Chapter 115
Chapter 115
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 114
Chapter Title: Raid Dungeon, 'Tree of the Abyss'
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It was a weekday morning, and the café wasn't very crowded.
"......."
Chris sat at a table in a café across from the Hana Games headquarters in Gangnam, Seoul, gazing out the window.
Ting-a-ling—
Before long, the person Chris was waiting for appeared at the café's entrance.
A beautiful woman with bright, stunning blonde hair, dressed in office attire.
Chris considered herself quite attractive, but this woman's beauty was certainly on par with her own.
The woman scanned the café, and upon spotting Chris, she smiled and approached, taking the seat opposite her.
Then, with an exaggerated gesture, she feigned wiping her chest in relief.
"Phew! You really... asking to meet so suddenly, it was tough making time, you know?"
"I'm sorry for asking on such short notice."
"Don't mention it! A request from Chris, a senior researcher at Klaus Capsule Corporation, KCC! I'd make time even if I didn't have any! As long as I'm in this industry, it's important to be on good terms with someone from the world's largest capsule company, right?"
"Heh, we've met before, haven't we?"
"Hehe, that's true."
The blonde woman smiled brightly.
"I have a lot of questions."
Chris returned a meaningful smile.
"Team Leader Han Yeo-reum."
Han Yeo-reum.
Team Leader of the Marketing Department at Hana Games.
The person from Hana Games who first contacted Rain with the advertising model proposal.
Her profile showed nothing out of the ordinary.
But something felt off.
A sense of something unnatural intruding upon reality.
It was a similar feeling to when she'd looked into Rain's background.
Who are you?
What do you know about Rain's past?
Han Yeo-reum just kept smiling cheerfully.
Chris stared at her for a moment, then glanced around the café.
It was unexpected that Team Leader Han had suggested meeting in a public place like a café.
Chris had planned to have a private conversation, one that couldn't be spoken of openly. Of course, if they kept their voices down, others wouldn't overhear them.
A place like this wasn't ideal.
How should she begin?
Sensing Chris's mood, Han Yeo-reum beamed and spoke first.
"What are you worried about? Aren't you going to talk about something far-fetched anyway?"
"Pardon?"
"It's not about virtual reality development technology, is it? Aren't you curious about Rain?"
"......!"
Chris was stunned.
How much did she know?
Han Yeo-reum nodded to herself.
"How did you get this far? Is it because you're close to her, the irregular? Anyway, I got rough permission from my superior, so I suppose I can tell you a little."
"Superior? Do you mean AO Director Shin Gyeong-hun? Or the CEO of Hana Games..."
"Ah, not that kind of superior. Strictly speaking, she isn't my superior. Oh, you can just put that here. Mmm~ Iced americano is the best, even in winter, right?"
Han Yeo-reum smiled brightly and took a sip of the iced coffee placed before her. Then, she rested her chin on her hand and began to speak.
"The story I'm about to tell you is about a Hero who saved the world."
"A Hero?"
"You can think of it as a story from a fantasy novel. That would probably be best for both of us."
"......."
It was a story Chris couldn't possibly comprehend.
It lacked any sense of reality.
It would have been easier to accept a scenario where Rain had been subjected to human experiments and had the game's world injected into her mind.
A Hero reincarnated from another world?
A Hero who defeated the Demon King, but lost her comrades and was broken in the process?
A Hero who returned with both her mind and body scarred?
"...This is just a story, right?"
"Yes. You can think of it that way."
Chris felt something simmering inside her.
Her mind couldn't accept it, but her heart was filled with pity and anger.
"What about the goddess of that world!? Why would she send the Hero back in such a broken state?"
"Even if we wanted to question her, the one to ask is gone, so there's nothing we can do. We—no, the original world—who were suddenly burdened with a being from another world, are also in a very difficult position, you know?"
Han Yeo-reum looked as if she had a headache.
"Higher dimensions aim to be worlds that can function without gods. To ascend to a higher dimension, gods must simply exist, not interfere with the world by performing miracles. However, lower dimensions require divine intervention to maintain their form. You know, through things like bestowing divine power or the strength of a holy sword. Ah, of course, this is all just part of a fantasy novel's world-building, right?"
"......"
"Anyway, that Hero's story is continuing in another world. Haa~ Normalizing a world on the brink of being consumed by demonic energy, a world that's just an empty shell, is the duty of those in charge of the higher dimensions, so it can't be helped. But it's a task that must be done as naturally as possible, without affecting this world."
Chris clutched her chest.
"...But the Hero is now."
"Mentally unstable, yes. But she's a Hero, isn't she? She'll overcome it."
And then, Han Yeo-reum offered a serene smile.
"It seems that the Hero, an irregular, an impurity that has slipped into this world, has found a pillar of emotional support."
She looked at Chris with an expression of trust.
"The person who connects Rain and Iseulbi. The one who can let the Hero 'Rain' exist in this world as 'Iseulbi'."
Chris shook her head in dismay.
A cruel story.
For someone who lived in a world born of advanced science, it was a difficult story to comprehend.
She had prepared herself, but actually accepting it was another matter entirely.
She had no choice but to dismiss it as a tale from a novel.
"I... I don't know."
"In the world we've prepared, slowly follow the Hero's path. If you do, perhaps a day will come when you can accept it. Hehe, although we said it's a world everyone saves together, it seems she's acquiring the power she's meant to have all on her own."
*
"Igraine, I won't be able to visit for a while. Don't be lonely because you can't see me, okay? Ah, well, you do have your friends with you."
I reached out and caressed the green orb.
I couldn't physically touch it, but I stroked it as if it were something precious.
"Soon, we'll be able to talk again. There was that one time I was in your arms. Do you remember? Hee, it's been so hard, so this time I'm going to stay in your embrace for a very long time. Even though you look like this now. You have to appear in your original body, okay? It's fine if you don't, but, umm... I just want to be held. I wish you had a body I could touch."
We'll be able to talk.
I wanted to see Igraine's white hair again.
I wanted to see her serene smile, directed at me, once more.
"Well then, I'll be going."
I stood up, glanced at the green orb, and turned away.
At that moment.
Vwooom!
The green orb glowed with a more intense light, letting out a resonant hum.
A beam of light extended from it, wrapped around my waist, and soon took the form of a belt.
[Belt of the World Tree]
[Elite]
[STR +50, AGI +50, INT +50]
[Unique Ability: Blocks fatal damage once. However, Max HP is fixed at 1% until combat ends (Cooldown: 30 minutes)]
"Keh."
I couldn't help but laugh.
Right, this was a game.
But I could feel Igraine's kind heart through this belt.
Her desire to protect me was clearly conveyed.
I bowed my head toward her.
"Thank you. I will protect the elves and the World Tree."
The thick fog of demonic energy cleared.
I walked silently down the path.
And then, the 'Tree of the Abyss' appeared before my eyes.
A massive hole in it was slowly opening its maw.
I looked around.
Countless heroes had gathered to stop this tree.
The first 12-person raid dungeon in 'Astria Online'.
The users' attack squads had been formed.
Everyone would proceed with the raid according to their squad's schedule.
And then, someone approached my side.
"Chris."
"Rain."
She was looking at me, on the verge of tears.
Then she pulled me into a tight hug.
I blushed.
"Ah, Chris. People are watching."
"Are you really going alone? Even though it's a 12-person raid dungeon?"
"Yes."
I nodded while still in her embrace.
Chris had wanted to form an attack squad centered around me, but I insisted.
This is my duty as the former Hero of the Astria Continent.
I cannot borrow the power of people from another world to reclaim my comrades.
As Igraine's comrade, I must do this.
I looked at Chris's face and gave her a gentle smile.
"I'm a solo player, after all."
"Hic, I'll believe you no matter what you say, so just tell me when you're ready! I can't trust that suspicious blonde, but I'll always trust you, Rain!!"
"......?"
Suspicious blonde?
Chris squeezed my hand.
"Even if I tell you not to push yourself, you're going to, aren't you?"
Nod, nod.
Chris's expression hardened.
"Alright, so you don't have to push yourself too hard, I'll finish this quickly."
Behind her, the members of the Red and White guild were visible.
They all wore confident smiles.
Chris let go of my hand and, with hesitant steps, walked over to them.
Watching her back, I turned my head.
'Raid Dungeon'.
This clearly wasn't the kind of dungeon that could be cleared in a single day. It might even take several.
What awaited me here was likely one of the Demon Army's corps commanders.
Back then, I always faced the corps commanders with my comrades.
Now, I was alone.
Without the Hero's power, could I defeat a corps commander by myself?
But I had to.
I looked at the 'Tree of the Abyss', its maw now fully open.
[Entry Level: 50]
[Raid Dungeon (12-person recommended)]
[Tree of the Abyss]
[In 29 days, 23 hours, and 59 minutes, the World Tree will completely lose its life force]
[In 29 days, 23 hours, and 59 minutes, this region will be covered in frigid demonic energy]