now? The person the voice belonged to was riddled with holes and leaked wastewater everywhereit was the Demon King, the master of red nightmares. I curse you! the Demon King screeched, her head thrown back. The roiling wastewaterthe Demon Kings ck bloodshowed her pain. She looked worse than when she had fled from the twelfth floor. I curse you! I curse this world! I curse everything that is not me! If the world wishes to get rid of me, Ill devour the world instead! Your oceans will be my bile, and your ground will be my flesh! Your flesh! Your bones! Your hearts! Your intestines! Ill swallow them all! Urgh... The ck Witch groaned. That was how powerful the Demon Kings murderous scream was. Even the Sword Star took a step back and gripped his sword more tightly. What an awful noise, he mumbled. Ive never heard a voice like that. Its like they have thousands of mouths. You can say that again. Why is the Demon King screaming like that...? The Sword Star and ck Witch drew up their aura and covered themselves. The screaming was so powerful that it managed to overwhelm them even if it had been just for a split second. Only one person, my Guardian, was unfazedas usual. Huh? What? Shes weaker than before. The Guardian tilted his head. What? I asked. That guy is a lot weaker than when you fought her on thest floor. A lot weaker? I carefully reexamined the Demon King. ...The Demon King is weakened? Yup. The Guardian frowned. That Witch woman gave her a good beating with her aura, so of course shes injured. But she isnt just injured... Her ss is lower. ss? Hmm. How should I say this? For example... The Guardian carefully picked his next words. ...Okay. Illpare that guy to a Goblin King. On the twelfth floor, that guy was a ss SSS Goblin King. You could say that that guy was a mix of Alexander, Arthur, and a goblin. Your analogies are getting more unique every day. When did you learn about Alexander the Great and King Arthur? An emperor never stops learning. Thats how you be an emperor and stay one. Yeah, yeah. Mr. Sword Emperor. So the Demon King was a ss SSS Goblin King on the twelfth floor... Yeah, and now shes just a Goblin King. Im not talking about the Goblin King who led the Demon Kings army on the eleventh floordo you remember the weakened Goblin King you only managed to kill by Et-tu-Brute-ing? In the Towers time, it had happened not too long ago, but it was a nostalgic memory for me now. Huh! Real weird! The higher you go, the stronger the boss monster is, normally, so what happened to that guy? Does the Witch womans aura grillinge with a level-down effect? The Guardian kept tilting his head in confusion. I looked around the devastated temple we found ourselves in. In the center, the Demon King was still screaming at the sky like a lion who had been ambushed. It made me think. ...Did the stage change and the Demon King didnt see iting? [Calcting the reward for clearing the twelfth floor...] [Unable toplete the calction!] [The Hidden Quest The Hero of the Paused World is currently active.] [The calction will bepleted after clearing the neenth floor.] [Only an unofficial reward is given.] [The God of Wars blessing has been enhanced!] [You now have the entire map of the Tower from the eleventh to the twentieth floors.] A translucent mapy in front of me. It waspletely different from the map I had seen until nowall that had been was a mini-map that showed me one floor at a time. Now I had a full view of this world. As soon as Iid eyes on the world map, I understood. I get it now! Huh? The ck Witch and Sword Star looked back at me. The witch was confused while the Sword Stars expression was brusque. You get... what? she asked. I get why the Demon King is acting like that. Remember the previous stage, ck Dragon Master. The history of the Demon Kings invasion of the capital is gone. The city ispletely different, and there isnt even a refugee camp. So...? Think about it! Where would the refugees havee from? They were from all over the empireno, the entire continent. But all the refugee camps are gone. The ck Witch seemed to finally realize something. ...Ah, I see. Her eyes narrowed. It isnt just about the empire. The refugees from the rest of the world are gone... I nodded. Yes, the entire continent has changed. At this point, the Demon King hasnt invaded yet! Right now, were at the point where this temple is under attack! Yes, that was it. It became clear after seeing the world map. This continent was divided into east and west by a mountain range so vast and tall that even a bird had to risk its life to cross it. However, in the middle of the mountain range, there was a region where the mountains became thin and low. It acted as a sort of gate controlling travel between the east and west sides of the continent. The temple we found ourselves in sat in that pass. It had a long history replete with legends. I wouldnt even be able to guess the depth of the story behind this temples heavily fortified walls. Those fortifications were what made it a temple. This temple was the goddesss shield. Behind it, to the east, were the ins where the smaller countries were located. Beyond them was the empire. Past the empire there was only the ocean, so the empires borders started from one horizon and ended at the other. Thend of humans was very lively. In contrast, the west, outside of the goddesss shield, was red. This was the Demon Kings dominion. She had destroyed the shield and forced her way into the east. That was how she had devoured the empire and the other countries until the humans had been pushed all the way to the ocean. That was what would have happened if history had gone as it was supposed to be. This is what History Reformation is! I understood that this worlds time had been rewinded. Perhaps the correct name for History Reformation was History Rewind. Arghhhhhhhh! Yes, I perfectly understood the emotions behind Demon Kings desperate cry and what the Sword Emperor meant about her ss. Her level went down, I muttered. Huh? The Guardian furrowed his brows. Her level? Mr. Sword Emperor, do you remember the messages Hunters hear when they level up? Hunters heard messages of fixed formats every time they became stronger. [Your presence has be stronger.] [Your level has increased.] It looked like the Guardian also remembered receiving the same messages. Are you talking about the message about your presence or something? Yes, that one! I understood the part about my level going up, but I had no idea what Your presence has be stronger meant and just thought the Tower was being pretentious... Looking at the Demon King made me realize. The boss monster probably became stronger by killing countless people from both the empire and refugees. Every action, hunt, and massacre the Demon Kings done until now... was erased, and so was her growth. That was why her presence was growing faint. I had changed the entire history of the twelfth floor and endured countless battles to weave my seconds together. That was how a weave of the Demon Kings second was undone. Arghhhhhhhh! [The Demon King of Autumn Rain is furious.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rains presence has weakened.] The voice affirmed my conclusion. You...! the Demon King growled. The bloodlust in her voice was no less intense than it had been before. However, no Hunter was overwhelmed by it any longer; the ck Witch, the Sword Star, and I red right at the Demon King. Lets go. Its time tounch a counterattack, I said. *** Monsters! My children! The Demon Kings body popped and spat. Monsters appeared from the devastated ruins of the temple in response to the Demon Kings cry. They hadnt been summoned, so I assumed that these monsters had been on the thirteenth floor from the beginning. There were thousands of growling zombies shambling toward us with their eyes lolling in their sockets. Many of them seemed to be from this temple; although several zombies wore the clothing of merchants, some zombies were wearing priestly garments. I also saw multiple zombies in pdin uniforms. Kill them! the Demon King yelled. The horde of zombies closed in on me and the others. The ck Witch let out a sigh. Ive never been a fan of zombie movies... Im not a fan either. Do you think you can do this, Death King? Its not the matter of whether or not I can do it. I hefted my sword. I will win. Chapter 43: My Time (4)

Chapter 43: My Time (4)

It took almost one thousand deaths to clear the twelfth floor. The thirteenth floor would need less than that. Mr. Sword Emperor, I said. What? Lets make a bet. A bet on what? A zombie attacked me, so I sliced off its head. Since the zombies neck was already rotten, my de went through it like tofu. There were dozenshundredsthousands of zombiesing at me. How many times do you think I will die before I clear the neenth floor? Hmm. The Guardian stroked his chin. Okay. Ill bet on less than a hundred! I grinned. Then Ill bet on less than ny-nine times. Do you really want to go that low? Yeah, I really want to. Alright. Ill have fun watching you kill your own kind. Good luck, Zombie! But a bet is a bet, so I wont be helping you this time. Deal? The Guardian chuckled. Deal. I smiled at the endless horde of zombies closing in on me. [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] I died with a smile. [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] Gosh, I really should reduce their numbers first... ck Dragon Master, can you do something about it? Im already trying my best since Im the only one who can do area attacks. But its difficult. Can we use your Skill to fight fire with fire, Death King? Ah, yes, Im going to use it, but the cooldown time isnt over yet... Itll take about three coins. What coins are you talking about? Its a long story. Hmm, anyhow... Huh? This part on the mini-map... Mr. Sword Star! Can you destroy thatrge lid? The one on that coffin! I need to check something! Check what? Ill exinter. Please destroy that one first! Im a irvoyant, remember? Hmm... [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] Okay, Mr. Sword Star! That stone coffin actually leads to a secret passageway. Underneath that lid, youll find a hammer that is made to deal with the undead! Can you go over there with the ck Dragon Master and use it? My life has been about my sword and sword only... It has an area of effect attack! Infuse your aura and m the floor and a ground effect will be created to wipe out the zombie! Okay? How do you know that? Me, irvoyant! Okay? What...? [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] I think the zombies are taken care of now. Its time for the Demon King... What the heck is that? Its a zombie. And its giant. I believe its a giant zombie. The Sword Star stroked his chin. Hmm, the temple obviously has a long history... Maybe its a soldier that used to protect this temple. It got killed by the Demon King and became their minion... I guess thats whats going on here. The Inquisitor could have looked into it if he were here... the ck Witch mused. Wow. Does he also know about religions in a different world? Hes a ss SSS theologist, I said. Its just thanks to his Skill. Well, that makes a ss SSS Hunter. Do you really need to bring up that obnoxious man again? He makes me feel unpleasant. The Sword Star shook his head. Anyhow, Ill deal with that thing. Yes, please do that, Mr. Sword Star! [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] Anyhow, Ill deal with that thing. I shook my head. No, Mr. Sword Star. Please focus on subduing the zombies with that hammer. Young man, my sword will Me, irvoyant! irvoyant! Okay? Seriously... Phew. Who will deal with it then? It should be ck Dragon Master. I turned to the ck Witch. Please hit the cyclopss eye with yourser beam. Ive been wanting to hit that eye. The one, big eye smack in the middle of its face is practically begging me to hit it. Perfect! Lets go! [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] Anyhow, Ill deal with that thing. Monster Legion Summon! I immediately shouted. My god. Death King, does that Skill even have a cooldown? the ck Witch eximed. Its a long story... Now, you two can deal with the cyclopsbut ck Dragon Master, I need to make a request. What is it? Dont hit its eye, I answered. Why? Wed be in big trouble. But, Death King, look at that giant eye. Look at it. Can you see it? Yeah... Im looking at it. I know it really feels like its begging to be hit there. But we shouldnt. Why? You know... Death King... Its eye... If you can shootser beams like me and see that kind of eye... Yes, I agree, ck Dragon Master. I would have tried everything in my power to dissuade you if you told me not to hit its eye. But I dont have time to exin the reason right now. Please. The ck Witch groaned. Do as he says, ck Witch. Not you too, Sword Star... That young man told me hes a irvoyant. Lets do as he says for now. ...Okay... Ill try my best... not to hit the eye. Thank you! We ran, fought, and rescued each other. Sometimes we spent time hiding. We talked a lot, and we did a lot. My children...! We took down the zombies in the temple. My general...! We defeated the cyclops, who must have been a legend when the temple still functioned as the shield of the easternnds. Ahhhhhh...! [The Demon King of Autumn Rain has decided to retreat.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rain has retreated to the fourteenth floor!] And once again, we pushed the Demon King back to the next floor, just like we had done on the twelfth floor. Drops of light flew in the air. The temple, the gateway dividing the continent, shone like a newly polished shield. A bell rang, and hymns drifted into the air from within the temple. While merchants from the east rode on horses, those from the west were on strange walking birds as they exchanged greetings. The pdins sparred, their hammers swinging with enthusiasm. An orphan left at the temple secretly admired the merchants and pdins. However, his escapade was quickly discovered by the priests, and he was dragged to the chapel by his ear. And the cyclops was sitting on a mountain ridge where it had a full view of the temple, looking bored. Whenever a fluffy cloud brushed past its head, it sneezed, its big eye blinking. The Mountain King sneezed! the orphan cheerfully eximed. Not a hint of fear could be heard in his voice. After giving the orphan a yful tap on the head to warn him, a priestess paid her respects to the one-eyed giant. It grinned and waved its hand at her. Ahhh... Death King. Hmm. Ah, yes... I shelved my thoughts. ck Dragon Master, lets go. Are you ready, Mr. Sword Star? Hold on. The merchant over there sells good whetstones, the Sword Starmented. As he sharpened his sword, I looked away from the giant and examined the map. A big chunk of the rednd was gone, but the redness in the map was squirming, as if reflecting the Demon Kings anger. She had sworn she would be backstill, we still had enough time for the Sword Star to hone his de with his new whetstone. Death King. The ck Witch grabbed my hand. When he was done with his sword, the Sword Star immediately took her hand as well. Send me, I said. The light enveloped us again. Hmmm. It seems the fourteenth floor is a forest, and the Demon King... is hiding. Be careful. Im sensing bloodlust from all directions. Youre right. Lets go slowly. Slowly. [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] That was how we defeated the Demon King, who had the corrupted Elf King of the cursed forest. [The Demon King of Autumn Rain has decided to retreat.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rain has retreated to the fifteenth floor!] And then we took down the Demon King, who had the Mermaid Queen of the Reverse Waterfall under hermand. [The Demon King of Autumn Rain has decided to retreat.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rain has retreated to the sixteenth floor...!] The next time, we defeated the Demon King who controlled wyverns residing around an erupted volcano. [The Demon King of Autumn Rain has decided to retreat.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rain has retreated to the seventeenth floor...!] History was rewinded to the time before the Demon Kings invasion of the empire. Then before her invasion of other countries and the fall of the temple the humans called the Goddesss Shield. Time quickly reached the point before the Elf Forest fell under a curse, the reversal of the Mermaid Waterfall, and the eruption of the Primordial Volcano. Further and further. History went back to the era before the Demon King reigned as the monarch of absolute evil. Events slipped away like a fleeting wind. It all happened like falling blossoms on other blossoms and an ocean wave on another ocean wave. Every time I and the others reached the higher floor, the Demon Kingsnd got smaller and they grew weaker. [The Demon King of Autumn Rains presence has weakened.] Just like how the Demon King was weaker on the thirteenth floor than the twelfth floor, she was worse on the fourteenth floor. Little by little, she grew weaker on the fifteenth floor. [You have died.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rain has decided to retreat.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rains presence has weakened.] [You have died.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rain has decided to retreat.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rains presence has weakened.] ... After ny-seven deaths, I reached the neenth floor, which was the barren outskirts of a small, nameless country. You! You! The Demon King screamed. She ground her teeth and red at... Her eyes werent on the Sword Star or the ck Witch; the Demon Kings death re was solely directed at me. Only if it werent for you! Her eyes were red with anger. Its all because of you! You! You should have taken the proper steps...! Yes! None of this would have happened if it werent for you! How dare a murderer from a different world I drew my sword. Wow, I finally see your eyes. What...? I mean it literally. I finally got to see what your eyes look like. The Demon King of Autumn Rain was a viscous shadow before, so she didnt have eyes. She had a head but not a face. While her arms may have been present, her hands were missing. The endless, bubbling coat of wastewater hid her entire body. Yes, the Demon Kings mask was finally broken. It doesnt make sense. The Demon King and the heroes never got to look each other in the eyes. Its a ridiculous tragedy. The wastewater finally failed to cover the Demon Kings bloodshot eyes. Although her eyes were still filled with wrath... I wasnt afraid of them. I was rather delighted as I pointed my sword at the Demon King. Gimme your best shot. You... Or run away again. Dont you want to know how much weaker youll be if you do? But youll never win unless you give it everything you got. Even without the reward I would receive by clearing the neenth floor, the Demon King was going to be significantly weaker on the twentieth floor. Watch your mouth... How dare you. Youre just a hyena biting away at my flesh. What do you know...! Despite her curses, the Demon King seemed to be at a loss. I slowly opened my mouth. Estelle. The Demon Kings red eyes widened. I warned youfight me with everything youve got. And I leaped forward. The Demon KingEstellescreamed, dark fluids sttering everywhere. Otherwise, my time will be longer than your history. I let the scream roll over me, my eyes fixed firmly on my destination. Chapter 44: The Demon Kings Name (1)

Chapter 44: The Demon King''s Name (1)

The time I had to endure to get here was long. It was about time I thought back to a certain nightmare I had. In the battle of the twelfth floor, I, a drop of water, had been part of an intense current before I had gotten killed by the Demon King. That was when I had seen her trauma, the nightmare that belonged to the master of nightmares. [Initiating your Skill penalty.] [Recreating your killers trauma.] [The penaltys intensity level is intermediate.] [The penaltys theme is the Preta Realm.] [Recreating Monster Demon King of Autumn Rains trauma.] A vige was engulfed by an inferno. I was standing in the center, alone. Burn it! Burn down the witchs nest! No, I wasnt on my own. At least I had the Guardian by my side. The person who was truly alone in this inferno stood on the opposite side. Her name was Estelle, the Saintess of the Outskirts and the salvation of all the sick. Dont show any mercy. They are all cursed monsters! Dont miss anyone! Estelles confusion left her speechless. She had no idea what was going on, so she just opened and closed her mouth. Why? Why were humans burning other humans? The people they were burning were the parents who had expressed their gratitude to her for giving their babies new lives. All of those babies were also being butchered now. It is our lords will! Soldiers with a myriad of gs destroyed the viges wooden fence. Our king has ordered us! Knights wielded their swords, each of their armors engraved with different symbols. His Imperial Majesty of the Great East, guardian of the rising sun and protector of all those living between thend and ocean and... A heretic dares to call herself a saintess, so our great pope... The Forest Monarch tasked us with this mission, so please, my elemental spirit, upon this arrow... Using the gem given by the Mermaid Queen, our magic staff... The Primordial Volcano Dragons are also here to uphold our oaths! Dragons, release your fire on those wicked... They stated their affiliation and names. Yet Estelle still couldnt understand. Who were they? Who were they to burn other humans? Ahhh! Arghhh! Save me! They were thorough. First, they surrounded the vige like they would do with prey, leaving no room to escape. Some families tried, but they were soon caught. The vigers were about to be skewered by spears or cut by swords; even if they managed to avoid them, they would be shot with arrows or magic spells. Perhaps they could have avoided all of that by some miracle, but the fire ultimately drove them to the vige square, the only ce they could run to. The vige was the paradise Estelle had created. She stood in the center of it, peering through the swirling smoke. Hold on a little longer. Hold on.... A father hunched his back, creating a small sanctuary. His young child cowered within while the father took on the sparks and swallowed the smoke for his child. The child got to live a minute longer than her father. A little more... An old man and an old woman took each other into their arms. Estelle thought that they were saying goodbye to their life partners. However, when she looked a little closer, she realized that she was wrongthere was a baby between them. Just a little more... When the fire reached them, the grandfather and grandmother screamed, but they didnt let go of each other. Even as the fire burned their elbows and slowly turned them into lumps of coal, the old couple didnt move. Their hug wasnt a goodbye, it was a desperate sacrifice to save the child. The old couple died first, and the cries of the baby between them died out a minuteter. One by one, the coughing in the za stopped. Why...? The vige had a family whose orchard made them the richest. There used to be an old man who went out at every dawn to tend to his farm. When fall arrived, an old woman in the vige used to go out and admire the golden wheat fields. However, no ones health was perfect. Terminal illnessesy dormant in their stomachs. Cancers were corroding some of their brains and spines. There were those whose eyes couldnt see and whose legs couldnt be used to walk. There were too many sicknesses in this world, so Estelle had been dly eating them away. Why...? Her heart turned darker than all the diseases she had swallowed. It was scorched by the fire and stained by the smoke. She tried opening her mouth, but the smell of fire filled it. That was when she realized that her heart had be a little darker. The vige burned all night, and so did Estelle. Estelle scraped up the piles of ashes that remained after her paradise had burned down. No one interrupted her; they had all left when they had seen the fire engulfing the vige. Lefandor... Therey a fathers corpse. Dajenna... Under him was the corpse of a baby. Spe... Chou... Ugensache... Mobazaijan... Topo... Enna... Garcorp... She used her bare hands to shovel the viges remains, turning her fingers dark. Her fingernails broke and bled. Even her blood eventually turned dark, but she kept digging. And then she opened her mouth to eat the flesh and bones. If there werent any flesh or bones, she choked down the ashes. Human flesh was no longer fragrant. It no longer piqued her appetite, nor could she feel any beauty from it. The only thing left after the fire was the smell of smoke. Yet Estelle continued to devour everything the fire had touched, even if it was unsightly. You pitiful things... Estelles mouth became dirty and ck. Her teeth and throat were also painted ck as the body fluid welled up in her stomach and her blood turned into slime. It wasnt just her bloodsomething wasing out of her eyes. They probably were not tears, given their opaque ckness. You pitiful things... That was why it was just filth. The waste created after the other humans used and abandoned it flowed and flowed until it filled Estelles heart. It had nowhere else to go. You pitiful things... The dark stream didnt stop flowing. All of you... It flowed over the vige square. All of you... All of you are human. The sewage spread throughout the vige. All of you were born human, so you must know the beauty of life and how to shed tears. So why? It reached the ins. Why would you call them monsters? Did you burn them because they were? They also knew the beauty of life and how to shed tears. Was it not enough? Is that why you called them monsters and burned them without a second thought? It flowed to the mountains. Are you the only ones who are humans? Is that the reason why you people are the only ones who are allowed to smile and shed tears in your world? Are you the only ones who get to stay beautiful in your world? The grudges rained down. Is that why you get to be human? And... they... my children should remain monsters, forever? Is that what your world is like? I see. You people need proof to ept others as humans. Howls and cries burst out of the heart. Then its your turn to prove it. The sky rained. Show me. It continued to rain. I curse you all. With the rain, no viges, even the ones on the outskirts, were going to be engulfed in fire. Her children and heart had lost their color. Her blood now only flowed as ashen wastewater, but red rain fell upon this world in remembrance of her blood. Let your malice swallow you. The rain continued. You... you people made me like this. It went on and on. That is why I made you like that. It continued. Gong-Ja. Wake up. This isnt your hell. With difficulty, I managed to blink. [The trauma recreation has beenpleted.] [It has been confirmed that the ego of the subject under the Skill penalty is intact.] [Ending the Skill penalty.] Gong-Ja! Now is the time! I blinked again, clearing my vision so I could see what was in front of me. No, what was shown to me. I see an opening in her head! I wandered through the moment as if it were an eternity. In front of me was a person covered in darkness. In my hands was a sword because there was someone I had to cut down.[1] She continued to drown in sewage. Water was still water after it was cut, so it had to be cut many times. Arghhhhhhh! More filth dripped from the Demon Kings wounds. Perhaps this wasnt waste, or else it wouldnt be red. It was blood. The Demon King bled red blood. Urgh... Gahhh...! The Demon King staggered backward. One step. Two steps. When I was on my third step, no more wastewater surged from the Demon Kings right arm. She still left behind dark pools of waste, but they grew smaller with every step I took. Hufff... huff... The wastewater was slowly stripped away from the Demon King. When the flow stopped, she began to bleed instead. Her blood was red like the color of life. [The Demon King of Autumn Rains presence has weakened.] The being of absolute power was now gone. No... This cant be happening... Agh...! The Demon King tried to cover the weeping wounds on her left arm using her right hand, as if she refused to let a single drop of blood go. No, it was more like she was trying to scoop up what had been spilled long ago My children... I cant... Their grudges and resentment... Retreat, I quietly said. While a sword could cut the flesh in two, a voice could sever the soul. The Demon King froze as if she had been cut by my voice. Go back to the twentieth floor. Youll never be able to defeat me. Go back to your main base, thest scraps of your territory. The state of the war was already evident on my world map. The blue reached the mountain range and beyond the Goddesss Shield. The one-eyed giant looked over the temple. The forest was filled with dancing elves. Mermaids yed around the waterfall. A clearke reced theva in the crater of the Primordial Volcano... Every region of the continent was blue; it was thend of humans again. Go back to your start. Only a small region of the continent was redcloser to a dot. A fire may be able to burn an entire in, but it eventually died out to a spark. A flood that might have reached the bottom of the sky would turn into a drop of water in the end. Only a red dot, dim as a firefly, was left on the wide world map. That will be your end, Demon King. You... The Demon King looked up and gritted her teeth. The sewage had stopped flowing, so she now bled. Half of her body was scorched. Only one of her red eyes shone with its vicious light; the other half of her face was still covered with ashen sludge. Hmm. The Sword Star gripped his sword. The ck Witch leisurely lined up her six mirrors. Ill let you make the final attack, Death King. In no way was it possible for her to even try turning the situation around. Having peeked at the Demon Kings trauma, I felt like this was like the siege the humans had created to surround her vige. Gah! The Demon King had no choice but to run. However, she couldnt take that choice because she also knew that it wasnt the answer either, just as running to the vige square to get away from the fire had only lengthened the vigers lives by a minute. Fleeing to the twentieth floor would only mean a slight dy in her defeat. Shit...! Shit! Blood dripped out of the Demon Kings mouth. [The Demon King of Autumn Rain has decided to retreat.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rain has retreated to the twentieth floor!] Yes, a human would flee even if they knew it meant death by fire. The more the Demon King ran, the closer she became to a human. [It has been confirmed that the Demon King of Autumn Rain retreated.] [Initiating History Reformation.] [The neenth-floor stage has been revised!] Drops of light settled over the world once again. When the Demon King had disappeared, I turned around. Mr. Sword Star. Hmm. ck Dragon Master. Yes? I appreciate your help until now, but Im sorry. I bowed. I want to clear the twentieth floor and see the end with the Demon King on my own. Let me go alone. The ck Witch shrugged. Its fine with me. Youre the main reason why we were able to get this far. I already promised you not to do anything for five days anyway... It was me who broke the promise and helped you, so Ill really stay put this time. Today is our fifth day. Meet up with me after you finish clearing the twentieth floor. You and I have a lot to talk about. The Sword Star sheathed his sword. I understand. Thank you. I bowed once again before I said, Send me. [Wee, Death King.] And I headed to the twentieth floor, the vige where the Demon King, Estelle, had been born. 1. The raw is ????(һɔ). Its a four-letter idiom that carries two meanings. (1) Cutting something in half. (2) Making decisions without hesitation. ? Chapter 45: The Demon Kings Name (2)

Chapter 45: The Demon King''s Name (2)

[One challenger has entered the boss monster stage.] [The challengers name is Death King.] [May luck be with you.] This was the second time I entered a boss stage. If Ipared then and now...many things were both the same and different at the same time. One of the simrities was the notification messages. Just like the time I had challenged the Infernal Mansion, I was alone, and as always, the Tower wished my luck. However, there was certainly a difference too. [Initiating collective calction for clearing the eleventh to neenth floors.] I was no longer an ordinary challenger. I was the champion who was now on the twentieth floor after clearing from the eleventh to the neenth floors. The Tower weed the champion by blowing the trumpet nine times. [Calcting the reward for clearing the eleventh floor.] [Calcting the reward for clearing the twelfth floor.] [Calcting the reward for clearing the thirteenth floor.] [Calcting the reward for clearing the fourteenth floor.] [Calcting the reward for clearing the fifteenth floor.] [Calcting the reward for clearing the sixteenth floor.] [Calcting the reward for clearing the seventeenth floor.] [Calcting the reward for clearing the eighteenth floor.] [Calcting the reward for clearing the neenth floor...] [Calctions have beenpleted.] I walked on as I listened to the weing melody. [The Tower has acknowledged your feats.] [You have received the right to upgrade your Skill.] [You are able to upgrade any Skill below ss EX.] It was like an anthem to me. The Tower had created the stages in advance and assigned premade quests to them. However, I chose not to walk down the set path. I had created entirely new stages and cleared them in my own way. The Tower acknowledged my way as if it was okay too. [Adjusting the Death Kings authorization level!] [You have been temporarily given the authorization level of an apostle.] [The temporary authorization level will be maintained until you are given your reward.] [You may choose which Skill you will upgrade!] The stages I had cleared werent set in advance, so there were no predetermined ways to clear them. No rewards were decided either. ...I see. The Tower is leaving the choice to me. I nodded. I didnt know why the Tower had been built or who had built it. I also had no idea why the Tower was filled with lives from different worlds. There were many mysteries, but I could guess what kind of being the Tower was. The Tower watches what choices we make. And the Tower also remembered my choices. Alright. I drew my sword. Ill show you my choice again. Lefanta Aegims Holy Protector Sword, the relic used by the Aegim Empires first emperor, resonated with my aura. I pointed the glowing de at my enemy. She was standing in front of a small vige, the entrance to the twentieth floor. Its time you met your end, Demon King. She growled quietly like a dying animal. The fire of the world drove her away and eventually caught up to her, leaving her only this small haven. Its... The road to the vige was lined up with acacia trees in full bloom. In the middle of the road, the creature stood alone. Its my vige! Dont ruin my paradise! Her cry echoed off of the trees. [Initiating the boss monster stage.] I was going to defeat the weakest boss monster in the world. I briefly looked up at the clear skyan endless, unbroken sea of blue. It made me sure that it wasnt going to rain today. *** White acacia blossoms silently fluttered through the air, covering the road in white. Only the sound of breathing disturbed the silent world. I wont forgive you! The breaths were hoarse. I will never forgive you! I still see the burn marks and smell the scorching scent! Theyre branded in my brain! Your fire! Your malice! Do you think Ill forget them? she cried as she swung her red sword. Every time she screamed, her world became smaller. The twentieth-floor stage was especially smallit was less than one-hundredth the size of the other stages on my mini-map. Looking at it on the world map didnt help either. It was just one red pixel on the world map. That was the twentieth floors boss monster stage. Are you trying to go back? The worlds smallest boss monster stage was just an ordinary, rural vige, and in it was the worlds weakest boss monster. Are you going to go back in time and burn my paradise again? Again! You people are always like that! On the road where acacia blossoms fell, the Demon King howled. As feeble as it was, however, it was enough to fill this small world, her small vige. The tables have turnedpletely. I deflected the Demon Kings sword and responded with a sharp attack. Do you remember? Youre the Demon King, and Im the hero. You invaded the twelfth floor, and I stopped it. You never know how life is going to turn out, do you. Now youre protecting yournd from me. Die! Im sorry, Demon King. I flicked my wrist. That is the most meaningless thing you could say to me. I parried the Demon Kings attack without a problem. My strength was on another level from the Demon King. She couldnt handle my parry and left an opening that was as wide as a highway. I shed the Demon Kings upper body. Arghhhh! Her red blood sshed onto the ground. [The Demon King of Autumn Rains presence has weakened.] It dripped on the white acacia blossoms, fouling them with the smell of blood. Youve gotten weak, Demon King of Autumn Rain. I took a step forward, crushing the red blossoms beneath my feet. Youve gotten so much weaker. The Demon King wheezed and coughed. But it isnt enough. I swung my sword. Be weaker. You... Be much, much weaker than you already are. When I cut the Demon King, the blossoms became a little redder. [The Demon King of Autumn Rains presence has weakened.] The road behind the Demon King was white, but the road behind me grew redder and redder as I got closer to the vige. [The Demon King of Autumn Rains presence has weakened.] I took another step. [The Demon King of Autumn Rains presence has weakened.] And then another. Every time the Demon King stumbled backward, the number of white blossoms decreased. At the same time, more red acacia blossoms covered the road with each step I took. Gah... Urgh... The filth dripping from the Demon King, the mixture of grudges and resentment, was stripped away, revealing her body little by little. No... The first was the top of the Demon Kings feet. No...! N-no more...! Next was her two legs. Ugh... Both of her legs were revealed entirely, and then her waist and then her torso. Soon, I could see her long neck. Tower, no... Dont...! I swung my sword again. [The Demon King of Autumn Rains presence has weakened.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rains presence has weakened.] Finally, the sludge on her face was stripped away. Her chin, her lower lip, her upper lip, her nostril, the edge of her nose, and her cheeks were unveiled. [The Demon King of Autumn Rains presence has weakened.] Next were her red eyes and white forehead. [The Demon King of Autumn Rains presence has weakened.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rains presence has weakened.] Lastly, her hair, which resembled an unruly mane, lost its darkness one strand after another, until everyst bit of the waste was gone. Ah... She moaned. Her thin arms quivered, unable to bear the swords weight. Urgh.... Urghh.... The person standing under the acacia tree was no longer the Demon King. No one in the world would call someone who couldnt even properly hold up their sword a demon king. [The Demon King of Autumn Rains presence has weakened.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rain is no longer able to maintain authorization level.] [Adjusting authorization level.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rains title has been revoked.] And then the Tower didnt call her the Demon King either. The person who used to be the Demon King quivered. No...! The white light enveloped her. She writhed as if it were a swarm of bees. No...! Dont! No! You cant do this! However, it was no use. The light wrapped around her refused to dim. [Announcement.] The light delivered the execution. [The Demon King of Autumn Rains title has been revoked.] [The Demon King of Autumn Rains authorization level has been revoked.] The Constetion who once held absolute power had fallen. Ahhhh...! Ahh! Ahhhh! Arghhhhh! She frantically reached out for the drops of light scattering into the air, but they couldnt be captured. They slipped between her fingers as they flew away. Ah. Only a weak animal was left behind. Ahh. Ahhhhh. N-no... Ugh... She was no longer the Demon King of Autumn Rain, master of nightmares, nor the Saintess of the Outskirt. She was just a feeble being. Yes. I clutched my sword. Now youve weakened enough. Stay away... Stay away from me... Then stop me. I took a step toward her. How are you going to stop me? Are you going to bring up my right? Will you use your sword? Use anything you can. I took one more step. If you dont, Ill stand in front of you. As I approached her, she stumbled away. You... You people... she wheezed, have no right to do this to me... after what you did to my children... Youre wrong. I got a little closer. Just like you said before, Im an outsider from a different world. Yesbeastfolk, the temple, the kings, the emperor... Everyone in this world united to burn you and your vige. Lets say that not a single person on this continent is free of responsibility, but it doesnt apply to me. Im aplete outsider, so Hunters like me bear no responsibility. She moaned and took a step back. You dont have the right to hold me ountable. I went a step closer. And of course, you no longer have the power to stop me. The quivering in her body reached her voice. I... I didnt do... You didnt do anything bad? I! I just treated the sick...! The real Estelle would have been scared like you are right now. I narrowed my eyes. She was startled. She screamed for her fathers help, I calmly continued. She screamed that she didnt want to die. What did you do with her? I confronted her with what shed done before she became Estelle and gained the memory of a human. She struggled to break free from you, but you sank your teeth into her neck. You devoured her against her will and became Estelle. And there was the baby the woman cherished. She trusted you to save him, but you ate him. Yet you acted all pompous, all high and mighty, and told her that you saved him. You betrayed the womans trust. Th-th-thats... not true, she stammered, bewildered. I... You hid the truth. You hid the fact that you took Estelles ce and devoured the baby. You knew that people would get the wrong idea, but you kept your silence because you were afraid that people would treat you like a monster. You deceived people. I took another step forward. Your excuses are of no use. No one in this world can understand you better than I do. I know what you went through and the emotions you felt. I know every one of your changes. You arent an impable saintess or an innocent victim. I dont need to bother bringing up the woman and babythe moment you ate Estelle, you lost all im to innocence... I! she shrieked. I didnt know! I stopped walking. Her teeth ttered. She covered her face, but her intive howling still slipped between her fingers. I-I didnt know. I didnt have the memory of a human...or knowledge. I didnt know... She didnt know what it meant to save someone. Nor had she been aware of what struggling or pleading were. At the time... At the time...I didnt know what it meant... I... Are you saying you made a mistake because you didnt know? Yes! If I knew, I would have never... Before she could say eaten Estelle, I said, That is what humans do. She stared nkly at me. The kings who burned you and your vige could give you the same excuse. They certainly wouldno, Im sure they already have. What did they say when the world was covered in blood and you stood in front of them? I didnt know. We didnt know that what you did wasnt out of malice. We thought you were just an evil witch. We believed you were a monster. If we had known... They were... obvious lies... She clenched her fists. I nodded. Im sure that some people lied. No doubt they gave the order to burn you and your people out of a lust for power, or because of their arrogance, or their prejudice. So Im sure that there were people who tried to escape their responsibilities. Why wouldnt they? Theyre human, after all. But are you really sure that every human was like them? Can you be certain that none of their excuses were actually said with sincerity? I... Even if everyst ruler tried to avoid shouldering responsibility, it changes nothing, I bluntly stated. It had to be said. What about the soldiers who just followed their orders? How about the people who suddenly had to flee from their homes? Do you think no one among them could have sincerely said that they didnt know? Her face contorted harder than the time she had been struck with my sword. I got closer to her. What did the one-eyed giant from the mountain tell you? She fellpletely silent. Im sorry, but Im not a man of learning, I quietly said. I only know one kind of justice in this world. I came closer. And its karma. Her shoulders trembled. An eye for an eye. If you believe that what you devoured and spat out of your shadow was a human, then okay. Go through the same thing. At least it would be fair that way. W-what are you talking about...? Tower! I looked up at the sky. I want to use my reward now! I pulled out a golden Skill Card to use the reward for clearing the eleventh to the neenth floors. Monster Legion Summon ss: SS Effects: You are able to summon those you killed as monsters. The deceased wont have their original abilities nor have their memories. They are only summoned as monsters like goblins, orcs, zombies, and skeletons. However, you can summon your legion only once a week. I held up the ss SS Skill Card to the sky. You said that I can upgrade whichever Skill however I want! [The Tower affirms your statement.] [The Tower exins that the upgrade is not limitless.] [The Tower uses an example to help you understand.] [It is eptable to upgrade an SS-ss Skill to SSS-ss.] I noddedI only needed one upgrade anyway. I ask for an upgrade on the Skill Monster Legion Summon! [The Tower asks what upgrade you want.] You dont have to upgrade anything else! I just ask for a change regarding the part that the deceased wont have their memories! If I want, the deceased I summon will have their memory! The woman flinched. What... are you trying to do...? How is it? Isnt it a reasonable request!? I shouted, ignoring her. Im not asking you to preserve the deads abilities and Skills; this isnt even a request to cut down my Skill cooldown. Memory! I only ask to change the part about their memory! I want the people I kill to remember their life! The sky fell silent. For a while, everything was quiet. [Evaluating the level of your upgrade...] [Evaluating....] [The Tower has acknowledged that your request is reasonable.] [Confirming your request.] [Will you use your reward for clearing the eleventh to the neenth floors on the Skill Monster Legion Summon?] Yes. [The upgrade you want for the Skill Monster Legion Summon is as follows: if you wish, the deads memory shall be preserved.] [Is it correct?] That is correct. [The confirmation has beenpleted.] [Requesting Zrakuas approval.] [Approval has been received.] [The Death Kings request has been approved.] The familiar white light wrapped around my Skill Card. After the burst of light faded, I slowly read the card. Monster Legion Reincarnation ss: SSS Effects: You are able to summon those you killed as monsters. The deceased wont have their original abilities. However, if you wish, the deceased will have their memory and appearance. If not, they are summoned as monsters like goblins, orcs, zombies, and skeletons. However, you can summon your legion only once a week. Monster Legion Reincarnation was the new name of my first ss SSS Skill. Good. Everything worked out like I wanted it to. I turned back to her. Our eyes locked. Im going to kill you. If you dont like how I phrased it, then think of it as me devouring you. Its just like what you did with Estelle, the sick, and the children using your shadow. Ill devour you... I slowly raised my sword. ...and spit you out the same way. She trembled in fear. Chapter 46: The Demon Kings Name (3)

Chapter 46: The Demon King''s Name (3)

Fear was the most human emotion. Eek... The fallen Constetion experienced it in full force. She feared her unknown future and she feared the threat of death. She feared me. Every time I moved closer, she moaned in terror, but it wasnt enough to stop anyone from approaching. Im really d that you became a human, I said. Think about it: if you remained a monster, you wouldnt have been subject to my Monster Legion Summon even after all the trouble I went through. Well, I guess its Monster Legion Reincarnation now. It doesnt really matter what the Skills name is though... Ahhhhhh! In ast-ditch attempt to beat her fear, she grabbed her familiaralmost iconicred greatsword. However, it was so heavy that she couldnt even properly lift it. She frantically swung it about with her thin arms, its weight throwing her wildly off bnce. Of course, she would never get me with such random attacks. I avoided them with ease. Once, twice, thrice... The fallen Constetion continued to swing her sword, trembling. Shes a lost cause, the Guardian blurted. His brows were deeply furrowed. Her basic form is clumsy. Her feet arent properly nted on the ground, and she isnt even looking forward as she attacks. Theres no conviction in her attacks. What is she even trying to do after the swing? Tskthis is a prime example of someone who relied too much on their Skills and aura. She isnt even a swordswoman. The Guardian had stayed silent since I had cleared the neenth floor, but it seemed that the fallen Constetions so-called swordy upset the Sword Emperor too much for him to contain his grumbling. Look, Zombie. Look at her. Shes the reason why I always tell you the importance of honing your basic skills. You are the only one you can rely on when the endes. Show her. And I did. With one stroke, my sword destroyed the other sword. The two swords shrieked as they shed. The fallen Constetions eyes widened in dismay. Ahhh... Her greatsword was broken in two. Ahhh... Urgh... Ahhhh... What was left of the fallen Constetions will to resist vanished. The feeble animal sank to the ground, crushing the acacia blossoms beneath her diminutive frame. The end of the Demon King... I calmly looked down at the cowering creature. The one who reaps death... The message that the Tower had given me with my title suddenly crossed my head. [Hail to the king who reaps deaths.] The message somehow seemed to fit the situation. I wasnt sure how I felt about that. Yeah, but it isnt wrong. I slowly tightened the grip on my sword. Uh, Zombie? Hold on a second, the Guardian interrupted as I was about to cut down the fallen Constetions head. I know youre in your moment. Sorry for the interruption. Well, to be honest, Im not really sorry. I just said it because I was bored. Anyhow, wait a moment. Dont kill her yet. As always, the Sword Emperor was Sword-Emperoring again. Geez. What now? I snapped out loud. I didnt bring the Sword Star and ck Witch to the twentieth floor anyway, so no one was around to mistake me for a madman. I mean, you seem to take it for granted. The Sword Emperor shrugged. What are you talking about now? Hear me out. Lets say that she isnt a monster, sure, but does that make her a human like you? Who knows? She may have be a normal NPC. So what... Are you sure NPCs can be controlled using Monster Legion Reincarnation? I came to a stop. Uhh... I think so. Youre a real pushover, so youve never killed an NPC. Its clear that monsters arent targeted by Monster Legion Reincarnation, but we dont know if it applies to NPCs. What are you going to do if you go with the flow and the Tower just goes [Sorry! An NPC isnt a valid target!] Huh? Youre going to make things real awkward. Wait, but... Wake up, Kim Zombie! Im speaking from experience. The Tower is very strict when ites to a matter like this, the Guardian scoffed. The fallen Constetion was still studying my face with eyes filled with the terror of death. Shit. I cursed as I read the Skill Card again. Monster Legion Reincarnation ss: SSS Effects: You are able to summon those you killed as monsters. The deceased wont have their original abilities. However, if you wish, the deceased will have their memory and appearance. If not, they are summoned as monsters like goblins, orcs, zombies, and skeletons. However, you can summon your legion only once a week. See? Its vague. The Guardian pointed at the card. Who knows if NPCs are included? Can you be certain about it? Huh? N-NPCs are humans too. Humans. Well, thats what you think, Mr. Kim Zombie. The Guardian looked dead serious. Try negotiating with the Tower before you slit her throat. Negotiate with the Tower...? Why? Whats wrong with that? You already did it once and it went well enough earlier. Doing it again wont really be a problem. The Guardian had a point. Excuse me, Tower...? I awkwardly looked up at the sky. [The Tower directs its attention to you.] Fortunately, the Tower didnt ignore me, which would have been a disaster. It looked like I could freely converse with the Tower, at least for the time being. I had received a message that said I temporarily had the authorization level of an apostle, so maybe that was the reason. Can I ask you a question? Hey, you were all demanding earlier, so whats up with your tone? Youre ridiculous. Emotions got the better of me earlier... Ah, forget it! Be quiet, please! While we bickered, the Tower answered me. [The Tower asks what your inquiry is.] Lets see. So is an NPC included in the dead for Monster Legion Reincarnation? Or does it only count Hunters like me? Tower gave me an unexpected answer. [Inquiring Zrakua for confirmation.] [Unable to confirm.] [The answer to the inquiry exceeds the Towers authorization level.] Pardon? The Tower wasnt done with the surprise. [Checking the inquirers authorization level.] [Passed.] [The Death King temporarily owns the authorization level of an apostle.] [The Tower has conceded the Death Kings inquiry to be a formal agenda.]. [The Tower has requested the Six Pirs of All Life to convene for a majority vote meeting.] The white light blinded my eyes. *** ...Huh? I blinked after a moment. I found myself alone in a ce I wasnt unfamiliar with, but that made me all the more confused. It was the Underworld, my dark hell and the starting point after every death. In other words, I had no business here unless I died. Why am I here...? The voice brought me back to my senses. [Identifying the participants.] It wasnt just the voice. [The Sixth Pir, Primordial Staff, has joined the meeting.] [The Fifth Pir, Mirage-Walking Princess, has joined the meeting] [The Fourth Pir, Bystanding Moon of Blind Faith, has joined the meeting.] [The Third Pir, Legitor of the Beginning, has joined the meeting.] [The Second Pir, Void-Dancing God, has joined the meeting.] I tried to make as little sound as possible. No matter how hard I looked around me, all I could see was never-ending darkness, but I could feel the presences. [The participation of the Six Pirs of All Life has been confirmed.] [The Tower has shared the agenda raised by Temporary Apostle, Death King.] The presence was too strong to just call it presence. They were everywhere as they looked at me from beyond the darkness. [All participants have received the agenda.] I felt all of their gazes on me. [Proceeding with the majority vote on the agenda.] [Is an NPC included in the subject of the Skill Monster Legion Summon?] [Please vote in favor if you agree on including an NPC as the subject.] [Please vote no if you disagree on including an NPC as the subject.] Gesh...... ZaquA cho... Deo.... Sato, yov? Weloyo-na Shu...! Deo phenta.... kunto, ny Gesh-ve-Nail na? Nai-Gesh-Nail na? The invisible beings spoke quietly in anguage that I didnt understand. It seemed to be anguage made from the shadows themselves. Invisible snakes were all over the ce. I heard hisses from the above, below, left, and right. The voices resembled the movements of snake tongues. The long, red tongues slipped into my ears and touched the corner of my brain. Gesh... M-Gagamia... cho Gretehen Weloyo.... Nail. I felt lightheaded and dizzy. I was certain that only my consciousness was there, but I felt like vomiting. I would do anything to vomit out this uneasiness in my stomachno, my brain. It was like those tongues were coating my very soul in a thickyer of grease. Layo na. Gesh. Nail. NaiGeshNail. ... ... Deo zakun. Just then, the voices stopped, and the Underworld went silent. None resumed talking. The tongues stroking my brain through my ears stopped moving too. I finally felt like I could breathe. I managed to pull myself together. These beings arent from the Tower! All of thenguages that people in the Tower use are automatically tranted... but theirs is different. They live outside the Tower. Theyre iparably superior to the Demon King of Autumn Rain! Perhaps they were the beings who had built this Tower, inhabitants of ces I couldnt even imagine. [Proceeding with the vote on the agenda.] After a long silence, I heard the familiar voice. It made me feel right back at home. [The Sixth Pir, Primordial Staff, has voted against the agenda.] [The Fifth Pir, Mirage-Walking Princess, has voted in favor of the agenda.] [The Fourth Pir, Bystanding Moon of Blind Faith, has voted in favor of the agenda.] [The Third Pir, Legitor of the Beginning, has voted against the agenda.] [The Second Pir, Void-Dancing God, has abstained from making a vote.] Two consents, two dissents, and one abstention. I froze. I had yet to discover who they were and where they were from; however, it was clear that they had the right to decide what my Skill, Monster Legion Reincarnation, could do. But they made a vote which resulted in neither yes nor no. Why? What did they want from me? ...Wait. Realizing something, I looked around theblissfully free of hissesce. There is... one being who hasnt voted yet. Yes, I had heard it when I was summoned here. [The Tower has requested the Six Pirs of All Life to convene for a majority vote meeting.] Even before I heard the hisses, I received a simr message. [Identifying the participants.] [The participation of the Six Pirs of All Life has been confirmed.] Yes, there are six of them! The Tower had vouched for it. If so, the vote tally right now was odd because only five votes had been cast. Where did thest vote go? And who was thest one? What about them made everyone else go silent? It was because thest being was the Towers master. There was no need for them to join the meeting because they had been here from the start. It was how they knew everything going on in the Tower. I looked straight at the dark region where I could feel the strongest presence and tried to consider the situation as calmly as possible. ...I-I think itll be yes. Lets say that NPCs shouldnt be included as my Skills subject. Then how did the Demon King summon all her monsters? Im sure that all of the people of the empire and the kingdoms that the Demon King killed used to be NPCs. I could feel them watching me silently. I understand what all of you are worried about. I might kill any NPCs and use them as my summons... But Im sure Ive shown you all what kind of a person I am. The ce was dark, but I still turned to face each presence one by one. That isnt who I am, I continued, and I wont be like that in the future either. No matter how strong an opponent I was dealing with, I always had two choices: fight them or persuade them. The Demon King gets to use NPCs as her summons, but I cant? Thats unfair. Not bad. The whisper felt close and far at the same time. It gave me goosebumps. Every syble spoken felt like an electrical shock. But youre thinking too hard. The voice was tinged withughter. Death King, try speaking from your heart, not your head. After a short silence, I said what I wanted to say. That Demon King is my prey, so dont touch her. The being burst intoughter. [The First Pir, Master of All Life, has voted in favor of the agenda.] [Compiling the votes] [3 consents. 2 dissents. 1 abstention.] [NPCs shall be included as the subject of the Death Kings Skill Monster Legion Reincarnation.] As the masterughed, the darkness shattered like a ss window. Empty gaps spiderwebbed my already empty hell, but light soon seeped through them. [Revoking the Death Kings temporary apostle authorization level.] [Ending the meeting.] [May luck be with you.] As the brilliant light enveloped me, I realized that I had sessfully persuaded the Tower. *** Zombie? Hey, Kim Zombie? When I opened my eyes again, I could see the acacia blossoms, my Guardian, and the fallen Constetion who used to be called the Demon King of Autumn Rain. The acacia blossoms were soundless, and the fallen Constetion didnt dare to make a sound. Only the Guardian disturbed the peace. Why are you nking out? Ask the Tower, the Guardian urged me. Hey, Mr. Kim Zombie? Zombie King, can you hear me? It felt strange. It seemed that only the blink of an eye had passed... but at the same time, it also felt like an eternity. It was really odd. The memory of the conversation I had just now instantly faded awayI had trouble recalling what we were even talking about. Mr. Sword Emperor... Finally, youre speaking. Did I tease you too much, Zombie? Is your brain actually taking after a zombies? Didnt you hear that? Couldnt you see it? What are you talking about? The Tower summoned me to the Underworld... Talked about some all life...and pirs... Something that I think is the Towers master showed up andughed... Do you have any idea what Im talking about? The Guardian looked at me like a dog with rabies and frowned. Zombie, Im sorry. I must have called you Zombie too many times. Man, Ive never sincerely apologized to anyone, but I suddenly feel real bad... Ill tone it down from now on, so get a hold of yourself. The man in front of me was a legend. He had cleared the ny-ninth floor of the Tower in a different world, gaining the title of Sword Constetion[1] and bing a Guardian... Even he didnt know what I was talking about. Who did I meet just now? Who in the world... I felt a chill run down my spine. ...No. I clenched my hand around the hard metal of my swords hilt. Stay calm, Kim Gong-Ja. I swallowed and looked forward. The road I needed to take was still there, and the fallen Constetion wasying in the middle. I still dont know many things, but I know that now is the time to deliver the final strike on my prey. I slowly raised my sword. Maybe I would discover something once I reached the hundredth floor of the Tower. Huh, Gong-Ja? Are you going to just kill her? Are you sure you dont have to ask the Tower? The Guardian tilted his head. Its okay. I already got my answer, I said. The fallen Constetion extended her hand. H-hold on...! Save me! I swung my sword. It was the weapon I received for my requiem on the tenth floor, the sword Id used to move the soldiers hearts on the eleventh floor. For thousands of days, I had been trapped in the prison of time when I had been on the twelfth stage. This sword was the witness to my time, and I used it to y the fallen Constetion. There was a small scream, and the fallen Constetion copsed. By the time the scream petered out, shey dying among the white acacia blossoms. I watched a drop of red dye a petal of white blossom as I slowly said, Monster, rise. My shadow jolted, and a dark hand emerged from the t shadow, as if something was escaping from a pit of hell. However, it wasnt struggling to get out. Rise. Its resistance was meaningless, as the shadow couldnt resist mymand. The head came out first, and followed by the neck, the waist, and the legs. She gasped and panted, her limbs quivered like a newborn gazelles. Her appearance might be that of an adult, but she had only just been truly born. Estelle is the name you stole. Its not something you can have. Someone who brought life into the world always had to bear the responsibility of it. The first responsibility was to name the life. Preta. She looked up at me, her long hair fluttering. Your name is Preta. You will live on and serve me as your master. The woman used to be called Estelle; she was honored as the Saintess of the Outskirts, and feared as the Demon King of Autumn. However, she didnt have the right to have any of her former names. Now, she trembled. Only after shed received a name from me did she bow. Yes... I will obey yourmand... Master. A white acacia blossomnded on her hair. On thest of the promised five days, one of the two kingsthe Death King and the Demon Kingfell. 1. This is a Skill name, but its also the Guardians other title. ? Chapter 47: How To Deal With The World (1)

Chapter 47: How To Deal With The World (1)

Only a king and his subject were left, but the one who broke the silence was neither. It was an emperor. The emperors solemn voice... ...Mr. Sword Emperor, do you really have to Sword-Emperor right now? The dude had a real knack for breaking the mood. Yeah...I should. No, I dont really want to... To be honest, I really want to stay as far away as possible from you two and pretend I dont know either of you. Gosh, but Im the only one who can say this. The Guardian looked mentally tortured. Get to it already. What the heck are you two doing? I didnt get the question at first, but it looked like this was what the Sword Emperor had been wanting to say. What do you mean what? As you can see... Yeah, you killed the Demon King. And you revived her with your Skill and then you named her... Speaking of which, why would you name a girl Preta? If you really had to name her Preta, then you could have gone for something cuter like Pretia and called her Tia. How adorable is that? Now youre picking a fight with me over how I name people? Forget about the name. My next question is... why are you guys ying master and servant? The Guardian looked back and forth between me and Preta as like we were the greatest mystery hed ever seen. What bond do you guys have... Fine! Lets say you feel some kind of bond with her since you defeated her, right? Youre my ve. I got you~ under my skin.[1] Like something out of your worlds old pop songs. Do you listen to k-pop? I asked. One of Gramps Marcuss hobbies is listening to po... No, forget about it. Anyhow, I can understand why you would be like that, But I really dont get why she would go Yes, master. Today I learned one of the Sword Stars hobbies. I would have preferred not to... but that wasnt important right now. So you dont get why Preta would serve me as her master, is that it? Yes. Zombie, let me list what you did to her one by one, from an objective perspective. I nodded. You stopped her in every way possible. That is how it began. You erased everything shes done one by one. And you broke her psychologically with truth bombs. That is how it went. And then you slit her throat. The cherry on this madness cake is you dragging her out with Monster Legion Reincarnation against her will. That is how it ended. Ha, you heartless bastard. Do you have poison for blood? The Guardian shook his head in disbelief. Who knows? Cobra venom, maybe. But you left out one thing for some reason: someone told me to show a sham what a proper swordsmans ending was, so I even shattered her sword. That was necessary. Someone had to do itif she still has a spark of desire to be a proper swordswoman, Im sure shes grateful too. She just isnt saying it out loud, the Guardian solemnly said. I used to think that this ghost was only good at bullshitting, but he would make a great con artist. Anyhow, I was expecting her to hurl her grudges and anger toward you, so why is she prostrating on the ground and waiting for orders? Is the end of the world actually the biggest masochist in the world? Although the Guardian said that he wanted to get away from me and Preta, I was the one who took a step back from him. The way the gori thought was... Nevermind. Whoa... Mr. Sword Emperor... Theres a reason why Preta is obeying me right now. What reason? She knows. I nced at Preta. Youll also find out soon enough. Drops of Pretas tearstears of anger, sorrow, and despairfell onto the forest floor. [Searching for a demon kings presence on the twentieth floor...] Yes, Preta knew perfectly well what was going to happen next. [Unable to locate a demon king] Pretas shoulders twitched in surprise. [It has been confirmed that a demon king is not present on the twentieth floor.] On the road and the acacia treeseverywheredrops of light fell. The twentieth-floor stage was small to begin with, so it took no time at all for the entire floor to be covered. [Initiating History Reformation.] The world expanded. [The twentieth-floor stage has been revised.] The buildings in the vige at the end of the road used to be a pile of burned debris. They had been restored. The wheat fields and orchards were flush with life. The boisterousughter of children danced over the vige once more. A paradise and its beautiful people had been resurrected. In other words, the time had been rewound to before Preta had be a walking font of waste and became the Demon King of Autumn Rain. However, Preta was grimacing as she knew what was going to happen to this paradise. Ahhh... No. Please, no... Preta moaned, shivering. However, it was no use. What we knew would happen did happen. She looked into the distance, her face wet with tears. Ah... Something was approaching from the opposite side of the vige. Each footfall on the forest road made their armor nk threateningly. gs of various colors flew above themwar banners. I also heard fluttering wings. The worlds united army had just entered the forest. Please... Again. The vige is going to burn again... Burn again... No, please, n-no. Ahh... Preta sank to the ground again and bowed to me. Master... Just like the Guardian said, I was Pretas mortal enemy. She wanted to kill me in the cruelest way possible. No doubt bowing to me like she was right now made her stomach turn. But she bowed because she had to. Master! I wont harbor grudges... I wont even consider revenge... She had no other choice but to ept her servitude to me. When the powerless had something to protect, they were willing to be pretas and swallow any kind of humiliation. Ill follow anymand... I will be your loyal servantno, ve. Preta bowed and scraped desperately. Please. My paradise... Okay, I will. I left it at that and walked away, the Sword Emperor trailing behind me. The goofy look he had when he was teasing me and Preta was gone; his expression now was as serious as a judge. I see. Yeah, now you get it. A subject has a duty to obey their ruler. A ruler has an obligation to protect their people, I answered. Im sorry for the sarcasm. You also lost the bet. Just think about how youre going to pay me back. I stepped in front of my subject and took a deep breath, gathering my aura. Halt! The acacia blossoms fluttered as if an invisible giant had mmed the ground. The sound of dragons wings pping and armor nking faded away along with the noise of hooves and the tter of weapons. I stood on the narrow road to the vige. The only thing between me and the army was the acacia blossoms. *** Blossoms made no sound as they flew. That was why when blossoms covered the world, it seemed like the world melted into sleep. However, all blossoms were fated to eventually meet the ground once theyd left the branch. Themander-in-chief of the Aegim Empires army came forward. His armor was the color of the ocean, and the symbol of the sun was engraved on his breastte. I knew who he was. I am General Sarbas Aegim! Who are you to stand in my way! And of course, he had no idea who I was. Well... I trailed off. I had fought monsters by the hundreds and thousands. I had also directly faced the wrath of the Demon King of Autumn Rain in her prime. Not many people in this world had experienced as much danger as I had. Even then, I still had to take a deep breath and touch the hilt of my sword. I could ask you the same question. What business brings you all to this countryside? My people and I are here to carry out our emperors will! General Sarbas Aegim thunderously answered. His army of soldiers shouted in response and brandished their weapons in the air. Instead of blossoms, the air was filled with startled birds. We heard tell of the presence of a witch corrupting the innocent people of the continent! There are also monsters who foolishly fell for the witchs temptation and plunged themselves into the pits of evil! We have to do something about it! So? I asked. The witch and monsters shall be purified with holy fire! I quietly looked at the blue dots on my minimap. This is not just the will of the Emperor of Aegim! Thousands of blue dots painted one side of the map. Like an ocean wave, more and more of them arrived with every moment. I knew who they were. Our great pope tasked us to punish the heretic who dared to call herself a saintess! Those were the pdins I had saved on the thirteenth floor. The Forest Monarch bequeathed us with this mission. All of the elemental spirits shall bless us on our mission! They were the forest elves I had saved on the fourteenth floor. The Mermaid Queens gem shall validate our execution! The wizards of waterfalls. I had saved them on the fifteenth floor. The dragons of the Primordial Volcano are here to keep their oaths of honor! Those were the warriors of the volcano that I had saved from the sixteenth floor. The merchants from the Free City Alliance, the riders of the in, and soldiers of all the empires colonies are here too! I could see the armed merchants of the seventeenth floor and the nomads of the eighteenth floor. There were soldiers from the small and smaller countries on the neenth floor too. The world is with us! I had been through the eleventh to the neenth floors and saved all of them. Those floors had dozens to hundreds of major characters involved in their stages, and all of them were now here, waving their respective gs. I knew all of them, but none of them knew me, just like Sarbas Aegim. Ill ask you again! Sarbas Aegim shouted. Who are you to stop our mission!? I looked at my quest window. The Hero of the Paused World Difficulty level: Unknown Goal: You have decided that you wont ept a single victim. Its said that justice is about not asking for the price of salvation, and devotion is about not seeking recognition from those you save. A person who devotes themself to justice is called a hero. Hero! The world will never know your justice or your devotion. However, it will not change the nature of your justice and devotion. The wounded Demon King fled but couldnt get far. If you wish, youre free to chase after her. What remains now is your choice: will you continue to be a hero in the paused world? Of course, I already made my choice. General Sarbas Aegim. I called out. His eyes widened slightly. I pointed, my nose pompously thrust into the air. Did you say youre here to uphold imperial orders? W-what? Im the general of the empire acting under imperial orders. How dare you address me with that tone? Haha. Youre funny. Thats one hell of a story. You know the situation the Aegim Emperor is in right now better than anyone, so dont try that imperial order nonsense with me. H-how...? I saw your trauma when I got killed by you to take your Skill. I know the power struggle between the princes is also getting intense. A rumor was circting among the citizens of the empires capital around the time I saved the twelfth floor. Instead of answering him aloud, I just red at him. He was now silently panicking and furtively scanning the other leaders of the united army because I was openly discussing the Imperial Family of Aegims weakness. However, his panic didntst long. The leaders of the dragons, pdins, and nomads frowned slightly, but the rest of them were scowling at me as if they hadnt heard me. Sarbas Aegim, general of the worlds strongest empire, cleared his throat and gave me a re. ...How dare you make such a presumptuous im! Are you sent by the witch from this vige? Presumptuous im? Hah. I didnt expect to hear that from the man who is trying to oust the Crown Prince so that the Third Prince can take his ce. Sarbas Aegim panicked once again, and stronger this time, so it broke his poker face. You know, you shouldnt live like that. Have you forgotten how much grace the Aegim Emperor has bestowed on you? Did you really forget? You were just a bum who was destined to spend your entire life weavings in the harbor. You know that youre called the emperors uncle and your position was ultimately only possible because of him. Yet youre just obsessed with power... I kept talking with my nose in the air to provoke Sarbas Aegim. And it was sessful. Ahhh! I get it now, Sarbas Aegim roared. Youre from the Amber Pce! The entire world is united right now, so you and your people are trying to use this situation to change public opinion! If you are a true citizen of the empire, you know that His Highness the Third Prince is the only true heir to the empi You fool! I seized upon his moment of anger and immediately pressed Sarbas Aegim. The Amber Pce! Ha! Do you seriously think Im the dethroned queens stooge? Did you weave your eyes together during your weaving days? Youre a true fool! T-then who sent You want to know who I am? I shouted confidently. I held up my sword. See for yourself! Sarbas Aegim stopped panicking. Instead, his jaw dropped to the ground. Do you see it? Im sure even you can see this, Sarbas Aegim! Yes, I held up Lefanta Aegims Holy Protector Sword! Lefanta Aegims Holy Protector Sword Rarity: Legendary Description: The saying, The one who possesses the holy sword shall have the continent,es from the legend of the Aegim Empires founding emperor. In the legend, the goddess bestowed the holy sword to him. However, the sword alsoes with the saying The one who has the continent will be bound by fate. The founding ancestor left after choosing his sessor. It is unclear if he killed himself or was murdered. The legend and history are yet to determine his true fate, and his and his holy swords whereabouts still remain unknown. Only a single line of prophecy has been left to guide everyone: The wielder of the holy sword shall arrive on the day of destiny. Whoever possesses the holy protector sword gains absolute trust and support from the people of the Aegim Empire. I am the herald of Lefanta Aegim, the Great First Emperor of the Aegim Empire! Sarbas Aegim trembled. His quivering spread to the knights wearing the symbol of the Aegim Empire, and then it reached the soldiers. Finally, the entire army of the empire began to tremble. I red at them like a hawk. Sarbas Aegim! Y-yes... I understand the chaos in the imperial family and have witnessed the Crown Princes unruly behavior and evil deeds! Im also aware that you stand by the Third Princes side purely out of loyalty to the empire! But I said earlier that youre obsessed with power to test you! Did it upset you? Sarbas Aegims eyes, which used to be filled with shock, slowly reddened. N-not at all! Im grateful... that you acknowledge my loyalty... But Im such a fool to give in to my emotions. How should I pay for this crime... herald of the Great First Emperor? You say that you arent upset and have no reservation addressing me by that title. If so, why are you still on your horse and looking down at me! M-my apologies...! Sarbas Aegim was in such a rush to get off of his horse that he fell off of it. He quickly got on his feet and, without brushing off the petals and mud on his armor, got on his knees. The Great First Emperor guards the rising sun and protects all life between the earth and ocean! The Aegim Empire shall shine forever! I, a humble descendant of the Great First Emperor, offer my greetings to his herald! Sarbas Aegims ardent voice whipped the entire imperial army into motion. Greetings! The knights with the Aegim Empires symbol on their chests got off of their horses. Greetings! The soldiers dropped their knees. Greetings to the herald of the Great First Emperor! Some even bowed down to me! The strongest faction of the united army sent to suppress the witch kneeled to me. Wowie... Kim Zombie, I thought you were only good at bullshitting, but you would make a great con man, the Guardian eximed. It took you this long to realize? I scoffed. Just like the time I had dealt with the Towers six pirs, the choices I could take when dealing with a strong adversary or many opponents remained the same: fight them or persuade them. But there wasnt only one way of fighting. And there are many ways to persuade someone. Now was the time to deceive the world I had saved. 1. TVXQ! ???? ?? - MIROTIC MV ? Chapter 48: How To Deal With The World (2)

Chapter 48: How To Deal With The World (2)

The Guardian was equal parts psychopath and geezer. This golden ratio made ny-nine percent of his advice crazy or useless. In other words, the remaining one percent contained the essence of both a psychopath and a geezer. When you wield a sword, what matters isnt just your skill. Its faith and confidence! Faith in yourself is the most important! the Guardian dered with a solemn look. Lying works the same way! In order to fool someone, you have to deceive yourself first! Believe your lies! Have confidence! No matter how usible the lie sounds, people wont believe it if you lie without confidence. But if you have confidence, it doesnt matter how imusible it is. Is that so? I asked. I did it a lot, so I know! He truly was speaking from experience. Maybe his ratio of psychopath to geezer was six to four. You and other people wont believe a one hundred percent lie, of course. So mix ten percent truth with ny percent lies! Mix them? Yeah, thats the beauty of lying. When you believe the ten percent truth, the ny percent lie wille to you naturally! Remember, Zombie: lying is confidence! I let his words sink in as I looked in front of me. The army assembled from around the world was here to capture the Demon King... The Aegim Empires troops, the vanguard of the army, were looking at me. I was going to be in danger if I couldnt pull off my lie. The Great First Emperors herald... But that sword is certainly... Why is the herald here? Even though those from the Aegim Empire kept their heads down, some of the soldiers from the other factions were shooting skeptical nces at me. I assumed that the holy protector swords effectiveness was limited to those from the empire. U-umm, Sir...? Can this ignorant descendant ask you a question? Sarbas Aegim, the leader of the imperial contingent asked. He watched my reaction carefully. What is your question? Like I told you earlier, the reason why were here today is to subjugate the witch. Can I ask you what brought you here today...? I briefly closed my eyes. Lying is confidence. With that thought in mind, I shouted, I have already subjugated the witch! My aura-infused voice startled Sarbas Aegim. I-Im sorry? What do you mean...? Look over here! I stepped aside, revealing Preta, who had been standing behind me. Perhaps they had already done some investigations on Estelles appearance because some people immediately recognized her. I-its Estelle! Its the Witch of the West! Ive seen her before! That woman is the witch! Burn the witch! Preta whimpered and stumbled backward. However, I paid no attention to her reaction. Preta. Yes...? Come and kneel in front of them, I sternlymanded. Preta, who was now one of my monsters, had no ability to fight my orders. She staggered forward and kneeled, but I wasnt done. Bow. She did just that. ce your hands on the ground. Her hands trembled as she followed my order. Was it anger or humiliation in her eyes? Her cheeks pinchedit seemed she was biting both the inside of her cheeks and her tongue. A little trickle of blood dripped out from her mouth and flowed down her chin. Put your head on the ground. Preta carried out my order with a grunt. The soldiers watched the former Demon King ramming her head on the ground with bated breaths. Preta quietly huffed and puffed with indignation, yet she obeyed mymands in order to protect her small paradise. In some way, it was a sacred act. Now roll forward, I solemnlymanded. The acacia forest fell utterly silent for a moment. ...Pardon? Preta looked up at me, unable to believe her ears. I frowned. Did you not hear me? Huh... Uhhh...? Roll, now! Preta flinched and reluctantly ced her small hands on the ground again. Her blond hair, which was longer than she was tall, swept up the acacia blossoms on the ground. Even after she was done rolling, she had a look on her face that said she had no idea what was going on. I nodded. Stand on your hands. Preta turned and looked at me like Id gone insane. I didnt even blink. Get to it, right now! Preta gasped. She ced her trembling hands on the ground again and slowly tried to do a handstand, but she flopped over due to herck of strength. Although she tried it again, she just looked like she was swimming on the ground. I ignored her noises of pain and her morose expression and sternly continued to issue orders. Do twenty jumping jacks! Sit down and stand up ten times! Once youre done, ten push-ups! Imand you to do twenty sit-ups! nk for twenty seconds! After a minute of that, the former Demon King waspletely exhausted and her eyes were teary. I-I cant do it anymore, Master... I-I cant lift a finger... I turned back to Sarbas Aegim. Do you see now? His jaw was dragging on the ground. His soldiers and everyone elses reactions were pretty much the same. People from the entire world were staring nkly at Pretas rather childish slump. S-sir, what in the world... I tightened my core to suppress my nervous tremors. Like I said, I have already subjugated the witch. She wont be able to disobey me in any way! Naturally, its also impossible for her to harm the people. All of you can be at ease when ites to the witch! The soldiers buzzed chaotically, their reaction affecting their leaders. Umm... If you say so... Sarbas Aegimpletely submitted himself to me after I showed him the holy sword, so he was eager to believe me. The other leaders, however, looked like they smelled bullshit. The pdins stomped forward and shouted, Hold on a second! What are you all doing? Were here to subjugate the witch! Well, the Great First Emperors herald told us that the witch is already subjugated How are we supposed to believe him! H-how can you not believe him! Sarbas huffed. Youve also seen... h-how the witch faithfully carried out all his orders! The holy sword was quite effective. The pdin leader actually jumped up and down in frustration. Thats exactly why Im doubtf No, no. I mean, that young mans sword is the only evidence that hes the messenger sent by the First Imperial Majesty of the Great East! Its merely a sword M-merely a sword? Sarbas Aegims voice rose. Merely a sword?! Oh my god. Are you questioning the authority of the holy protector sword? That holy sword is evidence that the goddess favors the empire! Realizing his mistake, the pdin leader toned his voice down. General, calm down... What I was trying to say was just The Great First Emperor went out to the ins with that sword! He rode across the ins, left his footprints in every city, scaled the volcano, and went down the waterfall. He also crossed the forest and mountains! The sword was with him for every single moment! When he finally faced the ocean, he built the empire to guard the sun! All of your ancestors were with the Great First Emperor, so every one of you is indebted to him in a way! Yet you call it a mere sword! No, thats not what Im talking about What are you talking about then? H-His Holiness gave me a solemn order to subjugate the heretic witch... but one word from that young man and One word? Sarbas boomed. Are you putting an order from the Great First Emperor below that of a mere pope? Wow, I thought as I watched the chaos unfold in front of me. W-what? The pdin leader opened and closed his mouth in shock. It took exactly two seconds for his confusion to turn into fury. Are you questioning the temples authority?! You doubted the holy protector sword first! Fine! I get it! I guess your Third Prince doesnt need His Holinesss support! Hah! Who cares? The Great First Emperors herald is here and he has subjugated the witch. This is evidence that the goddess still watches over the empire, so who cares! Is that how the Third Princes faction wants to do it? The quarrel between Sarbas Aegim of the empire and the pdin leader from the temple was getting intense. I had to suppress a smile. This is perfect. When many groups were brought together, there was one thing that everyone had to watch out for: if a conflict were to rise between them, it was an express highway to disaster. I really dont have to look far for an example. When the Hunters had arrived on the twelfth floor, there were no less than eight different factions. The Sword Star and I could be counted as one faction each, and there were five from each of the Five Guild leaders. Lastly, the Rank 8, 9, and 10 champions made up one small faction. We had banded together for the goal of clearing the Tower, but our unity had never been unbreakable. We had grudges and lingering doubts, which had ultimately led us to destruction right after the Demon King had offered her reward. I recalled what the hologram of the goddess had said when the eleventh floor was opened. [Warriors.] [While climbing up the Tower, your faith will be tested from the eleventh to the twentieth floor.] I had to hold back myself from grinning. The residents of the Tower should also go through the trial of faith. Otherwise, it wasnt fair. *** After those from the empire and temple entered the trial of faith, the other factions quickly interrupted. Phew. People, it isnt the time for this, a captain of the elven rangers admonished. We need a more sure way to verify that the witch is actually under that mans control. I know all of you are foolish humans, but there is time and ce to show your idiocy. I had no idea if he was trying to stop the fight or make it worse. Regardless, he certainly wasnt helping. If I may add, arent you contradicting yourself? The Great First Emperors holy protector sword was given to him by the Goddess of Protection, whom the temple worships. Doubting the holy sword means questioning the goddesss authority, I believe. Maybe your short lifespan makes you humans foolish ... The elf gave both the pdin and Sarbas a disparaging look. What? Is that how elves think of us? This is why those long-ears cant be trusted! The elf ranger captain had only made things worse. What are you people from the temple and the empire doing? We are here to keep vows, so why would you waste our time by quarreling! the dragon leader from the Primordial Volcano burst out. Fight like warriors! Are your weapons for decoration? They were just simpletons...like the Viper, the OJP Sect leader. The Free City Alliance believes that both the Imperial Sword and the Temple Hammer are right. However, it is always possible for someone else to impart more wisdom. The alliance is open to hear from them. You farming losers... Anyhow, when can we rob the vige? You said we canthats why we came, an armed merchant asked, his greed unashamedly bared. The female leader of the nomads silently grumbled as she tended to the horses. U-um, people. People... the witchs den is right in front of us... Only the lords from small countries were getting anxious. Theirnd was the closest to Pretas paradise, so they were desperate to suppress the vige before its fever spread to theirnd. The unified army was a powder keg right now. In contrast, the Sword Emperor and I were rxing. Man, Im starting to understand why Preta stirred up a fight between the Hunters. Its fun to turn people against each other! The Guardian crossed his arms and nodded enthusiastically. I know, right? It was honestly pretty funny. However, not all of them were a lost cause. Phew. People, step aside please! A lizardfolk wizard from the Mermaid Fall came forward. I believe the matter at hand is ultimately simple. The lizardfolk wizard pointed a webbed finger at me. We just need to verify three facts: is the young man really the Great First Emperors messenger, and is the woman actually the witch? If both are true, all thats left is to determine whether or not he actually managed to control her. She was like the Pdin, the Watchmen Leagues assistant leader, trying to mediate the situation so she and the others wouldnt spiral into chaos and destruction. Tired after quarreling with Sarbas Aegim, the pdin leader scrunched up his face. So how in the world are we supposed to do that? Dont worry. I have my ways. The lizardfolk wizard put her webbed hand in her pocket and pulled out a blue gem that seemed to be made from the ocean depths. This is the Soul Gem bestowed by the Mermaid Queen. The lizardfolk wizard looked very serious. She sounded like she was showing everyone a treasure so precious that theyd used up a lifetime of luck toy eyes on it. Using the gem and a drop of blood, we can tell what kind of soul he carries. The gem will shine bright white if his soul is kind, but ck if his soul is evil. The Guardian and I leisurely examined the gem. Hmm. So its simr to the Pdins Lie Detector and the Sword Stars Detective Eyes. Looks like it. Beastfolk are good at inventing a mix of everything. The description was quite fancy. It was from the Mermaid Queen and so on... but to us, there was nothing new about it. With no idea what we were thinking, the lizardfolk wizard was confident. Now! You said that the woman is the Outskirt Witch and that you are the Great First Emperors messenger. If its true, ept the trial! The lizardfolk wizard held up the gem. The gem will prove all your good and evil deeds! I nodded obligingly. Alright. Test me all you want. Dont regret it. As I told you, the gem will expose your entire soul. Youll just keep wagging your forked tongue, wont you?[1] Are you worried it isnt going to work? I pray that your confidence isnt a bluff. The lizardfolk wizards eyes narrowed. First, Ill test that womans soul. She strode toward me and Preta and snatched Pretas wrist. The lizardfolk wizard then scratched Pretas palm using her sharp fingernail. When she saw her palm bleed, Preta quietly gasped and jerked slightly. One slow drop at a time, her dark red blood was absorbed into the Mermaid Queens gem. The gem instantly turned ck. No! Oh my! The leaders were horrified. The gem was dyed no ordinary ckthe color resembled a seething, slithering abyss. Even the wizard performing the test swallowed nervously. I cant believe it...! Your soul is so evil. How many evil deeds have youmitted...? Such a color shouldnte from someone of this world. She is indeed cursed... She is the witch! the lizardfolk wizard shrieked. She quickly let go of Pretas wrist like it was trash. Her eyes overflowed with disgust and fear. No, calling her a witch is an understatement. Im sure that shes a demon king! the wizard shouted. Pretas back hunched a little more. The lizardfolks conviction sent a charge through the army. Their low murmurings faded out and the leaders stopped quarreling among themselves. They turned and gave Preta frightening res. Preta shuffled behind me, her back hunched. Its your turn now. The lizardfolk wizard held up her long fingernail. All eyes were on me, naturally. Self-proimed herald of the Great First emperor, are you ready? I nodded. Im always ready. Bluffing is pointless... Give me your hand, please. I gave her my left hand and the lizardfolk wizard used her sharp fingernail to open a cut that looked like a gill. My blood quietly fell onto the pitch-ck gem. Hmm...? The lizardfolk wizard tilted her head. And there was light. H-huh...? At first, it was a flicker of white. Then they amassed and got brighter until every trace of darkness was erased from the gem. After a while, it burst into light. The acacia forest instantly brightened. Small cries of surprise arose from here and there as the soldiers shut their eyes and the leaders covered their faces with their hands. H-how... The lizardfolk lowered her hand, her mouth opening and closing dumbly. Wait, what in the world? Your soul is... What in the world is going on!? the pdin leader yelled. The Mermaid Queens Waterdrop! Why would the gem shine like this? His soul... the lizardfolk wizard mumbled without even giving a nce at the pdin leader. How many lives did he save for it to be so white...! This is... This is...! Ahhh...! Hes light...! Yes, I was light. 1. The raw is ??? ???? ???? ???(Your tongue is already forked, but its also long.) The expression You have a long tongue is a Korean ng that means you sound like a conman and have something to hide. ? Chapter 49: How To Deal With The World (3)

Chapter 49: How To Deal With The World (3)

L-light..? the pdin leader stammered. The radiant white light from the Soul Gem gradually subsided and people cautiously opened their eyes again. What do you mean? He is light? I wasnt really good at reading lizardfolks faces, but the wizard was very transparent right now. She was touchedI could see dewy tears in her reptile eyes. I told you... Hes... Hes just light.... The lizardfolk wizard was on the verge of tears. Cant you tell how sparkling his soul is...? I-I cant. Why not? Are your eyes the problem? Or is it your brain...? The lizardfolk wizards sudden doubt made the pdin leaders expression sour. I dont really get what you mean when you say hes light. The lizardfolk wizard quickly turned to him, sobbing. Ahhh... You people from the temple are such idiots...! W-what? Hes light! Just light! Why cant you see that? Do you not have eyes? Or is your brain missing? It isnt just white light! Its whhhhhiiiiiite light! I-isnt light supposed to be white? This is why I! I cant have a proper conversation with you humans! The lizardfolk wizard pounded her chest in annoyance. She looked like she was one wrong move away from pounding on someones head instead. The pdin was smart enough to shut his mouth and never opened it again. A person with a soul like that wouldnt lie to us! the wizard insisted, her voice choked with emotion. Even if hes lying, its for our own good! Foolish humans, when your souls are as corrupt as yours, the wisest thing you can do is to quietly obey him. Im certain that hes the Great First Emperors heraldno, the goddesss apostle! The lizardfolk wizard looked at me, seeking my agreement. Actually, it wasnt just the wizard; the entire army in the acacia forest was looking at me with bated breath. I held my chin up and put on my most solemn look with my arms crossed. Yes, I am the goddesss apostle. I knew it! The lizardfolk wizard clenched her fists. The soldiers talked among themselves. When they had first seen the holy protector sword, most of the soldiers had been doubtful, but there was a flicker of faith in their eyes now. Hes light. What is light? Something glowed, and his sword was all sparkly... I heard the sword was used by an emperor of Aegim or something. Then he must be very noble. Sarbas Aegim, the imperial general, and a wizard from the Mermaid Waterfall vouched for me. It was said that even when there wasnt a tiger, it sounded believable if three people said it was there.[1] Still, I needed one more person to pull it off. No! I still dont get it! the pdin leader interrupted. Lets say he is light and the Great First Emperors herald! But why would hee here and stop us? Have you all forgotten about our mission? We need to burn that ce! The pdin pointed his finger behind me at Estelles home vigePretas paradise. The witch wasnt His Holinesss only concern. The heretics that followed the witch cant avoid divine punishment too! If youre... truly the goddesss apostle, you should take charge of their penance! The pdins eyes bored into me. Preta clutched my sleeve. Even without turning to look, I could easily tell that she was paralyzed by fear. Its okay. The best lie is made from ny percent truth and ten percent lie! My arms were still leisurely crossed. Remembering the Guardians advice, I slowly opened my mouth. Watch your mouth, pdin. How divine punishment should be meted out against wicked wrongdoers is not for you to decide. That responsibility lies solely in my jurisdiction. What...? I have already collected all the evil from the vige and carried out the goddesss punishment, I quietly said. My mission is to deliver divine retribution to the mortal world. M-mission...? Let me show you. I raised my right hand and my shadow swept over the acacia forest. When skeletons crawled out from my shadow, the soldiers screamed and the pdin went pale. The other leaders nervously pulled out their weapons. However, the number of skeletons rapidly increased from a few dozen to many hundred. Out of the blue, over four thousand monsters had surrounded the army. On top of that, they emerged from under the ground, like the gates of hell had opened. It was my Monster Legion Reincarnation, the revival of my over four thousand skeletons. The monsters howled. As indicated by Pretas presence, Monster Legion Reincarnation was active. I could summon my monsters at any time, but it would look different to the army since they didnt know what was going on. Th-those are demons! S-sir. The pdin leader shivered. What abominations are those...? Theyre part of my mission. I put my hand on Pretas head. She flinched, but didnt say anything. You see, the witch isnt the only wicked human in this big world. Look at them. Every one of them is as evil as her, but I took all of them into my embrace. A-all of them...? the pdin nkly repeated. Indeed. I peered into the sky like a hero with a tragic destiny. The world is overflowing with evil, so the goddess has ordered me to subjugate them on her behalf! Subjugate and shepherd them! That is why she gave me this ability. My solemn act was wless. My mission is to subjugate and trap all evil in my hell. That is what you are looking at right now. Oh my goddess... Tears flowed out of the lizardfolk wizards eyes again. All these people are as evil as the witch...? I nodded. Yes. W-we didnt know...and yet youve been fighting all the evil in this world on your own...? That is correct. Oh... No one knew of your toil... And so manyso how could you have done this on your own...? I know youre the apostle of the goddess, but youre still human. Are you okay...? This is my mission! I nodded again, my arms still crossed. The look on my face was as serious as stone. You dont need to punish the witch or her underlings again; I have already incarcerated them in the prison of my shadow. They shall remain trapped and suffer for eternity. I am their hell! Ahhh... Light...! The lizardfolk wizards legs gave out. Im a fool, but I finally understand why your soul shines with such brilliance! You have been saving the continent all along, we just werent aware of it! I nodded again. That is so true! The best lie was made from ny percent truth and ten percent lie. Everything else might be a lie, but the conclusion of this conversation was true. Wasnt that all that mattered? You little shit... I have nothing more to teach you! Youve outdone me! The Guardian looked proud of me. What are you talking about? All of this was only possible because of your advice. I still have a lot to learn from you. No, Zombie. Youre already way more fucked up than me... Compared to you, your teacher is as innocent as a child and he cant deal with a son of a bitch like you... The Guardian pretended to wipe away tears. Youre too humble. All of this is nothingpared to you. Its more than possible for the student to be the master. Havent you heard the saying that no student is better than their teacher? The student and teacher praising each other was a beautiful sight in a world where most human interactions were harsh and calcted. ...Anyhow. I withdrew my monsters. Before the armys astonished eyes, over four thousand skeletons slipped beneath the shadows like a sinking ship. You dont have to worry about the witch and her underlings any longer. As long as Im here, they shall suffer in my prison. This is the goddesss divine ordained punishment. The pdin hesitated. Dont tell me you refuse to follow the goddess divine will. B-but... sir, he nervously ventured, are we really safe from those horrible demons? I mean... if these demons were to break out, the damage would be catastrophic... I see, I slowly replied. You want to see if I really have the demons under control. I-Im sorry, but I am... Okay. I flicked my finger. One of the skeletons who had yet to disappear approached me and stood between me and the pdin leader. He instinctively took a couple of steps backward in surprise. S-sir, why would you bring this skeleton over here...? Let me clear your mind of doubts. I tapped on the skeletons shoulder. Monster, regain your memory. Wastewater surged from the skeletons shadow, crawling over its bones and giving it a new form. The skeleton grew muscles and flesh, and what was left of the sludge turned into clothes. In the blink of an eye, a handsome man was standing where a skeleton had been. Arghhh! W-what the fuck! It was a handsome man with a potty mouth. What...? Ugh. Hey, you son of a bitch! Why in the fucks name would you make me into this mess! What the hell did I do!? His eyes were zing with fury. Yes, I had returned the memory of Yoo Soo-Ha, the Fire Emperor, to the skeleton. You crazy motherfucker, Ill kill you! How dare an asshat like you do this to me! Ill fucking kill you! As you can see, this mans evil can match the witchs. I grabbed Yoo Soo-Has shoulder and turned to speak to the leaders. Yoo Soo-Ha tried to break free, but it was no use; it was impossible to defy me, his master. I smiled bitterly. No, hes more wicked than her in some ways. She was born a monster, but hes a human by nature. Yet hemitted a considerable amount of evil deeds. He burned away everything that stood in his way... Ill kill you! Ill kill you! I really didnt need to say much. Fuck! Hey! Ill rip your... Monster Yoo Soo-Ha flooded the acacia forest with every curse in the world. The longer it went on, the paler the leaders faces got. In less than sixty seconds, Yoo Soo-Ha had threatened to kill me no less than fifteen different ways. It was amazing. After another minute, his curse began to spread to the others. And who the fuck are you?! Hey, you! The lizard and the long-ears! What are you looking at? Do you have a death wish?! As a bonus, he came up with ten new ways to kill their parents and the rest of their family members. S-so ugly and corrupt...! the lizardfolk wizard hissed, appalled. I dont even need to use the Soul Gem. He has the soul of a demon! Indeed. The elf ranger captain groaned. Ive lived for a long time and met many foolish humans... Its been a while since I met such an irredeemable human... Oh, be happy, Yoo Soo-Ha. Your greatness is finally acknowledged even in a different world. Zombie, arent you disrespecting the dead? the Guardian asked. I sure am. Isnt this a little wrong? Yoo Soo-Ha deserves it. Besides, Mr. Sword Emperor, you called me Zombie King. The Zombie King enved a zombie. Whats wrong with that? Hmm. You have a point. The logic is sound... The Guardian nodded to himself. I know, right? You are indeed way more fucked up than me, Zombie. That was just one mans opinion. I flicked my finger once again. Dance. W-what? What the fuck... Yoo Soo-Ha began to tap dance as soon as I gave mymand. The quick, light sound of Yoo Soo-Has heels against the blossom-covered road tickled the air. It looked like he had spent a great many hours in the clubs. His dancing was something else. No, wait. W-wait! What the fuc Show me a different dance. Yoo Soo-Ha began dancing jitterbug. I didnt know if it was a good thing or not, but he was gifted at dancing. He had no problem dancing the hopak next. Ill kill you! Yoo Soo-Ha howled as he threw his body through the hopak. I-Ill kill you, you son of a bitch! You fucker! I! Ill! Ill really! Ill fucking kill you no matter what it takes! Again, he was dancing the hopak. People who have seen the dance would know that the hopak made even the most vulgar and horrible curses not scary. Even if Hitler were toe back from death and start giving a speech, no one would take him seriously if he was dancing the hopak. That was the power of the hopak. F-fuck...! Fuck! Fuck...! Perhaps he also realized the power of the hopak and the fact that nothing he said would work. He kept on repeating fuck while his legs moved to the beat. It made for an awesome background. I turned back to the pdin leader. Are you still worried? The pdin leader gaped nkly. The demons will never disobey me, so dont worry. The pdin leader slowly got on his knees. Apostle of the goddess... His voice quivered. May I ask for your name...? Everyone in the army was looking at me. I let it wash over me and crossed my arms again. My name is Gong-Ja. The pdin leader bowed deeply. Ill do what you say, Sir Gong-Ja...! With that, the most persistent of the leaders gave in. [Congrattions.] I was d to hear the voice again. [The normal stage has been cleared.] [The Hidden Quest The Hero of the Paused World has beenpleted!] I also heard a voice that I wasnt really d to hear, the one that belonged to the dude who was rolling in the air andughing. Y-you crazy motherfucker! What the fuck! You have to be the first person toplete a quest like this! Im sure of it! Wowieee. Where did a wacko like youe from? Yeah, I have to hand it to you, Kim Gong-Ja! Hand what to me? Youre... the light of all wackos! That was just one mans opinion. 1. Gong-Ja is talking about ????(˳ɻ). Its a four-letter idiom about how people begin to believe the rumor if many people talk about it. ? Chapter 50: After The Ending (1)

Chapter 50: After The Ending (1)

As the worlds united army withdrew, the Guardian spun in the air,ughing. You wacko! Youre Kim Wacko now! For crying out loud... I sighed. Do you know how many nicknames youve given me already? Kim Zombie, Zombie King, and Kim Wacko. Youll fill an entire page with my nicknames at this rate. That sounds good! Lets go! Be a wacko with dozens of nicknames! The Guardiansughter filled the sky. Fortunately, not everyone in the world was out to tease me. [The boss stage has been cleared.] I heard the Tower telling me that I cleared the twentieth floor, just like the time I had cleared the Infernal Mansion stage on the tenth floor. [The champion is Hunter Kim Gong-Ja.] [Calcting the reward for clearing the twentieth floor...] [The calction isplete.] [The reward will be given after you enter the twenty-first floor, which will open in twenty-four hours.] I slowly raised my head and, grinning, drank in the blue sky through the acacia trees. Yeah, what does it matter if Im a wacko? I did my part. Whoa, look at that confidence. I cleared the eleventh floor all the way to the twentieth the way I wanted to. My goal from the beginning was to make sure no one died. That hadnt changed, but now that I thought about it, it was a ridiculous idea. Not a single Hunter died while I cleared the twentieth floor. The Hunters had turned on each other because of the Demon King of Autumn Rains temptation. Now that was never going to happen because I had eliminated the source of that tragedy; she was my minion now No one from the empire or the rest of the world died. While time had been frozen, I had been fighting for a world that wasnt mine. And... I took her in too. I ced my hand on Pretas head. She was now a prisoner in my shadow. At the moment, she was sitting on the ground, vacantly watching the army. They were supposed to burn her little home, but history didnte to pass today. Pretas paradise was saved. The moment the pdin leader had dropped to his knees, believing that I was the goddesss apostle, the army had abandoned the hostilities and the mission. I was just thinking... I quietly stroked Pretas head. I would have probably... cleared the twentieth floor even if I just stood by and watched. Huh? Why? the Guardian asked. The vige being burned down and disappearing is also one of the endings. I had realized as I cleared the stages that the Tower didnt care if we reached a happy ending or a bad ending. As long as it was a proper ending, the Tower acknowledged that the floor had been cleared. Otherwise, Yoo Soo-Ha would never have gotten to the fortieth floor. The Fire Emperor had chosen to smash the dolls in the Infernal Mansion. On the other hand, I had chosen to y with them. Both of them were recognized as endings. The Tower doesnt decide a worlds future. I turned and looked at the vige. And it doesnt force me into an ending. The wheat glowed golden under the sun. The old man was normally quiet and stern, but he now leisurely smoked his cigarette, overlooking the children stealing some of the apples from his orchard.[1] This ce was the haven of those whose sicknesses were thought incurable. This is the ending I chose. The sky wasnt going to pour rain today nor would thend catch fire. I was deeply content. However, the Guardian had an odd look on his face for some reason, as if he was looking at a poor child. I see... Whats wrong? You said that this is the ending you chose. The Guardian lifted his finger and pointed. Is that part of the ending you chose? And there was Yoo Soo-Ha. Fuck! You fucking piece of shit! You son of bitch! Stop this right now! Do you hear me?! Stop it right now... Fuck! Why cant I stop! The handsome man was still dancing the hopak at the entrance of the rural vige. The crops were ripening beautifully under the blue sky. If I took a video of this sight and uploaded it online, a masterpiece like that would get millions of views. Hmm? Whats wrong with that? I tilted my head. Isnt it freaking beautiful? Youre a true freak... the Guardian mumbled. [The twentieth floor has been cleared today.] The voice was heard everywhere between heaven and earth. I wasnt the only one who could hear it this time. [Announcement] [The twentieth floor has been cleared today.] It was the official announcement. Just like the time I cleared the tenth stage, the same voice would probably be speaking all over the Tower. I smacked my lip. Its a shame. What is a shame? I dont have ess to the inte here. My smartphone was safely tucked away in my bag. It had been five days in the worlds time, but in my time, I hadnt so much as touched my smartphone for hundreds of days. The first through the tenth floors were the only ces in the Tower where people could ess the inte. Its gotta be so crazy on the inte now... Huh? Didnt you stop caring about other peoples reactions? the Guardian asked. When did I say that? You said that you want to earn recognition from people like the ck Witch and Gramps Marcus more than you do from the public. I shrugged. Come on, the more the merrier. Earn the recognition of people like the ck Witch and Sword Star, gain poprity, and proudly say my conscience is clear. I want all three. Wow, youre a greedy pig. Thats what drives me. Fortunately, something arrived quickly to take my mind off of theck of inte. [The twenty-first floor will be unlocked in twenty-four hours.] [24:00:00] It was just like thest time. Brilliant fireworks bejeweled the sky, and the first firework that had gone off turned into a countdown of light. As soon as it happened, two Huntersthe ck Witch and the Sword Stararrived on the twentieth floor as if they had been waiting for it. Death King! The ck Witch used her teleportation Skill and immediately jumped at me. With her arms around my head, she gave the glowing smile I was growing ustomed to. This is insane! Youre insane! Argh! Arghhh! Hold on, ck Dragon Master. Youre hurting me Youre just a kid! Youre less than thirty years old! I tried to break free, but it was no use. The ck Witch was so strong that I couldnt escape from her headlock. My god, how much elixir had she consumed? You actually cleared the twentieth floor in five days! Its crazy! Crazy! Umm... ck Dragon Master. Why dont you calm down now...? You have no idea how wild it is in the Tower! Here! The ck Witch showed me her smartphone, a model that was at least five years old. Its screen showed a low battery notification and a screenshot of an inte news article, which wasnt supposed to be essible here. Is this...? I stopped by the first floor to take screenshots! The ck Witch sounded genuinely excited. There were so many articles I couldnt screenshot everything! Sorry! But you have to understand, Death King, the Tower and the outside world are going crazy! Look! Even though I only screenshotted the articles with the most clicks, there are so many of them. The ck Witch swiped her screen, showing me a collection of news headlines. Breaking News: The fourteenth floor has also been cleared at the speed of light! The rising star has been given the title of Death King. The ck Dragon Guild officially announces that the Hunter Raid Team is currentlyposed of three people. Who is the star behind these aplishments? The Sword Star? The ck Witch? The Death King? Exclusive: Solo Coverage on the Death King. There were a lot of news articles. I couldnt even finish reading the headlines. I know it may not look like it because of the titles. The ck Witch giggled. But theyre all about you! Umm... Where youre from, what kind of life you led, how you entered the Tower, how you instantly became a High Ranker. Every article is really about... W-wait. I was stunned. Not because of the news articles. The flood of articles about me was only natural, and I had already been through it before. I was sure that the inte had been dealing with thousands of fires over the past five days. But I was stupefied because... ...Did you screenshot all these yourself? Yes! The ck Witch nodded. Her headlock was still in ce, so our faces were close. Of course! To show me? What? Why else would I do it? Umm... So... I narrowed my eyes. After you went all the way to the first floor, you searched and screenshotted all the articles so you can show me? I guess you could put it that way! I imagined the Rank 2 Hunter, also the leader of the Towers biggest guild, going all the way to the first floor, and then hammering away at her smartphone to take all those screenshots. And now she was back here, proudly showing off what she had gathered. It was pretty adorable, but I still didnt understand it. Why would a person like you go through all that trouble...? I quietly asked. What in the world are you talking about? The ck Witch beamed. Because I wanted to do something for you, of course! Oh, yeah. Dont read thementster. Those jealous people wreaked havoc in thement section. Theyre saying that its all fabricated. She sighed quietly. Seriously, I dont know why theres always people like them. They just dont know how incredible it is to do it without any casualties! Death King, dont worry about nobodies. The ck Dragon Guild will help you deal with the media. What? Is she an angel? I wondered. People immediately be angels in your eyes if theyre nice to you even once, dont they... I know youve lived a pitiful life, but get used to peoples goodwill. You have no problem handling malice, so why do you get all mushy when ites to peoples goodwill? The Guardian clicked his tongue. If she isnt an angel, is she a goddess? Youre nuts... The Guardian gave me a look of disgust. I knew it was going to happen someday, but were already here. Then you couldve given me some praise before this. Dont you know how much I lovepliments? The little attention you get during your life in this cold world is very dear. A person like you doesnt know that feeling, do you? No, its... icky... The Guardian actually retched. Id rather work on finding my eternal peace. You psychopath, I bet all my money that you didnt have a single friend before you died. Hey! What the heck are you talking about? I have a friend! Exclude the Sword Star. The Guardian looked elsewhere, tacitly admitting my victory. It was unclear what I was victorious in. And look at this, too! The ck Witch finally released me from her headlock. Instead of showing another screenshot, she opened her small backpack and pulled out a thick pile of newspapers. Look! She opened the papers wide. Its the front page of yesterdays newspaper! The long list on the newspapers first page was what caught my eye first. Updated Hunter Ranking! Rank 1: Sword Star Rank 2: ck Witch Rank 3: Death King Rank 4: Countess Rank 5: Inquisitor Rank 6: Viper Rank 7: Babel Linguist Rank 8: Broadband Communicator Rank 9: Pdin I was speechless. I finally realized what had happened to the world below the twelfth floor while I had been trapped in my prison of time on my own, fighting the Demon King. Ive never seen anything like this since the Tower opened up! The ck Witchughed. A Hunter not in the ranking instantly reached the top ten! I was the Rank 3 Hunter. Just like Hunters titles, our ranking was decided by the Tower and prominently disyed on the obelisk in the first-floor za. Im sure you havent felt it yet... But try heading down to Babylon today. Youll know your current standing immediately. The ck Witch rapped my shoulder with a roll of newspaper. Congrattions, Death King! You also represent all of the Hunters now! Yes, the world had changed in only five days. 1. Its called ??(seori). In the past, children stealing a little bit of crops was condoned and considered a game in Korea because it was a difficult time and peoplecked food. And they only stole a small amount anyway. ? Chapter 51: After The Ending (2)

Chapter 51: After The Ending (2)

You should put some thought into your next move now! the ck Witch said, yfully hitting my arm with her newspaper. She was obviously so excited that she couldnt control it. My move? Yeah! Youre currently in all of the Five Guilds, but that basically means you arent part of anywhere. Since things went perfectly, you could even make a guild of your own. The ck Witchughed quietly. Youre the Rank 3 Hunter, so you should at least be a guild leader. It wouldnt look right if you stayed an ordinary guild member. Hmm... A guild leader... It didnt feel real. I couldnt imagine myself bing a leader of a guild, either. Besides, did I even need to have Hunters working for me? I had an army of skeletons. Well. The ck Witch noticed that I wasnt enthusiastic and shrugged. She nced over her shoulder at the Sword Star, who was looking at us. Solo y might be more your thing like the old man over there. There are a surprising amount of people out there who fantasize about taking on the world on their own. I wont force you if you arent interested. Are you insulting me? The Sword Star raised an eyebrow. The ck Witch turned, ignoring the Sword Star. Anyhow, who are they? On the side of the forest road, the army was setting up tents. They werent going to attack Pretas paradise anymore, so they were going to rest for the day and then return home. I stroked my chin. Ah, those soldiers are from all across the continent. The whole continent? So what happened is... I exined how I fooled the army, excluding the parts about Preta. The ck Witch and Sword Star listened to me together. They seemed to have mixed feelings about it. Death King... Youre pretty good at lying too, arent you, the ck Witch remarked. The Sword Star seemed to be thinking the same thing. Its how I was able to clear the stage without shedding blood. No, Im not trying to fault you. You did a great job. The ck Witchs eyes narrowed like a merchant smelling a business opportunity. We get to trade with the people here. That means we wont have to grovel to the old men in the outside world! Bastards! They always try to rip us off for food. Well see how long they can get away with that. She sounded like she had a lot of grudges. Yes, the trade between the Tower and the outside world is imbnced, the Sword Star said. Capital, resources, technology... The outside is wealthier than the Tower in all respects. Yes, the Tower has elixirs and ingredients that cant be obtained in the outside world, but... Food! Food is always the problem! The ck Witch stomped the ground in anger. I used to think she was a cold person, but after the three of us had cleared the twelfth to the neenth floors, she freely expressed her emotions in front of us. It was a good indication of how close we had be. So, ck Dragon Master, youre saying you want to trade with the people in this world, right? Hmm? Of course. The outside world ought to get a taste of their own medicine. I grinned and pointed at the military camp set. Then youll have to talk to them. But it wont work at all if you just go up to them and say, Lets trade. Hunters and the people here are both alien to each other. Youre right. You can use my name, I said. In this world, Im the herald of the Great First Emperor and the apostle of the goddess, so two of you can act like the apostles too. Itll help you get the talks started. The ck Witch narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. Im grateful to hear that. Itll be really helpful, but I dont think youre saying that youre going to let us use your name for free... What do you want? The twentieth floor. What? I looked around. The acacia forest, the small in, and Estelles home. This small world was all there was to the twentieth floor. I want the twentieth floor, I repeated. It took a while for the ck Witch to continue, ...Wait. The twentieth floor? You want to have the twentieth floor all to yourself? Yes, I want the ownership of thend, to be exact. Thats... In return, I wont take any spoils from the eleventh through the neenth floors. Once you begin with them, you and the others can share the revenue among yourselves. The ck Witch closed her mouth. That was a shocking offer. When Hunters cleared a stage, the champions normally divided the loot, from the ownership of items to the resources; however, half of the rights were left unimed so that everyone in the Tower could use them. Still, there was no precedent for one person having an entire floor to themself. This... isnt something I can decide on my own, the ck Witch said with a troubled look. I need to call the other guild leaders and discuss with them. Well, I have nothing to do for the next twenty-four hours anyway. Ill wait. ...Do you really want this stage? The ck Witch quickly looked around her. From what Ive seen, thend doesnt look valuable. This path... is pretty, but its small. Theres not muchnd for farming. I nodded. Death King, Im speaking from experience: youll get much more from your share of the loot. Youll get multiple fortunes. I smiled. I prefer real estate to money. Havingnd of your own is the best. She gave me a look. Do we have a deal? I asked. The ck Witch sighed. Ill set up a meeting with the guild leaders. Lets discuss it on the first floor. Okay. Yeah, you need to show yourself to people anyway. But... The ck Witch slowly met my eyes. ...there is a question Ive been wanting to ask. Go on. ...Who is that? I followed the ck Witchs finger. F...uck... Sob... You shithead. Stop...! Stop this...! Is that so damn difficult to do?! Fuck! What do you have against me? What did I do...! The Towers best dancer was unting his skill, his sweat and desperate tears decorating the forest like the morning dew. It was beautiful. ck Dragon Master. I beamed. You saw nothing. Huh? You saw nothing. The ck Witch looked like a biologist whod just run into the biggest mystery of her life. Yeah, there are all kinds of people out there. Ill try to understand, the ck Witch muttered. But I see. You arent sane either... That was still just one womans opinion. *** After unsummoning Preta and the Fire Emperor, I headed to the first floor with the other Hunters. Do you mind if we meet at the cafe we were inst time? the ck Witch asked. No, I dont mind. Anywhere is fine for me. It really had been a while since I wasst in Babylon, the first-floor city. In other peoples eyes, it would look like I was back after five days, but that wasnt true for me. It had taken years for me to get back to the city. I sighed. Whats wrong? Nothing. Its just that I finally feel that I cleared the stages. The ck Witch chuckled. It might be too early for that. Hmm? I told you. Youre all people are talking about in the Tower. Brace yourself. I didnt even need to ask. Pedestrians, street merchants, and Hunters who were about to leave for the hunting grounds began to chatter almost immediately after I set foot on the first-floor teleportation stone. Huh? Is that... Its the ck Witch and the Sword Star. Then that person is... Its the Death King! The Death King is here! someone shouted. That set them off. Dozens, perhaps hundreds of people, turned to look. Customers had been studying second-hand weapons on the stands, couples had been enjoying their coffee at the outdoor cafe, a merchant had been selling rare flowers, and a Hunter had been chatting with her colleague. However, all of them either stood up or turned their heads. Wow... Oh... Theres a rumor that you cleared the twentieth floor on your own! Is that true? Please look over here! Wait! Over here! There wasnt any time to do something about it. In a blink of the eye, the crowd surrounded me and the others. With one more blink, the human siege had doubled. Ummm... I wasnt sure what to do. Dont say anything, the ck Witch whispered so only I could hear it. You have no experience dealing with the media yet, do you? Yeah, I dont, of course. Mystery or top star? Say what? I asked. Im asking about your media image. Do you want to go mysterious? Or do you want to be a top star? The crowd had tripled in size by now, and the other Hunters and I seemed to walk thirty times slower. Camera shes went off at every step. Oh, my god. I couldnt even think! I need your answer right now, but once you decide what your image is going to be, its difficult to change it. Uhhh... I understand going for mysterious, but what do you mean by bing a top star? Its like a movie star, the ck Witch said. Youll need a new SNS ount and two separate secretaries. One for your image, and another for handling the media for you. You also need a stylist to be in charge of your looks and fashion. Ah, dont worry about the money. The ck Dragon will help you with that. It was already hectic, but this felt even worse. The Sword Star frowned. I work alone because I dont want to deal with all of that nonsense, he spat. It sounded absolutely reasonable. Mysterious guy, please... I mumbled, my voice already strained by fatigue. Are you sure about that? With the right management, people change. Youll definitely be more handsome, and youre going to be able to interact with other people from a new perspective. The Inquisitor models for magazines and has his own photo book, you know. I knew that very well. As a fanboy, I used to cut those photos out of magazines before I had regressed over four thousand days. That was how I knew that the ck Witch was also frequently featured on magazine covers. But it was a different story if I had to do it. No. Mysterious! Please let me go mysterious! Why? Do you not want to do photoshoots? the ck Witch asked. I would rather get shot in the head! I would be embarrassed to death! Everyone is like that at first. Wait, the Inquisitor wasnt... but hes an exception. Death King, if we have to talk about embarrassing, what you shouted on the ramparts is way more Ill leave the Five Guilds if you dont let me go mysterious, I said from the bottom of my heart. The ck Witchughed quietly. Yeah, you would. You seem like the type. What should I do if I want to stay mysterious? Its simple. Make a very good poker face. It was my first time hearing such advice. Any activities on SNS are forbidden. Never ept an interview from magazines. Its the same for personal streamers or other media. Doing an interview once or twice a year is okay. If you want, Ill send you the reporters Ive screened in advance. ...Is that all? You dont know how difficult this is. The ck Witchughed yfully. Attention is a drug. The most addicting one of all. Its also the drug that ruins people in every way possible, the Sword Star added. Yes, people can be happy with just ten peoples attention. And youve reached a ce where millions of people will react to every word you say. Not many people can resist that kind of high. The crowd grew in size again. It felt like everyone from the city was here. Its all pointless, the Sword Starmented. But it feels good, the ck Witch said. Perhaps celebrities should learn to enjoy it. They hang on a little longer until they get sick of the drug or of their other celebrities who are on the same drug. What is your choice, Death King? I looked around at the wall of people. There was no escape. Camera shes went off incessantly, so I had to squint, which made the shes look like a mirage. The wall of people just seemed like a shadow. ...Not many people care what other people think about themselves as much as I do, I answered. I want recognition. I dont know it very well... but I think receiving attention and recognition is a little different. I remembered the Fire Emperor, the absolute center of attention in the Tower before I had regressed. Im fine without millions of peoples attention. The attention I get from the people around me is enough. It doesnt matter if its from hundreds of thousands of people or millions of people... What I want from people... is recognition, not attention. Okay. The ck Witch smiled. I personally believe they arentpletely different, but I respect your answer. Thank you. Its good that you are who you are, shemented. I remembered that she had said something simr before. So how do you do a good poker face? I asked. Ill tell you my trick. I could hear the crowd from all directions. My groups speed decreased to ten centimeters per second. Remember a really bad memory. A bad memory. Yes, for me, its a memory from when I was seven years old. When I was in the outside world, my father died during the civil war, the ck Witch calmly said, I was running away with my parents at the time. I think the soldiers were chasing after us. Father stayed behind and yelled, Run! Dont look back! But... The ck Witch led the way through the crowd. ...I really ran without looking back. Even though I heard gunshots, I didnt turn back. I kept running. The cameras kept shing. You were young, I quietly said. I was young, the ck Witch repeated. Im not saying I hate the fact that I ran away. I was a child. But why didnt I even look back? It would have been easy to at least look behind me. I didnt say anything. Thats the memory I think of when I need a poker face. Whenever I recall the way my chest hurt back then, I can make a great poker face. Its my little trick. The ck Witch looked at me. Im sure that you have a couple of memories like that too. I actually had one. I recalled the time the Fire Emperor had grabbed me by the head and burned me to death in the dark alley. Yeah, I do. Even without looking in the mirror, I could tell that I was wearing a perfect poker face right now. Look over here for a moment, please! Can you give us anyments? ck Dragon Master, when will we hear your official announcement? What is the rtionship between you two! Mr. Sword Star! What do you think about the Death King? When I looked around again, I could see my surroundings better. This was my first time being surrounded by a crowd this size and being dazzled by camera shes like this, but I was getting used to it. It didnt feel hectic like earlier. I felt calm like I usually did. It works great. The corners of the Witchs mouth rose. Youre a quick learner. Youll get used to it pretty quick. The world was certainly different after five days, but not different enough to change me. Chapter 52: After The Ending (3)

Chapter 52: After The Ending (3)

After passing through the crowd, we finally arrived at the cafe, where I saw familiar faces. Hahaha. Wee! The Inquisitor, the leader of the Pantheon, waved his right arm. I cant believe you actually cleared all those floors and the twentieth floor in five days! Its the greatest thing Ive ever seen since the Tower appeared. I deeply respect you, Mr. Kim Gong-Ja. Wait, I should call you Death King now! Im still wondering if Im dreaming, though... The Pdin sipped on her iced coffee. To be honest, I thought you, the ck Dragon Master, and the Sword Star would fail and end up dead. You even cleared the twentieth floor on your own, right? If you have a secret to your sess, please share. Secrets... I sat by the table. Things work out if I live a kind life. Thats very practical advice. The Pdin smiled bitterly. Its good to see you again. Its been a whilehow have all of you been? I asked. Well, its only been five days; I wouldnt call that a while. The Countess puffed on her churchwarden pipe. At first, we stayed in the audience chamber like we promised to youa promise is a promise, after allbut after some time, the empires NPCs suddenly started moving around. I was shocked! Oh, yeah. I blinked in surprise. That must have happened when I had defeated the Demon King on the twelfth floor. After defeating the Demon King for the first time, I had received a quest, which had triggered time resuming on the twelfth floor. That didnt ur to me. What happened afterward? The NPCs thought we invaded the pce to overthrow the king! The Inquisitor giggled. Someone with fancy clothes roared Get those traitors! The Imperial Knights and their elite soldiers came running to get us. Gosh, I had goosebumps! But this kid has many tricks up his sleeve. The Viper, the one-eyed Hunter who led the OJP Sect, tousled the Inquisitors hair. We obediently let them lock us up and then escaped from the prison. Tsk. Seriously, that was crazy. Hahaha! Wasnt it fun? I didnt expect a hidden passageway like that in the dungeon! That brought me back to my childhood! Huh? You said that the Bulgarian mafias held you captive when you were young. Yes! The Inquisitor smiled innocently. Thats why it brought me back to my childhood! Prison! Underground dungeons! Escape! Those are the highlights of my treasured childhood! Ahhhh... thats all so nostalgic now. You nuthead... The Viper let out a long, loud sigh. It looked like the guild leaders had been on quite a ride while I was having my heros showdown with the Demon King. Yes, we all led fascinating lives in the outside world. The ck Witch shrugged, joining the table. The Countess was born in Indias trash mountain. Viper, your parents were gangster execs. The Pdin went through quite a lot in Venezu. Were all trash in the eyes of people in the outside world, arent we? The air in the cafe quickly became heavy. No one made a sound except for the Pdin, who sipped on her coffee. ...This really isnt the kind of conversation to have in a ce like this. The Pdins eyes lingered subtly on my face. Are you treating the Death King as one of us now? Yes, the ck Witch said. The rest of you wouldnt know, but the Death King yed a vital role in clearing up to the twentieth floor. Were aware. The ck Witch shook her head. No, you arent. We didnt take a single casualty in this expedition even with how many Hunters were at the eleventh-floor stage together. Every one of them came back alive. Thats all thanks to the Death King. He told me all the tactics I needed to use. All eyes were firmly on me now. The cafe waspletely silent. Its true. I shrugged. I want to make this man the hero that represents the Tower, the ck Witch continued. She carefully met the eyes of each of the Hunters sitting around the table one by one. Countess, you love money too much. I cant deny that, the Countess casually answered. Inquisitor, youve killed too many people. Yes! The Inquisitors hand shot into the air. That was a necessary sacrifice! Pdin, you hate receiving attention. Its just my personality. The Pdin took a sip of her coffee. And Viper, youre... Huh? What? The Viper scratched his chin. ...Im sorry. Youre too ugly, the ck Witch finished with a genuinely apologetic expression. The Viper, aghast, opened and closed his mouth. However, his head soon drooped. He was the very picture of the grief of a middle-aged man. As all of you already know, the Sword Star is just an old man whos obsessed with his sword. The Hunters nodded. I often have to work from the shadows, so I cant do it, the ck Witch went on. Finally, her sharp gazended on me. In contrast, the Death King doesnt have a public image yet. If we try, its more than possible to make him the perfect hero. This is a chance to refresh the Towers image. The Inquisitor stroked his chin. I see. Were all old news, so its true that weve lost our influence a little! We keep printing magazines about Hunters, but the sales are gradually decreasing in the outside world! The ck Witch nodded. Yes, thats what Im talking about. Then we should start working on his image today! The Inquisitor stood up energetically and circled me like a puppy. Hmm. Youre a little small, but thats okay! As you can see from me, cameras and photoshop can take care of it! Umm... I thought the Inquisitors selling point was his petiteness. A wide smile spread on the petite Hunters small face. Death King, the small but big-hearted man. A catchphrase like that will work perfectly! Before I could retort, the ck Witch, the Countess, the Viper, and the Pdin clustered around me. Regardless of their affiliation, they gathered around and examined me from head to toe. Im asking this just in case: are you dating anyone? the Inquisitor loudly asked. N-no, Im not. Did you ever date anyone after you entered the Tower? No, I havent. I shook my head. In other words, theres no chance of a romance scandal. Perfect. I didnt really get what it was supposed to be perfect for. The High Rankers began to talk among themselves. Ive been watching, and he looks a little like a third-rate viin if he smiles. So I think that he should stay mysterious. He has a good poker face, so itll work. But dating no one is a problem in its own way, the Pdin said. We should create a romance scandal ourselves. If not, people outside will fabricate... Its okay. Ill handle it, the ck Witch reassured them. Oh! Love sprouted during five days of fighting for your lives together? Hahaha! Good, good! Well be able to create a story that people will love! How about we release a story that the Death King has been donating a significant amount of his earnings to orphanages? There are some donations Ive been making anonymously for a time like this. Ill say that they were the Death Kings donations. Yes, please do that, Countess. What? What was happening right now? Lets get on with it! We should get photographers! The Inquisitor beamed. Wed better bring in stylists toowe have to give the media at least one photo today. Ive already made several videos of the battle we had on the eleventh floor, so Ill spread them online at the right time! No, wait. Excuse me, everyone... I reached out to them. Dont worry. The ck Witch stopped me with a smile. I could feel her long experience from her smile. Death King, you dont need to worry about a thing. Well take care of everything. You should... Yes, you should keep doing what youve been doing. Wait, you said I can go mysterious. Why do I need a stylist? I quickly asked. Its just for one day. Please. The ck Witch pressed her hands together pleadingly. Everyone in the world wants to know about you. One photojust take one photo and show it to people. Please? Its going to be okay, Death King. Our exclusive stylists are all amazing. Thirty minutester I discovered that it was absolutely not going to end with one photo. Look over here please! sh! Over ten stylists came running. They dressed me and did my hair. Every time they put me in different clothes and slightly changed my hair, the photographers camera went off. Yes, good. Please hold up a dagger this time! Pretend youre a wolf searching for your prey in the depths of the forest! No... Wait... I groaned. Very good! sh! The Hunters were in a huddle behind the photographer, watching me like a hawk while I posed and whispering to each other. He looks surprisingly good in a suit. Maybe we should add a bit of a mischievous boy image. No! Thats my image! That is true. Then what should we do... How about a young man burning with adventurous spirit? Lets go with that. sh! Very good! The photographer gave me a thumbs-up. Very good, my ass. Hahahahahaha! Haha! Haha! Hahahahahahahaha! The Guardian had been rolling in the air for a while now. Even after two hours, the photoshoot was nowhere close topletion. Finally, my patience ran out. Forget it! Im not doing this anymore! I took off my jacket and threw it on the floor. Hunters jobs are to climb the Tower! Whats with all this media image and photoshoots? You all couldnt get through the tenth floor for years because you were too busy worrying about this crap! The air got cold and quiet. Perhaps my sincerity worked, because the ck Witch and the other Hunters were looking at my face, nodding. ...That line wasnt bad. Yes, he really is a young man with a burning passion for adventure! Lets make our next magazine tagline, Hunters are who climbs the Tower. We used to have spunk like that when we were in our twenties... It didnt work one bit. Ah, forget it! Im here to talk about the twentieth floor. You all can have all the rights from the eleventh to the neenth floors, so let me have the ownership of thend in the twentieth floor! The Hunters nodded again. Adding how he isnt greedy to his image will be good too. How about this for the headline of tomorrow mornings paper? Death King deres he will share the rights of the eleventh to the neenth floors with all Hunters. Hes satisfied with clearing the Tower. Sounds good to me! Death King has been secretly making donations to orphanages will make a good article for the second page. Yeah; then lets say we offered thend on the twentieth floor to the Death King as a sign of our gratitude and respect. Its perfect! Ahhh. A beautiful ending! No. They didnt listen to me at all. They were too distracted by trying to make me a hero. Give up, young man, the Sword Star said curtly. Hed been leaning against a pir. The same thing happened after I became the Rank 1 Hunter. They said all sorts of things. There is such a thing as senior rizz. You should groom your mustache differently. Oh my god. Those kids want to show the outside world that their lives are good and that they should be proud of them. Its sort of an inferiorityplex, the Sword Star quietly informed me. They abandoned everything from the outside world when they entered the Tower, so what drives them to act like this...? He turned his back on them. Lets go. What? I asked. It will never end if you stay here. After theyre done with your photoshoot, they will say its time to make some video. And then they will ask you to prep for your press conference. That is how those kids are. Youll lose your entire day if you dont run away now. What a horrible thought. Lets run! I immediately said. You made the right decision. We focused our aura into our feet and took off. I heard gasps behind us, but I didnt stop. Death King! The ck Witch shouted. Were going to have a press conference tomorrow, so try to be back by tomorrow morning! You shouldnt attract attention just yet, so if you have to, use the roofs to get away! Be careful! Hey, I dont think shes an angel or a goddess. She sounds like your mom. The Guardian giggled. She really was, although I didnt really know what mothers were supposed to be like. *** It was already sunset. Following the ck Witchs advice, we fled across the roofs. When I looked down, I could see hundreds of people still crowded in front of the cafe, plus the reporters from broadcastingworks. It would have been a disaster if wed used the main door! Leaping from one red roof to another, we eventually arrived at the bell tower in the za. The bell towers young guard, who had been ying with his smartphone, recognized us after a moment and gasped. M-Mr. Sword Star! The Sword Star skillfully entered the top floor of the bell tower. Im sorry, but could you excuse us for a moment? Ah... Umm... Well... Well be done in five minutes. The young guard, suddenly confronted by a living legend, was at a loss to be asked by a living legend to give privacy. His eyes wandered for a moment, but when they locked with mine, the guards eyes widened. No way... Death King? I nodded. Yeah, thats me. Wow! Woah! Its my first time meeting the two of you in person! Wow! This is awesome! The guard hurriedly rummaged through his bag and pulled out a romance novel. It looked like he had brought it with him to kill some time during his shift. T-this is the only paper I have right now! Can you give me an autograph, Mr. Sword Star? The Sword Star took the novel. He looked used to it. Do you have a pen? H-here! What is your name, young man? I-I havent received a title...! The young guard gave the Sword Star his name and the Sword Star signed the book neatly and returned it. At this point, the guard just looked like an innocent boy. The guard turned back to me. For some reason, his eyes sparkled too brightly. Can I also ask for yo-yours, Mr. Death King? My autograph? Umm... Ive never autographed anything... I moved back a little. Please! Its my biggest wish! I ended up receiving the novel and the pen. It seemed like the smallest biggest wish Id ever heard. I awkwardly looked at the novel. When I grabbed the pen to write my autograph, it suddenly hit me that this was my first time writing down Death King. By then, my autograph was right next to the Sword Stars. T-thank you! Thank you so much! The guard bowed again and again. He quickly reimed his book as if he were worried that autographs would disappear. Um... It was an odd feeling. I couldnt quite decide how I felt about it. Ill make this a family heirloom! Dont worry! Ill never sell this to anyone! Thank you so much to both of you! Have a great weekend! The guard disappeared down the bell tower stairs. Yes! I hit the jackpot! His excited voice grew fainter and fainter. By the time he was finally out of earshot, only a speck of sunset and the sound of two people breathing remained. Both the Sword Star and I were silent for a while. Mr. Sword Star. Young man. The Sword Star and I spoke at the same time, our voices canceling out each others. The awkward silence didntst long. With a calm look, I turned to the Sword Star. To you, I must look like Im the mass murderer of the century, who deserves nothing but the harshest of punishments. But youll see another mass murderer when you look in the mirror. Yourself. The Sword Star was looking at the sunset, not me. But you wouldnt punish yourself. I believe thats because you have a clear standard for who you killyou aim to punish those who killed many people. I watched the sunset y on the Sword Stars face. I have also done what I did with a clear standard. Its to punish those who will hurt a lot of people. While you kill people because theyve already murdered many people, I kill people because they will kill a lot of people. It was the intricate lie I had prepared for the Sword Star ever since I had deceived him into believing that I was a irvoyant. So, Mr. Sword Star, were practically working for the same Before I could finish my lie, the Sword Star said, Young man, you dont need to try that hard to convince me. Mr. Sword Star, I... Young man. His quiet voice made me hold my tongue. The Sword Stars eyes were still on the sunset. Im different from other Hunters. It sounded a bit out of the blue. ck Witch, Countess, Inquisitor, Viper, Pdin... All of those children went through a very rough life in the outside world, but I was different. I was born and raised without any depravity. I was aware that Marcus Carlenbery was from a prestigious family from Europe. To be precise, I had learned that when I had been researching him. Yes, his family was quite well known in Northern Europe. By the time the Tower appeared, I had experience running a business; I got married, had children, and saw my children give me grandchildren. I was sessful in every way I could imagine, the Sword Star calmly said. But that got me wondering. It got you wondering what? I asked. I was curious if my sess was really from my ability. The Sword Star slowly drew his sword. Perhaps it was all possible because I had been born in a good country. The sunset continued to seep into the bell towers top floor, staining the sword blood-red despite being pristine. I was born into a good family, received a good education, and met good friends. I was surrounded by the best things in the world. All of that might be a fancy birdcage. Although I was confident that I had built everything I had... maybe it was just the delusions of the one trapped inside the cage. The Sword Stars eyes were as sharp as his sword. No, I didnt want to believe it. His voice carried emotions from his heart that were as red as the sunset. I was certainly born in luxury, but Im still confident that I got where I am on my own. And I want to prove that my pride wasnt a delusion. ...Thats why you came to the Tower. I nodded. The Sword Star nodded. Those who entered the Tower can never return to the outside world, so I was without my family or my loyal subordinates. Im on my own, and I want to prove my life. But I think I let my guard down too much and I wasnt aware of it. His face was deeply wrinkled. Open my Skill Card. A silver card floated above the Sword Stars palm. Detective Eyes ss: B- Effect: You can see other peoples kill counts. Does not include indirect murder. Only the murders the personmitted with clear intention are tallied. However, you cant see the means of murder. I was a fool. The Sword Star looked down at his Skill Card. I decided to trust only my eyes and hands... but one day I realized that I was relying on something called a Skill. Instead of seeing the world with my own eyes, I looked at the world through my Skill. I blindly believed my Skills assessment like everyone else, rather than making a judgment of my own. His blue eyes turned to me. Young man, Ill ask you onest time: did you take any innocent lives? I came to a realization: this is why he said I didnt need to convince him. Yes, you convinced someone through their head; however, even the most intricate lies would only get through their brain. They didnt touch peoples hearts. What I had to do was get through to the Sword Stars heart like what I had done with the Towers Pirs. No, I never have, Mr. Sword Star, I said, speaking from my heart. And I never will. The Sword Star closed his eyes as if he was ruminating on my expression and voice. Silence hung in the air. ...Hah! He threw the card into the air and his glittering de cut it neatly in two. Golden sunset shone through the gaps between the pieces, which soon scattered into motes of light. His Skill was destroyed. Ill trust my judgment. Thank you for enduring the old mans stubbornness for thest five days. The Sword Star sheathed his sword. I know itste, but I want to say that it was a pleasure to clear the twelfth to neenth floor with you. Rest well today. The twenty-first floor will open right after the press conference ends tomorrow. The Sword Star took a step forward and stopped. Before he leaped to another buildings roof, he briefly looked at me. I look forward to your work on the next floor, Death King. And then he zipped away from the bell tower. I couldnt open my mouth for a long time. ...Mr. Sword Emperor. Yeah. ...The Sword Star gave me his approval just now, didnt he? It looks like it. The Guardian nodded. Relief rushed over me, turning my legs into jelly. The stone floor was cold. I nkly looked up at the sky, which was such a thick red that it was almost ck. Wow... Its really... Its really over. The twentieth floor is mine. The guild leaders will take care of the media... Yeah, its really over. What do you mean over? If someone saw you, theyd think you just cleared the fiftieth floor. The Guardianughed quietly. I feel like I cleared the nieth floor. Tsk, tsk, tsk. I sometimes wonder if youre a lion or a mouse. Sometimes I wonder too, actually... Anyhow, all of my business on the twentieth floor down was taken care of. The thought gave me a subtle feeling of satisfaction. [The Goddess of Protection admires your aplishments!] It had been a while since I heard that divine voice. Huh? Come to think of it, the Goddess of Protection had been quiet even though the Demon King of Autumn Rain was defeated. No, the goddess was always quiet, except for the time I had cleared the twelfth floor. [The Goddess of Protection has given her approval for everything you have done!] The voice continued as if she were trying to make up for the silence until now. [The Goddess of Protection believes that although you arent actually her apostle, you have enough qualifications to be one.] [The Goddess of Protection has given her approval for you to continue using her in the future!] The message was getting weird. ...What do you mean to continue using you? [The Goddess of Protection is sad to hear your reply after all the good time you and her spent together.] I really couldnt understand what was going on. All the good time we spent together...? [The Goddess of Protection asks you to look down.] I did that, but I saw nothing except the stone floor. [The Goddess of Protection asks you to look a little bit to the left.] When I followed her instructions, my eyesnded on my legs and waist. On my waist was the sheathed Lefanta Aegims Holy Protector Sword, the legendary weapon bestowed by the Goddess of Protection to the first emperor of the Aegim Empire. ...Hold on. No way... [The Goddess of Protection urges you to focus on your waist.] I felt a chill run down my spine. The time I had fought the Demon Kings army on the twelfth floor crossed my head. At the time, the Goddess of Protection had said that she used thest bit of her power and as soon she had said that, something I had been holding burst into light. There was no other miracle. In other words... Wait, wait. When I was fighting against the Demon King, the Goddess of Protection was asionally mentioned... My voice was thick with disbelief. This whole time, youve been... a sword? After a moment, I had an answer. [The Goddess of Protection has affirmed your statement!] Oh my god. It looked like my holy sword was genuinely divine. Chapter 53: The Ultimate Fan (1)

Chapter 53: The Ultimate Fan (1)

This is an amazing video BBS just acquired. You are looking at the Hunter known as the ck Witch leading the Hunter Raid Team on the eleventh floor. Ah! Zoom in here, please. Yes, perfect! Please pause the video for a moment. I sat in an empty waiting room, nkly watching the television. Can you see it, fellow viewers? The ck Witch is holding hands with another Hunter, who we presume is the Death King. Unless the video was fabricated, it looks like the Death King killed the eleventh-floor boss monster in one strike. Hunters like to call this One Hit Kill, but its never been done on a boss monster before. The two anchors buzzed with excitement. So, this is the first, isnt it? Yes, exactly. While yes, he had the ck Witchs help, the Death King seems to be the only one who directly engaged the boss monster. The bottom of the screen read, Death King to hold a press conference this afternoon. Lets go on to our next video. The mysterious Death King returned to Babylon using the teleportation stone yesterday afternoon, revealing himself. As you can see, the ck Witch and Sword Star are with him. It looks like the two Hunters are guarding the Death King. Ill increase the volume so our viewers can get a better feel for what it was like at the site. They yed a video that seemed to have been taken on someones smartphone, showing me walking with a nk face. Look over here for a moment, please! Dont push! Mr. Sword Star! Please give me ament! ck Dragon Master, when will we hear the official announcement? What is the rtionship between you two...! I couldnt take it anymore and had to use the remote control. Why did you turn it off? I was having fun. The Guardian, who had been watching the television with me, gave me a look of annoyance. I feel like Im going to die from embarrassment! It had been a day since I earned the Sword Stars recognition, and today was the day of the press conference. It was going to start soon. The Five Guild leaders were going to talk about the recent aplishments in clearing the Tower; that job was mostly for the guild leaders, but I had been invited as a special guest. That was why I was in the waiting room. Who cares if you do? You wont stay dead anyway. I still hate it! I had been watching the television because I had nothing to do before the press conference. However, that was a mistake. Tsk. Alright. Change it to a different channel. Every channel is talking about me anyway! It wasnt just the news. Almost every channel talked about how the twentieth floor had been cleared. I couldnt escape even if I got on the inte. I had actually be a celebrity overnight. [The Goddess of Protection points out that this is an indication of how unprecedented your aplishment is.] The holy sword vibrated from its position on my waist. [The Goddess of Protection says that a hero is a celebrity, whiches with a price.] [The Goddess of Protection advises you to get used to your position!] I looked down at the holy sword ufortably. I was too tired to talk much yesterday, so I just went to sleep... But, Miss Goddess, arent you overrating me? [The Goddess of Protections says that you are light!] The holy sword shook harder. For some reason, she sounded like an idols fangirl. [The Goddess of Protection whispers that she still remembers the moment vividly. On the ramparts, you roared and dered that you would leave the empire in the hands of its people.] [The Goddess of Protection found the moment very imposing...] Arghhhh! I covered my ears. Stop! Stop it! I said that when I was too emotional! However, it was no use. The holy sword spoke directly into my head. She continued to whisper about my embarrassing past. [The Goddess of Protection says that a hero should love himself! A hero who doesnt love himself makes the people around him miserable and will meet a miserable end. On that note, your confidence is amazing and exemry!] Yes, the Goddess of Protection was fangirling for me. Stop... Please stop...! It was just like the time I had fanboyed for the Fire Emperor. I wouldnt really care if she did it when I couldnt see her, but I heard her voice twenty-four seven. [The Goddess of Protection confesses that she is happy that she gets to have a person like you as her second master!] Oh my god. Her praise was genuine, but the memory she mentioned was one I found deeply embarrassing and wanted to forget about as soon as possible. However, she continued to bring up more of those memories and praised every one of them. It didnt look like that was going to end soon. I wanted to die. [The Goddess of Protectionments that the best part is when you took the Demon King of Autumn Rain under yourmand. You muttered, A ruler has an obligation to protect their people.] No, that was it. I pulled out a bottle of oil used to maintain the sword. ring at the holy sword, I dabbed a cloth in the oil bottle. You asked for this. I reached out for the sword, which flickered with white light. [The Goddess of Protection feels a threat to her safety.] [The Goddess of Protection asks you to stop.] [The Goddess of Protection...] Ten minutester... [The Goddess of Protection apologizes.] The holy sword was clean, thanks to my caring maintenance. It was now as clear as a mirror; I could literally see my face in it. However, the sword shook with humiliation. Finally, youre quiet. I looked down at the holy sword. So why are you a sword? Arent you a Constetion? Were you always a sword? To my understanding, a Constetion was the manager of a stage. I assumed that it was possible for a monster to be a Constetion, like Preta, but I had no idea how a sword could be a Constetion. In response to my question, the holy sword shone in dim white light. [The Goddess of Protection exins that it is easier to understand a Constetion as someone who represents their world.] [The Goddess of Protection says that she is a divine spirit who used to be worshiped as a goddess. However, Lefanta Aegim, the empires first ancestor, split and sealed her into five swords.] [The Goddess of Protection exins that she is Idol, the first holy sword.] I blinked. Your sword name is Idol? [The Goddess of Protection affirms your statement.] [The Goddess of Protection says that the following are the five sister swords.] [First Holy Sword: Idol.] [Second Holy Sword: Sympathy.] [Third Holy Sword: Prayer.] [Fourth Holy Sword: Sacrifice.] [Fifth Holy Sword: Salvation.] [The Goddess of Protection confidently states that once you gather all of her sister swords, she will be able to regain power as strong as her prime.] In other words, the shining sword I was looking at was a fragment of the real holy sword. In order to draw out its true power, I had to collect the remaining four swords. Interesting. So, where are your sisters? I asked. I got no response. An awkward silence filled the waiting room. Hello? Miss Goddess? Where are your sisters? The holy sword remained silent. I narrowed my eyes. ...You dont know? After a moment, I heard a quiet voice. [The Goddess of Protection exercises her right of silence.] Which means you dont know. [The Goddess of Protection insists that she can feel their presence if they are nearby.] I shrugged. Well, its not urgent and I guess you at least have one-fifth of your original power. What can you do exactly? [The Goddess of Protection exins that you will be able to receive absolute support from people of the Aegim Empire.] I knew that already. What else? The holy sword released light at her maximum output. Ahhhh! My eyes! My eyessssss! I rolled on the ground, clutching my eyes. The holy swords voice was pompous. [The Goddess of Protection proudly says that she is good at shining.] Of course I know that! Ive seen you do that a lot! Thank god I shielded my eyes using aura. I almost went blind! I mean, what can you do other than getting support and shining?! The waiting room went quiet and the holy swords light grew faint. I could almost hear her stammering. [The Goddess of Protection says she is good at cutting monsters.] [The Goddess of Protection quickly adds that she is good at cutting humans too.] Her answer left mepletely dumbstruck. Just then, someone knocked on the waiting rooms door, so I quickly sheathed the sword. If I talked to the holy sword in front of other people, I would be nothing short of a madman. Who is it? Its me, the ck Witch called. Its been noisy in there for a while now. Is anything wrong? Its okay. Everything is fine! Is that so...? The ck Witch sounded skeptical of my answer, but she didnt press me further. The press conference will start in five minutes. The reporters will probably flood you with questions, but the twenty-first floor will be open by the time the press conference ends. You just have to answer some of their questions until then and then head straight to the twenty-first floor. Do you have any questions? No, I dont! If only you were a smooth talker... Dont bete. I heard the ck Witch walking away from the door. Once her footsteps hadpletely faded away, I drew the holy sword and looked at her again. To summarize, youre a shiny sword that ispletely useless. [The Goddess of Protection protests that your statement is unfair.] Forget it. From now on, youre Shiny, not Goddess of Protection. You dont deserve to be called a holy sword! Now that I thought about it, this Constetion was pathetic. She had lost almost her entire world to the Demon King of Autumn Rain and I had to step up and protect her world. Just like Preta, she was in no position to act high and mighty. And youre too noisy. My head is already at maximum capacity with Mr. Sword Emperor over there. And you keep saying Goddess of Protection every time you say something. Its too distracting! Dont talk to me unless its absolutely necessary. [The Goddess of Protection] Im more than willing to return you to the Aegim Empire. You got that, Shiny? After a brief silence, the holy sword vibrated. [Shiny answers, Yes, Hero.] It was a Gotcha, Constetion! moment. *** The press conference was held in the za. The crowd appeared to be well into the tens of thousands; they not only filled the za but also the alleys nearby. When we walked up to the tform in the zas center, cameras shed from all directions. The ck Witch, the Sword Star, and I sat side by side at the table prepared for us. The ck Witch took the microphone. ...Thank you for your wee. The ck Witchs calm voice triggered bursts of cheers in the za. ck Dragon Master! I love you! Please look over here, ck Dragon Master! Just this once! A group of people waved gs. Some were even holding up the magazines for which the ck Witch had modeled. It was amazing. Perhaps that was because the Saintess was yet to appear, the ck Witch currently reigned as the most popr female Hunter. She bowed obligingly before she moved the press conference forward. As all of you already know, we cleared the eleventh to the neenth floors. Various press and broadcastingworks have described that as a remarkable feat, and yes, it truly is. We were wondering how to announce this joyous aplishment... but that turned out that it wasnt necessary. You immediately advertised it for us. I would like to express my sincerest gratitude for helping us save on advertising expenses. The reporters in the front rowughed quietly. But that isnt our most proud aplishment. The za slowly quieted down. Im not talking about how we finally cleared the tenth floor after years of trying. It isnt how we cleared the twentieth floor at a speed no one expected, either. What makes me the happiest is that weve taken zero casualties. No one died in this expedition. She spoke from her heart after making a little joke. I knew nothing about giving speeches, but the ck Witch of the ck Dragon Guild had deftly led the press conference right from the beginning. Is that what it takes to be the best guilds leader? I wondered if she was really the person who had been eagerly stuffing me into clothes yesterday like I was a doll. Everyone, please take a moment to look down at the za, the ck Witch said. Youll see a name on each paving stone. They belong to our fallen predecessors who have given their lives to clear the Tower. Even when we cleared the second and third floors, many names were carved into these stones. The reporters cameras zoomed in on the floor. Thanks to their sacrifice, were standing here today, and Im... truly happy that I can say this in front of them. The ck Witchs voice swelled. Today, we carve no ones name here. The cameras moved back and forth between the za and the ck Witch. The cover for tomorrows newspaper was decided, and so was the press conferences mood. The crowd was chanting the ck Witchs title. I watched the conference with a carefully managed poker face. I was pleasantly surprisedI wouldnt even need toe forward. This is why knowing the right people was important. I felt much more rxed as I nced up at the air. [01:22:10] It was just like the time the eleventh floor had opened up. The moment the glowing countdown in the sky hit zero, the twenty-first floor would be opened. I just want to be done with the press conference and head to the twenty-first floor... The press conference smoothly progressed to a Q&A between the ck Witch and the reporters when one of the reporters sprang to his feet. Im John Evans from Babylon Daily News! I have a question for the Death King, the new Rank 3 Hunter. Huh? Me? I looked at the reporter. Naturally, the attention of everyone in the za was on me now. There are many discussions about the sudden increase in your ranking, Mr. Death King. The theory that youre the product of a long program run by the Five Guilds is gaining the most credibility! Uh... If its true, that makes you a hero deliberately created by the Five Guilds. What do you think about these allegations? The za grew a little noisy. A lot of concerns have also been raised as to the Five Guilds possibly colluding to monopolize the rights to the eleventh to the twentieth floors. And I heard that you are going to have exclusive rights to the twentieth floor! Is that true, Death King? Themotion was growing. The ck Witch maintained a nk expression, but she clicked her tongue. The sound was so quiet that only I could hear it. She sighed. Hes trying to provoke you. Dont answer him; Ill take care of it. No. I shook my head. People like that will continue to show up in the future anyway. I need to take a stand at least once. But... Its okay. I extended my hand to the ck Witch. Please hand me the microphone. My mind was set. I was going to make sure no one would provoke me like that again before I got to the twenty-first floor. Chapter 54: The Ultimate Fan (2)

Chapter 54: The Ultimate Fan (2)

The ck Witch sighed, concerned. Dont go too far. I can cover up most of your mistakes, but if you go too far, I have no way to control the media. You wont find anyone as peaceful as me. Besides, you know that Im a irvoyant. I know what the best answer is. ...Can I really count on you? Of course. I took the microphone from the ck Witch. She still looked concerned, but it really was fine. I had the ultimate trick up my sleeve. I cleared my throat a couple of times before I spoke into the microphone. Hello, everyone. Im the Hunter who received the title of Death King. Its nice to meet you all for the first time. The speakers carried my voice into the crowd. The shing of cameras that replied turned into one big wave of light. It didnt really faze me. Perhaps the experience of being surrounded by the crowd of cameras yesterday had inured me because it was considerably easier to put up with the constant bombardment of lights. Your name is... Mr. John Evans, yes? I asked. Thats right. The young reporter looked straight into my eyes; his eyes were burning with the spirit of a true reporter. He wasnt going to miss any of my movements and was determined to expose me. It was quite stressful, but only one thought upied my mind as I faced him: to never be like the Fire Emperor. I believe that all of the concerns are raised because of my inadequacy. Pardon? The reporter blinked, the microphone he held momentarily forgotten. He probably hadnt expected that answer. I remembered the cocky Fire Emperor. Ill say it again: I believe that all of the concerns are raised because of my inadequacy. My ultimate trick was very simple: always say the opposite of what the Fire Emperor would say. I was no expert at interviews. I was certainly not the ck Witch. I didnt have the abilities, the gifts, or the experience to captivate a crowd with my speech. However, I knew what others didnt: the interviews of the worlds cockiest Hunter! If I act the opposite of the Fire Emperor, Ill at least make it halfway. I had been the Fire Emperors fanboy for almost ten years, so I had a library of all the Fire Emperors outrageous acts and words tucked away in my head. If the Fire Emperor had taken the microphone now, he would have said, I cleared the twentieth floor because Im great, you dimwits. So what? I worked my ass off to clear those floors, so of course the items and experience points from the floors are mine. Hey, Mr. Media Jackal. If I dont get them, then who do you think I should give them to? Your daddy? I didnt make this up. He had actually said that at the conference before my regression! The ck Witchs face was so pale back then... It hadter been dubbed the Your Daddy incident. Of course, all hell had broken loose. The ck Witch had quickly ended the conference, but it was toote; the reporters swearing had already been aired live. It had been an absolute disaster. And even though the broadcast had been stopped, the tragedy didnt end. Yoo Soo-Ha had decided to fight fire with fire and spew all the curses in the world at the reporters, their parents, their inws, and the rest of their families. And the streamers had aired the entirety of it. He was called the Fucker for a reason. ording to the rumors, the ck Witch had been bedridden for a week. The Your Daddy incident was almost certainly why she had grown sick of Yoo Soo-Ha and he had grown apart from the major guilds. The Fire Emperor messed up the conference miserably. In other words, I just have to say the opposite of the Fucker. The opposite of the worst was the best! I kept Yoo Soo-Has outrageous remarks in mind, and adjusted my grip on the microphone. I cleared the twentieth floor because Im great, you dimwit. I know how much attention is on me right now, but youre giving me too much credit. If I didnt have help from the ck Dragon Master and Sword Star over here, I would have never gotten to the twentieth floor so that I could clear it on my own. So what? I worked my ass off to clear the floors. Of course, Im confident that I gave it everything I had. To achieve my goal of preventing any casualties, I made an excruciating effort, but I dont necessarily think I sacrificed anything. That is something I should do as a human and a Hunter. All else aside... I did it because I wanted to. Of course the items and experience points from the floors are mine. Hey, Mr. Media Jackal. If I dont get them, then who do you think I should give them to? So I have no intention of iming rights over those floors. Thats why I let the guild leaders have all the rights to the eleventh through the neenth floors. Earlier, you said that I have exclusive rights to the twentieth floor, but no. The twentieth floor will serve as a sort of greenbelt area. The original residents will continue to live there. Im satisfied with just the role of managing the floor. Your daddy? That would be my answer, Mr. Evans. Do you have another question? The young, eager reporter was left stammering, N-no, I dont. Good. I quickly thought about what the Fire Emperors response would be. Alright. If you have nothing else to say, get lost, you American pig. I had no problem imagining it. He would also show how long and thick his middle finger was. Lets see. The opposite of that would be... Thank you, I said. Oh, if anyone else has questions, Ill be happy to answer them. A very brief silence hung over the za. Me! Its the Retrospective Newspaper! Please take my question, Mr. Death King! Im from Youtower News! Im from the Babel Tower Broadcasting System! Mr. Death King! The reporters arms shot into the air. As soon as they realized that I was someone they could talk to, they threw themselves at me to squeeze an article out of me. They were like baby ducks waving their beaks at their mother. I was amazed. Wow... This strategy worked great. Indeed. The Fire Emperor may be the shittiest, most reprehensible psychopath in the world, but he was a constant moralpass. Even at this moment, he clearly showed me which direction I shouldnt take. I recalled the Fire Emperors words once again. What? Retrospective Newspaper? Ill never do an interview with you. Yourpany is full of geezers. I can smell how old you are just from your newspaper. Hey, if you want to call yourself a reporter, at least take a shower. I gestured to the reporter from the Retrospective Newspaper. Why dont you start first? It worked wonders. I answered the reporters questions for over an hour, but my tongue didnt slip once. The conference ended in a grand sess. It was actually kind of hard to end the conferencethe reporters were desperate to get one more line for their articles, and in the end, the ck Witch had to take my microphone and apologize to them. Everyone! I understand that you want to learn all about our new hero. Unfortunately, we dont have much time left. The ck Witch pointed at the sky. [00:05:27] The countdown was close to its end; only about five minutes were left before a new stage opened up. There was no better excuse to end the press conference. Our day off is over, so well start focusing on clearing the Tower. Please keep watching us and cheering us on. Well try our best to make sure we keeping back with no casualties. The people sighed, disappointed that it was over. Just when the press conference was about to really end, one brave soul held up his hand. B-ck Dragon Master! Please answer onest question! Okay. The conference will really end after your question. What is your rtionship with the Death King? The peoples eyes sparkledmostly with pure interest, but it was slightly mixed with naughtiness. Since the dawn of human history, our greatest interest had always been in dating, so the reporters were eager to put me and the ck Witch together like that. The ck Witch looked at me with eyes that sparkled with childish mischief. Our rtionship, huh... The ck Witchs lips slowly formed the quote of a century. ...Wererades that are more than friends. The reporters buzzed. They looked confused. Should they focus on the fact that we were more than friends? Or should they focus on therade part? Even the man who had asked the question looked taken aback. A-are you saying you two are more than friends? he asked. Well, the ck Witch leisurely answered, Ill say it again. Wererades that are more than friends. Thats it. I hope my answer doesnt cause any misunderstandings. Misunderstandings...? That will be all for the ck Dragon Guilds press conference today. The ck Witch stood up from her seat. Once again, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to those of you who watched our journey and cheered us on. That will be all from me, the ck Witch and the leader of the ck Dragon Guild. I hope all of you have a great day. The reporters stood up too. B-ck Dragon Master! You cant leave like that! Please rify your statement! ck Dragon Master! Mr. Death King, what do you think about her statement just now? Mr. Death King! Wow. The reporters were practically screaming themselves hoarse, but the ck Witch didnt even blink. She merely guided me backstage with a grin. Lets go. I nced back at the reporters, who couldnt look sadder if they tried. ...Are we really leaving after the fire you set? I watch a lot of dramas. The ck Witch gave me a yful wink. A fire at the finale leaves the deepest impression. Her words carried the experience of the guild leader who practically ruled the Tower. *** Backstage, we walked until no one would be able to see us anymore. Only then did the ck Witch heave a deep breath and grab my hands. That was perfect, Death King! The ck Witchs eyes were shining. She really didnt look like the same person who had maintained her poker face throughout the press conference. When did you learn how to do an interview? Great job! I just did what the Fire Emperor wouldnt do. Your politeness was a big plus factor! People like a hero, but what they like better is a hero wholl bow to them! Sure, you shouldnt be too polite since that would make you look servile... but your bnce was perfect! It was incredible! I just said what the Fire Emperor wouldnt say. I didnt know you were good at handling the media too. Ahhh... Where have you been all this time, kid? You clear the Tower and create a good media image on your own. My shoulders feel ten times lighter...! What? I felt a prick in my conscience when I saw her this happy, but I really couldnt tell her that I had just acted the opposite of a psychopath. Tell me whenever you want something. Money? Fame? Power? A lover? Dont worry, Ill get you anything thats in the Tower. Well, its okay. Im already taking what I want... ck Dragon Master, what was with that rades that are more than friends earlier? I didnt let it show, but I was really surprised. Oh, that? The ck Witch shrugged nonchntly. Its nothing. I intentionally put up a bit of a smokescreen. Smokescreen? Yeah; even if it isnt true, the media will be all over your so-called romance scandal. Itll damage your image, so its better to put up a smokescreen and draw attention to you and me. Is that so...? I wasnt sure if that was true because of myck of experience in handling the media. The ck Witch chuckled. Dont worry, Death King. Ive been handling the media on my own for years, so you can trust me on this one. Leave the expert in charge. Do you understand? Ah, okay. It felt weird for some reason... Yes, I felt like a mysterious monster was out to get me, but I was in Babylon, not a hunting ground. There was no monster. Was I imagining things? Tsk, tsk, tsk. The Guardian clicked his tongue. Youre pathetic, Zombie. You have a head, but not a brain. So how can I not call you Zombie? You call yourself a Hunter and yet you dont know youre walking to your death. Gosh. What the heck are you on about? Youre pathetic! Pathetic! The Guardian pounded his chest in frustration. He already looked ape-like, so pounding his chest really made him look like a gori. Just then, loud shouts erupted from the opposite side of the stage. They were a little different from the cheers meant for us. Ten! Nine! Eight! They were counting down together. I stopped talking to the Guardian and looked up at the sky. [00:00:05] The time for the twenty-first floors opening was approaching. Three! Two! One! [00:00:00] The countdown burst into a shower of light, making the crowd cheer wildly. As if answering their excitement, the particles of light gathered again, taking the form of a goddess. [Greetings to the warriors who climb the Tower.] [Congrattions for breaking through the Demon Kings shadow of resentment.] It was the opening of a new stage. Perhaps because the people had seen the goddess before, they just chattered joyfully. Zombie, the Guardian said in a concerned voice. I nodded. Yes. Its okay. I wont let my guard down. However, I had experienced the Tower in the past, so I knew that the twenty-first floor was entirely different from the twentieth floor; it was just as drastic as the transition between the first ten tutorial stages and the whole new stage that had greeted us on the eleventh floor. [This is a shelter for the outcast.] [You could have given up on challenging the Towers stages.] [You could have chosen to stay on the first floor of the Tower forever.] [However, you made a choice when you cleared the tenth and twentieth floors.] Her voice reverberated in the vast sky. [You have decided to see the Towers top.] [Therefore, it is only right to answer your determination.] Without a warning, white light enveloped us. It wasnt just me and the ck WitchI could hear panicked voicesing from the za. W-what?! I-I didnt say anything... The biggest difference from thest time was that the white light took us even though no one said Send me. Bewildered, the ck Witch looked at her feet. ...Wait, the Tower is teleporting us by force? She was right. [Those of you who decided to climb up the Tower..] [Those of you who climb up the Tower.] [Those of you who readily received your new names and became the Towers warriors.] The goddess held her hands together against her chest as if she were praying for someone. [Only you, the chosen warriors, shall carry out the honorable mission.] The white light covered my vision. Chapter 55: The Ultimate Fan (3)

Chapter 55: The Ultimate Fan (3)

Laters were at a disadvantage in any field. Many fields were bloody oceans which were dominated by very experienced frontrunners, but theters had to jump into the fray and prove their value. It was difficultmaking their way in a ce like that was like charging an entrenched enemy. The Tower wasnt any different. ...Wee, warriors who climb up the Tower! When the white light subsided and I opened my eyes again, it wasnt the voice of the goddess that weed us, it was the voice of a child of unclear gender. The child was up in the air, looking down at us abruptly summoned Hunters. Ive been anxiously waiting for you. Every day was like three years to me! His clothes were airy and superficially resembled a traditional eastern outfithowever, they werepletely different up close. Aside from his long sleeves, nothing about his clothes was traditional. Actually, his sleeves were far from ordinary too. They were five meters long. But thats okay. A life is a journey that starts and ends an encounter. In the end, the meaning of life is in reflecting on who you met. Waiting is a spice that adds deep vor to life! It was said that the finishing touch of fashion was the looks of the person who wore them. Even if clothes were very special, their appeal depended on who wore them. On that note, the child with five-meter-long sleeves was certainly special. Once again, let me offer you my sincerest wee to the Great Library of All Life! [Constetion Indoor Librarian wees you!] The Constetion, the manager and representative of the twenty-first to the thirtieth floors, spread his arms wide and smiled. Unfortunately, no one cared for his greetings. The Hunters were yet to understand the situation, so they were busy looking around at their surroundings. Uhhh... Uhhh... What? Why was I suddenly teleported? Where am I? Several hundred people were here, all talking in panic. Most of them were people who had been chanting the countdown together in the za. However, there were also those who had been spending time elsewhere. Ahhhhh! Dont l-look at us! Embarrassed screams erupted from all across the library. Some Hunters had been teleported in the middle of their showers. Several people who appeared to be lovers were naked. Those who were looking around with half-opened eyes seemed to have been teleported in the middle of their sleep. Many Hunters privacy was jarringly interrupted and they were thrown out into the open, leaving them rmed and confused. Oops. I believe I was a little inconsiderate. The Indoor Librarian grinned and flicked his fingers. Big book covers flew in from somewhere. They had holes for heads, arms, and legs, and went to the naked Hunters and used themselves to dress them. Ah... T-thank god. The Hunters heaved a sigh of relief. The situation was a little awkward for me too, so I was equally relieved. What the h-heck is this...? The Hunters wearing the covers made long faces because they looked like they were in Gundam suits made out of cardboard. They were the minority opinion, however. After a mess of embarrassment, the Hunters finally regained theirposure and their gazes gradually made their way to the Constetion. ...Who are you? the ck Witch asked on the Hunters behalf. And what is this ce... Ah, Im just a nobody who manages a somewhatrge library, ck Witch. Compared to you, Im a lot closer to an extra, so I would prefer that you pretend Im not here. The ck Witch furrowed her brows and pursed her lips. She didnt know who the kid was, but he knew her. That didnt feel right with her. It was only naturalI was somewhat used to these Constetions after making the Demon King of Autumn Rain and Goddess of Protection my subordinates, but the Constetions were still mysteries to other Hunters. ...A somewhatrge library, I remarked. Well, it doesnt look somewhatrge. The twenty-first stage was one giant library. In fact, giant might be an understatement. We were surrounded by bookcases. I could see more bookcases far into the distance and the floor and ceiling also seemed to be made from bookcases. This ce was like a world of endless bookcases. The master of this world looked at me, his eyes sparkling like those of an innocent child. I see. Youre the Death King. I narrowed my eyes. Ah, you dont have to be so guarded. Im truly harmless, everyone. I sincerely want to wee you. To me, all of you are like the heroes from the epics. I knew what he meant because I had regressed over four thousand days. This ce was no ordinary library. But I pretended I knew nothing and asked, Heroes from epics? Its like this. The Indoor Librarian flicked his fingers. Two hardcover books were pulled from the bookcases. They circled around the Indoor Librarian. On the covers were written Chronicle of the Aegim Empire and The Story of the City of Ascension respectively. My hobby is reading books, but the books in my library are far from ordinary. They are the records of your historythe history of the worlds where the Towers are built. The Indoor Librarian stroked the spine of the book with his thin finger. You all must be wondering why you were the only people summoned out of the many warriors. The reason is simple! Its because you people are the only ones who have character names. ...Character names? You call them titles. The Indoor Librarian looked down at us with a gentle smile. All 302 people here are warriors with titles. Only the Hunters with titles were summoned? O-other people... Wait, so we have to clear the Tower on our own? Yes, he wasnt talking about the real names that Hunters had been using since they were born. The tickets used to the twenty-first floor and onward were Hunter titles, which were given by the Tower. ...Thats why before my regression, I was stuck on the same floors after the twentieth floor was cleared. The frontrunners were those who had titles and theters were those without titles. The gap between the two groups would widen over time. I touched the dagger hanging on my waist. It... was my little ritual to calm down. Im different from old me. The loser without a Skill or a title had been stuck on the same floors after the twentieth floor had been cleared. However, that loser was gone. The person standing here right now was the new Rank 3 Hunter. I wont fall behind before I can even try clearing the floors. Unlike me, not many Hunters were able to maintain theirposure. Even the ck Witch was obviously perplexed. I cant believe it, she muttered. Three hundred people? Thats too few to clear the Tower... Dont worry! The Indoor Librarian waved the Chronicle of the Aegim Empire andughed. Three of you sessfully protected the Aegim Empire, and theres over a hundred times as many of you here now! Im sure youll clear my stages very easily. Have some confidence! The Hunters exchanged nervous nces with each other. In the center of this great, seemingly endless library, a little over three hundred Hunters looked like a speck of sand on a beach. Lets get on with it, Mr. Librarian, I quickly said before the anxiety could get out of control. Hmm? I get that youre excited to meet live people after so long, but we want to climb up the Tower quickly. And you didnt even give us a quest yet. Can you please keep moving? Haha. Hahaha. The Indoor Librarianughed quietly. I see! I was so happy that I didnt even give you the quest. But exining every detail isnt really my thing... He flicked his finger again and hundreds of hardcover books began to circle him. Lets see. Which one will make you feel it right in your bones...? This apocalyptic book is too dull. This apocalypse is too quiet... Ah, yes! This one will be the best. The Indoor Librarian grabbed a book and opened it, bathing his face with white light. Keep in mind that this is just a preview. Dont be too surprised. The wave of light struck us. *** All of the Hunters were teleported somewhere. I didnt know where it was, but it was clear that it wasnt our world. I had never seen buildings in this stylethey were like a forest of termite mounds that had been magnified hundreds of times. The Hunters and I were high in the sky. Below our feet were buildings that they had never seen or heard about. Someone screamed; maybe they feared heights. The Hunters werent falling one bit, but they instinctively clung to each other. The Indoor Librarian watched them and smiled. Like I mentioned, the records that are gathered in my library arent ordinary history books or novels. Its a littleno, a lot more sophisticated than that! The Great Library of All Life was where the worlds were stored in the form of books. This is the world you cleared. The Indoor Librarian tapped the book titled Chronicle of the Aegim Empire. And that is your world! He pointed at The Story of the Ascension City. There were hundreds of other books flying around the Indoor Librarian. The childish-looking Constetion gazed at his books endearingly. These books are known by many names. While some call them epics, Ive also heard people calling them chronicles or sagasbut theres one name I prefer the most. The Indoor Librarian turned back to look at us. Apocalyptic books. His peculiarughter danced through the sky. Your apocalyptic book is... being serialized, if I may. The long prologue is over, and now youre climbing the Tower in earnest. Thats the part where that gets fun. But not all apocalyptic books make it smoothly to serialization like yours. At that moment, something descended from the sky. No, that was too docile a description of what it was doingit was tearing the sky apart. Its tragic, but there are apocalyptic books which stopped publishing. Burning meteors rained down on the mound-like buildings. With a thunderous boom, the world shook. Thend cracked and the sky split. The city where other intelligent beings had lived was destroyed without a trace. The clouds of dust created by the rain of meteors hit us. The Hunters screamed. In the imprable darkness that followed, the only thing we heard was the Indoor Librarians voice. This isnt the only book. There are a lot of them. I heard the sound of a book being closed. At the same time, the clouds of dust, the destroyed city, the crackednd, and the torn sky vanished. New worlds unfolded below us. The apocalyptic book just now was discontinued because of stones... but now its water! A tsunami that could drown the sky devoured the city. In truth, that was too massive to call it a wave; however, it was too destructive to be even a tsunami. It was more than a disaster. As the tsunami was right in front of them, the Hunters burst into screams again. The Indoor Librarian sighed intively. Ahhh. How tragic is that? All humans in one world died from a gue. Due to losing every drop of water, sand covered an entire world. Volcanoes erupted in another, and their smoke clouds blocked the sky. There was even a world where a zombie virus was rampant. All of them are humans like you. They were alive and were writing a story of their own. However, everything ended before they could pen their majestic ending. No, it was before they even met a proper ending. It all happened because of a very unfair reason. The Indoor Librarian closed the book. I call that discontinued serialization... Hundreds of books still circled him. But you would call that doom. We were now back in the giant library. Bl-rgh... rghhhhhh! All across the library, Hunters began vomiting. They had just witnessed the fall of dozens of worlds. Although they werent injured physically, many Hunters were mentally driven to the breaking point. The Indoor Librarian watched us. The quest Im going to give you is simple: pick eight discontinued apocalyptic books. Pick eight doomed worlds. I want to finish reading the discontinued apocalyptic books! Help him continue reading the stories of the doomed worlds. Go into the eight apocalyptic books. Enter the eight worlds. Save the books from getting discontinued! Save them from their doom. This is the quest I give all of you. Those were the quests of the twenty-second to the twenty-ninth floors. As they continued to vomit, the Hunters heard the voice. [Initiating the twenty-second floors quest.][1] A window of letters showed up in front of them. Remake the World (Book 1) Difficulty level: Undecided Goal: There are many worlds and many dooms. Constetion: Indoor Librarian calls this phenomenon the discontinued serialization. The worlds met discontinued serialization for an unfair reason, so the Indoor Librarian wants the stories to continue. Pick one of the apocalyptic books in which serialization stopped! If you sessfully save the world, it will be registered as the twenty-second floor. However, the twenty-second floor will not open if you fail the quest. That Constetion was a bookworm and fanboy of all worlds. So... I slowly opened my mouth. ...you dont like the ending and you would like us to rewrite the books? Thats right! The Indoor Librarian smiled sheepishly. I do so hope youll satiate my reading tastes! Our mission was to rewrite the endings of the worlds for this bookworm. 1. It seems the twenty-first floor is a lobby for the twenty-second to the thirtieth floor. ? Chapter 56: Bibliomania (1)

Chapter 56: Bibliomania (1)

The great library fell silent. The Hunters with weak stomachs vomited; those with strong stomachs contemted the quest window in front of them. Only the Indoor Librarian spoke. Oh, please clean up your own vomit. Thats basic manners. Maintaining the librarys cleanliness is only possible with the cooperation of all visitors. He pped, his five-meter-long sleeves fluttering. From the dark shadow behind the bookcases, mysterious entities approached. They had limbs, so at a cursory nce they looked like humans. However, the ck Witch immediately furrowed her brows. ...Bookmarks? The mysterious entities torsos were bookmarks with weird drawings in the middlean impression of a traditional maids uniform. Oh, youre spot on. They are bookmark maids! The Indoor Librarian stuck his nose in the air and pompously put his hands on his waist. Theyll tend to you until you clear the thirtieth floor. The bookmark maids bowed. When you want to eat or go to the bathroom, you can tell the maids. They may not look like it, but theyre quitepetent. Theyre... monsters, right? the ck Witch queried. Hah. The Indoor Librarian hid a grin behind his sleeve. You can think of them that way. The smile on his face couldnt be heard in his voice. It was a startling contrast to the cheerfulness he had shown so far. You have a few things to be careful of during your stay here, the Indoor Librarian said. First, dont ever touch the books without my permission. Dont eveny a finger on them. I shed blood, sweat, and tears to collect all of these books. There is only one of each of these apocalyptic books in this universe. Those yahoos who would put their hands on books without the owners permission Fuck! a Hunter spat. Youve got to be kidding me. That just means youre the boss! ...Hmmm. The Indoor Librarian raised an eyebrow. Hey! Grab your weapons, you guys! Forget the quest, well clear the thirtieth floor right away if we kill him! There are three hundred of us, so we can crush him if we attack together! The Hunters stirred. The Indoor Librarian didnt really stop the instigator. He simply watched with a stered-on smile. The Constetions silence made the instigator more confident. Hes just a kid! We can beat him! the Hunter shouted. If some boy cleared the twentieth floor on his own, theres no reason we cant do it! So he was dragging me in now. People of all shapes and sizes looked at me. Their eyes were each different colors too. However, the emotions in them were the same: jealousy and greed. I was very familiar with these emotions. You should stay out of this! The guild leaders should stand down too! I already dont like how you took all the credit from the eleventh floor up. Its like you guys are the only ones who represent the Tower. And you find some boy and fabricate a new herodid you really think nobody would notice your scheme? That set the ck Witch off. Who do you think! Dont. I grabbed her wrist. Death King, if you leave those brats like that Still, you should still hold yourself back, I whispered. Everything is being broadcast live now. The ck Witch blinked. Live broadcast? What are you talking about? Were being aired on a hologram in the za. Before, I couldnt set foot on the twenty-first floor because I had been without a title, yet I knew the stages and quests in detail. Its like a television program. People in the za are watching everything were doing in real-time, I added. Why...? The Constetion said that were characters from a book, I quietly reminded her. So there have to be readers. I had watched everything from the za before. I may not have been part of clearing the floors... but I had seen how the Hunters with titles had cleared the twenty-first to the thirtieth floors from beginning to end. They should be able to see the hologram in the za right now. Hundreds of thousands of readers were watching every word of our dialogue and each move in real time. We were truly on a stage. Dont let your guard down because were the only ones here, ck Dragon Master. If you say or do something bad, people will remember it forever. The ck Witch immediately understood how scary that was. ...I see. Clearing the floors isnt the most important objective here. I nodded. Yes, what matters is how we clear it. We had to y our roles and look like real heroes from a book so peopleno, readers wouldnt find faultster. Were already in a book named The Great Library of All Life. [Wee, Death King.] That voice that didnt belong to the ck Witch or the Indoor Librarian. It was the Tower, giving me a message that I expected whenever a quest was given. [Your rewards for clearing the twentieth floor will be given now.] I suppressed a smile. It was time to receive the prize for protecting the Aegim Empire and its world. *** The Tower was cruel to thete runners, but the front runners were richly rewarded. [You have received the God of Beautys blessing for clearing the normal stage.] [You can now observe the affinities of characters on the twenty-first through the thirtieth floors.] That wasnt the only reward. I still had the reward for clearing the hidden quest. [You have received the God of Serpents blessing for clearing the hidden stage.] [You can now observe the state of mind of characters on the twenty-first through the thirtieth floors.] Good! These rewards are just what I need! I thought. The key to this quest was how well I yed my role. However, I couldnt do it perfectly on my own; acting was a team exercise. I needed to know the mental states of other people, the characters. Show me my status window. Before I began working on the quest, I examined my status. Name: Kim Gong-Ja ss: D Skills (5/6): 1. I Want To Be Like You(S+) 2. Returners Clockwork(EX) 3. Sword Constetion(A+) 4. High Society of Goblins(F) 5. Monster Legion Reincarnation (SSS) 6. None The God of Beautys blessing is active. The God of Serpents blessing is active. Okay. I quietly looked at the ck Witch. Only then did I realize that I was still holding onto her wrist and had to let go of it as naturally as possible. I tried tomand the system in a manner that sounded somewhat legitimate. Show me the character window. A new, totally unfamiliar kind of system window showed up in the form of a hologram. Name: ck Witch Affection: 82 Liked genre: Romance Disliked genre: History Liked characters: Prince Charming, younger men, wild men, naive men Disliked characters: Psychopaths, soldiers, politicians, ipetent female lead Liked plot points: Repay gratitude, sacrifice for the greater good Disliked plot points: Amnesia, betrayal, female leads misunderstanding State of mind: If what were doing here is being broadcasted in Babylon... I have to act noble for the future. Clearing the floors is a secondary goal. Yes, I need to be strategic with every move. The wisest tactic is... I was at a loss for words. My silence made the ck Witch grow more serious, fearing that I was having a problem. Whats wrong? N-no, its nothing. ...Thats fine, but please tell me immediately if theres other information I should know. Im working on a n right now. O-okay. The ck Witch turned away and lost herself in thought. She looked very serious. As I looked at her from the side, indescribable guilt hit me. What? I... feel like I peeked at someone elses diary... As the Guardian and I shared my consciousness, he was already rolling in the air,ughing. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Prince Charming! Prince Charming...! Hahahaha! Her elixir of eternal youth is the only reason she can hide how old she is! But she still wants her Prince Charming! Zombie, get a fancy horse from somewhere and ride it in front of her! Youre a so-called hero, right? And a hero with a crown is a prince! Wow, you guys are perfect for each other! I stared at the Guardian. Hmm? Whats with that look? Dont give me that. Show me the character window. Huh? Hey! Kim Zombie, what are you doing?! Hey! Hey! The Guardian, flustered, waved his hands. However, it didnt stop the system. The Guardians long character window exposed his very soul to me. Name: Sword Emperor Affection: 59 Liked genre: Murim Disliked genre: Everything else Liked characters: Machoes, rivals, mothers Disliked characters: Weak people, pushovers Liked plot points: Victory, refreshing moments Disliked plot points: Defeats, frustrating moments State of mind: Fuck! Dont tell me it works on me too! I almost burst outughing. M-mothers. Mr. Sword Emperor, I didnt know you were a mamas b Ill kill you! The Guardian red at me. He was actually losing it. Ill kill you! Fuck! Turn it off right now! Erase it from your memory, you little shit! Ill blow your head off if you dont! I will literally kill you! I wont be your friend! It had been a while since the Guardian and I first met, but Id never seen him panicking like this. Well, the more pressured someone was, the more they would run their mouth. Unlike him, I was very rxed. Why dont you be more polite until I clear the thirtieth floor? Or else I might just pull up your character window whenever I have a chance. The Guardian huffed and puffed. The sts from his nostril were amazing, but meaningless. He couldnt beat me or stop me from using the ability on him. Youll see! Someday, itll alle back to bite you! Iughed. His threat wasnt scary at all. While I tested the new ability, the Hunters had divided into two sides. One side was made up of extremists; they and the instigator wanted to hunt the boss monster together. The other Hunters were cautious and were waiting to see how the situation turned out. There were about one hundred extremists, and the rest were in the cautious group. How foolish, the Sword Star sneered, the first thing hed said since arriving. He watched the extremists contemptuously. Have you already forgotten what the Constetion just showed us? If he wanted to, he could simply throw us into one of those worlds and walk away, yet you still want to pick a fight with him. Youre all crazy. Well, I wont stop you if mass suicide is what youre aiming for. Half of the extremists immediately broke away from the group, leaving behind fifty Hunters. Hey! the instigator yelled. Dont chicken out! The Death King cleared the tenth and twentieth floors on his own! Thats how all boss monsters are. The Five Guilds are trying to monopolize the trophies! If you want to wag your tail to the Five Guild all your lives, then fine! Get lost! The instigator seemed to hold quite a high ranking, judging from the fact that fifty people were still hooked by what he was saying. He may lead a decent guild even though its not one of the Five Guilds, I thought. However, I couldnt recall his face or his title. The Fire Emperor, Master Alchemist, ck Witch, Sword Star... I remembered all of the High Rankers and had fanboyed over every one of them. If I didnt remember the instigator, there had to be a good reason for it. Hmm... Have you settled on your stance? The Indoor Librarian looked down at the fifty extremists. Hundreds of books were circling around him likes orbiting the sun. Yeah, you boss monster shit! Fifty people will be enough to crush a kid like y! Im sorry, but I dont really like cliches. The Indoor Librarian grabbed a book titled The Epic of the Sealed World. Ill make it quick. He opened the book, lighting up the library with a sh of light. It was quickly followed by a mass of dark tentacles crawling out and striking the extremists. W-what? In this apocalyptic book, only one wizard survived the fall of humanity, the Indoor Librarian narrated. Well, after multiple trials, the wizard became closer to a tentacle monster, than a human. Still, I like this protagonist quite a lot. Hes my ninth favorite protagonist. The tentacles took hold of the extremists and held them up in the air one by one. Ahhhhhhh! The Epic of Sealed World soon swallowed the extremists. H-help me! The extremists who had been lucky enough to dodge the tentacles began to run, but it was no use. More tentacles, ten times as many as before, shot out of the book. They grabbed the Hunters by their wrists, waists, and ankles. This wizard, my ninth favorite character, specializes in sealing magic, and Im like his customer. I asionally provide him with materials, and the wizard will readily do mymissions. The fifty extremists were eaten by the book in no time. The Indoor Librarian grinned. Like so. With its gluttony sated, The Epic of Sealed World started vomiting something out. We watched it with tightly held breaths. I couldnt see them from here... but the crowd in the za was probably doing the same. The book vomited out bookmarks. They were as tall as humans and had limbs. Oh, yes. The wizards hobby is dressing up his artwork in maid uniforms. The bookmarks had drawings of maid uniforms in the middle. Hes a little bit of a pervert. Well, hes humanitysst survivor, so it would be more odd if hed kept his sanity. The Hunters looked around and saw fifty bookmark maids quietly standing at attention. To the Hunters dismay, a little farther away, thousands of bookmark maids were working, with mops or cutlery. That was what we could see right now, but the great library stretched beyond the horizon. How many bookmark maids were in this entire library? The Hunters were utterly silent. Yes, its a lot cleaner now! The useless extras have been taken care of. The Indoor Librarian closed the book. Do you feel like bing protagonists now? Chapter 57: Bibliomania (2)

Chapter 57: Bibliomania (2)

The Hunters sat in a circle. In the center were hundreds of apocalyptic books. The Hunters and I had to choose from the pile, but no one dared to approach it. It was only naturalfifty fellow Hunters had only just been eaten by one of those books. Everyone was either scared or depressed. It would take someone truly insane tough in this situation. Hahahaha! Its quite a loss to have fifty of us eliminated. Surprisingly, we had one such maniac among us. He had blond hair and looked like a boy. He was recognized as the Towers number-one madman: the Inquisitor. The Inquisitor stroked his chin. But marching forwardes with sacrifice. We shouldnt let their sacrifice be in vain! Let us devote ourselves to clearing the floors! Pull yourselves together! We almost lost one hundred people. It was very lucky that it ended with fifty people. Instead of mourning what we lost, we should celebrate what we protected! The more the Inquisitor said, the more the mood dropped. The bookmark maids continued to bustle around us, serving hot coffee and ck tea that they had produced from somewhere. Of around two hundred fifty Hunters, the Inquisitor was the only one who dly epted the drink. As he sipped on the ck tea, the Inquisitor tilted his head in confusion. Is no one else having any? Its pretty good. First of all, I interruptedit was no good to let a psychopath talk for a long time. Mr. Inquisitor, please shut up. Eh? Why? Your words dampens our spirits. We cant let them drop any further, so please shut up until I say otherwise. Ah, thats a real problem. The Inquisitor beamed. Okay, Mr. Death King! Ill dly shut up! The Hunters looked back and forth between the Inquisitor and me. They shouldnt look at me that way; I just got the hang of handling that weirdo. I raised my voice, eager to change the mood. Now, Im sure all of you know by now that we shouldnt attack the Constetion over there. Right now, we need to carry out the quest he gave us. The Hunters slowly turned their attention to me. I could feel the pressure in my gut, but I endured it. Im now the Rank 3 Hunter, which means I have the third-strongest say in this matter! I needed attention to feel like a second skin. But the quest isnt necessarily bad for us, I said, feigning nonchnce. Please take a look at the quest window, everyone. The Hunters looked at the air. They were probably looking at the same system window as mine. Remake the World Difficulty level: Undecided Goal: There are many worlds and many dooms. Constetion Indoor Librarian calls this phenomenon the discontinued serialization. The worlds met discontinued serialization for an unfair reason, so the Indoor Librarian wants the stories to continue. Pick one of the apocalyptic books in which serialization stopped! If you sessfully save the world, it will be registered as the twenty-second floor. However, the twenty-second floor will not open if you fail the quest. Have you all finished reading it? I asked. The Hunters nodded. Some even answered, Yes. Perhaps it was because I sessfully shut the Inquisitor up. For the time being, it looked like none of the Hunters would challenge my authority. Thest part is the most important here. If you sessfully save the world, it will be registered as the twenty-second floor. Do you get what that means? The Hunters looked confused. They didnt know how amazing that reward was. Our reward depends on which world we save. Lets say we clear a world where a lot of diamonds are buried! Then it bes our twenty-second floor. The Hunters eyes lit up. The world of diamonds is just an example. Were in the Tower, so we dont need some lumps of carbon. But what if the world we save is abundant with food, water, or minerals? Self-sufficiency... the ck Witch mumbled. We really could be self-sufficient. Thats what Im talking about. I stood up and walked toward the pile of apocalyptic books that the Indoor Librarian had selected for us. H-hey, Death King! the Viper yelled behind me. If you touch that, the tentacle monster will... I grabbed a book from the pile at random. The Hunters gasped and shut their eyes. Some even ran away, scared that the tentacle monster would show up again. One second... two seconds... three seconds... Nothing happened. The apocalyptic book sat in my hand like any ordinary book. What? The Viper slowly opened his eye. Nothing happened... Haha. The Indoor Librariansughter floated down to us. Thats right! Unless I use my ability, these are just ordinary books. Although there are some forbidden books that will endanger you as soon as you touch them, they are sealed very deep in the library, so dont worry. I nodded. I opened the book in my hand and another system window showed up, disying information on the book. The Story of Sormwin Academy Genre: Romance, fantasy Difficulty level: D Required challengers: 4~5 people Serialization is currently discontinued. Description: Sormwin is a prestigious magic academy where friendship, healthy rivalry, love, and jealousy can be found just like any other ce. This apocalyptic book could have remained an ordinary academy novel if only an artifact capable of destroying the world hadnt been sealed in the academys basement! Reason for discontinuation of serialization: The viiness loses her fiance, the Crown Prince, to a female student who has been given a second chance in life. This drives the viiness mad, so she unseals the artifact, releasing a great demon and bringing destruction to the world. The reason for the discontinued serialization, the cause of the worlds damnation, was really sad. It would have been better if the world had been doomed because of a meteor strike or a tsunami. I pity the world. It was doomed because of some childrens romantic squabble... I could understand why the Indoor Librarian was mad. The ice in the crown princes eyes cracked like blue jewels as understanding dawned. The long misunderstanding that had divided him and her melted away, though it took two lifetimes. Ahhh. My other half has been here all along. Lady Sylvia, youplete me, the crown princemented as he dropped to his knee. Sylvia, on the verge of tears, held her breath. It suddenly dawned on them that they would never be able to forget this moment. And then the crown prince exploded. Sylvia gasped, but she was the next one to blow up. As her consciousness faded away, thest thing she heard was screamsing from all directions. Ahhhhhhhh! Its a demon! A demon is here! Were cursed. It was the end of the world. If a romance novel I was enjoying suddenly ended like that, I would go crazy. Any readers would. It was annoying in novels, so it would be even worse for a real world to end like that. Well, that wasnt important right now. Everyone, why dont youe over here and look through these books? I yelled at the Hunters. Each book has a different difficulty level and story. We have to pick carefully! Their difficulty level needs to be within our capabilities, and their worlds should be as useful as possible! Some of the Hunters stood up, but most of them just nced at each other. Idiot, its because youre speaking politely to them. Do you still not understand that its impossible to reason with Hunters? the Guardian said. You currently have to handle two hundred and fifty Hunters. The only chance you have of getting through their heads is bossing them around, and even then your odds arent great. Are you serious? I asked. You hear [Your presence has be stronger] whenever you level up, right? Do you know what it means? It means [Your ego has be bigger.] High-level Hunters have extremely strong egos, so they just dont listen. He had a point, so I gathered my aura. There are hundreds of apocalyptic books, so how am I supposed to read everything? Get over here and start reading! I roared. The Hunters finally lifted their heavy bums. Split into groups! I ordered. Those of you whove read some novels or books on the left! If you know nothing about them, move to the right! Go, go! The Hunters quickly divided themselves as ordered. You hobby readers split into groups depending on your preferred genre! Like romance, fantasy, and mystery! They began to mill about. It finally looked like some work was going to be done in the library. Well all read books now! I tapped on the apocalyptic book I was holding. First, well divide these books depending on their genres. The romance group will read romance novels. The rest of the groups will also read your designated genres! Read these books and decide if theyre good or bad. The Inquisitor waved his arm wildly, but didnt say anything like I had told him to. ...Yes, go ahead. Mr. Death King! I dont get what novels are bad! Can you give me a standard? Is it how good or bad the story is? No, not at all. I showed him an apocalyptic book. This is an example of a bad novel. Survive from a Volcano! Genre: Survival, romance Difficulty Level: D Required challengers: 2 people Serialization is currently discontinued. Description: The world is devastated by a nuclear war, but the humans have amazing resilience! The protagonist and his lover survive the nuclear war and ovee various trials and tribtions. After that, they decide to be humanitys new Adam and Eve. Reason for discontinuation of serialization: The ce where the protagonist couple camps is near an active volcano. The volcano erupts at night and its volcanic ejecta strike and kill the protagonists. Humanity ended. After a long sigh, I said, This isnt just bad. This is the worst kind of book we could pick. Why? The Inquisitor tilted his head in confusion. Its the new Adam and Eve. Isnt it romantic? Theres no use saving this world since a nuclear war already took ce. I closed the book. The world is filled with radiation, so what use do we have with it? We dont want to die from radiation poisoning. Aha. The way the Fire Emperor had cleared this library floor was unbelievable. He had only chosen the worlds withva or volcanoes. Hes nuts, I thought. He had immunity to fire. Even if the apocalyptic books had outrageous hazards likevakes and multiple volcanic eruptions, they were a walk in the park for the Fire Emperor. His only standard had been how easy it was to get to the ending. He had given absolutely zero consideration to which apocalyptic books would benefit those in the Tower. This is a chance to have eight treasure vaults. This was why a guy who was full of himself was no help to other people living in the Tower. Ill pick only the apocalyptic books that we can make the most out of. An apocalyptic book full of monsters would be good for Hunters to gain actualbat experience. It would also be good if we could get rare minerals, weapons, or equipment from them. The apocalyptic book of fried chickens and porks[1] running through the forests and fried shrimp dancing in the ocean... No, thatst one didnt seem like a good idea. It would be scary if there was such a world. Anyhow! I distributed books to the Hunters. Remember! The protagonists might be incredibly frustrating, and the plots may not make any sense at all. How crappy the storylines are doesnt matter to us! Dont think about that! Just read them from beginning to end! Think about how this world can benefit us all... While I was passing out books, I met one Hunters eyes and paused. ...ck Dragon Master? Yes, what is it? the ck Witch answered. I slowly opened my mouth. ...This is the mystery group. I couldnt see why the ck Witch was standing with the mystery group. Her character window had shown me earlier that she was a romance fan. The ck Witch nodded as if she was right where belonged. I know where Im sitting, she said. Uhh... I didnt know you like mystery novels. Of course. Im an intellectual. The ck Witch elegantly sipped her ck coffee. What the heck? Why was she suddenly acting like this? It was obvious that she was absolutely crazy for romance dramas. I suddenly realized something. Wait, is it because she doesnt want others to know shes a romance fan...? Come to think of it, there were particrly few Hunters in the romance group. Not a single man was there either. Although I wasnt sure why, the murim group was full of men even though I could say with confidence that only a handful of them were truly murim readers. Wow, theyre pretending to be someone theyre not at a time like this? My head went nk. I told you, the Guardian said sulkily. High-level Hunters will die to protect their pride. And all of them have titles. They would rather die than lose their swagger. Didnt you just see fifty Hunters forming a suicide squad? Theyre nuts. I was going to go nuts. ck Master... Still... What do you mean? the ck Witch nonchntly asked. She resembled an impregnable fortress, somehow. I desperately tried to figure out what to say. ...I thought you were a very romantic person, so it surprised me that you chose the mystery group... The hand holding the coffee cup stopped moving. Is that so? she asked, her voice even. Do I look like a romantic person? Yes, so its rather weird if youre somewhere other than the romance group... Its like youre wearing clothes that dont suit you... Phew. The ck Witch put down her coffee cup and stood up. Ill give it a shot if you say so. Ive never read romance novels in my life, but Ill use this chance to explore new things. After all, a Hunter should always seek new challenges. Thats very true... Okay, Ill try. The ck Witch headed to the romance group with lighter steps, like a cowboy from a movie walking toward the moors. I stared at her back with mixed emotions. That was amazing, Mr. Death King! The Inquisitor looked up at me with sparkling eyes. He was also in the mystery group for some reason. Once the ck Dragon Master sets her mind on something, she rarely changes her mind. Haha, youre truly incredible, rookie! ...Mr. Inquisitor, do you read mystery novels too? The Inquisitor smiled like an angel. I know Sherlock Holmes! Oh, I know Doctor Watson too. Show me the character window, I quietly said. Name: Inquisitor Affection: 50 Liked genres: Fairy tales, myths, legends Disliked genre: None Liked character: Humans Dislike character: None Liked plot point: The greatest happiness of the greatest number Disliked plot point: None State of mind: I know Sherlock Holmes! Oh, I know Doctor Watson too. I had goosebumps. What the heck? Hes the same on the inside and outside. On top of that, he had no dislikes. Is he really human? It was utterly horrific. He was a natural-born psychopath. Hmm? Whats wrong, Mr. Death King? The natural psycho tilted his head in confusion. I briefly pondered how I should deal with this before I pulled out a marker and wrote Fairy tale on the back of the Inquisitors hand. Mr. Inquisitor, I said with a serious expression. Yes! Youre now in the fairy tale group. I see! Youre the only one in this group, so you have to read and evaluate all the books assigned to this group. Wow! Thats a lot of responsibility! the psycho eximed with a sparkle in his eyes. I nodded. Yes, it is a lot, so Ill trust you with it. Hahaha. Dont worry, Mr. Death King. Ill do my best to evaluate them! There wouldnt be a single fairy tale among the hundreds of apocalyptic books though. I searched from top to bottom to see if any Hunter was pretending to be someone they werent. The results were amazing. One hundred of the two hundred fifty Hunters were lying about their reading preferences. All of them are crazy... In the end, it took three hours just to settle groups and send 112 people to the right ces. However, even after that... I was at a loss for words when I found thest person. Name: Viper Affection: 32 Liked genres: Portal fantasy Disliked genres: Political fiction, crime fiction Liked characters: Older women, sisters, married women, innocent characters, tsunderes, pretty boys disguised as women... Dislike characters: Mafias, gangsters, tanned mafia, and gangsters with blonde hair Liked plot point: Overpowerness, protagonists wreaking havoc, system cheats, take on the world alone, harem, I guess there is no other choice but for me to step up, Im a hero summoned from another world but it turns out Im an overpowered character inherited the pure blood of the strongest dragon and demon empress so Ill show how to take on the world on my own, is there a problem... Disliked plot point: NTR State of mind: What the fuck is Nine Sects? Seriously, what is wrong with murim? The Beggar Gang, the Secure Agency... Theres sweaty men in every line. Shit. These novels arent considerate of their readers at all. The man with an eyepatch, was the swordsman leading the OJP Sect and... also the king of light novels. Huh? The Viper looked at me over his shoulder. What are you looking at? Im busy reading books. I tried to find something to say but eventually just gave up. Nothing...sorry I interrupted you. Please keep reading... Alright. I staggered away. On the twenty-first floor, it became clear that all High Rankers were crazyand now it was my problem. 1. The raw is ???. Image. ? Chapter 58: Bibliomania (3)

Chapter 58: Bibliomania (3)

I asked the Hunters to find good apocalyptic books. Do you understand? I said as I went around their groups. The books shouldnt be too easy or too hard. It has to be somewhere in the middle and give the right rewards. Two hundred fifty Hunters followed my lead and began to read the apocalyptic books. Since each of them was the history of an entire world, they were all long. All of the Hunters were dedicated to their reading, but they were still far from being finished. However, the Inquisitor was an exception because he had no book to read. Fairy tale was still written on the back of the natural psychos hand. Death King, something is strange. The natural-born psycho raised his hand. What is? I havent received any apocalyptic books. Are fairy tales not a popr genre? It cant be. There are many people who havent read fantasy or romance, but everyone knows fairy tales. Its one of the most popr genres, I answered. Youre right. Hmm. But why havent I received any books...? The psycho tilted his head. Because no fairy tale would end with the destruction of the world, you psychopath. I almost said that out loud, but I held myself back. Im not sure, I told him, pretending I didnt know anything. Why dont you wait a little longer? There are a ton of books, so at least one fairy tale is bound to be lying around somewhere. Yes, thats true. I must have gotten a little impatient. Ill wait quietly! The psycho bounced away and sat himself in the corner. I, the ck Witch, and all of the other Hunters knew that the Inquisitor wasnt going to get a fairy tale book ever. Hey, preacher. I stood corrected. It looked like the king of light novels didnt know. Yes, Mr. Viper? This one looks like a fairy tale. I got it from the pile of murim novels. I see! Thank you! The Inquisitor took the book from the Viper with a bright smile on his face that had the holiness of an angel and a saint. It was a little scary. Then Ill get to reading, Mr. Death King! Hehe. I wonder what kind of apocalyptic book it is! Ah, yes... Um. Can I ask what the title is? I asked the Inquisitor. Its Our Victim! The title was also a bit scary. Eventually, every group had their books to examine and resumed reading. After who knew how long, it was time to eat. Urghhhh. I f-feel like my eyes are going to burst. The Hunters groaned. They were so tired that they ate the sandwiches and drank the ck tea from the bookmark maids without remark. Death King... The ck Witch, in the romance group, was just as bad; she looked much more tired than thest time I had seen her. I can understand the Constetion. What do you mean? All of these stories stopped right at their climax. Meteors suddenly fall when the female lead confesses her love to the male lead; the moment the lead couple is about to hold hands and kiss, aliens suddenlyunch their invasion. Theyre all disasters! No, I can ept the meteors, but why would an alien invasion suddenly start in an imperial pce? And its supposed to be a romanticedy! Besides, the cruelest part is that the books are really good until they get cut off. The lead characters are charming, the storylines are so interesting... Only the endings are trash! Its like Im enjoying a perfect, full-course meal, and I got my main dish, which is a cutlet. I cut that open, and the inside is You dont have to tell me whats in it. Cant you see that Im eating a pork cutlet sandwich? Oh, Im sorry, Death King. It was inconsiderate of me to say that while youre eating... No, I have to tell you! So it feels like the inside of the cutlet Its all broadcast live, ck Dragon Master. Live broadcast! The ck Witch flinched in realization and closed her mouth. Ever since I saw her so desperately wishing to pop the zombie cyclopss eye, I got the impression that she tended to get worked up at strange moments. Anyhow, I took a bite of my pork cutlet sandwich, relieved. After looking around for a moment, she whispered, The inside of the cutlet is... How would the crowd watching from the za react? Would they be holding their breath as the ck Witch whispered into my ear? Her whispering actually took my breath away. I didnt want to look at another pork cutlet sandwich for at least a month. Oh, god. Please save me... [Shiny tries her best to save you.] I would prefer a goddess who couldnt even save her own world to stay put... And yes, the god of this great library didnt save me either. Instead, the Indoor Librarian floated about us, grinning. It looks like you finally understand my pain. The Indoor Librarian looked like a child, but his grin was nothing like one. It was the empty smile of a gourmet who lost his sense of taste after enduring lifes carrots and sticks. I have nothing to hide. The 683 apocalyptic books I allowed you to read are some of the most evil ones in my great library, and they will take a great toll on you all. Books are evil? Yes, theyre so fun and exciting, leaving the readers no choice but to love them. The Indoor Librariansughter was dreary. But thats it! Despite how fun they are, youll never be happy. No, thats exactly what makes them so miserable! All of these evil books met crappy endings! The ck Witch swallowed. Did you pick these on purpose? So well suffer just like you...? You can think of it like that. Thats the only way I can think of this situation right now... You should fall into the hell of discontinued serialization too. Suffer eternally like I do! Go on! Suffer! The Indoor Librarian burst intoughter. I saw some of the Hunters shiver in fear. Is he a demon? Hes crazy. He purposefully made us read masterpieces that stopped serialization. Hes going to hell...! Iter found out that those Hunters enjoyed reading as a hobby. Although I didnt really get it, those who loved books seemed to find the Indoor Librarians remarks horrifying. Ah, M-Mr. Hunter. That voice was familiar. I turned around to discover a Hunter from the fantasy group waving her hand at me. I briefly wondered who she was, but soon, I was able to match her face with a name. Oh, its you. Did you also receive a title? I asked. She was the Hunter who was going to be the Master Alchemist in the futurethe chemist, who had supplied me with elixirs. O-one thing led to another, but my title is Chemist. Its pretty boring... Hehehe. The chemist who was now The Chemistughed awkwardly. I was a little surprised. The Master Alchemist already got her title? Yes, she had high potential, but she had been stuck in the slums until recently. A title was given to those who achieved something recognized by the Tower, so it was quite early for her to make an achievement like that. I had only gotten my title after arming myself with overpowered Skills and repeating an endless cycle of madness. I guessed that those with potential made greater progress in the early stages of their lives. Youre amazing. How did you get a title so quickly? I knew my judgment wasnt wrong. It was obvious that you were going to make that someday. My investment was worth it. Iughed, feeling pleasantly surprised. N-no! Its not amazing at all! The Chemist waved her thin right hand. I mean it. Im not trying to be humble... I literally did nothing, but I got a title. Huh? I-I dont understand what happened either. Several days ago, I suddenly heard the message, The items you made have contributed to the salvation of the world, and I got a title. Ahhhhh. Im sorry. Its really random, isnt it...? The Chemist looked confused by her own story, but I was not. I instantly understood what had actually happened. Oh, its because of the elixirs she made for me! When I had been battling the Demon King of Autumn Rain, the Chemists elixirs had been super helpful. Thanks to her elixirs maximizing my senses, I could observe the Demon Kings attacks in slow motion. What? Did... I give her a boost? I wondered. I didnt mean it, but that happened. Although that was unclear if she knew that or not, the Chemist squirmed her fingers. You a-are the remarkable one, Mr. Hunter! Oh, yeah. I should call you Mr. Death King... Anyway, youre truly the amazing one. Several days ago, you were outside the ranking, but you instantly became the Rank 3 Hunter! Im very, very, very honored to know you in person! I really wanted to say this! Come on. I was also just lucky... I awkwardly scratched the back of my head. The Chemistughed brightly and held her sped hands behind her back. Please tell me if you need anything, Mr. Death King! Ill help you in any way I can! What? Is she an angel? I wondered. Zombie, would you please raise the standard of an angel a little higher? The Guardian buried his face in his hands. Mr. Sword Emperor. I just believe in people. I cant stop no matter how many times Im betrayed. Its not my fault that I have such a big heart. Your bullshit is extra hot today. Do you know what that makes it? Still bullshit.[1] I pretended I hadnt heard thest part. *** It had been four days since the Hunters and I had begun to read when all of the Hunters dered that they were finished reading their share of the books. We had sessfully read all of the apocalyptic books. The romance group will rmend these four novels. The SF group has these two as rmendations. The mystery group... Each group presented a list of rmendations that had well-bnced difficulty levels and rewards. My fairy tale group will rmend this! Its the only book my group has though! Our Victim Genre: Fairy tale Difficulty level: A Required challengers: More than 2 people Serialization is currently discontinued. Description: In this world, humanity has sessfully created a utopia, but maintaining it requires a special power sourcethe painful screams of innocent, sinless children. Although it is unfortunate, one innocent child can guarantee seventeen million peoples perfect happiness, so its obvious that the child endures such suffering. Thanks to highly developed torture techniques and life-sustaining care, its possible to delicately extract one childs screams for five years. Efficiency, baby! Reason for discontinuation of serialization: It has been 118,000 years since the foundation of their utopia. All of the innocent children have been consumed. The utopia has run out of innocent children and has stopped functioning. Hmm, I should drop by this apocalyptic book regardless of the difficulty level and rewards, I thought. However, there was another apocalyptic book that caught my eye more. The murim group strongly rmends this novel, the Sword Star said, speaking as the leader of the murim group. Unlike someone who looked like a murim reader but was actually the king of light novels, the Sword Star actually had extensive knowledge about murim. He opened an apocalyptic book. Its this one. Heavenly Demon Chronicle Genres: Murim, fusion fantasy Difficulty level: B Required challengers: 2~4 people Serialization is currently discontinued. Description: This is a world where people admire, practice, and master martial arts! The Heavenly Demon shows up and tries to unify murim, leading the Heavenly Demon Cult. The other factions rise against him and fight for the worlds future... Well, they would have done that if it hadnt been for a super gue. Reason for discontinuation of serialization: A mysterious gue breaks out, killing the Heavenly Demon and wiping out the Heavenly Demon Cult and the other factions. The end. The reason why we rmend the Heavenly Demon Chronicle is simple, the Sword Star said. This world has a character named Heavenly Demon. That title is usually given to a martial artist who gathered every manual in gangho. That is how a giant manual library was built in the Heavenly Demon Cults base. The Hunters who werent in the murim group loudly asked, What manual? Gangho? What is that? The Sword Star looked a little embarrassed and had to stop using the murim terminology and switch to more colloquial words. Its safe to say that these martial arts manuals are like books that exin how Skills work. Once we save this world, well get a library stocked with the best Skills we could ask for. Its the chance for us to be stronger. The Hunters eyes shone. Martial arts manuals... So were getting new Skills? Well, a chance to learn new Skills is really rare... This is a chance to learn the principles of gangho! The priority right now was for them to be stronger, so the rmendation was received well, especially by those who valued individual strength like the Sword Star. Thats a good one, I agreed, stroking my chin. Murim will have martial arts masters who can actually fly. If those masters kill me... Wow. Wont I get at least one ss A Skill? Zombie, do you really have to live up to your nickname every time? Why are you always looking for a way to weasel through things? There is a world I want to challenge, but its difficult to do that at my level right now. The Sword Emperor went quiet, but someone else began to talk. [Shiny reports she has detected the presence.] The sword on my waist suddenly shook. Presence? What Presence? [Shiny says her sister is very close.] Your sister? The Constetion, Goddess of Protection, had been divided and sealed away in the five swords. Shiny was one of them. Shiny had told me that she didnt know where the rest of the swords were, but she could sense her sister nearby now. Where? Where can you sense her? I looked around. The bookcases of the Great Library of All Life stretched beyond the horizon. Each of them was huge. When I looked up, it felt like they were as high as the Tower. I could see nothing except books. [Shiny rmends you to look in front of you, not elsewhere.] In front of me? The Sword Star is the only one... Wait. Each apocalyptic book held a world. Is she inside there? The holy sword vibrated. [Shiny affirms your statement.] [Shiny says that she can feel the presence of her sister from the book the Sword Star is holding!] Our next destination was decided. 1. The raw is ???? ???? ????. ??? ???? ??? ????.(Literal: Your dog sound is extra hot today. In English, its a hotdog sound. ? Chapter 59: The Expedition Team Without Hopes And Dreams (1)

Chapter 59: The Expedition Team Without Hopes And Dreams (1)

I washed my face in the sink in the bathroom at the great library. Okay. Before I head to murim... Ill die first. As there was no other human in the bathroom, it remained silent. However, there was a ghost and a sword, and they both responded. What part of that is supposed to be okay? [Shiny does not understand your statement.] The Guardian blinked, and the holy sword flickered. Im talking about Lefanta Aegim. The first emperor of the Aegim Empire, and the guy who turned the Goddess of Protection into Shiny. [Shiny points out that the one who named her Shiny is you...] I dont know who he is, but he can travel across worlds. I donned my suit jacket. The ck Witch had this tailor-made for me. My reflection in the mirror looked like a brand-new employee who had just finished getting ready to head to work. It was somehow reassuring. Think about it. Shiny was in the Aegim Empire, but one of the sister swords is in murim, which is a different world. That means Lefanta Aegim has the ability to travel from world to world. Oh. Hes probably like an overpowered protagonist. I felt the grip of the holy sword hung from my waist. Hes capable of building an empire, sealing a Constetion after splitting her apart, and traveling to a different world. It would be stupid to blindly jump into murim looking for another sword. I needed to be more cautious. Im not invincible, I muttered. Yes, recently I was... feeling wary of myself. I was worried that my confidence would mutate into arrogance if I let my guard down just a little bit. Im now the Rank 3 Hunter, I beat up the Demon King mostly on my own, and everyone in the city talks about me. On top of that, Im even ordering around Hunters who have titles. So what? the Guardian asked. I feel like Im going to let my guard down at some point. The Tower had one hundred floors, and I was only on the twenty-first floor. It was too early to feel secure about my sess. That was how I hunted the Fire Emperor, I thought. The reason why the Fire Emperor, Yoo Soo-Ha, had let his guard down was his Returner''s Clockwork. With that Skill, he wasnt going to stay dead even if he was killed. It was the ultimate cheat Skill that seemed to have no way of counteringbut how was he now? Hes dead. After his death, he even had to go for a round of hopak in front of the army of an entire world. Hes the perfect example of why a Hunter should never let their guard down, regardless of their strength. I think its just an example of how evil you are, Zombie... the Guardian grumbled. Anyhow, Im not going to jump into the Heavenly Demon Chronicle beforeing up with a solution. I should at least find out what Lefanta Aegim is like since I know nothing about him. It was said that an ounce of prevention was better than a pound of cure. I wanted to get as much information as I could before entering the next stage. Why was another holy sword in murim, not the Aegim Empire? Why had an overpowered figure named Lefanta Aegim split up and scattered the pieces of the Goddess of Protection? Well, its better to be safe than sorry. The Guardian tilted his head. But how exactly are you going to prepare? Like you said, you know nothing about this Lefanta guy and have no way to find out. Its true that I know nothing, but... I tapped on my holy sword. ...youre wrong that I dont have a way. What? This sword is technically the Goddess of Protection. There are five of them in total, but this holy sword is still a Constetion. I grinned. Now heres the question: if I stab myself with this sword, is that suicide or a murdermitted by a Constetion? Huh? Huhhhh? The Guardians eyes widened in surprise. Its either one of them. Im not sure which one itll be... Lets say its fifty-fiftyits worth testing out. As I unsheathed the holy sword, I heard a voice urgently call out to me. [Shiny sincerely asks you to reconsider your choice.] Why? I asked. [Shiny says its embarrassing to show her past to someone else.] [Shiny strongly requests you protect her privacy.] I smirked. Come on. What do you mean by privacy? I show you everything about my life twenty-four seven. Lets be fair. [Shiny pleads you to not] The holy sword pierced me. The next moment, I realized that Id won my gamble.. [You have died.] [It has been determined that your death met the requirement for the Skills activation.] [Unable to duplicate the Skills of Constetion: Goddess of Protection because they are sealed.] It was a little sad that I couldnt copy her Skill, but that wasnt what I was after right now. [Your Hunter ss is D.] [Initiating your Skill penalty.] [Recreating your killers trauma.] [The penaltys intensity level is intermediate.] [The penaltys theme is Preta Realm.] The moment I had wished to see started ying in front of me. Your long journey is finally over, I heard a beautiful voice say. I knew you would be able to do it, hero. I had never seen the woman before, but for some reason, I immediately realized who she was: the Goddess of Protection. This was before she got sealed in the five swords. Right now, she was a Constetion with her full power. Yeah, The man she called a hero answered. Is he Lefanta Aegim? Lefanta Aegim, an elegant-looking man with silver hair and the first emperor of the Aegim Empire, was sitting on an undecorated throne, looking deeply fatigued. I feel like it was only yesterday that I was panicking after getting summoned to this world out of the blue. You truly never know how life is going to turn out. Haha. I feel the same. You really were a civilian who knew nothing, but youre now stronger than me. Most divine spirits wont par Huh? Ive seen that bastard before, the Guardian interjected. He peered at the reconstructed trauma with me. What? Im talking about that silver-haired guy. Hes the Constetion Murderer. Im sure of it, the Guardian said, obviously perplexed. I waspletely blindsided by the fact that the Guardian and Lefanta Aegim had met before. Whats the Constetion Murderer? Its his title. He got it because hes a crazy motherfucker who did nothing but hunt down Constetions and beat them up. Beat up Constetions? Youve seen that the Tower is connected to different worlds. Once you reach the fiftieth floor, you have topete with Hunters from different worlds. Huh? Is that so? Yeah, and that Constetion Murderer never leaves the fiftieth floor, the Guardian said. The Tower is there so Hunter can climb, but hes always on the fiftieth floor. When Constetions asionally drop by, he immediately beats the life out of them. He probably killed hundreds of Constetions. ...Then Lefanta Aegim is also a Hunter? Yeah. I wondered where that psycho was born. Wow, I didnt know he was from Aegim, the Guardian mumbled. I didnt think I would meet someone from my past here. Uhh... How do you two know each other...? What do you mean, how? We went at it. Hes strong, but he cantpete with me. Even as we talked, the trauma continued to y. What are you nning to do from now on, hero? There are no divine or demonic spirits. Your long journey is now Constetions. Excuse me? They arent divine or demonic spirits. Theyre Constetions. Lefanta Aegim stood up from the throne. And the worlds belong to humans, not Constetions. He turned back to the goddess, his dark red aura firing up. ...Hero? Why are you suddenly using your aura...? The first emperor of the Aegim Empire stopped to ponder something, but despite his profound weariness, it didnt take very long. I wont kill you since youve been helping me until now. A wave of his red aura struck the goddess. Im going to split your existence and seal you; then youll never be able to regain your power. When Constetions are gone... Thest bit of his words was muffled by the goddesss piercing scream. Her very existence was being torn apart. Im sorry, Lefanta Aegim said, but this is the right way. The goddesss scream was thest thing I heard before the world of trauma cut away. [The trauma recreation has beenpleted.] [It has been confirmed that the ego of the subject under the Skill penalty is intact.] [Ending the Skill penalty.] After returning a day, I cooped myself up in the bathroom again. ...Who is this guy? I mumbled. I thought I would get an idea of who he is if I saw the past using the trauma penalty...but I still have no idea. Hey, Shiny, why did your old master seal you? [Shiny answers that she doesnt know why either.] Shiny shone with a wan light. Maybe that was just me, but the light looked unusually weak today. [Shiny weakly says that she remembers Lefanta Aegim to be a righteous hero, although he was very quiet.] [Shiny has no idea why he sealed her and left the empire he built with his own hands.] The mystery only deepened. I told you. The higher level Hunters are, the crazier they are. The Guardian shrugged. Dont try to understand the Constetion Murderer and those nutheads. If you look into the abyss, the abyss looks into you. Just be strong like me and beat up all of the guys you dont like. Then its all over! I sighed. Well, at least I learned what he looks like. And one more fact became certain: Lefanta Aegim, the Constetion Murderer, would antagonize me as soon as heid an eye on me because I had a piece of the Goddess of Protection, whom he had sealed. I looked into the mirror, frowning. If Im going to meet him on the fiftieth floor one way or another, I want to be prepared... Wake up. Youre nowhere close to his level! He may be weaker than me, but hes still one of the strongest Hunters in the Tower. And if you have time to worry about the fiftieth floor, get to the fiftieth floor, you weakling! He wasnt wrong, so I spent today like I had done before. The next day, the Hunters finished reading the apocalyptic books and chose a book to be their twenty-second floor. Since it was the rmendation of none other than the Sword Star, the Heavenly Demon Chronicle was chosen with minimal opposition. You chose a murim novel as your first novel, huh? When he saw our choice, the Indoor Librarian smiled mysteriously. Thats not a bad choice! It wont bepletely the same as the murim you know, but it has its own martial arts and gangho. Depending on how you all lead the storyline, you may receive a hidden gem thats worth a ton of gold, such as an ability of murim thats simr to a Skill, to use your terminology. The Hunters got excited. The Indoor Librarian immediately threw a wet nket on the mood. But everything is a high risk high return! The enemy characters are also strong. Im sure this is obvious, but if you perish in an apocalyptic book, you die in real life. Of course, you cant escape from an apocalyptic book until you see a proper ending! The Hunters went quiet, unsurprisingly. Unless one had an unusual Skill like mine, death had the power to shut people up. The number of required challengers is two to four people. Now! Who wants to be the characters of this apocalyptic book? the Indoor Librarian inquired. The Hunters eyes fell naturally on the High rankers, especially me. The reason was simple: I had been ordering them for the past few days as if I were their leader. Well, with great poweres great responsibility, and I had no intention of running away from them. Ill do it. My quick answer brought proud smiles to the guild leaders faces, as if they knew I was going to say it. However, most of the Hunters looked at me with surprise. Ille too, the Sword Star said after me. Im the one who rmended the apocalyptic book, so I cant sit it out. He looked serious, but the corners of his mouth were slightly curled. I could see that he was itching to fight. He was probably happy that he, an avid murim reader, got to enter the real murim. Good. The minimum number has been met! The Indoor Librarianughed gently. Two more people can be characters of this apocalyptic book... What is your choice? Speaking of which, there is one more reason I rmended this book, the Sword Star announced. I would like everyone to take a look at the reason why serialization was discontinued. Heavenly Demon Chronicle Genres: Murim, fusion fantasy Difficulty level: B Required challengers: 2~4 people Serialization is currently discontinued. Description: This is the world where people admire, practice, and master martial arts! The Heavenly Demon shows up and tries to unify murim, leading the Heavenly Demon Cult. The other factions rise against him and fight for the worlds future. ...Well, they would have done that if that hadnt been for a super gue. Reason for discontinuation of serialization: A mysterious gue breaks out, killing the Heavenly Demon and wiping out the Heavenly Demon Cult and the other factions. The end. Even looking at it again, the reason was still outrageous. It didnt specifically state what kind of gue that was either, it was just It wipes out the Heavenly Demon Cult and the other factions. No one knew what exactly happened. Ill find out when I enter this world. In any case, it was clear that murim was going to meet its doom because of this mysterious gue. As you all saw, a gue brought the world to extinction. We need not only strong Hunters but also those who are knowledgeable about diseases. And I know the best. The Sword Star nodded and then called a person from the murim group with a smile. Would you step forward, Medicine King? An absolute geezer of a man walked out, his hands sped behind his back. Oh, I know him! The Guardian shouted. Why? Who is it? You remember the shop I tried to bring you to at first? the Guardian reminded me. That guy owns the shop that Gramps Marcus frequents. Aha, I see. Hes good at making medicine, yeah, but... The Guardian trailed off. No one would know the reason better than I did. Dont worry. Ill do most of the fighting. If Im not enough, the Death King will help, and the Medicine King can focus on solving the gue. The three of us can... Death King, is there something you want to say? The Sword Star looked at me with a confused look. Ah, yes. There is one person I would like to join me. I put my hand down and then pointed at the Chemist. The Chemist opened and closed her mouth a couple of times, unsure as to why she was being called out out of the blue before she managed to say, Y-yes? Are you talking about me...? I nodded. Yes, Im talking about you. The Chemist trembled as if shed been struck by a bolt of lightning. M-Mr. Death King...its been less than a week since I received a title. Im r-really weak! Ill be no use! So why...? Youre the most proficient pharmacist and doctor I know, Miss Chemist. Pardon? What...? And you told me earlier, didnt you, Miss Chemist? Please tell me if you need anything, Mr. Death King! Ill help you in any way I can! I gently smiled. Unless you didnt mean it, Im sure youre going to help me. The Chemist gave me a look of utter despair as if she was looking at a demon, but I wasnt sure why. I was the reason she had her title. If she received a boost, she had to pay the price. Chapter 60: The Expedition Team Without Hopes And Dreams (2)

Chapter 60: The Expedition Team Without Hopes And Dreams (2)

Huh? What? Then we have all four challengers? But who is she? You can say that again. I know the Medicine King, but... Its the youngdy I met before, the Sword Star remarked. He seemed troubled. The Chemist gasped and hid behind me. Despite her timidity, she had stopped the Sword Star together with the Pdin when he had mistaken me for the murderer of the century. Back then, the Sword Star had been downright menacing, so facing him again must have reminded her of that. The Sword Star recalled that incident as well and awkwardly cleared his throat. There is no need to be scared. The Death King and I have talked it out. I-is that so...? The Chemist peeked out from behind my back. Thats right. But... still. The Sword Star turned and gave me a troubled look. Death King, the ce were headed to is very dangerous. And the Constetion said that dying in the apocalyptic book means death in real life. Are you sure about bringing that youngdy to such a dangerous ce? I nodded immediately. Yes, shes the best chemist I know. I was pretty sure that she was also objectively the best chemist out there. The Guardian groaned, a reluctant acknowledgment of the Chemists talent. She had used the same ingredients in the same amounts as the shop the Guardian was originally going to introduce, but she had made fifteen times more elixirs than what I would have gotten from the shop owned by this Medicine King guy or whatever his name was. Her elixirs were also more effective. Hes good... but not best. There is her now... Yes, hes not. The best chemist you know... The Sword Stars expression changed subtly. I pulled up the character window to see what he was thinking. State of mind: Hmm. Its a rmendation from an extraordinary young man, so shes bound to be extraordinary. But there is always a bigger fish... As rare as it is, the Sword Emperor is right this time. The biggest fish in the pond will eventually learn that its smaller than the smallest fish from the river. This is a chance to build a rtionship between the two youngsters and Medicine King. Wow, I thought. He didnt say that out loud because of the connection we had been building and the vow he had made to me. And I was aware that he meant well... but it looked like his geezer spirit hadnt gone anywhere. The other Guardian apanying the Sword Star seemed to be belittling the Chemist based on her looks, just like my Guardian had done. Still, there was a man who had no goodwill and wasnt willing to hide his geezer spiritthe one they called the Medicine King. Ha! The best chemist he knows! This is the problem with young people! They climb a rock but they stick their noses into the air as if it were a mountain. I hate it. I feel like Im looking at myself when I was young. Tsk, tsk. Oh. Medicine King, please be understanding, the Sword Star gently plied. The Death King is an outstanding man, but his experience is a little Experience! That is most important! But they dont know that and pretend to know the world. Goodness, I feel embarrassed. Its just like the time I earned a billion dors in Silicon Valley. Theyre all rotten on the inside and only they dont know it. Why dont you keep your temper down...? Ive been doing that until now, Marcus. Youre the reason why I let the boy boss us around. And now hes telling us that hes going to bring along this scrawny girl from nowhere. Its like those young billionaires in Silicon Valley walking around with their trophies. Death King isnt that kind of What do you mean he isnt? Hey, you! The Medicine King thrust his finger at me. Look me in the eyes and tell me! Are you sure youre not that kind of person? This was amazing... There was someone out there who could give the Sword Star a hard time. It seemed that in the food chain of geezers, geezers were preyed upon by worse geezer. The new discovery of the ecosystems wonder kept my mouth agape, which left someone else to stand up to the geezer. I-I dont mind you calling me that... the Chemist said, still clutching my sleeve tightly. ...b-but dont talk about Mr. D-Death King like that! Y-you even called him rotten on the inside... Hes an incredible person! Haha, look at that, Marcus. Shes acting like shes covering for her husband. This is the problem with young ones. Tsk, tsk. Well, I also didnt realize they were youthful follies when I was young... C-covering for her husband... The Chemist opened and closed her mouth several times. It seemed that her brain had trouble processing such outrageous nonsense. Stop, the Pdin interrupted. The Chemist is indeed skilled. I came to know her through the Death Kings introduction, but the Watchmen League is currently receiving a steady supply of exceptional potions from her. The Medicine King scoffed. Im sure they are by the Watchmen Leagues standard. ...What? Lets be frank. With your current funds, you and your people couldnt have done so much as visited my shop. You dont know what the sky is, so you think your ceiling is the highest. But you dont even know that youre not even in a room, youre in a box... Your naivety is just like when I was young. Tsk, tsk... The Pdin bit her lipthe Medicine King had struck a sore spot. The Watchmen League may have been one of the Five Guilds, but it had always suffered from financial difficulties. The Medicine King waved his hand as if he was shooing away a bird. Its no use talking. Enough. Enough! Continuing this conversation will hurt my mouth and tire your ears. Well, he was right on that point. Mr. Sword Emperor, I said. Yeah. Ive put up with enough insults, right? More than enough. Are you trying to get humiliated? I nced around at my surroundings. No, Im not. I had said this to the ck Witch multiple times, but everything in the library was being broadcast live in the Babylon za. In other words, this was the perfect time for both a debut and a retirement. Then do you want to test it? I asked the Medicine King. While the Sword Star seemed to be in an awkward spot, the Medicine Kings veins instantly bulged out of his neck. Ha! Look at him, Marcus, he screamed. He cant defeat me on logic, so he immediately threatens me with a sword. That rotten boy reminds me of the time I became the worlds boxing champion in my forties. No, Im not the one going up against you. I pulled a bunch of medicinal herbs from my pocket. Ill provide the ingredients, and each of you can make a potion. When wepare your potions, Im sure everything will be clear. The Chemist gasped and instinctively hopped backward, startled. M-Mr. Death King! The way that old The way he insulted you makes me very angry... but s-still, hes called Medicine King for a reason. Hes a celebrity that all Hunters know... Compared to him, Im just someone who got her title less than a week ago... I grabbed her shoulders and she reflexively shrank back. Miss Chemist, I said. Y-yes! I looked straight through her sses into her eyes. I trust you. ...M-Mr. Death King. So you should believe in yourself too. The Chemist took a deep breath and her lip slowly stopped quivering. She clenched her fists and gave me a firm nod. Okay, Mr. Death King! Ill do my best. No... The Chemist shook her head and rephrased her statement. Ill win! Ha. The Medicine King looked at us like we were fools and clicked his tongue. Tsk, tsk...There are always those people who have to dip their fingers to know if its ketchup or blood. Its just like when I was three. You certainly talk a lot. Is that because you arent confident? Iughed quietly. Alright, kid. Prepare yourself to watch that girl cry her eyes out. I dont know how to go easy on young people. The Medicine King versus the Chemist. The match of the century was about to start. *** At the start of the match, the Hunters reactions were lukewarm. Mr. Medicine King will win for sure. His prices are really high, and even people who made reservations have to wait for a month. Is there really something going on between them? The Death King seems to be going too far this time. The Death King and Medicine King are both kings, but theres a difference of years when ites to experience. That was the general mood. Meanwhile, the Countess didnt miss her chance to earn money and started a bet. Those who believe in the Medicine Kings victory can ce your bet here! If you think the Chemist will win, you can ce your bets here! I wasnt sure when she had done it, but two bookmark maids were quietly standing by her side holding collection boxes. Death King, are you sure about this? The odds right now are 1.08 to 47, the ck Witch whispered to me. Great. Why dont you get your pocket money and ce a bet on Miss Chemist? But dont make it too big or else the odds will drop too much. ...Death King, youre the one who said that were on air. The ck Witch gave me a serious look. Think about it. You rmended herif the Chemist is crushed in this match... Itll be broadcast all over Babylon and the world. No, the intes probably going wild already. Whatment would I be posting if I were still my old self? Would it be I want to be the Medicine King? While I was lost in idle thoughts, the ck Witch massaged her aching temples. Death King, itll damage your reputation... Are you sure about this? I feel bad for that Medicine whosit, honestly. No, I was actually not sorry at all. When you insult someone, you have to take responsibility, and elders should always be an example for the youth. The ck Witch looked back and forth between me and the Chemist with an odd expression. I wondered what she was thinking, so I was about to pull up her character window. Im done, you greenhorn! Bow before my great creation! The Medicine King roared as he raised the potion hed made into the air. Premium Recovery Potion Rarity level: Premium Creator: Medicine King Description: The taste is bitter, but it will heal most critical injuries. Of course, its just a recovery potion so you should only stop and consume it after your safety is secured. Anyhow, its amazing to be able to create a potion like this! The Hunters all around the library cheered. Its a premium recovery potion! Wow, a premium recovery potion. Hes the real king of medicine. A king never dies, really. Mr. Medicine King! Why dont you sell that to me? Dont even think about cutting in line! Mr. Medicine King! Im the highest on the waiting list! Ill buy it! The Medicine King looked down his nose at me and the Chemist. He seemed to be saying that she and I had woken up a sleeping tiger and were about to pay the price. But then, the Chemist held up her potion. Uhhh... Im done too... Soma Strawberry Rarity level: Semi-legendary Creator: Chemist Description: What? It tastes like strawberry! Not a single drop of strawberry is in it, so how does that taste like strawberry? And whats up with this effectiveness! This potion can be used to reattach amputated limbs without side effects as long as theyre in good condition! What in the world did the creator make!? The library fell deathly silent. Chapter 61: The Expedition Team Without Hopes And Dreams (3)

Chapter 61: The Expedition Team Without Hopes And Dreams (3)

Without saying a word, the Medicine King and Chemist looked at each others creation. The other Hunters were also quiet. He and she had used the exact same ingredients, but the quality of their creations waspletely different. It blew the Hunters minds. The Chemist was the first one to move. She adjusted her sses using her almost skeletally thin finger and turned her head this way and that to get a better look at the Medicine Kings potion. So this is your potion, Mr. Medicine King...? The Medicine King was quiet. She plucked his potion away and gave it a look up close. Hmm. Oh. She tilted the bottle and flipped it around before she handed it back to him. After that, she adjusted her sses once again. This is your level, huh...? Hmm. Is she the type of person who has all of the confidence in the world when she thinks shes at an advantage? I wondered. Did that mean that all High Rankers had the seeds of a maniac in them? No... that couldnt be... While I reflected on my faith in humanity, the Medicine King finally let out a, Hmm... The difference in height between her and him was drastic. The Chemist was as tall as her future. In contrast, the Medicine King had shrunk as much as he had aged. The Chemist looked down at the Medicine King, who had to look up at her. Mr. Medicine King... You, girl... The two spoke at the same time. Are you ipetent...? Are you lucky...? Huh. Pardon? The Chemist tilted her head. The Medicine King nodded. Youre lucky. What? Tsk, tsk. This is the problem with young people. You remind me of my Wall Street years in my thirties. I thought that earning 1.7 billion was all my doing. The Chemist tilted her head, making her sses slip. The corner of her mouth curled in a way that palpably radiated anger. Do you want another match...? Are you sure about that? The goddess of luck doesnt smile at you twice. Tsk, tsk. Seriously, you young people... Three minutes passed. Youre very lucky, but the goddess of luck doesnt smile at you three times. This time, Ill show you the power of experience... Three more minutes passed. Youre incredibly lucky, but the goddess of luck wont smile at you four times... In the end, the Sword Star grabbed his shoulder. Stop... Stop it, Medicine King... What are you talking about, Marcus? Youre embarrassing yourself... No! Its different this time! With my experience and ability, Ill crush her beginners luck! Im the Shawn McCalister. Cant you see myurels, Marcus? Im sorry, youngdy. Youre an incredible Chemist. Its my fault for not trusting the Death Kings rmendation. The Sword Star bowed in apology. The Chemist, who had been looking at the Medicine King like he was a cockroach, cleared her throat and tried to soundposed. It...must be tough...having a friend like that... He has... his good side. Although...hes not as good as you...hes quite skilled with medicine... Yeah... Hes...better than nothing... Its not like he has no basics, so he might make a decent assistant... the Chemist mumbled. Just then, the Countesss hand mped around the Chemists wrist like a manacle. She was as fast as a cat going for catnip! You! Contract! What? Contract! Right now! Exclusive contract! With me! Uhh, uhhh... The Chemist sputtered in confusion. Best perks in the industry! Ill let you pet cats. No, youll have a room full of cats! How is it! How is it!? The Chemist was so taken aback that she couldnt even speak, but the Countess was just the beginning. Me too! Miss Chemist! No, youre Mr. Death Kings pick, so youre also a king now. Miss Chemist King! No, shes more than that! Miss Chemist Emperor! Medicine God! Please give us your potions! The Chemist was flooded with requests for handshakes, just like when Id cleared the tenth floor on my own. * * * The Chemist was flustered for a moment, but she worked up the courage to push the Hunters away. F-first of all! Those of you w-who want to purchase my potions should talk to Mr. Death King! Ah, Miss Pdin is...an exception since shes been my client all along! Still, Im o-only going to sell my potions to those who have Mr. Death Kings referral. But...please dont bother Mr. Death King too much... The eyes of the Countess and the Hunters turned to me. Meanwhile, the Pdin made a sneaky victory pose and then put her hands down before anyone noticed. I smiled. Lets think about that after clearing the Heavenly Demon Chronicle. Ah! Y-yes! A suggestion to climb up the Tower always worked on Hunters; it was like magic. Even the Countess stood down, although she looked bitter. Good, I thought. The team was nowplete. It had the Sword Star, the Chemist, and above all, me. No, no! It cant be! It cant! My experience! My experience isnt something that beginners luck can beat! Like the Chemist said, that Medicine Kingor the Delusional Kingwould be better than nothing. Hmm! It looks like the characters are all decided! The Indoor Librarian beamed after the show ended. Let me repeat: perishing in an apocalyptic book means death in real life. There is only one way to safely escape from an apocalyptic book! Ovee the crisis of discontinued serialization and meet a proper ending! What is the standard of a proper ending? I asked. It depends on you. The Indoor Librarian grinned. Maybe youll be able to end the gue and save murim. Using the gue to rule over murim is also an idea. The possibilities are endless! But decide for yourselves what the best ending is. In other words, he was going to leave it to us. I nodded. Okay. Then send me to the Heavenly Demon Chronic Wait! someone shouted. Arent you going to go, Sect Master? Youre right. Murim is basically the Sect Masters home ground. The shouts came from the Hunters of the OJP Sect, which was led by the Viper. However, he had been lying low in the murim group, so he blinked in surprise. Huh? This is the world for you, Sect Master... I agree! Sect Master, when ites to the principles of gangho, youre the best. Me too, Teacher. You should step up. The Vipers eyebrows furrowed as he slowly crossed his arms. His one eye under his thick eyebrow carried the determination of a man. Yes, it is. I was about to ask if you guys had forgotten about me. I was speechless. This made no sensethat man had absolutely no interest in murim. It was so suspicious that I pulled up the character window to see what he was thinking...and it was just as I expected. State of mind: Why are my freaking students trying to send me to that backwater! The Viper was screaming internally, but the one-eyed swordsman looked like he had been waiting for his students to say that. His voice was serious. Murim is the world of martial artists and warriors who follow their code of honor! It may not be my actual hometown, but my heart has always been in murim. State of mind: That world probably doesnt even have flush toilets. I already had to deal with that bullshit the Aegim Empire because of that. Damnit... Wow. You all know why my guild is called the OJP Sect. State of mind: Its an acronym of I may have the OP skill with which I can fight the world on my own, but I used to be a prime example of a thirty-two year old Jobless man before I got to the Tower. Is there a Problem with that? But everyone seems to think its Overheavenly Jade Pce Sect. Thats how the banner maker made it. God, its toote to exin everything. Goddamn it... Oh my god. I must go to this world. State of mind: I absolutely do not want to go! I couldnt figure out what to say. The Guardian, who shared my consciousness, seemed to be having the same problem. [Shiny reports she is also at a loss for words.] The man in front of me rendered a human, a ghost, and a Constetion speechless all at the same time. The Hunters, on the other hand, cheered for the manespecially the OJP Sects members. Yes, Sect Master! I knew you would say that, Teacher! Youre our idol! Youre the true Hunter of this generation! Ill be with you forever, Sect Master! If I didnt have the ability to read peoples minds... I would have been one of them. From every angle, the Viper looked like a warrior who devoted his life to the sword like the Sword Star. The Sword Star crossed his arms. Hmm... I understand why you want to go, Viper. You bet I do. I dont think that means that I should give up. The Sword Star drew up his aura. The Viper had already been gathering his aura, so the two swordsmens aura shed in the air. Their powers met with a loud pop. Sensing the imminent danger, some of the bookmark maids managed to flee, but many of them were sent flying. The Hunters were fired up. The Sword Star and Viper are going head to head! This is a fight for their pride! It was quite a sight. Because I knew what was really going on inside the Vipers head, it was also amazing in another way. Both of you, stop, the Pdin said. I heard clinking soundsing from her. The reason she was making those noises was because she was one of the few people who had bet on the Chemist earlier. Her pouch used to be perpetually slim, but it was full after receiving the winnings from a 0.18 to 47 bet. She looked serious as ever, but it felt subtly off. It was probably the magic of a fat money pouch. Dont tell me you two are going to start a fight here. Regardless of her money pouch, the Pdin took mediating as seriously as she always did. Wait. Has she always been doing this...? I wondered. Thats what I was thinking too, Zombie. If she has always been doing that and we just didnt know until now... The world seems to be full of forbidden knowledge... The Viper scoffed. When my sword has to dance, it shall dance. Fuck. The Sword Star and I are both swordsmen. We can fight like swordsmen and the stronger one will go. State of mind: Ill lose on purpose! Its embarrassing if I make it obvious, so Ill make it a close match at first and lose right before its about to end! My students will understand if I lose to the Sword Star. Yup. I couldnt believe it. The Sword Star, who had no idea what was going on, wiped off the sweat from his forehead. Im sorry, Viper... When I face a strong opponent like you, I have to give everything I have. I ended up permanently damaging your one eye in ourst match. I cant guarantee that this isnt going to end like thest time. Right back at you, old man. If you think Im still the old me, youre walking into your coffin. State of mind: Ah, fuck! Fuck! FUUUUUCK! The Viper looked like the very picture of a valiant warrior. Zombie. The Guardian, floating next to me, wiped the sweat off his forehead like the Sword Star. Yes? I did tell you that high-level Hunters are all crazy, but...but...hes...whats the right word... Hes the real deal... I agreed. My forehead was covered in sweat too. Actually, every Hunter in the library and no doubt everyone watching the broadcast in the za was feeling the heat too. Even the Pdin had sweat dripping off her cheeks andnding on her bulging money pouch. Viper. Youre... The Viper gave her a manly smile. A timees for every martial artist when he cannot stand down. State of mind: Pdin! Do something! I was pretty sure that she didnt receive his message, but she did something. Mr. Sword Star... Can you back down this once, please? State of mind: Wait. Why are you telling him to back down! Why are you telling him to back down? Oh, we were thinking the same thing. I thought the same as the real deal... I shut my eyes. [Shiny vibrates to massage your waist.] Even the Guardian patted my shoulder in quiet constion. Im aware that you always want to be at the front, but you were already part of the expedition team with the Death King and ck Dragon Master and the three of you cleared the twelfth to neenth floors. Yet youre asking for the chance to go to the twenty-second floor first, instead of letting someone else have the chance. Its rather shameless. Her tone was calm, and her reasoning was logical. Even her look was seriousthe only thing that stuck out was the plump money pouch hung on her belt. Pointing at the Vipers students, the cause of this disaster, the Pdin added, Besides, the OJP Sects Master is the leader of a guild. I know he isnt the type to worry about how he looks to his students, but hes different from you given that you operate on your own. Can you respect his position a little? Mmm... The Sword Star groaned. A frown flitted across his face. His eyebrows went up and down several times before he crossed his arms. Did I ever care about the Five Guilds? The Pdin gritted her teeth. Mr. Sword Star, are you ser! But recently Ive been trying to be less shameless, the Sword Star interrupted her. He turned to look at me. Why was he looking at me...? Regardless, it was nice to see an obstinate old manpromise. It was so beautiful that I hoped the Medicine King or whatever he was called learned at least a teensy bit from him, instead of constantly muttering, It cant be true from the side. But why was the Sword Star being so well-behaved now out of all times he possibly could have done...? Okay. The Sword Star took a step back. He looked at the Heavenly Demon Chronicle with eyes that still radiated desire, but he dragged them away. Viper, Ill let you have this one. The Vipers eyes widened, but only for a moment. More of his aura spread into the air as he grinned like a gambler whod won big. Couldnt you have said that sooner? Sigh. Its your lucky day, old man. State of mind: No! What? Why are you suddenly doing this, Marcus Carlenbery? Youre not the type of guy who lets other people take things from you! No! I dont want to go! The forbidden truth was indescribable. The Pdins expression was equally indescribable. The Inquisitor, who had been watching everything with sparkling eyes, bounced over and hugged her arm. This is amazing, Miss Pdin! You persuaded the Sword Star! No, the Sword Star merely epted my reasoning. Hahaha. Is that so? Then I should give the Sword Star a hug! I refuse, the Sword Star curtly responded. However, no refusal worked on the natural-born psycho, so the Sword Star had to deal with quite a bit of trouble for a while. ...Everyone grows, even a little bit. The ck Witch smiled behind her hand. It was like the happy epilogue of a novel. With that done, the other three people finished their preparations for the expedition into the apocalyptic book named Heavenly Demon Chronicle. Tsk. If its decided, lets go already. The sun is going toe up at this rate. You people are just like when I was young... I guess theres no other choice but to go. That young girls luck got me earlier, but that doesnt change the truth. I, the Medicine King, am the best Chemist out there. Theres never been a Chemist like me and everyone knows it. The Chemist whimpered. Mr. Death King, Im scared... Is it really okay for someone like me to follow? Well, yes, Im at least better than that old Medicine King coot or whatever they call him. Its proven like Galileo Galileis heliocentrism, but that cockroach doesnt admit it for some reason. Still, Im... Hey, you nonbatants. Take cover when were fighting. People can lose their heads in a blink, the Viper warned them. State of mind: I dont want to go... Please switch ces with me, old man... Its not toote... I nkly looked at my expedition members. Dont worry, Zombie. Just kill yourself if it goes south. Catch the disease or throw yourself from the cliff so you can go back to before today! Seriously, you have my approval on this one. I can feel it in my soul. Well, thats all I have right now though. A rare constion from the Guardian. I nodded weakly. Okay... Lets go... Alright. The Indoor Librarian giggled and flicked his fingers. The apocalyptic book the Sword Star held went flying back to the Indoor Librarians hand like a bird returning to roost. After all, it was his, and he had only been lending it to us. The Indoor Librarian grabbed the book and opened it in one smooth motion. Death King, Viper, Medicine King, and Chemist. Four of you have been selected as new characters of Heavenly Demon Chronicle. Once you open your eyes, youll find yourselves in the world ten days before the serialization of the Heavenly Demon Chronicle unfortunately discontinues. The book began to glow. I hope youll show me a great ending. The Indoor Librarian smiled. And the light enveloped us, dispatching the expedition team without hopes and dreams. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 62: The Great War of Good and Evil (1)

Chapter 62: The Great War of Good and Evil (1)

I had never read a murim novel. They never interested me, and the genre had already be old-fashioned by my generation. Old murim movies were asionally uploaded to the inte, but due to their crude CG, they just becameughingstocks. Mine was the generation where all seriousness wasughed upon, leaving a tiny niche for martial arts and their codes of honor. The genre was in decline. The said declining world was snowing. ...Its cold! We, the expedition team of no hopes and dreams, safely entered the apocalyptic books world and were immediately greeted by a vast snowfield. Some adorable sounds were made as we stepped through the snow, but there was nothing cute about the cold biting at us. Everyone! Use your aura to protect yourselves! I yelled. The coldness would freeze everyone if they did nothing. The Viper immediately drew up his aura, but the Chemist and Medicine King couldnt because they were supports. I-I-I...havent learned how to use aura... Achoo! Aaaaachooo! Im going to die! Youre going to kill this old man with this cold! It had been less than twenty seconds since wed arrived in the apocalyptic books world, but their faces were as pale as corpses. Well, I had done all sorts of stuff to learn how to use my aura, so it was highly unlikely for any support Hunter to know how to use their aura. Tsk. I quickly acted to solve the situation. Sect Master, please take care of the Medicine King! Alright. The Viper picked up the Medicine King. He may be the king of light novels, but rather die than look weak and he was still a High Ranker built forbat. His purple aura enveloped the Medicine King in short order. The Medicine King sighed in relief like an old man settling into a hot spring. Thats a bit better... I nodded and then took the Chemists hand. Youre with me. P-pardon? Give me your hand. I transferred my aura through our hands. My red aura, which I still didnt know if it symbolized blood or fire, spread warmly over the Chemist. She bowed. Ah. T-thank you, Mr. Death King. But t-this is a bit ticklish... I know its awkward. I feel the same, but this isnt the time to worry about it. I looked around. The snowstorm surrounding us was as thick as fog. The issue of our body temperature was temporarily taken care of, but I wasnt sure where to go next. The Indoor Librarian is a Constetion, so he used words like books and discontinued serialization. But this is a world, not a book. And were here to save it. You know that, right? The Chemists eyes widened slightly. ...Yes, we are. I may have taken this a little too lightly. Ill try my best. We just have to focus on our roles. Ill protect you with my aura, but you and Mr. Medicine King should take the lead when its time to end the gue. Please remember that. Yes, Mr. Death King. The snowstorm whistled past my ears. Squinting, I tried my best to figure out my surroundings. Thest two sentences of the Heavenly Demon Chronicle crossed my head: A mysterious gue breaks out, killing the Heavenly Demon and wiping out the Heavenly Demon Cult and the other factions. They were simple and short and said nothing about the bone-numbing cold or the knee-high snow. It just said the world met its end. Now we had to find out why the character named Heavenly Demon was going to die. And what was this gue that was driving humanity here to its death? Oh! The Chemist suddenly squeezed my hand and pointed into the snowstorm. Look over there, Mr. Death King! I think I saw people! Everyone looked where the Chemist pointed. She was right. They were hard to see because of the thick snowstorm...but I could see a forest of human shadows. It wasnt just a couple of peoplethere were dozens, possibly even hundreds of them. Okay. Lets head over there first. I took the lead. The wind continued to whip the snow into a frenzy. Through it, people were reduced to vague silhouettes. We stayed close together so we wouldnt lose each other. Zombie, theres something wrong about this. I cant hear anything from there, the Guardian said. He was looking around me, acting as an extra pair of eyes. Is it the snowstorm? Maybe. The Guardian squinted at the forest of silhouettes. But that isnt just the sounds... They arent moving at all. Its like theyre sculptures, not humans. Fortunately, the snowstorm didntst long. Once it subsided, it was much easier to see. That was the only upsidethe sight it unveiled left us speechless. ...What are these? the Viper whispered, his words entuated by puffs of white. Why are they all frozen? Hundreds of people all stood frozen in the snowfield. * * * ...They are human, the Chemist said, studying one of the frozen humans. Withtex gloves on, she used a tweezer to tear off some of the flesh. ording to my Life Analysis Skill, its already been two years and three months since he died. An illness killed him, but it isnt registered on my Mobile Hospital. How strange! The Medicine King put on his monocle and examined a frozen human as well. Like how abat Hunter utilized their Skills to fight, the Chemist and Medicine King used their support Skills to assess the frozen humans. They all died from the same cause, but it wasnt the cold. The disease killed them, so they should be lying on the ground...but theyre all standing. How baffling. In times like this, Silicon Valley Its highly likely that someone moved them here on purpose, the Chemist interrupted. After the talk wed had, she looked much more serious. Although they all died from the same cause, their time of death is all different. He died two years ago, and she died three years ago. The only possible conclusion I can reach right now is that someone intentionally moved the corpses here... I narrowed my eyes. Is this some sort of graveyard? A graveyard, huh? It does look like a terracotta army from afar. The Viper stroked his chin. All of the frozen humans were in different poses. One of them was spreading her arms as she looked up at the sky. Another person was baring his teeth like an animal. I took a look at the nearest one. Show me the status window, I thought. Name: Jang Seongpa Affection: Liked genre: Disliked genre: Liked character: Disliked character: Liked plot point: Disliked plot point: State of mind: Light. So this was how the character window of dead people looked. This Light in his state of mind was probably thest thought he had before he died. The corpses state of mind never changed, like the engraving on a tombstone. We discussed the mystery we faced. A graveyard... Why is it made like this if its a graveyard? Im not sure, but they all have weapons on their belts. Is there somewhere we can shelter? Its warm because of your aura, but... ...Hahahaha! The suddenughter in the distance made us instinctively duck, but whoever it was didnt seem to notice our presence. The Heavenly Demon Cults rule ends today! he shouted. Hah! Even a dog wouldugh at that. There were actually two people. Their voices were quite distinct; one belonged to an old man, and the other was a young womans. As long as I am here, the Heavenly Demon Cult will remain the absolute ruler of murim. Buwolseon, its time for you to say goodbye to your meaningless dream of building the Righteous Factions murim, the woman confidently dered. Nonsense! the old man yelled. The Blood Demon Unit your cult was so proud of already lost their heads to my ax. I also chopped off your rotten Demonic Head Elders heads and sent them to the otherworld! I have five hundred of murims elite by my side, so no demonic arts of yours can stop me! Ha. The woman quietlyughed. For an old man, you certainly know how to talk. You arent strong enough to kill them, and my Blood Demons are on a secret mission, so theyre away right now. I held up my finger and gestured at the others to be quiet. They blinked. Lets approach them quietly, okay? I muttered under my breath. They nodded. We slowly approached the forest of corpses, the frozen graveyard. The two voices slowly became clearer. It wasnt long before weid eyes on them. The woman was wearing a ck martial arts uniform; the old man was in white. Worry about your people first, Wolseon, the woman chastised. You used to be the respected leader of murim, but look at yourself now. Its pathetic. Where did all your prodigies from the Prestigious ns go? You used to go on and on about them. Ha! None of your business. They had to carry out an urgent secret mission, so they went all over the world! You give out a lot of secret missions. Thats because you ruined the world, woman! If that wasnt for the Heavenly Demon Cults idiotic rule, the world wouldnt have ended up like this! If me and my people are idiots, what does that make you people? You handed murim to us. Youre worse than idiots. Y-you wench! If you have a problem with that, fight me, old man. They were having a very dirty fight. From the sound of it, the old man in the white outfit seemed to be from the Righteous Faction; on the other hand, the woman in ck was part of the Heavenly Demon Cult. They pointed their weapons at each other. Forget it. I cant watch a demon cult leader like you boast anymore! Ill cut your head into two. One half shall be offered to the Jade Emperor and the other to Yama! Phew. I want to end this too. Today, Im finally going to finish thest survivor of the Righteous Faction and show the world that the Heavenly Demon Cults rule is still absolute. It had the feel of street talk, but it was still the typical start of a battle between two martial artists in murim. Now, all they had to do was wield their qi and exchange brilliant sword attacks. Then, everything would then be perfect. However, I found one big problem. Zombie, the Guardian nkly mumbled. Why are they holding sticks...? Indeed, the old man and the woman were holding thin sticks that were usually used to inflict physical punishment. That was what they were using for weapons. The splendid weapons that always showed up in murim movies were nowhere to be seen. The pair seemed to feel embarrassed pointing sticks at each other because they awkwardly stared at each other for a long moment. ...Buwolseon, the woman in ck cautiously ventured, did you lose your Jade Ax or something? Why did you bring a piece of wood? Youre just a goon from the Namgung n and your only strength is your powerful ax swings... B-be quiet! The old mans face reddened. I could ask the same about you! Where is your Bloodbane Demon Sword? You used to treat it like it was your daughter! Did you throw it away somewhere? Why are you holding a stick like that! Stick? The woman avoided the old mans eyes. Excuse me. It may not look like it, but I carved this wooden sword myself. It contains the essence of the millennium-long Demonic Path. I bestowed the name of Demonic Heaven Saber to this weapon. Did you really call a stick Demonic Heaven? I cant...? After a short silence, the old man quietly coughed. Ahem. Thats too grandiose for a stick. Why dont you just give it a more mundane name and call it a cane? That just means that its a stick... It is a stick, you idiot! The woman nodded, dispirited. Okay. Since you say so, Ill be satisfied with the Demonic Cane. Damn you! Demon this! Demon that! The old mans white mustache trembled in annoyance. Why are you cultists always so anxious to name everything demon? Just your minions are Blood Demons, Sword Demons, Ghostfire Demons, and Moonlight Demons! Thats four types of demons already! Then their captains are also called the Four Demon Kings! Is the first word you ever learn demon? Doesnt it sound tasteful...? Ahhhh! I cant believe murim ever ended up in your hands, even if it was short! Meanwhile, the dark snow clouds were eating away the sunlight little by little. They were unusually thick, so the world was shrouded in a dense darkness. Hup! The old man gasped. D-Demon. This is not the time to fight among ourselves! The two immediately stood back to back as if theyd never fought. Cold sweat rolled off the womans forehead. Shit. Thews of nature have recently been unruly... You wench! You were confident that it was going to be a clear day today! There are times when my predictions are wrong. How am I supposed to understand thews of nature? I just watched how the Ghostfire Demon King does it. For goodnesss sake! A fortune teller off the street would make a better cult leader than you. I cant believe I fell for your temptation and ruined such an important event! Shut up and get ready to fight, old man. Youre wasting what little stamina I have left. Their conversation left me and the others baffled. W-what do you think is wrong with them...? the Chemist whispered. Well, I dont know ei Just as I was about to answer, I heard a low growl. At first, I thought that it was made by someone from my group, but then I heard growling graduallying from the left, the right, in front of us, and behind. I realized I was gravely mistaken. The Chemist gasped in surprise and clutched my arm, her face pale as a sheet. The Viper and Medicine King looked equally worried and I was sure I was wearing a deep frown too. Around one thousand frozen humans, which we had believed to be ordinary corpses, slowly...moved their limbs. The frozen corpse right beside us rolled his eyes. His pupils were dted and most of his eyebrows were gone. It looked like parts of his eyes had been eaten away, yet despite all of that, the corpse looked right into my eyes. When I saw his eyes, I realized what was going on. Fucking hell... I gritted my teeth. The description of Heavenly Demon Chronicle read: Heavenly Demon Chronicle Genres: Murim, fusion fantasy Difficulty level: B Required challengers: 2~4 people Serialization is currently discontinued. Description: This is the world where people admire, practice, and master martial arts! The Heavenly Demon shows up and tries to unify murim, leading the Heavenly Demon Cult. The other factions rise against him and fight for the worlds future. ...Well, they would have done that if that hadnt been for a super gue. Reason for discontinuation of serialization: A mysterious gue breaks out, killing the Heavenly Demon and wiping out the Heavenly Demon Cult and the other factions. The end. The corpses slowly moved. They were slow, but the sight of them moving was horror itself. Now I knew what the mysterious super gue that brought this world to damnation was. The super gue is a zombie virus?! I shouted. The corpse opened his mouth and roared. The sun was nowpletely blotted out, and around a thousand zombies charged us. Chapter 63: The Great War of Good and Evil (2)

Chapter 63: The Great War of Good and Evil (2)

The Chemist was pale and shivering. Ah Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! The Chemists scream was drowned out by a much louder one. The scream came from a man who was old enough to be the Sword Stars friend, but that had energy that would put most young people to shame. The Medicine King floundered. Run! Run away! Ive never seen such beings in Silicon Valley! Arghhhh! The world is doomed! The end is nigh! This world already ended! I quickly drew my holy sword and cut down the closest zombie. Unlike murim novels, I had a fair number of zombie movies and dramas. In fact, I had fought them myself on the thirteenth floor. Thanks to my experience, I instinctively cut off the zombies head. The zombie continued to growl even as its head spun through the air. Its headless corpse, though, continued to il its limbs. Damn. It looked like they were the type that stopped functioning only after their brains were destroyed. The worst type. Lets get out of here! I shouted. The old man from the Righteous Faction and the woman of the Heavenly Demon Cult finally realized we were there. Just like the zombies had shocked us, our presence made their jaws drop. W-who are you!? the old man stammered. ...Old man, it looks like my eyes have finally gone rotten. I see not just one but four humans who are alive and moving. Perhaps Yama is calling for me. I-I see them too. All your mockery must have messed up my head. I threw the Chemist over my shoulder. You two should run away too! Even better, tell us where we should run! The martial artists looked at each other. Oh my goodness. I think they are real, old man, the woman breathed. Are we already dead? Is this what the underworld looks like...? Then there are only two possibilities: we are either in hell or paradise together. As the leader of the Murim Alliance, Ive dedicated myself to upholding honor, so I dont think I would go to hell when I die. I believe this is paradise, but there are no peach trees or fairies. Its full of jiangshi[1]. Above all, youre here. Its too strange to be paradise. Then it must be real, not a dream. And theyre real people? Theyre warm. I dont think theyre jiangshi. It mightve been obvious already from how rxed they sounded, but the Viper had the man of the Righteous Faction in his arms, and the Heavenly Demon Cult woman was in mine. We were running away from the zombie horde. Where are you all from? The woman looked up at me with interest. Your foot art is quite interesting. Are you from outer murim? Did those barbarians survive? Were... I trailed off, my mind working at full speed. I didnt exactly understand what outer murim was supposed to be, but I assumed that it meant the world outside murim. Fortunately for me a sounding from behind us spared me the need to answer. The zombies seemed to have finished warming up and were now running after us. No, running didnt seem like the right word to describe what was going onthose zombies were so energetic that they crossed ten meters with every step. Hundreds of zombies flew over the snow like a pack of seagulls, to our shock and terror. W-what? The Vipers mouth was agape. Why the hell are zombies flying?! Theyre using the lightness art I created. I borrowed it from those Kunlun bums and refined it, the woman boasted. Look at them. They passed the level of Traceless Snow and reached Free Sky! Theyre my students and the elites of my cult. They havent forgotten their martial arts even in death. Howmendable. H-hold on, I said. Although I only vaguely understood those names, there was one thing I really had to figure out. They dont forget what they learned even though theyre dead? Huh? Youre behind on the news. Is everyone from outer murim like this? The woman tilted her head. Those from murim use their martial arts after bing jiangshi. Isnt thatmon knowledge? I really dont think it is! Oh my god. We were dealing with zombies that used martial arts! If this apocalyptic book was aedy, I would haveughed it off, but it was an authentic murim, not a joke! The ones at the front are my students and elites of the cult. My students react to bloodlust even in their sleep. The women nodded. Haha. Its amazing that theyre still using the lightness art after bing jiangshi. Ahhhhhhh! Theyre catching up! Theyre catching up! the Medicine King yelled as he bounced along on the Vipers back. The jiangshi swooped out of the air like ferocious hawks, almost tearing off the Medicine Kings hair. Run quicker! Quicker! If they bite me and I be a zombie, Ill bite you first, Sect Master! Fuck. Who the fuck recruited him for this expedition! the Viper squawked. And why do I have to cart two men around while youre carrying two women! Were about to be killed by freaking martial artist zombies! Does that really matter?! Were about to die, so what else matters! the Viper snapped back. Zombie! Zombies! The Guardian shouted, faithfully working as my eyes in the back of my head. Ah, fuck. Weakness! I shouted at the woman. Do those jiangshi have any weaknesses? They stop moving when I crush their heads. Give me an easier way! By this point, I had embraced my death. Normal zombies would have been a different story, but this was a world full of flying zombies who were also martial artists. I would need the Sword Star, the ck Witch, and the Inquisitor to even have a chance of clearing this stage. The woman nodded and pointed over my shoulder. They dont move when the sun is out. The answer had been right there the whole time if Id thought about it. The zombiesing to life in front of me and then flying using the lightness art was so shocking that the answer never crossed my head. Maam! And Miss Chemist! I shouted. Yeah. Y-yes? While the woman from the Heavenly Demon Cult answered casually, the Chemists voice was quivering. I focused my aura into my arms. Im sorry, but Im going to throw you! Please be careful when yound! Alright. ...What? And then I hurled the woman as far as possible, immediately followed by the Chemist, like a javelin thrower in the Olympics. The womannded headfirst in the snow without a sound, but the Chemist screamed her lungs out until she smacked into the snow spread-eagle. Im sorry! I apologized again before I stopped. I turned back to the hundreds of zombiesing at me. I was covered in goosebumps. Even though I had fought zombies on the thirteenth floor, they werepletely different from the martial artist zombies skipping over the snowfield like a swarm of mosquitoes. Honestly, it was terrifying. For some reason, the Guardian was over the moon. Youre gonna die! Im going to see Zombie actually getting killed by zombies! This is awesome! Thats one item I can cross off of my bucket list! Did he still have a bucket list even though he was already dead? I am! Not going to die yet! I faced the zombie pack in the middle of the snowfield and drew the holy protector sword. The zombie right in front of me bared its gore-stained teeth. Shiny! [Shiny answers your call.] Idol, a piece of a Constetion and the first of the five sister swords, released her light. The snowfield shone brightly with the swords light. And I realized that I had a gift for namingShiny was the perfect name for the sword. When the holy swords light touched them, the zombies instantly stopped moving and dropped to the ground like mosquitoes that got a face full of bug spray. They didnt break their fall at all, so the snowfield ended up honebed with holes. One of the zombies froze with a lock of the Medicine Kings hair in its hand. The Medicine King groaned. A-am I alive? Did I survive again? For gods sake. I wouldve nevere to the Tower if that wasnt for Marcus. Whats wrong with my life...? Is everyone okay? I looked around. I hadnt let my guard down yet. The sky was still cloudy, so the ground was still dark. The holy protector sword was the only source of light; if it went off just for a moment, those terrifying jiangshi would be active again. Urgh... My face hurts a little, but Im fine... Thank you for saving us, Mr. Death King... Fuck! The Sword Star, that guy... I want a life where I dont have to deal with old men! The Chemist and Viper let me know their safety in their own ways. I nodded. Sect Master, please protect the others. What are you going to do? Im going to take care of those zombies while they arent moving. I pointed the holy sword at the zombies. I have to smash their brains one by one, so itll take time, but it wont be too difficult... Hold on, child from outer murim. The woman stood up from the snowfield, slowly wiping the snow off of her clothes. First, I would like to express my gratitude for saving me even though weve never met before. However, I have to stop you if youre going to eliminate these jiangshi. ...Why is that? I asked. All kinds of thoughts swirled inside my head. Were zombies under a special curse, and did those who killed them get infected? Actually, not many monsters were portrayed in as many different ways as zombies were. Depending on the settings, they could be trivial monsters or an absolute disaster. All of them are elites of my cult. What? I asked, caught totally off guard. Theyre my students and subordinates, the woman solemnly replied. The great war to root out those of the Righteous Path is imminent. Im in need of every one of them I can get. Im already outnumbered, so I cant lose a single one of them. What the heck was she saying? None of us could understand. What great war was she talking about? The world of Heavenly Demon Chronicle was on the brink of destruction. There was no way this world still had factions or enough humans to have a war. Once you open your eyes, youll find yourselves in the world ten days before the serialization of the Heavenly Demon Chronicle unfortunately discontinues, was what the Indoor Librarian had said. Only ten days were left before theplete extinction of mankind here. I didnt know how many survivors were left in this world...but they were all going to die in ten days. The woman from the Heavenly Demon Cult and the man from the Righteous Faction werent exempted from this fate. While it wasnt clear if they were aware of that, the two martial artists were nonchnt. Me and the old Im Buwolseon, the leader of the Murim Alliance, the man interrupted. ...The old man and I have been continuing this great war for three years now. Its actually been nine hundred eighty nine days since the Great War of Right and Evil was dered. We swore on our names that no one would leave until one of us acknowledges their defeat, the woman intoned. They may have be jiangshi, but theyre my people as long as they use the martial arts of my cult. Dont kill them. If you want to kill the jiangshi, kill the ones wearing monk Nonsense! I sweated blood to gather those prodigies from the Prestigious ns! The old man jumped up and down. You made a promise, you Heavenly Demon wench! We arent going to hurt the jiangshi, and you and I are going to see the end of the Great War of Good and Evil on our own! Promises are meant to be broken. You evil wretch, then Ill crush those demonic jiangshi one by one! You call yourself the leader of the Righteous Faction and yet youre going to go back on your word? Youre revealing your true color, you hypocrite! The man and woman looked like they were about to fight until one of them died, just like they were doing before the zombies started moving. I was dumbfounded. ...The world is doomed, but you two insist on continuing this great war of whatever? Youve got it the wrong way around. The woman called the Heavenly Demon shook her head. The world already met its end during our great war. To sum it up, the old man was the leader of the Righteous Faction and the Murim Alliance[2], and the woman was the Heavenly Demon. They had been fighting each other for the future of this world. It had all been fine until a gue had suddenly broken out, turning all of their people into zombies. Ordinary people would have stopped the war and gone into hiding...but the people of murim were anything but ordinary. That doesnt mean we can postpone the war weve already begun! the Heavenly Demon dered. The Murim Alliances leader and the Heavenly Demon... didnt end the war even though all of their people were now zombies. In fact, they still treated the jiangshi like loyal soldiers. That was how they had been continuing the Great War of Right and Evil for three years as the world was consumed by a zombie apocalypse. Ill never stop until I im victory from that old man. As I still have my five hundred jiangshi soldiers, Im going to lead them and crush those bastards from the Righteous Path. Right back at you, demon! The greatest prodigies of murim are with me and theyll still fight against you, wench, even after bing vengeful spirits! 989 days is enough. Its time to end this war! Yes, my expedition team wasnt the only one without hope. The same was true for this world. 1. Eastern vampire/zombies. ? 2. The difference is that while all the righteous sects can be considered to be part of the Righteous Faction, only the selected righteous sects can join the Murim Alliance. ? Chapter 64: The Great War of Good and Evil (3)

Chapter 64: The Great War of Good and Evil (3)

The world was doomed, but the two martial artists didnt stop their war. I was in disbelief...but there was more yet toehow the two fought. Like the quality of the writing brush doesnt matter to a schr, the state of the sword isnt important to a martial artist, the Heavenly Demon told the Murim Alliance''s leader, still holding the stick. I may be using my Demonic Cane because I forgot my Bloodbane Demon Sword, but it wont stop me from sending you to hell, old man. Alriiiiight! the Murim Alliance''s leader valiantly shouted. He was also holding a stick. Lets see who will be the one to unify murim! And the two martial artists shed. Perhaps the word sh was giving them too much creditit was nothing more than a street fight. Heavenly Demon Descent Step! Hah! Sky-Shattering Yellow Ax! They shouted names that sounded legitimate as they fought, but that was pretty much it. The weapons in their hands were still sticks, and the sounds of their sticks bumping into each other were rather light and cheerful. The sticks didntst long. After that, the Heavenly Demon and Murim Alliance''s leader threw themselves at each other with their bare hands, ring viciously the whole time. The Heavenly Demon grabbed the Murim Alliance''s leaders mustache while he pulled on her hair. I was at a loss for words. What in the world... It was getting more ridiculous by the second. Everyone except the two brawlers was struck dumb. Thats strange, the Guardian mumbled, to my surprise. Their forms are proper, though. What are you talking about? Their forms and their breathing methods are correct. They would be treated as top masters in my world too. I turned my eyes back to the fight. The Murim Alliance''s leader was about to poke the womans eyes out, forcing her to cover her face. Are you serious? Dont you see the exquisite principles? That eye poking echoes a divine dragon snatching an evil dragons cintamani[1] with its ws. If I had to give it a name, it would be the principle of Double Dragon Orb Fight. And the way she covers her face contains the essence of the bodhisattva covering the faces of all sentient beings, so it can be called the Thousand Form Bodhastiva... I raised my hand to stop the Guardians exnation. So why is their match no better than a street fight? That is why its strange. When their forms are that good, their qi should be equally advanced and abundant as well. Theyre fighting like shit because they arent using any qiI mean aura. They wouldnt be like that even if their dantians were destroyed... The Guardian cocked his head. A possibility crossed my mind. It might be the only possible answer. Mr. Sword Emperor, youre just messing with me, arent you? Come on, Zombie. Im not a demon. I dont joke about this kind of stuff, the Guardian snapped. I mean, cant you see it? I guess its because you went through secluded training with Preta, who used her aura to make up for herck of mastery. Tsk, tsk. Well, that was the type of training you needed at the time though... I couldnt believe that the Guardian had summarized my years of fighting the Demon King of Autumn Rain as secluded training. Still, he was serious, and it turned out he wasnt alone. That old man and the woman... Theyre quite good. The Viper narrowed his one eye. The biting just now had the principle of CKB. And the arm throw is from MHS. Wow. Hes a real weirdo, but hes a martial artist alright. Yeah, the bite is like a colossal king of serpents bite. And the arm throw is like a menacing hawks swoop! See, Zombie? Unlike you, I have a good eye. The Vipers arms were crossed; he was watching the fight very seriously. I quietly pulled up his character window. State of mind: If I analyze the attack routes showing up on my Take On The World Alone Skill... Yeah, Im right. Those movements can be interpreted to Im fine with reincarnating into a Cerberus and protecting the front gate of the demon Kings castle, but the troublemaker and the ss president reincarnated as my other two heads, so Im suffering, stuck Between them. The arm throw can be understood as A Male high school student who used to be a hero in an online game decided to be a true Hero with his younger childhood friend who Skipped her previous grade and is also a famousic author. Im sure of it. The Guardian shut his mouth. The Chemist, not knowing the truth, tilted her head in confusion. I-is that so, Sect Master...? That just looks like a childrens fight... If anyone could see it, there would be no masters or beginners. Only people like me can see it. The Viper shrugged. State of mind: Oh my god. Their attacks open up so many new attack routes. How many are there? Theyre way more skilled than the old Sword Star. I feel like Im going to level up just by watching them fight. It seems Im going to have a lot to teach my students when Im back. Mmmm... Mr. Sword Emperor. Yes, Zombie...? Its said that all water ends up in the ocean, right? And many different forms are used to reach the same answer... Thats probably his way of understanding martial arts. Yeah. Thank you... The so-called Murim Alliance''s leader and Heavenly Demon were fighting like children. Somehow, that became the king of light novels source of inspiration and I had to console the Guardian. Fortunately, this bizarre situation didntst long. Achoo! For gods sake! Im going to freeze to death! the Medicine King yelled. You bastards, stop fighting already! Were standing right here! Cant you see us? Tsk, tsk. Tunnel vision is precisely whats wrong with all you young people! Its just like when I was young. Exactly the same! The roar of the geezer who left even the Sword Star at a loss for words worked like a charm. The Murim Alliance''s leader awkwardly scratched the back of his head. Its been a while since we had visitors. I guess itd be rude to keep you out here. The Heavenly Demon cleared her throat. Ill take you to my cave. * * * Before long, the sky cleared up and I didnt have to light up the area using Shiny. The zombies couldnt move in sunlight, allowing us to safely escape the snowfield. However, the weak stamina of the Heavenly Demon and the Murim Alliance''s leader became a new problem. She was the leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult while the Righteous Faction had him to lead them, which logically meant that they should be the strongest people in this world. The Guardian and the Viper vouched for their skills in their own ways. Nevertheless...their stamina was so low that they panted when all we did was walk through the snow for a short while. Would it be okay if I carried you? I cautiously asked, unable to watch them keep struggling. T-thank you. S-somehow, its difficult to use my cultivation art today. I ended up carrying the Heavenly Demon, and the Murim Alliance''s leader on the Vipers back just like before. This is not fair, Death King, the Viperined. What? It should be like this. Since I had carried the Heavenly Demon before, I was now carrying the Murim Alliance''s leader. The Viper had the Heavenly Demon on his back this time. Anyone would agree that it should be like this. Sure... I didnt have the energy to argue anymore. I walked a little with the Murim Alliance''s leader on my back and realized that something felt odd. Whats wrong? The Guardian tilted his head. Hes warm. Huh? ...His body temperature is really high, but the weather is freezing cold right now. Id freeze to death immediately if I didnt use my aura...but hes warm. The Guardian and I silently pondered the anomaly. Was he shielding himself using his qi, the aura in this world? But the Guardian couldnt sense an ounce of qi from this man when he had just been fighting. What? Something doesnt add up. We crossed the snowfield without figuring out why it didnt add up. The Heavenly Demon guided us to a cave not far from the snowfield. This is my shelter. The cave had a big hole in the ceiling through which the light of the setting sun poured down. Wow... the Chemist gasped. Behind her foggy sses, her eyes sparkled. I-its a hot spring. A deep pond sat in the floor of the cave, steam rising from its surfacea natural hot spring survived in this bone-aching cold and was warming up the cave. The lighting from above and a hot spring on the ground made for quite the picture. I found this ce long ago. I didnt know I was going to receive visitors from outer murim here though. The Heavenly Demon smiled pleasantly. Wash up first. The old man and I will search the cave to see if there is any food left to serve you. Huh? Do we have something other than grain pills? Thats why I said we should search the cave, old man. Is your age starting to get to your ears? You always call me old man, but lets be clear here. Our age gap isnt that big! the Murim Alliance''s leader snapped. Do metamorphosis if you have a problem with that. The Heavenly Demon and Murim Alliance''s leader bickered as they disappeared further into the cave. We stayed by the hot spring and watched them go with a myriad of emotions. I-Im surprised. They were at each others throat until a moment ago... They said that theyve been fighting for three years. I guess its possible to grow attached to each other as you fight, the Medicine King grumbled. By the way, its warm and nice here. Please get away from me now, Sect Master. Its been very embarrassing to hold a mans hand right after arriving in this world. Why does the Sword Star hang out with a guy like you? the Viper asked. Lets get one thing straight. I hang out with him! What the heck... Well, the Sword Star isnt normal either. Fuck. Birds of a feather flock together, I guess. After the conversation, we rested in the hot spring. When we were done with our bath, the two martial artists treated us to their food. Im sorry that its not much. Theyre grain pills. Help yourselves. The Heavenly Demon and the Murim Alliance''s leader served us pills. They looked like those clear mind pills[2], but these pills were bigger. We used to asionally find and hunt animals like wolves, but even theyve be rare nowadays. I have no idea how the world got to this state. The Heavenly Demon quietly sighed. Thank you for weing us. I politely received a te. It had been three years since the world had begun its decline, so we were unlikely to find proper food stillying around. The Hunters and I cautiously nibbled on the grain pills. Urgh! The Viper and the Medicine King didnt hide their grimaces. I almost dropped my poker face too. The pills tasted like old, raw coffee beans. They werent exactly food to be enjoyed. Is this all youve been eating...? The Chemist picked up one of the grain pills and examined it from various angles. The Heavenly Demon nodded. Pretty much. H-how long? The Heavenly Demon looked at the cave wall, where numerous lines had been carved. It looked like the two martial artists had been tallying the days since they first took shelter in this cave. Its been over two years since these grain pills became our sole source of food. Two years... The Chemist groaned and tried hard to understand how they had survived on these pills. Th-that doesnt make sense. You cant consume proper nutrients this way. Without a proper bnce of glucides, lipids, proteins, vitamins, and minerals, humans Hmm? I dont know what youre talking about, but we can bear it. I cant bear it! The Medicine King squawked, springing to his feet. He pulled out items like a portable burner, meat, and seafood from his subspace inventory. Get out of my way, you goons! Tsk, tsk. This is why you dont have the energy to cross the snowfield. You young people dont think about your bodies, just like I didnt when I was young. Do you have water? Yeah, we melt the snow or use the water that flows into the cave when the sun has been out for several days... This is getting crazier by the minute! Seventy percent of the human body is water and yet you drink such crappy water. Thats why your stamina is crappy too. The first step to improving your health is drinking proper water. Tsk, tsk. The Medicine King lit up his portable burner and opened a bottle of mineral water. The Chemist was shocked when she saw the logo on the bottle. T-this is Bling H2O! This is really expensive... What? It isnt expensive at all! I just use it because it makes for okay cooking water. Gosh, I never even touched a bottle from this brand when I was outside the Tower. Tsk, tsk. Seriously, if that wasnt Marcus... Zombie, whats Bling H2O? The Guardian tilted his head in confusion as he watched the sudden start of a cooking show. Im not sure. Maybe its something like Evian. Whats Evian? Is that like Sky-Pure Stone Essence? Whats Sky-Pure Stone Essence? Its this very expensive water.[3] Its probably something like that. 1. The raw is ???. Cintamani is usually a name for a wish-fulfilling jewel/orb/gem. In some cultures, dragons are said to carry these jewels/orbs/gems. ? 2. The raw is ???. They are Korean traditional medicines often used to calm people. ? 3. The raw is ????. Its an elixir that often shows up in Korean wuxia. There are regions where energy of nature umtes for a long time and they form into drops of essence. ? Chapter 65: The Great War of Good and Evil (4)

Chapter 65: The Great War of Good and Evil (4)

While the Guardian and I bantered, the Medicine King boiled the extra premium mineral water. He set out his frying pan and cutting board before he began to cook. A savory smell filled up the cave. The Medicine King was quick with his hands. Oyster soup, white fish filet topped with roasted asparagus, a mix of roasted fish and razor ms sprinkled with parsley, some cream porridge with shellfish and mushroom slices, roastedmb chops... He had everything served in fifteen minutes. There you go! Its not much, but eat up. You should eat properly when youre young. Tsk, tsk.. The line of dishes made the Murim Alliance''s leaders eyes widen. B-both the Heavenly Demon woman and I are quite old... he stammered. Did you also drink an elixir of eternal youth or something? I would have trademarked them if I were still in Silicon Valley! Forget it. You should eat properly even when youre old! Thats how you endure life, the Medicine King insisted, and gave the Murim Alliance''s leader a bowl of oyster soup. He was like a cursing grannyno, a grandpa from one of those restaurants.[1] I also received a bowl of oyster soup. The smell was decent, but it was still oyster soup. I didnt have high expectations as I took a sip. Wow. This is amazing! I instantly thought. Maybe it was just because I ate that poor excuse for food they called a grain pill a minute ago. The broth was red, apparently from the vegetables the Medicine King had added to it, and it wasnt fishy at all. It was a little tangy but also vorful at the same time. Even a sip of just the broth was very good. The sensation of chewy oysters on my tongue and teeth was incredible. When I bit into them, they released juice which perfectly blended with the broth. It was freaking awesome. Even after winning the MA lottery, the limits of my luxury were adding half-and-half java chips, chocte drizzle, and four shots to my white mocha venti frappino. The Medicine Kings dishes were astounding to me. It looked like the Chemist, who was still living in the slum due to herck of poprity, was experiencing the same surprise. Her eyes were as wide as moons right now. My god. Its so good... The shrimp is so plump and chewy, and it literally tastes like shrimp... Its not smelly at all. How can shrimp taste like this? And this mille-feuille for dessert feels like the aristocracy of nuneddine[2]. Not just any aristocracyits at least a marquess. The passion fruit puree adds extra freshness to the frozen yogurt on the bottom... H-how can food taste like this...? The Medicine King stuck his nose into the air. Thats because the restaurant where I was owner-chef in my fifties earned three Michelin stars! If I had a proper gas stove, I would have been able to fill up your bellies until they burst like balloons. Was the Medicine King actually great? Could he really be a boxing champion? Had he truly worked in Silicon Valley and Wall Street? The Viper looked like he was wondering the same thing. He ate a spoonful of the seafood porridge, which I heard was formally known as abalone truffle risotto or something, and then sarcastically asked, Why did such a remarkable mane to the Tower? Why? Should a person like me note to the Tower? Marcus came to the Tower too! the Medicine King scoffed. You guys knew each other from outside the Tower? Not really. Hes just an annoying guy who was born into a filthy rich family. I made it on my own in Silicon Valley, so in my eyes, hes just a lucky bastard. But just because he was a little unlucky in his twilight years, he went nuts and came to the Tower only with a sword... The story that started with a scoff ended with the Medicine Kings voice fading away. The Chemist, the Viper, and I all had a somewhat different impression of him now. Embarrassed by our gazes, the Medicine King swung hisdle as if he were shooing away a bird. Just eat your food already! So we resumed eating the amazing food. This was it: the cook of the Heavenly Demon Chronicle expedition team was chosen. It tastes truly divine, the Heavenly Demon, the protagonist of that very book,plimented. She never stopped moving her spoon. Are you the cook for the Imperial Family? Hmm, no, this is a little different from the food you usually find in the Central ins. Thats what I wanted to say. Ive eaten many dishes as the leader of the Righteous Faction, but never anything like this, he eximed as he slurped down the cream pasta. Not only are these dishes unique, you all seem abundantly supplied... Im really starting to wonder where youre from and why youre here. Did people in outer murim find a way to cure the jiangshi disease? The two martial artists eyes sparkled. Their excitement was understandable. For them, the Hunters and I were the first humans they had met in years. I pitied them a little but shook my head. No, were still searching for the cure. I see... Their disappointment looked as deep as their excitement. Well, all of the doctors and sages in gangho tried to cure the disease, but no one seeded. Those in the Mount Mao Sect were experts in jiangshi, but all of them gave up. Im sure even outer murim has too... Are you sure that theres no cure for disease? I asked. Im not trying to boast, but you two saw our food. We have different knowledge from you, and the Chemist over here is the best doctor and pharmacist there is. The Chemists face reddened halfway into a bit ofmb chop. Shes just lucky, the Medicine King grumbled. Well, I felt a bit sorry for him as someone who was enjoying the tasty food hed made. The man over there is good enough to be the Chemists assistant. If you help us a little bit, well be able to find the cure. The Heavenly Demon and the Murim Alliances leader looked at each other. Im not sure if cure is the right word... But there is a way... The Chemists face brightened. W-what is it? ...Wait here, the Heavenly Demon told her. After a moment, the Heavenly Demon returned with a big coffin. She opened it to show us the zombie inside. Like the time we had talked about the warm body temperature of the Murim Alliances leader, the Guardian remained silent, his eyebrows furrowed. The zombie was docile, like they usually were under the sunlight. I wasnt sure if it was the chain wrapped around it or the giant acupuncture needles in every limb, but the zombie didnt move one bit. I looked up. Who is this...? Hes the Wudang Sects leader, the Heavenly Demon calmly said. Right after he got bitten by a jiangshi, he let us have his body so that we could study the disease. But so far, the only way we know to contain a jiangshi is to block every acupoint. She put her hand inside the coffin. Before pulling out the acupuncture needle on the zombies neck, she warned us, Be careful. Immediately, the zombies eyes snapped open. The Chemist fell down on her bottom in surprise as the zombie thrashed, its teeth frantically gnashing at the air in an attempt to bite her. The chain kept it safely under control, but she still broke into a cold sweat. As you can see... The Heavenly Demon put the acupuncture needle back in the zombies neck and its eyelids slid down. It looked peaceful, as if it had never run wild. Its possible to put a jiangshi to sleep by blocking the acupoint between the brain and the spine. However, that isnt really a cure. Its just a temporary measure. No one could say anything. When a jiangshi bites someone, corrupted energy spreads inside them through their meridians and vessels. Corrupted energy. Was she talking about the virus? No amount of time spent in the lotus position or Qi Alignment can eliminate this corrupted energy. My demons used to cultivate demonic energy, and those foolish sages in the Wudang Sect had qi as clear as rivers. But one bite is the end for everyone. Your body starts to burn up and youll be a jiangshi before long. The Heavenly Demon slowly closed the coffin. The monk from the Shaolin Temple held out the longest. Even after a jiangshi bit off a chunk of his arm, he maintained his sanity for a year, but he was the exception of exceptions. However exceptional they may be, most people dontst more than fifteen days. The Heavenly Demon sighed. Children from the outer murim, do you really think you can find the cure? The Chemist couldnt answer. Even the geezer Medicine King had trouble picking his next words. When none of us could answer, the Heavenly Demon smiled bitterly. Its okay. I used to think that old man and I were the only ones left in this world. That we met other living people is proof that the Queen Mother of the Wests[3] grace is still with us. Feel free to stay here as long as you want. The Murim Alliance''s leader nodded. Ill make beds for you, so lets go to sleep for tonight. I feel like theres a lot to talk about, but we can take care of that tomorrow. The Hunters and I had to end our first day in the apocalyptic book without results. * * * Mmmm... I cant eat anymore... Marcus, you bastard. Am I supposed to be second ce all my life If you leave like this...? The Hunters were deep asleep. Their bedding was arranged around the hot spring, so although it was a little humid, they werent cold. Why arent you sleeping, Zombie? the Guardian asked. I looked up at the hole in the ceiling, which gave me a good view of the night sky. Theres something I need to check. Instead of pressing me for rification, the Guardian went quiet. He probably had simr questions and spections as me. I pulled the nket up to my face and pretended I was sleeping. When the night deepened, I could feel not one but two people approaching me. I kept my eyes shut and breathed as quietly as possible. The two people delicately picked their way around us. ...Are they asleep? one asked, almost inaudible. ...It looks like it, the other whispered. ...Then lets get on with it. ...Yeah, we should finish quickly. The voices of the Heavenly Demon and the Murim Alliance''s leader slowly went further away. I soon heard a quiet ssh; the two martial artists began to bathe, taking advantage of the Hunters sleep. Now. I quickly got up and darted through the steam toward the hot spring. The Heavenly Demon and the Murim Alliance''s leader were leisurely enjoying the hot spring in their soboks[4]. However, their rest was rudely interrupted when I came running out of the steam. The Murim Alliance''s leader gasped and hastily submerged himself deeper into the hot spring. After briefly scanning the two martial artists bodies, I realized that my spections were right. W-what?! I thought you were asleep! the Murim Alliance''s leader sputtered. The Heavenly Demons eyes narrowed. She seemed to have understood the situation a little quicker than the Righteous Faction leader. ...You have sharp eyes, child, she said with a short sigh. When did you notice? I found it strange ever since I first met you two, I answered. The weather was really cold, but your clothes were light. One of you was only wearing your training suit, and the other was in just his sobok. It was freezing out there. No one could survive for even a moment if they didnt use aura, yet the two martial artists in front of me had gone out practically naked. That means youve been using your qi to shield yourselves from the cold. In other words, you two are great martial artists who can use your qi proficiently...but your match was like a street fight, and you became tired after a short walk. It didnt make sense, I slowly said. Theres only one reasonable exnation: you two are using all your qi on something else. You said earlier that corrupted energy spreads within your entire body once youre bitten by a jiangshi. I looked straight at the Heavenly Demon and the Righteous Faction leader despite the steam. You two are already bitten, arent you? I believe that you two were infected by the jiangshi long ago, but you two are leaders of your faction. Youre using your incredible qi to suppress the corrupted energy. Am I right? After my question, the hot spring was silent until the Heavenly Demon stood up with a quiet ssh. D-Demon, you... Forget it, old man. He already saw us. The Heavenly Demon shook her head. Youre right, child. The old man and I were bitten by the jiangshi three years ago. She turned around and showed me her pale back, which had a purple, festering wound. The Murim Alliance''s leader slowly showed me his nape. But youre technically wrong about one thing, he noted. His wound was equally rotten, but everything above his neck was clean. We arent suppressing it. We blocked the acupoint between the brain and the spine to stop the spread. Fuck. Its Qi Interference. The Guardian shook his head in disbelief. Qi Interference? You know what Sword Telekinesis is, right? Yeah, you envelope your sword with your qi and make that fly ar No way. Yes way. Yeah, with the acupoint they blocked, they wont be able to feel a thing below their neck. They cant move. In other words, theyre paralyzed, but theyre moving because...theyre using qi to move their entire body like they would with Sword Telekinesis. Their hearts, lungs, joints, waists, ankles, feet... Theyre controlling everything using their qi. It was everything they needed to live and move. To stop the zombie virus from spreading to their brains through their spines, the two martial artists had closed off all ess to their brains. I stayed silent. Theyre basically using Sword Telekinesis 24/7. Of course they would pant after a couple of steps. Theyre crazy... That is how were fighting the Great War of Good and Evil, the Heavenly Demon said as if she were replying to the Guardian. Its already been three years, the Murim Alliance''s leader added. 1. Some restaurant owners in Korea dont hesitate to curse at their customers. People arent offended by that because that reminds them of their grandparents rough manner of speech. But its bing harder to find this kind of restaurant because people are bing more ufortable about this kind of restaurant over time. ? 2. A Korean snack pastry. ? 3. A mother goddess in Chinese mythology. ? 4. Hanboks usually worn during funerals, but can also refer to all undyed hanboks worn for ceremonies to show humility. ? Chapter 66: The Heavenly Demon (1)

Chapter 66: The Heavenly Demon (1)

Lady Heavenly Demon, it wont work. Lady Heavenly Demon, half of the Blood Demon Unit is dead! The elders were spread all over the world, but we already lost contact with them. This is not the time to fight those idiots of the Righteous Faction. The cult might be in dangerno, maybe the entire world is in danger. The people of the Beggar Gang... Lady Heavenly Demon, as you ordered, we set up clinics in every sect. The head of the Sichuang Tang Sect and experts from the Mount Mao Sect are here too. Were nning to capture several jiangshi soldiers and experiment on them, so well see results soon... ...Lady Heavenly Demon, the Moonlight and Blood Demon Kings are down. Even if we manage to kill a hundred jiangshi, a thousand more are made the next day. This gue is out of our control! The doctors in the clinics say that its possible to put them to sleep if we protect their upper dantian by blocking the Yamen acupoint and the Tianshu acupoint, but... ...Lady Heavenly Demon, seek shelter. Go to a remote ind and seclude yourself. Even if there are ten million jiangshi, they wont be able to cross the ocean. Im pretty sure that this isnt the only murim in the world. Anywhere you, our cults leader, are will be murim.... ...Lady Heavenly Demon, the oath of the great war isnt important anymore. It was made before this chaos began. Thews of nature have changed, so humans duties can no longer be set in stone. Please forget the oath you made with the Murim Alliance''s leader and retreat so you can rise again... Lady Heavenly Demon. Lady Heavenly Demon. *** The cave was weighed down by a long silence. ...How did you endure it? I eventually asked. The world was ending, and all of humanity had be walking corpses. The Heavenly Demon and the Murim Alliance''s leader were half-corpses themselves. If their cirction of qi paused for even a moment, their hearts would stop. How could they have endured that for three long years? The two martial artists seemed to struggle to find an answer to my question. They exchanged an enigmatic look, and then nodded together. Follow us. The pair exited the cave and I followed. We didnt talk and walked carefully so as not to wake the others up. The silence hung in the air for a long time. Right after we exited the cave, the Heavenly Demon broke the silence. Everyone dies someday. Dawn wasing. There is a funny story told in murim. A peak master had Ten Thousand Poison Immunity and the Indestructible Body. No poison could scourge his innards, and no sword was able to pierce his skin. The Heavenly Demons breath emerged as white puffs in the cold air. It was no exaggeration to say that he was almost invincible. The worlds most lethal poison couldnt harm him, nor could the sharpest sword, so it was practically impossible for his enemies to kill him. The dawning sun brought a faint blue back to the sky and cast wan shadows across the earth. But there is one thing that the old tales never tolerateinvincibility. The Heavenly Demon and the Murim Alliance''s leader slowly walked through the pale shadows one step after another. It was the humans footsteps that distinguished the sky and the earth. The earth was where the footsteps reached, and the sky began where the footsteps didnt touch. Child. The Heavenly Demon nced back at me. We were outside the cave and were walking toward the snowfield where we had been surrounded by the zombies yesterday. Can you tell how the master died? How did he die? I asked. He died from bedding a Lust Demon. The Heavenly Demon smirked. The pleasure from the unification of yin and yang isnt poison. Its also far from a sword. Uhh... But isnt too much pleasure poisonous? Youre right. That was why the Lust Demon didnt drown the master in pleasure from the start. She was skillful and took time to tame him. The pleasure was very faint at first, but he eventually became obsessed and sought moreeven the most lethal one. The sun slowly came up and brightened the snowfield, sweeping away the gray until it was white like the Heavenly Demons breath. The master no longer perceived the Lust Demons ps during their intercourse as pain. The whip she swung was just another pleasure. The Lust Demons every move was just the masters source of happiness. The Heavenly Demon held up her hand and stroked her neck. At thest moment, the Lust Demon lightlyvery lightlychoked the master. She didnt need a supreme understanding of martial arts, nor did she use a profound amount of qi either. It was just her two hands around his neck. As she suffocated him, the master smiled, drenched in pleasure. The Heavenly Demon giggled. He died at the peak like the peak master he was. It wasnt an unhappy death after all. I saw corpses in the snowfield that moved as if they werent dead. They stood still under the dawn light, creating a forest of shadows across the snow. The lesson of this story is simple. Never fool around with a Lust Demon! the Murim Alliance''s leader grumbled. It isnt just an old tale, that actually happened. Tsk, tsk! The Sichuang Tang Sect moved heaven and earth to train him, but that wench secretly sent a Lust Demon to assassinate him. Haha. The zombies were still scattered across the snowfield. Most of the greenhorns that first go out to gangho believe that the goal of martial artists is to be invincible. They learn martial arts so they can be immortal. The Heavenly Demon approached the zombies and picked up one of them with a grunt. Its nonsense. The Murim Alliance''s leader also lifted a zombie and moved it. Those who obtained Ten Thousand Poison Immunity are killed by something other than poison. The same goes for the people that have the Indestructible Body. Its just the sword that cant kill them, not everything. The Heavenly Demon heaved the zombie into position. Do you get it? When people choose which martial arts to learn, they not only decide what kind of martial artist theyll be but also how they shall die. She moved slowly with the zombie in her arms. Like a delivery man with a heavy package, she kept putting the zombie down after a while, taking a deep breath, and moving again. We know that everyone dies someday, so it cant bring us sorrow. The Heavenly Demon and the Murim Alliance''s leader gathered together the scattered zombies. It looked like the zombies had been moving aroundst night. ...But this isnt the death we wanted, the Heavenly Demon quietlymented. It took a long time. Their stamina was poor and there were too many zombies. Assassination is good. Getting poisoned is also good. My enemies forming the Divine Net and attacking me together seems nice. Im also good with the idiotic monks of the Shaolin Temple catching me off guard. Being betrayed by my loyal subordinates is also fine. Dying in a challenge from a rising star of the new generation is perfect. By the time the Heavenly Demon and the Murim Alliance''s leader had put the zombies back in their ces, the sun was high in the sky and the snowfield was covered in their footsteps. However, this isnt a death we can tolerate. The Heavenly Demon looked at me, panting. You asked earlier how we endured it? We just want to die on our own terms. The Murim Alliance''s leader and the Heavenly Demon lined up hundreds of zombies in orderly ranks, like two about to join battle. It made me remember a conversation Id had with the other Hunters. When we had arrived in this apocalyptic book and witnessed the zombies for the first time, we had examined the forest of corpses. Although they all died from the same cause, their time of death is all different. ...The only possible conclusion I can reach right now is someone intentionally moved the corpses here... Is this some sort of graveyard? A graveyard, huh? It does look like a terracotta army from afar. The zombies moved around as they pleased at night, but over a thousand zombies were assembled in one spot. It was actually very strange if I thought about ityes, it wasnt possible unless someone gathered the zombies here on purpose. Phew... The Heavenly Demon sighed. Hmm. The Murim Alliance''s leader wiped his forehead off. Not many of them went far today. The moon was bright yesterday. It isnt as effective as sunlight, but it still works on them... They were five hundred people from the Heavenly Demon Cult, and another five hundred from the Righteous faction. The Heavenly Demon and the Murim Alliance''s leader were bringing their respective forces together. It took half a day, but the two people continued to hustle about as if it were a normal part of their daily lives. This is how were fighting the Great War of Right and Evil. Its already been three years. It snowed, and people were dead. All of the Nine Sects, Five ns, and One Gang disappeared. All of their martial arts manuals were covered in dust because no one could read them. The Righteous Factions murim shall never fall because of mere jiangshi, the Murim Alliance''s leader loudly dered. Nor is the fate of my cult something that corpses can eat away. If my Righteous Faction should end, it has to be brought down by the Heavenly Demon Cults evil hands. When my cult disappears, it will be under the Righteous Factions sword, the Heavenly Demon chimed in. Still, the world wasnt finished. These two martial artists had to die before that happened. If thest one took their own life in the world where ny-nine million, nine hundred ny-nine thousand, nine hundred ny-nine out of one billion people died from a gue, the cause of the worlds death was suicide, not illness. That was what the leader of the Murim Alliance and heaven of the Heavenly Demon Cult believed. Im Namgung Woon. The man gave a fist and palm salute. Im currently leading the Murim Alliance and hold the title of Grand Patriarch in the Namgung n. I also go by the name of Buwolseon. Im Soh Baekhyang. The woman returned the salute. I lead the Heavenly Demon Cult and also go by the name of Heavenly Demon. It was already past noonand it had been years since these two were left alone in this world. They had spent the years deciding how their world would die. It was either one of two ways: the Murim Alliance''s leader was going to end the Heavenly Demon Cult, or the Heavenly Demon would bring down the Righteous Faction. I challenge you for the 990th time, the Righteous Faction solemnly informed her. Shall we fight until our death or one of us is no longer able to fight? We shall fight to the death. The Heavenly Demon nodded with a grim expression. I ept your challenge. The two martial artists ended their salutes and threw themselves at each other, surrounded by five hundred of the Righteous Faction and another five hundred from the Heavenly Demon Cult. I still couldnt understand the martial arts they were using. In my eyes, they were struggling to just stay standing. It was too taxing for them to extend their arms; their footwork was so slow that they wouldnt be able to catch up to a child; they couldnt crush a tangerine with their weak grips. This declining world of the apocalyptic book from a declining genre was dying over 990 days. It... I blurted out as I watched their duel from afar. It shouldnt be like this. It didnt feel right in my heart. Its unfair. The Guardian remained silent. An intense battle was being waged in the snowfield. These martial artists should have demonstrated their brilliant martial arts skills in a fight to be the strongest person in murim, but now they were only capable of fighting like children. Eventually, they lost their bnce and tumbled into the snow. She grabbed his mustache, and he pulled out her hair. To your eyes, Mr. Sword Emperor, it might seem like a really great battle. Yeah, Im just a beginner in the sword, but even if that childrens fight contains the essence of the greatest martial arts principles... The sun began to set as the afternoon slipped away. The Murim Alliance''s leader and the Heavenly Demon didnt stop fighting even for once until evening came. This is an insult, I murmured. The two martial artists failed to reach an end to their match. They were strong enough to survive in a dying world after the outbreak of an untreatable gue, but not strong enough to take each others lives. Its not fair to them. The world was cruel because one couldnt choose how they were born. How, then, was the world where one couldnt die as they wanted to? That meant that there would be no proper conclusion in the world, and the lives in it would be cut short. What are you going to do? the Guardian quietly asked. Are you going to kill the Heavenly Demon and Murim Alliance''s leader on their behalf? Well, I guess that can be a mercy in a way. I would certainly do that for them, but we shouldnt forget that were just outsiders here. I know. The two martial artists werent hoping tomit suicide. If they had to die, they hoped that it would be at each others hands. It wasnt a gue that was going to bring down the Heavenly Demon Cult and the Righteous Factionthey were going to bring destruction to each of their factions. That was the proper ending to their lives that they could ept. Even if I crashed into the fight and killed both of them, that wasnt a good ending or a merciful gift. It was just a child scribbling on a fairy tale book. Im going to conclude this world in my own way. What is your way? I didnt answer the Guardians question. The evening was almost over; dusk hade. I-its already evening, old man, the Heavenly Demon panted. Maybe because its winter... Huff. The day ends very quickly... Ill end you tomorrow, whatever it takes. I could say the same thing... the Murim Alliance''s leader grumbled betweenbored breaths. The Great War of Good and Evil entered a ceasefire for the 990th time. The Heavenly Demon and the Murim Alliance''s leader returned to the cave looking more tired than yesterday. Where have you been? the Viper asked. The other Hunters were waiting for us. While the Viper was standing guard at the caves entrance, the Chemist and the Medicine King were hunched over the zombiethe leader of the Wudang Sect that had surprised us yesterdaybusy studying it. We were looking at the patient, the Chemist told me. It was too hectic yesterday... Did you make any progress? The Medicine King and the Chemist looked at each other. The Medicine King clicked his tongue. Not yet. Yeah... I-its our first time dealing with a virus like this, the Chemist agreed. Id figured. The Heavenly Demon and the Murim Alliance''s leader walked away to get some rest. When they got far enough, I turned my head. Miss Chemist. Yes? Please be honest with me. How many days, roughly, would it take to make a cure? Oh, uhm... Uhh... The Chemist hesitated before she answered, If Im really honest...itll take at least a hundred twenty days. It may take three times longer than that. Youre supposed to schedule enough time for this kind of task because it always takes longer than the schedule, the Medicine King grumbled. The Chemists head drooped. ...Yes, hes right. Thats the worst-case scenario, though... So its one hundred days at minimum and three hundred days at the longest. Did I understand that correctly? Umm... The Chemists head drooped lower. I-it might be impossible to create the cure at all. We barely have any facilities or equipment, and the environment isnt helpful either. I cant guarantee anything at this point. Im sorry, Mr. Death King... You brought me here because you trust me...but its impossible to create the cure within our time frame. I remembered what the Indoor Librarian had said before sending us into the apocalyptic book. Once you open your eyes, youll find yourselves in the world ten days before the serialization of the Heavenly Demon Chronicle unfortunately discontinues. I hope youll show me a great ending. In other words, the world would meet its true end after ten days, although I didnt know what exactly was going to happen. It would kill the Heavenly Demon and the Murim Alliance''s leader after all of their struggles to survive. Those ten days were what the Chemist meant by our time frame. Im really sorry... I shook my head. No, thats good enough. W-what? Dont worry. I slowly stroked the handle of the sword hung on my belt. Ill take care of the time issue. Please dont give upcontinue with your research. Do you remember what I told you when we first arrived in this world? But this is a world, not a book. And were here to save it. You know that, right? ...I-I remember. Of course I do, Mr. Death King... The Chemist nodded cautiously. I nodded back. Ill tell you what I said to you yesterday. The time, the fact that we wont be able to escape from this world forever if we dont clear the stage... Please dont think about any of that. Ill do my best, so please show me your best too. Dont think about anything else... YesI promise you, Ill take care of everything else, I told the future leader of the Alchemist Office. Please trust me and continue your research. Chapter 67: The Heavenly Demon (2)

Chapter 67: The Heavenly Demon (2)

...If it werent for you, I would have lost all my equipment and been left wandering in the slum... I honestly cant imagine how that would have gone. The Chemist closed her eyes. After a moment, she slowly opened them, revealing a sharpness in her gaze behind the sses. Yes, I want to repay what you did for me. I wont think about anything else but making the cure... But Im really not aware of my surroundings when Im upied with my work. I probably wont keep my manners. Still... It doesnt matter. I nodded. Do whatever it takes to bring out your best. This wasnt the time to worry about manners. I needed the future leader of the Alchemist Office. ...Okay. The Chemist adjusted her sses and then turned to look at the Medicine King. Sir. Huh? What is it? Ill need your full assistance from now on. The Medicine King scowled, his deep wrinkles reflecting his stubbornness. Assistance? Assistaaaaance? You insolent girl, there is a proper order for everything! How dare a greenhorn like you ask the Medicine king to assist you Open my Skill Cards, the Chemist quietly said. ...What? One golden card and three silver cards floated above the Chemists palm. An ordinary Hunter would kill to have one Skill, but she had four of them. On top of that, all of them were above ss B. The Medicine Kings eyes widened. W-what? Are you trying to show off your Skills? Tsk, tsk. Young people nowadays think Skills can solve everything. Your true ability You can see them, the Chemist said. What? You can see what my Skills are. For a moment, the Medicine King was too perplexed to answer. For Hunters, Skills were their ace in the hole. They should never be discovered by others until thest moment. Revealing their Skills equaled exposing all of their strengths and weaknesses at the same time. In summary, the Chemist was making a very foolish move. However, the Chemist flipped the cards anyway and showed them to the Medicine King.Or do you want me to show them myself? This one is the Mobile Hospital. It can conduct any test in real-time, from blood tests to EEGs, and I can even store and retrieve medical herbs at willbut there is a two percent chance of misdiagnosis. This one is Life Analysis. It tells me a patients condition down to the gic level. I use these Skills together to minimize the chance of misdiagnosis Now, wait, wait, wait! The Medicine King finally pulled himself together. Why are you showing me your Skills? Arent you worried that I might tell the Alchemist Office or the partners in my shop? Its okay. I promised I wouldnt worry about the trivial things, the Chemist said. If you want to tell others, do it, but I want your full assistance until I make the cure. Why would you go this far...? Because I need you to speed up development even if its just by a day. The Medicine King stared. Im an eyesore to you, arent I? The Chemist looked him in the eyes. Her eyes werent just distant, they were cold. She often floundered before, but her face now waspletely expressionless. Youre angry that a young girl like me doesnt know her ce but keeps shoving better results at your face. Youre annoyed that someone like me has a gift. But I have a lot more years to live than you and Ill be respected a lot longer than you are. That makes you mad, right? The human voice was oftenpared to a birds, but I was certain that the Chemists voice could not be imitated by any animal. If I had to pick one...yes, her voice reminded me of the fire ants sizzling chattering. If you give me your full assistance this time... The Chemist adjusted her sses. ...you can have all of the potion recipes Ive ever made. I wont tell anyone theyre mine. Take them, and use them. Tell people that you invented the recipes At that moment, the Medicine King pped her on the cheek, knocking her sses clean off of her face. The Chemist silently picked up her sses and wiped them on her sleeve before putting them back on. After that, she looked at the Medicine King in silence. The Medicine King trembled with anger. Shame on you... Ill analyze the zombie virus. Youll see that there is always a bigger fish. Please follow my instructions. The Chemists voice was monotonous. The day wille when your pride will be broken and rancid. Ill write down my instructions first and give them to you. Someday, you will also...meet a person who is better skilled than you are. The Medicine King gritted his teeth. He and the Chemist spoke at the same time. Then please find what I need and bring them to me, sir. And then the two Hunters fell silent. The Chemist sat on the left and the Medicine King on the right, with the corpse of the Wudang Sects leader between them. When the Chemist mumbled something, the Medicine King wrote it down. The air grew still; the two Hunters looked more like objects from a still life than people from a portrait. The only words they spoke were rted to their work. Mr. Death King, Im sorry, but please leave, the Chemist requested as she pressed her scalpel against the corpses head. I find the sound of your breathing disturbing. Very, very disturbing. Grab six more zombies on your way out. The Medicine King peered into the dark inside of the corpses mouth. With a tweezer, he pinched the zombies purple and ck tongue. We need more samples. Children, adults, and seniors. Get one of each genderand when I tell you I need herbs, go get it. I nodded. Leave it to me. From that day forward, we were in a state of war. Eating was a waste of time, and bathing was a luxury. Even with an open hot spring right by their side, the Chemist and the Medicine King didnt bathe. Day and night, the two Hunters studied the zombie as they nibbled on grain pills. Hmm... The air in here is drastically different. The Heavenly Demon looked at the Hunters, confused. Are you trying to gain enlightenment? You all are still young, but very eager. Are you not going to cook any more m soup or the dish you called doripal[1] risotto or something? The Murim Alliance''s leader furtively nudged the Medicine King. The Imperial Chef would have cried if he witnessed your skills. If the world was still in order, I would have appointed you as the head chef of the Great Namgung n. Im busy. Get lost. The Medicine King didnt even look up. He stuck his hand into his subspace inventory and pulled out a water bottle, which he tossed to the Murim Alliance''s leader. If youre hungry, drink up. Itll still fill your belly somewhat. The Murim Alliance''s leader caught the Bling H2O, smacking his lips. He looked disappointed that he wouldnt be able to taste the Medicine Kings cooking. Still, he readily emptied the water bottle. Old man, dont bother them. Theyre busy. The Heavenly Demon gestured at him. Lets go. Alright, alright. My body hasnt been cooperating with metely, the Murim Alliance''s leader grumbled. I wonder how far the jiangshi have gotten today... Even if they tried, they cant go a thousand meters in one night. Stopining and get out here. Alright. The Murim Alliance''s leader continued to grumble as he left the cave with the Heavenly Demon. Like they had done yesterday, they were going to gather the zombies for the 991st day of the Great War of Good and Evil. Another day passed, meaning that we were another day closer to the end of the world. Time ticked away, a countdown to the worlds demise. The world was nothing but a music box waiting for its springs to run out of energy. Exactly one week after we had arrived in the apocalyptic book, the Heavenly Demon looked up at the caves ceiling. Hmmm... I guess I wont be able to go outside today. A blizzard was raging outside the cave. The snowy wind blew in all directions, blurring the distinction between the sky and the earth. Looking at the dark, featureless world of snow, I realized for the first time that white could be dark. Well, there are days like this. The Heavenly Demon shrugged as if it were no big deal. Weve actually been lucky that the sky has been sunny for the past few days. The blizzardsted more than thirty days one time. There wasnt a single trace of sunlight, so we couldnt move a step. Then the jiangshi will keep moving, I said. Are you okay with that? If they go too far, you wont be able to retrieve them. Then it is what it is. We lose them. The Heavenly Demon sighed. Three years ago, my cult had almost a thousand members, and the old man brought a simr number of the Righteous Factions goons. But as the years went by, some of the jiangshi went so far away that we couldnt retrieve them. Several corpses of the Heavenly Demons and the Murim Alliance''s leaders subordinates would go missingno, be lost during every blizzard. That must scare you the most, I remarked. Hmm? You wake up and go out into the field, but a jiangshi is nowhere to be found. The Heavenly Demon stared at me for a moment. Do you think I have fear? The womans eyes were ck. Her hair, her martial arts training suit... Everything ck about her seemed to be a desperate attempt to resist the endless white snow. Yes, I think you do, I answered. The world has indeed changed a lot. Someone who talked to me like that wouldnt get to keep their head on their shoulders. You should be d that the world is what it is right now, child. You and the Murim Alliance''s leader are martial arts masters. The depth of your mastery in martial arts is so deep that I would be disrespecting you if Ipared myself to you two. I silently turned and looked at the Murim Alliance''s leader, who was sleeping by the hot spring. But no matter how skilled you are, your qi isnt infinite. What are you trying to say? The Heavenly Demon frowned. When will your qi run out? Her face darkened. Youre blocking the acupoint between your brain and spine, which means that you do everything with your qi: your heartbeats, your breathing, and every other movement. The Guardian had said that it was the same as using Sword Telekinesis all the time. I shook my head. No amount of qi can help you keep doing that forever. Ill ask you again. When will you run out of qi? The woman had said some time ago, Everyone dies someday. Her words had a weight to them, the kind that spoke of wisdom. The only way for humans to learn wisdom was to go through it themselves. ...Really. The Heavenly Demon groaned. Youre a perceptive one. You only have a few days left, right? ...I take it back. Youre too damn perceptive, child. How was the Heavenly Demon Chronicle, this world, going to end? It was a surprisingly simple question if I thought about it. Once your qi is depleted, it will be impossible for the two of you to move, I spected. Youre right. The Heavenly Demon looked up at the sky. From the caves open ceiling, we could see the blizzard raging like the sky had vomited. Our qi will stop circting in one body part after another. The parts that our qi dont reach will rot. First, our toes and fingers will no longer be under our control; next will be our calves and wrists; and then its our knees, shoulders, and waists. Every part of their body would be necrotic, like a building slowly breaking down piece by piece after the power ran out. At some point, the two wouldnt be able to move at all. Our hearts and lungs. The woman pressed her finger against the breast of her ragged suit before touching the top of her head. And our upper dantians. Everything but these three parts will rot. No, our qi leaves them to rot. ...You already know whats going to happen. I shut my eyes. The Shaolin Temples monk held out with us for a year. The Heavenly Demon smiled bitterly. As if he had to prove he was a monk, he passed away in the lotus position. In hisst moment, he didnt look much different from a jiangshi except for his face. Every other body part was ckened because they were all rotting... Hisst word was just, Amitabha. You asked earlier if I am afraid. Yes, I am afraid. The human voice was oftenpared to a birds, but I could guarantee that no animal could imitate the Heavenly Demons voice. Im scared, she whispered, soft as a falling petal. I fear the day my qi and life force will wither away. Blizzards and theck of sunlight scare me. When I go out at dawn, Im afraid that my subordinates, or rather the creatures that were once my subordinates, might have gone missing. With every breath I take, I wonder how many more I have. Each heartbeat makes me question how many more beats I will feel. The Heavenly Demon sighed inmentation. I am afraid that I wont be able to kill the old man and that he might not be able to kill me. The day maye when the old man and I are unable to move in our beds, and it scares me that we would just have to wait for our qi to dry up. It would be a meaningless death. Their struggle to the end would be equally meaningless. When they died and disappeared, they would just leave behind a colorlessndscape painting, marked by nothing but the snow. This was the ending that the Heavenly Demon Chronicle, this world, would meet. The world is truly filled with terrors. Another day passed, marking the Hunter expedition teams eighth day after falling into the apocalyptic book. That also meant two days were left until the world ended. Demon, the Murim Alliance''s leader mumbled in his bed. I cant move anymore. He wasughing and crying at the same time. Im sorry. His whisper signaled that their world wasing to an end. 1. It sounds like he misheard truffle. ? Chapter 68: The Heavenly Demon (3)

Chapter 68: The Heavenly Demon (3)

The Chemist examined the Murim Alliance''s leader. Her expression slowly hardened throughout the examination. She was like a doctor who knew that there was no hope for the patient but was continuing her examination only to say that it wasnt treatable. Im sorry, the Chemist said. Theres nothing I can do about your current condition. The Heavenly Demon silently looked down at the Murim Alliance''s leader. Perhaps she didnt have any hope anyway. She had a nk expression as she opened her mouth. Stand up. Im sorry. That isnt what I want to hear. Stand up, Buwolseon, leader of the Murim Alliance. The Heavenly Demon breathed quietly. It seemed like poison spilled out of her lips every time she opened her mouth. You made a pact with me. You said that you would challenge the Heavenly Demon Cults rule and rebuild the Righteous Factions murim. You even united the Nine Sects, the Beggar Gang, and the Five Prestigious ns to fight against me. After all youve done, you cant die in your bed. You cant do this. Im sorry. Stand up. The scent of poison around the Heavenly Demon grew stronger. Stand up and grab your weapon. You dont need your stupid ax. A wooden sword, a whip, a cane, or a stick. Anything will be fine. Grab it and fight me. Im sorry. I told you to stand up. Demon. The Murim Alliance''s leader sighed; he looked like hed aged a decade in one night. Im sorry Im weaker than you. I tried to hold out for as long as possible, even if it was for only one more day, but its too hard now. You must have noticed that I was already using my vital force. My qi is all gone and now my vital force as well. You might be able to hold out for another year, but...this is it for me. The cave fell silent. Im weaker than you, the Murim Alliance''s leader muttered again. Please kill me. The Heavenly Demons face twisted. I dont want to be like that Shaolin abbot. Please kill me before my body rots and falls apart. If I be a jiangshi, neither my eyes nor my life will be mine, so The scent of poison rolled off of the Heavenly Demon in suffocatingly thick waves. So you want me to kill you on your deathbed? Is that what youre saying now? Her qi made itself known as tongues of ck fire; it smelled of ash and cinderthe smell of the life this small woman had been suffering through. It, too, was thick with venom. Is this how youre going to end the great war you promised me? she demanded, her body radiating death. You should have gathered everyone from my cult and the Righteous Faction and ordered them tomit mass suicide long ago. Why did you endure it all this time? What glory did you seek that made you insist on living until now? The Murim Alliance''s leader couldnt answer. His tears drew streaks across his cheeks. I Namgung Woon. You were born with the Divine Martial Body, so you were both praised and envied by many martial artists from a young age. At the age of twenty, you reached the zenith, and you became the head of the Namgung n before you were even thirties. When the Heavenly Demon Cult dominated murim, you were elected as the leader of the Righteous Faction. The essence of the Righteous Factions values and grudge of all those on the Righteous Path are with you. Yet despite all that, you offer me your head? The Heavenly Demon rose. Alright, Ill kill you. But you wont die peacefully. She disappeared into the cave. Even when she was gone, the air was choked with the acrid stench of fire. The Chemist and the Medicine King were unfamiliar with aura, so they looked particrly pained. A momentter, the Heavenly Demon returned with an ax in her hand. Old man, here is the Jade Ax you cherish. Im sure you havent forgotten it already. Soh Baekhyang... Say it. The Heavenly Demon raised the ax. Murim has forgotten its code of honor, and the code of honor has been lost in murim. Say it. Then Ill kill you like you wish. Saying it would mean the end of the Righteous Factions murim. In other words, the heaven of the Heavenly Demon Cult was telling the Murim Alliance''s leader to acknowledge the fall. Only then would she take his life by cutting off his head using his cherished weapon. Say it. ... Say it already! The Murim Alliance''s leaders lip twitched. He opened his mouth and bared his teeth, but his tongue was still. His mouth opened several times, but his tongue remained lost. I cant. The Murim Alliance''s leaders voice was hoarse. I cant... I cant say it... Again, tears flowed down his cheeks, washing his old, wrinkled skin in anotheryer of tears. It was difficult to distinguish the tears from his skin, as if his flesh was made from tears and he wept with every fiber of his body. I cant say it... Im sorry. Im really sorry, Baekhyang... The Heavenly Demon swung the ax, and yet didnt cut the Murim Alliance''s leaders head. Instead, she struck the ground right next to his head. The solid rock floor of the cave cracked as easily as if it was made out of tofu. She had difficulty lifting a stick, so I could only imagine how much qi she had used to cleave the rock. You said that your life would no longer be yours once you be a jiangshi, the Heavenly Demon muttered. It doesnt matter. Your death wont be yours anyway. What is the difference between a life and a death that isnt yours? I cant tell the difference. Its meaningless. Its all meaningless... She turned her back on him. The world has no meaning. Namgung Woon, the leader of the Murim Alliance and the Righteous Faction, died at dawn the next day. His cause of death was illness. *** Ten days had passed since I fell into the world of the apocalyptic book, meaning that the day this world would end had arrived. ...We received a precious sample, the Chemist said. Theres a limit to analyzing the virus with patients who had already turned into zombies two or three years ago. Thanks to this sample, we were able to observe the progression of the viral infection in real-time. This is huge progress. The Murim Alliance''s leaders body was lying still in front of the Chemist, tightly bound in metal chains. It seems that you dont be a zombie right away when you die... You awaken as a zombie after a little while. I believe it takes time for the virus to spread throughout the brain. Ivepiled the research so far. The Medicine King handed me a file, clicking his tongue. This girl may have a gift for medicine, but she certainly has no talent for exining. None. Tsk, tsk. This is the problem with people who are full of themselves... I tried my best, the Chemist said, ignoring the Medicine Kings criticism, but it was impossible to develop a cure. Was it due to ack of time? I asked. Yes. We need at least ny days. One hundred twenty if possible... The chains shed and creaked. We all turned and saw the Murim Alliance''s leaders corpse thrashing. We stared at the Murim Alliance''s leader for a while in silenceor rather, we looked at what used to be him. It kept throwing around its limbs with its mouth gnashing at the air. The Heavenly Demon approached. Her footsteps were quiet. She was a woman of darkness. Her hair, her training suit, and her eyes were all ck. She even carried a sword that was darker than her shadow. ...Pathetic. The Heavenly Demon looked down at the corpse. The past couldnt have been more meaningless. We instinctively backed away from her. The venom about her was even stronger than yesterday; her qi not only rose, it entirely enveloped her now. In the end, this is what humans are under the mask. Were no different from animals. We eat over and over until we cant move, only to disappear. Murim forgot its code of honor, and the code of honor has been lost in murim. The Heavenly Demon held out her left hand. Eat. The zombie, the Murim Alliance''s leader, bit her hand like an animal. Her flesh was torn, and her bones were crushed. Even as her blood spurted out, she watched with an indifferent gaze. H-hey. The Viper took a step closer, taken aback. W-what are you doing? You might end up bing a zombie too...! Dont go near her. I grabbed the Vipers shoulder. What? Its already over. Its over? What are We heard a wet explosion. The viscous sound made us jerk. We slowly turned our heads. The Heavenly Demon was standing with her left hand in tatters, and the Murim Alliance''s leaders body was missing its head. She had created a qi explosion inside its mouth, obliterating the head. Ha. We could say nothing. Hah. Haha... hahaha. Hahaha! Ha! Ha. Hahahahahaha! It was theughter of true madness. It filled the cave and haunted the sky. The snowstorm was still raging outside the cave, eating away the rest of the world, but herughter reduced it to background noise. Zombie, be careful, the Guardian said quietly. Thats Qi Deviation. The Heavenly Demon turned and smiled at me charmingly, but when she spoke her voice was odd. Ha. I had goosebumps running down my back. You all must be the Righteous Path followers who came to assassinate me. Her eyes were on us, but it wasnt us whom she was talking to. Good. Come at me. Let us cross des. Everyone, run! I shouted. At the same time, the Heavenly Demon swung her sword. The Medicine Kings blood fountained into the air. His death was instanthe couldnt even scream as his head was precisely removed from his neck. The Viper watched his fellow Hunter copse right in front of him and btedly drew his sword. The fuck...! I couldnt even see her sword move. No, I didnt even understand how it happened. The Heavenly Demon swung her sword and the Medicine Kings neck was cut off without a moments gap. This is crazy. The Guardian groaned. Shes surpassed the level of a demon. Its probably because shes pouring out all her qi and vital forceright now, shes in the realm of Life and Death, even if its only temporary. Even if I were to return to life at my prime and fight her, I would lose at least four out of ten fights. This was the Heavenly Demon before she was weakened from a jiangshi bite. She was the strongest martial artist in this world. You abbot of the Shaolin Temple, do you really think you could stop me with such cheap tricks? The same goes for you, you sage of the Wudang Sect. Do you believe you can handle the karma of my cult? The Heavenly Demon approached one slow step at a time. Mount Song is swamped with the worlds overflowing resentment. The burning rage ignited Mount Wudang. The Heavenly Demon Cult is the heaven of the martial arts world, and I am the heaven of my cult. Are you truly qualified to discuss the sky above the sky? Damn it! The Viper raised his sword and charged. Death King! Take the Chemist and run! I was already on it. It was impossible to escape, but I was going to keep running until the end anyway. I wasnt going to sit on my butt and ept this ending and this death as if it were fate. You Righteous Path minions arent going to cut it! The Heavenly Demonsughter chased us. Namgung Woon! We heard swords sh once, twice, and three times. Where is Namgung Woon!? And the sound of swords stopped; the Viper had died after enduring three of the Heavenly Demons attacks. Call the Grand Patriarch of the Namgung n! Bring me the Murim Alliance''s leader! No matter how dense the forests are or how vast the sky is in murim, only one person in this world can take on my sword! You, from the Sima n! Get Namgung Woon in front of me immediately! Herughter was persistent. Every step I ran, theughter traveled ten steps. I was no match for it. When theughter finally caught up to me, the Chemist looked up to me and said, Mr. Death King, I still believe in you. And then something pierced through both of us. The world tilted. I lost my lower body and fell into the snow with only my upper body. We were in the snowfield and out of the cave. The Chemist was a little further away. The area where she fell was particrly red. In a stupor, I thought to myself that it was like shaved ice with strawberry syrup drizzled on it. Ahaha. Hah. Haha! It was snowing. Hahahahaha! Ha, hahahahaha... When it snowed, the earth and sky were indistinguishable. The world was painted entirely in shades of cool, pale white. Someone was moving away from us, leaving footprints in the snowfield. If they had persevered, their footprints would have divided the earth and sky would have seemed divided. However, the endless snowstorm buried those, too. The snowstorm left behind no sound, trace, or smell. The world that had burned its people was going to be buried with them. Once all the ashes of the world were buried, only the colorless, odorless, and soundless snowstorm would remain. The snowfield, eternal. The world reached its end. [You have died.] But that was its end. Its end wasnt mine. [Rewinding twenty four hours.] Lets save your world, I thought. Chapter 69: The World Where the Stars Died (1)

Chapter 69: The World Where the Stars Died (1)

On one winter day, Soh Baekhyang followed her mother through the snow. It was a cloudy day, and in snowfall like this, people were reduced to blurry shadows. In her eyes, her mother was a blurred silhouette as well. Soh Baekhyang spoke up. Mom! She suddenly became afraid due to how loud the snowstorm was. It drowned out her voice. Mom! She could see that her mothers figure was still far away and grew anxious. She had to walk faster to catch up with her mother. However, the more she walked, the more out of breath she became, and the smaller her voice was. What should she do? Should she stop shouting and walk faster? Or should she stop walking and shout with all she had? How could she catch up with her mother? The young Heavenly Demon didnt know. While she was searching for an answer, her mothers shadow got a little further. Mom! In the end, Soh Baekhyang stopped. Mom! When she stopped walking, she could shout louder. She realized that moving had been draining her voice until now. She thought that her mother would now turn and look at her, and that her shadow would be more distinct. Instead, the shadow somehow got further away while Soh Baekhyang had been shouting. Her mothers shadow was soon buried in the snowstorm and became part of the snowfield. Did her mother use the snow as an excuse to abandon her? Or did her mother actually lose her? Soh Baekhyang didntand couldntknow. * * * [You have died.] After a moment, I opened my eyes and found myself in a world of endless darkness. This was my hell. [It has been determined that your death met the requirement for the Skills activation.] [Duplicating Soh Baekhyangs Skills at random.] [Creating Skill Cards.] Cards floated in front of me, but I wasnt interested right now. I let out a heavy breath. Mr. Sword Emperor, did you memorize the file? Somewhat. The Guardian scratched the back of his head. The file was more important. It was theption of the Chemists and the Medicine Kings desperate research. Due to the Heavenly Demons Qi Deviation and the hell she wreaked, I didnt get the time to calmly memorize the file. If webine what you and I memorized, well be able to get a rough picture of the puzzle. We have to go back quickly before we forget... Okay. I nodded. Then lets first choose the Skill quickly. Hmm. The Guardian moved in the air to look at the back of the cards. He recited quite a few Skills. One of the Heavenly Demons Skills caught our eye. Demonic Heaven Arts ss: A+ Effect: The Heavenly Demon Cult curses thews of nature. Instead of stopping at loathing, they created a cult and formed doctrines of their own. The Demonic Heaven Art contains the essence of the doctrines. Those who learn the Demonic Heaven Art can tear apart the heavens and crush Mount Tai! However, they must fullyprehend the hatred and curses contained in the forms of the arts. The greater their hatred of the world, the less the heavens will hold sway over them. The one who masters the Demonic Heaven Arts will soon overthrow the heavens, bing the Heavenly Demon. However, it bes difficult to maintain your rationality when using the Demonic Heaven Arts. It was an incredibly grandiose, arrogant name, but I couldnt deny that it was appropriate. ...This is the martial arts we saw earlier, right? I asked the Guardian. The Heavenly Demon was just that powerful. She had just swung her sword from afar, and the Medicine Kings head had fallen off. The Viper had died after three attacks. Even though I had been confident that I was quite well trained after defeating the Demon King of Autumn Rain, I couldnt even track the trajectory of the Heavenly Demons sword. It was truly a heavenly move. Its typical demonic martial arts. The Guardian frowned. In the end, whether its martial arts or formations, its all a matter of how you approach the world. Approach the world? I asked. Yeah. If you try to embrace the world, you generally belong to the Righteous Faction. Those in a demonic cult tend to rage against it. Thats why the Righteous Faction martial artists make their bodies vessels to ept the world while those in a demonic cult turn themselves into ws to hurt the world... The Guardian unfolded his arms. Ill give you a very simple example. In some sects, a downward sh is called a Tiger Strike because it embodies the spirit of a lunging tiger. The Guardian got into a stance and swung his arms. I flinched. It was only for a moment, but it really felt like a savage beast was lunging at me. Although I sometimes forgot because of how pathetic he acted, the Guardian was the Sword Emperor. He was a warrior who had almost conquered the tower through the strength of his sword alone. Well, it doesnt matter if its a tiger or an ox. The basic forms vary greatly depending on what kind of enlightenment the creator of the martial arts had. Anyway, the important part is to imitate them, even if just a little. To imitate and thereby make something of the world minethat was what the Guardian meant by embracing the world. But the demonic martial arts are different. The Guardian got into the same form as earlier. There are these things a demonic cult says when they teach their disciples their forms. The Guardian stepped forward. Recall how angry you were when a thief stabbed you in the stomach. Space was slit. I involuntarily took a step back, but that was because of the Guardians face. I could only see unfathomably cold anger in his eyes. It was like he was apletely different person. Remember the moment a magistrate of your homnd took away your younger sister. Dont forget how weak you were. You couldnt do anything but wait in front of the government office all night. Recall the look on your younger sisters face when she returned at dawn as a cold corpse. The Guardian performed a sword dance. Even though he wasnt holding a sword, I felt like I could see it in his hand for some reason. His sword was as dark as the world we were standing in. Think about when you buried your younger sisters body by yourself. Was it winter? Wasnt the ground frozen hard so that you couldnt dig? Did you have to w your way into the frozen ground? Didnt your fingernails break and bleed? But you still couldnt get far; you had toy your sisters body in a shallow, scrappy hole. Did you ce her feet first before you piled cold dirt on top of her? You couldnt bear to cover your sisters face until the end. Did you also have to sprinkle dirt on her face one handful at a time? It was suffocating. As the Guardians sword dance continued, this infinite world seemed to shrink down little by little. I even felt a little dizzy. Even though the Guardian was just moving his hands and arms, his resentment made my skin sting. Remember the feeling of that dirt in your hands. Seize the sword like the earth of your sisters grave. Wield the sword as you think about the moment you sprinkled the dirt on your sisters face. Lament how powerless you are, and hate how cruel the world is. I shut my eyes and mumbled, w the world... Yes. When the Guardian lowered his arms, the suffocating feeling finally went away. Its part of their mind art in using their qia method of motivating themselves to push past their limits. Regardless of whether youre a martial artist or a Hunter, the oue of a fight will depend on how well you use qi or aura. Simply put, its a battle of energy. The demonic martial arts users tend to release thicker energy. The Guardian shrugged as if it wasnt that big of a deal. Anyway, you dont need to learn it, Zombie. I quietly looked at the silver-colored Skill Card. You actually dont need to learn any other martial arts. Who am I? Im the Sword Emperor! Youre looking at the best martial artist in the universe. You may not know this, but youre already slowly learning my exquisite martial arts! Compared to mine, the Demonic Heaven whatever is just trash I want to learn it, I blurted. ...Huh? The Guardian blinked. Im going to learn this Demonic Heaven Arts. Uh, uh...uh... The Guardian just blinked over and over. It took about three seconds for him to regain his ability to speak. Why? Because I want to. Compared to my martial arts, this is trash! the Guardian raged. Zombie, did the Heavenly whosits sword show get to your head? Ah, shit. Im gonna crazy. The only reason it was that good was because she burned all her vital force to enter the realm of Life and Death! Its called dopinglife force doping! Zombie, a martial artist should not get high on life force doping! I chuckled. Are you upset that Im trying to learn martial arts from someone other than you? Whaaaaaaat? Dont worry. Of course I know your martial arts are the best in the universe, Mr. Sword Emperor. Im not trying to learn the Demonic Heaven Arts because I dont know that. Hmm... The Guardians nose twitched. It seemed that he felt better after I talked him up a little. This ghost was really easy to handle. Yes, Im the strongest...but then, why are you trying to learn the cults Demonic Heaven Arts? I want to clear this stage perfectly. In other words, I was going to bring this world to the right ending. Lets say the cure is made. Only the Heavenly Demon and the Murim Alliance''s leader can be saved. The other people have been dead for over two years... Theres no way they woulde back to life just because theyre treated. Right? Youre right. The Guardians brows furrowed. Then how would it all end? The Murim Alliance''s leader and the Heavenly Demon be the new Adam and Eve of this brand new world? Mr. Sword Emperor, does that seem like a good ending to you? The Guardian looked like he had eaten a bug. Hed probably just pictured the Heavenly Demon and the Murim Alliance''s leader as a married couple. No, thats not right... Seriously, thats awful. I cannot see the two of them bing a lovey-dovey couple. It makes me sick... Right? I looked in front of me. [Choose a Skill Card.] The cards whirled wildly around me. However, I had already set my eye on one card and lost it. Creating a cure is only the first step to creating a good ending. A great ending really depends on whether the characters in the story are satisfied... I extended my arm and snatched the card. I want to give them a perfectly satisfying ending. [You have chosen a Skill Card.] [Copying the Skill.] It wasnt over, of course. [Your Hunter ss is E.] [Initiating your Skill penalty.] I had to cross the Heavenly Demons nightmare and brave the grudges in her heart. [Recreating your killers trauma.] [The penaltys intensity level is intermediate.] [The penaltys theme is the Preta Realm.] Still, it wasnt the first hell Id crossed, and it wouldnt be thest. I was pretty sure I would get a chance to revisit the hells Id been to. * * * After returning to yesterday, Imitted suicide eight more times to return to the expedition teams first day in the apocalyptic book. ... Its cold! the Viper cried, just like thest time. Facing the cold seeping into their bones, the Chemist and the Medicine King instinctively wrapped their arms around themselves. The snowstorm whistled and hissed. The Chemist had already started sneezing. Achoo! W-why is it so cold? Isnt this murim? Its like the Siberian in... We were back in the snowfield Id be familiar with over thest ten days. However, the other team members panicked. I took the Chemists hand without saying anything. Ah. The Chemist bowed slightly. T-thank you, Mr. Death King. A memory from not too long ago shed across my mind. I still believe in you. The memory of the Chemists upper body discarded on the scarlet-tinted snow made me feel a little nauseous, but I didnt let it show. Its nothing, I quietly told her. Sect Master, please take care of the Medicine King. Okay! the Viper answered. I led the group this time. I saw a glimpse of someones shadow over there just now, I told them. The snowstorm soon subsided and unveiled a forest of shadowsno, corpses. The Viper was bewildered. ...What are these? Why are all of them frozen? They look like zombies. I touched the corpses face. Huh? Zombies? Yeah, look at this. I pointed to a zombies teeth. Their teeth are crusted with some kind of flesh. Its possible that people here dont have the habit of brushing their teeth after eating, but this is a bit too much. Which means they bit something, like an animal... My assertions made the Chemist lean in seriously. She looked inside the corpses mouth. ... Its true. The DNA of the corpse and the flesh in the mouth dont match. Theyre two different people. I-isnt it possible that they ate human flesh? the Medicine King asked, disgusted. You know, people used to perform cannibalism. I dont think theyre necessarily zombies... The date of death doesn''t add up that way. The Chemist adjusted her sses. The corpse died about three years ago while the flesh is two years from today. Thats impossible unless the corpse was alive for one more year. Its hard to imagine, but...yes, I think its a creature like a zombie, like Mr. Death King said. I-I hate those monsters from horror movies! Do something about it! Um... Sir, theres nothing I can help you with there... The Chemist awkwardly scratched her cheek. Okay. I nodded. The expedition team understood the situation much faster thanst time. They wouldnt panic even when the zombies started to move. Humans reactedpletely differently depending on whether or not they could anticipate the oue. Above all, the researchpiled for the past few days was stored in my head. Miss Chemist and Mr. Medicine King. Yes? Huh? I have an interesting Skill, although I cant tell you what that is. ording to the analysis from my Skill... I exined the research part by part. My memory wasnt perfect, so I wasnt able to memorize the entire file, but when the Heavenly Demon had killed me, I had gone back a day, giving me time to recite the file again. The Guardian had also helped. After hearing my exnation, the Chemist was deep in thought. ... Amazing. The research methodology is perfect. I cant find any ws. Its just like I did the research myself...but the terminology ispletely different from mine. Anyhow, its really, really amazing. You have an incredible Skill, Mr. Death King. The Chemist looked at me with admiration, but from my perspective, she was praising herself. I guess that the Chemist considers herself to be a really, really amazing person. Wasnt her confidence the amazing thing in this bleak world? That was what I thought, at least. Hmm. This is gooditll speed up the research, the Medicine King mused. He didnt think too much about the whole situation. Anyway, I want to get away from the zombies. Ugh. It would be nice if there was somewhere warm to stay... ...Hahahaha! Out of nowhere, we heard someoneugh. I couldnt tell who it was thest time, but not this time. Theughter came from an old man who was the Namgung ns Grand Patriarch and also the Murim Alliance''s leader. The Heavenly Demon Cults rule ends today! Hah! Even a dog wouldugh at that. Naturally, I could also hear the Heavenly Demons voice. I walked toward them, making as little noise as possible as I trudged through the snow. The closer I got, the more vividly I remembered the moment the Heavenly Demon had confessed how she truly felt. Im afraid. As long as I am here, the Heavenly Demon Cult will remain the absolute ruler of murim. The world is truly filled with terrors. Buwolseon, its time for you to say goodbye to your meaningless dream of building the Righteous Factions murim. Where is Namgung Woon! Call of the Grand Patriarch of the Namgung n! Bring me the Murim Alliance''s leader! That woman was the strongest in this world, and that was why she survived until the very end. In the most tragic way possible, she was thest person standing. Right now, she was still wearing her confident smile and taking the world head-on. She stood in the snow like a single dot on a nk sheet of paper. "For an old man, you certainly know how to talk. You aren''t strong enough to kill them, and my Blood Demons are on a secret mission, so they''re away right now... Hmm?" I just hoped that the dot would be a line. You are...? The Heavenly Demons eyes widened in disbelief as she beheld me walking toward her. It was an understandable reaction. The Hunters and I were the first living people she had seen in years. Oh... Oh, am I seeing things right now? It moves like a living person... Lady Heavenly Demon. I arrived in front of her and slowly kneeled, ttening the cold snow beneath me. Huh? I didnt know how long it would take, but I was prepared. I came far from outer murim after hearing of your greatness. I have deeply admired you for a long time. You are the greatest martial artist of all time! I shouted. Please ept me as your disciple, Lady Heavenly Demon! The Heavenly Demon stared at me, mouth agape, as if she had seen a ghost. Chapter 70: The World Where Stars Died (2)

Chapter 70: The World Where Stars Died (2)

Its cold, Soh Baekhyang thought. While shey buried in the white snow, the world was colorless, odorless, and soundless. She realized that the world was just a cold, nk sheet of paper. Its cold... It felt cold in her flesh, bones, and blood. My stomach hurts, she thought. Mom? My insides are filled with ice, Mom. Its so cold here. As her mind wandered on and on, her organs gradually froze. The cold soon reached her head where her thoughts were. How long had it been since her mother had left her behind in this world of endless cold? ...Oh. The silence was broken. Strange. How very strange. Then, the smells returned. Its been ten days since it snowed here, and the snow is over five chis[1] deep. How are you still breathing? Finally, the world regained its color. The young Soh Baekhyang looked at an old man standing over her. He had dug through the snowfield, creating noises. When he had grabbed her wrist, his scent had wafted toward her. The eyes the old man peered at her with were ck. You arent ordinary, child. You survived ten days in the cold by eating snow. The old man was a master martial artist from the demonic cult. You were born with the Icesnow Body. The worlds cold is your qi. You possess the Ultimate Yin Body that Ive only heard about in books! Child, what is your name? Soh Baekhyang opened her mouth. I dont know. She couldnt remember her name. How old are you? I dont know. How did you end up buried in the snow? I dont know. The old man kept asking questions, but she couldnt remember anything. It was all cold and frozen. Her thoughts were frozen, freezing her mind where the memories were. The cold got to her heart and turned everything inside into hard ice. You poor thing. Youre young, but you already lost yourself in trance... the old man bemoaned. However, you have the perfect vessel for learning martial arts. If the princess of the North Sea Pce saw you, she would pay a fortune to take you. How lucky! But I wonder what kind of luck it would be. Are you lucky to be in the demonic cult? Or will the cult be lucky to have you? Its very difficult for me to judge because of my old age. Soh Baek-hyang could barely understand what the old man was saying. His words were too difficult. The old man patted her head. Will youe with me, child? Ill feed you and give you a ce to sleep. That was something she could understand. Soh Baekhyang slowly nodded. You have no scent nor name, the old man said. Even your birthce is unclear. It must be because youre born from the snow and have the scent of snow. Ill give you myst name, and I will call you Baekhyang.[2] The scent of snow. From now on, youre Soh Baekhyang, a follower of the demonic cult. After staying silent for a moment, Soh Baekhyang asked, Where will I go? Its a ce where children like you gather. The old martial artist smiled. *** We left the snowfield and were now at the hot spring cave, the shelter of this worldsst survivors. The Heavenly Demon and the Murim Alliance''s leader had been surprised to see other survivors, but they dly weed us as guests. ...Nonsense! the Heavenly Demon said. I never had a single direct disciple in my life. No matter how much a mess the world has be, my rules havent changed. My direct disciple? Ridiculous! Unfortunately, their wee ended at hospitality. It seemed like she had no intention of epting me as her direct disciple. Hey, Demon. Why are you being so petty? The Murim Alliance''s leader sat beside her chewing on a grain pill. I think itsmendable that the children from the outer murim survived. He even traveled across this harsh gangho to learn from you, so he deserves extra praise. Do you really need to be so strict like you were before? Yes, he deserved praise. The Heavenly Demon snorted. Still, the rules for bing master and disciple should be strict! My cult doesnt take in just anybody. Only those children who were abandoned by their parents and the world can join the cult. Tsk, tsk. They always call me and my faction geezers, but theyre even more picky than us when ites to taking in followers. The Murim Alliance''s leader shook his head. Thats what she says, child. Since it turned out like this, why dont you just leave that crude cult wench alone and take me as your teacher? My name is Namgung Woon. Im the Grand Patriarch of the Great Namgung n and leader of the Righteous Faction. If you be my disciple, Ill shower you with grace Why cant you ept me as your disciple, Lady Heavenly Demon? I asked, ignoring the Murim Alliance''s leader. Why...? the Murim Alliance''s leader shouted, shocked. Is my name not known in outer murim...? I pitied him a little, but I had to leave him alone for the time being. The Heavenly Demon frowned. I just told you. Only the children abandoned by the world can join the cult. The world has changed, I said. Because of the mysterious gue, people turned into jiangshi. All of the sects and ns in murim have crumbled. Whether we like it or not, the world has abandoned humans, which means weve all been abandoned by the world. Havent I already met the conditions for joining your cult? The Heavenly Demon pursed her lipprobably because I was right. Above all else... I was a Hunter and an orphan who had abandoned the outside world and entered the Tower. It was a bit embarrassing to say that the world had abandoned me, but I could happily say that I had abandoned the world. That would more than satisfy the Heavenly Demons conditions. ...Alright. The Heavenly Demon stood up. If youre so confident, show me the Three Aspects Sword Arts. She stared down at me. Ill personally decide whether or not youre worthy of receiving my cults teachings. Im pretty sure youre just all talk, though. I also stood up. Thank you for giving me a chance. I exhaled deeply and drew my holy sword. The sound of my sword leaving its sheath echoed through the wide cave. The Heavenly Demon and the others were watching me, quietly waiting for me to demonstrate some kind of swordy. Of course, I had no intention of performing the Three Aspects Sword Arts. [Activating the Skill Demonic Heaven Arts.] I had acquired the Skill for this moment. When the Skill was activated, I could envision countless movements in my head, each an exquisite and intricate trajectory. However, watching a road in front of me and driving on that road were two different matters. I hadnt fullyprehended the Demonic Heaven Arts yet, so if I tried to use it right now, I would end up tripping over my own feet. If Im going to be broken, I should do it right. Therefore, I reached for all the traumas I had watched so far. As I climbed the Tower, I heard screams which always stayed as raw and vivid as if I were hearing them right now. I pictured them one by one and dyed my heart with the screams in my mind. I began to swing my sword as the arts told me. Save me. Save me, please... Im so hungry... Food... Please give me food... Anything... I remembered the voices of the children who had been trapped and tortured in the basement of a mansion. I dont want to die. The children had been chained, so when the mansion had caught fire, they couldnt escape. The fire was right before their eyes, but their only choice was to burn. I still wanted to y a little longer... I held the childrens screams in my heart as I swung my sword. D-Demon! That swordy... I could faintly hear the Murim Alliance''s leader panicking nearby, but I ignored it. What I needed to hold in my heart right now wasnt his voice. I slowly swung my sword one stroke at a time, remembering what I had to recall. Burn it! Burn down the witchs nest! I remembered Preta, who tried to save the sick from the outskirts of a certain continent. Why...? All of you are human. Her eyes had oozed ck fluid as she had watched the small vige burn to the ground. In the paradise she had built, humans had burned and been burned. The sight had been etched into her eyes. Why would you call them monsters? Did you burn them because they were? They also knew the beauty of life and how to shed tears. Was it not enough? Is that why you called them monsters and burned them without a second thought? Are you the only ones who are humans? I held Pretas scream in my heart. I moved my sword faster and faster, performing the forms of the Demonic Heaven Arts I had gained by dying. The traumas imnted in me through my deaths became my drive. I sometimes felt like I would lose my way on the road, but I drew up my aura each time to continue the forms. Look at you, you little rascal... the Guardian murmured. He had said that the demonic martial arts were made to w at the world. However, I began to think a little differently as I practiced the Demonic Heaven Arts. It was closer to a scream or a cry, rather than a w. Wow. My sword continued on and on until it finally became a dance. Now that I look at you, you wouldve definitely joined a demonic cult if you were born in murim. My sword dance wasnt beautiful at all. It was crude and clumsy. It didnt smell anything like flowers, it gave off the smell of fire. If swordy was a person, my swordy would be screaming from the burn. The principle of yin and yang may be marvelous, but the world born from it only held sorrow. Even though the lines of the Four Books and Three ssics contained insightful wisdom, they couldnt end a single scream. A swordy that contained the worlds sorrow was sharper than the sword that moved based on the principle of yin and yang. A swing that followed a single scream was stronger than a swordy based on exquisite principles. The deeper the sorrow and the louder the scream, the stronger the sword would be. That was why we were strong. The survival of the strongest was the Heavenly Demon Cults doctrine. Say it. Murim forgot its code of honor, and its code of honor has been lost in murim. Say it. Then Ill kill you as you wish. The Heavenly Demon was the highest heaven of her cult. She knew all about her followers screams, and knew how to release them through her sword. Each movement of her sword would scream at the world as proof that people cried out somewhere in this world. The world has no meaning. Thesest decades couldnt have been more meaningless. Even the highest heaven, the Heavenly Demon, had screamed at thest moment. Hahaha! Ha! Ha. Hahahahahaha! She had gone mad and burst intoughter. Holding herughter in my heart, I swung my sword. ...Stop. I continued. Stop it. I kept going with my sword. I told you to stop! My sword stopped. Not because I stopped, but because the Heavenly Demon was blocking my sword using a wooden stick that rippled with dark qi. You... How do you know my cults ultimate arts? Her pitch ck eyes bored into me. You cant fool my eyes! Your forms were messy and crude, but you were unmistakably using the Demonic Heaven Arts. Only demons can learn the arts, but Ive never seen you before. Speak. How do you know it! Only then did I realize that I was more out of breath than I had thought. I was soaked in sweat, and the holy sword felt as heavy as a rock in my right hand. I looked around and saw the Murim Alliance''s leader and the Hunters watching me with bated breaths. From the hole in the caves ceiling, I could see the starlight pouring down. Perhaps it had been much longer than I had thought. I opened my mouth with difficulty. Am I... Am I qualified? Am I qualified to be your disciple, Lady Heavenly Demon? The Heavenly Demon was silent for a long moment. Eventually, she turned and walked deep into the cave. It was obviously a rejection, so no one even considered following her. If I had just a little more energy, I might have gone after her... M-Mr. Death King? My legs gave out. Mr. Death King! Are you okay, Mr. Death King? My mind hazy, I thought to myself that I had used too much aura at once. I would probably be out all night once I lost consciousness. I tried to smile reassuringly at the Chemist, but even that was difficult. The world around me already felt dark. Tsk, tsk. Just before I passed out, I heard the Guardians voice. Of course youre half dead when you use martial arts way above your level, little sparrow. This is why I always say that people need to be solid with the basics first. The Guardian sighed. But, well...you werent too bad, kid. You did well. And then I fainted. 1. A traditional Chinese unit of measurement. About 1/3m. ? 2. The raw is ??(). means snow white. means scent. ? Chapter 71: The World Where the Stars Died (3)

Chapter 71: The World Where the Stars Died (3)

In her eleventh winter, Soh Baekhyang entered the demonic cult. No one will force you to do anything, Baekhyang. The old man brought her to the demonic cults headquarters. It was like heaven. She was served food morning and night even if she did nothing. A warm bed was provided, and there was no magistrate who whipped people. Eat, sleep, or y when you want to. Baekhyang, just live however you like. Soh Baekhyang couldnt believe her ears. Perhaps this was the paradise she had heard of in the legends. The adults here are all kind! The children of her age smiled heartily. They dont make us do anything. Are they going to make us ves? Idiot! Its been a year since I came here but nothing like that happened. There were many, many other orphans in paradiseover two thousand at least. More children entered the cult every day. One day during a certain famine, dozens of children arrived on the same day. Soh Baekhyang couldnt believe how many orphans there were in this world. ...How did you guys get here? The children stared at her in silence for a moment. And then they all spoke at once. They said that the harvest was so bad! My mom worked in a brothel... I dont want to talk about it. Why should I tell you? Thieves with knives went around the vige at night! The vigers suddenly got sick. I ran away because they kept beating me. Hunger, work, illegitimate birth, thieves, gues, abuse... Poison flowed out every time the children opened their mouths. It made Soh Baekhyang dizzy. The poison that had been distilled by hunger was bitter. The stinging poison was from the grudge that started from demeaning work. An illegitimate child carried sharp poison. The thieves stabbing left behind cold poison. The gues created nasty poison. The poison brewed from abuse and beatings was rotten. Are you... Soh Baekhyang cautiously asked. Why was the world filled with all sorts of poison? All of the bitterness, pain, sharpness, coldness, nastiness, and rottenness of the world seemed to have gathered here. Then what was this ce? There was no way this ce could be a paradise. Are you guys happy now? Do you feel okay? Soh Baekhyang thought about the story about the jar of gu poison. A toad, a viper, a poisonous spider, a centipede, a fire ant, a wasp... All kinds of poisonous creatures were put into the jar and sealed. The poisonous snake would bite the toad, who had already devoured the poisonous spider. The poisonous insects would eat each other, over and over, until only one survived. All of that was to create one extreme poison. Yes! The children beamed. I can eat every day. I dont have to fill in for Mom. Im always okay. Yes. There are no thieves here. The doctor treats me when Im sick. No one hits me, so its good. A toad, a viper, a poisonous spider, a centipede, a fire ant, and a wasp. The children of her ageughed, but they just looked like poisonous creatures in her eyes. Yes, this ce wasnt a paradise. It was just a jar to refine gu poison. Soh Baekhyang quietly ced her hand on her chest. It was cold and couldnt be warmed by the porridge she had in the morning, the soup she had in the evening, or a thick nket. Unmeltable ice was embedded in the center of her chest, where her heart was. In her heart, her mother was leaving and it was snowing. Her mother didnt stop, so the snow kept on falling. From that day onward, Soh Baekhyang didnt hang out with her peers. Eat when you want to. Every morning and evening, she ate less of the provided food. Sleep when you want to. She went to bed early and woke up even earlier. y when you want to. While the children were running around the hill ying, neutralizing their poison with theirughter, Soh Baekhyang didnt hang out with them. The children talked among themselves. Baekhyang is strange... She always ys with farmers all of the time! Shes weird. Yeah, she doesnt even eaton purpose. Why does she hang out with the farmers? I dont know. Soh Baekhyang ignored them. Just live however you want to live. After some time, the old man who had brought her here came to visit her. It had been quite a long time since then, but the old master martial artist of the demonic cult looked no different than he had on that winter day. Its been a long time, Baekhyang. Yes, it has been. Baekhyang nodded. I came because I have a question. The old man tapped the ground with his cane. I heard that you dont y with your peers. Yes. You also help the farmers so you can grow and harvest your own food. I do. All of your clothes and your nkets are also made by you. Yes, I made them. Why? The old man tilted his head. This is a paradise where the adults will farm and pick fruits for you. It isnt extravagant, but you can live in abundance. And youre just a child, so why do you volunteer to work? Mister Mo, who used to farm at the foot of the mountain, lost two daughters to a magistrate. Hmm? Mister Choi works in the orchard, but he and his second son were called to build the castle walls. The work killed his second son. He felt like that was wrong, so he reported it to the government office. But his first son ended up dead after the questioning. After burying his two sons in his hometown, he and his wife joined this ce. One by one, Soh Baekhyang told him all of the stories she had heard. All of the farmers who brought their crops to the orphans were victims of the worlds cruelty. None of their stories was fairnot a single one. After reciting all of the farmers stories, Soh Baekhyang said, This isnt a paradise. They dont feed and clothe us for free because theyre fools. Then why do you think you can eat and sleep for free? the old man asked. They want me and the children to take revenge for them. Theyll never forgive the magistrates and local governors who ruined their lives without reason, but they dont have the power, Soh Baekhyang said. I heard that you have to practice martial arts from a very young age to flourish in the field. Those farmers who feed and clothe us are already too old and dont have the potential to be great martial artists anymore. But they can farm for the children who can. We arent eating and sleeping for free. Were here to take revenge on the world on their behalf. From the beginning, this paradise had always been the demonic cults headquarters, and that had never changed. After a long silence, the old man said, Baekhyang. Yes. Do you have something to say to the world? Soh Baekhyang nodded. I do. The cold. The snowstorm on that winter day. The mother who had crossed the snowfield and made her child follow her. The mother who had hurried her steps despite hearing her childs cries. The child who was left behind. The coldness in her heart. The hunger. The child who had been born in a brothel. The child who had lost his family to thieves. The child whose home vanished in a gue. The child who was abused and beaten. Their poison. There are a lot of things I have to say. A lot. The world was vast, and Soh Baekhyang had a million things to say to the world. The old man closed his eyes. Is that so? ...I guess you would. It was quiet. Then the world will have to listen to you. The old man opened his eyes. I am the Demonic Buddha, one of the cults Seven Elders. Is there a Buddha in hell? If there isnt one in hell, what use would a Buddha be? Even though Soh Baekhyang called this ce hell, the old man didnt scold her. He actually responded as if that was the truth. Only then did Soh Baekhyang realize that her answer was right. Baekhyang, youve passed the cults inner entrance trial. Your poison hasnt been nullified even with the abundant food andfortable bed, so your poison will undoubtedly be clear. Call me Teacher. Ill be your teacher from now on. Teacher. From now on, your sword will howl in ce of countless peoples screams. The old man held up his cane and ced it on the young Heavenly Demons shoulder. Give me your Nine Bows, my disciple. On that day, Soh Baekhyang officially entered the cult at the age of thirteen. *** Get up. A whisper woke me up early at dawn. When I opened my eyes, the Heavenly Demons face was right in front of mine. Get up already. She stared down at me. She was so close that I could clearly see her eyshes opening and closing like ck curtains whenever she blinked. Uhm, Lady Heavenly Demon. My mouth felt dry, maybe because I had just woken up. If you stay there, I cant get up even if I want to. I might hit your head. Hmm. Judging from how you wag your tongue smooth like silk as soon as you wake up, I guess youre fine. The Heavenly Demon straightened. Go into the hot spring and take a bath. Cleanse your body and mind. Pardon? Ill wait at the entrance of the cave. The Heavenly Demon quickly turned around and walked away. Before I could say anything, the Heavenly Demons small figure disappeared. All that was left in the cave were me, who was standing nkly, and the deeply asleep Hunters. It looked like they had spent all night studying the virus. Tools were scattered around the Chemist and the Medicine King. The Vipers arms were crossed, and he was smiling from ear to ear as if he was having a good dream. What kind of dream could they have that made them sleep so soundly? I opened up their character windows. State of mind: Yes, I''m right. Why in the world do I have to exin something this easy? You won''t understand even if I did. Anyway, since I''m right, just do as I say. Gosh, Im seriously going to go crazy. You foolish water fleas... N-no, people, that isnt what I was trying to say... If you have a brainno, give it a little more thought. You should be able to figure out something this simple right away, so why can''t you understand it? I-I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I''m sorry... State of mind: This is my 100th victory against you, Marcus... I''ve also won my 999999th victory over that little Chemist girl or whatever shes called. Is there truly no one who can stop my rampage? I, Shawn McCallister, became thest man standing in the saddest way... State of mind: Mwahahahehehehe! Bwahahahahahehehehehehe! I shouldn''t wake them up, I thought. I had an especially strong feeling that I shouldnt go anywhere near the Viper, to whom the third character window belonged. I quietly washed myself and left the cave. Shiny and the Guardian made no sound the whole time. The white sky, softly lit by the rising sun andced by the winds, watched over us. * * * I found the Heavenly Demon standing in the middle of the endless snow. She scanned me from head to toe, arms crossed. Did you scrub everyst corner? Yes. I cleaned myself to the heart, so I feel very clean. I hate smooth talkers. The Heavenly Demons brows furrowed. And youre a very smooth one. Your tongue is like a snake. A cunning one. I see more of a conman in you than a promising young man, so Im worried. Huh? Was I? I never really felt like I had any talent for talking, but even the ck Witch, the Rank 2 Hunter, would alwaysment that I was a smooth talker. Had I been born with a talent that I wasnt aware of? As I let myself lose in such thoughts, the Heavenly Demons frown deepened even more, as if something was upsetting her even more, so I pulled up her character window. State of mind: His tongue is sly, but his face is truly naive. Hed make a perfect leader of the Xia Wu Sect[1]. What was the Xia Wu Sect? Follow me. The Heavenly Demon gestured at me. I followed her through the snowfield. While we crossed the snowfield, she said, You have to pass numerous trials to be part of the demonic cult. Although youve proven your qualifications, that doesnt mean youve passed all of the trials. The first trial of my cult is Its the Trial of Comfort, yes? I might have been mistaken, but it looked like the Heavenly Demon had lost her bnce for a moment. The cult provides food, clothes, and shelter for free to those in the trial. The children who settle there are called the outer family and are raised as farmers, craftsmen, and messengers, I continued. They were in charge of the cults mundane affairs. But if they pass the Trial of Comfort, their role changes. Theyre recognized as the disciples of the inner family. Only then do they officially be part of the cult. Theyre the only ones who get to learn the demonic martial arts. At that time, they say that they have finally entered the demonic cult. ...How do you know that? the Heavenly Demon asked in disbelief. I couldnt say that she had killed mest time and that I had seen her trauma. Therefore, I just smiled. I know a lot of things. Ahhhh. The heavens are truly heartless! They brought you, a Xia-Wu-looking bum, at the end of my fate. Am I really supposed to ept you as my disciple? She sighed. Yeah, you really are like those bums from the Xia Wu Sect, Zombie! The Guardian stood beside her and nodded. I guess the Heavenly Demon has to have a good eye for people. What are you talking about...? If you were really a bum, I wouldnt give a damn about you. But when you do something, you somehow insist on trying to do it right, so its hard to ignore you. Thats why youre the worst! Was that apliment or an insult? It was better to assume it was apliment when it was unclear. In this dreary generation,pliments became rare, so at least I should interpret other peoples words with a kind heart. That still applied even if the words were from a ghost who was always entric and pessimistic like the Guardian. This is exactly why Im calling you a bum, you zomsparrow! I really had no idea what he was saying. ...This will do, the Heavenly Demon murmured. She led me to a huge pit. The floor was as dark as midnight because the light of dawn couldnt reach into its depths. Rejoice. The Heavenly Demon turned around and looked at me. I shall ept you as my direct disciple. The Heavenly Demon Cult is the heaven of murim, and heaven doesnt reject a follower as long as you are qualified. Ah! Then However, I cant officially ept you as my disciple yet. Eh. Lady Heavenly Demon, thats unfair! I came all the way from outer murim to be your disciple, and Ive also shown you that Im qualified. But now youre telling me that Im not good enough to officially be your disciple? What is this!? ... First of all, I find all of your ims very suspicious. The Heavenly Demon stared at me. I question whether you actually came from the outer murim. Im not sure if your admiration is real. Based on my intuition, it all feels like a lie...but your nature doesnt seem too evil, so I havent done anything to you. Why was this martial artist so perceptive? Honestly, its odd because you also seem kind by nature. Yes, youre truly strange. Its hard to tell right now whether youre lucky to meet me or vice versa. ... What is the trial? The Heavenly Demon pointed to the bottom of the pit. Ive thrown a jiangshi soldier down there. He used to be a promising member of my cult and a Peak-Tier master quite renowned in gangho. Defeat that jiangshi. Then Ill ept you as my disciple. But... She crossed her arms. ...feel hunger while you fight. What? I meant that literally. Fight the jiangshi soldier, but you should only feel hunger and the pain of hunger. No other emotions or thoughts should be on your mind, the Heavenly Demon intoned. Can you do it? I realized then that she already considered me her disciple. All of her talk about how I wasnt officially part of her cult or her disciple was hollowin her mind, I was already her disciple and the inheritor of her cults teachings, including the Demonic Heaven Arts. Every movement of your sword must be driven by hunger, the Heavenly Demon said. Recall everything about the hungry. Their voices, their painful moans, and how their arms and feet move. Engrave them in your heart, and make them your drive. Through this, you shall swing your sword with just hunger. Only then can you use the Demonic Heaven Arts with its full power. I looked down at the pit. A zombie was howling at the bottom of the hellish-looking pit. It was wearing a ck training suit that was old and worn but definitely the uniform of the Heavenly Demon Cult. I could say that the zombie was my senior brother. I slowly opened my mouth. What happens... What happens if I can swing my sword with only hunger? You can cut down someone who has never starved in one strike. Half of the martial artists of the Righteous Faction will be reduced to corpses in one strike, the Heavenly Demon calmly stated. These forms are created to w the world. Learn Starvation Death first. Next will be Thirst Death. Youll learn to swing your sword based only on thirst and be able to y those who have never withered in one blow. After that, itll be Drowning Death. Youll learn all of the Nine Sword Forms, and theyll show you the paths that can cover the world. My heart pounded. I squeezed my swords hilt. That is quite tempting. The Heavenly Demon smirked. It may have been the only time I had seen her smile. She probably liked my fighting spirit. Then why are you hesitating? Hurry up and dive into hell, she said. I jumped into the zombie pit. 1. The Xia Wu Sect is an organization of criminals. The Heavenly Demon is saying that Gong-Ja would make a great criminal. ? The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 72: The Death Gleaner (1)

Chapter 72: The Death Gleaner (1)

What was thest word that came to a persons mind when you thought about zombies? It was a strange question, but zombies dominated this worldand I suddenly had to learn martial arts by fighting a zombie, so I couldnt help but think about zombies. That was how I realized what thest word was. It was Palm Wind. The zombie in the ck training suit held its hands together for a moment and then shot Palm Wind at me. I wasnt joking. The zombiewho used to be a martial artist before its deathactually screamed and shot Palm Wind at me. Shit... I cursed. Its Palm Wind easily tossed me into the air like so much chaff. Just that was enough to leave my mind whirling. Unfortunately, the zombie wasnt done. The zombie kicked off the ground using a unique foot art, executed with obvious proficiency. It soared into the air as if it were filled with helium and instantly flew right to me. It was crazy. Hey! Wait, wait. This isnt right! I hastily swung my holy sword. Before I could cut down the zombie, the Heavenly Demons voice stopped me. Dont! Dont swing your sword indiscriminately. She was watching me fight from above the pit. I told you to think about the hunger and the pain of those who starved to death. Ruminate on what it is like to be hungry. If you just swing your sword, the Demonic Heaven Arts is just an empty shell. B-but! The zombies maw yawned right in front of me. I barely managed to twist my torso to avoid the zombies bite. I couldnt properly break my fall and ended up rolling on the ground. Angry that I had evaded its attack, the zombie roared and charged again. Im not really hungry right now! You fool! the Heavenly Demon shouted, frustrated. Can you not picture the color red just because its not in front of you? How can you not recall what it feels like to be hungry just because you arent hungry right now? Even while the Heavenly Demon was berating me, the zombie continued to swing its ws. If those ws touched me even once, it was over. I would be infected with the zombie virus and truly be Kim Zombie. The zombie savagely battered at my sword with its ws. I only managed to block the attack, never mind strike back. I felt like I was going to die. If you cant remember it, thats because you arent used to the feeling of hunger. Youre basically a pig. Those who learn the Demonic Heaven Arts should be able to recall the feeling at will! The feeling of hunger. The memory of hunger. Remember the time you were hungry the longest. Dwell in that moment. Where were you? What did you want to eat the most? How long were you hungry! The longest time Ive been hungry was three to four days... I answered. The Heavenly Demon was dumbstruck. What? Three to four days? Youre saying that the longest youve ever starved in your life was just around three days? Thats impossible. The world has beenwless for a long time, and famine was rampant every season. How could you have starved for only three days? What were you, the son of a major noble? O-outer murim was more prosperous than the Central ins... The Tower was naturally more abundant in resources than murim, the world of martial artists. After all, the Tower was a ce of modern civilization; quite a few Hunters probably hadnt starved for more than two days. Theres just no talking with you. Hunger is the most urgent pain that you feel every day. No one can avoid the pain, so they live to lessen their hunger. The emperors hunger and that of themoners are no different from one another. If you dont even know this, how will you learn the Demonic Heaven Arts? I-I lived hungry for quite a long time. I spent over ten years as a ss F Hunter! I used to count how many pieces of rice cake go into one serving in tteokbokki shops at the Tower. And I only bought tteokbokki at stores that gave me four more pieces! Forget it. The Heavenly Demon turned her back on me. Its my fault! I had hopes for you for a moment, but youre all talk. The pit I was in was deep, so the Heavenly Demon quickly disappeared from my sight. Lady Heavenly Demon! I shouted, barely fending off the zombies teeth and ws. I got no answer. Lady Heavenly Demon? Once again, there was no answer. The Heavenly Demon never backtracked. Please wait a minute! For gods sake! Its not like feeling full is going to kill me! Its absurd that I cant learn the arts because of that! I screamed. The Palm Wind zombie opened its mouth wide. Ah, fu [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] ck! I returned to yesterday and stomped my feet. Before my return, I had seen the Palm Wind zombies Skill Card, experienced his trauma, and received the Towers certification that my ego was intact. But none of that mattered right now. Still, Ive lived through a lot of hardship! I fumed. Anger andpetitiveness filled my heart with fires of red and blue. Actually, they werent just firethey were an inferno. Wow. The Guardian leisurely floated around me. She uses very traditional methods to teach you. Well, shes teaching you her one and only ultimate art, so thats the right choice. Zombie, when someone tries to weasel out of everything, they be a weasel like you... So this is how shes going to do it! I ignored the Guardian and left the hot spring cave. Does she think Id be scared and surrender if she treated me like that? Not at all. I was burned to death before! From head to toe! Theres no way I would be scared to die of starvation. Uh... The Guardian looked flustered, which was rare for him. Zombie...? Whats wrong? Hey, just learn the sword from me instead of that Heavenly Demon woman. As a teacher, Id be much more gen If she tells me to starve, Ill starve! Oh, boy. Hes blown his top. Ah, he really can''t see anything when he gets like this. Damn, thats weeks down the drain, the Guardian muttered. From that day onward, I began my hellish journey. After lying to the Hunters that I was going to find the items needed to clear this stage, I left alone and went as far as I could from the hot spring cave. Then I cooped myself up deep in a snowy mountain and did nothing. The Guardian looked at me with cold, lifeless eyes. He knew what I was trying to do. You nutjob... Youre just going to stay here until you starve to death, arent you? I nodded. Yes, I am. God. Everyone else should know how crazy you are. Pheww! Im the only one who knows. I would give anything to not be a ghost, the Guardianmented. He was noisy. Zombieno, Gong-Ja, please, Im begging you. I dont care if youre so pissed off that you dedicate yourself to your training, but why are you making me suffer too? I have to sit here and watch you the entire time. Ah, youre so noisy. Let me ask you something: how many days do you n on holding out here? I was in a small cave somewhere on the mountain. It was different from the cave where the Heavenly Demon and the others stayed. Obviously, there were no hot springs or grain pills; it was just a cold, dark cave. I dont know. Ill have to start with 112 days. What? I saw it in the Heavenly Demons trauma. One time, she didnt eat anything for 111 days and only held out by performing Qi Alignment. So Im going to endure 112 days at least. What kind of fucking hippy-ass horseshit are you ta... The Guardian cursed at me for about a minute. But no matter what he told me, it wouldnt affect me, so it was meaningless. Besides, I was already in the lotus position. He then tried to persuade me. Perhaps he thought that swearing wasnt going to get him anywhere. You cantst more than a hundred days even if you try! the Guardian shouted. Look at the weather right now. Its cold! Its damn cold! If you dont cover yourself with aura, youll freeze to death. How are you going to use it for one hundred days straight? However hard you try, youll only be able tost twenty days at most. Besides, Gong-Ja, fasting for more than one hundred days isnt just about starvation. You havent starved like that, have you? If not, then you have no idea. Have you done it before? Yeah, I know because I did fasting training like the monks back in the day. For a few days, I felt hungry and thought I was gonna pass out, but you cant feel anything after that. That isnt starving. Its just mental training. Mental training! Theres the answer, I nonchntly said. Ill starve until the fifteenth day and then repeat it. The Guardian opened and closed his mouth several times. What? I wont eat anything for 15 daysthats when Ill be the most hungry. After that, Illmit suicide and stay on the 15th day. Thatll keep me hungry. I looked at the Guardian. Ill repeat it until 112 days pass. Hows that? I wont run out of aura, and Ill still feel hungry. Its the perfect solution. ...You crazy motherfucker... The Guardians jaw dropped to the ground. Just learn from me... Dont take that weird cult leader as your teacher. I told you my martial arts are better. If you need a teacher, learn from me. What in the world is driving you to this madness! Im going to learn the Demonic Heaven Arts perfectly. A fire was burning in my heart. Do you know why the Heavenly Demon fell into despair and this world, the Heavenly Demon Chronicle, ended? Its all because she felt like there was no point in surviving anymore. When the Murim Alliance''s leader had been confined to his deathbed, the Heavenly Demon had muttered to herself, The world has no meaning. That was it. If a world was considered a novel, her muttered words would be thest line written on thest page. All of the characters many lines of dialogue meant nothing. How they moved, where they went, or what they felt had no meaning. It was all pointless even if hundreds or even thousands of sentences were used. At that point, the novel and the world was dead. The novel was as good as nk paper, and the world was doomed. That must have been what the Indoor Librarian meant when he spoke about discontinued serialization. I didn''t want this world to end like that. That wasnt how I wanted the story of the Heavenly Demon to end. I looked outside the cave at the endless expanse of snow. ...Its easy to live like the Fire Emperor. Since I have a killer skill, Id have no problem convincing myself that Im the best. When I win, its because of my skills. Other people do worse than me because theyre idiots, and I dont need to worry about idiots. I can just pick the stages that are easy for me to clear. Whatever happens, I sneer and stay cynical... I trailed off. I circted my aura throughout my body and began my fast. It sounds cool. It does. Although cynicism isnt childish, people who live cynically are childish. I starved. Idealism might look cheesy, but people who try to live ideally arent. I didnt eat for a day. Im also human, so I have to live. I starved for two days. Then the answer to how I should live is obvious. I fasted for three days. And on, and on. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 73: The Death Gleaner (2)

Chapter 73: The Death Gleaner (2)

Hunger. What was hunger? It had been a week since I had started fasting. The first and the second days were the most painful. After three days, it felt less painful. My organs and my mind slowed down, and my life faded a little. If I were topare it to a river, its flow weakened and it dried up like it did during a drought. Was hunger about enduring until the river of pain, thought, and life dried up and disappeared? Was this the kind of training that the Heavenly Demon wanted me to do? ... No, it isnt like this, I muttered quietly. I uncrossed my legs. Sitting here doing nothing is a waste of time. I drew my sword, and, picturing the sword paths of the Demonic Heaven Arts, I blindly guided my sword. What are you doing? the Guardian asked. Im exercising." It was winter, so my breaths were icy. Because I had been drinking melted snow for seven days, my breaths were like snowkes. I was wrong. I was so, so stupid... The hunger that the Heavenly Demon is talking about isnt just about ack of food, so fasting in the lotus position is definitely not the answer. It had been a week since Ist moved, so I was quickly out of breath. My limbs trembled, and my lungs screamed for more air. Hunger is about not being able to eat even when you want to." My sword dance was crude, but it still made me sweat. It was different from the time I had been sitting in silence. I felt more alive. The amount I sweated fed the river of my life. Ive been thinking about a hungry farmer for the past week. What was hunger? No farmer wouldnt go out to work because theyre hungry. It doesnt matter if hes hungry or hasnt eaten, he has to work, but he still doesnt have anything to eat. I thought that was what hunger was. He swings his hoe to plow the ground, but the weather is bad this year. Its going to be a bad harvest. No matter what he does, the ground yields nothing. Not a single thing. I swung my sword. Theres nothing he can do... And I closed my eyes and thought of the parched, barren ground. ... That is why hes hungry. A farmer mmed his hoe into the barrennd. The ground cracked like crumbly old cookies. Its already been over half a year since itst rained. The reservoir was empty, and the vige well was also dry. There wasnt a single drop of water on his farm. At noon, an old man came out and silently sat at the vige entrance. Not a trace of water could be found in his wrinkled face either. It''s a drought. The sun was hot. Some vigers had already abandoned their farms. Since they had given up their work, they had fewer reasons to not abandon their homes. Many vigers had taken their children and headed to the sea. But this farmer hasnt given up. Why? He doesnt think its going to be any different at the sea because he doesnt know how to fish. People have to make a living on what they can steal, but he only learned how to steal from thend, just like his father, his fathers father, and so on... The farmer went out to his farm day after day. He wouldnt get anything, but still, he worked the farm. In the evening, he climbed up the mountain behind the vige and peeled rtively edible tree bark. But there isnt much of the bark left now. The other vigers had peeled most of it off. Aftering down the mountain, he looked back at the trees on the mountain. They werepletely naked and white. It looked like a birch forest from a distance. Hunger turned the world white. Its been over a week since hed eaten even tree bark. The farmer struck the barren ground with his hoe, and I swung my sword. .. But he cant eat the bark he collected. He had a family. So whats he going to do? the Guardian asked as my sword swung in time with the hoe. He heads to the vige well first. He managed to scrape up a bucket of water from the puddle at the bottom of the well. Using that water, he boils the bark and adds small leaves and such... He has to do it. The leaves smelled fresh, and the scent of the tree bark was dry. Together with the rising steam, they made his mouth water. Im hungry. I swallowed my drool too. I want to eat. The farmer wanted to take a bite of the tree bark boiling in the water. The bark held the scent of water and leaves, so he felt like it was going to be sweet. If he sank his teeth into it, it would gush rich broth into his mouth. The brown tree bark smelled like the earth; it was edible soil. He held himself back since he had to give it to his children... It was all he could give. However, his children whined and cried because they hated the bark their father had brought. Theyined as they ate. In the end, one of the children tossed his bowl away. The farmer pped the child on the cheek without thinking. My swordshed out like his hand. It wasnt right. The farmer turned away from his children. This wasnt him. He wasnt the type of person who would hit his children. He really wasnt. It was just because of how severe this famine was. It had been too long since he had proper food, so he was on edge. Too on edge... His life didnt used to be like this. The farmer went out to pick bark again. What was hunger? Famine had been around since the dawn of time, bringing hunger. At every famine, another farmer was created. Feel hunger while you fight. Every movement of your sword must be driven by hunger. Could hunger have movements? Yes, it could. Their voices, their pained moans, and how their arms and feet move. Recall everything about the hungry. It was how the farmer pped his own child on the cheek. It was how he stormed out and threw away the boiled tree bark in the yard. It was how the farmer returned and handed his children the new bark covered in soil. Engrave them in your heart. Since the dawn of time, some farmers would have hit their children and then caressed their childrens cheeks, whispering apologies. Other farmers might have ended up beating their children. Some farmers survived until the next year, but there were also those who died with their children. That was how it had been and how it always would be. Make them your drive. Every move they made was hungry. Through this, you shall swing your sword with just hunger. To swing my sword, I used the farmers angry, bitter p. I cut through the air like how the farmer threw the bark, the life, on the ground. I spun and shed the air like how the farmer returned and handed the new bark to his children. Only then can you use the Demonic Heaven Arts with its full power. Demonic Heaven Arts, First Form: Starvation Death. I slowly opened my eyes. The white snow of the day had already turned pitch ck with the arrival of the night. When I noticed that it was the middle of the night, I also realized that I was drenched in sweatand I was starving. I was so insanely hungry that I felt like someone was eating away my inside. Perhaps hunger was like a teethed insect that chewed away my organs. This is hunger. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om It hurt. The demonic martial arts were created to w the world. The walls of this cave were covered in w marks. Had a storm blown in? No, they were strokes of my sword, clearly engraved on the stone walls. Stctites and stgmites had been cut short. I cleaved through the stone of the cave using my sword despite having barely used aura. But... this isnt enough yet. I had just reached an understanding of the arts. It was clear. The sword paths in my head and the imagination matched. I could feel it in my fingertips, and that was how I knew. Its still crude. I hadnt reached the peak of understanding. I was at the foot at best. Youre nuts...The Guardian frowned in disbelief. Why are you calling me crazy again? Im training properly this time. Properly? Youve got to be kidding me. If this is proper, those bastards who train through sex are perfect. The Guardian heaved a deep sigh. This is why the ignorant are scary. Zomsparrow, youre a real lunatic, and I dont think theres anyone like you out there. Your spirit is like those in the Righteous Faction, but the mental arts youre using are what demonic cult guys utilize. Godddddd. Uh, Im still unfamiliar with murim terminology. Whats wrong with that? You ignorant The Guardian grumbled to himself. What youre doing is absolutely outrageous, but you dont even realize. Goddddddd. Im gonna go crazy. Can you please say that in a way I can understand? To sum up, a master martial artist from the Righteous Faction is using demonic martial arts. You want me to be more specific? The master martial artist from the Righteous Faction ONLY knows how to use demonic martial arts. Zombie, dont you understand that its as ridiculous as taking a goldfish on a walk? I scratched my nose. Do goldfish taste good? Starving yourself for over a week mustve made you go crazy... Wait, you were crazy way before this... What kinda karma did I get in myst life to saddle me with this idiot... the Guardianmented. Im getting traumatized because of you. Damn, how am I supposed to teach you my martial arts? I feel like youll be fucked if I teach you the way I taught Gramps Marcus. What should I do with you... I was really hungry. I wanted to eat a choco pie[1] When I bit into it, the chocte shell would melt on my tongue, and then the chewy white marshmallows inside would bounce between my teeth. I want to slurp on some warm milk and eat a choco pie. Just one. What was hunger? I, Kim Gong-Ja, would say that hunger was a choco piea delicious and healthy choco pie. ...Hey, are you paying attention? the Guardian asked. Yeah? Im contemting martial arts. Dont bullshit me. You look like youre thinking about something stupid. Why did this guy know me so well? Was he stalking me? Technically, the Guardian was a ghost who always followed me around. He was a ghost stalker! Not a pleasant thought. I snorted at my unpleasant ghost stalker. Im serious. Dead serious. Do you have trust issues? Then tell me, what part of martial arts were you contemting? The gori-sized stalker was nitpicking, just like a real stalker would. The ghost gori stalker should find his eternal peace sooner rather thanter. I thought I should stop and get out of the cave for the time being, I solemnly told him. Stop? Why? Are you going to show the Heavenly Demon your true power? Nah. I waved my hand. Im barely at the start of understanding the Demonic Heaven Arts. Even if I kill myself and go back to the Heavenly Demon, the best reaction Ill get will be I see some potential in you. Huh? Isnt that okay? Youll get her approval. What do you mean, okay? It isnt okay at all. I walked out of the cave. Do you know how hurt I was when the Heavenly Demon looked down on me for never really starving? I hold grudges for a very long time. Approval cant heal my broken heart. You make me feel ufortable... I want her to be shocked. What I want is, Youre so talented that words cant describe it! I didnt realize how lucky I was to have you as my student. I must have been out of my mind. Im sorry. Just imagining it made me feel good. The moment would be as sweet as a choco pie. How is it? Wouldnt that be nice? I know you think the same, Mr. Sword Emperor. I nudged the Guardian. Youre one hell of a headcase... I came down the snow mountain and headed to the snowfield. I felt something earlier while practicing the Demonic Heaven Arts. Compared to people of this generation, Ive never really starved. When I imagined a farmer boiling tree bark, I couldnt imagine it in detail. What kind of bark is it exactly? How should I boil the bark? I hadnt tried it. The clearer my imagination is, the more of the arts power I can use. Thats why Im still not good with the arts even though I have the Demonic Heaven Arts as my Skill. My imagination is crude. Which is why... I stopped in the snowfield. ...Im going to fill my imagination. What are you going to do? Are you really going to boil some bark? No, theres a much better way. I grinned. Monster Legion Reincarnation. The moonlight shone down and dyed the snowfield silver. Suddenly, clouds covered the moon, casting stark shadows across the snow. One bite after another, the shadows gnawed the moonlight from the snow like a swarm of voracious insects. [Activating the Skill Monster Legion Reincarnation.] The clouds left after a moment, but the shadows did not disappear. Even with the return of the moons silver light, the snowfield remained stubbornly dark. The shadows refused to divulge their devoured light. Master. Preta, one of the shadows, knelt before me. The snow crunched softly beneath her knee. Behind her stood thousands of skeletons. I nodded. Preta, I have a job for you all. I am at your service. This is a perishing world where most of the humans have be ghosts and their bodies wander. In some ways, its simr to the Aegim Empire that you once destroyed. Preta bowed a little lower. My order is simple. Scatter and bring me the starving corpses. Starving corpses...? I looked at the dim, endless expanse of snow. Yeah. There must be viges here too, so find the corpses that died from starvation. Since they can move, theyll resist, but there are over four thousand of you. Use your numbers to subdue them. Preta cautiously asked, How many corpses shall I bring...? 112 corpses, I answered. They had the trauma of starvation. I was going to learn all about their hunger. By the time I was done, I would be closer to the Heavenly Demon. 1. Korean moon pie. image. ? Chapter 74: The Death Gleaner (3)

Chapter 74: The Death Gleaner (3)

Master... Preta cautiously looked up at me. 112 deaths are too much. Youve already grown thin in just a few days. I almost didnt recognize you Why? Have you be so loyal that youre suddenly worried about my health? Preta hesitated, unsure if she should tter me or be honest. ...If you disappear, so will I, she said, Which means I wont get to live in my little paradise. My life, my memories, and my valueseverything will disappear. I ampletely dependent on you, Master. Since I worry about myself, Im also concerned about your health. I like your honesty. The corners of my mouth rose. How is your life nowadays? Pardon...? Youre living in Estelles vige, and the people you value more than your life have returned. Hows that going? After gaining the exclusive rights to the twentieth floor, I had set Preta loose in the vige. I nned to let her stay in the vige from now on, except for when I had a job for her like now. Im... doing well, she nervously answered. Is everything okay? ... Ah. Preta blinked. People calling themselves Hunters barged in one time. They said that the secret to how the Death King suddenly got strong must be here, and the Five Guilds must have hidden a treasure here... But the woman you broughtthe Witchand the Hunters under hermand stopped them, so it didnt turn into a big fight. The ck Dragon Guilds service was as reliable as promised. None of the lords from the neighboring kingdomse bother us anymore. Theyre having a problem with the nomads that they brought in to attack us... Aside from them, both the empire and the temple dered my vige a holynd. Lizardfolk and elvese and give us gifts from time to time. It seemed that things in the other world were going smoothly. Uhm... But...I lost my abilities, Preta hesitantly continued. I nodded. Sick people hear rumors about me so theye to the vige...and, since the vige has been dered a holynd, pilgrimse in hopes of miracles, so Im not sure what to do with them... For now, the priest Hunters who follow the Inquisitor you also introduced are taking care of them... I nodded reassuringly. Dont worry. I have a n. I was going to build the Chemists new shop on the twentieth floor. She said that shed only ept the customers I introduced. Once this expedition wasplete, the Chemist would be able to build a solid reputation of her own. For that to happen, I needed to make sure to sort things out. Since patients would being constantly, she would be able to gain experience with various diseases. The Chemist wouldnt be able to handle the workload alone, so shed need employees. Making Preta her assistant would be a good idea. Itd also be good to take in Hunters who aspire to be Chemists as her students. The shop would grow naturally... It wouldnt take long for the new shop to be recognized as a branch of the Alchemist Office, and for the branch to then be upgraded to the headquarters. I had to take care of my people. I smiled. What else? Theres nothing else in particr... Ah, Dajenna. Shes one of the children from the vige. She seems to like the tteokbokki the Hunters brought. And Garcorphes an aged man who guards the orchardhe gave his fruits to the Hunters of the ck Dragon Guild that guard the vige. The Hunters brought more fruits from your world in return... The wind kicked up small flurries of snow that danced through the soft beams of moonlight. Pretas voice traveled like the snow. I listened to her story until the end. Preta bowed. ... Thats how that is right now. Youre saying its good. Yes, it is, she cautiously replied. I nodded. That is what the people of this world need, too. Go and collect the corpses. Preta bowed deeper, her golden hair rippling over her shoulders, and said, Yes, Master. *** It was said that there was a right man for every job. Summoning Preta and leaving her in charge of collecting the corpses turned out to be a very good choice. After all, the fallen Constetion was once called the Demon King of Autumn Rain and had destroyed an entire world. She knew how to glean death. Ill start by looking for viges or cities where government offices were located. Preta signaled the army of skeletons to move out. Since theyre the workce of government officials, there should be maps, she added. Theyll be crude, but theyll be somewhat useful once I piece them together. Ill use that to search remote farming and fishing viges. Three days after the search started, Preta and the skeletons delivered the zombies. They weren''t martial artiststhe zombies she delivered were just those who used to be ordinary farmers andmoners. This is a mother who hung her children and herself because she couldnt stand watching her children starve. The group of white skeletons brought one corpse after another to the snowfield. It was hard to distinguish the white skeletons from the snow. From a distance, it seemed as if the corpses were walking toward me on their own. These children woke up one morning and saw their mothers corpse. They cried by their mothers side and withered to death like wildflowers. The line of corpsesof deathcontinued. These are vigers who cursed the dead mothers for failing to fulfill their duty as parents. These people hid under the well to escape the gue but were never able toe out again. Theyre prisoners who starved to death in their cells without a chance to escape. Preta presented the poor with the care of a vassal presenting the finest tribute to her king. When a week had passed, she knelt before me again. I brought them all, Master. I looked at the snowfield. The walking corpses struggled to break free from the skeletons grips. Some of the corpses were old and some of them were young. Hunger didnt discriminate. ...Good. I took off my necktie, suit, and underwear, exposing my naked skin to the night sky. Let them go. As soon as the skeletons released them, all 112 zombies swarmed me. They instinctively went for where the smell of flesh was the strongestwhere I was standing. I smiled. Alright. Come at me! A young zombie dove in and bit a chunk out of my calf. The terrible pain made it feel like my nerves were on fire, but it was cut off at my thigh when an old zombie tore my leg off. The pain paused for a moment, but returned many times over. I probably screamed, but I couldn''t hear it because a zombie had torn off my ear. My lips were eaten, followed shortly by my tongue. I was unable to hear or speak, so I just had to watch countless shadows creeping over me. [You have died.] I looked up at the night sky. The moon was white as the unsullied snow. [Recreating your killers trauma.] It was just like the night sky when an old man looked up for thest time. He was a fisherman who had spent his whole life on the river. When a jiangshi bit his finger, he didn''t panic. He just calmly got on the boat and steered it away. If I die on this boat, I wont cause problems for the rest of the world at least. As hey down on the boat, gently rocked by the river, he could see his vige. It wasfortable, as if he were lying down in a coffin. He was okay with the waves overturning the boat and killing him. Dying in his sleep wouldnt be so bad either... The old man was happy to be born and die in the river. The moon he looked up at for thest time was serene. [Recreating your killers trauma.] The young governor wondered how the world hade to this as he walked the castle walls at night. He wasnt even an official before; he had been a schr who had memorized a few lines and ran a very small school. However, the original governor had died, along with his officials. Then their subordinates joined them. Death followed as if they were in search of each other. At the end of their search, they would find the young new governor. Sir, a soldier said. He was also originally not a soldier, but a tavern owners jobless husband. Although he tended to find fault in everything, he was smart, so he was useful. What is it? The granary is empty. There wont even be a scoop of millet after two weeks. The fishermen asionally manage to catch fish, but it isnt enough. What should we do...? n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Start by reducing the elderlys grain ration, the young governor said. There are countless jiangshi. We must value those who can still fight. Reduce the food given to the elderly and children to one-third of what theyre getting now. [Recreating your killers trauma.] The governor was cold; at times, the governor seemed even colder than the jiangshi. Until hed be governor, all he had done was recite the Confucian ssics in the vige. The soldier sometimes wondered where the governor got such determination. The opposition will be fierce Cut ??the adults rations by half as well. Some peoples rations will be reduced more than the others, but if we reduce all of them, theyll bear with it. Wont people stillin? Ill cut my rations first, the governor curtly replied. Actually, Ill just not eat at all. Im the leader, so if I dont eat anything, those whoin wont be able tost long. ... Are you okay? This ce wontst long anyway. What difference will it make if I starve for a few days? The moon above the castle wall was serene. [Recreating your killers trauma.] Well all starve to death at this rate! a girl shouted. She was a beggar who was part of the Beggar Gang, but the rich and the poor couldnt be distinguished anymore. She was now just the leader of her peers. The girl stomped her foot. The governor told the children not to eat. Hes basically telling us to die! Then what should we do, Sister... ... ? Even if were going to die, we should die with something in our bellies. Thats how you be a good-looking jiangshi. The girl huffed and puffed. Theres a recipe I learned in the Beggar Gang called an earth cookie. Its literally a cookie of mud. Mud cookie...? You can make as many cookies as you want as long as theres mud. The boys eyes lit up. Listen up! Those of you who can swim, keep catching fish. Dont give them to the adults anymorewell share them among ourselves. And the rest of youll go to the river and scoop up soft mud. What are you trying to do? Ill show you. The girl grinned. [Recreating your killers trauma.] The children dug up mud from the riverside. Sand and grit was mixed into it, so the children had to sieve the mud multiple times to filter out the pebbles. Take a scoop of mud and make it into a ball, andy it on a mat. The young leader threw a ball of mud on the mat, then she spread it around like ster. Okay, thats it! ...Is that it? All we have to do now is let it dry in the sun. Thats how you make mud cookies. The children were dumbfounded. Its just mud baked in the sun! These arent cookies! Be quiet. This is the ultimate recipe that has been passed down within the Beggar Gang. Just watch. The young leader took out a bag of salt. Salt had always been expensive, but now that rationing had been cut off, each grain was worth its weight in gold. She mixed the salt very carefully into the mud cookies lying on the mat. After half a day, the mud cookies werepletely dry. Okay! Theyre done! Take one each! But be careful when you eat them. If you take a big bite, that wont taste good! Eat them slowly! Half in doubt, the children bit into the mud cookies. [Recreating your killers trauma.] ...Its actually not bad. The boy nibbled on his mud cookie like a hamster. [Recreating your killers trauma.] Another boys eyes widened as he licked on his mud cookie like it was ice cream. It made the edge of his mud cookie wet. I like the saltiness. [Recreating your killers trauma.] Its bad... One girl made a long face. The young leader giggled. Its okay as long as we can eat it. From now on, we have to get our own food. Well eat mud cookies on normal days, but well also eat fish when we catch one. How does that sound? Okay, Sister... The children curbed their hunger with mud. To force the mud down their throats, the children had to trick their tongues with the saltiness. That was why the children licked at the mud cookies rather than biting right into them. Dont lick it too much or it wont taste like anything! You have to lick and chew that at the same time. The children kneaded the mud by the river every day. Huh? Look, theres a corpse over there. They were on the same river that the old man had taken hisst journey on. The old man had been born from the river and considered it a blessing that he died in the same river. He had thought that making his boat into his coffin would be a way to not cause trouble for the rest of the world. Bodies of the drowned sometimes washed up to the riverbank. Dying on the river was the old mans final joy, but the old man was unfortunate enough to not wash up on the other side of the river. Actually, everyone was unfortunate in this case. It looks like an old man drowned. I feel bad... Do you think he used to be a fisherman? The children approached the old mans body with both fear and curiosity. It was dawn, so it was still dark. Huh? W-wait a minute! Why? That isnt a corpse Its a jiangshi! The corpse began to stir after it caught wind of the childrens scent. Run away! Some of the children did. Ah... But there were some who couldnt. [Recreating your killers trauma.] That was it. [Recreating your killers trauma.] That was how the riverside fortress fell, cut off from the imperial capital and the surrounding viges. The old man died. Thest governor died fighting. The soldier tried to escape through the gates, but he died. The young leader protected her younger sibling until she died. [Recreating your killers trauma.] They tried to live. [Recreating your killers trauma.] They struggled hard. [Recreating your killers trauma.] Because they wanted to live, they endured their hunger. [Recreating your killers trauma.] The children had searched for wet ground and scooped out mud. They had spread mud dough across the mat. When the mud cookies had dried up, the children clutched them... [Recreating your killers trauma.] ...Every single movement of all 112 of the dead was driven by hunger. [The trauma recreation has beenpleted.] [It has been confirmed that the ego of the subject of the Skill penalty is intact.] [Ending the Skill penalty.] I slowly opened my eyes. I was just trying to learn how to boil tree bark... I whispered. The reality was like nothing I could have imagined. The copsing world didnt even count the farmers tree bark as a trauma. When humans were cornered, they could even eat mud. Yeah, I guess its possible. I stood up and dug through the snow, wrapping my hand in my aura. After scooping up handful after handful of the seemingly endless snow, I reached the frozen ground. It was the first time I had seen it since I hade to this world. Lets see... The ground had been frozen for years, so it wasnt easy to dig, which forced me to use my aura to scrape together a handful of soil and snow and boil it like soup. After a while, the soil grew mushy. It was literally just muddy water. I did as I had seen in my dream: I picked out grains of sand and pebbles one by one, and then kneaded the mud into a circle. I took off my coat and suit and used them as mats toy the kneaded mud on. Time passed. Morning arrived, followed by noon. I baked the mud cookies under the sunlight. After that, I carefully picked up the mud cookies and cradled them in my hands. They looked just like dalgona.[1] ... Thank you for this meal. I nibbled on it. It crunched softly between my teeth. I licked the edge of the mud cookie. It became a little softer, but only at the tip of my tongue. When I held a piece of the mud cookie in my mouth, the soil grains stuck to the roof of my mouth. After a while, I got the hang of eating it. This cookie wasnt something I chewed using my mrs; I had to gnaw on it with my front teeth and then swallow it in little tiny pieces. I slowly ate the cookie, mulling over the simple taste of the suns warmth and the soils smell. ... It doesnt taste good. I bit it. Its bad. I slowly chewed. Its really bad. I swallowed. My shoulders shook. So did my heart. An indescribable emotion rushed over me. Was it anger? Was it sadness? Maybe that was loathing. Humans came from the earth, so why couldnt they feed on it? Why were the smell and texture of the earth so miserable? Why? I didnt even realize my right hand was tightly clenched. It could be anger, sadness, or loathing. At that moment, I realized that I was supposed to grab the emotions that couldnt be expressed in words. Those emotions were meant to be wieldedyes, martial arts were about wielding a handful of emotion in ones hand. Its time to go back. I drew my holy sword and aimed it at my neck. I had to go back and show the Heavenly Demon my sword. No, not mineit belonged to the old man, the soldier, the governor, and the children who died nameless. Id never read a murim novel, so I didnt know the exquisite principle of yin and yang. If my martial arts had any such thing, it was just the movements of those abandoned by the heavens. Their resentment and grudges brought demons into this world.[2] Left with nothing but their resentment and grudges, they looked up to the skyhence, the Demonic Heaven. I stabbed right through my neck. I returned with the deaths of 112 people in my heart. What I had to do wasnt any different from thest timeI asked the Heavenly Demon to ept me as her disciple. Just like thest time, the Heavenly Demon spent a night pondering. After that, the Heavenly Demon gave me a trial. What is the trial? The Heavenly Demon pointed into the pit. Ive thrown a jiangshi soldier down there. He used to be a promising member of my cult and a Peak-Tier master. Quite renowned in gangho. Defeat that jiangshi; then Ill ept you as my disciple. But feel hunger while you fight. You should only feel hunger and the pain of hunger while you fight that jiangshi. No other emotions or thoughts can clutter your mind. Can you do it? I didnt answer her. It wasnt something that could be expressed in words, so there was no need to try ande up with an answer. Instead, I jumped into the pit. The jiangshi rushed at me. I looked at it indifferently. In my heart only the smell of mud in my mouth, the feeling of a lump of dirt in my hand, and the childrens hunger resided. Demonic Heaven Arts, First Form: Starvation Death. I swung my sword once, cutting through the jiangshis legs. In my second sh, I chopped off its arms. With my third, it lost its head. Every attack hungered. The one who used to be the Heavenly Demon Cults Peak Tier master was now silent at the bottom of the pit. I looked up and saw the Heavenly Demons mouth agape. It was like the first time she had seen the Hunters and I. Perhaps she was even more shocked than that time. When her lip ceased trembling, her heart would roar to life. She thought that life had lost almost all meaning to her, but a new beginning was blooming right before her eyes. I slowly opened my mouth. Lady Heavenly Demon, what kind of death shall I demonstrate next? 1. Korean candy made from melted sugar and baking soda. Image. ? 2. The inner demons in Buddhism that hinder people during their cultivation. The most popr example is the heart demon. Some texts say that there are demons who are born from peoples resentment and grudges. ? Chapter 75: The Song of Light and Shadow (1)

Chapter 75: The Song of Light and Shadow (1)

There are nine sword forms in the Demonic Heaven Arts. Starvation Death is the first form, as Im sure youre aware. I am. Next is Thirst Death. Thirst Death... Yes, child from outer murim. Youve done a decent job of demonstrating Starvation Death. So if you devote yourself to training, youll be a good Hold on. I raised my hand. Wait a minute, please. I felt bad about cutting her off, but I really had to. She just sat there and tried to act like nothing had happened, but I couldnt let her gloss over something this big. ... What? What did you just say? A decent job? The Heavenly Demon pursed her lips. Huh, thats strange. I thought I did pretty well, but that was just decent to you...? Ah! Im sorry, my pride and confidence suddenly disappeared. I feel so discouraged. You... The Heavenly Demons eyebrows twitched. ...Okay, Ill admit it. You performed Starvation Death quite well. Just dont go around and arrogantly say that you mastered the Demonic Heaven Arts. What? Quite well? Are you trying to ridicule me!? the Heavenly Demon shouted. It seems youll only be satisfied if I give you the Nine Bows. You really dont know what a limit is, do you. Fine! You can be the teacher! Ill be your disciple. I had her hook, line, and sinker. Now I had to gently reel her in. Oh, so youre saying that you ept me as your disciple, right? I asked, nonchntly. Im not an outer disciple but an inner disciple. Your authentic, direct, inner disciple, right? The Heavenly Demon couldnt answer. One second. Two seconds. After a slight pause, she said, Refrain from chit-chatting, child. Im going to start my lesson, so focus. So Im right, I thought. The Heavenly Demon had forced herself to ignore what I said. She was stubborn, but it was rooted in her sincerity. I could see why she was actually hesitating. Shell never say that shes going to make me her disciple. The Heavenly Demon already considered me her disciple in her heart, but she never said it out loud. Though I never really felt it from the Guardian because I always bickered with him, it seemed that bing master and disciple was a very serious matter to the Heavenly Demon and the people of gangho. A serious rtionship could sometimes be a frightening thing. That was why the woman of the Heavenly Demon Cult didnt dere that she was my teacher. She hadnt even met me before this, and I wasnt even from the Central ins. She wasnt sure if she could really open up to a person like meshe wasnt sure if she could bring a little hope back into her life. Soh Baekhyang, the leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult, was at a crossroads. Listen carefully. If youre able to use Starvation Death to that level, you should be able to get something out of what Im about to tell you. But... Show me the character window. Name: Soh Baekhyang Affection: 51 Liked genre: Murim Disliked genre: ssics, legends, history, fairy tales Liked characters: Grassroots, rivals Disliked characters: Oppressors, hypocrites, bums Liked plot points: Full power fight Disliked plot points: Fleeing, oblivion, meaningless death State of mind: My disciple? Its time to choose... N-no! Thats wrong! I should be satisfied with getting to fight Namgung Woon. Im near the end of my life, so taking in a disciple is too greedy. I should act my age and refrain from this unsightly greed. Her heart was theplete opposite of her calm appearance. I suppressed a smile. Yes, please agonize. I got my green light. Please be more conflicted. I was the one who showed her the crossroads. Was she going to continue the hopeless Great War of Good and Evil with the Murim Alliance''s leader? Or would she take in a disciple and ensure that the Heavenly Demon Cults doctrines were passed down to the next generation? What choice would allow her to avoid a meaningless death? Please dont give up your life like this. Words carried no weight. They could only be used to take care of people who carried no burdens. No, they were no different from refusing to take responsibility. Please live. They were very empty words. Even if the world is doomed and youre left alone in murim, I hope youll still live. No amount of words could carry weight. I hope that I can be your reason to live a little longer. I didnt say these useless, meaningless words out loud. The Heavenly Demon didnt dere that she was my teacher, likely for the same reason. Words should be tied to actions to have any sincerity or else vanish without meaning. Neither the Heavenly Demon nor I had worked hard enough to say what we wanted to say yet. Its not time to make up my mind, the Heavenly Demon thought to herself. I cant make her choose yet, I thought to myself. The Heavenly Demon and I looked at each other. Child, you dont look like youre paying attention. Are you listening? I was watching her. Yes, Im focused. What are you talking about? I smiled gently. Youre serious, not joking? Yes. I swear to the Jade Emperor, Yama, and everyone else. We exchanged nces. Unlike how hands sometimes met, nces crossed each other even after they met. In a way, nces were a bit like a persons heart. After her and my nces crossed several times, the Heavenly Demon said, Okay. Since you seem so confident, I think I can start your next trial right away. She dusted the snow off of her and strode away. Dont follow me. I have a lot of work to do. That was all she said before she left. She walked across the snowfield, but there were no footprints left in the snow. This was Traceless Snow, a demonstration of what she had mentioned on the first day I had fallen into this world. I want to fight her, the Guardian suddenly said. I really want to fight her, just once. I absently turned around. What? Did you stuff something in your ears? I want to have a duel with her. It was the first time Id seen such a look on the Guardians face. Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! The Guardian was genuinely angry. You know what, Zombie? The demonic cult in the murim I was born in was super weak! The only joy I had was beating up those demonic cult minions! There was a guy who imed to be Heavenly Demon, but the moment I shoved his ass into the ground, he had to change his title to Earthly Demon! Fuck! Hundreds of those so-called grandmaster scumbags had to change theirst names because of me! Ah! Shit! It was different from the look hed worn when he lost our bet. He was angry, yes, and he threw a tantrum back then too, yes, but... his anger was much more intense right now. I''m so jealous of the Murim Alliance''s leader of this world! If I were that bastard, I would say, Let''s see who leaves here alive. You or me? Then bam! After that, Ill climb up any snowy peak! Up there, Ill have a bowl of liquor and a piece of sweet and sour pork as I look down at gangho! Thats true pleasure! His desire to win was as raw as freshly killed meat. Seriously! Only if I wasnt a ghost! I closed my mouth and found myself slipping deep into thought. I stared nkly at the floor, my chin resting on my palm. My head was filled with thoughts. I needed help. Huh? Zombie, why do you look like a zombie again? Are you worried that someone wont call you a zombie anymore? Ah, I get it. Youre sulking because I called you a sparrow. Do you want me to stick to zomsparrow? ...Thats it. What? That is it. My head rose. Miss Chemist makes the gue cure, and Im officially recognized as the Heavenly Demons disciple. Those goals are all good...but I felt like something was missing. That was supposed to be the finale, but you just gave me the perfect idea. Uh... Nice job, Mr. Sword Emperor. I grinned. For some reason, the Guardian backed away from me. Whats wrong? No... Its just... Its like whenever you smile like that, I be disastrously unlucky. Something thatll tarnish my reputation happens. I respect you very much, Mr. Sword Emperor. You know that, right? Thank you. Is that my turn to vomit on your face? I looked at the distant sky, my hands sped behind me. There is one unsettled debt between us. The Guardian froze. ...Debt? What debt? Ive never been in debt in my entire life. Come on, dont start that mojo with your mouth, Gong-Ja. Dont do that. You know, it mighte back to bite you! Lets bet how many times Ill die until I clear the neenth floor, I quoted. And you bet that I would die less than one hundred times. My bet was that I would die less than ny-nine times. Wait... Right? I smiled, the very picture of a saint. Wait, that was ages ago Unless my memory is failing me, it took me ny-seven deaths. And ny-seven is closer to ny-nine than one hundred if my math isnt wrong. Right? ... Mr. Sword Emperor. Why do you keep doing this to me... Do me a favor. Okay, you bastard. Shoot me. Bite me. Do whatever you want with me. The Guardian looked like he was about to cry. I had received an undeniable surrender. *** The Heavenly Demon returned. She had been alone when she went into the snowfield, but she came back withpany. A zombie was dangling off of her back. Just like the Palm Wind zombie, this zombie was wearing a ck training suit. My cult has a group of elites called the Blood Demon Unit. Theyre my best assassins and exist only to carry out my orders. In other words, fighting this zombie was going to be my second duel. N?v(el)B\\jnn I held my holy sword and took a stance. It was a promising Peak-Tier masterst time, and its your best assassin now? The difficulty level certainly jumped. Dont worry. I brought you an opponent whos at the right level for you. She must have scoured the snowfield and examined hundreds of zombies one by one. It would have taken a lot of work and was a deeply considerate thing to do. I gratefully epted it as her way ofplimenting me. What you have to demonstrate is no different from what you did this morning. Fight the jiangshi soldier... ...And only thirst and the pain of thirst should be on my mind, I finished. The Heavenly Demon smiled. Precisely. I forbid any other emotion or thought to be on your mind! Understood! I charged forward. Ill show you this time too [You have died.] [Rewinding twenty-four hours.] ...Its fucking strong! Damn it! I did show her the quickest death in the universe. Fuck. Miss Chemist and Mr. Medicine King, why dont you proceed with the research of the zombie virus cure like... Wow! Its just like my research! No, its like my research was decorated so beautifully that its practically royalty! What is this? You... Death King or whatever. Are you from Silicon Valley too? This looks exactly like how I would organize something... First, I updated the cure research as always. Monster Legion Reincarnation! I decided to seclude myself and train in the snow again. Just like before, I summoned Preta and the skeletons to collect the dead. Although I told them to find thirsty corpses instead of starving ones this time, the order wasnt really that different from before. Go. Go and gather the thirsty corpses. Yes, Master, Preta answered. This was where it was different from before. I have one more job for you all. Preta tilted her head. One more job? You mean... There will be martial artist jiangshi scattered around the area. I wasnt talking about the forest of corpses I had witnessed when I had first fallen into this world. For the past three years, the Heavenly Demon and the Murim Alliance''s leader had been the only ones who fought in the Great War of Right and Evil. During the war, they had lost their subordinates bodies one by one. With every raging blizzard or long nights, the Heavenly Demon Cult and the Righteous Factions force dwindled little by little. These missing bodies were the jiangshi I was talking about right now. Find the demons in ck training suits and the warriors in white, I said. It doesnt matter if theyre a hundred or three hundred meters away, send out the skeletons and find the jiangshi. No, actually, make a map and mark their locations. Preta looked puzzled. Why are you trying to save those people, Master...? Two people are still fighting in a doomed world, and they want a proper ending to their battle. Unfortunately, its just a pretend war in my eyes. I looked up at the night sky where the moon hung. Since they want a proper ending, I should give them a real war. A real war? Yes. I couldnt suppress my smile. I felt like Santa us getting Christmas presents ready. Im going to prepare a proper Great War of Good and Evil. Chapter 76: The Song of Light and Shadow (2)

Chapter 76: The Song of Light and Shadow (2)

When I first tried to learn Starvation Death, the Heavenly Demon had been disappointed. What? Three to four days? Youre saying that the longest youve ever starved in your life was maybe three days? She hadnt acknowledged my efforts and had given up on me after briefly watching me swing my sword. She just turned around and left. Theres just no talking to you. If you dont even know this, how will you learn the Demonic Heaven Arts? The Heavenly Demon had tested me only to give up on herself. There wasno, there should be nothing more for her to expect from this world. Forget it. Its my fault! That was what happened when I learned about hunger. However, she becamepletely different after I began to learn about thirst. *** Your sword is too simple, the Heavenly Demonmented as she watched me fight the jiangshi. I could feel the way she looked at me had gradually changed. Even when I sometimes swung my sword clumsily, the Heavenly Demon didnt look away, although she would frown. She even gave me advice. I cant find any applications or exquisite principles in your sword. Its too honest, which gives it many vulnerabilities. The Heavenly Demon began to ce her hopes on me. It seems your sword was made to fight the world, not people. Strangely, its closer to the sword of the Righteous Faction. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om At first, the martial artist zombie killed me in a single blow, but I could fight it better each time. It was only natural since the zombies Preta and the skeletons brought killed me every night. The more I experienced the trauma of those who died of thirst, the stronger my sword became. When it was strong enough, the Heavenly Demon finally got into her lesson. Ill teach you a simple method of mind practice. What is mind practice? ...It means a secret or a tip. Talking to a child from outer murim is so much trouble. The Heavenly Demon cleared her throat. Think back to when you performed Starvation Death. What did you think about as you wielded your sword? I thought about hunger. Of course you did, but Im sure that wasnt all. Though you werent even aware of it, you discerned the nature of the demonic martial arts. That is what Ill teach you now. We sat in the snowfield facing each other. Imagine an apple. ...Do you mean the fruit? Yes, I do. I did as I was told. Are you imagining it? the Heavenly Demon asked. Yes, I am. How does it feel? Pardon? I found the Heavenly Demons question strange. What did an apple feel like? I didnt have an actual apple in my hand, so how was I supposed to know? Noting my bewildered expression, the Heavenly Demon asked. Can you not tell? If I force myself, I can imagine, but... Its okay if you dont know; just say you dont know. Oh, yeah. I have no idea. Youre honest. The Heavenly Demon smiled delightedly. Okay! Think of hunger. I thought of the farmer who worked his hoe against the barrennd over and over. The feeling of the farmer hitting his children crossed my mind. A gang of children dug up the soft soil by the river and used that to make mud cookies. Are you thinking of it? the Heavenly Demon whispered. Yes, I am. What does hunger feel like? The children nibbled on the mud cookies, but they tasted dry. ... Its dry. What does hunger smell like? Its the smell of soil. Oh, what kind of soil is it? There are many types of soil. Some soils are used just for farming or pottery. Soil also has different colors like ck and red, depending on the kind. I want to know what is the soil of hunger. Its mud, I said with my eyes closed. It cant be any kind of mud. It should have as few pebbles as possible and no sand. I see. What does hunger taste like? ... Child, the Heavenly Demon softly said. I asked what hunger tastes like. Why are you quiet? ...Its sad, I said. The children dry their mud cookies under the sunlight. While the cookies dry, they dont really have anything to do, so they aimlessly hang around the mud cookies, waiting for them to dry... Its the children waiting for the sunlight. ...Yes. Hunger is the children waiting for the sunlight, the Heavenly Demon repeated. Yes, it was. Child, that is the poetry of your life. The Heavenly Demons voice was quiet like the gently falling snow. When I asked you what an apple feels like, you said that you dont know. How about when I asked you about hunger? You touched, smelled, and ate the mud! You saw a flowing river, so you must have heard the sound of its ripples. The old man had gone on hisst voyage under the night sky. He had steered his boat alone so that he wouldnt cause problems for the world, but his death ended up bing one. An apple has a form, but hunger doesnt. While an apple has a vor, hunger is tasteless. Yet you speak of hunger so well! To you, hunger is mud, sunlight, the river, and children. Child, that is your gift, the Heavenly Demon said. Open your eyes now. I watched the Heavenly Demon move her hands as she sat on the ground. The reason why you dont know what an apple feels like is simple: Its because I didnt jog your memory. The Heavenly Demon smiled and moved her hands. I could tell right away that the Heavenly Demon was pretending to cut an apple in half. Youll know if youve ever eaten an apple, apples have soft skin. Theyre shiny but also have tiny bumps on their skins. I usually prefer to eat an apple whole, but its different when I see a child with a cold. Id cut an apple in half... It really felt like there was an apple in her hands. And Ill scoop out the apples flesh using a spoon and feed it to the sick child one bite at a time. Have you ever eaten an apple like that when you were young? Yes, I had. A teacher at the orphanage had done it for me. What does the texture of the scooped-out apple feel like? ... Its crunchy and mushy at the same time. Thats right! An apple is crunchy, but it bes a little mushy because the spoon grinds the inside. Is that all? Does the apple taste bad now? I can feel its yellow juice filling my mouth. Exactly! But that isnt all! If you scoop out the inside until you reach the skin, it gets all wrinkled up. The hands of the mother who dug out the apple are also covered with juice. But then... then... which of these is an apple to you, child? I fell into thought, but the Heavenly Demon pressed me. Is it a whole apple? Or is it an apple cut in half? Can it be a spoonful of its juice? Could it be its skin? Or is it the mothers hands? What is your apple? What was my apple? I once saw a mother who gave her child all of the inside of the apple and then ate just the skin. To me, an apple is the skin that the mother ate. Its also the child down with a cold. A mothers scoop of love is my apple, too. For some reason, I felt my heart warm even though I was sitting in the middle of a snowfield. Maybe it was the Heavenly Demons smile. But the Heavenly Demons smile didntst long. ... And I also think of children whose mothers never scooped out the inside of an apple for them. There are mothers who cant buy apples, but some mothers didnt buy apples even though they could. I also imagine a child who caught a cold but has no one to care for himthat child died because he didnt receive care. The Heavenly Demons eyes were dark and venomous. Everything in this world has someones heart in it; therefore, nowhere is without sorrow! My skin stung. I said hunger is formless, tasteless, and scentless, but that is not true! Hunger is mud, the river, and children. Even a single apple. Child! Just as your hunger is mud, make it your thirst too! Feel the pain of thirst! Taste, smell, and eat it. Reach out for the source of water to ke your thirst! The demonic martial arts are about memory! That is my cults mind practice! Engrave the feeling of scooping up the mud and eating it into your mind. That is your hunger. That is the Demonic Heaven Arts! I felt a chill run down my spine. Even when the grassroots suffer injustice, what can they do? They cant voice their resentment. It builds up in their mind and eventually piles up into a grudge. However, my cults martial artists are different! The Heavenly Demon looked at me. We wield our swords! I gripped my sword tightly without realizing. Just like how a bard sings and a schr recites poetry, we wield our swords. How are those Green Gang thugs any different from my cults demons? They are moved by their swords, but we wield our swords! That is the only difference, but that is what makes us fundamentally different from those thugs. The training began. How can you call it life when you just live as it leads you? That is just death! You cant call it swordy when you just randomly swing your sword. That just makes you a beast. Do you want to die or be a beast? No! I clenched my teeth. I am a living human! Then feel the thirst already. Be thirsty like you were hungry! I had gathered 112 people who had starved to death. Among them were children who ate mud cookies. I bit into the grains of soil in my mouth. Demonic Heaven Arts, First Form: Starvation Death. You have found the mud of hunger. Now is the time to find something of thirst. Your hunger is the children waiting for the sunlight, so what is thirst to you? Preta and the skeletons brought forty-eight people who had died from thirst. Of forty-eight people, there was an old woman who had kept drinking seawater. I drank salt water to pickle my organs. Demonic Heaven Arts, Second Form: Thirst Death. To you, hunger is mud, and thirst is the sea. But thirst isnt the only kind of pain the sea can give you. There is also the pain of drowning in the sea or a river. Child, what is water to you? I brought together thirty-seven people who had drowned. That was how I saw the memory of a father who had given thest breath he had to his child. After diving into the water, I exchanged breaths with Preta. Demonic Heaven Arts, Third Form: Drowning Death. Hunger is soil, and dryness is a wave. Your suffocation is a fathersst breath! Thend, the sea, and the air are already yours. What is winter to you, child? It was ny-six people who had died in the winter this time. I watched the memory of a newborn baby clinging to his mothers dead body until the very end. Therefore, I hugged a corpse tightly until I froze to death. Demonic Heaven Arts, Fourth Form: Freezing Death. The night brightened and became morning. The sun grew stronger, and it became noon. Half a day passed, while I had gone through 293 deaths. The Heavenly Demon slowly opened her mouth. Child, your sword... She looked at me with many thoughts in her mind. Your sword is ever-changing. So very varied. Everyone has different habits, and their martial arts reflect their lives. Those are habits that cant be changed. That tendency is stronger in the Demonic Heaven Arts, but your life... is diverse. Ah, I often hear that my charm shines through in all sorts of ways. The Heavenly Demon stared at me. Im sorry. Was that too much nonsense? The Heavenly Demon shook her head. No, it was worse than that. That was horseshit. Thats a bit harsh. To be honest, even a dog would call that horseshit. I see... Well, there is nothing I can do about it if even a dog thinks its horseshit, I thought. Its hard for humans to know every kind of pain. Even if they do, its very difficult to experience all of the pain to the extreme. But when I see you perform the Demonic Heaven Arts, its like... Hmm? the Heavenly Demon frowned and turned her head. ...Someone ising. It was still broad daylight, so it couldnt be zombies. Since this world was already doomed, it couldnt be an intruder. It turned out that the Viper was carrying the Murim Alliance''s leader on his back to us across the snowfield. The Heavenly Demon scoffed. What are you doing, old man? What is up with you? Hahhave you finally admitted that youre a pathetic old man? Be quiet, the Murim Alliance''s leader said. I came here because I was worried about you, you wench. Tsk, tsk! Worried? Worried about me? A passing jiangshi would burst intoughter if it heard you. Youre weaker than me, you decrepit old coot. Youre in no ce to worry about me Demon, you havent even received the Nine Bows from him yet, have you? The Murim Alliance''s leader pointed at me. The Heavenly Demon was silent. Tsk, tsk. I knew it! It was obvious. So obvious! The Heavenly Demon pursed her lip tightly. By the way, what are the Nine Bows? I asked, confused. Its the ceremony for when two people be master and disciple in gangho, the Guardian informed me. The ceremony is slightly different depending on which sect that is. Some sects literally bow nine times. There are sects that bow three times... I don''t know how they do it in this cult. It''s a sacred and secret ceremony. What was the ceremony like in your sect? My sects Nine Bows was to survive nine hits on my head from my teacher. I endured sixty-three times. Its the highest record in the history of the sect. Isn''t that awesome? I realized why the Guardian was crazy. His madness had begun to bloom when he had first joined his sect. ...Silence. I decide who and when I ept someone as my disciple, the Heavenly Demon curtly replied. Its none of your business. Dont be absurd. The Murim Alliance''s leader got off the Vipers back, ring fiercely at the Heavenly Demon. This is clearly my business since the reason why you wont take him as your disciple is because you feel bad for me! Huh? What in the world are you talking about...? Were the only two people left in murim. Coincidentally, youre the only surviving demon, and Im the lone survivor of the Righteous Path. If you take in a disciple, only the Heavenly Demon Cults heir will survive, which means that youll win the Great War of Good and Evil without a fight! You and I promised to end the war between just the two of us. That was our promise, so now you feel ufortable about breaking your promise. And that is why you cant ept that boy as your disciple! ...I guess thats one reason, I agreed. The Heavenly Demon and the Murim Alliance''s leader were in the same sinking boat. It made sense that she would feel bad if she got to be the only one who got to raise a student. Tsk, tsk, tsk. Youre unnecessarily faithful! I knew youd be like this, so I beat you to the punch. The Murim Alliance''s leader patted the Vipers shoulder. Smiling bitterly, the Viper scratched his cheek. Well, it just happened. O-old man... The Heavenly Demons eyes widened. You didnt... Yeah, I made him my direct disciple, starting today! How can you do this to me! The Heavenly Demon charged the Murim Alliance''s leader. They fought each other like dogs, covering themselves with snow. Do you have any idea what Ive had to endure to avoid receiving the Nine Bows?! You made my sincerity meaningless Shut up! When you meet fate, you ept it with gratitude to the Jade Emperor! Its just cruel for everyone if you keep trying to back out because you feel bad for me! What about the Great War of Good and Evil? Its still the Great War of Good and Evil if our disciples fight in it! We dont have to be the only ones fighting in it! the Murim Alliance''s leader immediately countered. I wont ept anyone but you as my opponent! Do you have to show that youre a demon with your extreme way of thinking every time? What did you say?! The Heavenly Demon grabbed the Murim Alliance''s leader by the cor. Unwilling to back down, the Murim Alliance''s leader grabbed her hair and red at her. Demon, youre always like this! Its always either this or that. If its not that, its this! You wench, you cant just split the world in two! The world may be an ocean in your eyes, but all I see is a field of ice! Of course itll split! Then melt it! Thats why the fire called the Demonic Path and the firewood named demons exist! They exist to melt it! Then add one more piece of firewood! Buwolseon, I already know that youre the hypocrite of the Righteous Path! You dont have to nitpick over every word...! The Murim Alliance''s leader and the Heavenly Demon argued. Every time they went back and forth, two different worlds collided with the crashing of metal. A world was something that could find its ce even in a lowly dog fight. I turned to the Viper, leaving the worlds to battle it out. This is a surprise. What are you talking about? I couldnt say that I was surprised that the real deal like him would take someone as a teacher, so I beat around the bush. Youre the OJP Sects Master. Is it okay for you to be someone elses student? Fuck. If my sword has to dance, it will dance. When I have something to learn from someone, I ask them to be my teacher. Im not so stuck up that Id give a shit about all that. The Viper gave a manly smile. His distinct facial features stood out. Mr. Viper. What? Youll regret it if you were pushed into taking the Murim Alliance''s leader as your teacher or if you did that out of pity. The two worlds were still fighting, given the cacophony they were making. It waspletely different from the time the Vipers disciples and his pride had pushed him to head into the Heavenly Demon Chronicle. That kind of pity and half-assed determination was an unforgivable insult to those two worlds. ... I have no idea what youre talking about. The Viper scratched his cheek and then red at me with his one eye. Fuck, you call yourself Death King, but you talk an awful lot. If you want to see something from me, find it with your sword. Just know its not going to be easy. The Viper raised his sword. Actually, there was an easy way to see it, which was to open the Vipers character window. That would make it crystal clear. Instead, I quietly said, Mr. Viper. Yeah? Have you ever been hungry? The Viper blinked his one eye. What? I charged. Chapter 77: The Song of Light and Shadow (3)

Chapter 77: The Song of Light and Shadow (3)

I raised my sword as I ran toward the Viper and brought it down on him. Demonic Heaven Arts, First Form: Starvation Death. I was now a starving farmer, and my sword was a hoe. My strike plowed through the air as if it were dry mud, and the space parted until my sword was right above the Vipers head. What...? The Viper flinched, his one eye filled with shock. He moved his arms to block but quickly stopped and twisted his waist in an attempt to dodge instead. Like how a farmer never missed with his hoe, my aim was precise, but the Viper pulled back fast enough to create a vacuum in his wake. The air boomed, sending the snow whirling wildly around us. With the winter weather, every gust of wind sted us with snowkes. The extremely dry air wed the inside of my nostrils. ... Shit. The Viper raised his sword. His single eye shone through the snow. I charged with my sword raised to strike again. Again, the Viper leaped backward instead of blocking my sword. The fuck The snow surged. Fucking hell... Every time I brandished my sword, the Viper dodgedhe had no choice but to dodge. Fu A whirlwind rose every time. Damn, the fuck? I stopped in the middle of my charge. Actually, I had to stop when I realized I hadnt been breathing. The dry air rushed into my throat and charged down my lungs like a waterfall; it felt like all my organs were turned upside down. Every part of my body ached when I breathed. I could feel my body trembling, but I didnt let go of the sword. The first round was over. Shit, I almost died... The Viper looked at me, a cold sweat beading his skin. ...Death King, I thought all you had was your mouth, but your sword is pretty decent. What the fuck was all that? Your moves were like... the Iceworld Demon Sword. Thats right, my disciple! His swordy carried the spirit of a demon who would freeze and shatter the world! It was truly worthy of the name Iceworld Demon Sword! the Murim Alliance''s leader yelled in the middle of his fight with the Heavenly Demon. There was an insurmountable, interdimensional gap between the Vipers Iceworld Demon Sword and the Murim Alliance''s leaders. However, it was impossible to notice the difference unless one had the ability to read other peoples minds. The Heavenly Demon clicked her tongue, but she didnt notice either. Hes pretty sharp for a man with just one eye. You can say that again! He may be a bit old, but hes a genius with a divine gift for seeing the truth! If not, there is no way I, Buwolseon, would have epted him as my disciple, the Murim Alliance''s leader bragged before directing his eyes at me. Hmm. But your disciple is also quite promising, wench. Im pretty sure it hasnt been long since you epted him as your disciple, but his demonic martial arts are quite fearsome. Haha, he carries the seed to be more demonic than the Four Demon Kings! I told you I havent epted him as my disciple Its about time you put your stubbornness to rest already! The Heavenly Demon closed her mouth. As I wed for breath, I thought about the purpose of this match. No, it wasnt about beating the Viper, nor him beating me. It was to make the Heavenly Demon ept me. In that respect, my goal aligned with that of the Murim Alliance''s leader. The Heavenly Demon was just waiting for the end, so we were going to give her a future. The Murim Alliance''s leader smirked. My disciple! Yeah, Teacher! the Viper energetically answered. Im going to give you advice now, so listen carefully! What...? The Heavenly Demons jaw dropped. O-old man! What is the meaning of this!? Why? Is there a problem? You said that you arent the teacher of that greenhorn demon, didnt you? T-that is true... What I mean is that you shouldnt give advice in the middle of a match! Even in a game of go, its rude to give tips to the yers. Its even worse to do it in a match where two martial artists are fighting! Two martial artists? The Murim Alliance''s leaderughed and stroked his beard. All I see is a greenhorn demon and a promising young man from the Righteous Path. Its also written in the Great Codes that you can band together to take down a demon. I see no problem. Are you seriously going to do this, old man...? Haha. My disciple! the Murim Alliance''s leader cheerfully shouted. Each one of that greenhorn demons attacks is quite advanced, but he cant keep that up! Never counterattack. Continue to dodge his attacks and wait until his stamina is depleted! Oi, oi, Teacher! Are you serious? The Viper sneered. I figured that out a long time ago! Dont you have more practical advice? Why in the world does your disciple talk like that now! The Heavenly Demon gritted her teeth, her eyes aze with various emotions. Is this really the dignity of Grandmaster of the Righteous Faction that you were so desperate to cling to? Why are you picking a fight over his way of speech now? Do you expect a child from outer murim to follow the Central ins etiquette? Is it because your disciple... Oh, yeah. You said he wasnt your disciple yet. Anyway, are you worried that my foul-mouthed disciple will crush the young demon over there? You... My disciple! Perform the Full Butterfly Sword using the Law of Life and Death! Itll work like a charm! The Vipers thick eyebrows twitched and enlightenment dawned on his face. I see. The Full Butterfly Sword, and the Law of Life and Death. Yes! If you add one more move to the attack, its to apply the principle of the Divine Martial Heaven. Can you do it? Fuck yeah, Teacher! Im the Viper, the OJP Sect Master! The Viper blew the snot out of one of his nostrils and adjusted his grip on his sword. Meanwhile, I was finally able to catch my breath and fix my posture. The Viper smirked at me. Death King. Yes? You asked earlier if Ive ever been hungry, yeah? Yes, I did, Mr. Viper. Is that your martial arts? The Vipers question was as sharp as his eye. That was the drive of my strike. I thought so. The Viper chuckled. His smile tilted along with his head. Ill ask you this first, Death King: what do you think martial arts are? The OJP Sect Masters discussion of martial arts was like discussing gods with the Inquisitor, the Sword Star about the sword, or the Alchemist Master on medicine. In other words, it was something I had to sit up and pay attention to. I would have done that if only I hadnt met the Guardian and hadnt learned the demonic martial arts from the Heavenly Demon. Above all, I had read what was going on in his mind. Ill answer that for you! The Viper bent forward slightly and held up his sword like a spiteful viper rearing its head up. Take a step! Swing your arm! Throw your fist! And he movedno, flowed as if he were a falling stream of water. The movement was smooth and elegant and closed the distance between us in one move. Martial arts are about kicking the ass of the guy in front of me! I narrowly blocked the Vipers sword, showering us with sparks, but he immediately spun it back around and held it straight up as if he was going to pierce the sky. He flicked his wrist. That is all there is to it, kid! A shower of sword strikes rained down on me. Damn it, I cursed. As soon as I blocked one attack, I was threatened by the next. Ah. Yet another strike followed. Shit! I shouted. The barrage rained down on me without mercy, pressing down my sword to create an opening like a tenacious hound. Urgh. The Viper crept into my opening and cut out a bit of my cheeks using his sword. I managed to stagger back, my cheeks weeping bloodhowever, the Viper followed me like a venomous snake wrapping itself around me to sink its fangs into my neck. Im not letting you go! He brought his sword down again. I groaned as I blocked it and was forced to endure a fresh shower of attacks. Damn it, I cursed. As expected, he was strong. He wasnt considered abat High Ranker for nothing! Oi, oi. Death King! Is that all you got? You had the audacity to attack me first, so you gotta do better than that! the Viper mocked. His taunting frustrated me, but someone else burst out in frustration. Damn it... You foolish child! It was the Heavenly Demon. She had been gnashing her teeth because the Murim Alliance''s leader kept provoking her, and her frustration finally spilled over. What are you doing? she shouted at the top of her lungs, her fists clenched. Its a shower! Its water! His sword resembles rain! What is there to be afraid of? Drink the rain! She had acknowledged this match. This was a fight between the Heavenly Demon Cult and the Righteous Faction. The two of us were the representatives and sessors of the Heavenly Demon and the Murim Alliance''s leader. Iughed. Understood! I stood up straight, holding my sword in reverse. Demonic Heaven Arts, Second Form: Thirst Death. I stopped the Vipers barrage of attacks before the downpour began. I redirected it to the path I wanted like I was going to drink it, but instead let it spill onto the ground. Oh. The Viper blinked. His move was wasted entirely thanks to my action. Our eyes locked just as two voices also began to vie for superiority. My disciple! Its time for Dry Leaf Mold! Be mud Ha! Then make it into a puddle, child! The Viper crouched defensively. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Demonic Heaven Arts, Third Form: Drowning Death. I angled my sword slightly,unching a nted sh. I attacked the Viper again, timed with his inhale. When he blinked, I unleashed another attack. I struck him slightly off beat this time. Shit...! The Viper eyed the cut on his waist and gnashed his teeth. Hes venomous! the Murim Alliance''s leader shouted. Get away from him! Get closer! the Heavenly Demon shouted. The Viper retreated as the Murim Alliance''s leader had told him. On the other hand, I closed in on the Viper like the Heavenly Demon had instructed me. Demonic Heaven Arts, Fourth Form: Freezing Death. Freaking hell! the Viper angrily shouted. You really fight like a nasty motherfucker! Right back at you, Mr. Viper! Its real shitty! Were you a shit in your previous life, Death King? How can you cling to me like dogshit stuck to my shoe? I could ask you the same thing. Were you a dog in your previous life? Wondering about each others previous life, the Viper and I exchanged sword attacks. As the winter wind threw snow into the air, things in the peanut gallery were heating up. y with him a moment and then back away as quickly as possible, my disciple! the Murim Alliance''s leader yelled. Attack him right now! Dont block it! Use the Lazy Donkey Rolling! Itll give you a chance to dodge it! Then use the Ground Tumbling Fist Child, you shouldnt block that one either! Dodge it! the Heavenly Demon urgently warned me. Wounds slowly covered my skin. The Viper and I bled and our flesh flew away. The cold wind froze our wounds into scars. Eventually, we were both covered in blood. Come on, you demon wench! Youre giving him advice too! the Murim Alliance''s leader criticized,ughing. Your head must be filled with snakes, old man, the Heavenly Demon snapped back, but she was alsoughing. As the two peoplesughter echoed in the air, my sword shed with the Vipers. Neither I nor the Viper had any intention of killing each other, and no bloodlust could be found in the quarrel between the Heavenly Demon and the Murim Alliance''s leader either. This fight wasnt about killing the opponent, but that was definitely a killer fight for everyone. I had be the Heavenly Demons sword. Due to the disease, she couldnt fight with all her might anymore unless she used all her qi. I fought in her ce with everything I had, showing her the sight she had lost. The Viper was the sword of the Murim Alliance''s leader. The leader couldnt wield his ax without resorting to his vital force because of the disease. On his behalf, the Viper charged at me in full force, bing the dream the Murim Alliance''s leader had been forced to give up. All sights fade away someday. No matter how radiant a dream was, it eventually lost its color. Humans declined. At some point, the Heavenly Demon fell silent. The woman of murim, known as the strongest of all time, slowly covered her face. Horrible... You horrible people... I gave them all up. I gave them up ages ago, so why did theye back again...? In a genre and a world in decline, only people could abandon other people, and only people could not give up on other people. Why...? the Heavenly Demon murmured. After who knew how long, our match ended only once the Viper and I couldnt even lift our swords. No one won, and there was absolutely no loser in this fight either. I sheathed my sword and staggered across the snowfield, panting. I approached the Heavenly Demon, who was still covering her face, and bent my shaking knees. Lady Heavenly Demon. I ced my hands on the snowfield. I wish to be your disciple. I want to be your sight. I hope to serve you as my teacher. I want to be your unfading dream. My title is Death King. I hope that your sight, your dream, and your life will continue with mine. And my real name is Kim Gong-Ja. This is the generation where all seriousness isughed upon. I want to be your pir so that no one canugh at you. Please ept me as your disciple. Please live on. Sunset painted the sky with vivid colors as snow dusted the earth. I am Soh Baekhyang, the Heavenly Demon. The wind scattered the snowkes far and wide. One among countless snowkes drifted onto the Heavenly Demons ck hair. The white snowke melted and flowed down her ck tresses. The Heavenly Demon opened her mouth. Give me your Nine Bows. I will ept you as myst disciple. Chapter 78: The Scent of Snow (1)

Chapter 78: The Scent of Snow (1)

... Whish, whish, iwish... The heart is a candle, and it shall burn this ce... This prayer had been handed down for a very long time. Just as monks chanted Amitabha, the people of the demonic cult sang this prayer. ...Whish, whish, iwish... The heart is a candle, and it shall burn this ce... No one knew what prayer meant, not even Soh Baekhyang. Even the old man who had brought her to the demonic cult didn''t know the meaning, but they both chanted it together. To Soh Baekhyang, the prayer was the song and the scream of the grassroots. It was easy to memorize the prayer even if people didnt know the true meaning. A scream had no meaning, so wasnt it natural that the grassroots song didnt carry any meaning? People had to learn manners to be polite, and righteousness to practice justice, but screaming was not learned. There wasnt a lot to know for people to scream, so even the uneducated masses could scream. ...Whish, whish, iwish... Screaming wasmon everywhere in the world. In Soh Baekhyangs eyes, the entire world was screaming. There is nothing more to teach you, the old man said. Go out into the world. Where shall I go? Soh Baekhyang quietly asked. The eleven-year-old child was gone. She was now a grown woman with dark hair and eyes and an equally dark uniform. The woman was as dark as the depths of a well at midnight. Her wish was to be hell, so her darkness deepened to be peoples hell. Where do you want to go? The ce of the hungry and the thirsty, Soh Baekhyang answered. Where the drowning gasp for air and the freezing shiver; where the drug addicts and the sick are left to rot; where people are beaten in government offices and burned to death. Soh Baekhyang stared into the distance. That is where I want to go. From far, far away outside the main hall, she and the old man could hear the sound of prayer. ...Whish, whish, iwish... Demons were bowing and praying. Their voices made the wooden floor shiver. The old man opened his mouth. Then the whole world is where you should go, Baekhyang. At the age of twenty-one, Soh Baekhyang went out into murim. That winter, thirty-one martial artists, forty-seven government officials, and fifty-five local aristocrats lost their heads. *** The Heavenly Demon quietly sent away the Murim Alliance''s leader and the Viper and took me elsewhere. There is a special ceremony in my cult. Do you know how to do Nine Bows? No, I dont, I answered. In my cult, a disciple bows nine times to the person they ept as their teacher. We headed to the hot spring cave. It felt like home now, but I was unfamiliar with the ce the Heavenly Demon took me. The Hunters and I had never been allowed to go as deep as she took me. The Heavenly Demon waved her hand, her loose sleeves fluttering. Countless candles lit up the darkness, illuminating the caves stgmites and stctites. However, the ceremony doesnt end just because the student bowed nine times. Its entirely up to the teacher to ept their students Nine Bows. The teacher can ask their disciple to bow as many times as they want. The Heavenly Demon smiled. In other words, it depends on me. Mmm... Is there a standard I should meet? There is. Manners are more about the heart than appearances. Child, the reason why time and ce are important parts of manners is that peoples minds are cunning and frivolous. At the end of the passage, there was a library. With each step the Heavenly Demon took, more candles lit up on both sides of the path. As each candle lit up, the enormous size of the library was further revealed. Books and bamboo scrolls were arranged in piles that reached all the way to the caves high ceiling. It isnt easy to control the frivolity of the mind, the Heavenly Demon said as she walked. The candlelight yed around her ankles. That is why people choose sacred times and ces. They rely on time, ce, and the heavens to weigh down their frivolity. Lady Heavenly Demon, this is...? This is my cults martial arts library, the Heavenly Demon said. It also stores the martial arts of the Nine Sects, One Gang, and Five ns. I call this ce the Heavenly Martial Arts Hall. This is a fucking awesome treasury! Zombie, Ill be reading some martial arts books! Dont worry about me, do your business. Try to buy some time until I finish reading all of them if you can! The Guardian, a martial arts maniac, ran over to the piles of texts. Hell yeah! all of the ultimate martial arts of this world are now mine! Ill have every enlightenment I can get! Bwahahahahaha! The Heavenly Demon was calm, unaware that a ghost was running wild in her library. I went out to murim when I was twenty-one. Can you tell what I thought first? Uh... I will destroy all those cocky Righteous Path bastards heads? Was it something like that? That was the third thought I had. I will prove that the cult is the best...? That was the second thought I had. The Heavenly Demon winked. You know, Ive hated the word murim since I was young. Huh? Murim is the name of the region that worships martial arts, but martial artists arent the only ones in murim. There are also other people, like boatmen, farmers, merchants, and prostitutes. Countless trees make up the forest we called murim.[1] Each of those trees has a unique name and texture, but the Nine Sects, One Gang, and Five ns named the region the forest of martial arts, the Heavenly Demon muttered. I didnt like that, so I decided to take their martial arts away from them. By taking away their martial arts, you mean...? I stole all of their precious martial arts manuals! The Heavenly Demonughed mischievously. Haha, I can still see the looks on the faces of those Kunlun sages. They begged me to snap all of their necks but please leave the books that contained the exquisite principle of the Cloud Dragon! But who am I? I buried the sages up to their necks. And then, I wrapped up their books and ran away right in front of their eyes! Wow, my teacher was quite a personality. Ive done that for decades. Now this ce is Mount Kunlun, the Wudang Sect, the Sichuang Tang Sect, the Zhuge n, and the Mount Mao Sect. All of the martial arts in the world have formed a forest here, so this is worthy of the name of murim. The Heavenly Demon slowly sat down. I would like to receive your bows here. Will you do it? I will. I wont judge how your bows look. Child from outer murim, bow as your heart leads you. I took off my shoes and gently set them aside before kneeling. As I was about to touch the ground with my forehead, the Heavenly Demon spoke again. Bow nine times, but perform each bow with a different heart. Put the heart of hunger into the first bow. Do you understand? Yes, I understand. The rtionship between a teacher and a disciple was of utmost importance. In the Heavenly Demon Cult, the ceremony wasnt just a matter of bowing nine timestheir Nine Bows were the Demonic Heaven Arts. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om I took a deep breath and pictured a farmer swinging a hoe, a riverside, and mud. Hunger is the children waiting for the sunlight. I prostrated myself, and the Heavenly Demon nodded, epting my first bow. Everything about my hunger was true, so it was more than enough to be considered a respectful bow. Demons arergely divided into four levels, the Heavenly Demon instructed me, who was soon to be her disciple. The first level is Entry Demon. They know how to speak of their suffering. My cults demons speak with their swords, not their words. Therefore, my Entry Demons are those who can speak of their suffering using their swords. I ced my forehead on the floor to bow again. After hunger came thirst, so I imagined a sea in my heart. The second level is Extreme Demon. Theyre people who are capable of talking about others suffering, so they also know how to end the suffering using their swords. The Heavenly Demon wordlessly epted my second bow as well. I bowed again, thinking of a drowned father. The third level is Transcendental Demon. They know and can speak of everyones suffering. A Transcendental Demon should be able to know what every passing person is suffering from. The Heavenly Demon nodded again, dly epting my third bow. I offered my fourth bow. Its extremely rare to find those who reached this level! Even in the history of my cult, there were less than five Transcendental Demons, one of them being me. The Heavenly Demon epted my bow this time too. Lastly, there is the level of Divine Demon. A Divine Demon is someone who understands the suffering of all beings and things in the universe. However, this level hasnt been proven yet. People just assume that such a level exists. No one has actually reached the Divine Demon. I was about to offer my fifth bow. Stop. The Heavenly Demon calmly raised her hand. Do it again. The Demonic Heaven Arts fifth form was Poisoning Death, which was the movement of those who were dying from drug addiction. But I hadnt learned the fifth form yet. "I told you to bow again," the Heavenly Demon quietly demanded. I offered my bow again. Do it again. I did it again. Do it again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Sweat ran down my forehead and waist. The Heavenly Demon was still calm as ever. It took 336 bows to understand a person who died from poison. I needed 189 bows to imagine a person who died of illness. 510 bows had to be offered to depict a person who was beaten to death in a government office. I silently kneeled and ced my forehead on the floor, feeling the sweat crawl down my face. ... Youre upright, child. The Heavenly Demon smiled. There are children who are upright because of their prosperous births. However, some children are born ugly but be upright through their willpower. Child, youre definitely one of thetter. What kind of life have you been leading that made you so upright? Her smile was slightly sad. What kind of life are you trying to live that makes you so upright...? The candles flickered, making the shadows sway. The Heavenly Demons thin shadow ovepped with mine. While the sun represents life, the shadows are pain, she softly intoned. The outlines of human lives are all different, but their pain oveps with each other over and over. Humans dont be humanity because theyre alive; humanity is the sum of their pain. That was the doctrine of shadow. If you say youll exchange pain with someone, that means that youll spend your life together with only that person. Those who are hurt by everyone are the people who want to be with everyone for all of their lives, child. Only one person was left in this world to pass on the doctrinethe very same woman who was speaking to me right now. Gong-Ja, people can not only decide who to hurt but also who will hurt them. The people you seek to save will never be absolutely good. Those you saved were not wholeheartedly noble. The ones you love will never be perfect. The woman radiated the warmth of the candles. If youre still willing to let everyone hurt you and give them your flesh, the scratches they leave on your skin must be idents from trying to hug you too tightly. Life is suffering, but the pain is only for humans to carry. Whish, whish, iwish. Your heart is a candle, so let it burn so that you may see others shadows. The candle wax dripped down. The eighth form of the Demonic Heaven Arts is Fire Death. Gong-Ja, bow with the heart of immtion. I... But you know Im the Fire Emperor and you saw me killing the Saintess. So you should die. My name is Yoo Soo-Ha. Goodbye. I offered my bow. The woman was quiet. I had heard her say, Do it again, 1035 times during my offering of bows, but her voice did not disturb the cave this time. It seemed that just one bow of Fire Death was enough. ...I see. The Heavenly Demons voice trailed away like the melting candle wax. Thest form of the Demonic Heaven Arts... is not decided. In each generation, the cult leader turns their own death into thest form, so the ninth form of each persons Demonic Heaven Arts is different. Offer the ninth bow with your death. During my 4090 suicides, my neck hurt from stabbing it with the dagger. I had been afraid that I would miss the neck because of my shaking hands. I had been scared that I would suffer longer if I stabbed myself wrong, so I had bound my hands to the dagger handle using packing tape. It had seemed like the only way. The number of days I had to rewind was 4050, but I had died 4090 times. I had to do that because I had almost given up halfway and escaped from my death for a few days. However, there was someone I couldnt forgive. I wasnt sure if I could live on if I forgave him, so I had wrapped my hands in packing tape. My resolve had faded more and it had taken longer to confront my death. That meant that I had to kill myself several more times. I had forced my jumbled thoughts out of my mind and ignored my hesitation. Because I really wanted to live, I desperately died. I made suicide myst form and offered my bow to the Heavenly Demon. The shadow swayed. I noticed a littleter that the Heavenly Demon had stood up and wrapped her arms around me. Gong-Ja. Two shadows ovepped in the cave. My disciple. ...Yes, I answered. You are my disciple. Yes. It doesnt matter where you are. Wherever you go, youll always be Heavenly Demon Soh Baekhyangs disciple, and our cults doctrines are in your heart. Even if the world falls, the Demon Heaven will continue as long as your heart does not stop. ... Yes, Teacher, I whispered. My neck ached. I realized now how painful those days were. 1. Murim() means a forest of martial arts. ? Chapter 79: The Scent of Snow (2)

Chapter 79: The Scent of Snow (2)

The Heavenly Demon and I made our way back to the Hunters and the Murim Alliance''s leader after a long time. The two of us were silent as we walked through the cave. ... Its very dark in front of us, so be careful where you step, the Heavenly Demon said. Yes, Teacher, I replied. That was the end of our conversation. She looked to be deep in thought. What was the Heavenly Demonno, what was Teacher thinking? Show me the character window. It was said that a disciple shouldnt even step on their teachers shadow, but it was hard to resist my curiosity. Could it be that Teacher had be cautious around me after I showed my weak side? That wasnt what I wanted. Name: Soh Baekhyang Affection: 81 Liked genre: Murim Disliked genre: ssic, legend, history, fairy tale Liked characters: Grassroots, rivals Disliked characters: Oppressors, hypocrites, bums Liked plot points: Full power fight Disliked plot points: Fleeing, oblivion, meaningless death State of mind: Judging from my remaining qi... Ill be able to live for another year and six months if I use it sparingly. One and a half years! Woah, this is hard! Ill have to teach everything to my disciple within one and a half years... Peeking into my Teachers mind without her permission made my conscience sting... but that wasnt the only reason. I felt embarrassed, but I was also a bit touched. I didnt really understand what I was feeling, but I could feel my face getting warmer. Maybe I really was weak to goodwill. Man, Zombie! Today is really my day! I couldnt have asked for more! Naturally, the moment didntst long because a ghost came along and obliterated the mood. Well! Its a different world, but the murim guys seem no different from those in my murim. The martial arts manuals arent that different. Still, it felt good to read them. Its been a long time since Ive done that. Man, this is great! Oh, right. Did your Nine Bows go well? the Guardian asked. Huh? Whats with that sulky look? Youre already ugly, but you look even uglier with that face, Zombie. You could use some beauty treatments. If someone could see my affection, they would probably see it drop by ten points right now. Seriously, this ghost didnt understand human emotions. [Shiny manages to stop sobbing and looks up at you.] Shiny finally stopped trembling. As expected, a Constetion understood human emotions. My Affection for Shiny just went up by thirty points. Hey, you guys are back, the Viper said, his one eye on me. Are your Nine Bows over? Yes, Ive officially be a disciple of the Heavenly Demon Cult. Congrattions. So how did you end up bing a student of the Murim Alliance''s leader? The Viper crossed his arms and chuckled. Well, it just happened. Thats what you said back then. What? You want to hear the details? Yes, if its okay. Standing like an impregnable wall, the Viper smiled, then shook his head. Im sorry, but I cant help you. The Viper calmly continued, I just asked him to be my teacher. Nothing else really happened. Since the match was over, nothing held me back from opening the Vipers character window. State of Mind: The dying old man... No. Hes my teacher now. Anyway, hes much more skilled than me but he even bowed to me. He said he doesnt have much time left to live and he wants to give the Heavenly Demon a reason to carry on. How can I say no to that...? I felt like someone hit me on the back of my head. The Viper was a real man. State of Mind: Phew~ Maybe its because I lied, but I can remember the moment vividly. I saw the asional spar between the Murim Alliance''s leader and the Heavenly Demon, so I always thought that those guys were amazing. Thats why I discussed martial arts with him when we were sitting together. Then the Murim Alliance''s leader suddenly started shouting: Ehhhhhh?! Oi, oi. Are you serious? Outer murim is blessed to have a genius like you! I scratched the back of my head; it wasnt really a big deal. Ah, the Sect Master is my preciousrade, but I dont know why youre making a fuss about it, the Medicine King interjected. Isnt it obvious that he got the skills, the heart, and the looks? The Chemist, blushing, joined in: Yes... Big Brother Vip Ah, no! Ah, ah, I didnt say anything! Anyway, the Sect Master is a High Ranker in our world... H-hes like an idol that people in our world look up to...! Ahh... Ahhhhh... Ahhhhhh... Sob, sob. Im so embarrassed! The truth made my eyes ze over. State of Mind: Then the Murim Alliance''s leader nodded as if everything made sense. Oi, oi, please! he said. Youre the greatest genius of all time, so please be myst direct disciple! Phew~ This is a problem. I just want to live quietly, but my life is always in the spotlight. Okay. I should stop reading this. Regardless, the Viper was a real man. Death King and Lady Heavenly Demon. The real man of this era shrugged. I have good news and bad news. What is it? I asked. Weve seeded. The one who answered my question wasnt Viper. The voice was much softerit was the Chemist. The Chemist walked up to me.Ive sessfully developed a cure, Mr. Death King. The reason I didnt say anything right away wasnt because I was emotionally overwhelmed by the news. The Chemist was a genius, so I firmly believed that she would develop a cure someday. It was only a matter of time. I had spent a lot of time learning the Demonic Heaven Arts, so it was about time the Chemist finished the cure with the Medicine Kings help. What? Teacher was surprised. The cure isplete? Is that true? If its a lie, then tell me now. I can forgive one lie. ... Yes, its true, the Chemist said. Actually, it waspleted yesterday. I waited another day because I needed to wait for the results of the clinical trial. A clinical trial? What do you mean by that? Teacher asked. I tested it on the test subject you and the Murim Alliance''s leader donated ... Im sorry. I injected the cure on who used to be the Wudang Sects leader and observed the progress over the course of a day. The Chemist seemed to be trying to look nonchnt. Its been too long since he died, so he couldnt be revived. But the zombie virushis jiangshi disease is cured, and Ive confirmed that his body has returned to normal. Yes, there is nothing wrong with the cure. If thats true, this is an incredibly joyous day! Teacher eximed. Amazing! All of the doctors and sages in the world tried to find the cure, but they all failed. Yet you managed to make the cure with just the two of you! No, its all thanks to the information Mr. Death King provided Youre being too humble. Please treat Buwolseon right now! Teacher grabbed the Chemists hands. Her joy was clearly evident in every movement. That old man is acting all tough and mighty, but he doesnt have much time left. He must have known it to take in a child from outer murim as his disciple. The Jade Emperor has truly blessed us with this timely cure! Yes... Of course I will treat both of you. Thats why I came here... There is something wrong with the cure, I interrupted. Am I wrong, Miss Chemist? The Chemists head drooped, hiding her expression from us. Ever since she had said, We sessfully developed a cure, the Chemist kept avoiding my eyes, so I had been feeling uneasy. No, theres nothing wrong with the cure... I made it, it''s perfect. But... The Chemist trailed off. But what? I asked. They say we have to shut down our dantian, It was Buwolseon, the Murim Alliance''s leader. The old man in the white robe slowly walked toward us. Demon, I also witnessed his corpse return to normal. We brought in a couple more jiangshi soldiers to test them just in case, but the results were the same. Theres no doubt about the cures effectiveness. You and I both know that we are already half-corpses. We should have be corpses ages ago, but weve been sustaining our bodies against thews of nature. Teachers face was dark. The Murim Alliance''s leader stroked his beard. Haha, it was a miracle that weve survived this long. Its time to pay the price. ...Its been too long since the two of you were infected with the jiangshi disease. If you haven''t been infected yet or were only in the early stages of the infection, one shot of the cure would fix you, but you two... The Chemist ducked her head. Theres nothing wrong with anything above the acupoint between your brain and spine. The cure will return the region to normal, just like before you were infected. However, below the acupoint, the virusI mean, the corrupted energyispletely indistinguishable from what you call qi. The condition of your lower dantians is especially bad. The corrupted energy travels by the same passages as your qi does. Its like cleaning a hallway. The cure isnt a delicate pair of trash tongs, but a broom. You cant pick out just the dust and sand while sweeping the hallway. Your hallways are covered in too much dust, especially your lower dantians... The dantian was where qi umted, so it was as precious as life itself to martial artists. They need to be taken out. ... Take it out...? What do you mean when you say take them out? Teacher asked. The Chemist had to force herself to finish the exnation. They have to be removed through surgery. ... Are you saying that youre going to remove the tumor from our lower dantians? Thats fine, Teacher said, trying to be optimistic. Well lose some of our qi, but people like us can quickly recover from that much. No, your lower dantians will be removedpletely. You dont have to worry about the surgery failing. A trial surgery has already been done. Im not a specialist in surgery, but Mr. Medicine King is, and Im still good enough to assist him, so... Their skills are amazing, the Murim Alliance''s leader interrupted. I dont know much, but I think Ill be looking for a doctor from outer murim the next time I need one. I watched the surgery from the side, and it was incredible. Demon, you should alsoe and watch when you get the chance. Namgung Woon. Teacher turned to look at him. I... The Murim Alliance''s leader coughed. Im going to have the surgery. Even if Im going to lose my qi, its only a handful. It isnt much to worry about. Its fortunate that I could take in a disciple near the end. Even after closing my dantian, my mind will still be clear, so Ill be able to teach my disciple. Hes a genius like no other and absorbs my teaching like a sponge. The Murim Alliance''s leader looked at his old rival. Were martial artists. Martial arts are about the mind. If we still have our clear minds, our martial arts remain. Arent I right, Baekhyang? N?v(el)B\\jnn Try as she might, Teacher couldnt answer him. The Murim Alliance''s leader''s surgery went on all night. At dawn, the Chemist and the Medicine King told me that the surgery wasplete and had been sessful. *** Dawn decorated the snowfield in shadows. Teacher. She stood alone at the caves entrance, looking down at the dimly lit world. As distant as the scene was, she seemed even further away. Her long ck sleeves fluttered in the wind. Teacher, I repeated. ...Is the surgery over? Yes, it is. How did it go? Hes well. Is that so? It went well. I see. Her gaze was fixed on the air. My disciple. Yes, Teacher. I wanted to y all of the cold in the world, Teacher said. Since I was young, I resented winter and the snow that fell during the season. Why does the world have to have seasons? And why did winter have to be one of them? Why did peoples lives have to perish at the end of every season? I always wondered. The world was now frozen in eternal winter, but the woman born with the Icesnow Body and the Ultimate Yin Body hated the season that was most like her. I cant cut the cold, but I was confident that I could punish those who froze the world. That is when I first went out into murim. It was the middle of winter back then, too. I knew that something was different about Teacher. She was holding a sword in her right hand. It had no guard, consisting only of the hilt and the de. Unlike the other swords that were polished to a mirror sheen, Teachers de was pitch ck almost as if it refused to be clear. I could surmise what the sword was. The Bloodbane Demon Sword... When I first went into murim, there was something I tried. I was acting childish, but I embraced the worlds cold literally and decided to cut down a snowy mountain. Teacher exhaled deeply, her breath emerging as puffs of white. High, white mountains scraped the bottom of the dawning sky. Back then, I couldnt even cut off the foot of the mountain... The Teacher raised her sword. I wonder what Im like now. Teacher slowly swung her sword. Her sleeves were long, so they fluttered behind the de with an almost exaggerated slowness. It seemed as if time stopped as her sleeves swam through the air. Whish, whish, iwish. The shaman of the sword danced with her sword. My heart is a candle, and itll burn this ce. And then it was cut. The snowy peak had no trees, exposed rocks, or any significance except for its mere presence, but it was cut down all the same. The mountains scream was like thunder. As it echoed outward, a rush of white blood burst out as the peak copsed; the waves of snow ovepped with one another, furthering the mountains fall. A human-made snowstorm blotted out the dawn. Teachers cloudy breath drifted through the air. In my mind, I cut down the entire mountain, but I couldnt. I only managed to cut down the peak this time. Im far away from achieving Mind-Kill. This is the final level Ill be able to reach. The huge, white mountain crumbled. My disciple. Teacher looked back at me. Ill have the surgery. Chapter 80: The Scent of Snow (3)

Chapter 80: The Scent of Snow (3)

Teacher couldnt receive the surgery right away. Im sorry. I-I need to rest for a little while... The Murim Alliance''s leaders surgery had finished only a moment ago, so both the Chemist and the Medicine King were exhausted. She copsed and fell asleep right away, and he was nkly sitting in the hot spring, his mouth hanging open. Teacher frowned and looked down at the Murim Alliance''s leader. I heard you lost your dantian, so I came here to see that in person, old man. Nonsense right from the first visitor. Alright, look all you want. How are you feeling? Lying on a mat, the Murim Alliance''s leader giggled. I feel as light as a feather. I feel like Im going to transcend. Too much crap is also an illness. You havent even gone through metamorphosis... The Murim Alliance''s leader quietlyughed on. You look lighthearted as well, demon. Have you decided to receive the surgery? ...Yes, I have. Teacher sighed. I just poured out a years worth of my qi to wield my sword as freely as I want for thest time in my life. Wow! The Murim Alliance''s leaders eyes sparkled. It mustve been a spectacr sight. Its a shame I didnt get to see that because Im stuck in bed. So? What did you cut? I tried to cut the winter, but I couldnt. Im far, far away from the Life and Death Tier. Oh, what a pity. Well, dont let it get to you. No ones ever reached that level. If it were as easy as all that, the history of murim would have changed six times already. The Murim Alliance''s leaderughed heartily. Teacher gave him a long, thoughtful look. Namgung Woon, you... I dont regret it at all, the Murim Alliance''s leader firmly stated. The world is a mess; its a wonder that we endured for three years. The wonderful doctors from outer murim came to treat us. I had thought the Righteous Faction was going to die out, but I took in a disciple. Its wonderful! Wonders form a miracle, dont they? Im just grateful for the miracle I received. Hmm. The only regret I might have is that I didnt get to end the Great War of Good and Evil with you, demon. But, well, theres no such thing as a perfect life. Im sure our disciples will finish it nicely. Yes, Im sure they will. Teacher smiled slightly, but it was bittersweet. Still, when she turned to me I could see the faith in her gaze. I can ept this ending. That wasnt the face of a person who was happyshe was simply willing to ept her ending. No matter how sweet a candy was, it should be allowed to melt in the mouth before swallowing it. Perhaps Teacher was chewing over hering end. I nodded. Teacher, Im going to be away for a bit. What are you talking about? Where would you go in this ruined world? Your disciple is going to get some fresh air. Dont worry. ...That makes me even more worried for some reason. Teachers eyebrows furrowed. Are you trying to get involved in something dangerous? Teacher, Ill return before your surgery is over. Ill make sure of it. I gave her the bao quan salute. It was awkwardly executed, but I was confident that it had all of my heart in it. Dont worry about anything, Teacher. Your disciple will be waiting right by your side when you open your eyes after the surgery is over. Teacher epted her ending. Now it was time for me to give her her life back. *** I left the cave and crossed the snowfield. As I walked, I thought about how this world had looked before its fall. Would murim have been a thick, vast forest? Had gangho had rivers andkes?[1] Past what would have been part of a thick forest with rivers, Preta waited, kneeling. Master, I havepleted your order. You found them all? Yes, Preta answered with her head bowed. A dusting of snowkesy on her hair, showing how long she had been waiting. I did as you ordered me, Master. I had given Preta an order before; There will be martial artist jiangshi sporadically scattered around the area. Find them. Find the demons in ck training suits and the warriors in white. Many jiangshi were lost in snowstorms in thest three years of the Great War of Good and Evil. Weve found a total of 917 missing jiangshi. 439 of them are those you called demons; 478 jiangshi are warriors in white. There were 560 demon jiangshi and 521 Righteous Path jiangshi gathered nearby. Preta bowed her head deeper. Weve brought all of the 1998 jiangshi here. Behind her slender shoulders, jiangshi were lined up on the snowfield, my skeleton army holding down each of the jiangshi from both sides. It was morning, and jiangshi were weak to sunlight, so they wouldnt move, but even if clouds covered the sun, the jiangshi wasnt going to go out of control instantly. Okay. Good. I nodded. Bring the jiangshi to me one by one. Yes, Master. The skeletons dragged one of the jiangshi in front of me. When it arrived, I had already drawn my holy sword. The winter was cold, but my sh across the winter air would be colder. ...Whish... A wind blew over us. Just as rainfall gathered into ake, the wind blew into the valley we were in. During its stay in the valley, the wind took after a human voice. ...Whish... The wind recited a prayer carried from far away. All of the sounds that fell into the valley were hauntingly human. I let the wind blowing through the valley whisper into my ears and swung my sword. ...Iwish... The jiangshis head was split open in one strike. I let out a deep exhale as I cut down those who were now corpses. The jiangshis heads burst open with a messy explosion of fragments. Next! Understood! Preta gestured at the skeletons, who quickly brought the next jiangshi. When I was on a roll, Preta quickly brought the jiangshi in front of me, but slowed down when I looked tired. Faster! Ill finish this before sunset today! I shouted. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Yes, Master! We carried on with our execution ceremony as relentlessly as the wind carried its sound. We had a total of 1998 corpses. Even though they didnt move or resist, it wasnt easy to do it all with one sword. I panted. For a long time, I had been thinking about how I could make the perfect ending. What kind of ending would satisfy Teacherpletely? How could a persons life beplete? I wanted that for Teacher with all my heart, and that was why I was able toe to a conclusion. It wasnt enough for me to be her disciple. The bad ending was if Teacher went mad. That was undoubtedly bad, but did that mean that bing her disciple was the happy ending? Would Teacher be satisfied with this ending? Nothis was a normal ending. Actually, me bing her disciple barely met the standards of an ending. Although even if I were to dere that it was over right now, the Indoor Librarian would probably ept it and this world would be the twenty-second floor... I would never be satisfied with it. Master, please endure a little longer! Only half of them are left now! [Shiny cheers for you as hard as she can!] The sun was already setting. The sky turned red, and the snowfield was colored purple. I wasnt sure how long it had been now. It had to have been around seven or eight hours. Anyhow, I swung my sword without stopping. My clothes were soaked with sweat and pieces of flesh. These are thest ten, Master! Preta shouted. I looked up, and indeed, only five each of the demons and the followers of the Righteous Path remained. I tightly gripped my sword despite mybored breath. A little more. Only five are left! Just a little more. This is thest one! When I crushed the head of a demon in the ck uniform, its frozen brain shattered like ice. Immediately after cutting down the 1,998th jiangshi, my knees gave out and I copsed into the snowfield, my lungs burning. Great work, Master! That was quite a trial! Preta was so happy that she almost jumped up and down, even though she had also been worked to the bone for nearly half a day. Preta had always been emotionless since I had taken her under my shadow. This seemed like the first time I had seen her so genuinely happy. Why are you so happy? I asked after catching my breath. When Preta realized that she was smiling, she quickly regained her poker face. ... My heart swelled when I imagined what youre going to show everyone, Master. I havent met your teacher in person, but Im certain that shell be happy... very, very happy. Yeah. I smiled, lying on the snow. I hope shell be very happy. The cure was developed, and I was officially Teachers disciple. Lastly, I also had the Guardians permission. By no means had it been easy to get here, but finally... I was ready to see the ending of this world. *** A week passed. Teacher and the Murim Alliance''s leader had spent it recuperating. Fortunately, there was no need to arrange separate recovery facilities. This cave with its hot spring was already perfect. Hmm, I feel so empty now that my dantian is closed. I cant even umte a spoonful of qi even if I do Qi Alignment. Now that I dont have any qi, I feel uneasy for no good reason. This must be what those people who cant use martial arts feel like... Actually, I feel at ease now. Thesest years didnt feel like living! I had to block the acupoint, make my heart beat, and on and on. The Murim Alliance''s leader settled into the hot spring and let out a long, weary sigh. I feel like Im finally living my life again because I can just breathe without needing to do anything else! This is all thanks to those children from outer murim. T-thank you for waiting... The Chemist stammered as she slowly wrapped up Teachers examination. Todays check-up is over. I found no issue in either of you. I think we can say that you two arepletely healed. E-even if you get bitten by a jiangshi again, you wont get infected again... Thank you. Teacher patted the Chemists head, making the younger womans shoulders twitch in surprise. That old man and I owe your lives. It isnt easy to helpplete strangers. N-no... I did what I had to do as a medical practitioner. Thats an incredible way of thinking; its even more amazing to actually practice what you think. Youre an amazing child. Ah. So, thats... The Chemist couldnt move away from Teachers caress. Although she looked very embarrassed, she didnt seem to hate it. It felt good to see them as close as sisters. However, I couldnt just stand around smiling. Hmm. Miss Chemist, is it okay for the two of them to move now? Oh. Yes, yes! I scheduled the recovery period a little longer just in case. They can move around or exercise without any problems. Okay. Teacher; sir. Why dont we go for a walk together? A walk? Teacher tilted her head. Im very happy to get some fresh air with my disciple... but why are you asking that old man too? Gong-Ja, even a pleasant walk will feel like trudging through a pig pen if you go with that old man. The Murim Alliance''s leader scoffed. Id refuse a walk with an old demon and a young demon before you could even offer. Have a good time. You and your students dullness will be a great conversation topic during your stroll. Their reaction was as expected. No. I shook my head quietly. I need both of you toe with me. Hmm...? Teacher and the Murim Alliance''s leader locked eyes. They seemed to have noticed that I wasnt suggesting an ordinary walk. They looked like they didnt have any idea what I could be up to but seemed intrigued nheless. Alright. It seems my disciple is up to something. Although I dont feel like going for a walk with that old man, Ill dly y along. Well, itll be trivial if its something that the young demon nned. I dont expect much. We left the cave. It was cold; just like the first day we fell into the Heavenly Demon Chronicle, today was also winter. The only difference from that day was that neither Teacher nor the Murim Alliance''s leader could use their qi. Never again. I held Teachers hand with my right hand and the hand of the Murim Alliance''s leader with my left. That way, I could use my aura to deliver warmth. Teacher, I said. Yeah. Sir. Yup, the Murim Alliance''s leader answered. You two said that your only regret is that you couldnt finish the Great War of Good and Evil. Instead, it is something that your disciples will have to finish... Relying on the warmth I delivered, we crossed the snowfield in the cold winter. Perhaps it felt awkward toe out for the first time after a week, or it could be that they werent used to having to walk without their qi. Teacher and the Murim Alliance''s leader walked a little awkwardly. But I dont agree. The Great War of Good and Evil is your war. Even if I and the OJP Sect Master fight, its just a match, not a great war. You two are the ones who have protected the Heavenly Demon Cult and the Righteous Faction until now. Only your fight can be the Great War of Good and Evil. Gong-Ja...? Teacher gave me a confused look. We arrived at the snowfield. Thank you for not giving up for three years. The shadowy forest of jiangshi was now just an empty snowfield without a single jiangshi. Thank you for finding and collecting the jiangshi every day. If the two of you had given up and treated them as mere corpses, leaving them to disappear, I would never have been able to get them back. I slowly opened my mouth to give them back the lives they lost and the sight they deserved to enjoy. Monster Legion Reincarnation. My shadow spread across the snowfield. [Activating the Skill Monster Legion Reincarnation.] One by one, snowman-like figures rose from my shadow. Some figures were wearing ck martial arts training suits while several others had fluttering white sleeves. As they slowly took on the form of a human, the figures looked down at their hands, surprised. But none of them would have been surprised as Teacher and the Murim Alliance''s leader were. Gong-Ja, what in the world is this...? You can think of it as a dream or a side effect of losing your dantians. You could also imagine that I know a strange Taoist technique that can temporarily recreate the dead by bringing back their memories and bodies. I squeezed their hands. Lady Heavenly Demon, and Sir Righteous Faction Leader. The activation of Monster Legion Reincarnation wasplete. One thousand elite demons of the Heavenly Demon Cult stood on the snowfield. One thousand elite warriors of the Righteous Faction were facing the demons. The Heavenly Demon Cults rule isnt over. Murim hasnt forgotten its honor, and honor hasnt been lost in murim. The Heavenly Demon Cults fate isnt something that corpses can eat away, nor shall the Righteous Factions murim fall because of jiangshi. These two peoples wish was to have a true Great War of Good and Evil. When the Heavenly Demon Cult disappears, it should be by the Righteous Factions sword. If the Righteous Faction should end, it has to be brought down by the Heavenly Demon Cults hands. I beseech the heaven of the Demonic Cult and the leader of the Righteous Faction. I smiled and offered them my bao quan salute. Please decide thest ruler of murim. 1. Ganghos hanja: (). Gangho means a world, but its hanja are a mix of riverskes. ? Chapter 81: The World鈥檚 Smallest (1)

Chapter 81: The Worlds Smallest (1)

Peoples murmurs flowed over the snowfield. What in the world is going on? A-am I alive... ...? Is this paradise...? Thest thing they remembered was their own death; this was true for both the Heavenly Demon Cult followers and the Righteous Faction warriors. They may remember being bitten by jiangshi, but they probably didnt remember being turned into one themselves. For them, years had passed in the blink of an eye. However, there were people who had lived through the entire three years. Teacher stared disbelievingly at the snowfield. Gong-Ja... Yes, Teacher. Are you from outside this world, not outer murim? This... This is absolutely not the kind of sorcery that a human can use. This kind of sorcery only shows up in the most fantastical legends. Or did I die and arrive in paradise without realizing...? No, no, you didnt. I shook my head. Those people can no longer use martial arts like you. Theyre also much weaker than they were before their death. This isnt paradise, but they still have their memories from life. Why dont you go and see for yourself? Go on, Teacher. Teachers feet crunched softly through the snow. Those footsteps were the sound of a martial artist who was left only with the traces of her three-year fight against the illness, having lost her dantian and qi. With light footsteps, the Heavenly Demon, my teacher, approached her followers, who were struggling to understand their situation. Stay calm! W-we need to figure out whats happening first. Ill send out scouts! Blood Demon Senior Captain, Teacher softly said. A dozen demons, startled, fell silent. Then they looked at her, their teacher and leader, as if they had met an alien. Lady Heavenly Demon...? Blood Demon Senior Captain. Teacher gasped, her breath billowing in front of her. It really is you. The silence was contagious. At first, it was only about ten people, but it spread to those around them by the dozens. Soon enough, hundreds of them had caught onto the mood. The snowfield was quiet. Moonlight Demon King... Yes, Im here. Ghostfire Demon King. Yes, Lady Heavenly Demon. Sword Demon Senior Captain... I am at your service. Teacher called out to each of her followers one by one. The followers who were called simply knelt down without question, pressing the snow t underneath their knees. I lost you... Teacher reached out her hand. I lost every single one of you... She caressed one of her followers cheeks. My children... ... . Her fingers were trembling. Seeing her tremble, the demons quickly averted their gaze. It seemed that not seeing what they shouldnt was a sign of loyalty. All of her followers turned their gazes to the ground. Of course, they werent the only ones shocked. ... Oh, my. The old monk stroked his beard. Im sure I made my grave in the cave and crossed the river to the underworld, but I feel like Im still in the snowfield, not nirvana... M-monky! ... And theres also a devil among them. Oh, boy. It looks like Im fated to see that person even after my death. What is the Supreme Buddha trying to show me? It is you, monky! You''re as full of shit as ever. The Murim Alliance''s leader ran over and hugged the old monk tightly. I could guess who that old monk washe must be the abbot of the Shaolin Temple. Aside from Teacher and the leader of the Righteous Faction, he hadsted the longest. You came back to life, my friend! the Murim Alliance''s leader shouted. Im not your friend. Ah! The Jade Emperor must have blessed us with this miracle! You sound like a dog eating grass, the monk grumbled. In other words, the Murim Alliance''s leader was speaking bullshit. Dont pollute my mind with your nonsense, you. I shouldnt have fallen for your talk and fought those evil monsters in the first ce. It would have been better to quietly enter Nirvana from the temple. Ahhhh! I know youre the monky I know because the joy of meeting you again is quickly dying. I really want to punch you in the face! the Murim Alliance''s leader answered with a smile. The followers of the Heavenly Demon Cult were quiet, while the warriors of the Righteous Faction were noisy. They were each enjoying their reunion in their own way. Time passed. The first one to turn her dark eyes to me was Teacher. We exchanged nces. My heart was being engraved on her heart. ... I... she began. I am Soh Baekhyang, the heaven of the Heavenly Demon Cult. I also go by the name of Heavenly Demon. The Murim Alliance''s leader paused his reunion with hisrades. After letting them go from his arms, he looked across the snow at Teacher. Teacher gave him the bao quan salute. If today is just a blind mans dream, I would still be happy. It was midday. I wouldnt mind even if it was a hallucination, Teacher eximed, her voice mixed withughter. The snow nketing the field wasnt perpetual because it didnt melt under the sun, it was eternal because new snow constantly fell to rece what the sun melted, over and over. Even if the Heavenly Demon Cults murim was just a fleeting daydream. Life belongs to those who decided to suffer from the same disease, and the world is owned by those who promised to share the same dream. When a human wanted to stay white under the zing sunlight, wishing to be born white wasnt enough. They had to be prepared to be broken into pieces, shattered, and scattered, dispersing their color across the world. I havent forgotten the name of the disease I decided to suffer from, and the heat of the dream I promised to dream yet remains the same. I havent given up on anyone or anywhere yet. Whish! The name of my disease, not that of my martial arts, is a testament to my existence. The heat of my dream is my proof, not my qi. Flurries of snow fell upon the field. Im right here, and Ill be myself only while Im here. They melted, but more snow fell. I am where I belong. I challenge you for the 990th time. The field went quiet. Even the boisterous warriors of the Righteous Faction were silent. These warriors were thest masters and grandmasters of murim. They had been fighting the great war until they met their end, so there was no way they would dare act rashly in this moment. If the words chosen at thest moment of life were a will, it was time for the Righteous Path to write their will. The path followers looked at the one who would carry their paths will. I am Namgung Woon, the leader of the Martial Alliance and the Grand Patriarch of the Namgung n. He gave Teacher the bao quan salute. I also go by the name of Buwolseon/ A thousand demons and a thousand warriors of the Righteous Path faced each other. Your Heavenly Demon Cult made the screams of themon people your doctrine. The screams have be revenge, and that revenge became massacres that stained the world red. The entire world bleeds, but you bloodthirsty, vengeful ghosts still act like the weak. The voice of the Murim Alliance''s leader drew a sharp line between the demons and the white warriors. You all just cry and cry, clinging to the Heavenly Demons sleeves. You beg her to take your revenge in your ce. Its like you are trying to stay weak, tragic people by holding onto her sleeves! No! the Righteous Factions old leader roared. You all have hands and feet too. How much longer are you going to dwell on the ghosts of your past? Hwaeom[1] said that even a tree has to let go of its flowers in order to bear fruit. How about you? You are all just pawning off your flower gardens! The demons started growling. Their hands tightened around their swords. Their spirits became venomous and murderous. In response, the warriors of the Righteous faction bristled. Neither side had any qi, but the tension was thick. Good. Teacher smirked. Ill take that as a yes. Indeed. Shall we fight until one of us is incapacitated or dead? We shall fight until one of us is dead. I ept. The Murim Alliance''s leader nodded. The two martial artists ended their salute. At the same time, a thousand demons and another thousand white warriors drew their swords. With the sun high overhead, the two thousand des shone brightly. Children of the demonic heaven! Teacher clenched her fists. You can believe that today is just a dream or an illusion! Whish! all of the demons shouted together. You can call today an empty dream! Whish! So live like a dream! Teacher yelled. Iwish! Our hearts are candles! We will burn this ce! her followers chanted. This is the Heavenly Demon Cults murim! The world is owned by the grassroots! n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Teacher burst intoughter. Kill them! The battle began. The demons ran, howling like beasts. No magical foot art or Lightness Art was used. They charged the enemy and bit them like animals, fighting their holy war ording to their doctrine. You hypocrites! I am the Moonlight Demon King, the strongest of the Heavenly Demon Cults Four Demon Kings! Face my sword! You seem to be my worthy opponent! I am the grandmaster of the Wudang Sect! The Moonlight Demon King, the senior captain of the Heavenly Demon Cults Deceased Shadow Unit, and the Profound Void Grandmaster of the Wudang Sect crossed des. Despite their formal introduction, the fight was extremely savage. The demon king struck the grandmaster in the face with the hilt of his sword, scattering fragments of his teeth through the air. The Profound Void Grandmaster bared his bloody, broken teeth and roared as he jammed his fingers into the Moonlight Demon King eyes. The demon kingsughter drowned out the sound of his eyes bursting. The grandmasters howls and theughter of the demon blended together. Another demon in ck and a warrior in white confronted each other. I am the Ghostfire Demon King, the strongest of the Four Demon Kings. Im here to take your head. Namo Amitabha. My name is Jomyeong. The Ghostfire Demon King, the senior captain of the Heavenly Demon Cults Requiem Unit, and Zen Master Jomyeong, the Abbot of the Shaolin Temple. As the strongest of the Four Demon Kings, Ill be merciful and let you make three attacks. That is very polite of you to Buddhists! Dont lose that respect! The zen master immediately pounced at the demon king, swinging his fist wrapped in his japam[2]. Despite his words, the demon king instantly ducked and then sprang up, headbutting the zen master in the stomach. Zen Master Jomyeong let out a groan andughed dryly. Didnt you say that you would let me make three attacks before you make a move? You believed that? Did it look like I believed it? Yes. A trickle of blood interrupted the Ghostfire Demon King. Thats how it looked. The demon king fell to his knees. His nose was broken after the fierce headbutt. Just before the demon kings head hit, the zen master had thrown his knee up, intercepting the demon kings attack. Zen Master Jomyeong admired the Ghostfire Demon Kings bloodied face, happily stroking his beard. I see that my acting skills haven''t gone rusty. You damn monk... Take two more of my attacks! The zen master grabbed the demon king by the ears and kneed him again. The demon king took advantage of the situation to headbutt the zen masters knee instead, smashing the cartge with a meaty crunch. The zen master yelped and jumped up and down, holding onto his knee. Hahahahaha! These guys are basically thugs without their qi! This must be their true level after all! Good! Today is a good day to expose the Righteous Path bastards to the world!" "... Vulgar. How vulgar..." Two swordsmenthe Sword Demon King, the senior captain of the Heavenly Demon Cults Execution Unit and the Ten Thousand Chaotic Blossom Sword, elder of the Mount Hua Sectwere the next to sh. As soon as their swords met, both of them screamed and clutched their hands. Neither of them could handle the impact of their strikeshowever, neither of them let go of their swords. The Sword Demon Kingughed, baring his teeth. "Tsk... Stop acting tough and drop it already." I could say the same... the Ten Thousand Chaotic Blossom Sword answered through gritted teeth. When their eyes met, the two attacked again. This time, they held back their screams. The next time, they let a gasp slip out. On their third, their hands and shoulders began to tremble. Both of their hands were torn and bleeding. They bit down on their lips to endure the pain, but their lips bled like their palmsand still, neither let go of their swords. The white uniform sleeves fluttered, and the hem of the ck robes flew. Between the sun and the shadows it cast across the snow, the Righteous Faction and the Heavenly Demon Cult did battle, blood gushing all across the snowfield. This is the Heavenly Demon Cults murim! The world is owned by the grassroots! Ahhhhhhhhhhhh! Die! Die! You Moyong bastards. Come out here, now! The colorless world wasnt being brought to life by brilliant martial artsit was red human blood. Hah, haha... Hahaha. A particrly redugh erupted from within. Hahahaha! Ha! Ha, ahahahahaha! It was theughter of true madness. There are many of Righteous Paths minions, arent there! Teacher shouted. Good. Come at me. Let us cross des. A shadow ran wild between the Righteous Faction warriors. It seemed as if the sun rose and set dozens of times. She was a woman with no qi and had battled illness for three years, yet her movements stood out most among the martial artists who were also unable to use martial arts. Absurd! Teacherughed. You, abbot of the Shaolin Temple, do you really think you could stop me with such cheap tricks? The same goes for you, sage of the Wudang Sect. Do you believe you can handle the karma of my cult? I was familiar with those words, but Teacher was speaking them for the first time. Mount Song is swamped with the worlds overflowing resentment. The burning rage razed Mount Wudang. The Heavenly Demon Cult is the heaven of the martial arts world, and I am the heaven of my cult. Are you truly qualified to discuss the sky above the sky!? You minions of the righteous path arent going to cut it! Teacher roared. Namgung Woon! Even amid the sounds of shing swords and crushing flesh, Teachers voice was clear. Call of the Grand Patriarch of the Namgung n! Bring me the Murim Alliance''s leader! No matter how dense the forests are or how vast the sky is in murim, only one person in this world can take on my sword! My Four Demon Kings! Get Namgung Woon in front of me, immediately! The redughter was ecstatic. The Murim Alliance''s leader took a step into the increasingly red world. This reminds me of the first day of the great war, he remarked. His top was off. It was a cold winter, and he had no qi, so the cold would be biting down to his very bones. However, he used it to stiffen his wire-thin muscles like armor. Because we couldnt finish it on that day, the great war went on to the next day. Even on the next day, we werent able to see the end, so it extended another day. Now that I think of it, I got off on the wrong foot on the first day! I should have put all my power into it from the beginning. The Murim Alliance''s leader took a deep breath. Then he got into a stance and gestured at Teacher. Attack, demon. The heavens are with me today. Buwolseon, the leader of the Murim Alliance. The heavens... Nice. Teacher stepped through the snow. Thats because the heavens decided to take you today. The Heavenly Demon, the heaven of the Heavenly Demon Cult. On their first breath, the two red at each other. After half a breath, they walked toward each other. When their breaths fell out of sync, the two made their moves. The flurries of white snow whirled around flying ck hair as red blood was scattered. 1. Hes a monk from Shi, an ancient Korean kingdom. ? 2. Buddhist prayer beads ? Chapter 82: The World鈥檚 Smallest (2)

Chapter 82: The Worlds Smallest (2)

Ha! Teacherughed. Haahahaha! Haha! Her broken nose dripped blood onto the snow. Teacher swung her fist. Her uppercut hit the Murim Alliance''s leader square on the jaw, making him stumble. Teacher didnt miss the opportunity and pounced on him, biting his ear off. Ugh! Gah...! Grr! Argh...! You bastard...! The Murim Alliance''s leader shoved Teacher away, but his ear was long gone. His quiet scream echoed across the snowfield. Teacher spat his bloody ear into the snow. The corners of her mouth were stained bright red. She smiled out of satisfaction with the result of her hunt, looking like a real bloodthirsty demon. Phew! that tastes filthy! Does the Namgung ns lofty mind arts not help you improve the quality of your flesh? You demon, do you even enjoy human flesh now? I already know youre a demon; you dont have to prove it again! And youve got all the vigor of wilted spinach, old man. But you did make a good point. Teacher wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. The Great War of Good and Evil should have ended on the first day, but both you and I retreated on that day. I thought I was fighting with everything I had, but I wasnt. I didnt put my life on the line! Todays fight is the second chance that I would never have gotten. Teacher looked at me. Her dark eyes were filled with warm, gentle affection. I cant foolishly repeat the same mistake. Buwolseon, Im going to put everything into this fight today. ...Are you trying to use your vital force? Yes, I am. Vital force was the energy that everyone obtained at birth. In other words, it was vitality itself. Unlike qi, vital force couldnt be umted artificially. There was no way to regain it after it had been used. The ending of a martial artist was decided as soon as they used their vitality: they either died or stayed in bed for the rest of their lives. Tapping into their vital force was thest resort for martial artists, only done when they were fighting with their backs against the wall. ...Demon, you and I are both weak now anyway, the Murim Alliance''s leader said. The loss of an ear, made his expression menacing. Even if we use our vital force, we can only demonstrate low or intermediate skills since we dont have any qi nor our dantians... Do you realize that? Im aware. Are you trying to draw out your vital force just so that you can be an intermediate-tier martial artist at best? Yes, I am. Teacher smiled. Dont get angry, Namgung Woon. Im not trying to throw away my life. Not at all. Myst day will arrive someday; I just hope that today will be the day. I couldnt be happier to be alive right now. Ill be forever grateful. Im grateful to myself for surviving until today, and I want to express my gratitude for this fate that will allow me to die today. Youre still grateful even though the world has perished? Yes, I am. Im grateful for all those people my destiny brought me. Teacher slowly took her stance, cing her right hand forward and her left hand back. Now that I look back, I believe Im a truly happy warrior. A cold wind blew, but it wasnt from the sky. Small vortices circled Teacher and spread outward as she released her vital force. ...I see. So itse to this. The Murim Alliance''s leader felt the wind in his face. In truth, Ive also been longing for a day like today. Headwind pushed away the existing wind. Lets die together, Heavenly Demon. The two charged toward each other. I saw two lives flowing across the snowfield. Teacher struck away the hand of the Murim Alliance''s leader. He knocked her foot out from under her. As their arms and their footwork crossed, they burned their vital energy, letting their life slip away. Teacher hit the Murim Alliance''s leaders waist. The wind blew wherever the two struck, melting the snow beyond their fists. Their lives were melting the perpetual snow that even the sun had never beaten. The ground where their feet fell was slowlyid barethe only part of the world freed from the snow. And that wasnt all. Little by little, things that werent white were growing around Teacher and the Murim Alliance''s leader battle. They were weeds and grass. The rest of thend was still frozen, but a new season started around their arena. Theyre drinking up the vital force, the Guardian stated. The vital force of master martial artists like them is basically a feast. Even so, itll onlyst for a moment. Even if it was only for a moment, their season was beautiful. The earth drank in the vital force they shed and briefly returned to how it had looked before the eternal winter. It was now a forest of peach blossoms. Peach trees sprouted from the ground and grew tall as if time was sped up. Their branches reached out toward the sky like a hand grasping for something. Flowers bloomed. Through the gaps between the red petals and the finger-like branches, I watched Teacher and the Murim Alliance''s leader kill each other. When the petals briefly covered some of their movements, their fight looked like a dance. With two lives riding on this fight, it was also the fight of life. When petals decorated it, many things in the world became splendid, even their bloodlust and Teachers venomous spirit. ... This is rare, the Guardian murmured. Red peach blossoms fluttered across the snowfield. Maybe its because one of them was born with the Ultimate Yin Body, and the other with the Divine Martial Body. Yin and yang are in almost perfect harmony. The area around them is already a different world. ... Even Ive never seen such an amazing sight. The peach blossoms bloomed and fell. Spring arrived and then passed again. Heavenly Demon Descent Step. Teacher took a step. As a snowstorm blew, the peach blossom flowers scattered. The Murim Alliance''s leader grabbed her wrist and twisted it. The snowstorm stopped, and the peach blossoms were in full bloom again. Sky-Shattering Yellow Ax. The wind carried a petal onto my shoulder. Only then did I realize that these unusually red flowers were the blood of Teacher and the Murim Alliance''s leader. These flowers bloomed from thest blood they ever shed. ... I hate you, Teacher murmured. The winter was bleeding. I hate all of you. Teacher. I hate the Righteous Faction, the Grandmasters, and the Five ns. I loathe you all. While the grassroots scream, youre all happy and noble. However, your happiness isnt what I cant forgive. Its absolutely not true. Teacher. As the peach blossoms bloomed and fell, the seasons came and passed. However, the blooming petals became fewer and fewer, and the seasons left sooner over time. Even people like you can feel pain, grimace, and say that your lives are painful. You also want to beforted, and try tofort, and act like humans. That is why I hate all of you. Teacher was dying, the blossoms were falling, and the season was leaving. Why would you continue to act like animals to others and only treat yourselves as humans? Countless peach blossoms hid the shadows of Teacher and the Murim Alliance''s leader. The branches shriveled up, and no more new peach blossoms could bloom anymore. The wind blew and covered the earth with snow again. In the middle of the fallen petals, the two people stood tall. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Something a little redder than the flower fieldnded on the snowthe blood the Murim Alliance''s leader coughed out. Teachers tightly clenched fist was against his chest. He staggered drunkenly and copsed into the flowers. Red petals flew up as the blossoms embraced him. Teacher stood still. Teacher, I called. I didnt get a reply. Teacher. I hurried to her to wrap my arms around her. She was as cold as ice. Teacher... I won. Teachers voice was clear, holding the warmth that her body had lost. But it was too light. Even her fingerseverything about her became too light, as if she had aged instantly. Yes, you won. You won. I should have been able to pierce his chest and rip out his heart. I only managed to hit his chest, never mind pierce it. Im ashamed to look you in the eyes, my disciple. No, you shouldnt be. I shook my head. Yes, I think I look better than you at least. What is that expression youre making? I carefullyid Master down, but didnt remove my arms. I used my aura to hold her, but her body didnt warm up at all. Even the hand she used to caress my cheek was as cold as ice. Dont worry, my disciple. There are still two hours left before I die. Isnt that enough time to say goodbye? I only had two hours left to hear her voice and her breath. ...And yet you still look sad. Teachers eyes filled with sorrow. Youre a troublesome disciple. Well, actually, I troubled you first. I wanted to spend a long time teaching you everything, but I cant do that because of my old stubbornness. Im worried about what I left in your heart and what Ill be to you. Im afraid that Ill be nothing to you, she whispered. If I could be remembered as a flower that bloomed evanescently, I would wish for nothing more... She coughed up blood. Mr. Death King! The cry came from the Chemist. She and the other Hunters were running toward us. It looked like they had just learned that the Great War of Good and Evil on the snowfield. Mr. Death King, W-what happened...? Hey! Teacher! The Viper was surprised to find the Murim Alliance''s leader on the ground. Are you okay? Hey, Teacher! Hey! Open your eyes! That old man is fine. Teacher coughed. Myst punch was light. After all that talk about how the heavens are with him... His fate is to spend the rest of his life in bed. R-rest of his life in bed? The Chemist opened and closed her mouth several times before speaking. Ill never let that happen... A-anyway, theres no time for this! You both need to get treatment! Im good. Take care of the old man. But...! I know my condition the best. There is nothing you can do about it, Teacher said. And I would like to spend myst moments with my one and only direct disciple. Child, can you give us a moment alone? The Chemist was both a pharmacist and a doctor. She approached us and felt Teachers pulse, activating her Skills to examine the patient. Her face soon darkened. ... I have some painkillers. Do you want them? Its okay. Teacher smiled. The winter wind is nice. Its refreshing. I want to fully enjoy this wind before I head to the otherworld. The Chemist stood up and bowed to Teacher. The Medicine King waved the group away. Before long, they carried the Murim Alliance''s leader back to the cave, being considerate of Teacher and me. ...Teacher. Now... Teacher grabbed my hand. How shall we spend the remaining two hours? Do you want to know about my childhood? Would you like to hear how beautiful my cults headquarters mountain is? I... I squeezed Teachers small hand back. Her life wasntplete yet. I still needed one more piece of the puzzle to create the best, most perfect ending which she could bepletely satisfied with. I have a favor to ask. What is it? Teacher asked. Please ept my challenge. Teachers eyes widened. This is unexpected. I admire your will to surpass your teacher, but as you can see, I can no longer move. Gong-Ja, what good would it do you if you defeated me right now? We can have a fight where we dont move. Hmm? I want to challenge you by a Verbal Match, Teacher. A Verbal Match... Teacher nkly repeated. A Verbal Match was a fight of words. Each party would describe what kind of attacks they would make. When the other party verbally countered it, the first party made a counterattack. Therefore, there was no need to move their arms or legs, and the participants didnt need their qi. They only used their expertise in martial arts, making it a perfect demonstration of their mastery of martial arts. That was why Teacher quietlyughed. My disciple seems to have be very arrogant. If we fight using our bodies, you will undoubtedly win, Gong-Ja. But you will surely lose in a Verbal Match. Ill be free to use any kind of martial arts like I did in my prime, so how will you be able to fight me when all you have are a few forms of the Demonic Heaven Arts? I... I opened my mouth. I dont think that the fight you had earlier with the Murim Alliance''s leader was your best. You said that you should have been able to pierce his chest and take his heart... Even if it is going to be a Verbal Match, Teacher, I want yourst fight to be the most satisfying one youve ever had. The best fight without regrets was the dream of all martial artists. Are you saying that you can give me that kind of fight, Gong-Ja? Yes, I am, I answered. Teacher seemed intrigued by my suggestion. Did she think I was asking because of my immaturity? She didnt really seem to believe that I was going to be able to give her such a fight. Alright. But I dont go easy even in Verbal Matches. Ill let you make the first attack, but dont hate me too much if I finish you with one blow. I wont. Show your teacher the results of your training now. Teacher smiled faintly. She smelled like peach blossoms. After the match, Ill tell you my old stories. I looked down at Teachers face, and then my eyes were slowly drawn to the man sitting across from me. Hmm. Is that finally my turn? The Sword Emperor was someone who had risen to the top in another murim. Although he was now a ghost and couldnt fight physically, he would be able to engage in a Verbal Match with my help. Yes, its time for you to keep the promise we made after you lost the bet. Okay. The Guardian smiled. He sat on the snowfield with his arms crossed. I wanted to fight the leader of the demonic cult here anyway. I will give her the best match. Tell her that I will let her make three attacks first. With me between them, the absolutes of the two murim faced each other. Chapter 83: The Sword Dance (1)

Chapter 83: The Sword Dance (1)

After so many winters had passed that she could no longer remember how cold that winter had been, Soh Baekhyang caught her first glimpses of the Mind Sword. As she slowly grasped it, she was no longer called the scent of snow[1] but the Demonic Heaven[2]. The woman who used to be Soh Baekhyang was now the Heavenly Demon. ... I see it... she muttered. This is the realm that no martial artist has ever set foot in. Its right in front of me... It seems as far away as Nirvana... But if I can see it, there is no reason I cant go... The Heavenly Demons heart pounded. Mind Sword was a level that only existed in legend. When a martial artist of a certain lofty level harbored the will to kill, their target died immediately. There was no need for a sword or words. That very level was right before her. Lady Heavenly Demon... Our supreme heaven... If only... if only she had time, perhaps sixty years, to focus solely on her cultivation... If only she could do that... Please relieve me from this resentment... People kneeled before her. The government wants us to pay our taxes in marten skins, so my father went out to hunt them. But he never returned... My taxes are based on the number of people in my family, but I cant pay the taxes... My grandmother said that since she doesnt have much time left in her life anyway, shell leave the house so the taxes will be reduced... Lady Heavenly Demon... Many people kneeled in front of her. There was a droughtst year, and this year too. Theres nothing to eat, so Ive been starving. But the government gave an order to build a reservoir and a dam. They say its to prevent a drought next year, but how am I supposed to pile rocks after not eating anything for so long... My daughter was taken away and hasnte back... Lady Heavenly Demon... There were a lot of people who kneeled in front of her. The Heavenly Demon quietly looked up at the snowy mountain. If only she had sixty years to devote solely to her training, she would reach a level that no one had ever reached in the history of martial arts. That was an indisputable truth, but... nevertheless... ...Guide me. The Heavenly Demon stood up with her sword in her hand. The hem of her dark robe fluttered behind her. ...There are a myriad of things I must y... Should she abandon the world? Or should she forsake her personal desires? It was a simple choice for her. She abandoned her desires. Her life had always been about abstaining from the desire to achieve more in the martial arts. On that day, she yed those who made the world cold again, but she still failed to cut through the winter. *** Its outrageous for a martial artist to ask another person to speak for him in a Verbal Match. Theres nothing more rude than that. Its so rude that it will be remembered in the history of gangho and beughed at for a long time. The Guardian politely kneeled, which I had never seen him doing. I realized that it was his way of expressing his respect to someone whom he recognized as a worthy rival. Even though Im aware of what will happen, I have no choice but to ask you for a Verbal Match regardless. The Guardian looked straight at Teacher. My title is Sword Emperor. I was acknowledged as the best in the world known as the Ten Thousand Sword Realm. Excuse my rudeness, but I challenge you to a Verbal Match with me. And he bowed. Gong-Ja? Teacher blinked. What are you waiting for? Tell me the first form youre going to use. The match has already begun. Obviously, Teacher couldnt see or hear the Guardian, so his respect was lost to her. ...Teacher. Whats wrong? You know that I can use strange sorcery. Are you talking about the sorcery that brought my children and the Righteous Path jiangshi back to themselves? Teacherughed. The sound was quiet, as if it could disappear at any moment. Ive decided not to ask you anything. Besides, silence is a virtue. I just believe youre a herald sent by the Jade Emperor, who took pity on me. She rested her head on my thighs, smiling. Whenever sheughed, her head shook a little. That was how I could feel her getting lighter and lighter. Her time was running out, so I had to be brief. ...I have one more sorcery that I can use, I quietly said. I can summon a ghost. Hmm? The ghost next to me right now happens to have a very profound understanding of martial arts. He was known as the best in outer murim. Aha, the best in the outer murim! That is amazing. Teacher chuckled. She clearly thought that it was a funny joke. Alright. Its the ghost of the best martial artist in outer murim that my disciple summoned, so I should pay attention to him as well. Ill dly acknowledge him as my opponent in a Verbal Match. I looked at the Guardian, who was silently waiting on his knees. So, what form will this ghost of the best martial artist in outer murim show me first? ...He said hell let you go first, Teacher. Hmm? He said that hell let you make three attacks first. The smile on Teachers face faltered a little. That is awfully arrogant. My disciple would never say such things. Im sure this foolish ghost doesnt know his ce. Ill stab his suwol acupoint using the Emerging Dragon Swift Sword, the fifth form of the Cloud Dragon Twelve Swords. This was the first exchange. After using the sixth form of the Earthly Dragon Baton Dance, the Summerwinter Dragon, as a feint, I take a step back with the Flowing Cloud Movement, the Guardian responded without a moments hesitation. I didnt know what the Cloud Dragon Twelve Swords or the Earthly Dragon Baton Dance were. All I knew was the Demonic Heaven Arts. I just calmly delivered the Guardians messages so that their fight could continue. After using the sixth form of the Earthly Dragon Baton Dance, the Summerwinter Dragon, as a feint, he takes a step back with the Flowing Cloud Movement. Hmm... Teacher narrowed her eyes. Ill send him flying using Assimtion Strike Leg, the seventh form of Profound Void Tai Chi. Ill use the second form of Butcher Fist, Double Whip Fists, as a feint, and dodge with the Iron te Bridge. Teacher frowned elegantly. Ill attack him with Windw sh, the sixth form of the Feline Phantoms Six Swords. Ill retreat through the Chaotic Plum Blossom Steps after using the Water Margin Kick. The first three moves were over in an instant. I couldnt tell what kind of attacks had been exchanged between the two of them, but Teacher remained silent. The Guardian calmly opened his mouth, smiling crookedly. I can imagine what your life has been like. After bing the greatest martial artist of all time, you saw the path to the Life and Death Tier too, but you didnt have the time to reach it through training. Twenty-four hours a day isnt enough to take care of your cult family, so how would you have time to devote to something like training? But you know whats the most unfair about all this? Despite all that, youre still the strongest in the world. There was no reason to aim higher. Why? Youve already reached the zenith. You can already make a living, and everyone acknowledges your skills. Theres no reason to work hard since you are the sky of this world. You poor thing. Your tragedy is that youre the absolute in this murim. The Guardian crossed his arms. Ill show you what the sky above the sky is. I didnt ry thest remark because I felt like it wasnt necessary. Teacher slowly sat up and slightly leaned her light body against mine. You arent some random ghost. Title: Heavenly Demon World: Heavenly Demon Chronicle Status: The greatest martial artist of all time Affiliation: The Heavenly Demon Cult Of course Im not. Title: Sword Emperor World: Ten Thousand Sword Realm Status: The strongest in the world Affiliation: The Righteous Faction Okay. I wont go easy on you. Come at me. Their match began in earnest. *** Ill strike you up in the air using zing-Explosion Ascension, the first form of the Fireblood Dragon, Teacher quickly said. Why are you pretending to be part of the Righteous Faction all of a sudden? Just in time for your strike tond, Ill use the first form of the Great Cloud Dragons Eight Forms twice in a row. My first move will be toward the ground, and the next punch will be thrown up in the sky. One exchange. Ill change zing-Explosion Ascension to the third form of the Piercing Sword, Refined Fury Kill, and then stab your yong quan acupoint. Hmm. What shall I do? Shall I fight back or... Okay. Ill match that with the Wave-Connecting Butterfly mixed with the essence of Life and Death Law. Another attack was exchanged. The longer the Verbal Match got, the shorter Teachers breath became. Her white breath became thicker in this moment of the winter. She tightly grabbed her knee using her left hand and held my hand with her right. I could feel her trembling in my hand. ... How long are you going to put your dirty foot on my finger? I will tear it off with the Tenacious ming te, the second form of the Persistent Demon Trinity. You asked me toe, so I followed. But boy, youve got quite a temper. Ill pull my feet away and do the Lazy Donkey Roll in the air. Right after that, Ill get into the fourth form of the Divine Chariot Wheel Spin, the Life and Death Ring. At the same time, I simultaneously aim for three of your meridiansjugu, yanggu, and pohu. I will take three steps back with the Heavenly Demon Descent Step! Teacher dered, delighted. Since you imitated the Righteous Faction style earlier, Ill try mimicking a demon too. I choose the Dynamic Death Sword to get closer. Yes, the Murim Alliance''s leader, Buwolseon, was definitely not Teacher''s rival. He was certainly the strongest in his faction and the only one capable of going up against Teacher, but it was already proven in the Great War of Good and Evil that when the two of them fought with all of their might, the ultimate winner of the war was Teacher. The war was already as good as decided. Perhaps that was why Teacher had postponed the conclusion of the Great War of Good and Evil until the 990th match. The candy was going to melt away someday, so she saved the ending as long as she possibly could like a child. That was why the Murim Alliance''s leader had told Teacher during the bad ending try, I''m sorry. Im sorry Im weaker than you. Im weaker than you. Please kill me. My hands clenched without realizing it. What a foolish choice! Ill use the second form of the Piercing Sword to stab you from behind! Not a chance. Ill dodge that with the Iron te Bridge, and then Ill be the one who uses zing-Explosion Ascension this time. Haha. Teacher finally smiled. It wasnt fleeting or sorrowfulher smile carried the vibrancy of her pounding heart. My disciple, the ghost you summoned is really great! ...Yes, I answered. Right now, I couldpletely understand the Murim Alliance''s leader. Hes probably the strongest of all of the people I know. Where have you been hiding a ghost like him! Teachersughter got louder. I was a little angry. Ive never met a martial artist like him in my entire life! No, I was very angry. Ill apply the mechanism of the Thousand Heaven Dance to twist your arm, slowing you down. And then Ill take four steps back with the Heavenly Demon Descent Step! Uh-ohyou''ve already retreated three steps and yet youre taking another four steps backward. Youve got your tail between your legs now! Ill get closer using the Flowing Cloud Movement until Im a step away from you, and then Ill mix my aura into the Midsummer Waterfall to unleash it. Hahahaha! The Midsummer Waterfall infused with your aura? Youre done figuring out my style, huh? Ill bewitch and pull you in with Thirst Death. Then Ill immediately hold the sword in reverse and use the first to third forms of the Sand-Drilling Dragon. Ill pierce your tianzhu, dazhui, shenzhu meridians one by one! I couldnt understand the fight that the two were having. It was impossible to even imagine what it looked like. I knew what Thirst Death was, but I didnt understand what the Sand-Drilling Dragon was. While I had heard about the Lazy Donkey Roll, I didnt know what the Life and Death Ring of the Divine Chariot Wheel Spin was. Because of my severeck of depth, I wasnt even allowed to create the crudest picture of it in my head. I couldnt see how their swords were moving nor what their sword dance was like at all. There you go! Thats more like it. Alright! I apply the Life and Death Law to the Wave-Connecting Butterfly so I can dodge it. And then Ill take a step back, getting ready to use the Heavenly Tai Chi Sword! Not bad. Not bad at all! If... If possible, I want to be your match and your only hope. I wish I was the sole reason you can spend the end of your life rejoicing. But I cant see it. I dug my fingers into the snow. All I could see and hear was... Good. Ill avoid it using the exquisite principle of the Movement. Ill counter that with the Sword, the third form of the Sutra! That was it. I couldnt see how their swords moved. Okay, Ill choose the Leg, the second form of the , to respond. Ill stay close using the Method of the ! I couldnt understand it. Fine. Ill strike your and with the Sword of the ! n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Impatient. Someone is getting impatient. I dodge that with and then aim for the neck using . I parry that away and then strike with , the tenth form of ! Ill . And then I using . After counterattacking, swing , the s , and . , , and ... The realm that the two of them fought in was so far away and dark. After counterattacking, then... Just then, Teacher looked up at me, breathing hard. It suddenly felt like time had stopped. her dark gaze lingered on my face. ...Yes. Teacher smiled faintly. My disciple, its a cold day. Its been winter all year long, so this ce is now an evesting snowfield. A snowfield is a harsh battleground for martial artists. When they do so much as take a step forward, their feet will sink deep into the snow, so they always have to use the foot arts. Teacher touched the snowfield. The fluffy snowkes clung to her fingertips. That is why you have to focus on unbncing your opponents form, my disciple. Do you understand? There is no need to insist on snapping the opponents neck or shing their waist. Just keep attacking them so that they wont have any time to use their foot art. That is why your ghost and I are trying to take away each others space. Were reducing each others range of movement. Teacher. Were using various kicks for the same purpose. Its not just to hit the opponentsnow is scattered every time we throw our kicks, so were using it to block each others vision. Its a truly desperate fight, isnt it...? Teachers whispering rang around my ears. Close your eyes. Teacher slowly covered my eyes using her left hand. I can see the opponent. ...I see. I nodded. Hes a strong and profound master martial artist. His physique is veryrge. I believe hes almost twice as big as me. Isnt that right? I pictured the Guardian in my head. That is right. A master martial artist who resembles a giant bear is breathing heavily. He is smiling confidently, taunting me toe at him. There is a big difference in our physiques, so he has a good reason for his confidence... As Teacher continued to whisper, the Guardians image in my head became clearer. I cant ovee the difference in our innate physiques, so Ill ept it. But I recall my strengths. Ill be able to move faster than him. Above all, I am used to the snowfield, so Ill be able to demonstrate Traceless Snow better than him... Yes, you will, I responded. Do you see it, my disciple? Im trying to drag this battle on as long as possible. Oh, but he sees through my n, Teacher yfully continued. Hes moving more impatiently and quicker with his sword. Like a wild boar, he rushes toward me... Soon... But theres no need to be afraid. I expected him toe, so Ill back away lightly... to draw him in. I could see the scene unfolding in front of me. I continue to back away. My steps are as light as a feather. On the other hand, hes truly like a wild boar. He rushes toward me, sending snow flying in all directions... Winter went on and on, turning the snowfield evesting. Teacher backed away through it as the Guardian came charging at her. Teachers smile never went away. ...A flower of snow blooms and flies with every step we take. I could also see their swords now. 1. What Baekhyang''s name means ? 2. The meaning of Heavenly Demon ? Chapter 84: The Sword Dance (2)

Chapter 84: The Sword Dance (2)

Its winter, so its snowing. Teachers movements were light. Its already been two days since the match began. Teacher danced over the snow as if she was sliding on ice. The hem of her ck robe fluttered across the endless snowfield like a brushstroke across a nk paper. You cant run away forever, the Guardian rumbled. A second brush followed the first. The more powerful, aggressive stroke painted a thick line of ink on the snowfield. Im second to none when ites to the Lightness Art, the Guardian dered as he bulldozed forward with heavy steps, crushing the ice and pushing aside the snow. Im confident that I can run away forever. But the end will stille eventually. Dont you get it? This world is now an endless snowfield. There may be nowhere to go, but I can run away anywhere in this field, Teacher said with a smile. I wont let you get away. The Guardian leaped out of the snow. If you were in your prime, you could run away forever, but this match is happening now. You dont even have two hours left in your life. The sand in your hourss is trickling away. Are you going to keep running? Youre harsh. The truth is harsh. The Guardian swung his sword. Yes, Ill admit it. Teacher turned her head, lightly dodging the swing. I dont have much time left, so I cant keep running away. Well have to see the end of the fight sooner orter. Nothing is stopping sooner orter from being now. Now were talking. Teacher grabbed her sword. Then Ill show you my full power. Demonic Heaven Arts, First Form: Starvation Death. ...Hunger is when parents swap their children with their neighbors children and eat them. Her sword howled as she cut across the winter wind. Have you heard the story about a man who cut a neighbor kids body into jerky and buried them in the snow? What about the rumor of that vige? Its said that when you dug up their road, you can find young human flesh every time. Thats sad. The Guardian blocked Teachers sword with his. There must have been a famine. Thats right. A famine is like a gue that cane back at any time. But its also a coincidence. The Guardian wielded his sword through the winter wind. Good harvest and famine are both matters of chance. Everything in the universe is a coincidence. Heavenly Demon, if you mourn over an idental tragedy, you should alsough and be happy over a coincidental joy. The depths of your sorrow are equal to the heights of your happiness. The two swords crossed, and red plum blossoms fell. So, Ill sing about the happy harvest in autumn. The snow fell like leaves in autumn. One day, I looked at the horizon while walking down the street. That day, the rice spread past the horizon like a sea of gold. Children yed hide-and-seek in the rice; the grains were taller than they were, but theirughter leaked out from time to time. The autumn wind blew into the mountains and fields, dying their leaves red and rice fields yellow. You mentioned the child flesh buried in the snow earlier. Ill tell you the story of childrenughing as they y hide-and-seek in the rice fields. As countless red leaves fell around him, the Guardian swung his sword. Everything is just another coincidence on just another day. If there is something I should carry in my sword, its theughter from rice fields. Thest memory I should recall before I die is the children ying hide-and-seek. Its an obvious choice. Teacher cut down the leaves. Youre really living in your own little world, arent you. Demonic Heaven Arts, Second Form: Thirst Death. Did you say that tragedies and happiness are both coincidences? Im sure they are. But happiness doesnt make people die. The pain of hunger and thirst does! When you die, its the end. There is no going back. N?v(el)B\\jnn The sunlight shone down. Ill sing about the people who died because they couldnt have a single sip of water! Teacher yelled. The hot wind of summer blew over the world, withering mountains and rivers. Weeds turned yellow, and fruits shriveled up. While beetles trudged through the heat, tens of thousands of dead fish washed up on the riverbanks. Their round eyes were dry. Ah. Teacher became more persistent. Even though the Guardian had countered her attack, Teacher didnt back down. Instead, she got closer. They were so close that they could feel each others breaths. The quick sword shes made me lightheaded. It feels freaking great to jump into the river during summer, the Guardian refuted as he parried away all of Teachers quick sword strikes. Youre teaching Gong-Ja the wrong way. ...What? Sorry. I put that a little too harshly. Its not wrong, but its too early. The Guardian connected his sword attacks such that they flowed like a river. It''s good to sing about the pain of the world. It''s also good to care about the suffering of others. But no one can do that forever. How so? Teacher asked. They be too tired. Red resurrection lily petals fell from the sky. Gong-Ja hasnt experienced the happiness of the world yet. He hasnt seen enough. The momentum of the battle changed before I noticed it. He should taste the delicacies from all over the world so he can grieve for those who will never be able to eat them in their entire lives. Only after he tries diving into a river in summer can he truly weep for those who wither because there is no water. The heart is like the wick of a candle. It will eventually burn out if it does nothing but burn. Do you know what, Heavenly Demon? This guy has never fallen in love with anyone. He''s never been on a date either! Isn''t that funny? The Guardian''s sword strikes poured down like a waterfall. But hes already acting like he has all of the pain and sorrow of the world on his shoulders! Ha! Wake up and look at him! Its too early for him to learn your cults teachings! The assault fell upon her like rain. Im going to teach him how to be happy. The torrent persisted. Ill teach him how to smile sincerely without a trace of pretense. Hell learn how to lean against another persons shoulders. He should know the moment when hes so happy to be with someone that he doesnt know what to do. That is how he can continue to be sad! Are you... It rained on the barrennd. The dried-up riverbed slowly welled up with rain, washing away the corpses of fish on the banks. As frogs croak, morning glories opened their purple mouths to drink up the rain. Are you trying to act like my disciples teacher? Teacher gritted her teeth. Demonic Heaven Arts. Third Form: Drowning Death. Yes, I am! The Guardian struck Teacher with his sword over and over like a monsoon. How dare you covet my only direct disciple! It was now midsummer. The rainy season had caused the river to overflow, and tens of thousands of red roses were carried away by its waters. Dont be ridiculous! I was supposed to be his teacher! That was my n! A reservoir copsed, drowning viges. The flood reached the foot of the mountains. Teacher and the Guardian charged toward each other, their footsteps left behind ripples on the surface of the water. I taught him how to slit an orcs throat! He learned how to use aura from me! That boy had zero talent in martial arts, so I had to spend an awfully long time to finally make him decent. A rogue sect bosses out from nowhere and cuts in line! What? A rogue sect? Yeah! What else can a demonic cult be? The two of them slid down the overflowing river. They chased and were chased. Lightly stepping on rose petal after rose petal, they cast their shadow over the river and the petals. Wielding a sword is supposed to be fun! The smell of water and flowers was thick on that rainy day. Its too soon for Gong-Ja to learn the Demonic Heaven Arts! That swordy is made from pain and created to wield a sword using your pain. You also have to be in pain to perform it properly. What the hell is that!? Thats too much even if its a demonic martial art! Itll still be too soon to learn that even after he learns the joy of smelling flowers and the feeling of the summer rain on his skin! Gong-Ja! My disciple! He was born to be the next leader of my cult! Teacher screamed. That is why Im calling you a rogue sect, you rogue boss! There were now hundreds of millions of roses on the river; I couldnt see the surface anymore. The world had turned into a red flower field. , . . , , . ! It was spring now. Red peonies fluttered in the sky. ...I will cut out your cervical acupoints with the sixth form of the Chaotic Peony Sword, the Disordered Blossom Sword. Two petals were cut apart. I take two steps away in the Snowy Orchid Steps. I could see it. ...Ill send you flying with the seventh form of the Demonic Heaven Arts, Bludgeoning Death. I could hear it. Ill counter that using Autumn Moonfall Strike, the fourth form of the Full Bloomed Sea Flower Strike. I could see both their swords and the peonies they crushed beneath their feet. I could smell the strong fragrance of the petals. Because I could see all of that now, I was able to tell that Teacher, the heaven of the Heavenly Demon Cult, was losing. ...Ill fight back using the eighth form of the Demonic Heaven Arts, Fire Death. Teacher was covered in blood as red as the falling peonies. The difference in skill between Teacher and the Guardian was clear. No matter how much she tried to prolong the fight and run away, it was impossible to shake off the Guardian. As the price for attempting the impossible, Teacher bled from her arms, legs, and shoulders. Hmm. The Guardian took up a form. Ill parry that away using the Moonlit Arrival Sword, the first form of the Sunset Blossom Sword. Teachers breathing became slightly shallow. Her qi was running out, but attempting mutual destruction using her vital force would be too greedy. Her lips slowly parted. I... I... had been unable toplete thest form of the Demonic Heaven Arts for one reason. Since I was young, the death ingrained in my heart had been freezing to death after being abandoned by my mother in the snowfield. That ending had been what I considered to be my death. Teacher raised her sword high, pointing it up in the sky like a clocks hand announcing noon. Ironically, I was able toplete my ninth form of the Demonic Heaven Arts after the world was doomed. Whether I look up at the sky or walk beneath it, I am the only one who exists. Whish, whish, iwish. The world is winter, and a single candle is burning. My song is that of the world, and my death means the end of heaven and earth. It became white, its still white, and itll probably remain white. Her sword sliced across the sky. Illy my Demonic Heaven on the snowfield and scream myst words. Demonic Heaven Arts, Ninth Form: Solitude Death. The sky of red flower petals split, and winter swept in and ended spring. Hundreds of millions of peonies became the same number of snowkes, freezing the world. It was a lonely sword sh that sang the Heavenly Demons solitary death. I see. The Guardian quietly looked up at the torrent of winter that was about to rush over him. Is dying alone your choice, Heavenly Demon? Yes, I must admit, its the perfect choice for thest martial artist of a doomed world. A lonely smile hung on the Guardians face. But I know more about loneliness than you do. The Guardian tightened his grip on his sword. How long have you endured being alone in this world? Three years? Two years? No. You havent endured a single day. You always had the Murim Alliance''s leader by your side. When he died, you lost your mind. His sword slowly drew a line. Im sorry, but I endured 130 years alone. Martial Arts, Form Zero: One Sword. Peonies bloomed again. Winter was over, and spring was brought back again. And then it was summer, fall... Fall, winter, spring, summer, summer, fall, fall, winter, spring, spring, spring, summer, fall, summer, fall, winter... Plum blossoms, peonies, roses, resurrection lilies, resurrection lilies, plum blossoms, peonies, roses... Red petals, red petals, red petals, red petals, winter, red petals, winter, winter... I... was... short of breath... I had to gasp for air. I couldnt see or hear anything that had just happened. However, there was something more important than understanding the fight right now. Teacher... Teacher, are you okay...? Are you okay? She was staring up at the winter sky in silence. Her eyes were nk. My heart sank. I slowly grabbed Teachers hand and felt for her pulse several times. Her heart was beating. She was alive. She was still alive. Teacher, I said again. I see. That is what it was all along, Teacher breathed. Her dark eyes looked into mine. Gong-Ja, my disciple, your only concern has been helping me all along. You said that you came to visit me from outer murim because you heard my reputation and admired it... That was a lie. A total lie. Why didnt I realize this before? My disciple isnt the type of child who would be tempted by fame to cross the world... Her voice became quieter and quieter. Thank you. Were you happy to meet me? Teacher asked. I nodded. Yes. Will I be able to be remembered as a flower to you? Yes, Teacher. Can I ask what kind of flower that will be? A peony. I hugged her more tightly. Ill remember you as a red peony, Teacher. Haha. Its a beautiful one. Teacher smiled, stroking my cheek. Its beautiful, my child... She reached out her other hand toward the sky. Her movement was delicate and light, like a newborn bird pping its wings. My disciple... Without a single sound, a snowy mountain was split into two. They stood there, tranquil, as if they had always been two. Teacher breathed out, clouding the air with white. She must be trying to have a white dream. Teacher... I buried my face on her shoulder. Winter has been cut apart, Teacher... Its been cut. When the sound of her breathing stopped, the winter was cut apart by the person who had been born with the scent of snow. Chapter 85: The Reader鈥檚 Heart (1)

Chapter 85: The Readers Heart (1)

I held Teacher for a long time. Even when a person ceased to breathe, their body remained. That was why death was cruel. Sir. I heard someone calling me. The Heavenly Demon Cults elite demons in their ck martial arts uniforms were surrounding me. Even while I was silently holding Teacher in my arms, the Great War of Good and Evil had continued; the Heavenly Demon Cult won the war. We were in the middle of the battle, so we couldnt afford to ask you. But many of us heard Lady Heavenly Demon calling you her disciple. Is it possible that you were chosen as her heir? one of the demons asked, visibly nervous. I looked around. All of the cultists who had survived the war were looking at me. Even the ones whom Teacher had called the Four Demon Kings were among them. Some of them had bloody noses and torn lips; one of them was only left with one arm. All of them were soaked in blood. They all made as little sound as possible as they waited for me to speak. ...I dont know if I can be considered her heir. Didnt Lady Heavenly Demon take you in as her disciple? Thats right. I held Teachers cold body closer. Im her disciple. The demon now looked even more serious. If she really made you her direct disciple, she must have taught you the Demonic Heaven Arts. Im aware its rude, but I beg you. Please show us a form of the Demonic Heaven Arts. Even though his tone was polite, he was basically saying, Its difficult to believe youre actually the Heavenly Demons disciple, so show me the evidence. I was treated as Teachers heir just because I was her disciple. I realized why Teacher had been so hesitant to make me her disciple: now that thest warmth in Teachers body had disappeared from this world, I carried the mantle of the Heavenly Demon Cult. ...Okay. Will a demonstration of Starvation Death be enough? I asked. Yes. She often said she wouldnt recognize anyone as her heir if they werecking even a little bit. We may be unknown swordsmen, but we at least have the skill to observe and discern your sword, sir. Hey, whats that Blood Demon motherfucker talking about? one of the demons muttered. You cant even understand that? Hes saying that watching the first form of the Demonic Heaven Arts is enough to tell if that guy is Lady Heavenly Demons disciple. Really? But why is that asshole talking for us? Because he can be the most polite one among us. Hes from the Moyong n, although hes their illegitimate son. What? That bastard used to be part of the Moyong n? Why are you surprised? Its not like its the first time youre hearing this. Youve already heard this story dozens of times before... Yeah, yeah. Nevermind. A river is a river, a mountain is a mountain, and a knucklehead will still be a knucklehead no matter how many times you tell them the same story. What are you talking about? Im saying that your mere existence isparable to the Sichuang Tang Sects poison arts, Sword Demon King. In fact, I can feel it getting to me. Considering that I have the Thousand Poison Immunity, you are truly amazing. Oh? Is that apliment? You fucking knucklehead. The demon who was talking with me cleared his throat meaningfully, shooting a re at the other demons whispering behind him. It carried the authority to silently pressure them into silence, but the Sword Demon King and the Ghostfire Demon King just tilted their heads. What are you looking at? You wanna go for a round? I dont like your face. Look somewhere else. Looking at your face makes me nauseous. The demon turned back to me with a face that seemed to insist that nothing had just happened. I couldnt help butugh a little inside. Yeah, I thought to myself, thats what this ce is like. A demonic cult was where the uneducated would seek shelter. It was natural that most of the cultists didnt know any manners. My teacher was unusually elegant. I didnt want to swing any weapon while holding Teacher in my arms, so, without drawing the holy sword, I just held my aura in my left hand and moved it, demonstrating my sword on the snowfield. Hunger is... the children waiting for the sunlight, I muttered. All of the chattering demons fell silent, including the one who had been speaking for them. A deep valley had been dug through the snow like a gaping wound. I didnt finish by showing them the first form. The second, third, fourth... I performed all of the forms I had mastered using my hand. It became even quieter around me. Perhaps it was because I had seen the intense battle between Teacher and the Guardianeach of my forms was sharper than before. This was also her legacy. I wasnt able to fullyprehend the remaining forms yet, so its embarrassing to show them. Will this be enough? The representing demon kneeled on the snowfield. Greetings to the new heaven of the Great Heavenly Demon Cult. Following him, the Ghostfire Demon King, the Moonlight Demon King, and the Sword Demon King prostrated one after another. The snow was crushed under their knees. Soon, all of the cult followers who survived the Great War of Right and Evil ced their foreheads on the snowfield. Greetings to the new heaven of the Great Heavenly Demon Cult, sir! I slowly opened my mouth. The title of Heavenly Demon is too much for me; I am already known as the Death King. Besides, I want Teachers title to be hers forever. Then... The position of the cults leader is also beyond my capacity. I turned my head. The Guardian silently sat across from me with his eyes closed and his arms crossed. He was probably reying the match he had with Teacher in his head. I looked at the Guardian for a moment before I said, I stillck in many ways. How can I be your leader when I have nothing to teach you? The name would be empty if it bes mine. The Blood Demon seemed conflicted. ... Lady Heavenly Demons judgment has never been wrong when ites to people. Since she epted you as her direct disciple, Im sure youll make a great leader. Thank you, but as the person in question, I believe that Im still inadequate to carry the mantle of the Heavenly Demon Cult. T-then, how are we supposed to address you, sir! We cant just call you sir forever... Young heaven, someone blurted. Cant we just call you our young heaven? It was the Ghostfire Demon King, the follower who had bluffed about letting the Shaolin abbot make three attacks first. His broken nose hadnt fully healed, and a trace of dried blood was left on his nose. In gangho, itsmon to have a young lord in a family. If you just feel ufortable with bing our leader and arent necessarily refusing, then I believe itll be okay to call you Young Heaven and serve you. I could ept that. I nodded. Yes, we can do that. The demons sighed in relief. Young Heaven, I would like to formally express my gratitude. I dont know what kind of profound sorcery you used, but I remember that we were all bitten by the jiangshi. If it werent for you, it would have been impossible to finish the Great War of Good and Evil and offer our loyalty to the Heavenly Demon onest time! He offered me the bao quan salute. I am the Blood Demon King. I and all of the Blood Demons pledge our loyalty to you, Young Heaven. Following him, a dozen or so more demons offered their bao quan salute. I, the Ghostfire Demon King, and all of the Requiem Unit swear our loyalty to Young Heaven. The Moonlight Demon King and all of the Deceased Shadow Unit vow our loyalty to Young Heaven. Im the Sword Demon King! With my Execution Unit, I pledge my loyalty to you. Dozens more gave me their bao quan salute. I slowly put down Teachers body. She harmonized with the snowfield like a flower blooming in the snowfield. I set the peony down and gave my bao quan salute to the demons. I wish to the heavens for the doctrine of shadow tost as long as my life continues. [The stage has been cleared.] [The Quest Remake the World (Book 1) has been cleared!] It felt like ages since I had heard that voice. [The twenty-second floor has been cleared today.] [Announcement.] [The twenty-second floor has been cleared today.] It had been ages since I had heard the voice. [Calcting the number of champions...] [The calction has beenpleted.] I didnt end my bao quan salute as I said, Please take charge of Teachers funeral. [Announcing the four champions.] Above the snow mountain, which Teacher had split into two, letters were engraved in the sky. Quest Completion Contribution List: First ce: Death King Second ce: Chemist Third ce: Viper Fourth ce: Medicine King Please dont make it grand. She wouldnt want that. She would be happy if you just stayed until the end of the funeral, so please... I didntplete my sentence. It wasnt necessary. I couldntplete it, eitherwhen I blinked, I was no longer on the snowfield. Wee back, Mr. Death King. Ive been eagerly waiting for you! I was back in the Great Library of All Life, and the Indoor Librarian, the Constetion, was looking at me with a smile. *** Congrattions! The Indoor Librarian was in the air, his five-meter sleeves swaying like goldfish fins. Hmm. The Heavenly Demon Chronicle ended with the word please. Please is used to plead to someone. Plead. Pray. A demonic cult calls that whish. In a way, please and whish can be regarded as the same word. In that sense, its a very appropriate ending... n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Wait a minute. I cut off the Indoor Librarians spiel because something felt off. This was my second timeing to the great library; I had even stayed up several nights reading here, so I was quite used to this ce. However, something was very different from thest time. ... Why are all of the Hunters unconscious? I asked. All of the Hunters that hadnt been on the quest with me were lying on the floor, The corners of his mouth rose. You dont have to worry. I just put them to sleep for a while. You put them to sleep...? Yes, I used a harmless scent. The Indoor Librarian stretched out his hands. Dozens of books were circling around the Constetion. Among them, there was one book titled Tale of the Lotus Scent City. Many worldsmunicate with words like yours, but there are worlds thatmunicate through songs or scents. In this apocalyptic book, people talk with the scent of anger, sadness, and joy. Naturally, there is also the scent of sleep. I raised my guard. Oh, please dont look at me like that. I just made them quiet for a moment because I wanted to talk to you, Mr. Death King. Talk? What kind of conversation do you expect to have after knocking out my colleagues? Ah, colleagues. Youre just as expected, Mr. Death King! No one would me you even if you called them deadweight, but you called them your colleagues with an unwavering voice. I cant help but weep once again at your kind heart. Every move you and your group made was shown here like a movie. The audience went through quite an emotional roller coaster as they watched it, so they would have weed you fervently. The Indoor Librarian chuckled. But that also meant that it would take a long time before I got my turn to talk to you unless I did something. The Indoor Librarian shrugged. I had to calm them down for a while to have a moment to talk. You dont have to worry. I used the most mild means to put them to sleep. I found it hard to believe him, so I quickly looked around and found the ck Witch. She was leaning against a bookshelf, her long hair draping down. I approached her and felt her pulse. Good. I sighed in relief. She looked rxed, and her breathing was normal. After checking that my colleagues were all well and safe, I looked up at the Indoor Librarian. ...If you have something to talk about, lets get it over with and wake the others up. Arent you in too much of a hurry? Id like to spend more time with just the two of us. I summoned you back from the Heavenly Demon Chronicle on your own for a reason. Im not done with my business on the twenty-second floor yet. I have a sword to find Later. The Indoor Librarians smile was like a half moon hung upside-down. You can do thatter. I tensed. The Indoor Librarian looked small, so it was easy to underestimate him. However, he could summon strange monsters from other worlds at willhis book had swallowed up fifty Hunters at once. Even if I had learned the Demonic Heaven Arts, I would definitely lose if I fought him. I swallowed nervously. ...What do you want to talk about? The Indoor Librarians smile grew. I would like to have a very intimate talk. Hended on the floor, his sleeves fluttering. As he approached me, he took scissors out of his sleeve. Why scissors all of a sudden...? Your hair is quite long. Ill trim it for you, Mr. Death King. The Indoor Librarian stood on tiptoe and cut some hairit wasnt much, about half a handspanoff the back of my head and put it in a red silk pouch. Your nails are also long. Thats a big problem for a martial artist. Ill cut them for you. The Indoor Librarian took out a nail clipper this time and grabbed my right hand. He clipped all my nails from my thumb to my little finger; each nail went into a different silk pouch. Excuse me, sir? Yes? The Indoor Librarian answered. What are you doing? Mr. Death King. The Indoor Librarian bent forward and kneeled on the floor. He took off my shoes as if it was his job. Lets say you really, really, really like someone. You like them so much. ...Ill try, but why? There is nothing about that person I dont like. Its love, pure love. The problem is that this person doesnt exist in reality, only in a novel. The Indoor Librarian took off my socks next. But, vo! A miracle brought my ideal novel character in front of me. Uh... Now, how would you feel if that was you, Mr. Death King? the Indoor Librarian asked seriously. He was holding a toenail clipper now. Yes, that is what that is. That is what that is.. What was what? O-oh! Please dont move! What are you doing? If you move, I might leave an ugly wound on your beautiful toes with my toenail clippers! That would be a disaster! What are you getting mad at me for! Get away from me right now! Wait! Wait! Ill just cut off one little toenail and be done with it! One toenail! Isnt that enough of apromise? What is wrong with you? Did the moon hit your head, you Constetion?! Ah! Ah! If you cant give me your toenail, Ill settle with three hairs from your eyebrows! Only then did I realize where this off feeling wasing from. You didnt used to be this servile! Yes, the Indoor Constetion used to talk in an authoritative way. That was definitely how he had been, but now he was polite with me for some inexplicable reason. Act like your usual self! I shouted. The Indoor Librarians lip trembled. Thats ridiculous! H-how dare a lowly being like me talk to you like that, Shining-Ja! What the hell? [The Indoor Librarian wants your little toenail.] What the fuck? I screamed internally. Show me the character window! As I resisted yielding my toenail to the Indoor Librarian, letters appeared before my eyes. Name: Indoor Librarian Affection: 95 Liked genres: Fusion fantasy, romance, mystery, adventure, horror, history, war, sports, SF, mythology, fairy tale... Disliked genre: None Liked characters: Characters, the Constetion Murderer. Disliked character: None Liked plot: Stories Disliked plot: Discontinued serialization State of Mind: Toenails! I should also get eyebrows if possible! Ah, I want to ask him to grow a beard so I can pluck out some. But even I don''t think thatll be possible. Ah, Shining-Ja. Youre shining briiiiight! Youre a brilliant protagonist! I want to make you into a bookmark and keep you forever! Fuck me. Chapter 86: The Reader鈥檚 Heart (2)

Chapter 86: The Readers Heart (2)

It was creepy. His Affection toward me was ny-five. Now I knew what happened to someone when their Affection reached ny-five. Shining-Ja! Before I met you, I was nothing more than a blind man! the Indoor Librarian shouted, fondling my foot. I was as good as deaf before I heard your lines! The Indoor Librarians eyes lit up as he tried to cut my toenail using the clipper. Youre my light! Youre my music! His eyes were terrifying. Since your name is Gong-Ja, Ill dly convert to Confucianism[1]! Ill be your schr! Isnt it wonderful to learn and to practice? Isnt it a pleasure to have friends visit from afar? Even when others dont recognize your efforts, youre a noble man if you dont get angry![2] Starting today, Im a Confucian schr who serves you, Mr. Gong-Ja! Hey. For gods sake! Hey! What kind of crackhead schr went for someones toenail? I wanted to ask him that question, but there was something about his eyes that made me stop. His eyes and his heavy breathing made me realize that no matter what I said, it was going to go in one ear and out the other. If you keep doing this, Im not going to enter another apocalyptic book, I warned him. The Indoor Librarian stopped talking. The creepy part was that even though he was silent, he still fondled my foot. Was he crazy? ...Thats a solid threat, he mumbled, like a schr confronting a great conundrum. Itll work on me. I was relieved to hear that itd worked. But thats impossible, considering your character analysis. What? Character analysis? You know that the other apocalyptic books have those who wither away like the Heavenly Demon for an unfair reason. Given your personality, you have to help those people. By your nature, you cant resist the urge. The Indoor Librarian smiled. Dont underestimate your fan, Mr. Gong-Ja. I know you better than yourself! I can write two pages about which hand you used and how you looked as you ate your grain pill on the first day of the Heavenly Demon Chronicle... He was definitely crazy. Not a single thing about him was sane. Now, Mr. Gong-Ja, just hand it over! You have to give me this at least! You know, Im being incredibly conscientious by not using the sleeping scent to put you to sleep, Mr. Gong-Ja. Your conscience surprises me too, I answered sourly. You probably dont understand because youve never stanned for someone. Oh, what a tragedy! How miserable is life if youve never found someone to stan? Such a persons heart must be ice cold. Still, I should understand you, Shining-Ja Step away before I say I hate you. The Indoor Librarian actually froze. Take five steps away from me. If you dont, Im really going to say it. I put my hand between me and him. The Indoor Librarian quietly stepped back. Please act like your usual self. Its grossing me out, honestly. And please give me back my hair and fingernails. No! You cant do this to me! The Indoor Librarians tone became authoritative again as he cradled the silk pouches against his chest morosely. You should just cut off my head instead! No, wait a minute, Gong-Ja. I was just being dramatic. Please dont actually think about whether or not you should really do it... You look like youre really considering it, and that genuinely hurts me... He looked like a discouraged hamster now. All in all, I had sessfully calmed the Indoor Librarian down. After burning the creepy silk poucheswhich caused him to scream terriblyhe and I finally started to have a proper conversation. It was incredible, the Indoor Librarianmented. What you did for the Heavenly Demon is truly admirable! Just bing the Heavenly Demons disciple could have been your ending, but you didnt stop there! The final battle of the Great War of Good and Evil... And the best match of her lifetime... Oh, it was like tasting a sweet shaved ice with chocte ice cream on top. Then is the world of the Heavenly Demon Chronicle the Towers twenty-second floor now? The Indoor Librarian smiled brightly. Yes, it is. Other hunters can also freely go in and out of the twenty-second floor. They can also learn Skills by reading the martial arts manuals in the Heavenly Martial Arts Hall. Its all thanks to your aplishments, Gong-Ja. My time in the apocalyptic book gave me a question. Im hoping you can answer this... I rested my chin on my palm. Ask me anything! Ill answer almost anything! Stop trying to take off my shoes like its not a big deal. Why is the Heavenly Demon Chronicle an apocalyptic book? The Indoor Librarian tilted his head, clearly confused by my question. Why? Do you believe there should be a reason why the Heavenly Demon Chronicle is an apocalyptic book? I believe so. I put my shoes back on. Do you like happy endings, sir? Or do you prefer bad endings? That is a choice I cant make, the Indoor Librarian immediately answered. An ending is thest port that characters reach during their lives. Life can be both happy and sad. Its only natural for readers to wish for the characters happiness, but I want to embrace their sadness and failures too. So youre saying that a bad ending is a proper ending too. Well, of course. That makes me wonder even more, I said. He went around my back with scissors, so I grabbed his wrist and took the scissors away. He tried to take back the scissors, but he couldnt reach them no matter how much he jumped up and down. Even if I hadnt intervened, the Heavenly Demon Chronicle met a proper ending, even though it was a bad one. Teacher worked hard and did her best with the Murim Alliance''s leader until the end. Even if he died first and she went insane... thats still the ending she reached. I looked into the Indoor Librarians eyes. Why is the Heavenly Demon Chronicle considered an apocalyptic book? Is it not considered a proper ending if the Murim Alliance''s leader died and Teachermitted suicide after going insane? In truth, the question had been bugging me ever since I had seen the fairy tale named Our Victim. Regardless of whether I could ept the endings or not, those worlds seemed to have met their natural ends. The library was silent save for the sound of the unconscious Hunters breathing. While the Hunters chests rose and fell, the Indoor Librarian remained expressionless. For some reason, I wanted to see a happy ending. Can that be the reason? If you didnt like the ending, you could have rewritten it yourself, I responded. Youre strong. To a Hunter like me, youre omnipotent, but you sent us instead of rewriting the book yourself. In other words, this Constetion was a reader. He absolutely hated intervening in the story so he simply epted it. By no means did he want to be an authorhe would refuse even if he could, hence the Indoor Librarian. Shall I do a character analysis on you too? Theres no way you wouldve ssified them as apocalyptic books just because their endings were weird, not when youre this thorough. There must be another reason why the Heavenly Demon Chronicle and the stories are ssified as apocalyptic books. ...Youre a difficult one, arent you? The Indoor Librarian smiled bitterly. Follow me. He grabbed my hand and used his other hand to grab the Heavenly Demon Chronicle. ... Ill tell you the truth behind the apocalyptic books. The Constetion opened the book and I was blinded by its light. *** When I opened my eyes again, we were back in the world of snow. There was no need to walk across the snowfieldthe Indoor Librarian was still holding my hand, so we flew through the winter sky, his long sleeves pping like a seagull''s wings. If... If the zombie virus was created in the Heavenly Demon Chronicle... If it really was... I would never have ssified this world as an apocalyptic book, like you said. We passed over the snowy mountains. That means... I trailed off. It wasnt. The zombie virus is a gue that came entirely from the outside world. Its like the New World getting invaded by an outside force. The Indoor Librarian let out a puff of white breath. Over there. We can see it now. He was pointing at a towering mountain peak, the holy peak of this world. Something huge was sitting atop it. [Shiny has sensed an ominous presence.] The holy sword hanging on my belt trembled. Oh, your sword seems to feel it too, the librarian noticed. Its not strange. Your sword used to be aplete Constetion too. People tend to recognize people in simr situations quickly. By a simr situation, you mean... Gong-Ja, have you ever seen a Constetions fall? I had Preta, who had fallen from being a Constetion named the Demon King of Autumn Rain. Yes, I have. Then have you also seen a dead Constetions body? ... ...I knew it. The Indoor Librarian smiled sadly. Its quite a rare sight, so take a good look at it while you have the chance. On the mountain peaky a dead dragon. His skin, once as smooth as silk, was burned ck while his horns crumbled like coal dust. His cintamani was buried in the snow in two pieces. [Shiny has detected her sisters presence.] And a sword was embedded in the center of his chest. [Shiny says that is Sympathy, her second sister sword!] n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Cloudy ck energy flowed out from the sword. It could be considered aura, but it wasnt normal. It was something simr to, and possibly even more chaotic, than the wastewater which the Demon King of Autumn Rain had used to cover herself. The chaotic energy enveloping the dragon spread all over the peak. When snowkes fell on the mountain peak, the energy immediately infected them and turned them ck. It hurts... I hate... The ck dragons eyescked all light, but a groan continued to leak out of his mouth. It hurts. It hurts... It hurts. I hate. It hurts. It stings... For a moment, I was speechless. ... Didnt you say that Constetion was dead? I asked. Hes still alive. He is dead. What you see and hear from that is the deads grudge. When youre in the ss of a Constetion, you cant die peacefully. Wended on the peak where the ck dragon was groaning without end. The Indoor Librarian looked at the demise of another Constetion pityingly. The gue you and the others called a zombie virus is actually a curse. A curse... Yes, its the curse that this worlds Constetion, the Yellow Dragon of the Great Lake, left behind upon his death. His grudge cant fade away and his corpse still remains even after his death, so he must endure pain. When people are infected by the curse, they be jiangshi. I looked up at the dragons corpse. It hurts... He was the gues host and the source of the curse. The disease that brought doom to this world started from that corpse. That dragons curse was basically the reason why Teacher had passed away. ...Someone killed him. The Constetion didnt stab himself in the chest. Logically, youre probably right. Who is the culprit? You already know who it is. I ground my teeth. Lefanta Aegim. Thats right. The Indoor Librarian nodded. His title is Constetion Murderer. He travels from world to world and kills Constetions. Shiny had told me that a Constetion was a worlds representative. A world thats lost its Constetion is like a castle that lost its walls. It bes increasingly prone to meeting such an unusual, abrupt demise. The apocalyptic books in the Great Library of All Life were the worlds where their representatives died and all of the residents had disappeared. Why does he kill Constetions out of nowhere? If he founded the Aegim Empire, he could just be the emperor of his country. Why does he go around and ruin worlds? They didnt do anything to him. That is a question that I cant answer. The Indoor Librarian carefully observed my face. Im merely a reader. You said that Im omnipotent, but that is not true. I may be omniscient, but Im powerless. I can know the truth of worlds, but I dont intervene in their affairs. The Indoor Librarian suddenly pointed to my waist, abruptly shifting from his self-deprecating remarks. But you are different. His finger was pointed to the sword hung on my waist. You can intervene and are intervening. Whether you want to or not, you are fixing what someone else ruined one by one. Once is a coincidence. Twice is fate. Three times is an inevitability. You saved the empire that the Constetion Murderer had abandoned, took in the Constetion that he split apart, and now youre in the world that was destroyed because of him. The measure he used to kill the Yellow Dragon of the Great Lake is vicious and cruel. Ordinary people cant even touch that sword, but you can, Gong-Ja, You made an inevitability from the encounter of coincidence and fate. I looked at the ck dragons corpse again. Shiny. The holy sword trembled gently. [Shiny answers your call.] How can I take in your sister? [Shiny says that you have to draw her and touch the sister sword using her.] Good. I drew my sword and struck the sword embedded in the ck dragons chest with it, shing across the winter sky. [The Goddess of Protection is absorbing a piece of herself.] My sword was briefly enveloped in light. 1. Just in case: Confucius is called Gongja in Korea. ? 2. The raw is ??????, ????(h, ) The lines are from Analects, also known as the Sayings of Confucius. ? The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 87: The Reader鈥檚 Heart (3)

Chapter 87: The Readers Heart (3)

Light flowed out of my sword and covered the ck dragon. [Sympathy refuses to be absorbed!] But the energy around the ck dragon resisted me fiercely. The ck, poisonous energy spilled outward like sewage during the rainy season or a ck panther suddenly jolted out of a peaceful sleep. [Sympathy is bewildered.] [Sympathy rebukes her sister.] [Sympathy demands to know if she betrayed Lefanta Aegim.] [The Goddess of Protection pacifies her sister.] The light of my holy sword and the ck energy of the dragon blended together chaotically. [Sympathy demands that you show her that youre qualified to be her new master.] Neither the white light or dark energy were ready to back down. [A Constetion is a formidable power.] [Their power should never be given to those who arent qualified.] [Sympathy has not recognized you as her new master.] I quietly looked at the sword embedded in the ck dragons chest. Yes, you have a point, but how am I supposed to prove that Im qualified? The ck poisonous energy continued to leak out from the ck dragons corpse. The energy, more venomous than it had ever been, took on the form of an angel who was seemingly made from dark water. [Sympathy says she is the fragment of the goddesss sympathy.] [If you have proven that you can be someones idol... it is time you must prove that you can sympathize with someone.] The expressionless angel spread her wings. Even those were turbid and dripping with dark fluid. [Sympathy demands that you temporarily relinquish control of your body and mind to her.] Why should I do that? I asked. [Sympathy exins that she must peer into your memories.] The light emitted by the holy sword shone a little brighter. [The Goddess of Protection cannot agree with Sympathys statement.] [The Goddess of Protection believes that Sympathy will naturally understand that you are qualified to be their new master if they travel together, so there is no reason to take unnecessary risks.] No, its okay. I put away my sword. I cant have a sword on my waist that doesnt trust me, even if its the finest sword in the world. Itll put me on edge. Come! Come and steal my memories or whatever until youre satisfied. I spread my arms. [Sympathy tests your sympathy.] The angels huge wings covered me like a mother bird embracing her baby. In the darkness, scenes from my past yed before me like dreams. Youre kind, Mister. The garden, consumed by mes. Hold on a little longer. Hold on.... You pitiful things... A paradise engulfed in smoke. The world has no meaning. A snowy field where a certain red peony bloomed. My disciple. The garden, the paradise, and the snow were as gone as quickly as they had appeared. Sympathy hurriedly furled her wings, letting the light back in. She looked at me. The fragment of a Constetion still looked emotionless, but her ck eyes peered out from underneath her eyebrows with a bewilderment which she couldnt hide. You... Im not perfect, I said. Im weak to acts of goodwill. That is what I hope to receive, and I do go out of my way a little to get it. I really likepliments, so I work to look like a good person. That might be my weakness. Im not perfect. The Constetion fragment closed her mouth. And so is your former master. I dont know what grandiose mission Lefanta Aegim thinks hes killing Constetions for. Maybe its a truly noble mission, but even so, I will hold him ountable for his wrongdoings. I raised my sword and pointed it at the ck angel. If you think your former master was perfect and never did anything wrong, then donte with me. I dont need a sword like that either. The ck angel slowly opened her mouth. Are you going to kill Lefanta Aegim? Yes, if he deserves to die. Can you promise that your personal feelings wont affect your judgment? I dont know, I said honestly. My teacher is dead, and this world is ruined. Too many people are hurt and dead, so I dont know. But I promise you that Ill do my best not to let it happen. So if you think Im going down the wrong path, do your best to set me on the right one. Ill do my best, and you do yours. Thats what it means to be together, I think. The ck angels wings slowly fell apart. Those whom I cut feel pain, but theyre never wounded or die. My ability is woundless pain. The angel copsed entirely, returning to ck fluid. My new master, I vow to serve you to the best of my ability. The ck fluid poured into the holy sword I held; the sword drank down the swirling flood like a thirsty fox in the desert. [The Goddess of Protections presence has be stronger.] Oh, oh... The ck dragon, the divine beast who used to be the Constetion of this world, moaned as even the sword embedded in his chest melted down and was absorbed into my sword. Oh... The ck dragon had been killed long ago, so he didnt have anything to express. He simply moaned like an old man who had grown tired of life. Ohhhhhh, ohhhh... The remnants of his horns crumbled away, and his scales melted like candle wax. The entire dragon was reduced into a puddle of ck fluid. The divine beast that had reigned over an entire world had met his end. And then it was the winters turn to meet its demise. The perpetual snow covering the mountain copsed like an avnche. I was on the top of the mountain, so I could see all of the snow pouring down into the world. Winter is the season of death. The Indoor Librarian watched the snow go with me. Youve ended this lonely season. The white avnche rolled over the white world, but where it passed was no longer white. The new color of this worlds flesh was brown. After the long winter finally ended, the bare ground was revealed. N?v(el)B\\jnn Why did the spring wind smell so different from the winter wind? Did Teacher know where the scent of spring came from? ...Sir, I said. Go ahead. I have the stage clear reward that allows me to see peoples liked genres, plot points, characters, etcetera. I know. The Indoor Librarian let out a short breath. Our breath was no longer frozen white. Im in charge of the twenty-first to thirtieth floors. The reward you received is what I prepared, so I know about it, of course. You have the Constetion Murderer as your liked character. Im sure I do. Why do you like him? Lefanta Aegim goes around and kills Constetions. I would have understood if you didnt like him, but Im not sure why youd have any reason to like him. The Indoor Librarian closed his right eye. Since its you, Ill tell you. Theres this dream Ive had for a long time. A dream? Yes! Its to appear in the novel I like! The Constetions eyes sparkled innocently. ...Isnt it something you can do right now? I asked, puzzled. You can freely travel from apocalyptic book to apocalyptic book. Hahayou really dont understand readers, do you? Intervening and showing up in a novel are a little different. Actually, theyre two entirely different matters. The Indoor Librarian covered his mouth with his sleeves andughed. From the perspective of an apocalyptic book, Im an alien substance that shouldnt exist in that world, just like the Constetion Murderer that killed the dragon in this world. That isnt what I want to be in a novel. No, not at all. I want to appear as a proper character, like someone who has been in that world with the other characters from the very beginning! This is my dream as the reader of all life! I still didnt understand him. The Indoor Librarian noted my reaction and smiled. Then Ill ask you something, Gong-Ja. Why didnt you kill the Heavenly Demon? The Heavenly Demon attained the level of Mind Kill at herst moment. If you had made her part of your monster legion, she would have been as reliable as any army, even though she wouldnt be able to keep her power from before her death. She cared for you deeply, so she would have remained a faithful ally and a great teacher. So why didnt you kill the Heavenly Demon? ...I... Shh. The Indoor Librarian raised his index finger and pressed it against my lips. Its okay. You dont have to say it. I already understand why. I could feel the pressure of his finger on my lips. You didnt want to meddle with the end your teacher reached. I feel the same wayI dont want to intervene in the ends that the worlds met. We share the same heart... The world had already melted up to the horizon. The sun shone on theke that the thawing ice had revealed. I refuse to intervene in a story, which leaves me only one way to be a character. ... What is it? I asked. Its simple if you think about it the other way around: instead of searching for a character in a novel, the character cane look for me. Lefanta Aegim, the Constetion Murderer, constantly travels from world to world to kill Constetions, he whispered. The Indoor Librarian smiled. Hes bound to visit my Great Library of All Life one day to kill me. He took a book out of his pocket. It looked more worn out than the other apocalyptic books, suggesting that he had taken it out and read it hundreds of times. The book''s leather cover was worn and torn like the notebook of an old writer. The title, The Epic of Lefanta Aegim, was embossed in gold on the cover. Hell continue his story and stand before me someday by his own volition. On that day, Ill finally appear in the story of The Epic of Lefanta Aegim. That is the day Im waiting for. Even if the story will end with your death? Of course. The Indoor Librarian looked down at the now snow-free ground and smiled widely. His sleeves fluttered like a dancing crane. Hes the protagonist. Isnt that the best epilogue I can ask for? *** Before returning to the library, I stopped to see the Heavenly Demon Cult followers. I really wanted to make sure that Teachers funeral was going well. Ah, Young Heaven. Wee! Wee, Young Heaven. The followers offered me their bao quan salute as soon as they saw me. However, I felt like they were disconcerted for some reason. It wasnt just one or two peopleall of them were. I tilted my head. Is the funeral already over? N-no, Young Heaven. Umm, we havent started the funeral... Is something wrong? The followers exchanged nces. Well... Lady Heavenly Demons body has disappeared, the Blood Demon King exined. He was one of the Four Demon Kings; Teacher often called him Blood Demon Senior Captain. What? Itll be faster to show you, Young Heaven. I quickly followed the Blood Demon King to where I hadid Teachers body and was bewildered by what I saw. All of the snow suddenly began to melt, and Lady Heavenly Demons body disappeared as well... Im sorry. It happened so quickly that we didnt have time to do anything about it. The snow was gone, but her body was nowhere to be seen. It was nowhere to be found, no matter where I looked. We think that because Lady Heavenly Demons vital energy was so pure, she naturally dissolved into nature after her death... Crimson peonies in full bloom swayed where her arms, feet, and hair had rested. This is incredible, the Guardian muttered. The Constetion of this world left behind nothing but a curse after he died, but your teacher left behind flowers. Your teacher is better than the so-called Constetion of this world. I approached the flower garden and bent down. I stroked the peony petals with my fingertips, feeling their red petals rubbing against my index finger. It was the first spring to bloom in this world. Of course, were still preparing for the funeral, the Blood Demon King said from behind me. Young Heaven, please attend No. I shook my head. Its okay. Please dont hold the funeral. Pardon? Thisll be enough. I stood up and turned to the cultists. I became the Young Heaven of the Heavenly Demon Cult because Im her heir, but Im sure there are still some who cant ept it. The principle of this cult is that the strongest takes all, so its only natural for the strongest person to rise to the highest position. Lets make our fight her funeral. Its customary to offer precious items during a funeral, and our sword is what we value the most. So, lets offer our swords to Teacher. Iughed. Bring it on. Spring arrived. Like all living people, the next chapter of my story woulde. It would start on a slightly higher stage than where I was now. Chapter 88: A Trashy Show Is A Classic (1)

Chapter 88: A Trashy Show Is A ssic (1)

Im going to move the OJP Sects headquarters to the twenty-second floor, the Viper abruptly said a few days after we and the other Hunters had cleared the Heavenly Demon Chronicle. What? Weve decided to relocate our entire dojo there. Just like youre the heir of the Heavenly Demon Cult, my teacher is the Murim Alliance''s leader, and the OJP Sect is my guild. Its only right for me and my guild to be part of the Murim Alliance, the Viper said as he nonchntly thumbed through a novel. Like I had witnessed thest time, the Viper was, surprisingly, a bookworm, although his taste was very biased. Luckily, many of the books here satisfied his bizarre taste. He was wearing sses. They were just for fashion and cost 9,800 won. His book had a magic book cover, which was a Hero Grade item that could be put on any book and freely change the title and cover. It was sold at a market price of 2,000 gold. My teacher almost spent the rest of his life in bed, but hes fine now. The Chemist said that shes made that possible for him to move around at least, so Im nning to ask him to be my sects grand protector. The Murim Alliance''s leader as the grand protector... I murmured. Yeah. Hes very sad about the Heavenly Demons death; it even makes me depressed when I look at him, the Viper said. A protector ensured their sects lineage, and a grand protector was the highest of them all. The Viper was basically trying to make the Murim Alliance''s leader the greatest elder of his guild. Its better to be busy at times like that, so hes going to teach new students. That way he wont have time to get lost in depressing thoughts. Itll also help my guild members increase their martial prowess. I eyed him, a little surprised. That was very thoughtful of him. The Viper felt my gaze and stopped turning the pages. ... Hey, Death King. Why are you looking at me like that? It just urred to me that not anyone can be a leader of one of the Five Guilds. Despite being an otaku of unimaginable proportions, his subordinates deeply respected him. I had always wondered why, but it turned out there was a good reason. He took very good care of his people. I-is that so? The Viper scratched his nose, blushing. Ahem, ahem. D-dont get any weird ideas! I just did what was right. If I were praised for doing something right, the world would be a very deste ce. I dont want to make the world like that. Gross... Huh? I shook my head. I didnt say anything. Anyhow, the Vipers story got me thinking: taking good care of my people was what I had been thinking about even before I entered the Heavenly Demon Chronicle. I was now the Rank 3 Hunter. Was being a high-ranking Hunter and knowing a bit about martial arts enough? Maybe it was time to build some virtuous poprity. ...Who could I consider to be my people...? Oh, I want to have a duel. I want it so bad. A brutal, devilish match. Im hungry for a fight where I have to risk my life. Zombie, lets choose murim for the next apocalyptic book too. Find a murim where a rogue sect is dominant this time! You can be a master martial artist in a rogue sect this time! Lets gooooo! the Guardian screamed. ...No, not this guy. Gong-Ja! I made clippers specially tailored to your fingers and toes! Once you taste my clipping skill, you will never be able to trim your own fingernails and toenails again! The Indoor Librarians eyes shone dangerously. Give me three minutes! No, two minutes will be enough! Please trust me with your hands and feet for just one hundred twenty seconds! It was certainly not this moonstruck Constetion either. He was even worse. [Shiny sings about your brilliant achievements again today.] [Shiny verses your brave roar on the walls of the Aegim Empire.] [Shiny choruses your desperate yet beautiful struggle in murim.] [Shiny bridges how happy she is to be able to see you today too.] [Shiny outros long live the hero.] Huh...? Were there no normal people around me? Seriously? That was strange. I was a model student who tried to live a normal lifewhy was there only a crazy ghost, an insane Constetion, and a lunatic sword around me? When I thought about it, none of them were humans either. That was insane. Was this my fate? If it was, wasnt it a shitty fate? Was god an asshole? You Shitberian Husky...[1] I thought. Haha, Death King! What are you thinking about? Mr. Inquisitor, I was thinking that it would be good if you went to the thirteenth floor and negotiated with the priests from the world of the Aegim Empire. It would be nice if newbie Hunters could take quests there. Oh! I was thinking of something simr. It seems you and I click! We both think about how to be helpful to everyone! Okay, Ill get going! After shooing away the Welsh Corgi Inquisitor, I was even less confident in my fate. Uh... M-Mr. Death King. A savior appeared before me as I was about to dive into a pool of despair. I seeded in mass-producing the zombie virus cure. The ingredients needed for mass production are rtively easy to obtain. Uh, Hunters will be able to roam around the twenty-second floor without any problems as long as theyre vinated first. It was her! Miss Chemist. Y-yes, Mr. Death King...? What do you think about moving your shop? The Chemist blinked. Excuse me? The shop is too small right now, I exined,ying out the n Id been thinking about since shed won thepetition against the Medicine King. Youve be more popr after you cleared the stage, so you should expand your shop. The number of orders will skyrocketwill you be able to handle that volume from your current shop? Ah... Oh, I-I was thinking about expanding the shop too, but the real estate prices on the first floor are... As you already know, I have to get a lot of loans... The Countess showed me some kind of contract and said that she would pay for everything. No, please dont sign that. Ever. I wasnt going to let that cat get her paws on my fish. I can give you thend you need, I offered. Ill take care of it all, including the moving costs and interior design costs, so all you have to bring is yourself. The Chemists jaw dropped to the floor. U-uh-uhhmmmm... Really...? Yesyou know the twentieth floor is my property, right? Ill give you a good spot. Just bring yourself. The Chemist opened and closed her mouth in disbelief, but I meant what I said. What was the point of havingnd and not using it? If I thought of it as investing in the future head of the Alchemist Office, it was a bargain. In return, please put my requests for medicine and potions slightly above the other requests. Does that sound okay? I smiled. O-of course! Im already doing that... Ugh, ughhh... W-what should I do? Ive received too much from you, Mr. Death King... While she was surprised, the Chemist couldnt hide her joy. The corners of her mouth twitched and she clenched her fists, like she was suppressing a shout of joy. Despite what she said, it was a great offer. My heart swelled. It felt so rewarding to take care of my people. Ahem. Ahem! Mmmmhmmm! Ehem! Kid, arent you forgetting something? The Medicine King was standing behind me. I hadnt sensed any movement until he spoke up. Had he learned the Lightness Art in murim without me knowing? He was at an incredible level. I wish I had morendte in my life... The Medicine King gave me a nce. My shop is sooooo old and it smells sooooo musty these days. It also gets humid easily. Its really bad for my back! Its a three-story building, so I have to climb up and down every day. I can hear my knees creaking every time I climb up the stairs... He gave me another nce. It would be nice if a kind young man could give me somend with good air... I only need around 33,000 square meters... Im sorry. Please excuse my friend. The Sword Star approached and grabbed the Medicine King by the nape and dragged him away. Even as he was dragged away, the Medicine King shouted, Who taught you to interfere with your friends business instead of helping them? Is that how they taught you in Northern Europe? You, Marcus Carlenbery! For a man born into a prestigious family of businessmen, your business manners are worse than a beggars! My friend, its already sad that were old, so lets please not be ugly too... You already make a lot of money. Im losing money nowadays! The number of orders Im getting has plummetedtely! Hey, Chemist! You, girl, over there! Say I talked too rashly in thest match. I actually dont have the power to end Sir Shawn McCallisters victory run. Just say it! Please! All of the Hunters in the great library stared at the Medicine King. After the joint research and the surgery together, the Chemist had been looking at the Medicine King in a new light, but she now simply said, Wow, and looked at him like he was a cockroach. Why do all of the heroines of the novels I read end up dying? the Viper grumbled. Is this the trend now? Seriously, all of the Hunters were insane. *** Opening the Chemists new shop on the twentieth floor went smoothly. The gold I had received from the lottery was enough to cover the cost of construction materials. I had no problem getting the manpower needed for the construction either. The Countess, however, kept lingering like a cat on aptop. Hey, Death King. Im telling you, I can give you a discount on the price of the construction materials. That isnt allI can get you all of the hands you need. Just sign this contract with the Chemist. You only have to do that once And I told you to forget it! I shook her off and looked back at Preta. How are things going? The construction is progressing smoothly, Master. Preta was in charge of the construction. Shed donned a yellow hardhat and a green armband, and used a pink whistle to lead the skeletons, I summoned with Monster Legion Reincarnation, in the construction. A handsome young man with a ponytail and a particrly dirty mouth was among the skeletons. What the fuck! Fucking hell! Hey! You goddamn beggar! What the fuck do you have against me? Why am I carrying rocks with these skeletons, asshole? Say something, you motherfucker! However, the absolute majority of the workers were skeletons who moved in unison, so the construction was proceeding smoothly. While that was happening, the Chemist, the Viper, and I made a treaty. Okay, I think we can do it like this. There are still a lot of jiangshi on the twenty-second floorin other words, there are a lot of monsters. And the ce is filled with ruined dojos, which are basically dungeons. Yup, so my OJP Sect will set up base... A-and... Hunters who want to go to the twenty-second floor will get vinated at my new shop on the twentieth floor before they actually go... right? Thats right. I nodded. And Ill take somemission in the process... Itll be a reasonable amount, of course. I owned the twentieth floor, and the Chemist was building a new nest there. The OJP Sect was going to move their headquarters to the twenty-second floor. This n would benefit all three of us. I never thought Id receive a real estatemission, I thought. I was really satisfied with the arrangement, but when the shop actually opened, it turned out that there was a problem with the n: too many people rushed to the twentieth floor. Chemist God! Chemist King! Chemist Emperor! O Supreme Jade Celestial Chemist Emperor! Please sell me some medicine! Hunters could travel up to the twentieth floor even without a title, so many more Hunters rushed to the twentieth floor, not just the Hunters who wanted to get vinated before going to the twenty-second floor. The process of giving a shot of the zombie virus vine was ratherplicated, but other medicines and potions still had to be manufactured in the meantime. That meant that the process kept getting tangled up with the stores general affairs. At first, the Chemist tried to solve that on her own, but in the end, she screamed. Mr. Death King, this wont work! Ultimately, we had no choice but to call on thest member of the team who cleared the twenty-second floor together. The Viper put his arm around him. Medicine King, your business is no fun nowadays, huh? Ill give you a good spot in the OJP Sects headquarters on the twenty-second floor. Why dont youe and be my guilds exclusive doctor? Hey, OJP Sect Master! Who do you think I am? Im Shawn McCallister! Despite his big talk, the Medicine Kings business was actually not doing well. The selling point of the Medicine Kings merchandise was that they were high-end, but the Chemist showed up, offering people the most deluxe grade of medicines and potions. The Medicine Kings merchandise deteriorated into a half-baked luxury. Everyone knew that, and so did the Medicine King. After some persuading, the Medicine King groaned. Ill take somemissions by giving some shots and taking care of emergencies on the twenty-second floor for the time being. Yes, please... I also need a doctor for my teacher anyway, the Viper murmured. Hmph, yeah... He and I speak more of the samenguage than I do with Marcus. Okay, Ill do it. Ive been feeling a little lonely too. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Even as time passed, Hunters continued their attempts to clear new floors. After all, we werent the only Hunters who would dive into a new floor to clear them. Twenty-First Floor: Great Library of All Life Twenty-Second Floor: Heavenly Demon Chronicle (Genres: Murim, Fusion) Twenty-Third Floor: The Space Iron Knights Epic (Genre: Sci-Fi) Twenty-Fourth Floor: Diary from the Dawn Mountain Lodge (Genres: Mystery, History) Good. Good, good, good, good. The ck Witch smiled with satisfaction. She was the leader of the Hunters now, carefully deciding which apocalyptic book we should clear and who would form the expedition team to do so. Death King, this is all thanks to you. Clearing the Heavenly Demon Chronicle so well got the other Hunters pumped to try and beat you. The ck Witch gave me an affectionate look. These people used to ignore everything I said! Ah, if only theyd always been like this... It was more like she was looking at a golden goose. At this rate, she was going to say that the Tower was built because of me. If we keep this up, well be able to clear the thirtieth floor before the end of the month. Unfortunately, the ck Witchs prophecy was wrong. In the second week since the Heavenly Demon Chronicle was cleared... [The attempt to clear the twenty-fifth floor has failed today.] Hundreds of Hunters and the ck Witch looked up nkly. [Announcement.] [The attempt to clear the twenty-fifth floor has failed today.] What? What...? The ck Witch was perplexed. Her ck eyes were filled with shock. I sent the best team... but they failed...? A hologram screen in the great library was broadcasting a Hunter teams apocalyptic book expedition live. There we saw countless demons giggling as they ughtered humans. Among the humans being ughtered, there were familiar faces: the Countess and the Pdin. They were the Rank 4 and Rank 9 Hunters, respectively. While the Countess handled Babylons money, the Pdin managed the citysw enforcement. In other words, they were the people in charge of the Towers economy and order. They were the best people we could send for that team, as the ck Witch had said, but the team had failed. The Story of Sormwin Academy Genre: Romance, Fantasy Difficulty level: D Required challengers: 4~5 people Serialization is currently discontinued. Description: Sormwin is a prestigious magic academy where friendship, healthy rivalry, love, and jealousy can be found just like any other ce. This apocalyptic book would have remained an ordinary academy novel if only an artifact capable of destroying the world hadnt been sealed in the academys basement! Reason for discontinuation of serialization: The viiness loses her fiance, the Crown Prince, to a female student who has been given a second chance at life. This drives the viiness mad, so she unseals the artifact, releasing a great demon and bringing destruction to the world. The apocalyptic book was only ranked D in the difficulty level. The world was chosen because they had developed magic and had abundant minerals like mithril. Oh, thats too bad. The Indoor Librarian looked down at the stupefied Hunters. However, its spilled milk now! If you can put back whats spilled, then it might be different, but I cant undo an expedition thats already failed. Please understand my predicament. The Indoor Librarian was smiling, though. He was basically saying that if someone could put back the spilled milk... he would make an exception. It was obvious who he was talking to. I headed to the librarys bathroom. I had also stopped by here before heading to the world of the Heavenly Demon Chronicle. The mirror above the sink reflected a man with a dark expression. Damn, Ive never even read a romance novel, I muttered. Well, you hadnt read a murim novel before either, but you made it work. Im pretty sure it wont be an issue for you. The Guardian shrugged. Thats true, but... I sighed and grabbed the dagger. I cant just let the Countess and the Pdin die, and it doesnt look like itll be solved if I send in someone else. I guess I have to do it myself. Someone might tell me that I could just give up the apocalyptic book and choose another one. But that wasnt that simpleI had a reason why I could not give up on that apocalyptic book. [Shiny cheers for the decision you made.] Another fragment of the Goddess of Protection was hidden there too. ... Alright. I gripped the hilt of my dagger and steeled myself. Lets go! I rewinded time until I got to the day before the expedition team was formed. That was the moment when my next stage was decided to be a romance novel. 1. The raw is ? ???? ???. Its a Korean wordy on how Siberian Husky sounds simr to ??(sipal). ? Chapter 89: A Trashy Show Is A Classic (2)

Chapter 89: A Trashy Show Is A ssic (2)

As soon as I returned to a few days ago, I said, Ill lead in this apocalyptic book. The Hunters looked at me, dumbfounded, including the Countess and the Pdin. They had died while clearing the apocalyptic book that we had chosen to be our twenty-fifth floor, but I was back in the time before they entered the book. Of course, they had no way of knowing that. The Pdin looked perplexed. Im sorry, Death King. I didnt know you were also familiar with romance novels. No, you dont have to be sorry. I really dont know much about romance novels. ...And yet youre saying youll be in charge of this expedition? Are you serious? I nodded. Yes, I really want to be in charge. The Hunters murmured among themselves. I tried not to let it get to me. With the genre being what it is, it would be nice to choose a Hunter who is well-versed in romance novels, but it shouldnt be an absolute standard. Ive never read a murim novel, but I still had no problem clearing the Heavenly Demon Chronicle. Thats true, but... Besides, I have a bad feeling about this expedition. Something bad is going to happen, so please let me take charge. Some Huntersthe ck Witch and the Sword Starreacted strongly when I told them I had a feeling. Both of them believed that I had the ability to see the future. ... I dont think it matters. The Death King has proved himself several times already. The ck Witch shrugged. I also think we should listen to the Death King, the Sword Starmented. With the Rank 2 and the Rank 1 Hunters backing me up, things became easier. The other Hunters didnt really try to oppose us, so I took charge as I wanted. Now Ill pick who will go into the apocalyptic book with me, I said, bracing myself. Only the most elite member will go to this stage. Please dont me me for not picking you. Hmm... The most elite member. The ck Witch nced at me with a nk face. Okay, then I should go. I dont know much about romance, but if someone is needed, I should go. This is my first experience with romance novels, but... should I call it romantic sentiment? It seems like my style. Im not iming to be an expert on romance novels, though. Yeah, I just think that I should go if we need the most elite member to go. The woman who had previously introduced herself as a drama viewer was in bad shape. Really bad shape. Romance and romantic fantasy are a little different. If a romance novel is a macaroon, then a romantic fantasy novel is a chocte mousse cake, the Pdin quietly said. Death King, I really think that an expert is needed for this one... She exuded the subtle vibes of a hidden master. However, she had a history of failing to clear this apocalyptic book, so it felt risky to take the Pdin. Cant love be converted into money too? People who readily spend money on their loved ones are also good at dating. Love is power, and power is money. This is an eternal truth, so I should be chosen for this expedition. The Countess fanned herself. Who the hell put that woman up for an expedition to a romance novel in the first ce? I calmly looked around. Someone caught my eye. He was sipping the orange juice that had been served by a bookmark maid. Mr. Inquisitor, I called. Yes? Why dont we share some moments in a romance novel together? Oh? The Hunters around us stared, aghast. The Inquisitor was the cold-blooded ughterer who tortured and executed anyone involved in a religious conflict, regardless of how small it was. Even in the Tower, where only madmen lived, he was treated as insanea psycho. If a survey were to be conducted to see who was least suited for romance, the first ce in the entire world was reserved for him. The person in question smiled brightly like an innocent boy. Yes! Understood! Ill dly do it if its your request, Mr. Death King! To someone who didnt know the truth, his smile was angelic. In other words, it was no different from a devils smile to someone who knew the truth. The ck Witch quickly approached me. Death King, are you crazy...? she whispered. Inquisitor cant empathize! Objectively speaking, hes a psychopath. Even if I try to put it nicely, hes still a sociopath. What are you going to do with a man like that in a romance novel? ck Dragon Master, I whispered back. I dont know a thing about romance, but I know whats the most important. What is it? Appearance. ... Huh? Appearance, I repeated, deadly serious. Uh... The characters need to be handsome or beautiful above all. Isnt that a little biased...? Many people in romance novels are described as ordinary-looking... The ck Witchs voice faded away. They dont look that ordinary in the covers. Ah... you said the unspeakable truth... Think about it. Who in the Tower looks the most angelic, based purely on looks? Its the Inquisitor. I thought he was a real angel until I found out about his true nature. We nced at the Inquisitor, who was beaming at us. Youre with me on this one, arent you? ...Yeah, that kid will break down anyones guard with his looks. The problem is that hell crush their heads next, the ck Witch murmured. Plus, hespetent and uses divine magic. I think hell be able to handle any idents. He also listens to me. Above all, what the Inquisitor said and what he actually thought were always the same. I believed that this could be an advantage in a romance novel. Many people found honesty and forthrightness to be very attractive. ...That might actually be a good idea, the Pdin muttered. She was slowly nodding along to our conversation, looking impressed. In romantic fantasy, its better when the characters are crazier. In that point of view, the Inquisitor isnt bad. Its a shame that he isnt obsessed with love, but he has some room to be the mad, obsessive male character. I can feel it. This is going to be interesting. Death King... you have great intuition, even in romance... The library went quiet. Hmm? Did I say something weird? the Pdin asked, confused. The library was silentbut the ck Witch was silent because she was deep in contemtion. State of Mind: The Pdin has a point, but the Inquisitor looks too young, not like a young man like the Death King. Even if were going to use the Inquisitors boyish face as a charming point, he should look somewhat boyish, not like an actual boy. Looking just like a child is unpopr in this area... For better or worse, the ck Witch didnt assert her professional opinion aloud. Thanks to her, the Inquisitor and I were able to be a romantic duo. When he saw us, the Indoor Librarians eyes sparkled. Oh, wow. That is a uniquebination to try in this apocalyptic book. Okay! Im really looking forward to seeing what kind of story itll be this time. The Indoor Librarian reached out and grabbed the Story of Sormwin Academy. Its the season of love! And its also the generation where it became natural to praise love! People now say that its a beautiful act to ovee social status, bloodline, nationality, and everything else to win love! The Constetions sleeves fluttered. Maybe thats why love has be more difficult. Love isnt just an emotion, but also an attitude and a mindset. Yet many people are obsessed only with its romantic side. The Indoor Librarian chuckled. Will you choose romantic reality or realistic romance? Gong-Ja, itll be very difficult to find the bnce. Thats why Ive prepared a special reward for clearing the stage! A special reward for clearing the stage? Technically, you cleared not only the normal stage of the Heavenly Demon Chronicle but also its hidden stage. The reward for the normal stage was that world bing the twenty-second floor, but you havent received the reward for the hidden stage yet. Thats what Im going to give you now. Uh, what is the reward, exactly? Come here, my protagonist. The Indoor Librarian gestured at me. I approached him. Here. Ill give you three cards. The Indoor Librarian handed over the cards. On each was written: Face Recognition Disorder, What a coincidence to eavesdrop on such a crucial and secret moment! and Oops, I shouldnt have said this, but my tongue slipped! Alright. Even the names were ominous. I didnt know what effect these cards had, but they were super suspicious. Excuse me, I said sourly. These are... Theyre all used to make romance novels fantastic. Im sure these cards will be very useful, so dont worry! I couldnt do anything but worry. These arent the only rewards. Youll run into it when you arrive at the world of the apocalyptic book. The Indoor Librarian smiled mysteriously. What? Instead of answering my question, the Indoor Librarian opened the book. Death King and Inquisitor. The apocalyptic books pages radiated light. Two of you have been selected as new characters in the Story of Sormwin Academy. Once you open your eyes, youll find yourselves in the world seven days before the serialization of the book unfortunately discontinues. Light enveloped the two of us. N?v(el)B\\jnn I hope you will show me a wonderful ending! Mydy, and her butler! Mydy? The butler? As I was about to ask what he meant, the world around me turnedpletely white. *** I had never been interested in romance novels. Not only was I not in the habit of reading books, but I also didnt have any friends around me who were a fan of romance. If I was a little bit more honest, I didnt have any friends before, and I would like to exercise my right of silence about how many people I could call my friends right now. Though I was an amateur in romance, I could still answer what the mostmon onomatopoeia in a romance novel was. p! It was the sound of someone getting pped in the face. ...You rude, lowly woman! The clear, sharp voice reached the chandelier in the ceiling. Before the chandelier could even stop shaking, the most often heard sound of all time in the romance genre rang out once more. It might be obvious given how I was leisurely watching everything, but I wasnt the one getting pped. ...Oh? It was the Inquisitor. Both his left and right cheeks were red; nevertheless, he tilted his head and smiled widely toward the woman who had pped him. Did I do something wrong? Your ps are very vicious! The womans expression grew more menacing. It looked like she could be a nobledy, judging from her dress embroidered with a pattern of lilies in silver threads. For my convenience, I named her Lady Silver Lily. ...You lowly, brazen woman, you dont even know what shame is, do you? Haha. The Inquisitor justughed. And from there on out, things went crazy. Lady Silver Lily wasnt the only one who was wearing a dress. If theres anything I did wrong, please tell me! Ill correct it right away if its reasonable! Its best not to use violence if possible! The Inquisitor was also wearing a dress. Compared to Lady Silver Lilys dress, it was much more in. Its color resembled the inside of a lime, a blend of innocent yellow and joyful green. Innocence could easily turn into childishness, and joy was often seen as naivety. But that was all unnecessary since his looks defied everything. As expected of a Hunter I chose based almost entirely on appearance, the natural psycho with good looks smiled brightly. Okay! Miss I-Dont-Know. Lets talk! p! Youre... really... really going to mock me until that very end...arent you? Lady Silver Lily said, seemingly squeezing her lungs out. Her strained lungs were clearly conveyed in her voice. She was the one who had pped the Inquisitor, but for some reason, she was the one whose breathing was bing strained as the conversation went on. Hmm. I rose above the confusion of entering a brand new apocalyptic book and began to piece together the situation. A social gathering? A ball? Anyway, we were in the middle of an event. In the chandeliered ballroom were dozens of people wearing dresses and suits, not just us. They were watching the fight anxiously. Their nervousness was to be expected since the peaceful ball was a mess now. Lady Silver Lily was the viiness. I looked at her. Excluding the imperial family, she held the highest social status. She was also the one who was going to destroy this world. You... over... there! Lady Silver Lily said, staggering. It was as if she was spitting out each syble. It made my lungs hurt just listening to it. Yes, mydy, the servants in ck tuxedos answered. Those people... are eyesores. Get them out of my sight. Quickly...! Understood. The servants didnt speak loudly; they were pretty quiet, actually. Anyone could see that Lady Silver Lily was sickly, so the servants adjusted the pitch of their voices to better serve their master. Loud noises were poison to her ears. That was why the Inquisitor waspletely ipatible with Lady Silver Lily. The Inquisitor was built with a smile and a bright voice. Oh, are you sick? How awful! Let me help you! he offered. Quickly... Get her and her butler out of my sight... immediately...! Lady Silver Lily ground her teeth. The servants in the tuxedos surrounded us like a military unit. Pardon us. Please follow us for a moment. Their tone was elegant, but their actions were not; they bodily dragged the two of us out of the ballroom. We went past the hallway and then into a moonlit storage room. Excuse me? I asked as we were transported to the storage room. Incidentally, I was wearing the same tuxedo as the servants. Where are you taking us now? No one answered me. Excuse me? Servants of the duke? The door mmed in our faces. The Inquisitor and I looked at each other. We heard the key turn. Unless mymon sense was wrong, a storage room with a locked door was a prison. In other words, wed been imprisoned. Haha. Mr. Death King, were in big trouble! The Inquisitorughed as if it was no big deal at all. I think Ive be the female lead! He was right. And I was the female leads butler. Chapter 90: A Trashy Show Is A Classic (3)

Chapter 90: A Trashy Show Is A ssic (3)

What kind of trashy novel is this... I grumbled. I felt like I was going crazy. The Inquisitor smiled. Despite the fact we had been locked up in an old storage rooma prison, for all intents and purposeshis face was almost blindingly bright in the moonlight. Ah, I was forced to crossdress many times when I was young. I never thought Id actually end up ying the role of a young nobledy. Such is life, I guess! I wish I could get just a little bit of your bottomless optimism... I mumbled. The world is a beautiful ce, Mr. Death King! Think positively! Did this guy ever stop smiling? Even if a meteorite were tond in front of him, he would probablyugh and say, This is quite a problem! The world is going to end! Oh, well. Theres nothing we can do about it. We did our best! What is there to be positive about? I asked. Like this, for example! The Inquisitor moved his fingers and made a hand seal. Then he whispered, Divine Form: Transformation. Light flowed out from between his slender fingers. It was the Inquisitors trademark divine magic, Divine Forms. Judging by the name, this Divine Form was a technique to change something. At first nce, there was no difference. However, as soon as the Inquisitor opened his mouth, I was covered in goosebumps. ... How is it? Do I sound a little more like a nobledy now? Your voice... Yes! I changed the structure of my vocal cords a little. The Inquisitor smiled. Ive heard that my voice is gender-neutral, so if I give my vocal cords a little polish, it should work pretty well. Ah, I cant really judge my own voice. What do you think? Its amazing... I admitted, genuinely impressed. You seem like a very elegant noble. Uh, well, as long as you stay quiet. Thank you! I stroked my chin. We had unexpectedly assumed the roles of the female lead and her butler. However, the Inquisitor and I could handle it. The Inquisitor had his Divine Forms... and I had my regression Skill. Okay. I nodded. It was worth a go. The Inquisitor looked at my face. You look a little better. Huh? You looked gloomy ever since you returned from the Heavenly Demon Chronicle, Mr. Death King. It seemed like you umted a lot of stress while clearing the apocalyptic book. I was speechless for a moment. Well, its natural since you lost your precious teacher! I was worried that you might be too depressed to be able to disy your full abilities in this expedition, but I was worried about nothing. ...You can guess what other people are feeling by their expressions, huh? Yes! I dont really know what depression is, but I understand the theory! Haha. Even machines creak when they have too much grime. And stress is probably human grime. If theyre left for a long time, it bes a bitter residue and is hard to clean off, so take good care of it! Interesting. He was trying to understand humans in his own way? He was a psychopath, but he was amendable psychopath. Anyway, Mr. Death King. Yes? I noticed something strange a while ago. Strange? What? I asked. As I understand it, were currently imprisoned for an unjust reason. Our freedom of movement is suppressed, the Inquisitor answered. Thats how I understand the current situation. Im d that were on the same page! In this kind of situation, the authority usually appoints guards to watch the prisoners. Otherwise, they could easily escape. The Inquisitor tilted his head. But I cant feel any movement outside the door right nowinstead, I sense presence outside the window. Hmm. Do they ce guards around windows instead of doors in this world? At that moment, the iron bars fell out of the window and shadows jumped into the room. Damn it! Go get them! It doesnt matter if you kill the man! Just dont hurt the woman! The shadowy intruders were wearing masks. Their outfits were too unconventional for us to consider them guests who came to visit us out of concernanyone could tell that they were here to attack us. Shiny! [Shiny answers your call.] I drew my holy sword and locked des with one of the intruders. In movies, the ambushers and ambushees often exchanged conversations like, Who are you!?, You dont have to know! But we have a powerful person behind us! We didnt do anything like that. Both he and I were busy swinging our swords. However, I had the ultimate trick up my sleeve. Now! On my signal, the holy sword lit up. Urgh! The assant was used to the darkness, so he shut his eyes, although it was only for a moment. In the middle of a fight, a moment was all it took. I blinked my left and right eyes alternately to maintain my vision and then cut off the assants hand. ...Gnah...! His voice was strangled by pain. Mr. Death King! You cant kill them all! We need to find out whos behind them. Keep them alive! the Inquisitor shouted as he battled the other assants, the hem of his dress fluttering. That was what I did. This is ridiculous! S-shes not some ordinary girl! The not-so-skilled assants were shocked. Maybe the Inquisitor and I were too good. These small fries who couldnt even use aura couldnt handle usall four of them were subdued in an instant. One of them was killed by the Inquisitor during the fight. Ahem. Hahahaha. The Inquisitor wiped the blood on his face with the sleeve of his dress. The assants looked up at the Inquisitor, their faces pale. We heard that youre a delicate nobledy... How... You have three choices! The Inquisitorughed heartily, brandishing his dagger. First, you can ask me to kill you right here and Ill do it for you! Second, you can give me important information while I torture you one by one! Lastly, you can just give me the information. That way, you wont die or be tortured! Which one will you choose? Hah... The oldest-looking of the assants scoffed. He was also the one who had lost his hand to me. Youre crazy. Just kill me! Okay! What? And then the Inquisitor''s dress got a little redder. A thud echoed through the storage room as the assants head fell to the floor. The remaining two assants gasped. Have you made your choice? the Inquisitor asked them. P-please spare me, mydy. We were just doing what we were paid to! Its a tough world to make a living in. I understand. Then But just like I understand your situation, you must understand mine! Please tell me why you attacked us. In return, Ill spare you. I think Im being reasonable here. The assants hesitated. Ah, it seems you cant make up your mind. I understand! Ill help you a little! Um. What do you mean by help Why, torture, of course! The Inquisitor was still grinning. Pain is the proof that were alive. The desire to survive is strongest at the peak of pain. Now, Ill help you maximize that desire. P-please spare me! Please dont kill me! The heck. I intervened because I thought the rating would change to 19+ at this rate. Hold on. Hmm? You dont have to do it that way. Just leave this to me. The Inquisitor looked puzzled. Mr. Death King, are you good at torture too? Unless youre quite good at it, I rmend leaving the interrogation to me. Im a specialist. No, we dont have to torture them. And wipe your face, please. I handed the Inquisitor a handkerchief and stood in front of the assants. The assants sighed in reliefbut, well, it was too early for that. I wasnt merciful enough to forgive people who attacked me first. Guys, let me ask you something. I sat down and looked them in the eyes. W-what is it? You came in through the window when you attacked us earlier. The iron bars were cut too easily. Did you know we would be in here and cut the bars in advance? The assants didnt answer and just looked at each other. Even if they didnt say anything, that didnt mean I had no way to find out the answer. I could see what they were thinking. Show me their character windows. State of Mind: I heard that a woman was going to be put in the storage room. State of Mind: Shit, they said she was an ordinary girl, but that was a lie! As expected, the assants knew we were going toe here. You yelled It doesnt matter if you kill the man! Just dont hurt the woman! while attacking us. Were you trying to kidnap thedy here? I asked them. Uh... Umm... The assants blinked. State of Mind: The request was to kidnap the woman here. State of Mind: The client made it clear that we were not to hurt the woman. Thats why we brought more people than necessary. I understood what was going on now. I sighed and turned around. The Inquisitor was thoroughly wiping his face with the handkerchief. He was like a baby hamster munching on sunflower seeds. I have a feeling I know who the culprit is, I said. The Inquisitors ears perked up. Oh, you already figured it out? Yes, I did. I nodded. I want to hear your deduction, Mr. Death King. The Inquisitors eyes sparkled. I nodded. First of all, I whispered, the culprit is someone with enormous social influence. He hired four assassins to infiltrate the academy, which is impossible without knowing its security inside and out. Oh, that makes sense! But would the culprit really need enormous social influence to do this? This isnt the pce, so it seems rtively easy to figure out its security. Even someone with a moderate amount of social influence would be able to do it! n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Thats a good pointstill, theres one more thing thats suspicious. Do you remember what the viiness shouted when she chased us away earlier? The Inquisitor tucked his handkerchief into his sleeve while he pondered. Yes, I remember. She said, Get her and her butler out of my sight immediately. Why do you ask? She didnt say a word about locking us up nor did she mention a specific ce. The viiness simply told the servants to get us out of the ballroom, but these assants knew we would be locked up and where. And they cut the window bars in advance. The servants who brought us to this storage room work for the viiness. Oh... The Inquisitors eyes narrowed like a snakes. Indeed, the viiness could have been the one who hired the assants. All she had to do was to instruct her servants where to lock us up in advance and tell the assants about the ce. Haha. Shes the dukes daughter, so she probably has plenty of power. Yes, but... But its too obvious. The Inquisitor stroked his chin. Im the protagonist of this world and a nobledy who has something romantic going on with the crown prince. But the viiness chases me out and attacks me in the ce she tossed me? Even if shes the dukes daughter, that would cause a huge scandal! Its a bad move with too much political risk. The Inquisitor was indeed smart. He caught onto these kinds of things quickly. I nodded. In other words, the viiness isnt the culprit. The person who wants to make it look like she is the real culprit. I agree! And this real culprit cares about you, the female lead, so much that he tells the assants to never hurt the woman. He doesnt care if the male butler, me, dies or not. Lastly, he has enough power to bribe the dukes servants. Ahaha. The Inquisitor smiled. Im also starting to see who the real culprit is! You and I are probably thinking of the same person. Hmm. I dont know what love feels like, but Im aware of what people in love act like! If the real culprit really values ??me, like you guessed, he wouldnt really hand me over to these people. Youre right. I nodded. Hell be waiting nearby, so he can rush in at any time. Right then, the storage rooms old door broke. A group of knights poured in through the resultant cloud of dust. At that very front was a man who looked like he would have never touched a room like this. The man ran over and hugged the Inquisitor tightly, his blond, ramen-like hair swaying. Although he wasnt a match for the Inquisitor, the man was handsome too. His handsome level was 0.6 of the Inquisitor. Oh, heavens! Youre covered in blood! I had a bad feeling after I heard that you were kicked out of the ballroom, so I came here... How dare someone do such a vicious thing...! And his psychopath level would probably also be around 0.6 that of the Inquisitor. All of you, arrest those suspicious men quickly! the man ordered without batting an eye. I will personally interrogate them and find out who is behind them! I dont know which family did it, but I wont forgive them even if they are the founding families of the empire! Yes, Your Highness! the knights answered in unison. Sylvia, dont worry. Ill protect you. No matter what vicious measures the dukes daughter uses, I will protect you. You only need to rely on me, the sole sessor of the empire... That was right. The crown prince, who loved the Inquisitor, was the male lead in the Story of Sormwin Academy. Chapter 91: Falling (1)

Chapter 91: Falling (1)

Last year, the emperor had given titles to two young nobledies. ... Lady Sylvia Evanail, the daughter of the Baron of Evanail. You are like a golden thread flower blooming in the middle of a yellow flower garden... From now on, people will call you... Lady Goldencup[1], the female lead of this world. ... Lady Raviel Ivansia, the daughter of the Duke of Ivansia... You are a flower who ted yourself in silver so you would stand tall... Child, from now on, the people of the empire will call you... Lady Silver Lily, the viiness of this apocalyptic book. In this world, youngdies of noble families usually received titles during their debutantes, given by those of the imperial family or one of the great noble families who hosted their debutantes. However, the titles given by a baron were different from those given by a count. Depending on how noble the person who gave the new name was, a youngdys title carried a different ss. The most ssy ones were, of course, the ones given by the emperor. The fact that the emperor gave a title to a youngdy was an honor to her and her family. Since these two youngdies from the same academy received such an honor together, a huge storm was bound to strike. Even so... I looked at the crown prince. He was holding the Inquisitor, who was ying the role of Lady Goldencup. The crown princes hug was so tight that the Inquisitors dress was getting wrinkled. Wasnt he too frivolous for a crown prince of a country? I found it strangely unpleasant. Our eyes met. I had been looking at him somewhat dumbstruck, so I had to quickly look at the floor. But the crown princes gaze was strange. I could see negative emotions like contempt and anger swirling in his eyes. ...You survived too, the crown prince muttered. Oh. Was he talking to me? His gaze was fixed on me, so it looked like that was the case. But his voice sounded like someone whod stepped on a turd. In other words, he was disgusted. Yes, Your Highness, I answered, mimicking what I had seen in historical dramas. I have managed to survive. Youre lucky. How could it be luck, Your Highness? I am merely a lowly butler. It was only possible through your grace. The crown princes straight eyebrows crinkled at the subtle implication that he had staged the attack. After all, a guilty conscience needed no user, and even a simple greeting could stir it. You praise me too much. Are you going to say next that everything in the world happens because of my grace? Your good fortune saved both your own life and Sylvia from the evil assassins. You have my gratitude. Wow. At first, it seemed like he was graciously praising me, but in between the lines, he really wasnt. He was belittling me for surviving because of luck, not skill. No way. I really wanted to think I was wrong, but the crown prince considered me his rival right now? Before I knew it, my mouth was moving. Lady Goldencup is my master, and I am her tool, Your Highness. How could it be luck for her sword to protect its master? I was baffled. Seriously. I was just nning on ending this conversation quickly and not causing a fuss. No good coulde of a butler fighting a crown prince. And yet, my tongue kept moving. The tool has simply served its purpose, so please save yourpliments. I dont deserve it. Huh? Did I finally go crazy? I wondered. Just when my mind was getting a little muddled, I heard the voice. [Your character immersion has deepened.] What? [Your immersion level is 1%.] The fuck? ...Really, youre so eloquent that I want to sew your lips together. The crown princes face contorted. He looked like he wanted to swear at me for my insults, but he was holding himself back. I wanted to swear out loud too because the crown princes frown made me feel good and strangely refreshed, rather than a sign that I should stop here. This was crazy. It was insane. It looks like families of barons nowadays select their servants based on their mouths, not their personalities. If His Majesty knew about this state of affairs, he wouldment, the crown prince muttered. Wait a minute. Hold on, you crown prince something. Dont provoke me anymore. Please dont provoke me, you ramen-head. Wait, t-this stage is Again, my mouth moved. I highly doubt that, Your Highness. The heavens forbid the day His Majestys eyes are clouded by worry. Youve grown up to be such a fine man and are building virtue in the academy, so I believe His Majesty will be greatly pleased." In other words, I was sarcastically saying, Your dad would love it if he finds out you go around and hire assassins. But this bickering wasnt important right now. I realized the trap of this stage, and I also realized why the Pdin and the Countess, the Hunters who each handled the economy and order of the Tower, had helplessly failed to clear the book. Yeah, it was weird! Those two seemed to be taken over by their characters the longer they were in here! [Your character immersion has deepened.] No. [Your immersion level is 2%.] This was crazy. Hmph. Forget it. Im disgracing myself by arguing with you. The crown prince turned to look at the Inquisitor. Ill thoroughly investigate what happened tonight. "There is no one in the academy as trustworthy as you, Your Highness. I must simply pray that you uncover the mastermind behind the attack and make an example of them to others. I bowed. Of course. Ah, this was the problem! This was what was weird about this stage! The crown prince gave me a hooded re. Lady Sylvia seems to have been shocked by tonights ambush, and there may be more of them lurking around. So Ill protect her for today. Your Highness, my mouth said, please forgive my rudeness, but thedy should rest in a ce where she is mostfortable in times like these. My master will want to stay in her dormitory room as usual. ...Are you saying that she cant be at peace if shes by my side? My apologies, but I am just trying to tell you the truth, Your Highness. My mouths outrageous rampage made me scream internally. Save me. Someone, please, save me! [Your character immersion has deepened.] [Your immersion level is 3%.] Help me! Help me! Hey... What are you doing? The Guardian peered at me. Mr. Sword Emperor! No! O Almighty Sword Emperor! Huh? Have you finally gone crazy? I am going crazy, so please do something about it! Uh... What do you want me to do? I dont know. Do anything to make mee to my senses! Hmm. Can I say something really terrible? I dont care what you say. Just wake me up! Oh, then... The Guardian smirked. Zombie, you seem to find the Viper gross. But, whenever you get a chance, you act like those cringy main characters in the Vipers delusions... Ah. Thats good enough. Im awake. Dont even finish that sentence. Alright. I suddenly felt wide awake. How dare the Guardian pull the Viper on me. What a sly ghost. I had said that he could say anything, but that was too much of anything. Well, thanks to him, my immersion level stopped skyrocketing. The Inquisitor, whose face was buried in the crown princes arms, wasnt his normal self either. ...Huh...? The Inquisitor kept tilting his head. For the first time, I saw that the Inquisitor was perplexed. A self-acknowledged and also objectively a top-tier wacko. The born psycho didnt understand the emotions he was feeling right now. Maybe that was why the Inquisitor pushed away the crown princes chest, escaping from his arms. The crown prince, who had been fighting with me, looked at Lady Goldencupno, the Inquisitor, in confusion. Sylvia, what is wrong? Hmm? ...Huh? Oh? The Inquisitor tilted his head once more. How strange. What do you mean strange, Sylvia? For the first time in my life, Im experiencing an unfamiliar emotion. The Inquisitor smiled sheepishly. My heart is throbbing. Its pounding very hard. Oh. Aha. Wow! How mysterious... The Inquisitor closed his eyes and ced his hands on his chest. He, now Lady Goldencup, was smiling slightly as if he were listening to beautiful ssical music. It seems that the owner of this body really likes you! S-Sylvia... The crown prince was almost moved to tears. If I hadnt stopped the immersion level from rising, I might have felt jealousbut fortunately, I was myself again now. Mydy. I carefully enunciated my words. The Inquisitor opened his eyes and looked at me. Let us return to the dormitory. His Highness has given his word that he will reveal the mastermind behind the attack, and it iste into the night now. You should go back to your dormitory and rest. You still have to prepare for tomorrow, mydy. I gave the Inquisitor a stare. We had a goal as well as our rolesto clear this book. We could not forget this. Oh, right. Thats right. The Inquisitor blinked, understanding what I meant. He curtsied to the crown prince. Thank you for your considerate gesture, but I will return to the dormitory with my servant. Uh? The crown prince gaped. Good night, Your Highness. Please excuse me! The Inquisitor turned his back on the crown prince while his mouth was still hanging open and left the storage room with light steps. Sylvia! S-Sylvia? the crown prince btedly shouted at his back. But the Inquisitor just walked down the hallway with a smile, not even looking back. ...Things have gotten tricky, I muttered, close behind the Inquisitor. Immersion level? I didnt know there would be a trap like this. Damn it. I finally understood why the Countess and the Pdin had failed. Hahaha. The Inquisitor smiled enigmatically. Our shoes tapped against the floor as we crossed the moonlit hallway. Our footsteps resembled heartbeats. This is certainly unexpected. Mr. Death King, how much did your immersion level go up just now? It skyrocketed to three percent. I barely managed to stop it. Thats amazing. I hit ten percent right away! I was at a loss for words. Ten percent? Ten? I was stupefied. Just spending a short time with the crown prince had infected ten percent of the Inquisitor. The situation was more serious than I had thought. At this rate, even living normally was no different from walking through a poisonous fog. If I let my guard down, I would be slowly poisoned, and by the time I came to my senses, I would be consumed by this world of romance, no longer able to escape. ... No, we cant do it like this, I slowly said. I was nervous. Even the possibility of losing myself terrified me like nothing else. Lets choose safe words. Safe words? I carefully felt the hilt of my dagger. The familiar feeling of the box tape brought me a sense of stability. Yes, safe words. No matter what the situation or how serious it is, we say the words and then wake up. For example, if I say peach, you say carrot. Aha, so its like a secret code! The Inquisitorughed. I agree! Ive seen something simr in a drama. Then what word should be our secret code At that moment, the sound of heels came from across the hallway. The precarious sounds were followed by dull footstepsa person was approaching, apanied by several servants. A reflection of the moon was cast on the hallway, but they trampled over it. The hair of the woman walking at the front was as silver as the moonlight. She was called Lady Silver Lily, the dukes daughter and the viiness. As she walked toward me and the Inquisitor, leading her followers, she scowled and red at us so hard that it made me wonder why she was so angry. The Inquisitor let out a short groan and tiptoed over to me. ... Mr. Death King, he whispered, ... it seems that I hate that woman. At first, his voice was the same as always. I slowly turned my head and looked at the Inquisitor. He twirled, making his long dress flutter. I could feel a little gust of wind in my chest that was as warm as he was. Im curious, Mr. Death King. The Inquisitor stopped twirling and spread out his arms, folding all his fingers except for the index finger, which was the only finger that was exposed to the air. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Ah, I''m really curious. What kind of expression am I making right now? He was smiling as always, pressing his index fingers to raise the corner of his mouth, but his eyes werent smiling. [Your character immersion has deepened.] [Your immersion level is 4%.] 1. This is actually Korean wordy. The raw is ???(Goldencup Saint-John''s-wort), but ?? also means golden thread. ? Chapter 92: Falling (2)

Chapter 92: Falling (2)

Romantic Fantasy Rule 1: Any man near the lead characters is suspicious. Romantic Fantasy Rule 2: The most ordinary man is actually the most extraordinary. * * * Out of nervousness, my heart beat out of sync like a broken piano. That was how ominous the Inquisitorsughter was. I felt like the ground below me had given out and I was sliding down a dark hole I couldnt see the bottom of. Inquisi You look to be well, Lady Goldencup. Lady Silver Lily called out the name given by this world before I could say the name given by the Tower. I heard you were attacked by assassins... You really are a girl who grew up in the outskirts. Youre persistent as a weed. I guess a couple of assassins are nothing to you, Lady Silver Lily scoffed. The Inquisitor smirked. Did youe all the way here thiste at night topliment my health? I am deeply touched, mydy. I am overjoyed that the crown prince and many others are worried about me despite my shorings! I even feel like tonights tragedy was in fact a stroke of good fortune! I realized a bitter that there was a sneer in his voice. The normal Inquisitor would never have said those words. Two thorns were hidden in the Inquisitors remarks. One was a threat: Arent you the one who hired the assassin? Another was a taunt: The crown prince was worried about me and came to see me. The eyes of Lady Silver Lily became venomous. ... Even the thoughts in your head are messy, like weeds. A thin line sets apart imagination from delusion. Whether or not one crosses the line is the measure of a persons dignity. I hope you will keep your manners as a proper noble should. Oh, Im sorry! So it wasnt against etiquette to p someone on the cheek during a ball? Oh, I grew up in a family from a remote region and didnt know the etiquette of a dukes family! If I may, would you be so kind as to invite me to your salon some time? I would love to receive a lesson on etiquette from you. You see, Im not used to hitting people, so I think I need to learn more about the angle and strength of the hand that goes into a p. The Inquisitors mouth was on fire. I heard a strange drumming sound that I couldnt quite ce. When I listened more closely to the noise... What the hell? The sound wasing from my heart. An ominous feeling squeezed my heart and crawled up my neck. Lady Goldencup! How rude of you! Youre just the daughter of a provincial barons family, but you keep making outrageous remarks... The Inquisitors waltzing mouth made the dukes servants indignant. Some of them had given into the crown princes persuasion and betrayed their master. I didnt know if there was one traitor or many, but it wasnt important right now. My apologies! I hurriedly got between the gold and the silver. Lady Silver Lilys eyebrows furrowed. You are... Lady Goldencup is very shocked due to tonights unfortunate incident. As her servant, lowly as I may be, I believe she is in desperate need of some rest. Given thete hour, perhaps thedies should end their conversation here? I believe we can resolve the misunderstanding tomorrow. Lady Silver Lily pursed her lip. Her servants huffed and puffed behind her, but nothing more. When their master raised her right hand, they all stopped moving and became silent. This would have been impossible if she hadnt always been very strict with her subordinates. Wait a minute, butler. What are you talking about? The InquisitorLady Goldencupof all people, resisted my mediation. I still have much to talk about. Dont finish the conversation as you please... Be quiet. I grabbed the Inquisitors wrist and basically dragged him away. Oh, hold on, butler! The Inquisitor struggled to break free. Wait a minute! But I did not let go of his wrist. I really couldnt let his immersion level get any higher than it already was. Mydy. I looked back just before I left the hallway. Lady Silver Lily was looking at us with an enigmatic expression. ...What is it? Ive always admired how disciplined the servants of your family are, and this night I had the chance to see it again. Their discipline is admirable indeed, unlike me. I bowed to her. I have learned much from you all. Although I am of humble birth, I would like to offer my respect to you, mydy. Excuse us. I dragged the Inquisitor out of the hallway. The Inquisitor gradually became more docile. A wide flower garden stretched the span between the ballroom and the dormitory. Newly bloomed magnolias heads drooped, and their fragrance wafted through the white flower trees. A nocturnal bird, entranced by the scent of the flowers, touched one of the pale magnolias with its ws, causing it to fall. Wow. The Inquisitor stepped on the fallen magnolia. Ah. He stopped and looked up at the night sky. After a while, he turned back to me, looking stunned. The Hunter, who was said to be the craziest in the tower, muttered in disbelief. Mr. Death King... What did I just say there? * * * The Inquisitor and I were quiet as we walked to the dormitory. We exchanged no words. The silence slowed me down, making it a little difficult to walk. The way from the garden to the dormitory naturally came to my mind. Perhaps the higher the immersion level was, the clearer the characters memories became. At this moment, it was hard to judge whether this was a good or a bad thing. "Let''s make a code word," I said as soon as I closed the door of the dormitory behind me. A code word... The Inquisitor blinked. A secret code word...? This will be really dangerous if we do nothing about it. We need to pull ourselves together. Yes, we should, Mr. Death King. Youre right. Yes... The Inquisitor spoke faster than he was thinking. He seemed to be desperately trying to hold onto something as it was slipping away. It was an ominous sign that the person in front of me was in danger. I held the Inquisitors head tightly with both hands and forced him to meet my eyes. When springes, magnolias fall. What...? When I say When springes, you answer Magnolias fall. Thats our code word to wake up. Now tell me if you understand. When springes? Magnolia... Again. When springes... Magnolias fall. The Inquisitors eyes grew clearer little by little and looked at me instead of into empty space. He shook his head and then nodded. After repeating the code a number of times, he said, Okay! Im myself now! Good job. Thank you, Mr. Death King! Hahaha. I seem to have been struck by wonderful surprises all day long today. I dont think Ill ever be able to forget this day. Would you like a cup of tea to calm down? Yes, please! The Inquisitor nodded. Good. It was too early to give up this try. I wrapped a nket around the Inquisitor and headed to the kitchen. As expected of an academy where children of the imperial family and noble families attended, there was a kitchen in Lady Goldencups room at the dormitory, albeit small. I found tea leaves and a kettle without a problem. Wow. I was dumbfounded as I made the tea. My body just moves on its own... For my entire life, I had never really brewed tea using anything other than tea bags. But my hands moved as if I had been using a teapot for a long time. My body even enjoyed brewing tea. That was a side effect of immersion. Lady Goldencup likes it best when I mix milk into ck tea and add a spoonful of honey. I hummed. I asked a servant of the academy to get me some honey for moments like this. Its a little expensive, but since shes always very frugal, itll be okay... [Your character immersion has deepened.] [Your immersion level is 6%.] ...It wasnt okay! It wasnt okay at all! Shit! This fucking romance novel! Why the hell did people in this world get so happy about ??putting honey in ck tea!? I would rather open their skull and spread honey over their synapses. Then Ill fill them with honebs! [Shiny is worried about you... but still expresses her minority opinion that you look good in your butlers uniform.] My sword happily flickered away. Perhaps I was imagining things, but the swords light seemed to be more radiant today even though its owner was crouched down clutching his head in pain. I can''t let the butler take over my mind. I clenched my teeth. I can''tnot after all Ive gone through to clear the stages! Spite rose within me. I decided not to make tea like my original character. I used a kettle and took out a teacup the butler didn''t normally use. When I was done, I gave the tea to the Inquisitor. The Inquisitor took a few sips of tea and tilted his head. Mr. Death King. Yes? The tea tastes strange! So? I asked. Unless my sense of taste has been dulled, this saltiness ising from salt. Am I wrong? That tea is supposed to taste like that. Oh, it is? I think this is closer to salt water than tea. If I measured the salinity, it would probably be ssified as in salt water. Just shut up and drink. Understood! Ill shut up and drink! The Inquisitor slurped down the tea, smiling brightly. Thank you for the tea! It was salty! Yes, this was how that should be. My natural-born psycho finally regained his usual innocence. So, what are you going to do now? We should make the viiness and the crown prince fall in love. I sighed. Or at least we should crush any romance between Lady Goldencup and the crown prince. Lets try to make one of the two endings happen. Operation Crushy Crush... The Inquisitor named the operation as he pleased, but, well, it didnt matter. I preferred thetter of the two endings as well. Ive never been in a rtionship, so I dont know much about love, but wont it be easier to break a couple than make one? I thought. Both the Inquisitor and I agreed on this one hundred percent. For that to happen, the crown princes love for Lady Goldencup has to die! Do you have any ns for making that happen? Yes, I do. It hade to me when I had been making tea earlier and almost lost my mind. We needed to take special measures for this stage. There was actually a very effective way to weaken the crown princes love toward Lady Goldencup while also maintaining both of our sanityespecially mine. Whats your n? All else aside, the more you act like Lady Goldencup and the more I immerse myself in a butlers mindset, the more our immersion level will increase. Lets think it the other way around: what would happen if we acted nothing like Lady Goldencup and her butler? Our immersion level might drop. Even if it doesnt, at least it wont increase. How does that sound? The Inquisitors eyes lit up. ... Indeed. Its a simple but good method, as expected of you, Mr. Death King! Youre really the Hunter who cleared the once unchallengeable tenth floor and made it to the twentieth floor fast as lightning! Thank you for thepliment. I like it. Well, anyway, my n is simple I flicked my fingers and activated my Skill. From now on, youll be the delinquent young nobledy, and Ill be the bad butler. The Inquisitor tilted his head. Huh? Monster Legion Reincarnation was active. I didnt need to summon a lot like I had done in the Heavenly Demon Chronicle. We needed one specific monsterand desperately. My shadow slowly transformed into a man with a ponytail. He looked like the most stuck-up person in the universe. Hey... His name was Yoo Soo-Ha, the Fire Emperor. As soon as I summoned him, his face crumpled like a wad of tissue paper. You son of bitch, what kind of fuckery are you trying to make me do this time Abracadabra. Its time to be quiet. I flicked my fingers once more. Ugh, ugh! Ughhhhh! No matter how harsh he spoke, he couldnt disobey my orders. He just kept wriggling like a caterpir trapped in a spider web. Looking at Yoo Soo-Ha made my gloominess fade away a lot. How should I put it? I felt like I was closing the lid on a trash can. It also felt like the fine dust in my heart was washed away. The man was like the dustbin of a vacuum cleaner. Mr. Inquisitor. Yes, Mr. Death King! You look too much like a model student, I said, seriously. Everything you do is done out of very pure, innocent intentions. Youre far from the perfectly delinquent youngdy. Too far. The Inquisitors ears perked up. Ah, if there is anything Ick, please teach me! Ill learn! N?v(el)B\\jnn Yes, Ill set up a one-on-one lesson for you. I slowly looked at Yoo Soo-ha. I have the best tutor to lead you to the path of delinquency. Haha, Im looking forward to it! The Inquisitor smiled like a puppy. Ugh... Ugh! Ugh! Yoo Soo-Ha grimaced like the son of a bitch he was. Between the puppy and the son of a bitch, I found myself nodding seriously. Seriously. Okay, lets be delinquents. The next day, Sormwin Academy was turned upside down. Chapter 93: Falling (3)

Chapter 93: Falling (3)

Romance Fantasy Rule 3: Want to spark some love between two people? First, make them hate each other. Hatred is lightning, and affection is thunder. When one is blinded by the lightning, they hear the ringing of the thunder. * * * How are you? Yes, I feel great. I had such a good nights sleep. How about you? Did you rest well? I feel refreshed, too. Maybe its because of the good dream I had. I feel like having two pieces of toast this morning now. Oh. I really want to hear what kind of dream you had. How do you feel about dining together? Oh my. That sounds wonderful! Hoho. On the way to Sormwin Academy, the students greeted each other with elegant smiles and words. Oh, my, and Hoho, were heard from here and there on the magnolia-lined road. Even a choir of baby birds or a garden of tulips in full bloom couldnt be more peaceful than this scene. This precious moment, sparkling like a diamond, would cleanse anyones soul. Ah, Lady Goldencup. Are you having a fine morning? And diamond was nothing more than a slightly shiny coal. It burned really well when it was lit. No! Im not at all fine! Huh? The Inquisitor smiled brightly at the youngdy who had greeted him. Theres no way Im fine! I almost got killed by those assassin bastardsst night, so I couldnt sleep all night. Thats already frustrating as hell. How can you ask me if Im fine? Is there anything in that head of yours? What? No, of course there isnt. If there was, you wouldnt greet someone who almost diedst night with Are you having a fine morning? Hahaha! Its not me you need to be asking, its your head! Is your head fine? Is your skull all good? How about your brain? Uh... huh? What? Ahhh! Oh, cat got your tongue? Its probably because your brain has gone too bad, so the cat made do with your tongue. Its okay. I understand! For a mind to be well and clear, it needs a healthy body. How could your mind be alright when your head is damaged? You should go to the infirmary right away. In other words, please get lost! ...Uh, ah...? The youngdy staggered and eventually fainted. Thank goodness the youngdys servant had caught her. Otherwise, she would have gone rolling down the road. The students exchanging morning greetings like usual shrieked. Lady White Orchid Flower! Are you okay? Oh my! Shes so pale... Someone, please call an academy doctor right away! Breathe! Can you hear me?! You have to breathe! Lady Goldencup! W-what did you just say...!? The peacefully singing baby birds all flew away, and a bomb exploded in the serene tulip garden. The diamond was burning brightly. The nobledies couldnt hide their shock while skillfully taking care of their unconscious ssmate. The Inquisitor smiled brightly. Whats all the fuss about? She didnt know how to read the room and asked me if I was fine, so I just asked her if her head was okay! W-what? The youngdy nearby opened and closed her mouth. You asked if... her head is okay...? Ah. Your hair is red. Its beautiful. Is it possible that its stained from your skull cracking and a little bit of your brain leaking out? Hahaha. Your empty little head is in danger of getting even emptier. Please put it back! The Inquisitor shot her an angelic smile. She staggered. Mydy! Ahhhh! Lady Plum Blossom! Is the doctor not here yet!? What are those doctors getting paid for? Someone get us some water! Guards! Guards! Chaos arrived. It was a downright apocalyptic sight. The world hadnt met its doom yet, but the way to Sormwin Academy was utterly devastated. The Inquisitor, who had single-handedly reduced a twenty-meter radius area to ashes with his tongue, smiled without a trace of malicealthough he had dark bags under his eyes due to the all night lesson yesterday. Hahaha, Mr. Death King, this is great! My immersion level didnt increase at all. He was doing a great job. The Fire Emperors one-on-one lesson was amazingly effective. Ill trust youpletely forever! Your ns are very reliable! I bowed in a butler-like manner. Thank you for thepliment, mydy. No problem! But is stepping on my foot right now also a way to stop my immersion level from increasing? My big toe hurts a little. I have to do this to act like a bad butler. Endure it. Understood! The Inquisitor nodded fervently. On that morning, a total of fourteen young nobledies were admitted to the academys infirmary. Word of what had urred in front of the girls dormitory spread throughout the academy like wildfire. It became known as the How is your brain? incident. * * * The cafeteria, the main building, the garden... The students were gossiping about this incident everywhere in the academy. Lady Goldencup has gone crazy. Shes be apletely different person since the attack yesterday.. She is possessed by a demon. Two youngdies and one young lord grew suspicious of the rumors and bravely left to reveal the truth, but theyre yet to return. Isnt she more attractive now? So who ordered the assassination of Lady Goldencup? The unofficial club of Sormwin Academy, All Older Sisters Younger Siblings Club (AOSYSC), wees the recent changes of Lady Goldencup. We encourage all Sormwin students to change their perception. Many witnesses saw Lady Goldencups butler mixing salt into her ck tea. Thats dangerous. Assassination. His Highness is handling it. Shes gone mad. Im going crazy. A moderate intake of salt is good for your health... Is the salt in her ck tea for her health? Big Sister Goldencup. The rumors snowballed into an urban myth. Lady Goldencup. You insulted my master! But even if the rumors were bing myth, it was still true that fourteen young nobledies had fainted. Naturally, their servants couldnt help but be angry. Although they couldnt dare attack a nobledy, it was easy to challenge me, who was a servant just like them, to a duel. When it came lunchtime, the angry servants lined up to fight me. For the sake of my master and her familys honor, I cant just sit back and watch. Please allow me to duel with your servant, mydy! The Inquisitor nodded. Understood! Please resolve this amicab Wait a minute. I secretly stepped on the Inquisitors foot. Ouch! he whispered. Whats wrong? If you decide to act like a delinquent nobledy, you need tomit to the act, I hissed. Dont say yes to things right away. That isnt delinquent. Oh, I see. Then how do I be more delinquent? Do as I say. The servants who had requested a duel watched us whisper back and forth with bewildered expressions. After a while, the Inquisitor had a look of enlightenment. Good! You may duel my servant, as you wish. Oh, thank you for your permission. Then well get to it right But! You have to pay me if you want to duel with him! The servants blinked. ... Pardon? Im saying that if you want to get something from me, you have to pay for it. The Inquisitor sat on the garden bench and then crossed his legs. His smile was dominating. If children saw the Inquisitor right now, they would call him Big Sister! My butler belongs to my family. Im the only one from my family in this academy, so hes mine. What are you going to do if my asset gets damaged during the duel? Will you take responsibility? Uh, uh... The servants were perplexed. A duel was supposed to be sacred, but Lady Goldencup was demanding money like a thug. Uh, how much should we pay you? I can make do with five gold coins! Like I had taught him, the Inquisitor made sure to drive the knife home. Oh-ho. Dont tell me your loyalty to your masters is worth less than five gold coins, people. It was a bit pitiful to see the servants taking out gold coins one by one. Some of the servants had pretty long faces. Many of them looked worried and questioned if it was really honorable to pay for a duel for their youngdies. However, when one or two people began to put in gold coins, the other servants joined in. There was no backing out now. Here you go, mydy. Alright! Here is mine... Yes. Well received! Um, Im sorry. I only have silver coins right now. Would you ept change as well...? Ill take it all! The Inquisitor thoroughly fleeced them of their money. The coins jingled their way into his pocket, washing away the elegance of the youngdy who had received her title from the emperor. The servant resembled their master. I stretched my neck like a gangster. Hmm. More than ten servants were awkwardly looking at me. Im asking just in case. W-what is it? I raised my holy sword in its sheath. Any of you starved for over a week? Rhythmical thumps drifted out of the garden. I knocked down the servants one by one like a drummer, getting them covered in dirt. Ouch! Gah. Ugh! The servants screamed with numerous students watching the fight. I looked around and saw that the students were appalled. Behind me, the Inquisitor was ying with one of the coins, humming. The screams, the gasps of shock, and the jingling sound of coins. This trinity of melodies formed a perfect harmony. At that moment, someone rushed through the crowd of students. Sy-Sylvia! What in the world is going on right now! It was the crown prince, the ramen of this apocalyptic book. The blond ramen was totally bewildered. Seeing the overcooked ramen look on his face was such a joy. The Inquisitor and I had gotten our payback for his surprisest night. I did hear that you had suddenly be strange, but I thought that was just another malicious rumor. What in the world are you doing with your fellow students...? the crown prince muttered, confused. Then he red at me. You! His eyes were quite fierce for a bowl of ramen soup mixed with rice. What are you standing around here for! he yelled. When your master made a misjudgment because of her fatigue, you, her servant, should have done everything in your power to make her see reason! Instead, you rashly wield your sword! You are not only a third-rate butler, but you also have no right to call yourself a proper servant. You hear me? You have no right! I apologize, Your Highness. I hung the holy sword back on my belt and then bowed. I dont listen to anyones opinion other than Lady Goldencups. If she believes Im a third-rate butler, then I am. Ill stand down if she thinks I have no right to call myself her servant. If not, Ill remain her faithful butler. After this... farce... You shameless... The crown princes lip moved a bit before he closed his mouth and shook his head. Perhaps he thought that quarreling with a servant like me was meaningless. Sylvia, Ive told you many times: you shouldnt have a man like him as your butler. There are many butler candidates in the pce that have been trained with great care. If I ask His Majesty, I can bring one of the most capable among them. Itll be okay! Dont worry. He adores you. Wow. The students watching everything were amazed. Some youngdies eyes were tinted with a rosy hue after the crown princes open expression of affection. They sighed and whispered. How tragic. The crown princes fiance is Lady Silver Lily... But their engagement was made before their birth. Its from ages ago. And the rumor that His Majesty cherishes Lady Goldencup has been going around for a long time, so maybe... Ah, what a predicament! Despite their sighs, the youngdies eyes sparkled. There was no romance scandal as fiery as that of a member of the imperial family. People would be heartbroken if their diamond was burned away, but they would pay a fortune to see someone elses diamond burning brightly, especially if it was the most splendid one in the empire. What do you think, Sylvia? The crown prince approached and grabbed the Inquisitors wrist. Will you grant my earnest request? The Inquisitor looked at the crown prince. I was nervouswhich one was stronger? The love of Lady Goldencup, the female lead, or the ego of the Inquisitor, who was ying the delinquent nobledy? I did my best to help thetter get the upper hand, but ultimately the Inquisitor was the one fighting the battle. He and I could lose the match. ...Your Highness, the Inquisitor slowly said, what perfume did you wear today? What? I apologize for my rudeness, but it smells a little unfamiliar to me. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om A bright smile spread across the Inquisitors face. He naturally broke free from the crown princes grip and snapped his fan open, only his grinning eyes visible above the fan. Have you found out who was behind the assassins who attacked me yesterday? N-no... The investigation is still ongoing. Had my butler not been by my sidest night, I would have probably been harmed! So if you care about me, I ask that you respect my butler. Besides, I believe the butler not only saved my life but also the honor of the academy. Your Highness, there is no one I trust more than my butler! The blonde ramen started boiling. And the Inquisitorughed behind his fan. Hohohoho! It was the most romanticugh in the world. Chapter 94: The Villain (1)

Chapter 94: The Viin (1)

Has anyone loved you as much as I do? Has anyone caressed you as carefully as I do? Has anyones eyes been more eager to meet yours than mine? Has anyone touched you as softly as I did? There probably isn''t anyone. Im sure there isnt. I''ll make sure of it. * * * Ohohohoho! A romanticugh echoed through the garden. In the face of theughter, the crown prince couldnt hide his sadness. S-Sylvia... ...? Ohohoho! Yes, Your Highness! Isn''t yourughter a bit flippant? O-of course, your voice is always as charming as birdsong. No matter how you chirp, it sounds like music to my ears. But since were nobles... Ohohohohoho! I like how Iugh very much! I-is that so? The crown prince muttered reluctantly. I-I see... I see... No, if I listen carefully, it seems okay. Hmm... Hmm. Yes! Its okay. Its more than okay! Its beautiful. I discovered a new charm of yours today. What was wrong with this blonde ramen? His love for Lady Goldencup was still hot? But the students around were all looking at us with dead eyes. Zombie. The Guardian, who had been quiet since entering the apocalyptic book, opened his mouth. Ive been just watching and trying not to interfere with how you clear this book. But its so frustrating that I cant do that anymore. Hey, are you serious? Serious? What? You really think its easier to break a couple than make one? Yeah, I answered. Im sorry to break your bubble, but that really depends... on which couple youre talking about, the Guardian said. He looked like a mountain gori prince who was suddenly locked up in a zoo. Does it actually matter which couple were talking about? Yeah, you make it obvious that youve never dated anyone. Everyones love is different. There is a kind of love that cant be stopped no matter how hard you try to sever it. To my eyes, that crown prince guy is like Sylvia! the crown prince shouted in the middle of the Guardians sentence. Every facet of you is brilliant and colorful, like a kaleidoscope. You were a falling snowke yesterday, and you are a blooming plum blossom today. Yes, youre righthow a personughs isnt determined from birth, and now says how nobles shouldugh. Ill use this chance to change how Iugh too. Mwahahahahaha! This nutjob... And an unbelievable duet started under the clear sky of the garden. Ohhoho! Mwhahaha! Ohohohohoho! Mwahahahahahaha! And there was the couple of the century. I was speechless. W-what in the world is love that makes people like that...? It was shocking. Again, youve never fallen in love. You dont know what that feels like to be in love, and those kids rtionships are tangled as hell. So how the heck are you going to do it? The Guardian clicked his tongue. Some people ruined their country trying to look cool in front of their loved ones. The idea of ??bing a bad guy and blocking immersion was good, but its not enough to end someones love. Yeah, its not nearly enough. The Guardian suddenly started to look like a very mature adult. Was it possible that I actually had an inferiorityplex about the fact that I had never dated anyone? Was that why I felt like this? Wasnt that too much of a blow to my pride? He was just a mountain gori. First, I stepped between the crown prince and the Inquisitor, intentionally provoking the prince. You... The crown prince scowled. He knew what I was trying to do. Lady Goldencup said she trusts me the most, I said. Now, lets see if your love is still hot even after this, I thought. Your Highness, you are a noble, and I am from humble birth. But, while you are usually far away, I am always by her side. Her family is my home, and her life is my service. The youngdies watching us in the garden shrieked in excitement. No. What the heck? Hey, hey! the Guardian shouted. Idiot! Oh, you goddamn virgin! You really have no idea how love works! Hes the crown prince of an empirehes damn prideful! If you do that, the crown prince will be even more jealous! Huh! The crown prince ground his teeth. Youve gotten very arrogant after idling around her under the pretense of being her butler. Finethen Ill take care of Sylvia when Im at the academy. You can go back home. No. Youre a crown prince! Did your mad love make you literally mad? I screamed silently. Ohohohoho! Mr. Inquisitor. Youre being distracting now, so please stopughing, I grumbled. ... What is going on here? The students chatter came to a screeching halt. The silencested only a second, but it was long enough for the young nobledies and lords to bow and make way. Only the crown princes head remained raised. His brow furrowed. ...Lady Silver Lily. A young nobledy was walking toward us, her hair shining like moonlight. * * * I heard you asked for a sick leave this morning, the crown prince said. I thought you would miss school today, but you seem to be feeling better. Your heart is quite the troublemaker, isnt it, Lady Silver Lily? Instead of answering, Lady Silver Lily nced around first. The students, who had been making a fuss about the imperial romance scandal, ducked their heads when her eyes passed over them. Only after she had made them submit did she finally say, How have you been, Your Highness? Thanks to your attention, it was peacefulst night. ...Is that so? Im d to hear it. You spend half the year on sick leave, so a day like today is precious. Since its a sunny spring day, why dont you go on a nice, long walk? His voice was cold. His offer was basically a demand for her to get lost. In contrast to his desperate expression of love for Lady Goldencup, he was aloof to Lady Silver Lilyso aloof that it was a little strange. Even if hes a crown prince, he can''t treat a dukes daughter like this without consequences... I wondered. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om However, Lady Silver Lily was calm. A walk sounds good. If the spring wind gets a little stronger, the magnolia petals will fall. Im worried that those flowers will be lonely if I enjoy them alone, Lady Silver Lily riposted. Unlikest night, her speech was smoothly delivered. Your Highness, why dont we leave this noisy, dusty ce? We can take a walk andfort the spring flowers. Ha. Why should I Lady Goldencup. Lady Silver Lily looked at the Inquisitor. Come with us. The crown prince stopped talking. All eyes were focused on the Inquisitor. The Inquisitor fanned himself and nced at me, silently asking me what to do and if it was wise to follow them. He looked like he would follow my lead on this expeditionpletely. Would it be okay? Both Lady Silver Lily and the crown prince were dangerous because just being with those two increased our immersion level. The Inquisitor became more like Lady Goldencup, and I got closer to bing her butler. That was incredibly dangerous, but nothing would be solved if I did nothing. Whats your immersion level right now? I whispered to the Inquisitor. Has it gone up? Yes, its gone up a little, the Inquisitor whispered back. My immersion level is currently at seventeen percent. Haha, an increase of two percent since yesterday. It increased one percent while I was listening to the crown princes talk, and another two percent when I saw Lady Silver Lily. Two percent. Compared to how the immersion level had gone up like crazy yesterday, the speed of increase had certainly slowed down. Should we take the risk and enter the tigers den now? If not now, when would be the right time? I looked into the Inquisitors eyes. When springes? Magnolias falls, Mr. Death King. The Inquisitor smiled brightly. Okay. Id made up my mind. Good. Lets follow them, mydy. I trust your judgment, my butler. The Inquisitor skillfully folded his fan. Ohohoho! How can I say no when you personally invited me to walk, Lady Silver Lily? I will dly ept your invitation! Lady Silver Lily lightly frowned as she turned. Follow us quietly. * * * The ce she took us was a remote vi she stayed in. She didnt live in the dormitory, probably because of her familys great power. Are you telling me to take a walk here? the crown prince, who was forced toe, grumbled. Lady Silver Lilys vi was unusually fancy for a students residence. However, the crown prince had grown up in the pce, so he didnt seem particrly impressed by such extravagance. Of course not, Lady Silver Lily nonchntly replied as she walked. Her shoes ttered against the hallway floor. The walk was an excuse. What? Too many people were watching in the garden, so I couldnt talk about it. This matter needs to be kept secret. ...A secret? Its about dealing with the assassins who dared to intrude on the cradle of the nobles, Your Highness. We shouldnt speak of it rashly. It might cause turmoil among the people. The crown prince kept his mouth shut. From what I could tell, the one who had hired the assassin was the crown prince. Maybe I was imagining things, but Lady Silver Lilys calm voice seemed to say that she already knew what he had done. ... Are you saying you caught the culprit? The crown prince frowned. My investigation hasnt made any breakthroughs yet, so how did you Lady Goldencups butler gave me a clue, Lady Silver Lily interjected. She didnt stop moving. I kicked Lady Goldencup and her butler out of the ballst night. I admit I overreacted, but I only told my servants to kick them out of the ballroom. I never ordered them to be locked up anywhere. And it seems that some of my subordinates were harboring malice. Lady Silver Lily brought us to the staircase leading into the basement of her vi. She stood in front of the entrance and looked back, her eyes expressionless. Shall we go down, Your Highness? ...I dont see any servants. Strange. Where did they all go? Are you worried? Of course you are. Ill go first. Lady Silver Lily went down the stairs, denying the crown prince the chance to ask questions. Her footsteps disappeared into the basement as the darkness swallowed her. The crown prince gulped and went down the stairs. We followed him. A distinctive scent became thicker as we went down the stairs. It was one that I had grown too familiar with: the smell of blood. The Inquisitor and I were calm, but the crown princes shoulders kept twitching as he walked ahead of us. ...I apologize for bringing you to such a humble ce, Your Highness. Lady Silver Lily bowed slightly. In the basement, three people were tied to chairs. All of them were the servants of the duke that I had seen brieflyst night. They orchestrated the attack on Lady Goldencupst night. Watching how all three of them were soaked in blood, the crown princes hands trembled. Even I frowned a little. The only ones whose expressions didnt change aftering down the stairs were the Inquisitor and Lady Silver Lily. It was understandable that the Inquisitor was calm since he was the leader of the Pantheon. He had carried out countless tortures and interrogations in the Tower, but Lady Silver Lily was just the daughter of a duke. She looked so delicateas if formed from pure moonlightthat it felt like she was going to faint at any moment. However, she stood there as if she was very used to this kind of ce. I spent all ofst night investigating. As a result, I learned that theymitted the crime for personal revenge, she exined. And then I remembered that the youngdy in front of me was the one who was going to destroy this world. Personal... revenge? Yes. Would you like to listen to their stories? Lady Silver Lily grabbed one of the servants by the hair. Ahh! The servants eyes popped open from pain. He looked at us only with his left eyeit didnt look like he could open his other eye. His Highness has arrived. Show some manners. Mydy, ugh... Mydy... You conspired with your colleagues to hire an assassin, then you sent them after Lady Goldencup. Tell His Highness why you are trying to take her life, Lady Silver Lily coldly ordered. Mydy... M-mydy... If you tell the truth, your family wont be punished. L-Lady Goldencup... is just the daughter of a lowly baron from the outskirts, but she doesnt know her ce and dares to seduce His Highness... Ah, y-youve been His Highnesss rightful fiance for a long time... But... This person was dangerous. That youngdy of the baron kept trying to ruin it... I got so angry that I lost my head... and I did something foolish. Im sorry. Im sorry, mydy. Im sorry, Your Highness... Is there someone else who ordered you three to hire assassins? No, there wasnt. Nobody told us anything... No, he was giving a false confession. Are you saying that it was done solely by you three? Yes... Thats right, mydy... Thats right... It was to protect the crown prince. Did you really do that? I said nothing but the truth... The servants voice was barely audible now. Yes, okay. To protect the crown prince of this country, Lady Silver Lily deliberately incited a false confession. I had a feeling that she had gotten all three of the servants stories straight and perfectly fabricated all of the evidence and alibis. They were the crown princes underlings, and the crown prince was the mastermind who had led them to lock the Inquisitor and me in the storage room. When the two of us had been in danger, he had shown up and tried to act like a hero. That truth was never going to be revealed because Lady Silver Lily was going to bury it all in this basement. All for the crown prince, the man who would suffer the greatest blow if the truth were revealed. Your Highness. Lady Silver Lily looked up to see the crown prince. Punish them. The crown prince flinched. Punish them...? They tried to kill Lady Goldencup, for whom you care very dearly, Your Highness. These criminals also invaded the cradle of the nobles. Its only right to punish them, and as their crown prince you have the authority to do so. The crown prince didnt move. Why are you hesitating? Lady Silver Lily asked. Is it possible that the truth behind this incident is different from what my investigation found? Ill ask you not as a student of this academy, but as your subject: Your Highness, if my investigation is insufficient, please postpone the execution of the punishment. Given the gravity of the matter, Ill send a message to His Majestys special forces. As soon as I heard His Majestys special forces, the butlers memory came back to me. They were the hunting dogs who only had one master: the emperor. These were the best swordsmen and wizards in the empire and were granted absolute autonomy in their investigations. The reason why the crown prince was able to assume his current position was because these hunting dogs had eaten up the previous crown prince for his corrupt acts. However, there should be no need to bother postponing the punishment if you are satisfied with my investigation. Lady Silver Lily bowed. There was a sword on the basement floor that seemed to have been prepared for this. Punish them here. Lady Silver Lily rolled up her sleeves as if she was used to such things, revealing the countless scars that covered her arms. And, as I failed to properly manage the servants of my family... Those scars were from being stabbed, cut, scratched, beaten, and burned. They were like worms eating away at the once-white arms of the dukes daughter. No, it wasnt just her arms. She also had long marks leading up to her shoulders that looked like worms had been ripped out from underneath her skin. From those, I could tell that her entire body was covered in scars. Bowing, she whispered, ... please punish me. Lady Silver Lily, the viiness of this world. As always, Ill bear all of the sins. The crown prince trembled. Chapter 95: The Villain (2)

Chapter 95: The Viin (2)

... My dear daughter... Dont expect anything... Dont rely on anything. Thats the secret of life... Every time you tell yourself, Maybe itll be different this time, the world will whisper to you, Its no different this time either. Being fooled once is an experience. While its a tragedy to be deceived twice, being fooled three times isedy. ...You are a noble. Be careful not to let your life be someone elsesedy. Dont give yourself three chances...Two. Two wounds are enough to be remembered forever. Those old kingsmemorated their deaths before they died. Dont repeat their foolishness by building monuments in the desert, my dear daughter. ...If you still want to entrust yourself to the world, remember: you arent lending your life to people. Dont try to be someones debtor. Give without expecting to get it back. Give it all. Forgive people for holding a carnival on your corpse. Give them your hair, fingers, and everything else. From your purest sacrifice to your most innocent joy and purest hope, they will glut themselves on everything you have. ...Leave nothing behind in this world. Nothing. With those words, her mother died. Her body was cremated afterward. * * * The basement was quiet. What is wrong, Your Highness? Lady Silver Lilys soft voice asked. The air was cold. The interrogated servants were bleeding, but the pools of their fresh blood couldnt warm the basement at all. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om As crown prince of this empire, please punish me. Ha, ha. The crown princeughed faintly. No, was that reallyughing? The corners of his lips were barely raised. They quivered in a miserable farce of levity. As if he were running away, he quickly turned to look at the Inquisitor and me, silently asking us what we thought of this outrageous situation. Your Highness, Lady Silver Lily sharply said, blocking his attempt at escape. Shall I report their crimes to His Majestys special forces? The crown prince froze. Are you trying to follow in the disposed crown princes footsteps? Are you testing how far His Majesty will forgive you? Lady Silver Lilys tone was quiet and polite, but the dukes daughter was clearly cornering the crown prince. And it was effective. The emperors heir moaned, his hands trembling. He grabbed the sword that Lady Silver Lily offered him. But the crown princes determination was only sufficient to make him hold the sword. It didnt motivate him to take the next step. Sylvia... The crown prince let the tip of the sword hang limply. He stared nkly at the Inquisitor and me. Was he hoping that someone woulde forward and stop Lady Silver Lily? The Inquisitor smiled widely. That was some neat work! I like how you involved not only His Highness but also me and my butler. Haha, everyone is an aplice, so we have to keep our mouths shut. His Highness is d that his mistake will be covered up, and Im d that youre punished, Lady Silver Lily! S-Sylvia? The problem is, it seems that youre the only one who isnt benefiting from this. The Inquisitors eyes curled into twinkling crescent moons. How do you benefit from handling the matter like this? Three loyal servants of your family are going to die, and youre going to ept corporal punishment in ce of His Highness. Im very curious about what you think about all this. I dont know what you are talking about. As I said, these are servants of my family, and I am their youngdy. Taking responsibility for their mistakes is only na Haha, that sounds beautiful, but its inefficient for discussion! Lets be honest for more efficiency. Why are you willing to get punished in ce of His Highness? Lady Silver Lily, is it perhaps your way of love? The goldendy and the silverdy eyed each other for a moment. The only sound in the basement was the sound of breathing. Im doing what I must do as a subject of the empire, Lady Goldencup, Lady Silver Lily calmly answered. She didnt even blink. Calcting profit and reward is disloyal. You may find that difficult to understand since you grew up in a family from the outskirts. Are you saying that you dont expect anything in return? If you intend to extract an answer, you may as well give up now. Whether you understand me or not doesnt matter to me. Interesting... The Inquisitor let out a long breath. It was hard for me to guess what that meant, but one thing was certain: the Inquisitors reaction was definitely not what the crown prince had been hoping for. The Inquisitor wasnt nning on stopping Lady Silver Lily. The crown prince, who had been clinging to his love, now had a look of despair on his face. So I had no choice but to interrupt. ...Please wait a moment, mydy. Yes, butler? What is it?The Inquisitor tilted his head and looked at me. If those servants are really the ones who instigated your assassination, we also have a right to punish them. It isnt right to leave the execution of the punishment solely to His Highness. I turned my head. My mouth felt dry. To solve this political imbroglio, I concentrated oning up with the best solutionI didnt hesitate to use the butlers knowledge too. [Your character immersion has deepened.] [Your immersion level is 7%.] Despite my papery tongue, I told myself that that was okay for now. ... The same goes for Lady Silver Lily. She was betrayed by her loyal servants, so I believe she deserves to punish the servants more than anyone. Oh... In other words? the Inquisitor asked. Three servants havemitted the crime, and coincidentally, there are also three people qualified to punish them. I looked at the servants tied to the chairs. How about you punish one of them each? After all, the reason why Lady Silver Lily brought us here in the first ce is that she wished to make us her aplices... And it also seems like His Highness cant handle the execution of the punishment alone, so it would be reasonable for the three of you to share the duty equally. Silence hung in the air. Hmm. The Inquisitor closed one eye. Lady Silver Lilys brow silently furrowed. That... The crown princes eyes lit up. Thats right! What Sylvias butler said is right. Lady Silver Lily was betrayed by her servants, Sylvia was attacked, and I need to enforce thews of the empire! Everyone has their own reasons, so its best that each of us takes charge of executing one criminal! Your Highness, a ruler shouldnt share his duty with others Be quiet! The crown prince threw his sword at Lady Silver Lily hysterically. The scabbard hit her leg and dropped to the floor. The throw was hard enough to leave a bruise on her legs, but she remained expressionless. When anything happens, all you say is kill them, punish them, execute them! Its like thats all you know how to say! How many people do you think Ive had to kill already!? Its your duty as this empires next ruler. I am not a murderer or a butcher! You venomous woman, if you want to see blood that badly, you should kill them! The crown prince huffed and puffed. Lady Silver Lily quietly looked at the crown prince with a gaze that seemed to make time freeze. The thin coat of ice shattered as she slowly bent down and picked up the sword. Her left hand gripped the scabbard and her right hand wrapped around the hilt. She skillfully drew the sword, revealing the de. It gleamed the same cold hue as her hair. Then please give me the order at least, Your Highness. O-order? Yes, Your Highness. Order me to execute them. Why are you hesitating? Have you forgotten how tomand? Are you giving up your right as a crown prince too? The crown prince took a deep breath. Kill... Kill them.... His voice was barely audible, as if it wasnt meant to be heard, but Lady Silver Lily never acted without meaning. The de sliced through the air. Blood was spilled, and something thicker was sliced as wellflesh. After taking a life, Lady Silver Lilys shoulders shook slightly as if she were sighing. But that was it. She looked at us now. I realized why I felt a premonition in my heart as I watched her. [Your character immersion has deepened.] [Your immersion level is 8%.] The premonition was my intuition telling me that she would stand in Lady Goldencups way one day. Mypulsive desire to eliminate Lady Goldencups potential problems was pouring oil on it. That was why my immersion level was rising like crazy. Hahaha. Im bing more and more interested in you! How nice! The Inquisitorughed loudly. Its certainly problematic to leave the people who ordered the assassination alive. Please hand me the sword. Ill take care of the second one and be your aplice! How many people had the Inquisitor killed so far? I wasnt sure, but it was clear that he was no amateur in this area. As soon as he received the sword, he inhaled sharply and delivered the execution with one swift blow. Now only one servant was left, and one person to punish him. Ah... The crown prince gaped at the Inquisitor; hed never expected that Lady Goldencup would execute the servant so easily. Ugh, urgh...! And then something surprisingdownright unbelievablehappened. Before Lady Silver Lily could say anything, the crown prince stumbled back several steps, and then turned and ran. The Inquisitor gasped. No one had expected this, so the crown prince almost seeded in escaping. Yes, he would have seeded if I, who had been standing behind the group, hadnt blocked the way to the stairs. H-how rude! Are you not aware whose path you dare to block, butler? You. I grabbed the crown princes wrist and squeezed. The crown prince tried to shake off my hand but, quietly screaming, failed. He was no match for me in terms of strength to begin with. What? You...? His voice grew louder with panic. Let go of my hand right now! It all happened because of you. My voice sounded cold even in my ears. It wasnt like my usual voice. If only you hadnt instigated this assassination in the first ce, none of this would have happened. Yeah, youre madly in love and staged a kidnapping. Sure, you could do that, but are you really going to evade your responsibility just because youre crazy? I red at the crown prince. Take it. T-take... what...? Take. The sword. The crown prince shivered. [Your character immersion has deepened.] [Your immersion level is 9%.] The immersion level increased, but it didnt matter. Right now, I felt the same as the butler did. I was angry that the crown prince had tried to escape like a coward. I dragged him in front of the sword, ignoring his fierce resistance. Pick up the sword. Ugh, how dare you...! He refused to grab it, so I forced him. Raise the sword. Let go of me! I order you to let go! I-is there no one out there!? He continued to resist, so again, I forced him to raise the sword. I can see how often youveid me on others until now. If there was any dirty work or anything you didnt want to do, you passed it onto Lady Silver Lily despite calling yourself the crown prince of thisnd. S-Sylvia! Stop your butler! Please! Sylvia! Cut him down with your sword. The crown princes resistance was feeble to me, so it was easy to shake off his resistance. And that was exactly what I did. Ah. The crown prince gasped. The smell of blood in the basement grew stronger. The servants body slipped off of the chair. The crown prince, petrified, looked down at him with nk eyes. Lady Silver Lily slowly went down on her knees at his feet. The hem of her skirtnded in a puddle of blood and slowly turned red. The crown princes justice is a blessing for all people of the empire, Your Highness. The crown prince turned his back on her without saying a word. I didnt stop him this time. Please be strong and continue to reward good deeds and punish evil deeds. The crown prince powerlessly staggered up the basement stairs. Meanwhile, Lady Silver Lily quietly continued to offer her advice to the crown prince. Her voice echoed softly in the basement. The fate of this country and its people depend solely upon you, Your Highness. Even though you may seem like your own person, you are not. Your every action greatly affects the empire, so please... The sound of his footsteps grew distant. Until they disappeared entirely, the Inquisitor and I looked at Lady Silver Lily, who was still bowing. ...be strong. I want to understand this person. Chapter 96: The Villain (3)

Chapter 96: The Viin (3)

It was the third day in the apocalyptic book. Lady Silver Lily was absent from the academy. People say that shes in bed because shes feeling sick, the Inquisitor mentioned. Is that so...? Yes! She''s a sickly person, but she spent all night interrogating her servants. It was bound to happen! The Inquisitor took a sip of ck tea, which contained a lot of healthy sodium. Physical strength is the strength of the nation! No matter how great your cause, its difficult to achieve it if youre sick. Hmm, too bad. Lady Silver Lily seems like someone who could aim for the entire empire... I heard that the crown prince also stopped attending the sses, Imented. Hahaha. Yes, all thanks to you, butler. Hes so shocked he might apply for a leave of absence. We were having tea time in the garden filled with magnolias. The students passing by the garden were surprised when they saw us. The youngdy and the butler are both crazy! Shes a delinquent! Dont get close to them! The youngdies hitched their skirts and the young lords rolled their pants up to their ankles so they could get away. Thanks to that, we had the wide gardenscape all to ourselves. That was neat. Mr. Inquisitor, you just called me butler instead of Death King. Be careful. Oh! Im sorry. My bad. It slipped out after my immersion level went over twenty percent. Oh, this salted ck tea is surprisingly charming! Please give me another cup, butler. You called me butler again... I sighed as I poured the ck tea into the youngdys teacup. I hummed. After taking on the role of butler, I realized that the tea ceremony was deeply profound. There was a beauty in the way the tea poured out of the teapot and welled up in the cup. The gentle ripples as each drop mixed into the rest of the tea were a sight that couldnt be missed. It really suited Lady Goldencup [Your character immersion has deepened.] [Your immersion level is 10%.] The Inquisitor jumped out of his chair and shrieked. Butler, why did you suddenly pour the tea on me?! Its hot! You ruined my delicate hair! You never shrieked like that! Have you really be the Lady Goldencup in both body and mind? Tell me. When springes! Magnolias falland so will your hair, butler. Ack! After a brief experience with the terror of hair loss, we calmed down and stopped fighting. As the butler, I brushed the Inquisitors hair. Over a few days, the Inquisitors hair had grown in the back a little. Was it the effect of his Divine Form: Transformation? Or was he bing more and more like the Lady Goldencup? You seem to have be better at expressing your emotions, Mr. Inquisitor. I ran my fingers through his blonde hair. I had neverbed or had my hairbed by anyone, but my hands moved on their own. You used to always smile, but it was basically the same as not smiling at all. It felt more like smiling was your default expression, not a sign of happiness. Haha. Is it different now? Yes, its more emotional and vivid. Now I can tell if youre smiling because youre really happy or if youre just sneering at someone. I see. I noticed, too. Do you think its a good change, Mr. Death King? I quietly looked down at the back of the Inquisitors head. The Inquisitor was a first-generation Hunter from Bulgaria, Europe. His age was unknown, as well as the number of lives he had taken. His head, shoulders, arms... Everything about him was small. I thought about how many people that small body must have killed. ... Yes, I think its good, I said. Honestly, Ive been wondering what I should do with you. Hmm? What do you mean? Youre a psychopath and a crazy ughterer. But I couldnt just kill you. I slowly tied the Inquisitors hair up; it reminded me of how I used to take care of my younger siblings at the orphanage[1]. The ck Dragon Master hates people like you the most, but she kept you alive. Even the Sword Star didnt kill you. That means theres a reason to keep you around. The Inquisitor wasnt surprised to hear that I was contemting killing him. He found it rather amusing, given hisughter. Your insight is quite precise! Why do you kill people? I askedit was a question that had been weighing on me for a while. Youre a psychopath, but you can reason with people and understand them in some way. So why do you kill them? The Inquisitor rested his chin on his palm and pondered. I could hear the students faintughter from beyond the gardens flower bushes. First, Ill have you know that Im a very capable person. Then he turned his head to me and lowered his voice to a bare whisper. Divine Form: Hidden Divinity! One of the Inquisitors gloves disappeared. Its one of the Divine Forms that I can use. I can make any object disappear from the worldof course, I can also destroy evidence and corpses. He moved his fingers in the air as if he were rowing. If those in power dont kill people often, it isnt because theyre good people, Mr. Death King! Its simply because they dont want to bother hiding corpses or theyre afraid of their murders being discoveredter. I dont have to worry about getting discovered! The Inquisitor looked bright. It was very chaotic in the Tower during the first generation. very. Racial discrimination. Ultra-nationalism. Terrorism. The creation of puppet forces. Genocide. Media incitement and fabrication. Ideological conflicts. They were all revived. It was like the history of mankind waspressed into candy and melted down the Towers throat! The small and medium-sized factionswhich are now called the Five Guildsstarted to feel the ending if the chaos kept spreading. The ck Dragon Guild, the MA, the Pantheon, the OJP Sect, and the Watchmen League. The five of us gathered, the Inquisitor said as if reciting an epic. The ck Dragon Master spoke first! n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Ill cut to the chase. Lets make an eternal non-aggression pact. The Countess set a condition. Guarantee the MAs right to monopolize outside world goods. I added one more term! I want every guild to have its own exclusive domain! Thats my condition for covering up your incidents! The Viper grumbled. How did you people, the craziest of them all, end up being the most trustworthy people right now? Tsk tsk. Its the end of the world. The end of the world... but why is this coffee so bitter? I didnt even ask for this. Who gave me this? Hey. Hey? Hey! The Sword Star decided it! I wont say that were doing what we have to do. Well kill people tonight in our ways because we want to based on our beliefs and judgments, 4,653 people died on that night. The Inquisitors smile was still bright. It was 10,171 people the next night. The night after that, 8,275 people died. 7,412 people died the night after that. The night after that, 23,781 people died. People died, died, and died. His quiet muttering abruptly brightened again. And then that very fateful night suddenly arrived. No one died. On the night the long cleanup work had finally ended, the ck Witch had broken into tears. I will take the responsibility and resign, and Ill never mention what we did again, the Sword Star said. The Sword Star had been the leader of the Watchmen League at the time. I approved and participated in this massacre. I knew we shouldnt do it, but I took part in it nheless. Ill hate you forever, and Ill loathe myself even more. On that day, the Sword Star had parted ways with the other Five Guild leaders, and the position of the Watchmen Leagues leader had remained vacant since then. From then on, the Pdin has been leading the Watchmen League. The Pdin always introduced herself as the assistant leader of the Watchmen League, and that was what people called her. The Pdin regretted it. The night when the Pdin and the Chemist had faced the Sword Star came to mind. It looked like their history was the reason why there was extra tension between the Pdin and the Sword Star at that time. I dont regret it! It was a necessary sacrifice! The Inquisitor continued to smile. But Im beginning to have these silly little thoughts. Maybe its because my immersion level with Lady Goldencup is increasing. What kind of thoughts? I feel like things mightve been different if you were in the Tower back then, Mr. Death King. Its strange. Ive never felt this way before. The Inquisitor looked up after he had said everything he had to say. The magnolias hanging above us were in full bloom. Do you always live with this much emotion? I keep thinking about what would have changed if I had done something different back then. Do you all keep drifting into these kinds of thoughts while you live? Its marvelous. The Inquisitor, the Rank 5 Hunter, sighed. Thats why youre all so beautiful and lovely. Mr. Inquisitor... If I were like you... The Inquisitor paused for a moment. Hmm. Hmm. This is no good, butler. I want to stay in this world more and more. He smiled sheepishly. [Your character immersion has deepened.] [Your immersion level is 11%.] I realized that I probably wouldnt be able to kill him. I couldnt kill someone who knew how to regret his choices. Mydy. Yes, Im listening, the Inquisitor answered. When springes. The Inquisitor waved his hand and the glove came back, concealing his hand. The gloves were white and patterned with petals. The Inquisitors smile grew bigger. Spring is nice. Would you like to go for a walk, butler? It felt like time had stopped. I couldnt tell what expression I had on my face, but the Inquisitor held his abdomen and burst intoughter after staring at me for a moment. Hahahaha! Ha! You should see the look on your face, Mr. Death King! You turned pale in an instant! If anyone were to see you right now, they would think you were a corpse! Really... Out of all of the pranks you could pull, you chose this... Im sorry. With emotions, I seem to have be a bit of a prankster! Oh, I now understand how I felt about you! Its like looking at a reliable big brother! Big brother...? Youre a Hunter from the first generation. Arent you older than me? I wont tell! the Inquisitor said. But its clear that Im quickly getting immersed in Lady Goldencup. The immersion level went up by one percent while we were talking. My immersion level is now thirty-two percent, so it might be over fifty percent tomorrow. Thats how addicted I am to feeling emotions. The Inquisitor stroked her done up hair. I am the protagonist of this apocalyptic book. However, youll be the main character of the ending. Mr. Death King, please secure the ending before I get carried away by my emotions and drown myself in Lady Goldencup. Yes. I nodded. I promise. The Inquisitor smiled. I believe in you, my butler. That night, the Inquisitors immersion level went over fifty percent. * * * In the end, Lady Silver Lily is the one wholl destroy this world. I headed to Lady Silver Lilys vi under the pretext of a sick visit. Shes the key. I have to understand her. Lady Silver Lilys love, jealousy, tolerance, arrogance, possessiveness... I have to understand them all toplete this apocalyptic book. Thats probably the way to do this. Her vi was crowded with servants, unlike yesterday. Excuse me, I politely said. May I see Lady Silver Lily? Who are you? Lady Goldencup heard that Lady Silver Lily is ill, so she sent me to deliver her regards. The servants faces hardened. It was a very well-known fact that their master and Lady Goldencup were on bad terms. Please wait a moment! one of the servants shouted. He hurried into the vi. After a while, the servant returned and reluctantly said, ...You cane this way. The youngdy has agreed to see you. Thank you. I followed the servant. The ce I was brought to was not Lady Silver Lilys bedroom or her reception roomit was her office. Numerous servants came and went, carrying reports to her. This is the letter from Lepanor, mydy. Put it on the left side of the desk. Mydy, Lady Blue Pine Blossom sent a letter on behalf of her father. Considering what season it is now, that seems to be a request regarding grain return...[2] Send it to the finance department for review and then bring it back. The servant who brought me there bowed. Mydy. Lady Silver Lily, who had been looking through documents at the desk in the middle of the office, looked up, quickly scanning me with her red eyes. It seems I have a guest, she said, nonchntly. Step outside, everyone. You have fifteen minutes to rest. She grabbed the hourss on the desk and flipped it over. All of the servants rushed out of the spacious office, leaving only her and I. So... Lady Silver Lily put down her quill. Lady Goldencup sent you to give me her regards? Thats some growth. Just a few days ago, she would grind her teeth as soon as she saw me. Its like shes a different person. ...I heard you were bedridden, but you look perfectly healthy. Im surprised. Im still a student after all. I need a good excuse to skip sses and take care of my business. But its an exaggeration to say Im healthy. Lady Silver Lily coughed. Ive been keeping an eye on you. Youve managed to notice that the spies were hiding among my subordinates in such a short period of time. People say that Lady Goldencup has changed, but so have you. Quite a smart actor has been chosen this time. Its a blessing to the empire. If you werent that smart, I wouldnt have epted your visit in the first ce. I didnt understand. ... Pardon? Hmm. Lady Silver Lily narrowed her eyes. I thought you were smart, but youre surprisingly dull in some ways. What... do you mean...? Ive done this fourteen times, she calmly informed me. Im just repeating thest ten days of my life. Still, this is the thirteenth time Ive met an actor like you. [The Silver-ted Heart looks at you.] I was speechless. How about you? How many times have you done this? Lady Silver Lily was a regressor. 1. This seems to be the butlers memory. ? 2. The raw is ??(߀Y). This is a relief system used in Joseon, thest kingdom before Korea became a republic. Its about the government lending grains during famine and collecting them when the harvest is good. ? The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!