Chapter 364: 1st Floor (1)

Chapter 364: 1st Floor (1)

1.

There is an afterword.

I dont recognize this ceiling.

What I said, wrapped in white light, probably belonged in the top 100 most clichd quotations used in the history of human literature. However, it was a lie. The scenery that entered my view was not unfamiliar at all.

-Oh? Ohh? Why am I suddenly here?

This is Cafe Planetarium.

Once the lobby of the grand library, now repurposed as a cafe.

Under the lofty ceilings of the library, Bae Hu-ryeong floated around lightly.

-Ah, looks like you got called out to some meeting or something again, zombie? And I couldnt attend because I dont have the authority?

Yes, thats correc.

Just as I was about to finish my sentence, a playful thought struck me. And if you had to list the people who shouldnt be pranked, Bae Hu-ryeong would be at the bottom. I immediately put my plan into action.

[The Sky That Gathers Screams affirms the words of the Sword Emperor.]

Though it was just a thought, surprisingly, the message appeared. Well, it wasnt the first time I had done something like this. But for Bae Hu-ryeong, it was the first time he received a message from me.

-Hmm.

Bae Hu-ryeong, forgetting what he was about to say, stared down at me. His look was filled with various emotions, but they were starkly apparent: satisfaction and a trace of regret.

-Well. Yes. Its about time you were made into a constellation. You little punk. Not even 100 years old and already acting like a constellation, youve grown a lot.

Eh. If you add up all the time I spent in trauma, its probably well over 100 years?

I shrugged nonchalantly.

Anyway, its just as you thought. I went to the meeting of pillars. I won. And as a prize, I got the chance to revise my skills once.

-What? Skill revision? There was no such thing in my time!

Well, you never won against a pillar, nor do you remember them, do you.

-Dammit! This is hunter discrimination! Why does only Kim Zombie get such favoritism? Hey! You pillars or tower masters or whatever, if you had given me even 1/100th of the favors you give to Kim Zombie, would I be stuck here crunching on ghost crisps!

Bae Hu-ryeong really believed his voice could reach the tower as he screamed at the top of his lungs. I just grinned.

Then a man walked toward us.

Hey, slob.

Thump.

The man was dressed in a work uniform, chewing gum nonchalantly even during his shift, his eyes so dull that it was doubtful if they were even human eyes. A man whose mere existence would drop the average moral standards of humanity by 1%. Who else could it be?

It was Yoo Soo-ha.

Why, tail-ender.

You were busy attacking the tower, werent you? Why are you suddenly here? Just a moment ago, there was no one in this spot, but in the blink of an eye, youre sitting here.

This corner of Cafe Planetarium was quite secluded. The customers were far enough away that they hadnt noticed my presence. Being a well-known figure, there would likely be a commotion if they did.

You dont remember?

Huh? Remember what?

Yoo Soo-ha furrowed his brows, clueless.

I see.

Of course. Hunters related to the pillars all lose their memories. Even the memories of meeting with [The Wand of Ages] or taking the role f judging me, Yoo Soo-ha doesnt remember any of it.

It was a fact that couldnt be more obvious, but for some reason. I felt a little bitter.

Hey.

I swallowed that bitterness down my throat.

Do you want to see me dance?

.

Yoo Soo-has expression seemed to say, I knew this guy was nuts, but hes really reached a new level of madness now.

You mean to tell me you, of all people, are asking me to go clubbing now? No chance, kid. Id only lose out if I got mixed up with your duke.

Are you crazy? Are you a moron? Im not talking about a club, just asking if youd like to see me embarrass myself doing the Cossack dance.

No, what youre saying sounds even more moronic Hmm.

Then, Yoo Soo-ha crossed his arms. He must have been intrigued. But still, he cast a doubtful glance, suspecting that I was joking. It was not an unreasonable doubt since, in the list of people that could afford to be pranked, Yoo Soo-ha was ranked second right after Bae Hu-ryeong.

Fine. If you want to show off in front of this old man, I suppose its only proper to watch. Go on, dance here in the cafe What are you doing,

you madman!?

Cossack, dancing, thats, what!

Stop it! Fuck, ah. Dont look here! Anyone who makes eye contact with me, Ill make you anxious about what goes into your coffee whenever you order from now on! Hey! If you stare for more than 1 second, Ill spit in it, and if its over 3 seconds, fuck, even I dont fucking know! Hey! Hey! Why are you still looking?!

Yoo Soo-ha screamed out loud. The customers who glanced over due to the commotion turned their heads away upon meeting Yoo Soo-has murderous gaze. The handsome part-timer at Cafe Planetarium had become more famous for his temper than his looks at this point.

5th. Count

6th. Heretic Questioner

7th. Crusader

+

As if the ranking list had been waiting for me to arrive and see myself on it, my title on the board changed.

A few people witnessed this change. The sound of Huh?, naturally drew peoples attention. Dozens of bystanders turned their heads, and in an instant, Huh? spread throughout the entire square.

What? The Sky That Gathers Screams?

Thats where the Death King used to be.

Did, did the Death King die? If hes been removed from the rankings

Could it be that the Death King is dead?

The Death King is dead?

The Death King is gone?

The Death King has been brutally murdered ahhhhh!!

Dear citizens of the tower, what an exemplary process of information distortion you are showing.

There were also voices like Then whats The Sky That Gathers Screams? or Its unlikely a new hunter took the 1st place just because the Death King might have died or That person standing there looks like the Death King himself but all minority opinions were drowned out by the rumors of my death.

The square was in turmoil for about four minutes.

Really!

The first person to rush towards me through the crowd was the Black Dragon Master.

To be precise, she didnt exactly run. She used her [Instant Transfer] skill, a specialty of hers, and appeared right beside me.

You just got here, and cant stand not causing a scene, can you!?

Hi, nice to see ya! (ED: Greeting used by tower master previously in Ch 359)

What the fuck is that?

You didnt know? This is the latest greeting these days.

What nonsense No. Never mind. Id rather crash infantry on the Maginot line than try to understand you logically. Coming back after a long time, and you start by spreading rumors that the 1st ranked hunter might be dead!

It wasnt my doing.

I felt somewhat wronged.

I had just acquired a new alias, and it was the bystanders here who spread the rumor. Probably among the bystanders, there was a member of the Black Dragon Guild. Hearing the commotion, they must have immediately run to report to the Black Dragon Master. Thanks to that, she used Instant Transfer to get here even before five minutes had passed.

Its been a while, though.

Indeed, the other comrades also do not remember the events of the heavenly floors. If they did, I would have shared the discussion with the Black Dragon Master as well.

Thats what I thought.

Thats right. Its been a while. How have the other comrades been?

Huh? What are you talking about?

Since that was my thought, I completely didnt expect the Black Dragon Masters response.

You talk as if you havent seen us for months. Didnt you just meet the Count a few days ago?

I was momentarily stunned.

Yes?

What do you mean, yes? I heard about it. You said the heaven floors, right? Youre the only one who could climb up to such a terrifying place so nonchalantly. What would have happened if the judge had betrayed you?

My eyebrows twitched.

The commotion among the passersby around us had started to settle down a bit. The Black Dragon Master appearing in person and conversing casually with me made it clear.

If I had not truly been Death King, it would have been impossible, and thus, the commotion about the Death King is dead quickly subsided.

Contrary to the passersby, my heart was only being shaken violently.

Hold on a second. How can you remember.

Ill let you explain that yourself.

Thud.

Footsteps approached.

It wasnt a difficult method.

I dully turned my head. Guild members of the Merchant Guild, wearing cat ears, escorted someone through the crowd, making way among the onlookers.

There, the Count was smiling, holding a fan.

*****

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