85
Chapter 85
"Wait. Wait a minute, hold on."
Flustered by Hunter Han Siwoo's sudden shout-out, everyone urgently requested to pause the Screen.
Although they were organizations that had reached the pinnacle of the seafloor and the surface respectively, it could be said that there was absolutely no interaction between them.
One might wonder why the other members hadn't interacted, even if Parang had intentionally avoided them.
There were several reasons for this.
First was the issue of timing. This was actually the biggest factor.
If you roughly organized the timelines of Oceanus and Slayers, you could see that their timeframes missed each other with exquisite precision.
In the summer of 2018, which was six years ago from now. A 19-year-old Yoo Parang, who was in her first month of awakening, met Diego and Bertea in the waters off Pohang, quickly befriended them, and formed Oceanus.
Half a year later, Hunter Han Siwoo awakened, made a brief flash in the news as a possessor of an S-Rank Personal Skill, and then registered with the Association as a C-Rank Hunter.
Another year passed, and a year and a half after the formation of Oceanus, all seven members were assembled.
Two months after that, Hunter Han Siwoo shattered the record for the fastest promotion to S-Rank and earned the title of Supernova.
Up until this point, Oceanus was essentially no different from a deep-sea social club, making any connection with Han Siwoo completely out of the question. Han Siwoo didn't even know they existed, and to Oceanus, Han Siwoo was nothing more or less than a 'Hunter who frequently appeared in the news'.
Then another year and a half passed, marking the third year since Oceanus's formation and two and a half years since Han Siwoo's awakening.
Hunter Han Siwoo steadily walked the path of a protagonist, beginning to make his name widely known across the World, and the Strike Team dedicated to high-risk Gates, 'Slayers', was launched into the world with five members.
Meanwhile, on Oceanus's side, an unprecedented crisis occurred where Alice Melville was captured by Titan and dragged down to the seafloor, causing Oceanus to lose their minds and spend roughly a year scouring every ocean in the World, consumed by Madness.
Naturally, this was a time when Hunter Han Siwoo was entirely off their radar.
One year later in that state, 2022.
All members of 'Slayers' were gathered, and Hunter Han Siwoo became the most prominent figure in the World.
Holding back their Tears, Oceanus gave up their pursuit of Alice and built a Tombstone to honor her.
In the process of scouring the World's oceans to find her, they realized that an unimaginable number of Monsters were sleeping deep underwater, so they took on the form of a secret organization that prioritized confidentiality above all else.
Two years passed like that, bringing it to 2024. Hunter Han Siwoo achieved Ascension.
That was roughly the flow of events.
They truly had absolutely no reason to cross paths.
Oceanus had no reason to look for Han Siwoo, and Han Siwoo didn't really have a reason to seek out Oceanus either.
"I honestly never dreamed we would be brought up like this......."
"Right. Why is our name being mentioned here?"
"Well, considering what happens next, it makes sense."
That also made sense. When considering what Slayers went through after this, what the situation would be like if they had met Oceanus was.......
"No, but I still don't think we'd have a chance of winning."
The Pit and the school of Monster Fish from earlier could certainly have been handled much more easily, but regarding that eye, honestly, it was questionable if they could win even if they all attacked at once.
They couldn't even be sure of the outcome right now, so it would have been even worse for Oceanus back during Slayers' Ascension.
"You never know. They might have given us something incredible as a reward after meeting us."
"That makes sense in its own way......."
Oceanus fell into confusion.
And just as Oceanus fell into confusion, Slayers was also lost in their own sea of chaos.
"No, but what exactly is Oceanus? An Artifact? A Monster?"
"Is there a chance it's a person?"
"Who would have a name like that? Besides, it doesn't look like there'd be any people here anyway."
"We don't know that, do we? Whatever the reason, we've never been here before. It wouldn't be strange if there were people living beneath the Waterway."
"I guess that makes sense...... But honestly, I'm starting to doubt if we're even still on Earth."
Just as they said, Monster Fish were swimming in circles above them, like a Shark circling its prey.
Every single one of them looked so bizarre that it was impossible to consider them from Earth.
"What do you think, Siwoo? Say something."
"I...... Honestly, I don't really know either. I haven't fully grasped the situation yet, and I have absolutely no idea what Oceanus is."
Hunter Han Siwoo's expression stiffened.
Parang could see intense emotions welling up in his eyes. Regret, pity, and sorrow.
"But we can't just stay put like this. Let's move and try something. Since we're underwater, heading up to the surface should be our top priority."
However, despite all these trials, his will to keep moving forward was still evident.
"Right. We can't just sit here doing nothing."
"We have successfully overcome far worse hardships than this. I believe we can surely get through this one as well."
Just as they were about to head to the surface.
"Oh right, Siwoo."
"Uh, yeah?"
"What was the reward for the last quest? Regardless of the outcome, we did achieve Ascension. And the quest moved on to the next one."
That made sense. The Status Window clearly stated that Slayers had 'ascended.'
He stared into empty space for a moment, then spoke with a slightly surprised look.
"World, Evidence, Resistance, Departure....... These......."
"Ar-Aren't these the Artifacts you made?"
"......That's right."
'So this is how they got the Artifacts back.'
Unlike Slayers, Parang wasn't very surprised. She already knew the fact that Slayers would reclaim the Artifacts anyway, and it just turned out that the method was a quest reward- that was all.
She wondered what kind of absurd quest this was and how it could be so unfair, but considering the unfairness Hunter Han Siwoo faced in the Original Work, it wasn't particularly surprising.
What truly shocked Parang to her core was the 'method of receiving the reward'.
"Uh, Si, Siwoo? O-Over there!!"
The direction Charlotte was shouting and pointing at. Emerging from the distance with blurry silhouettes were about twenty Capulus.
The sight of them slowly approaching the Slayers in neat rows and columns was unbelievably bizarre.
However, their size was smaller than what Parang had seen before, with their width and length being only about one meter.
They were exactly the size of a table.
And as if they truly functioned as tables, the Slayers' Artifacts rested on top of each of the Capulus.
Everyone was quite surprised by this rather unconventional entrance.
The Slayers were reacting in their own way.
"I've been trying to stay calm, but this is genuinely baffling."
"What even are these things? Are they even alive?"
"Are we sure it's okay to pick these up......? It feels really sketchy......."
Oceanus was reacting in their own way as well.
"Wh-What the. Why are they showing up here?"
"Those damn eyeball Monsters literally butt in everywhere."
"Forget the Pit or the school of Monster Fish, I'm more curious about their true identity than anything else in the World."
Even Han Siwoo, the owner of the quest, seemed a bit intimidated by their bizarre appearance, looking hesitant to touch the Artifacts.
With a reluctant hand, he carefully picked up his main weapon, the 'World'.
"Hmm....... There doesn't seem to be any strange curse on it. Still, you never know, so everyone should cast a Dispel Spell at least once before taking them."
"I doubt it's necessary since they're quest rewards, but...... alright. If that's your advice, I'll follow it."
With slightly uncomfortable expressions, all the Slayers began casting various Spells like Purification, Dispel, Cleansing, and so on upon their respective Artifacts.
And in that brief moment.
Swoosh-
Eyra spotted Hunter Han Siwoo carefully using a Skill to erase his presence.
This was thanks to Eyra being a Scholar. Just like Bertea, most Scholars in this World possessed stats specialized for detection and investigation.
Making eye contact with her, Han Siwoo gave a quick wink and quietly slipped away alongside the Capulus that had brought the 'World'.
"Huh, what is he doing right now?"
"Who knows....... Maybe going to the bathroom."
"Parang, please......."
"What, I was actually being serious."
Cautiously hiding her own presence, Charlotte followed in the direction Han Siwoo had disappeared, and the sight she found was.
Well, it was nothing special.
Just Hunter Han Siwoo resting, sitting on a protruding section of the ground.
And right beside him, a Capulus floating silently without a single movement.
"......Siwoo."
"Ah, Charlotte. You're here."
"You know something, don't you."
Charlotte's voice trembled slightly.
"......That's right. I understand this situation better than anyone right now."
"I'm not doubting you at all. But I'm sure you understand that I have so many questions I want to ask right now."
"Of course I understand, Charlotte. But someone as smart as you must also understand why I'm going this far."
"......It means you can't tell me. Of course, I know."
Charlotte's voice wavered, and her gaze dropped slightly downward.
"......I'm sorry, Charlotte."
"You know far too well the only way to hurt me."
Charlotte closed her eyes and let out a deep breath.
"Are you trying to shoulder something all by yourself again? Just like always?"
She raised her head and spoke softly.
It was because of the path Hunter Han Siwoo had shown until now.
He was very greedy, taking on so many difficult burdens by himself as he walked this path.
Charlotte was terrified that here, at the very end of this grueling journey, she would have to watch him sacrifice himself for something again, and that all she could do was helplessly watch.
"......Yeah. It's something I have to do, and something only I can do."
"Why are there so many things like that in this World."
"I know. It's a damn shame."
"......Just promise me you won't leave."
"I promise."
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
At those words, Hunter Han Siwoo quietly stood up and placed something into Charlotte's hand.
"This is......."
"Right. It's the exact same Ring you're wearing right now."
"What do you need me to do with this?"
"Hold onto it until the very end. Until the final moment."
"......I understand."
Charlotte nodded at Han Siwoo, her voice filled with resolve.
"Now, let's head back."
"......Okay."
Charlotte and Han Siwoo returned to where their companions were waiting.