Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Immortality (1)
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There were two webtoon artists.
One had enjoyed massive profits and popularity in the mainstream for a long time, while the other barely clung to professional status, forced to watch young, up-and-coming creators surpass him and charge toward the peak he could only gaze at.
One had a lot to lose.
He'd amassed enough money before thirty to live comfortably as middle class or better until the day he died.
That allowed him to get married and manage assets properly.
The other hadn't managed that.
He couldn't escape the inherent instability that plagued artists trying to make a living from their craft.
He'd saved a little money, but not enough to dream of marriage—just barely sufficient to scrape by for himself alone over a lifetime.
His personal charm falling short of the former's might have been a factor too.
Times had changed.
The popular artist, like others blessed with abundance, desperately tried to view the world optimistically, scorning doomsayers with excessive contempt.
His notice condemning the current state racked up 2,300 comments. Most reaffirmed fervent support for him.
The other artist saw the world bleakly.
To make matters worse, the mystery suspense he ambitiously launched—his self-proclaimed life's masterpiece—had been ignored by readers, fueling his despair.
His needless brutal depictions, born of poor performance, became a career-damaging stain.
He finally got a platform warning and had to shelve the work, half by choice, half forced.
He knew all too well the fate of poorly selling artists.
The farewell post garnered 13 comments.
Two were illegal Cialis ads.
The fates of these two artists, who walked such divergent paths, flipped completely when war broke out.
The popular one fled from his lavish Gyeonggi outskirts mansion to Seoul, then Bucheon, now barely securing a cramped, fishy-smelling rental in Incheon's docks to console his wife through grueling days.
The ordinary one poured his savings into a fairly luxurious bunker, complete with stable LPG fuel, generators, and satellite internet, drawing reader acclaim by webtooning as before.
Pre-war or post-war—which is better?
Ask them, and you'd get opposite answers.
At least our forum treasure DragonC could proudly claim post-war life beat his old one.
Their contrasting plights came into sharp relief thanks to the winds of change brought by our messiah, John_nenon.
A popular artist from PaleNet posted on our board.
He saw it.
Not just a rival he'd never even remembered—a dime-a-dozen low-tier artist—now living far better and safer, feasting comfortably, webtooning leisurely, and chatting with fellow doomsayers.
We couldn't know his initial feelings, but what we saw was pure jealousy and rage.
If Pilkrum88 were just a random reader, DragonC might've laughed it off.
But Pilkrum88 was a top artist.
A peak-dweller no pre-war scrub dared eye.
Such a guy picked a fight.
I've never created beyond Bitbox, so I can't know DragonC's exact feelings, but he was pissed for sure.
DragonC, who rarely showed emotion, snapped back angrily.
Blood's thicker than water—or forum ties, anyway.
Our board buddies unleashed rare camaraderie against Pilkrum88's rudeness.
A true feast of loyalty.
DragonC, touched by our brotherhood, posted thanks.
But Pilkrum88 wasn't some pushover.
He was a top artist.
He'd crushed fierce competition, trampled rivals, claimed the summit.
He knew how to screw over fellow creators.
He previewed a new work.
Same concept, theme, title as DragonC's ambitious final masterpiece he planned to serialize.
Plagiarism? Maybe.
But plagiarism only sticks when the copier lags the original.
If a more famous, popular, skilled artist crafts the same tale more elegantly, fun, superbly, the original fades to irrelevance.
Ferocious speed, artwork, meticulous plotting, paneling.
Pilkrum88's rendition of DragonC's masterpiece transcended plagiarism into reinterpretation—no, re-creation—at staggering heights.
Same content, utterly different vibe.
Pilkrum88's felt like a Michelin-starred restaurant's proud course meal; DragonC's, a franchise chain's casual plate from some celeb chef.
Especially Kaildos's final kiss with his wife and noble end—art in motion, no exaggeration.
Out-copying DragonC to birth a fresh masterpiece, Pilkrum88 mounted the stage, striking victory pose.
Guessing DragonC's rage at total domination? Easy.
After that day, DragonC vanished from the board without a word.
"...Ha, what a joke."
If unrelated to our turf, we might've jumped in.
But this was art.
Artists' pride.
Two gladiators clashed in an arena we couldn't enter. Pilkrum88 heavier weight class; DragonC lost.
A week later, DragonC messaged me.
"Ah."
Big trouble.
*Back then, I'd have said yes outright.
In soul-numbing boredom, feeling alive—even slightly—was vital for my long-term survival hopes.
But now? Bad timing.
High chance Woo Min-hee—or gov types—like that reporter—are lurking our board.
Revealing my true self under watchful eyes? Suicide.
Especially if Woo Min-hee, desperately hunting Umchang, learned this. Good boy Umchang (31) might actually die...
Still, my support for DragonC is genuine.
He long supplied our boredom antidote—free vitamins for the soul.
Ignoring him? Not the board's loyalty icon SKELTON.
So I picked a middle path.
No lies.
What?
That's it?
No reason to refuse.
Honor, even.
Me, minor PaleNet commenter, aiding named user DragonC? Huge.
Thus began the historic Skeleton-DragonC collab.
Truth? Early on, DragonC barely trusted me.
Grasping at straws to topple Pilkrum giant, he reached out; I grabbed it, leaving him regretting the forced team-up.
But doubts faded fast.
Because this Park Gyu is the real deal.
Peak of old-school Hunters in his mind.
I fed DragonC pre-Awake tactics, culture, combat stances—lightly fictionalized.
He doubted at first, then marveled, even admired, absorbing eagerly.
Midway, that blurted line captured his shift perfectly.
"..."
Not my fault.
Who'd imagine John_nenon invading here via PaleNet?
Or that reporter being Woo Min-hee?
With such insight, I'd lead humanity from my bunker—straight out the door.
Luckily, DragonC shrugged off my fatal profile.
He wanted something else.
He wanted to meet.
Shockingly, not far from my turf.
Western wasteland I rarely scouted—barren plain where stretching tiptoes barely glimpse West Sea waves. Named user DragonC's hideout.
He didn't know.
Defender moved nearby.
West coast's shunned even in Defender days.
Chinese landing rumors everywhere.
Cross the sea, actual Chinese-held turf.
Ignorance pick, but risky-safety like mine.
Not even pioneers poked West Sea shores.
"West from your place? Nothing there. West coast evacuated at war start? Chinese expected landings got conventional barrages too."
Close enough; set to meet named DragonC.
Worried about my dumb profile, but mainly help forum bro.
That's all...
Had preconceptions.
Webtoonists are young.
Youth seemed intrinsic.
But IRL DragonC neared fifty.
Wrinkle city, half-gray hair, face unhealthily dark-red.
Liver issues, probably.
Heavy smoker stench too.
"Hello? Skeleton here."
Used polite speech naturally.
"No stiff honorifics between us. Casual. Skeleton. Call me Dragon."
Voice surprisingly youthful vs. face.
"Nice to meet you, Dragon. Skeleton."
"Way younger than I pictured. Posts made me think peer."
DragonC grinned with crinkled eyes, extended hand.
Calluses galore—like mine.
Pens harden hands too, huh.
His bunker perimeter? Dead quiet.
"There."
Handed binoculars.
"Red flags? Chinese. Stuck—no step out. Zombie den below. Monsters next door, looks like."
Indeed, across sea: small Chinese infantry as Younghee described.
Less soldiers, more desperate survivors.
Plowing with hoes, whistle-drilled farming? Yeah.
"Alright, let's start?"
DragonC fired up.
"Flatten that cocky kid Pilkrum with my immortal masterpiece?"
He wanted real Hunter poses.
Grip, weapons, vs. monsters.
Axe tied to ID; demoed fake dagger, gun instead.
Snap! Snap!
Crisp stance, flawless motions.
Old pro "Professor"-worthy basics shone timeless before barren sea.
"Whoa..."
DragonC's jaw dropped.
"Skeleton, you ain't kidding?"
"...My callsign's actually Dandy. D.A.N.D.Y."
"Callsign whatever—you're legit nuts."
DragonC smirked triumphantly.
"Real talk... we might win this..."