Chapter 85
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Controllable Variable
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The light pouring from the single wing is warm.
But somehow, that only irritates him more.
To someone who has despaired of the world, favors or goodwill offered without price are nothing but objects of contempt.
“Khuk!”
He doesn’t know what’s happening.
Most of his strength is with his main body on the surface.
Gonghyeok shouted with the face of a ferocious demon.
“Ha Yeonsi!”
No matter how Ha Yeonsi changes, no matter what happens.
Ha Yeonsi is Ha Yeonsi.
When he calls, she answers.
He pushed through the cascading holy light and grabbed Yeonsi’s shoulder.
“Ha— Yeon— Si—!”
“Oppa?”
She responded in a dazed voice.
She still has some awareness.
Gonghyeok stared into Yeonsi’s eyes.
“Snap out of it. Ha Yeonsi.”
“Yes?”
Gonghyeok quietly let out a sigh.
Then he slipped his hands under her armpits.
“Ah—”
He lifted Yeonsi up like a child.
Even as a hunter, she was incredibly light.
“Yeonsi.”
“Yes.”
“Are you feeling a bit more clear-headed now?”
“Yeees.”
Yeonsi blinked, and the single wing on her shoulder folded away and vanished.
Somehow, he’d calmed her down.
“Anywhere feel off? Any pain or nausea?”
“Doesn’t seem like it. If anything, I feel a little... refreshed.”
“Yeah?”
As he replied, Gonghyeok checked Ha Yeonsi’s pupils.
The cracks from before were gone.
“Ha Yeonsi, check your status for any changes.”
“Yes, yeees.”
“And.”
Ju Gonghyeok asked seriously.
“Did you know your pupils were acting weird? Like they were shattering and melting strangely.”
“A little. I knew.”
Yeonsi hesitated.
“It mostly happened when I was thinking about you, oppa. Even treatments didn’t help much. My head got foggy, so I couldn’t say anything. Sorry.”
“I see. At least you were aware of it.”
Gonghyeok nodded.
One eye was reading the message window the GM had brought up.
[Avatar (Incarnation) Ha Yeonsi]
[Strength: D 225 ≫ B 499 (+274)
Endurance: D 225 ≫ B 425 (+200)
Agility: D 235 ≫ B 499 (+265)
Technique: C 301 ≫ A 600 (+299)
Mind: C 341 ≫ S 641 (+300)
Will: D 266 ≫ A 566 (+300)
Mana: C 352 ≫ S 700 (+348)
Additional Advantages (NEW!!!)
Angel's Avatar (Unique SSS), Transcender (S), Stat Growth Savior (SS+), Indomitable Spirit (A), True Sight (S++).
Flaw Deleted - Crumbling Mind (-S)
Avatar Added ‘Angel □□□(?)’
Rank and Name Unverifiable.]
“Good stuff attached itself.”
Her stats had nearly doubled.
And suddenly, plastered with top-tier advantages.
The GM raised another message.
[Ha Yeonsi Stat Total - 3,930.
Ju Gonghyeok Stat Total - 2,906.
Ha Yeonsi’s total is 1,024 points higher than Master’s. Even if all acquired blue coins are invested in stats, it’s estimated to still be around 800 points higher than Master.]
‘Good thing the Circlet of Transcendent Eyes is here.’
Gonghyeok patted his chest in relief.
The treasure of the Four Heavenly Kings Hildebrandt, ‘Circlet of Transcendent Eyes’.
Obtained through Guardsand’s black box, it was one of the four keys to opening the Demon King’s gate.
It also granted the immobile Demon King on floor 88 the power to overlook the lower world.
‘Demon King, even with the system interference at Babel, he’s probably clueless.’
The ‘Circlet of Transcendent Eyes’ placed before the Demon King’s gate right now was only half-functional.
The actual Circlet, missing the Transcendent Eye, sat plainly in Gonghyeok’s inventory.
With the eye present, surveillance functioned fine, but reception was cut off.
Even with such a massive error, the Demon King wouldn’t know without reports from his underlings.
Because the circlet handling reception was missing.
As Gonghyeok checked stats, Ha Yeonsi cautiously asked.
“Oppa. Am I okay?”
Yeonsi looked up at Gonghyeok with clear eyes.
Her complexion seemed brighter than before.
“Yeah. No problems. Stats went up too—great news.”
“Oh, really?”
Ha Yeonsi checked her traits in detail.
Seeing her purely happy made his chest swell with pride.
His hand naturally drifted to Yeonsi’s pale nape.
The soft fuzz there tickled his palm.
Gonghyeok thought as he stroked the smooth nape.
‘Should I kill her in a bit?’
If he did, how?
Purely in stats, Ha Yeonsi surpassed Ju Gonghyeok.
But endurance was still just B.
If he borrowed the Great Sage’s power for a sudden neck snap, she couldn’t react.
‘But her regeneration is top-notch. Might not be enough with just a neck break.’
Plus, the Unique SSS advantage ‘Angel's Avatar’—unknown effects.
If ambushing, do it without regret. For certain.
‘Considering regeneration, blow off head and heart at once. With S-rank mana, she’s at entry-level heavenly knight. Fighting at range would be tough.
Finish in one strike up close, two at most. Take both legs simultaneously so she can’t flee......’
Gonghyeok organized plans and methods to kill Ha Yeonsi in his mind.
He couldn’t know.
Why Ha Yeonsi had changed like this.
That led to the dilemma.
‘Is Ha Yeonsi a controllable variable?’
It was Ju Gonghyeok who broke her and reshaped her with pain.
That made her easy to understand and handle.
A shattered-hearted Ha Yeonsi’s actions and future changes were in Gonghyeok’s grasp.
A fully comprehensible variable.
But that variable had suddenly turned unknowable.
“Um, oppa.”
Yeonsi blushed faintly and bowed her head.
“That... my nape’s sweaty today, so it’s embarrassing. You won’t like touching it.”
“Hm?”
Gonghyeok brought his face to Yeonsi’s nape and sniffed.
“Smells good. Why?”
“Nooo!”
Yeonsi’s face turned beet red as she covered her nape with her hair.
Brightened personality. Returning changes.
It felt like the Ha Yeonsi from before climbing Babel.
A miracle absent even in the past 13 regressions, one that would never return.
However. The important thing was.
‘Is this Ha Yeonsi controllable by my hand? Or not?’
That was the question.
“Yeonsi. Do you know about this, by chance?”
“Yes? What?”
“I made a promise with you once, long ago.”
Seventh regression, in the perishing world.
He’d promised her as he killed her.
‘I don’t know how many regressions are left, or how many times I’ll kill you—the bringer of ruin.’
He swallowed the future she didn’t know and continued.
“No matter what, to always tell you I love you. That was the promise.”
“L-Love?”
Yeonsi’s hands and feet flailed wildly.
“I-I mean, I think about it super positively too! So!”
“Don’t feel awkward. I’m just being honest.”
Gonghyeok lightly kissed Yeonsi’s forehead.
“I love you. Yeonsi.”
Yeonsi froze, speechless.
Gonghyeok took her hand and headed out of the aqueduct.
The warmth from her hand evoked so many memories.
Long before climbing Babel.
At the orphanage, holding hands while caring for kids.
As rookies facing orc reapers of souls, this hand was there; in endless labyrinths and darkness, this hand was there.
Having failed to protect it once and saved her again, it felt even warmer.
“Team Leadeeer!”
A teammate’s voice echoed from afar.
It was Sally the magician.
“Team Leader! Sniff. I thought you died too! And Yeonsi just vanished! I really thought it was over!”
Fresh tears welled in eyes crusted with dried streaks on her cheeks.
“Ha Yeonsi! How could you just go off alone like that! Do you know how worried we were! I’ve seen tons of people die, but someone close dying is the worst! We’ve already lost two out of ten teammates, and if you went too...”
Sally couldn’t continue, and Ha Yeonsi floundered.
“S-Sorry, unnie.”
“I don’t care! You always ignore me! Prank me! Splatter blood and guts! I know you treat me like an idiot!”
“M-Me? I’d never...”
“But don’t die, okay! Sniff.”
Ha Yeonsi panicked at her reaction.
Before long, Yeonsi had let go of his hand and was comforting Sally.
Warmth lingered in Gonghyeok’s empty hand.
Watching her back, he quietly repeated.
“I love you.”
But.
Killing intent and affection.
Need and emotion.
Are separate matters.
‘For now, I’ll watch more.’
She’d grown strong. And loves me.
The world has variables beyond her.
With futures and countless enemies ahead, having an ally like her isn’t bad.
Can’t always live the same life.
But.
Someday, he would kill her.
Ju Gonghyeok recalled his grand premise.
‘I. Save the world.’
Therefore.
‘I. Have no regrets.’
Ju Gonghyeok’s clone vanished from the aqueduct.
On the surface, chaos had been unfolding for some time.
＊ ＊ ＊ ＊ ＊
“What tricks did you pull, you bastard!”
Jeong Hyeondo exploded in fury.
The weak outlaws outside the castle had met the black rain.
Even Company hunter Ju Gonghyeok had no countermeasures, so refugees fled into the castle to escape the body-melting rain.
And inside the castle, they met...
“Welcome to the Vampire Castle of Omer Ashk!”
“Let’s see, kill five per person. If you steal someone else’s, settle it among yourselves!”
The murderers who’d wiped out the Crusaders and vampires to claim the castle.
Boosted by massive rewards and coins thanks to Omer Ashk—X—they rampaged like fish in water, slaughtering helpless refugees.
That’s when they met Jeong Hyeondo.
“Because you diverted the kids somewhere weird, do you know how much I suffered!”
“So, where are the others?”
“No idea! We scattered because of the scam-level vampires!”
“Lots died then. Good thing. I didn’t send my subordinates.”
“You calling that talk? Maybe we could’ve won if you’d sent yours!”
“Result is, survivors increased. Anyway, not the time for that.”
Gonghyeok pointed to the scene of dozens of murderer vampires rampaging.
“They got too strong with rewards. We need to flee fast.”
Seska, under Gonghyeok’s protection, bit her lip.
“We were asked to protect you first. Team Leader Ju, can’t it be done?”
“Because of what happened earlier?”
Gonghyeok shook his head.
“I can handle them all. Like you said, given time, I can kill them all. But.”
Gonghyeok extended one arm sideways.
“What I can protect reaches only to my arm’s length. Who guards you while I fight? Section Chief Jeong can’t alone.”
“Hard means... it’s possible?”
“No. Don’t even dream. Want to bet your life on luck?”
“.......”
“You know, but if luck’s bad and you die, it’s all for naught. We came to protect you, not some refugees we accidentally contracted.”
‘Never planned to protect them from the start.’
Gonghyeok swallowed the passing thought and looked at Jeong Hyeondo.
Jeong Hyeondo quietly lowered his gaze and replied.
“You’re right.”
“In that sense, Section Chief.”
Gonghyeok gripped Hyeondo’s hand and spoke.
“Punishments later—let’s protect Seska now. Situation’s messy.”
“Khum, let’s do th....”
As Jeong Hyeondo answered, a red crescent blade fell from above.
“What are you doing, chatting cozily in hiding!”
Stab! Crunch!
“Die.”
“Gah! You startled me!”
In the blink of an eye, Gonghyeok’s great halberd severed the ambushing vampire’s neck, and a startled Jeong Hyeondo’s kick pulverized its guts and spine.
As Section Chief of Special Task Force 0, Jeong Hyeondo was among the Company’s top ten.
“Someone died over there?”
“Which bastard? Let’s go!”
“More coins than these weed-like guys, right?”
Sensing a comrade’s death with vampire senses, they surrounded the fresh, leaping prey.
Facing the encirclement, Jeong Hyeondo said.
“What now? Break out separately?”
“No need, I think.”
Ju Gonghyeok pointed to the ceiling.
“The one they’re talking about arrived.”
Rumble!
The ceiling collapsed, revealing massive black wings.
“Omer! It’s Omer Ashk!”
“Ooh! How’ve you been, X? We were handling this place first!”
Descending amid the murderers’ cheers.
Everyone there felt the premonition of death.
And the fateful meeting between X and Ju Gonghyeok occurred.