Chapter 424: Midnight Guest (1)
The hotel's main entrance was completely shut. The revolving door had also been firmly fixed in place and blocked off with thick cloth. In front of it, in the center of the silent lobby, two chairs had been placed side by side with some distance between them.
"You don't have many skills, do you?"
Young Chaos, seated upright in a large armchair, said abruptly. Leaning his body fully against the backrest of his chair, Sung Hyunjae gave a small nod.
"Not many."
"They're probably the skills your original self possessed."
"I don't think Combat Foresight is one of them."
"That would be the result of accumulated experience. It's not a skill, but I can do something similar too."
Prediction based on vast amounts of information. That was likely what had manifested as a skill under the system.
"You said they had continued piling up."
"It seems that way."
Sung Hyunjae spoke indifferently, as though discussing someone else's business.
"Those severed memories are probably one kind of defense mechanism meant to prevent lives from mixing together. The skills you already acquired and used before probably can't be gained again. Or rather, maybe it would be more accurate to say you're simply not using them."
What had piled up was also Sung Hyunjae. In other words, they were skills he had already obtained. He could not gain again something he already possessed.
Sung Hyunjae loosely laced his hands together, his fingers intertwined.
"So I cannot use them?"
"It would be like pulling stones out of a tower one by one. If you're lucky, it'll remain intact, but if you're unlucky, it'll collapse in an instant."
No, perhaps it would be more accurate to say it would explode. And if that moment came, not only the surroundings but this world itself would no longer remain whole. Young Chaos looked displeased at the one treading precariously close to the line of humanity.
"If the nightmare is dealt with safely, this dungeon will be closed. There'll be no chance for information to leak out."
Even aside from that, it was an abnormal dungeon in many ways, one that couldn't simply be left alone.
"Your information is a problem, First's, but you are even worse. If they learn of a being created by Crescent Moon, the already-divided transcendents will splinter even further. Those who covet you, those who try to do the same thing, those who attempt to eliminate you, those who grow suspicious of Crescent Moon, those who try to block it at the root, and so on."
An incomparably powerful force had suddenly appeared. And the one possessing that force was still human, and unable to control himself. Which meant, in other words, that if someone merely stole Crescent Moon's contract, it would become a power anyone could seize for themselves.
"So Crescent Moon won't wag her tongue carelessly either."
"What is your opinion, Elder?"
"There is no reason to leave alive someone carrying power they cannot control."
Young Chaos said coldly.
"If you hadn't become like this because Crescent Moon forcibly piled things into you—if you had become this way out of your own greed, of your own will—then no matter what First said, I would have dealt with you."
"Would you have been able to? Even if I did not agree to follow?"
"…This whole place would probably be ruined."
As if he had no desire to go that far, Chaos made a slightly sour face.
"What exactly is wrong with that First brat. The second one alone already made me think, what kind of bastard is this, but now he's dragging around an even bigger headache. And even the third one is no ordinary case. That one with the deathly face is suspicious too."
"Han Yoojin is Han Yoojin."
"…That's what makes it stranger. If First had at least been unusual by birth, I could understand it. But he doesn't even have the potential to become S-rank like the third one does. That brat's only lived, what, thirty years at most. And he's only been Awakened about five years or so."
Young Chaos, too, had climbed from a low rank all the way to transcendent status, but that had been the result of a very long span of time.
"Anyway, as long as you still intend to live as a human, I have no intention of touching you either. Beings from outside should never go beyond being mere assistants. Getting drunk on some mission to save the world and then using the actual owners of that world as tools is putting the cart before the horse."
One could help those weaker than oneself. Up to that point, it was a good thing. But dragging the weak blindly toward goals desired by the strong under the name of help was nothing but arrogance and dictatorship.
"The problem is that there are far too many bastards who look down on the people inside a world. Even though they themselves grew by relying on their own worlds. The recent ones who swallowed their own worlds and became transcendents too easily are especially a problem. They grow too easily, so they think they're impressive."
"So it was not like that in your time."
"It wasn't like that in my day. Though of course there are ones like Crescent Moon who changed. The system itself was originally meant to minimize interference and help the people belonging to a world protect themselves."
At that muttered complaint—It's changed—Sung Hyunjae wore a gentle smile as though he understood very well.
"Since I have my own ties with Crescent Moon and with the ones who made the system, I do feel a bit of responsibility, but even for me there is no particularly fitting solution."
"Other than death, you mean."
"Even that—impossible for you to die as yourself. Your final form would be a mindless monster, with everything piled up inside you bursting and forcing its way out."
"That sounds rather miserable."
"This isn't someone else's story. The most ordinary solution, at least, is for this world to keep continuing. If you can go on maintaining your present self without being dragged out by Crescent Moon, then it should be possible to digest what has piled up naturally."
But there was no way Crescent Moon would simply allow that. On top of that, other transcendents had started showing interest as well. If one asked whether he could truly endure until the end in the midst of all that, no one could say for certain.
"It won't be easy, and you should prepare for failure as well. So."
A thin blue-glowing sheet appeared before Young Chaos.
"It is a contract stating that, if you so desire, I will move you to the world of the first Source."
"A sort of emergency exit, in case of the worst. I had refused it, though."
"If you survive, you can come back."
The golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"That is a little tempting."
"The chances are very slim, but with your aptitude and what has piled up, it wouldn't be impossible."
Administrator of the first Source. A long, agonizing road of hardship in which one would have to struggle to survive while being pursued by the strongest transcendent.
Sung Hyunjae accepted the contract. But instead of signing it, he simply put it into his inventory.
"I'll review it and contact you."
"…Look at this bastard."
Though his brows knit together, Young Chaos demanded nothing further. In any case, it was something he had to decide for himself, and as Chaos, this was as far as consideration could go.
"There is one thing I would like to ask."
"Speak."
"How much time does Han Yoojin have left to live?"
Young Chaos's eyebrow twitched upward.
"What did First say?"
"He left behind final words, thinking he would die. It was a situation that could lead to misunderstanding, but even before that."
Han Yoojin's attitude.
"He acted as though he had already guessed."
Like someone who had been told they were terminally ill. Rather than being shocked with death right before his eyes, he had looked as though he were facing something he had long expected to come.
It could have been because the life before his regression had not been easy. Lower-rank Hunters often faced the brink between life and death, so perhaps he had always carried the possibility of his own death in the back of his mind. Even so, something about it felt off.
"I don't know either."
Young Chaos clicked his tongue.
"He might live another five years or so, but the way he behaves, it wouldn't be strange if he died tomorrow."
"At most five years?"
"Even that got drastically shorter, then lengthened again. Thanks to Crescent Moon, the mana imprint has stabilized compared to before, whatever happened. Don't tell him, though. If he thinks he's fine, he's the kind of rotten brat who'll overdo it again."
The mana imprint had been too powerful for his F-rank body, creaking as though it had been forcibly jammed into place. But thanks to him temporarily gaining an S-rank body this time, it had settled into place to some degree. It wasn't perfect, but it would no longer gnaw away at his body as viciously as before.
"That's short."
"Does that bother you?"
Sung Hyunjae tilted his head slightly. His gaze lifted toward the high ceiling for a brief moment.
"I was bored for a very long time."
There had been nothing new in the world, and there had been no hardship either. It might have been because of that boredom that Sung Hyunjae had developed a temperament for raising creatures, something that in a way did not suit an S-rank born for combat. If what existed naturally held nothing new, then he would simply have to create something instead.
"The death made for me did appear, but it was difficult to completely shake off the tedium."
Song Taewon. The last thing presented to one who had no death. And yet Song Taewon had not wanted to be Sung Hyunjae's death. Rather than binding Sung Hyunjae, he had wanted to press himself down.
"If my death had been more proactive, I would at least have gotten to play the villain."
If Song Taewon, free of self-loathing, had actively wanted to protect the world. If he had wished to be a hero without shadow, Sung Hyunjae would have gladly become a proper villain for him. Or perhaps the opposite might have happened.
But Song Taewon had wanted too desperately to be human.
"As for Han Yoojin. Even hearing that he could raise kiseungsu wasn't enough to interest me that deeply."
"There are some rare ones who raise magical beasts. You must have come across that a few times yourself."
"It was slightly amusing that an F-rank did not shrink back in the least."
If that had been all, his interest would have lasted a month at most, and perhaps only a week or two at the shortest.
"Han Yoohyun, Bak Yerim, and the Flame-Horned Lion. Watching them follow him was interesting enough in its own way. And when I learned of the abilities he had been hiding, I found myself coveting them too."
He had become useful enough that Sung Hyunjae had readily offered the SS-rank coat, Silekia's Wings, as a price. But no more than an object of transaction, of give and take. No, it had not even needed to become a transaction—if he wanted it, he had been confident he could simply take it. And then after that.
Just today, the blackish-red coat had been placed into Han Yoojin's hands without any price at all.
Sung Hyunjae's lips drew a soft curve.
"It was enjoyable."
Those few months. Young Chaos understood that this single sentence contained everything. The sensation of living—various emotions moving, being stimulated, and undergoing change.
"You won't want to let go."
The golden eyes slowly turned toward Young Chaos. A faint sharpness settled into them. Something that could even be called madness was mixed in there.
"Not until I finish it."
"Don't go trying to seize some innocent brat."
"I merely mean that I want him to live longer."
"You thinking of putting a leash on him and dragging him away to lock him up? Look at First's temper. No one else can fix that."
He might stop to rest for a while, but he would never truly stop. Sung Hyunjae let out an exaggerated sigh.
"It is difficult."
"And if he did change, you'd just complain that he had become boring."
"I didn't think I had such an untrustworthy face."
"Just leave him be. Don't go beyond advising him to take better care of his body. Feed him good things or something."
Instead of answering, Sung Hyunjae merely shrugged. Though Young Chaos remained dissatisfied, he turned his gaze back toward the main entrance. It was still quiet. Only something like the faint sound of wind could be heard.
"First is coming."
"You mean Han Yoojin-gun?"
"And that suffocating one too. Crescent Moon is gone, so she won't be able to come."
What came visiting at night were memories. The sun had set, time had passed, and it would soon be midnight.
"If there are any others, tell me in advance. People important to you, I mean."
"If not merely acquaintances, there are no others besides those two."
"I'm fine. This dungeon doesn't know any memories of me. At most, First might come."
But the others were not. If Han Yoojin and Han Yoohyun were here in particular, it would be difficult for them to withstand the visit of memory. Bak Yerim also had a high chance of being shaken easily, and Noah was at risk as well. There was no need to make Song Taewon suffer any more than necessary either.
As for Yoon Yoon, if that one caused trouble, it would probably be because of curiosity.
How much time had passed? At some point, a tapping sound came from the glass.
"Mr. Sung Hyunjae."
It was Han Yoojin's voice. The presence that could be felt was also perfectly identical to the real thing. If he had not heard the precautions beforehand, it was the sort of thing that could easily fool him. With interested eyes, Sung Hyunjae looked toward the cloth-covered door.
"So all I need to do is not open the door?"
"For now, yes, but what are you trying to do?"
Sung Hyunjae rose from his seat, and another voice was heard.
"Please open the door."
It was Song Taewon. He waited a little while to see whether anyone else would appear, but it seemed to be only the two of them.
"Quite precise."
"They are your memories, so naturally."
"If Han Yoojin-gun had been here, he would have had quite a number of guests."
Han Yoohyun, of course, along with Bak Yerim, Yoo Myeongwoo, Noah, the monsters, and so on. As he wondered whether he himself would also have appeared, and in what manner, Sung Hyunjae walked toward the door. His fingertips came to rest upon the hanging edge of cloth.
"Han Yoojin-gun."
"Mr. Sung Hyunjae! Please let us in quickly!"
"There are monsters roaming outside. Hunter Sung Hyunjae, at least allow Hunter Han Yoojin inside."
"Oh dear."
They were imitating Song Taewon's manner quite well. If it had been Song Taewon alone, what would he have said? With a smile playing on his lips, Sung Hyunjae opened his mouth.
"Han Yoojin-gun, when was it that we first met?"