Chapter 141
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 141: How to Enjoy a Festival (3)
As we went inside, I could see the items installed for the event. I led the customer toward the temple, making sure he didn't stray from the path. The customer showed no particular excitement, even at the unique scenery made from various items.
“This is the turning point. You can't go past this. We've put up a barrier, but just in case, don't jump in out of curiosity. It's forbidden!”
I chattered on, feeling like I was talking to myself, as I guided him. As I walked with the indifferent man, we soon neared the turning point we had designated. The inside of the temple hadn't changed much since it was last altered. However, due to the illusion items we'd installed, monsterillusions resembling animals roamed the grand, stone temple. The white stone temple had been weathered by time, but its majesty was still evident in its huge, tall stone pillars and the delicately carved and well-placed statues.
“.....”
The customer, who seemed to find the temple interior at least a little interesting, looked around, then poked the barrier that was blocking the door to the maze. For a moment, the barrier wavered. I quickly stopped him.
"You have to turn back here!"
"That's a problem."
The moment I tried to pull the customer back, I flinched at the familiar voice. This voice...
"I have business inside."
"You…!"
Tornito?!
"It's stuffy."
He roughly threw back his hood. His tiger ears and black hair were revealed to the world. Fzzt, bzzt— At the same time, sparks danced over his body and gathered at his fingertips. I instinctively aimed my gun at him, as he gathered lightning on his glove, but instead of attacking me, he tore the barrier on the door.
Riiip—!
And he immediately jumped inside the barrier, toward the maze. That bastard, how did he get into the Academy?What is he planning?There's nothing left in this dungeon.But the Wild Hunt is a mysterious group. I don't know what he'll do, or what will happen. I immediately chased after him, and as I ran, I sent a message on my radio to Park Siwoo and the group outside.
"The customer… no, a Wild Hunt member tore the barrier and went into the maze! Call the teachers!"
—Wild Hunt? Got it. You stay there, too.
"No, I'm going to keep following him. He seems to have a purpose in here. Whatever it is, I can't just leave him."
—What? Wait, Nahyun!
I ignored Park Siwoo's urgent call and chased him as he skillfully navigated the maze, heading deeper inside. The fluttering hem of his hood, seemingly just out of reach, was incredibly annoying. Damn it, you Wild Hunt bastards! I gathered mana in my dual pistols and fired Mana Bullets to try and check him, but he moved his body nimbly.
Ta-tang—!
I saw the mana scatter as it ricocheted off the wall. This is bad. I don't have time to condense the mana.
"Stop right there!"
I shouted, firing my guns randomly. But the hood he wore, and the power of lightning, easily deflected the bullets. Because of the time issue, the mana I'd imbued in the bullets was too weak. In the end, he stopped at the exact place where we had gotten the Key. He walked right up to the altar. I aimed my gun at him and shouted.
"What's your scheme?! Why are you at the Academy…!"
"I just wanted to see and confirm something with my own two eyes."
The Tiger bastard's deep, low voice sounded. At last, he reached the altar and summoned the lightning spear I had seen before. That spear was definitely destroyed in the last battle!Was it a skill, not a normal weapon?
Kuruuung— Kwang!
The moment he struck down with the lightning, my vision flashed. A blindingly white light momentarily stole my sight.
"Ugh…!"
"It's done."
<Hmm… you're always so rough.>
And then, someone's voice echoed in the space. No, it wasn't echoing. It was being delivered straight into my head. And... I had heard this voice somewhere before.
“...Gumiho-nim?”
<Hmm? Hello, child. You came with my grandson.>
"Grandson…?"
This bastard is the Gumiho's grandson?They're different species.No, that's not it.He's a Regressor, and he's also connected to the Easter egg, the Gumiho?If so, were the strange elements the Tiger bastard has, like regression and Spiritual Power, caused by the Gumiho?
"...I have something to ask."
<Go on.>
The Gumiho let out a soft laugh, like someone who had just heard a lovely person speak. The voice, at first listen, was sweet as honey, as if it would do anything. My head is getting complicated. Whether I was confused or not, the Tiger bastard looked at the altar and asked the voice.
"Is there no way for us to stop that calamity before the destruction comes?"
<My, my… still as impatient as ever, asking for what you want right away.>
The Gumiho, who grumbled for a moment, answered his question.
calamity has been revived. And as long as the calamity is in the Tower, the destruction will come again. That doesn't change. The only way to destroy it is with Spiritual Power on par with my husband, Lord Cheonho, who is already gone.>
"...I see."
He, who had let out a pained sigh, asked again.
"Must we really repeat the method from the first world?"
<That is not so.>
Is it my imagination, or do I feel someone's gaze on me? I sucked in my breath, feeling the pressure of some great, powerful being looking down at me. At the same time, the Tiger bastard's gaze turned to me.
<She has finally appeared. The power that creates miracles.>
“...!”
<It is still hopelessly weak… but I want to call this child a 'possibility'.>
I don't know what expression he's making under the mask. The only thing I could tell was that his tone, as he asked again, was filled with doubt.
“Do you really think the destruction can be stopped with the power this one possesses? According to Park Yulhan, with her current power, she can't stop the mutated ones, nor the Gates caused by the calamity.”
possibility an-bu-eo.>
“A possibility…”
Spiritual Power left, so I can't tell you exactly what this child's power is, but try working with her. This child has the same type of power as the Recorder.>
“The Recorder said it was difficult for her to stop the destruction on her own.”
<...That is because she is one who cannot draw the attention of external existences. Unless it's an exceptional situation.>
External existence. At this, I thought of the Recorder's existence, which 'records' for someone, and myself, who receives attention from 'readers' by showing them Na Yuhan's story. If so, is the 'external existence'... the readers? While I was lost in my own speculation, their conversation seemed to be progressing.
At the Gumiho's words, Tornito let out a groan and seemed to ponder, then slowly nodded.
“...I understand. If you'll go that far.”
Who decided?! I clenched my teeth at the story that seemed to be progressing without me. It was strange. According to Na Yuhan, he's a member of the Wild Hunt, which wants to cause the Flood of Calamity and destroy the world with the Keys. Why is he acting like he wants to protect the world from destruction? The voice, which had been conversing with the Tiger bastard, slowly began to fill with static.
manifested my voice, but even this is taxing. The connection will break soon.>
"I apologize."
<No. I just hope you can achieve what you desire. My—>
The voice, which seemed to crackle with static, cut off just before the Gumiho could finish. As the Gumiho's voice disappeared, the heavy presence that had filled the space also vanished. It felt as if several people who had been glaring at me had disappeared. Only then did I realize I had been extremely tense. In this incomprehensible situation, I glared at the Tiger bastard, who was quietly looking down at me.
“You, what are you? You're going to stop the destruction? Not cause it?”
The Tiger bastard, who was silent for a moment at my words, spoke in an indifferent voice. His gaze was on the altar.
"From the beginning, I have moved to stop the destruction. If that is impossible, I was just going to guide the path to a proper destruction."
“A proper destruction? What is that?”
“I know. It would have been better if such a thing didn't exist.”
When I retorted, the Tiger bastard spoke as if mocking himself.
“Then I wouldn't be in such agony.”
“……”
“I know you won't believe what we say. But I'll tell you this one thing.”
His head turned to me again. A large hand slowly removed the mask from his face. From under the mask, the face of a handsome man with strong features was gradually revealed. At last, his golden eyes, settled and serious, met mine.
“If you keep following the Player's path, your siblings will die.”
“What do you mean?”
“Didn't you see it? In that dungeon. The races connected to the Tower becoming monsters. If this continues, the races that become monsters will kill people, and then die from the calamity's curse.”
“……”
I wanted to deny his words, but I couldn't. 'Yuhan, that dungeon we went to… did it really only show memories?''Yes. Even if you don't remember it yourself, that dungeon only shows the truth.' I had asked Na Yuhan what that dungeon showed, right after we came out of the memory dungeon. He had answered that the memory dungeon only shows the 'truth'. Since Na Yuhan knows every corner of this world best, his explanation of the memory dungeon is probably true. But, in the future I saw there, against the backdrop of a collapsed Tower, the races and mixed-bloods had all become monsters, killing and being killed.
“Tornito. You…”
If what this guy said is true… The scattered pieces fit together, forming a picture.
“You regressed to save the other races?”
“That's right.”
“...If the Tower collapses, the other races will die?”
“Yes.”
I quietly looked at the Story Twisting I had open. A reality that doesn't change, a truth as it is, costs 0 points.
[Tornito's words in the Temple of Beasts were all true.] [0 Points]
Confusion washed over me. The Oracle's words, that the Tower must be collapsed to stop the Flood of Calamity, were wrong.What is the Oracle's intention in guiding Na Yuhan?
[The Oracle is moving to stop the Flood of Calamity.] [0 Points]
[The Oracle is moving to stop the destruction.] [0 Points]
How did it come to this? As I stood there, confused by the reality that had hit me, the Tiger bastard approached me, one step at a time.
“What. What's your scheme.”
I growled in a low voice, without even realizing it. But even I could tell how weak that voice was. His golden eyes just stared at me. Then, he threw something shining gold in front of me.
Ting, ting, de-gu-reu-reu—
It was a golden bracelet. I was staring down at it, not knowing what he was doing, when he added.
“I need your help to stop the destruction. The Gumiho said so, so it must be true.”
His hard eyes pierced me, without a hint of hesitation.
“I am going to stop the destruction. I'm going to save people. So—”
Unlike the beautiful bracelet, which was emitting a brilliant light, my heart sank with a dull feeling.
“—Come with me.”
“……”
I nudged the golden bracelet with the tip of my toe. The bracelet he offered, soaking up the light reflecting from all sides, sparkled with an almost sinister brilliance. As I looked at it, my mouth opened, as if I didn't know what to say. At that moment,
"Get away from her!"
“Are you okay, Junior?!”
A blue light landed between us.