Chapter 83
Chapter 83
Civil Servant Hunter’s S-class Resignation Log – Chapter 83
"I'm not giving up without even trying. I'll definitely kill that monster on the 11th floor."
"Baskar fell at the 10th floor. If you made it to the 11th, you'd know what shows up on the 9th and 10th floors."
"Are all labyrinths the same?"
"Just those two. That thing wasn't even a dungeon to begin with... it was despair descending upon the world."
Kang Se-jun didn't deny it. In truth, he had reached the 11th floor, but that was it. The world hadn't remained intact.
The events on the 9th and 10th floors of the labyrinth had left half the world in ruins. Just as Seong Ja-rim had put it, it was truly the descent of despair.
"I don't know what's at the end of the labyrinth either. But remember one thing. The one who designed all this doesn't care for hope."
"The designer?"
"You asked Se-ra about the System Administrator, didn't you? You should've come to me first."
It sounded like he was scolding her for blabbing useless info to some clueless kid. That's why Kang Se-jun mistakenly thought Se-ra truly knew nothing about the Administrator.
"Do you know something?"
"If the designer created a system that influences the universe, then the Administrator is the being who manages the system assigned to each planet. That doesn't mean I know much about Earth's Administrator, though. I've only seen Baskar's."
"Each planet..."
"Where'd you hear about it? The one here seems to hate anyone knowing it exists. The person who told you didn't end up dead?"
"It wasn't a person. Not sure if it was a monster or a magical beast."
"An adult form?"
"Not even that. The 11th-floor monster told me right before it nearly killed me."
A labyrinth monster? Seong Ja-rim looked puzzled.
After the planet was destroyed on the 10th floor and everything except her was wiped out, the labyrinth vanished, and no more gates opened. The 11th floor was uncharted territory even for Ja-rim.
"What did it say?"
"Just... that all this was because of yourourAdministrator."
Seong Ja-rim furrowed her brow. It seemed like something was being hidden, but since it was spilled right before death, pressing for details was tricky.
"I don't know what it meant, but the Administrator didn't create this damned world. That's the designer's doing. The Administrator is just a puppet dancing to its tune."
Words she couldn't bring herself to say to Se-ra, her contractor.
The Administrator was a puppet. Unable to escape the framework the designer had built, doomed to repeat actions within it.
Baskar's Administrator had seen that as a great honor, but what about this one's?
She knew nothing and had never communicated, but one thing was certain.
"Earth's Administrator doesn't try to kill anyone. It doesn't torment you to the point you can't even sleep, or summon monsters to exile you from the world. Unlike some other Administrator."
"What do you..."
"That's all I can tell you."
Seong Ja-rim stood up. The chill late autumn breeze had cooled her sweat by now. Her body felt cold.
"If you want to know about dungeons and dimensions, ask away. But one piece of advice: never speak of the System Administrator to anyone. Not if you want to live."
Right. That had to stay secret. The fact it wasn't interrupting this conversation meant it was staying hands-offfor nowbut likely only because Se-ra wanted it that way.
The Administrator wouldn't allow anyone else to learn of its existence. Her orders had to be absolute. Seong Ja-rim never wanted to be hunted by it again.
"Come to me if you have more questions. I'll tell you if anything else comes to mind. No one in this world can talk about the Administrator except me."
At least, not until Se-ra revealed herself as the contractor.
Ja-rim planned to diligently pry info from Kang Se-jun and pass it on, so Se-ra could make her choice.
"I warned you. Don't ignore it if you don't want your sixth life to end in horror. Burn it into your memory."
With a casual wave to the bewildered Kang Se-jun, Seong Ja-rim left. First things firstshe had to report everything she'd learned today to Se-ra right away.
"The 11th floor, a 11th-floor monster. What the hell kind of beast inspires that kind of burning revenge?"
It seemed an even worse monster than the 9th and 10th floors, which were despair incarnate. Man, how lucky she'd never run into one like that on Baskar. Surviving alone was bad enoughif the labyrinth hadn't vanished? Just thinking about it was horrifying.
Seong Ja-rim shuddered. Time for a hot bath, then call Se-ra and whine up a storm.
* * *
The emergence of three L-rank Awakeners in Korea one after another turned the world upside down. All eyes were on Korea, everyone dying to know just how strong they were.
America's anxiety had reached a boiling point. As the country with the most L-rank Awakeners, it hadn't lost its top spot in 12 yearsyet Korea had closed the gap in mere months.
This was no time to worry about China or Russia.
"If you'd just carried out your mission properly, Campbell Guild Master, none of this would've happened."
Under pressure from the White House, Joe Milan, head of the American Hunter Association, was under extreme stress these days.
"If you give me another chance now, I could still succeed."
So today, he vented to Guardian Guild Master Christopher Campbell again.
Among America's major guilds, he was the only one who listened to the Association and government. Milan was green with envy over Korea's Song Han-na, who had her Hunters on a tight leash.
"Honestly, that's impossible."
But this time, even Christopher wasn't on his side.
"Those two existing L-ranks are no ordinary folk. Keep pestering them, and they might turn me into a corpse. You know what happens if you piss off L-ranks, don't you, Association President?"
Milan sighed deeply. He knew all too well.
"Two of them? You said you only met one before."
"That's what I thought back then. Turns out the Seong Ja-rim Hunter I met was that second L-rank."
After the third L-rank was revealed, Korea finally unveiled their closely guarded second Awakener.
Seong Ja-rim.
Christopher nearly fainted upon seeing her public face. A second L-rank besides the S-rank Headbang.
Which meant the honest civil servant he'd tricked into thinking she was Headbang was actually Headbang herself.
'It wasn't even a lie. She just led me to assume wrong.'
Unbelievable. She'd seemed like a regular S-rank back then, yet fooled him perfectly. And now she'd even taken down an L-rank magical beast and leveled up. What an incredible person.
'I need to keep on her good side.'
So he kept it quiet. Betraying that kind soul who just wanted to clear dungeons in peace went against his principles.
"You've seen two now, so I'm curious. How do they stack up against our people?"
"That's a terrifying question."
"I'm only asking because it's just us."
"Should I apologize for eavesdropping then?"
A voice echoed in the room that had held only two. Damn it, of all times.
"Sounds like an interesting chat. Mind if I join?"
Few could barge into a conversation between two of America's top S-ranks like this. The intruder was someone even they couldn't treat lightly.
"Long time no see, Milan. And uh... what was your name again?"
A hulking figure over 2 meters tall, wild hair spiking everywhere, crimson eyes gleaming ferociously.
Ethan J. Garcia, one of America's infamous loose cannons.
The unofficial No. 2 L-rank Awakener.
"Pleased to meet you, Mr. Garcia. I'm Christopher Campbell, leader of the Guardian Guild."
"Ah, yeah. Guardian, the government's errand boys? Still busy as ever?"
Christopher's expression didn't flicker at the insult. Garcia quickly lost interest.
"Clamber or whatever. Spill it. Compared to me, how do those puny island nation's punks measure up?"
As expected, he couldn't even remember the name he'd just heard. Like it wasn't worth the effort.
"How could I presume to gauge L-rank power? If they restrained their strength, I wouldn't even notice them right in front of me."
"Canned response."
"Just stating facts."
"Tch. Useless."
Garcia flopped onto the sofa, propping both feet on the table. A shoved teacup fell and shattered below.
Milan grew even more envious of Song Han-na, who could control even L-ranks, seeing Garcia ignore the mess entirely.
He'd have to ask her secret next time they met.
"Heard Korea's lock dungeon got bumped to L-rank?"
"Is that why you're here, too heavy in the ass to move?"
"An Athena exec making a move? How could I not be curious?"
Garcia's red eyes lit up fiercely. Everyone who mattered knew how he'd challenged Athena's leader, Ali Russo, years ago and gotten utterly demolishedlike dust in a rainstorm.
"Alone, and her movements pinpointed. Doesn't that sound fun?"
"Please, just drop it. You trying to make enemies of Korea and Athena?"
"Scared, Milan?"
Terrified. Of course he was. Korea was one thing, but Athena's captain was truly frightening.
What other guild could operate freely worldwide without nationality issues? None but Athena.
The only one officially recognized in broad daylight, not the shadows.
Milan had no desire to make Ali Russo an enemy.
"Think about your position."
"Position? Where I stand is my position. Of course, I have no plans to kill Yoon Jae-hun. Just wanna check out those three who popped up together, that's all."
"You're not planning to just watch."
"Who knows? If they come here. Wouldn't that be good for you too, Milan?"
Coming from a troublemaker like Garcia, it inspired zero trust.
"Doubting eyes?"
"Would you believe yourself in my shoes?"
"What's so hard to believe?"
"You're not being sincere."
"Grumpy as ever. Gets worse with age."
Milan seethed at Garcia picking his ear. He wasn't grumpythat guy just lacked basic sense.
As Milan thumped his chest with his fist, Christopher gave him a pitying look.
"Huh? Oh..."
Then Garcia suddenly stared into space.
His eyes widened in surprise, then twisted into a strange smilenot a good sign.
"What now? What mischief are you plotting?"
"Plotting? I'm telling you, I'm innocent. You can see that much."
See what...?
And then he really saw it.
The most ominous message, the one he'd hoped never to see again.
Milan shot to his feet, face drained of color.
The world's most horrific labyrinth was about to open once more.
"Rejoice, Milan. No need for me to go to Koreathey're all coming here."
Garcia laughed savagely before the speechless, terrified Milan and Christopher.
The labyrinth dungeon was opening.
The worst, most vile door was creaking open again.
No one knew what monster, what world lurked within this time.