Chapter 181
Chapter 181
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 181
Chapter Title: Gathering Rankers (3)
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“Lucky Lump.”
Vladimir let out a deep sigh and muttered.
“Yes, big bro!”
One of the lumps replied in a booming voice.
“And Gold Lump, Silver Lump.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Right, big bro.”
A blond man and a silver-haired man shot out from behind the lump.
“You lot...”
Vladimir muttered in a low voice, unable to continue for a moment.
‘Those three.’
His family-like little brothers, who had gone through all sorts of hardships with him.
Even after he’d barely tracked them down using spatial magic, they came rushing over shouting ‘Big bro!’ without a change.
‘Can I really trust them?’
Just three days ago.
Vladimir had counted corpses amid a horrific massacre.
To find the betrayer.
He had buried the overwhelming sorrow deep in his chest and vowed endlessly to himself to stay cold and rational.
The result?
The ones whose bodies he couldn’t find were exactly those three.
More precisely, Lucky Lump, Gold Lump, and Silver Lump.
‘Does that mean they’re the betrayers?’
Circumstantially, it had to be.
It was a hideout he’d moved them to one by one with spatial magic, with no entrance.
And he hadn’t leaked the information to anyone.
But.
Vladimir wanted to believe in them.
Because they were the ones he, who had lost his parents to the mafia as a child, had wholeheartedly taken as his little brothers.
Honestly.
No matter how perfectly he’d sealed it off, information could still leak somehow, right?
There were just so many bizarre unique abilities in the world.
“How did you end up here?”
“W-well, you see, big bro!”
Lucky Lump scratched his head.
“As you know, I use spatial magic like you, big bro.”
“Yeah, right.”
“At first, we were holed up in that hideout like mice, just as you said. But at some point, it got too stuffy. So we came out for a drink with the little bros, and... I forgot the coordinates.”
Lucky Lump trailed off with an innocent look on his face, then soon.
“I’m sorry, big bro!”
“S-sorry!”
“Sorry!”
Gold Lump and Silver Lump bowed their heads alongside him.
“Phew.”
Vladimir let out a deep sigh.
These guys as betrayers?
He wanted to believe they weren’t, wanted to just think easy, but he couldn’t.
Because the unjust spirits of his brothers who had died in that damp, humid place still lingered around him.
“By the way, big bro! I heard you became a ranker this time? Congrats!”
“Actually, we were hiding here waiting for you to come back! Are we heading back to the hideout now?”
And these guys.
They seemed clueless about that brutal massacre site.
Whether that was acting or not.
Vladimir, mentally rattled, couldn’t tell.
“For now. Stay on standby here.”
Vladimir muttered calmly.
‘I can’t say it yet.’
If they really were spies planted by Gotham, there was no point in letting on that he knew.
‘It might reach that bastard Andrey’s ears if they find out I know.’
Insect King Andrey.
The reason the high ranker found him annoying was simple.
‘Idam is a dot organization.’
A group made by gathering countless victim citizens one by one.
And the fact that Idam was a dot organization was something even these Lucky Lump brothers in front of him didn’t know well.
They weren’t executive level.
No matter how close they were, it was thanks to Vladimir’s personality that strictly separated personal and official matters.
‘What to do.’
Wrinkles formed on Vladimir’s brow.
Fortunately, the five rankers who had recommended him for the Delaila trial had survived intact.
He’d confirmed it by checking multiple hideouts.
‘But.’
That wasn’t the problem.
If Andrey had planted a spy, would he have done it in just one place?
‘It’s a kind of warning.’
Grit.
Vladimir ground his teeth.
No matter that Idam was a dot organization, the attention he poured into each varied.
Especially since Idam was led mainly by Russian victims, there were plenty who didn’t even know each other’s faces.
‘However.’
This place alone.
This site of the massacre was different.
It was one he had personally established.
Even if each member’s power was weak, they were warriors more passionate than anyone.
The heart of Idam.
That’s why he was even angrier.
At the fact that there might have been a spy in such a place.
‘Lucky Lump, Gold Lump, Silver Lump.’
Which of you three is it?
Who’s the one wearing the mask?
Sorry if it’s just suspicion, but if I catch you.
Crunch!
‘I’ll chew you to the bone.’
As Vladimir steeled his resolve inwardly.
[Ding!]
[The Guide invites you to the ‘Chat Window.’]
[‘Chat Window’ name - Dragon Slayer Classmates]
[Number of people (5/7)]
‘Hm?’
His eyes widened.
* * *
[Spacian has entered the ‘Dragon Slayer Classmates’ chat.]
[Judgment Spear: Oh, you’re here.]
[Spring Apostle: Vladimir, hajimemashite~]
[Water Witch: Ooh, the fifth is Vladimir? Nice to meet you. It’s amazing how we’re gathering one by one like this.]
[Absolute Invincible: Didn’t I say? Invites only go out to people within a certain distance of Kapu.]
[Absolute Invincible: He saved Russia for last on purpose, to surprise our team leader.]
[Water Witch: Ooooh, as expected! The protagonist always comes last, right?]
“......”
Vladimir blinked.
What was this?
Why was his classmates’ chat appearing as status windows in front of him?
He shot to his feet and headed outside the building.
“Big bro?”
“Where are you going?”
Gold Lump and Silver Lump asked, but.
“Stay put for a bit.”
He waved them off and headed to a quiet emergency staircase.
‘How does this work?’
He tried thinking to himself.
[Spacian: ????]
[Water Witch: Ooh, Vladimir’s talking. It’s a bit awkward, right?]
[Spacian: Hm, ahem.]
[Water Witch: Everyone’s like that at first. The people here took a while to get used to it too.]
‘This.’
It was like inner thoughts were being translated into each person’s language and broadcast.
‘How is this possible?’
Vladimir got chills.
He knew better than anyone how overpowered communication across any distance was.
Cell phones didn’t work inside dungeons.
So what hunters usually resorted to?
At best, radios or walkie-talkies.
Even those became useless beyond a certain distance, so communication was a big issue in dungeons.
‘To say the least.’
If they’d had something like this, wouldn’t Idam’s solidarity have been even stronger?
If intentions were conveyed through status windows as an ‘ability,’ the hacking risk would approach zero.
[Spacian: How on earth is this...?]
Vladimir’s text was filled with astonishment.
[Guide: I’ll explain that, Vladimir.]
Kapu’s text appeared.
[Guide: This is the ‘Chat Window Manager’ (SS Grade) skill that came from an ‘SS-grade Skill Box’ as a reward from Trial Theme 5. At first, I was going to figure out the skill and keep it hidden... but turns out the skill itself is useless if you hide it?]
That was true.
The more people who knew about a chat skill, the better.
[Guide: So the first chat window I made was this one. As admin, I can create multiple chat windows.]
[Spacian: Impressive.]
[Guide: Also, as admin, I can feel the emotions attached to participants’ texts. Vladimir. You’re sad right now?]
[Spacian: .....]
Ah.
‘Damn.’
Vladimir’s brow furrowed.
He didn’t want to burden them.
‘This is my problem.’
The Gotham he had to face was terrifying.
No matter how reliable and supportive his comrades were, he couldn’t ask them to risk their lives again.
[Spring Apostle: Hm? Vladimir? Sad?]
[Water Witch: Surprising. Vladimir being sad doesn’t suit him.]
[Judgment Spear: My friend, what’s wrong.]
[Water Witch: Yeah, tell us.]
[Absolute Invincible: Hm, I just arrived in Russia anyway. Team leader’s in Russia too. Did something happen with the mafia here?]
“......”
For a moment.
Vladimir’s pupils shook.
‘Team leader...’
Joo Dong-hoon.
A hunter greater than any he’d met.
He was here?
He’d been too frantic running around to figure out why he’d come to Russia.
‘If it’s Joo Dong-hoon.’
Maybe he could resolve this situation easily?
Crush that massive wall called Gotham with a laugh?
His pupils shook, and so did his heart.
Honestly.
He wanted to ask for help.
Wanted to reach out.
Even knowing it was dangerous.
[Spring Apostle: What? What happened? Who made our Vladimir sad.]
[Water Witch: Hey, Vladimir! Are we strangers? Why hesitate!]
[Absolute Invincible: Right, we help each other when needed.]
With his classmates saying that, even more so.
[Spacian: Well...]
Just as he was about to speak.
[Guide: Hold on.]
Kapu cut in.
About five seconds passed.
[Skeleton King has entered the ‘Dragon Slayer Classmates’ chat.]
[The chat is now full. (7/7)]
The protagonist had arrived.
* * *
At that moment.
“Hoo.”
I excused myself from my companions for a bit, put some distance between us, and checked the chat window.
Right as I entered, messages from my classmates poured in.
And when I heard the circumstances of Kapu opening the chat.
‘I see.’
I nodded.
I was proud of Kapu.
He was going to share something this good with us first.
A true classmate, right?
And as time passed.
Vladimir’s calm confession followed.
[Spacian: ...Gotham tore apart my brothers, my family, the ones I mentioned back then. Sorry. I know it’s shameless to say this. But I think I’m having a harder time with it than I thought, so I said it.]
“......”
Silence fell over the chat for a moment.
Even though it was just text, his raw emotion made it hard to respond lightly.
It had only been about a week since returning from the trial.
How deep must his wounds be?
He even mentioned there might be more betrayers.
Vladimir laid out the details.
[Judgment Spear: Those are bad ones. Makes me want to go judge them right now.]
[Water Witch: I can’t stand this either? Should I take leave? Or should we make this public? If we tell the Tower Lord, it’d get sorted in one go.]
[Spring Apostle: So that’s why Russia’s been quiet... That happened. Definitely inhuman.]
[Guide: ...If you need help, I’ll do my best.]
His classmates too.
Shared his emotions as one.
‘Vladimir, you bastard.’
I muttered inwardly.
For some reason, I suddenly recalled the moment during the dragon battle.
When he gave me his heart to protect me.
Honestly.
No real reason to fight the Insect King.
His motivation had been a bit weak.
‘Perfect.’
I quickly posted in the chat.
[Skeleton King: Gotham’s Andrey and Zima, right? Great. I’m about to fight them soon. Wanna come support?]
Silence followed my sudden declaration.
About ten seconds passed.
[Spacian: That’s... what...? You’re fighting Gotham right now...?]
[Water Witch: Whoa, for real? Hoon? You already knew? As expected of the team leader’s class... I can’t sit this out. I’m coming too.]
[Absolute Invincible: I’m merging with the team leader anyway, so I’ll help too.]
[Spring Apostle: I’m packing my bags right now too. Can’t just sit when a classmate’s in trouble.]
[Judgment Spear: Everyone’s joining? Then I can’t miss out either. Above all, it’s about judging the wicked!]
Simple yet enthusiastic participation.
Just like classmates.
[Spacian: .....]
[Spacian: Everyone...]
[Guide: Vladimir’s too shocked to speak properly.]
I didn’t need to be told.
His feelings were being conveyed to me too.
‘Gotham, you bastards.’
They’d touched our Vladimir.
The perfect excuse to smash them had just been born.