Chapter 72
Chapter 72
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 72
Chapter Title: Goodwill Stained with Malice (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Choruk.
The bamboo installed in the garden filled with water from the shishi-odoshi, tilting like a seesaw.
Thud, thud—
The clear sound of the tilted bamboo clanging echoed through the garden.
Shizuku, sitting demurely, waited for Kim Gunja's response.
'What do you think of the Hero Guild...'
Kim Gunja, who had been gazing at Shizuku for a moment, gave a slight smile and replied.
"They're the second-ranked guild in the world. What more needs to be said?"
It was an answer devoid of any personal opinion.
Intentionally giving no information to Shizuku, who had posed the question.
Perhaps sensing that intent.
Shizuku covered her mouth with her sleeve and let out a small laugh at Kim Gunja's response.
"I see. That's plenty."
She didn't show much outwardly, but inwardly, Shizuku was quite surprised.
Kim Gunja's handling of the situation was far more adept than she'd expected.
'He's so composed. And clever.'
The question about the Hero Guild was one that could be interpreted in various ways depending on how it was received—a perfect probe.
Shizuku had wanted to gauge Kim Gunja's true feelings through it.
Whether he viewed the Hero Guild positively or negatively.
She thought it a shame to drag such a man into her revenge and let him die.
So she wanted to see if he could be swayed.
But her intentions had failed spectacularly, as if laid bare.
'...No helping it.'
A twinge of regret, but that was all.
Her revenge mattered more than a stranger she met today.
Glancing at the sky as the sunset began, Shizuku spoke.
"Then, since it's getting late, shall we wrap up here? Thank you for making time today."
With a light laugh, Shizuku tried to end the meeting.
Kim Gunja watched her with an enigmatic gaze before nodding.
"No need to thank me."
Kim Gunja rose from his seat as well.
As Shizuku escorted him back to the villa.
"Oh, just in case."
Kim Gunja turned back as if something had just occurred to him.
"Is there something you wanted to say...?"
Kim Gunja scratched his cheek briefly before speaking.
"I'm not sure if I should say this..., but I'm saying it with the guild master in mind, so I hope it doesn't offend."
Shizuku smiled faintly, indicating it was fine.
Kim Gunja let out a soft sigh and continued.
"That question you asked earlier. It didn't bother me much, but as someone requesting our help, wasn't it a bit inappropriate? Even for the Asura Guild's guild master."
Shizuku's shoulders twitched.
Kim Gunja's words were spot on.
The question had been ripe for misunderstanding.
Caught off guard by the sudden, incisive remark just when she thought everything was settled, Shizuku faltered for a response.
"So please refrain from asking the other team members such things. It was a pleasure today. Well then..."
Kim Gunja had maintained perfect courtesy from start to finish.
But Shizuku wasn't one to miss the underlying meaning.
He was warning her.
If you're asking for help, at least keep some boundaries.
Don't probe clumsily.
As she watched Kim Gunja's receding back, the smile had vanished from Shizuku's face.
After sending Kim Gunja off, Shizuku remained in the pavilion, savoring her tea.
And shortly after.
A man with a snake tattoo, Kensuke, approached and bowed before Shizuku.
"How did it go?"
He was asking about Kim Gunja.
Shizuku shook her head lightly.
"A man whose true intentions I can't read."
Meaning he couldn't be swayed.
"I see...? That's unfortunate."
But contrary to his words, Kensuke's expression didn't change.
He hadn't expected much, and this man couldn't impact their plans anyway.
Even if one more joined the team that formed a core of the Hero Guild, it wouldn't change much when wiping them out.
Though it troubled her to sacrifice someone she saw as good, she was prepared to accept necessary losses.
"What about the others?"
"They're resting but never let their guard down."
Shizuku wore a pitying expression.
"So foolish. I even prepared their last supper."
"They'd never dream the trap isn't in the villa, but the gate."
Everything was proceeding according to plan.
Shizuku had anticipated the Hero Guild suspecting them.
So she employed a deception.
'People naturally grow suspicious of overly lavish treatment.'
All the more so with an enemy they harbored grudges against.
She created a situation ripe for suspicion, and as expected, Team 4 investigated the villa with doubts.
But found nothing.
Of course.
There was nothing there to begin with.
When what should be visible isn't.
This kept Team 4's vigilance high.
Human psychology amplifies suspicion when evidence is absent.
"No creature is as suspicious as humans."
The heightened doubt would make Team 4 fixate even more on the villa.
Unaware it was a mere illusion without substance.
Luring Team 4 into the trap wasn't hard.
They'd prepared for so long.
Shizuku's gaze drifted to the pond as she sipped her tea.
"Baek Jincheon. He's a monster, but his subordinates aren't."
She murmured, toying with her teacup.
Just saying the name made Shizuku's hand tremble faintly.
Amaterasu Omikami.
The sun goddess, symbol of Amaterasu Guild and revered by her father, the guild master.
But Baek Jincheon mocked her father and the guild.
—Sun goddess? Ridiculous. No gods exist in this world. If they did, they'd be evil ones. Like you lot with your homunculus guild member.
Just one.
One Amaterasu guild member revealed as a homunculus.
But that was enough for Baek Jincheon.
Reason enough to erase Amaterasu Guild.
Excluding the homunculus, none of Amaterasu's main force that entered the colossal S-rank gate with Baek Jincheon survived.
A moment that tarnished their world 11th ranking, and with the guild master and elites gone, collapse was inevitable.
Recalling that horrific past, Shizuku steadied her breathing, and the trembling subsided.
Watching the sun set, she spoke.
"From now on, restrict all guild members' activities. No need to invite unnecessary suspicion."
All preparations were complete.
Only the deed at the S-rank gate tomorrow remained.
"Understood."
Kensuke replied with a resolute expression, thinking of the moment to come.
Kensuke left, and Shizuku returned to her room.
The garden lay empty under the veil of night.
Choruk—
The bamboo tilted, emitting a clear thud.
And Kim Gunja appeared.
No, saying he appeared wasn't quite right.
Kim Gunja had been there from the start.
No one had simply noticed.
His presence perfectly erased.
A familiar necklace hung around Kim Gunja's neck.
He had used the artifact obtained after dealing with Manub, one of the eleven alchemists.
'As I thought, they were plotting something.'
Following Shizuku out, Kim Gunja couldn't shake his suspicions.
There was no reason to arrange a private meeting just to hear his heroics.
And sure enough.
In their tête-à-tête, Shizuku had asked a profoundly loaded question.
Sensing something amiss, Kim Gunja activated the artifact to observe her.
At the end, he deliberately provoked her.
People reveal even unspoken truths when emotionally stirred.
'Foolish, last supper, not the villa but the gate...'
Combining their words led to an obvious conclusion.
'The real trap involves the gate, and she has confidence in overwhelming Team 4...'
Kim Gunja's brow furrowed slightly.
Things had grown complicated with Shizuku's grudge entangled.
After brief contemplation, he considered three options.
One: Inform Jo Changhwi and preempt Asura Guild's scheme.
'Asura Guild would suffer against Team 4, but we'd safely complete the S-rank gate hunt.'
Another: Stay silent and slip away alone.
If Shizuku's plan worked, it could wipe out Hero Guild's core Team 4.
'But the S-rank hunt would fail, and explaining my survival would be tricky.'
Kim Gunja weighed them but disliked both.
Either way, they'd involve overlooking a massacre.
That didn't sit right.
'Then the third option...'
For that, he needed to scout the site first.
Kim Gunja returned to the villa.
Excusing himself for a walk to enjoy the scenery.
Jo Changhwi, wary of Kim Gunja, readily agreed, and with the S-rank gate far off, Shizuku suspected nothing.
Her mistake—not knowing how many abilities Kim Gunja hid.
A short distance from the villa.
Kim Gunja activated [Blessing of Stealth] to erase his presence.
And.
'Illya.'
A fierce gust wrapped softly around Kim Gunja's body.
As if sulking for being called so late.
With a faint smile, Kim Gunja kicked off the ground lightly.
His falcon-like form soared toward the S-rank gate.
Flying through the night sky, he arrived swiftly and landed silently, suppressing his aura.
Several soldiers and Asura Guild members guarded the gate but weren't overly vigilant.
'Hmm...'
Scrutinizing the surroundings yielded no clues to their scheme.
'Did I misread?'
But he dismissed it immediately.
Considering power levels, Team 4 wouldn't fall to Asura's ambush.
Shizuku's confidence stemmed from prior preparations.
Scanning further, Kim Gunja's eyes gleamed.
A sudden realization.
'...No way...'
He hesitated briefly but checked anyway.
'Stein.'
Black mana from Kim Gunja's left foot breathed life into the shadows.
The writhing shadow rose, forming Stein's shape.
Stein's red eyes glowed faintly in the dark.
Having read his master's thoughts, Stein knew the task.
'Please.'
Summons were the master's prerogative, but not tyrannical orders.
[...Fine.]
Stein acquiesced.
He owed Kim Gunja, and grasped the situation fully.
Stein faded, seeping into the earth.
Moments later.
Receiving Stein's signal, Kim Gunja's eyes sharpened.
The next day dawned.
Team 4, boarding vehicles to the gate from the villa, looked somewhat deflated.
"They're really doing nothing."
"Yeah. Kinda anticlimactic."
"Tch. Can't be helped."
"Breakfast was delicious, though."
Asura Guild's flawless hospitality, even perfect breakfast, left Team 4 impressed.
Thus sated, they arrived at the S-rank gate.
Shizuku personally greeted them at the pristine site.
"Thank you again for accepting our request."
"No need. We're grateful for your generous hospitality."
Jo Changhwi replied, surveying the area.
"Your hunting team hasn't arrived yet?"
"...My apologies. They left already and should be here soon. Sorry."
"Mm... Understood."
Their late arrival irked him slightly, but after such treatment, he couldn't complain.
Besides, the guild master Shizuku sweated profusely, seeming genuinely sorry.
He wasn't petty enough to press a beauty so apologetic.
But contrary to Jo Changhwi's thoughts, Shizuku panicked as plans derailed.
'Why... Why isn't it exploding...?'
Perfect timing.
Sacrificing herself to annihilate Team 4.
Impossible against Baek Jincheon, but ample mana stone bombs buried deep under the gate to sever one of his limbs.
Yet.
"S-sorry for the delay."
Instead of detonation, Kensuke and Asura's main force arrived.
'What... How...?'
Shizuku eyed Kensuke in bewilderment, while Kim Gunja watched her with a wry smile.
The third option.
Ensure nothing happened until he completed the hunt safely.
Using Stein, Kim Gunja had disarmed the deeply buried mana stone bombs' triggers.
So they didn't explode—naturally—and with things awry, Asura's elites rushed from nearby.
To avoid suspicion from further delay.
'Didn't want to meddle in personal vendettas, but...'
No choice.
The first two options caused casualties he couldn't stomach.
He knew.
Not everyone could be saved.
But at least.
He wouldn't turn a blind eye to mass death before him.
Even if just a stopgap.
Gazing briefly at flustered Shizuku, Kim Gunja followed Jo Changhwi, teamed with Asura Guild.
'If she's alive, better chances come eventually.'
A woman burdened with heavy responsibility, trying to shoulder it alone.
Entering the gate with Asura's main force, she wouldn't act rashly upon exit.
Unless intent on killing them all.
And even then, with Customizing Room, he could evade.
'Alright. Let's go.'
Mind settled, Kim Gunja's eyes gleamed.
To focus on his first S-rank gate hunt.