86
Chapter 86
"Ah, my head feels like it's going to explode. Why has this suddenly turned into a mystery? Why is a dead man walking so confident, and why did he just leave his sword stuck in the ground?"
Elvira babbled in utter confusion.
It was understandable, as she couldn't grasp the situation at all. As she said, Han Siwoo, who they thought had died powerless in the sea, was spouting nonsense about 'knowing everything.' And if the results were supposedly good, the Slayers' current condition made no sense.
"Right. Leaving his sword stuck in the ground is quite the spectacle. What on earth is his intention?"
He had even left his main weapon, 'World', deeply embedded in the spot where he had been sitting before heading to the battlefield. They couldn't fathom his motives.
While everyone was confused, Parang was undoubtedly the most perplexed of all.
'He knew? How? No, why?'
Having read the Original Work, she knew. It was only natural for Han Siwoo to be completely ignorant about the sea.
Throughout the Original Work, he had never once shown interest in the sea, nor had he ever entered it. Just like in any typical Hunter story.
So truthfully, when Parang first heard that Hunter Han Siwoo went missing underwater, she was certain he had died.
Because to the ignorant, the sea was exactly that kind of place.
However, Hunter Han Siwoo's current words and actions certainly didn't look like mere bluffs meant to reassure those around him.
Yoo Parang's brain went into overdrive.
The sea, Han Siwoo, the Original Work, the Slayers, the altered Original Work.......
'Could he be a transmigrator?'
She could entertain that assumption. The Original Work Parang had read only went up to the main story's conclusion; she hadn't read the scheduled side stories.
And if the ending of the side story was that the Slayers, including Hunter Han Siwoo, were all massacred in the sea.......
'No, fuck. What kind of Novel is that?'
It had been a long time since Parang had sworn. But even so, this assumption seemed to cross the line.
'Sigh....... But.......'
The situation she, Oceanus, and the Slayers were currently in had completely crossed the line too; they were definitely not playing by the rules.
But still, she wanted to deny that possibility.
After all, it was a story she loved, filled with characters she adored. She didn't want to bring herself to assume it concluded in such a grim way.
'And there's another logical flaw.'
If Hunter Han Siwoo was a regressor, transmigrator, reincarnator, or whatever, and knew about the events that would happen in the sea, it would be normal for him to at least interact with the sea while preparing for it.
And if he had, Oceanus naturally would have detected it.
Since losing Alice, they had become extremely sensitive to anyone stepping into the sea. If a big shot like Han Siwoo had tried to pull something, they would have inevitably noticed.
But looking at his comrades' reactions now, there were absolutely no signs of such contact.
If he really had made contact, he would have told everyone. Back then, they were truly bound by fate, living and dying together.
'So the assumption that Han Siwoo is a transmigrator is.......'
Dismissed, at least for now. She didn't want to think about it.
She spoke to Oceanus, who was still experiencing confusion.
"Let's keep watching for now. There's still a long way to go until the end of the memory."
"......Yeah. That would be best."
"There's no point in discussing it further here anyway."
The memory flowed again, and soon, a scene everyone recognized appeared.
Just as Hunter Han Siwoo returned with Charlotte, an ear-splitting explosion rang out from the Pit next to them, and it launched an attack.
The Slayers shifted into a combat stance and defeated the Pit with everyone completely unharmed.
Afterward, just like in Alexandra's memory, a swarm of Monster Fish numbering easily in the millions descended upon Han Siwoo's group. Titan, Ghost Ship, Crino, and many others.
In a situation where it was literally half water and half fish, the Slayers were pushed onto the defensive by the systematically moving legion, and eventually, casualties began to occur one by one.
It seemed they were going to lose just like that, but.......
"Uwaaaaahhhh!!!"
Whoosh-
Slam!!!
"Oh, so they could be killed like that too."
Without any special tricks, they succeeded in defeating the million-strong army of Monster Fish purely through raw combat power.
The remaining members were Han Siwoo, Kang Yuri, Marianne, Charlotte, a woman named 'Albina' wearing Catholic Bishop's Robes, and a woman named 'Yuki' wearing a Japanese Shrine Maiden Outfit. Six in total.
"Gasp...... gasp...... phew......."
After dispatching the last remaining Monster Fish, Han Siwoo gasped heavily for air.
"Gasp...... phew....... Are you okay......?"
The woman in the Shrine Maiden Outfit approached his side.
"Yeah. I'm okay. It's just, well, a bit exhausting."
"It's to be expected. You fought at the very front."
She supported Han Siwoo, checking his body here and there for injuries. Sorrow cast a shadow over her face.
"You have many wounds. I will heal them, so you had better get some deep sleep for a while."
Seeing her mournful expression, a dark emotion seemed to wash over Han Siwoo's face as well.
Parang had drawn countless pictures in her past life and constantly observed people's expressions, but this time, she couldn't read the emotion on his face.
Sadness, regret, guilt, sorrow.......
It was a subtle expression that didn't fit no matter which emotion she tried to assign to it.
Even so, the overall atmosphere was rather bright.
Thinking from their perspective, it was understandable.
Regardless of how difficult the battle was, they had won, and the members who dropped out had escaped rather than died.
From their point of view, they just needed to head up to the surface, regroup with the comrades who had escaped early and were receiving treatment, and calmly analyze what had happened.
In fact, Charlotte and Albina gave each other a high-five despite their exhausted bodies, and Kang Yuri was also lying quietly next to Han Siwoo.
Considering the situation, it was a truly cruel picture.
In contrast to the Slayers' relaxed atmosphere, the mood on Oceanus's side was heavy.
"Is it coming out soon? That eye."
"Yeah. Twenty minutes before their deaths."
"Xiao, will you be okay?"
Previously, when Diving into Kang Yuri's memory, Xiao had a history of struggling significantly after seeing the eye in question.
Since she was the caster of the Dive Skill, it was true that the burden she bore was overwhelmingly greater than the others.
However, she showed a strong will to continue this task, and Cylo had also done their best to support her, which was why she could be here again.
Currently, in reality, Xiao was equipped with a whopping thirteen Mental Support Artifacts.
Moreover, each and every one was at least S-Rank. Her mental immunity right now was unmatched by anyone in the world.
This was exactly what they meant by the 'power of Equipment' they had mentioned before.
As an added measure, the rest of Oceanus, excluding Xiao, had also equipped one Mental Support Artifact each.
Of course, even with such thorough preparations, there were still concerns, so the tense atmosphere couldn't be helped.
And in the midst of the Silence, at a certain moment.
[ The Skill, 'Waterproof Sanity', is activating. ]
"It's here."
With a message that floated before their eyes, giving a more ironic feeling than ever, it appeared.
It started as a round Sphere. A ball. Smooth and floating.
A ball, a void, a planet, a Universe, a World.
Realizing that something had arrived, the Slayers immediately gripped their Weapons and prepared for battle.
"Xiao, can you hold on?"
"I'm still perfectly fine."
"Don't push yourself. If anything feels off, stop immediately."
"I know. I value my own body too, so don't worry."
Now, its form was clearly visible.
A perfect sphere. It looked like a transparent Glass Bead, but it held no purity, only ugliness.
The Corpses of millions of Monster Fish floated around it like stars. In the very center of the most rotting and disgusting Universe, a Star vomiting out all the evil in the world.
The eye.
Opened.
Parang heard the voices of her comrades in her ears.
"Ugh, it's still more bearable than I thought."
"Maybe it's thanks to the Artifacts, or because we've experienced it once already."
"Xiao, how is it? Are you okay?"
"Yeah, still......."
".........."
"..................."
Parang felt a sense of relief.
Everyone is okay.
But why...... am I...... not.......
Her consciousness clouded. It was harder than before. How come? Why?
[ 'The Skill, Waterproof Sanity', is activating. ]
[ Confirmed load on the Status Window. Prolonged exposure may cause issues. ]
She felt dizzy. Disgusted. She wanted to throw up. She wanted to throw the door open, run out, and scream. She wanted to cry at the world, then laugh, play a prank, sulk alone, suddenly run wild, dance again, sing, scratch her back, wrap her arms around herself, get tied up, fall into the sea, and burn to death.
The emotion couldn't be defined. It was bizarre.
The intensity was much stronger than before. Stronger. Stronger. Stronger.
Her thoughts weren't processing properly. What should I do, what is this, what was I trying to do.
'................'
'.........................'
Parang's mind grew faint.
"■■ ■."
"Gasp!!"
Unwittingly, the breath she had been holding rushed into her lungs.
"Pa, Parang?!"
"What's wrong all of a sudden?!"
From her comrades' perspective, they couldn't help but be startled when Parang, who had been quiet, suddenly acted like this.
"Are you okay? Xiao, stop the memory, quickly!!"
"W-wait a minute. I'm okay. Let's keep watching."
"Are you sure? You absolutely shouldn't push yourself."
"I know that well. It's just,"
Parang paused for a moment.
"I guess I was just a bit tired. I feel a little nauseous, but I can bear it."
"Phew...... alright. If you say so."
"Did you see what happened before?"
When Parang focused her mind on the Dive, Charlotte had already been transferred to the Hive, lying as if asleep with her eyes squeezed shut, tightly clutching the Ring.
"A-ah, no. Please show it to me again. Sorry."
"Got it."
The memory rewound,
and that entity opened its eyes once more.
Ironically, she felt more comfortable than earlier. Just a bit of nausea and a slight headache.
"Why on earth did I act like that earlier......."
It felt like a very crucial moment had passed by.
However, for now, focusing on the scene before her was the top priority. Parang directed her attention back to the memory.
"Uuugh...... Aaargh......."
As soon as it opened its eyes, Hunter Han Siwoo and the Slayers reacted instantly.
Their expressions showed unbearable Pain.
Some crouched down, clutching their heads, while others stretched their bodies out stiffly.
Boom!
The Camera at Hunter Han Siwoo's waist exploded, sinking downwards as debris.
Then suddenly,
Crack!!
The glass Ring on his finger shattered, and the golden thread inside flowed into his body.
And then again.
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!!
The remaining five rings all shattered as well, and a golden aura settled into everyone's bodies, including Charlotte's.
"Wh-what the. What, uh, what's going on?"
"It'll show up soon, so watch closely."
Rapidly, dozens of messages appeared and disappeared before Charlotte's eyes.
"U-ugh......."
Although she was still clutching her head, her expression looked much more comfortable as she summoned her Status Window with a bewildered face.
[ Status Window: Charlotte Eyra ]
[ Personal Skill: Writing a Myth (S) ]
[ What you do not know chases you. ]
[ What you know helps you. ]
[ Skill ]
[ Waterproof Sanity (S), Ultra-Precision Observation (S), Eyes that See the Universe (S)....... ]
"Re-recent notifications."
[ Loading recent notifications. ]
[ Your mind has been completely destroyed. ]
[ The One-time Artifact, 'Happy Ending', has been destroyed. ]
[ Your mind has been restored. ]
[ After your mind was completely destroyed underwater, it has been restored once again. You have acquired the Skill, Waterproof Sanity (S). ]
[ The Skill, 'Waterproof Sanity', has activated ]
"Mmm......."
Parang quickly skimmed the Status Window and organized the series of events in her head.
It seemed the other Slayers had also restored their minds through this route.
'So it flowed roughly like this.......'
However, since she herself had been out of it, she hadn't seen the following scenes in detail.
The memory ended with Eyra activating the Teleportation Device, transferring to the Hive, hiding herself deep inside, and then casting an Embalming Spell on her own body.
In a slightly chaotic atmosphere, the Dive ended.
"Let's, let's just rest for a bit......."
Everyone agreed with Parang's words and sprawled out inside the Water Tank just like that.
#
Deep underwater.
The seabed, the Deep Sea, the darkness.
Standing there alone.
From far away, something can be seen approaching.
[ The Skill, 'Waterproof Sanity' is ■■■■*፻ ]
[ Error detected. The Skill has been destroyed. It cannot be activated. ]
[ Flee. ]
[ Flee. ]
[ Flee. ]
[ Flee. ]
[ Flee. ]
Seeing that, he gave a short, cynical laugh.
"Tell me to flee......."
He could see it approaching, close enough that they could already recognize each other.
"How could I possibly do that. That's nonsense."
The approaching Tentacle moved sluggishly.
"Of course. It's absolute nonsense."
He closed his eyes. He would soon be at peace. But he couldn't be at peace.
Because of that one phrase he couldn't pass on.
He tried opening his mouth, but he knew it wouldn't reach her.
So, speaking quietly, even if only to himself.
"Open, your eyes......."
"........."
"......"
"Hey, hey. Hey!!"
"Ah, yeah."
"Sigh, were you thinking about that again?"
"Ah, yeah......."
His voice trailed off.
"I knew it. You were thinking about it. I know it's hard, but try to shake it off."
"Sorry. It's not really working."
"Sigh....... Well, yeah....... Hang in there. I know it's not much help, but it's not over yet."
"......Thanks. By the way, why did you call me all of a sudden?"
"Well, it's nothing major. I was a bit bored, and your expression was getting dark, so I figured, 'Ah, he's doing it again.' So I decided to talk to you. You know how hard it is to get out once you fall into depression."
"Ah....... Thanks for caring."
"Also, I figured they would have seen everything by now. We should slowly get to our task too."
"That's slightly faster than expected. But there aren't any big problems, right?"
"Yeah. Not yet, anyway."
"Alright, that's a relief. Thanks, always."
"No, well...... I owe you one too."
"Huuuu......."
"......If it's too hard, take a rest. It's something I can do instead."
"No. I'll do it. I wouldn't feel comfortable dumping more on you here. I'd rather take on the hardship."
"Well, if you say so, do as you please."
Silence. After making eye contact for a moment, he turned around and headed toward the dark Cave's Exit.
"By the way, it's not really my place to say, but your life is seriously twisted, it really is."
"Who in the world doesn't have a twisted life...... is what I want to say, but I really can't."
Silence again, he closed his mouth.
Even he had to admit, his life had some excessively twisted aspects.
"Sigh. Just take a few of these."
"I always feel this way, but why this shape of all things? Couldn't you have made them look a bit prettier?"
He said, looking at the three Capulus following behind him.
"If you don't like it, don't take them."
"No, I'll take them. Thanks."
He turned back around and stared at the Cave's Exit again.
'Status Window.'
[ Status Window: Han Siwoo ]
[ Personal Skill: Promise to the Future (EX) ]
[ Your final opportunity has arrived. ]
[ Skill ]
[ Waterproof Sanity (S), Path Pioneering (S), Trust Between Friends (S) ...... ]
[ Status Effect ]
[ Regression ]
'To think it's not even a Skill, but a Status Effect.'
Isn't that just blatantly ominous?
He, Han Siwoo, quietly swam out of the Cave.