Chapter 31

[Translator - Hestia][Proofreader - Kaya]

Chapter 31

"Wolha!"

"Hyung, what's going on?"

Wolha couldn't understand what was happening.

He was thrown into the sky, flew several kilometers on a glider, landed in a nearby national park, and immediately took a taxi home.

When he returned, his house was gone.

A black sphere covered the entire neighborhood, and the roads were controlled by Guild Hunters and Gate Management Department Hunters.

"You can't come in!"

"It's a Gate! Turn back!"

"So when is the Blue Sky Sword Guild coming!"

[TL/N: Blue Sky Sword — Name is subjected to change.]

After several hours, the Gate suddenly disappeared.

It meant that the Gate had been cleared.

Of course, just because it was cleared didn't mean he could enter immediately.

Gate Management Department Hunters would go in first to conduct various investigations and interviews, which would take at least a few hours.

Buzz!

Then Ilha called. Sᴇaʀch* Thᴇ N0vᴇlFirᴇ.ɴet website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

"Hyung?"

[Wolha? Can you hear me?]

"Yeah, I can hear you."

[Come home right now. You have 5 minutes.]

Wolha frowned at the road situation.

The police line was impenetrable, and the Awakened agents' gazes were sharp, scanning the area like 360-degree CCTVs.

"It's blocked here right now!"

[Just get here somehow! Tell them you need to use the bathroom. Or that you need to check on your cat.]

Ilha shouted in frustration.

Wolha thought his brother was getting worked up over something trivial again.

It was common for Ilha, who was impatient and easily agitated.

"..."

But the reason Wolha was subtly looking around for a way to get in...

Was because his voice sounded so desperate.

'What's going on?'

Ilha hadn't shown any impatience since 'that day'.

This kind of reaction definitely meant something was wrong.

Wolha thought to himself.

He had come to trust his brother's words quite a bit.

'I don't know.'

Wolha ran into the neighborhood.

"You can't go in there yet!"

"Sir! Sir!"

"Can't you see the ring? That bastard's an Awakened. Don't call out, just go and catch him!"

If he got into a physical fight with the agents, who were at least C-Rank, he had no chance of winning.

But Wolha and Ilha's house wasn't far from the entrance to the neighborhood, so Wolha was able to get inside before being caught.

"What's going on?"

"You're here."

Ilha got up urgently and handed him a suitcase.

It was the suitcase that Ilha kept in his room like a sacred object.

Whatever was inside, it was quite heavy.

Even Wolha, an Awakened himself, felt its considerable weight.

"What's this?"

"Take this and follow the Divine Guild Hunters. A support vehicle will be here soon, so just join them. I've already made arrangements. The Awakened Support Agency might come later and ask you questions. Just answer them honestly. Don't lie to try and help me."

"But—"

"Don't worry. It's all a misunderstanding, I'll be back soon."

Gate Management Department agents pounded on the door as if they were about to break it down.

"Come out!"

Wolha turned to the door in confusion.

At that moment, the boy who had been standing quietly in the corner of the living room moved.

'Ryu Haneul?'

He exuded such an immense presence that it was a wonder why Wolha hadn't noticed him sooner.

The purple halo of the Heavenly One's Authority resonated above his head.

Click.

"What's going on?"

"But... we clearly saw... Aaagh!"

"R-R-Ryu Haneul?"

"Why is an S-Rank Hunter here...?"

"What brings you here... no, didn't someone just go in...?"

"My friend lives here. I came to check on him because I was worried. Is there a problem?"

The talented individuals who had passed the civil service exam in South Korea knew how to respond when an S-Rank Hunter asked if there was a problem.

"No, sir!"

"Please, go ahead!"

The Awakened agents retreated as if fleeing.

They were not from the Awakened Support Agency, so they hadn't received the request for reassignment orders yet.

Ilha asked Ryu Haneul.

"When is the car coming?"

Ryu Haneul answered naturally.

"It'll be here in 3 minutes. It's best to go outside."

Wolha couldn't understand why Ryu Haneul was speaking formally to his brother, or why Ilha was acting like someone running away after committing a crime.

"Hyung."

Wolha asked, carrying the weight of being the young head of the household.

"Where do we have to run away to? Hyung didn't do anything wrong, right? Right?"

Even though he was mature for his age, he was still only twenty.

His big eyes, framed by sweat-drenched and disheveled short hair from running, trembled with anxiety.

It wasn't a worry for himself.

It was the fear that his brother's life, which was finally starting to go well, might be ruined.

The answer came from Ryu Haneul.

His purple eyes shone with an indifferent and monotonous light.

"I can't tell you the details but it's related to Baekya. Just know that."

"What...?"

It wasn't something he could question, asking why Ryu Haneul was answering instead.

Wolha froze at the mention of a name he couldn't even imagine.

"H-Hyung?"

Ilha avoided his eyes, looking apologetic.

"I couldn't ignore it."

"I understand."

Wolha understood Ilha.

His brother loved and admired Baekya even more than he did.

It was impossible not to be swayed by that name.

"But you have to come back safe. Okay?"

His voice trembled, sounding a bit pathetic.

He clenched his fists, suppressing the surge of emotions.

Everything was confusing.

The next moment, his mind went blank.

Ilha strode over and hugged him tightly.

His steel-like body was burning hot.

"Don't worry."

"Hyung."

The low voice whispered in his ear.

"I have no intention of falling now that I've come this far. And if I do fall, I'll climb back up."

The words, spoken as if referring to a distant place…

Somehow reminded him of the Hunter that the brothers admired.

"I'm going."

Ilha and Ryu Haneul jumped up and disappeared through the hole in the ceiling.

Wolha stood there for a moment, staring blankly at the spot where they had vanished.

* * *

Even for Chief Lee Baejeong, gathering all the agents right now was difficult.

He had no intention of doing so in the first place.

He mobilized only a few teams that he could somewhat control.

He quickly gave instructions and started his car.

"Team 1, block the bridge, Team 2, start tracking through CCTV. Teams 3 and 4, join me!"

"Chief, where should we go?"

"Follow that Phantom!"

The car accelerated suddenly, throwing everyone backward.

Lee Baejeong dropped his smartphone twice on his face, but he still managed to type in the secret chat room where eight Regressors, excluding Ryu Haneul, were gathered.

[Lee Baejeong: Emergenyc!]

[Lee Baejeong: Emergenyc! Emergenyc!]

[TL/N: Intentional mistake.]

[Lee Baejeong: Baekya is alive!]

[Lee Baejeong: Everyone, get out here!]

The Regressors reacted differently.

[Na Jeongwon: ...]

Na Jeongwon only sent ellipses.

He seemed to have mixed feelings.

Lee Baejeong knew that Na Jeongwon had gone to find Baekya.

It seemed that even though he had given Baekya a second chance, everything had ended before Baekya could prove that he was different from his past life.

Lee Eunwoo quickly sent a message.

[Lee Eunwoo: Killing Baekya again now is inefficient.]

He had argued even before the regression that it was not the time to kill Baekya.

This was his last chance to push his argument.

[Lee Eunwoo: What about clearing the 50th floor? The 75th floor?]

[Lee Eunwoo: What about the countless Level 1 Gates he closed?]

[Lee Eunwoo: We can't kill Baekya before we have a plan for those.]

[Lee Eunwoo: He's wary of us, but at the same time, he seems to have some lingering human attachments. From a utilitarian perspective, it's justifiable to exploit those emotions and take what we can!]

Joo Suhyeok showed the reaction he wanted.

[Joo Suhyeok: Enough talk.]

[Joo Suhyeok: Where are you?]

[Joo Suhyeok: Fuck. I'm on my way.]

[Joo Suhyeok: Photo (Jumping out the window)]

Seeing an agent's smartphone ringing, it seemed like he was already on his way.

Cheong Siyeol...

[Cheong Siyeol: I can't believe it.]

"Damn it!"

Lee Baejeong cursed as soon as he saw the message.

[Cheong Siyeol: I already killed him with my own hands.]

It seemed like he wouldn't be able to get Cheong Siyeol's help for now.

"Open the window!"

"Yes, sir!"

A subordinate opened the window.

Lee Baejeong leaned out as far as he could.

Through the tinted window, he could see the two figures in the backseat, scrambling around.

'Where are you trying to go? No matter where you go, you're within my grasp.'

He couldn't use magic and chase them through the city streets.

Maybe Ryu Haneul would, but Hong Baekya definitely wasn't the type.

They had gained some distance for now, but Seoul was covered in CCTVs.

Once the other teams started blocking the roads, they would be trapped like rats.

Vroooom!

The traffic light turned green.

The massive sedan, like a flagship, made a sharp turn.

'What?'

Lee Baejeong couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the direction they were heading.

'The Tower?'

Their vehicle crossed the Han River bridge and sped towards the Tower.

'They're going to enter the Tower?'

Lee Baejeong grabbed the radio.

"The target is heading towards the Tower. I repeat, the target is heading towards the Tower. Outer Tower Management, restrict entry."

The subordinate who was driving asked.

"Is this okay, sir?"

Lee Baejeong smiled like a fox.

"I anticipated this to some extent. If they go to a cleared floor, it'll be helpful for us. We can use our full power without worrying about civilian casualties."

He was confident that he could kill the current Baekya within an hour.

"They won't try to escape to the 50th floor, will they?"

"!"

But if they went to an uncleared floor, it would be a different story.

"They wouldn't do that, would they? If they do, it'll be a blessing for us. It's suicide."

"But they might be desperate enough to take that risk."

"They'll die. Definitely."

The 'Epilogue Story' was teeming with powerful enemies.

Space-time was distorted there, so even if they entered at the same time, one could end up decades earlier or on the opposite side of the world.

"Even Baekya spent months preparing for that place. Those two greenhorns won't last a few days."

Moreover, the Tower became drastically more difficult every 10th and 25th floor.

How brutal the 50th floor, where those two intervals met, would be was currently the world's biggest concern.

"They've exited the vehicle. Outer Tower Management, we're being breached."

"Stop them. Damn it! We're getting out too. Prepare for engagement!"

Ilha, no, Baekya and Ryu Haneul were definitely running towards the Tower.

The area around the Outer Tower Management was open, with a parking lot and a plaza.

In front of the main entrance to the Outer Tower Management, Ryu Haneul was blasting away the Awakened agents.

As soon as Lee Baejeong got out of the car, he activated his skill.

【Heavenly Net】

【The net of heaven is vast and wide, though sparse, it misses nothing.】

Whoosh!

A blue glowing net flew in, as if it would engulf the entire world.

Baekya turned to look at him, gritting his teeth.

Hostility was clear on his face.

Lee Baejeong smiled as widely as Baekya's face contorted.

Lee Eunwoo was right.

'Yes, I hate you, Baekya.'

In truth, he believed that even if Baekya hadn't fallen, he should have been killed.

'You're too strong. As long as you exist, this country will continue to have a night without sunset, just like your name. And the moment you disappear, we will face the true night.'

This country was too peaceful under Baekya's light.

Politicians questioned other Hunters, asking why they couldn't be like Baekya, and bureaucrats were busy bowing to high-ranking Hunters instead of developing institutional and practical measures.

'You didn't save us, you just tamed us. Humanity needs to at least experience the evening.'

In Lee Baejeong's view, this country relied too much on one person.

If this country was going to fall apart without that one person, it was destined to fall apart from the beginning.

They had to cut off their dependence on Baekya before it deepened.

They had to see the true darkness of the night.

"Aaaargh!"

The Heavenly Net flew towards Baekya.

As a net that missed nothing, even Baekya couldn't escape it.

But Baekya had no intention of escaping in the first place.

Flash!

The white light of Law of Light flashed.

The blue net disappeared like a mirage.

Lee Baejeong shouted.

"Attack!"

The Awakened agents drew their respective weapons.

* * *

"Run!"

From the start, there was no option to fight and win.

Not only did I lack the strength right now, but if I wiped out all the Management Bureau's Awakened, who would catch the criminal Awakened next?

Time was not on our side.

If even one or two more Regressors joined the fight, we would be at a disadvantage.

If it were someone strong like Cheong Siyeol or Joo Suhyeok, it would be the end.

I entered the Tower lobby with Ryu Haneul.

The fanfare of the Aitel System blared, and at the same time, the Management Bureau's Awakened unleashed their skills and bullets rained down.

My mana was running low because I had just nullified the Heavenly Net.

"Senior!"

Ryu Haneul tried to shield me with his body.

His eyes, pleading to be remembered, were both pitiful and alluring.

I pulled Ryu Haneul along and took out the 'Winter Duke's Standard' from my inventory ring.

【Domain Expansion: Incineration】

Whoosh—!

White flames expanded in a spherical shape, blocking the skills and bullets.

Thanks to the flag's support, I barely managed to succeed.

From afar, Lee Baejeong swung his hand once more.

This time, Ryu Haneul blocked it by manifesting his Black Heavenly Sword Aura externally.

Then, something unexpected happened.

Whether it was the flag's power or not, the white flames of Law of Light were added to the Black Heavenly Sword Aura.

There was potential for growth here, but there was no time to consider that now.

"Senior? Are we really going?"

"I didn't expect it to turn out like this either!"

Climbing the Tower was truly a last resort.

We could definitely escape, and if we succeeded in clearing it, reaching A-Rank was almost guaranteed.

It might sound absurd, but the Tower's ending rewards were truly reliable.

However, the probability of dying horribly was much higher.

But if we stayed here, we would definitely die horribly.

Now, it was either death or transcendence.

"Aitel! I challenge the 50th floor! Transport us!"

【Do you wish to challenge the 50th floor?】

【This story has a high probability of death and it is very difficult to give up midway.】

"Transport us, I said!"

【Confirmed.】

Fwoosh!

The ground beneath our feet glowed white.

Lee Baejeong ran towards us, his face filled with frustration.

He lunged at me.

I kicked him in the chin with an upward kick.

Thwack!

[Translator - Hestia

[Proofreader - Kaya]