Chapter 84
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 84
Chapter Title: Angel's Single Wing
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A notification popped up for Gonghyeok with information on the newly acquired avatar.
[SS---- grade support-type avatar. 'Night of Drakenstein, Ancestor' is now bound to Hunter Ju Gonghyeok.]
[Current remaining avatar slots: 4/4.
'Game Master(? )'
'Ra-Djehuty(SS)'
'Great Sage Equal to Heaven(SS)'
'Ancestor(SS----)']
[Avatar: Ancestor(SS----)] LV. 18
Stat Increases - Strength +72, Agility +82, Technique +72, Mind +102, Mana +152
1st Ability 《Unlocked》 'Dark Curtain'
2nd Ability 《Unlocked》 'Lord of Darkness'
3rd Ability 《Sealed》 '─Ra─Shtain's ─'
Ultimate Ability [Unknown] 'Mysterious Super Hidden Card']
= SS----? Minus, minus, minus? There's a grade like this?
"It's right here."
Gonghyeok said indifferently.
SS----, an utterly ridiculous grade, and compared to the other two SS-grade avatars, it felt a step below.
But even so, there was a reason he'd recruited Ancestor.
'I need a perfect ability to conceal my powers.'
Gonghyeok currently had two identities.
Murderer and rising star.
Neither avatars, skills, nor weapons could overlap between those two identities.
He'd killed all witnesses and kept everything airtight, but tails could get stepped on eventually if they grew too long.
On top of that, it was a clear disadvantage that he couldn't unleash his full power in front of crowds.
'There are three avatars that can solve this.'
The vice-captain of the Unique City 'Nirvana.'
Kumar Bhatacharya's assassination-type avatar 'Hashashin(A+)'
True to its etymology as assassin, Hashashin's 2nd ability, Dagger, was an assassination technique that allowed all skills to be used without revealing the avatar's form.
The second was one of the 'Legion's' triumvirate.
John Howard's avatar 'Patroclus(S-)'
This avatar, from the tale of stealing Achilles(S+)'s armor to duel Hector, could draw out 80% of a friendly avatar's power.
'I considered both. But this one came up in the 10th floor mission, so.'
Ancestor proved more useful than either.
Ancestor's 1st ability 'Dark Curtain.'
A ability that spread a space of darkness, blocking all external interference.
Anything inside the Dark Curtain evaded human sight and detection.
'With this, it doesn't matter how many avatars pop out behind me.'
It was an avatar he needed in his hands as soon as possible.
Sure, it was absurd—a dimensional main god with four minus grades tacked on—but there was a reason for that.
The ancient demons who managed Drakenstein.
Did they really vanish for no reason?
'They're not some neighborhood punks who ditch a dimension because they got bored playing with it.'
They'd been struck by an unforeseen blow and driven out.
By their very first test subject, 'Ancestor.'
Ancestor's grade and ultimate ability were tied to that.
Unaware of Gonghyeok's thoughts, Nathaniel, perched on his shoulder, let out a deep sigh.
- Look, I get it. SS---- is still a good grade. But the other avatars are amazing too, right?
"So?"
- Did you have to go and make an archangel—and an operator—your enemy? This is different from Azazel's case. Azazel ended up on your side, but Senior Remiel is just your enemy now! Enemy!
"Doesn't matter."
- It does matter!
As Nathaniel yelled, Gonghyeok's gaze turned to her.
"You've gotten a bit bolder lately?"
- W-what do you mean!
"Just thinking. Should I show you a magic trick where your skirt disappears?"
- Eek!
She leaped up, yanking her skirt hem down.
Her milky white thighs, exposed from shin guards to skirt, shyly hid away.
"I'm kidding."
- .... Really?
"No, actually, I want to charge at you right now like a raging beast, easily crush your frail resistance, and passionately strip off your skirt.
- You crazy pervert bastard.......
Nathaniel's face went stark white.
Gonghyeok shrugged in his usual way.
"I'm kidding."
- Everything you say like a madman turns out true....
"Dear me. You know too much. Time to eliminate you."
Smack!
- Kyaa!
An unexpected flick nailed her cute forehead.
Nathaniel clutched her forehead and tumbled off his shoulder.
Gonghyeok caught her deftly and smoothly tucked her into his inner pocket.
He then pulled a cigarette from another pocket and lit up.
Smoke gathered on the ceiling of the sanctuary where someone had just died.
'Remiel, huh....'
He'd brushed it off playfully, but Remiel was second seat among the archangels.
Making an enemy of her was plenty worrisome.
Yet even so, he needed to oppose her.
No.
He actually needed to 'fell' her moving forward.
Remiel's view of the world differed from Ju Gonghyeok's—and humanity's.
He stroked the inner pocket where Nathaniel sat.
'Nathaniel, Remiel doesn't really care what happens to humans, you know.'
Azazel and Nathaniel were inherently kind and affectionate.
That's why they couldn't reach the right conclusion.
'Angels are on humanity's side. But not solely humanity's side.'
There were three races climbing Babel.
Beastkin, Machine God Tribe, and Humans.
Angels sided with all three.
She didn't think 'humans' necessarily had to conquer Babel.
Other races existed.
Especially the Beastkin, whom she favored.
'Their numbers are one-thousandth of humanity's, but each is an elite far superior in strength.'
In fact, the Dragon God had killed a Heavenly Knight right now, and any three of the other eleven Beastkin leaders could stand against one.
'In that situation, if you're picky about selections, humans are just a suboptimal fallback.'
Remiel was advocating for the Beastkin.
And past floor 40, humans would compete directly with them.
'Remiel, Beastkin—better handle them early.'
That was the reality at hand.
Gonghyeok took a deep drag, preparing to dismiss his clone.
He'd handled the underground waterway.
Now it was time to clean up the mess on the surface.
That was when it happened.
[Master.]
GM called to him quietly.
[Ha Yeonsi has separated from her party and is acting alone.]
"What?"
[And she's about to arrive here soon.]
Gonghyeok flicked away his cigarette.
'Why come here?'
No, before that—why separate from the party?
If it were the him from the 12th regression, he could've predicted it to some extent.
But the Ju Gonghyeok of the 13th regression couldn't gauge the reason.
The future dweller variable had brought too many changes.
'Up to floor 4, always the same faces, same missions. Even with B intervening, no big issues.'
Up to floor 4 was a limited environment with limited people—predicting it was a piece of cake.
Floor 3 had the new variable B, but....
In a game where everything was set, one variable couldn't cause massive shifts.
'But after Unique Cities, it's different. Environment and people intertwine infinitely.'
Once floor 5 opened and Unique Cities intervened.
Millions interacted, sparking countless chemical reactions and butterfly effects.
Gonghyeok knew from prior regressions how severe changes got after floor 5.
Even so, with 13 regressions' accumulated database and GM's calculations, he could gauge the big-picture future.
However....
'Honestly, at this point, predicting individual actions is tough. The future dwellers tangled it all up.'
By 'original' Gonghyeok and GM's measurements, Ha Yeonsi never would've split from the group.
But the reason he couldn't trust that calculation was.
'I never died in the underground waterway originally either.'
Gonghyeok had died there five times.
Gonghyeok's death, when he should've stuck close.
It destabilized Ha Yeonsi's mind, sparking conflict with the party and leading to her split.
That was the most plausible prediction he had.
'I need to stabilize her here before she leaves.'
It wouldn't take much effort anyway.
Gonghyeok stepped out of the sanctuary, decision made.
That was when.
Ju Gonghyeok's shadow stretched long.
- Connected.
The shadow's hollow eyes and mouth moved.
A familiar voice. A lingering remnant no number of regressions could shake.
The gathered ones.
"What now? I'm busy—what is it?"
Gonghyeok turned irritably.
The shadow mumbled with its still-empty face.
- Connected.
"Connected what?"
Ssshh—
Dozens of shadows draped over the underground waterway passage.
Vino, who beheaded the Demon King alongside Ju Gonghyeok.
Liang Xian, his master who fled with him.
The seventh Ben-Hur, who took on the world in his stead and died.
Jehman, who opposed the plan to slaughter Earth's hunters.
And the child from his third life.
Allies and enemies.
Remnants of the vanished world, lined up without distinction.
They all fixed on Ju Gonghyeok.
And spoke as one.
- Finally. Connected.
Nonsense he couldn't make sense of.
"Yeah?"
Gonghyeok looked bored.
"I'm going. Connect or sever, do whatever."
Gonghyeok walked past the row of shadows.
The shadows kept their eyes on his back.
"Be miserable."
"Be happy."
Two opposing voices trailed after Ju Gonghyeok.
* * * * *
On the path to the sanctuary.
Splash, splash.
Ha Yeonsi stepped through the water pooled in the underground waterway.
She looked up to see Gonghyeok with a slightly stiff expression.
"How'd you get here?"
"Just. Felt like you'd be here."
"What about the others?"
"They couldn't come after me."
"Yeah?"
Gonghyeok replied flatly.
But inside, he wasn't so calm.
'Something's off about what she's saying.'
"Couldn't come after" suggested she might've turned hostile on her comrades.
He checked GM's map.
Of the party, six survivors.
No anomalies aside from Schumacher and Kane, killed by D.
'She didn't kill any comrades on impulse and bail.'
Still unsettling either way.
Scolding or disciplining harshly here would backfire.
Gonghyeok smiled gently.
"Then let's go together. Yeonsi. Can't split from the group without me around."
"Yeah...."
Gonghyeok naturally took her hand.
He didn't show it, but there was a risk of her unstable state triggering regeneration overload suddenly.
A bit awkward, but if it happened, he'd just sacrifice an arm.
"Holding hands with oppa feels nice."
"Yeah?"
"You always hold my hand. I want to do something for you, but I just keep being a burden."
"Not true. Just growing like this is ideal. Look how beautifully you've grown."
He mixed in light jokes while observing Yeonsi's state.
It wasn't as bad as he'd feared.
'GM, add to database. 10th floor castle mission, Ha Yeonsi reaction and behavior pattern on Ju Gonghyeok death.'
[Understood. Shall I add a few more predictions based on data?]
'Fine. About 20 more.'
Recording the experience now, Gonghyeok opened his inventory.
He picked a red ruby apple and pinned it to her chest.
"This?"
Yeonsi touched the apple-shaped brooch.
'White Blood Princess's Ruby Apple(S)'
An item he'd saved for her.
"Like it?"
"Yeah, it's so pretty. Can I really have this? It's a gemstone."
"Your glass slippers and red cape are about the same level."
['Red Cape of Wolf Hunter Baretta(A+)'
'Cinderella's Glass Slippers(S-)'
'White Blood Princess's Ruby Apple(S)' resonate with each other.]
[Fairy Tale set effect 'Three Girls Enduring Hardships' activates.
- The girl is resilient. All item durabilities +200.
- Poison apples are useless against the girl. Poison resistance +20%.
- The girl hunts her grandmother's killer. Will and Mind stats +10.]
- Item performance slightly enhanced by set effect.
- Red Cape and Glass Slippers' grades upgraded to S.]
The items on Ha Yeonsi's body emitted a brilliant glow.
"Oppa. Did my clothes change?"
"Like changing into princess attire. Add four more, and it'll be the Seven Princesses set."
She looked down at her outfit.
Seemed like she liked it.
"Wow~ Oppa."
Ha Yeonsi smiled brightly for the first time in a while.
"Really. Thank you."
Crackle.
Static mixed into her bright voice.
Something breaking.
Crack.
Gonghyeok peered into her eyes.
Ha Yeonsi's pupils were split like shattered marbles.
'Same as always.'
On floor 3, trapped in the cave by Outer Mer and B, Ha Yeonsi....
After that, her eyes would crack like this.
He'd ignored it in past regressions since it happened occasionally.
But this regression, it was especially severe.
'Something's wrong.'
As he pondered that.
Ju Gonghyeok's inventory shook.
[Unknown power interferes with Ju Gonghyeok's inventory!]
[Bound item, 'Sacred Relic of Descent(?)' reacts.]
Light burst from the leather pouch designated for inventory use.
"This!"
Ju Gonghyeok had seen this light before.
It happened when angels placed items in inventories or ran events in the past.
But now, with no angels present and no reason, it was happening.
['Sacred Relic of Descent's ownership changes!]
[Item forcibly transferred! Ju Gonghyeok ↔ Ha Yeonsi]
[Hunter Ha Yeonsi acquires 'Sacred Relic of Descent(?)'!]
"Ha Yeonsi?"
Something was up.
Ju Gonghyeok stared at her, certain.
Her shattered black pearl eyes emitted a warm white glow.
Crunch.
The relic from the inventory shattered in midair.
Glowing dust scattered.
GM rapidly spammed messages.
[Master! Confirmed Ha Yeonsi avatar slot expansion!]
[Ha Yeonsi's current avatars: 2/2!]
[Avatar list: 'Princess Bari(SS)' and...!]
Grrrind— grrind—
Rusty gears turning.
White overtook GM's messages.
[Confirmed avatar! 'Angel □□□(?)'!]
[System access denied! Unidentifiable!]
[17th firewall breach attempt! Failed! 255 utility routes accessed!]
[Failed! 1444th barrier bypass! Failed!.......]
Endless GM messages scrolled.
Amid them, something appeared in Gonghyeok's eyes.
A wing.
Only one side sprouted. A white single wing.
On Ha Yeonsi's right shoulder, it gleamed dazzlingly.