Chapter 191
Chapter 191
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 191
Chapter Title: End of the Russian Expedition
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The situation was quickly wrapped up.
All of Gotham's criminals had been wiped out without exception.
The victims who had turned into monster corpses were solemnly buried deep in the earth.
“…….”
Thud, thud!
The entire force tamped down the soil over the graves with solemn expressions.
I had considered retrieving everyone back to their homeland, but there were far too many.
“Farewell…….”
“Live well in a good place, eating and seeing only good things.”
“Yeah, and if you run into any Gotham bastards up there, give 'em a good punch.”
They exchanged light-hearted blessings and jokes to soothe their aching hearts.
Vladimir watched the scene in silence.
Soon, he shook his head and approached me.
“……Team Leader.”
I hadn't noticed, but his eyes were slightly red.
‘Can't be helped.’
He had lost his family to the mafia to begin with.
For him to find his heartfelt brothers turned into corpses once more—how could he not grieve?
Now, he had no family left around him.
And yet.
Vladimir forced the corners of his mouth upward.
“Thanks. If it weren't for you, Team Leader, my revenge would've been delayed by a lot.”
His voice was hoarse from all the shouting.
“It was something I had to help with, obviously.”
Honestly.
I had no idea what to say to comfort him.
No matter how hard I tried to empathize 100%.
How could I possibly understand his pain?
“No, there's no such thing as something you 'have' to help with, Team Leader.”
Vladimir spoke firmly.
“During those hellish three years, there were countless hunters in the world stronger than Andrei. But none of them dealt with Gotham. They didn't know, they were scared, they found it a hassle…… No matter the excuse, that's the unchanging fact.”
His voice wasn't its usual cheerful tone.
It was heavy and earnest.
“Only you, Team Leader…….”
That made it feel even more sincere.
“……could do it.”
“…….”
Did they hear Vladimir's words ring out?
Idam's hunters began gathering by his side one by one.
“Vladimir's right! The Skeleton King is our savior.”
“That's right! If it weren't for you, we'd still be hiding underground like rats!”
“Thank you!”
“Thanks to you, and to Vladimir who fought to the end!”
They surrounded us, tossing words of gratitude our way.
They called me Russia's benefactor, a hero.
They cheered and praised both me and Vladimir.
‘Hmm.’
I always think this.
I'm really not good with this kind of thing.
I came here purely for the deal with the association.
And since I was here, I figured fighting the rank 69 villain would boost my ranking too.
Of course, I also meant to help Vladimir.
‘Still.’
It didn't feel bad.
One action from me restored hope to many and brought smiles to their faces.
I smiled.
‘Yeah.’
Hypocrisy, excuses.
What meaning is there in nitpicking those?
It made me feel good.
Wasn't my desire to become a ranker in the first place because I wanted to feel like a valuable person, to be treated like a hero?
“Youngster.”
The old man smiled.
“Don't forget that feeling you're having right now. Great power comes with responsibility. Using that power rightly is also a technique…….”
At that moment.
A message appeared in midair.
[The essence of Wood smiles warmly.]
[The essence of Wood watches you with interest.]
Fire, water, wood, metal.
The essence of Wood among the four essences reacted.
It must be an essence that likes good deeds.
‘By the way.’
I looked at the old man.
‘Are you okay, sir?’
“Me?”
He flinched slightly.
Then he looked back at me.
“What, you mean that Dang Hwi-pyeong bastard?”
‘…….’
Dang Hwi-pyeong was a fragment from the old man's world.
Anyone would feel nostalgia for their homeland.
Even though I'd asked in the chaos if it was okay to just kill him, it had stuck with me a little.
“You punk.”
‘Yes?’
“Just so you don't get the wrong idea. That guy aimed for the top of the world for a bit, but that doesn't make him my rival.”
‘……?’
“What's with that look? I'm over 500 years old. Do you know how many villains passed through my hands in that time? You don't seriously think a worm like that was on my level, do you?”
‘No, that's not it.’
Dang Hwi-pyeong was dead.
He vanished with Andrei's death.
Maybe because he dealt with the dead?
Even without seeing, I could feel it.
Then.
Would the old man just vanish if I disappeared too?
“Tsk tsk, looks like you're worrying about useless things again.”
‘Yes?’
“You punk. I'm already a ghost. I can only appear when you summon me with this spectral body—did you not even realize that?”
‘…….’
“I had a regret before dying, and I made a promise with you to resolve it. To spread the myriad techniques to this vast world. That's all that's left in my head. No lingering attachments to my past life.”
Dang Hwi-pyeong or whatever.
He was saying he didn't care about this world's secrets.
“Tsk tsk, still, you've grown a lot. Thinking about your master now too! Haha!”
The old man laughed heartily.
The most boisterous laugh I'd heard from him yet.
‘I see.’
But for some reason.
Meeting the old man's eyes, I thought.
‘I want to give life back to the skeletons someday, and to you too, sir…… If that's possible…….’
A world as vast as the universe.
A world with the dead and the living.
A world with dragons too.
There's no rule saying resurrection isn't possible.
In any media across the world.
No ghost ever lacks desire for life.
That's what life is.
Of course.
It might be arrogant thinking right now.
But doesn't progress come from reckless imagination?
For now.
It was just my small desire.
* * *
Time passed.
Vladimir left to rebuild the fallen Russia.
Idam's forces followed him.
[Judgment Spear: Good work. I'll head back now too.]
[Spring Apostle: Glad it all worked out.]
[Water Witch: See you next time.]
The colleagues who had helped me.
One by one, they left the dungeon and returned to their homelands.
And.
“…….”
Only eight of us remained in the dungeon, including me.
First, the new members of the Demir Workshop: Floa, Maxie, Kapu. Then Gi So-yul, who came with me.
Finally.
“Phew, this guy. We still have to take him, right?”
“What can we do? He's from the association.”
“Oh man, he's heavy. This guy's built like a hunk of metal? We could melt him down and use him.”
Kwon So-ye and Im Su-jin, carrying the unconscious Bong Jae-young on their shoulders.
I smiled.
“We're going back a special way.”
At the same time, I fiddled with the stone pendant around my neck.
The artifact Delaila had given me.
Peach Blossom Paradise.
‘This thing's a game-changer.’
Hard to use when heading out somewhere.
But incredibly useful for returning from somewhere.
Open a portal to Peach Blossom Paradise.
Then use the portal there to go to South Korea.
The ultimate transport for returns only, saving time and money.
Swoosh!
I gently infused energy into the stone I held.
[Using 'Delaila's Dungeon Artifact' (SS Grade).]
[Consuming 100 stamina.]
Whirr.
A golden elliptical door appeared.
[A 'portal' is generated here.]
[Enter the 'portal' to move to 'Peach Blossom Paradise.']
[Caution! This 'portal' will disappear after 24 hours.]
“Alright, everyone follow me in.”
Step.
As I walked, I said.
“Good work, everyone.”
The Russian expedition was over.
* * *
A week passed after our return.
And during that time.
The expedition I'd led made headlines across the world.
[Unprecedented Crime Syndicate Gotham's Atrocities Exposed, Shocking the International Community!]
[Russian Citizens Who Lived in Fear for 3 Years Finally Walk the Streets!]
[Russian Citizens Chant Skeleton King's Name All Day.]
[South Korean Hunter Association President: 'The hero who resolved the Russian crisis is none other than the Skeleton King.' Thanks Ranker for Noblesse Oblige.]
[War of the Stars? Massive Ranking Shifts Overnight.]
[South Korean Ranker Skeleton King's New Rank: 69th!]
…….
At first, the world's eyes were all on me.
Thanks to that, I had to hole up in Peach Blossom Paradise all day.
‘Whew, guess I'll just train.’
Now.
Wherever I go outside, crowds swarm like bees.
Thrusting phones and pens at me for signatures……
Even around the workshop, reporters lurk like assassins.
‘I definitely got famous.’
Now I understood why no one had spotted Haseera outside.
Sigh.
What's the point if I can't even go out.
Maybe I should get a mask or something.
This time, I truly felt why celebrities wear masks.
‘For now, I'll tough it out here.’
Construction on Peach Blossom Paradise was still ongoing.
How big a city were they planning?
They were still busy laying the foundations.
‘Oh.’
And during that week.
Another huge piece of news arrived.
[Russia's Benevolent Coup? Incumbent President Steps Down, New President Inaugurated.]
[Russia's 5th President is Ranker 'Vladimir Rodigin'!]
…….
Vladimir.
Had become Russia's president.
Naturally unaffiliated, rising on overwhelming public support.
It went smoothly without even friction from the puppet president.
[Water Witch: Whoa, Vladimir's president? For real?]
[Judgment Spear: Even I'm a bit surprised by this.]
[Absolute Invincibility: Heh, my acquaintance is a head of state.]
The chat was shocked, and so was I.
Never imagined he'd choose that path.
‘Well.’
It might be for the best.
Better than being alone with nothing to protect.
[Spacian: Hey, if you're born a man, shouldn't you at least try being president? Especially you, Team Leader! Look forward to it! Russia's adopting you as our national benefactor and pushing hard. First, we'll set up Demir Workshops in every Russian city.]
[Water Witch: Kek, corruption right after inauguration?]
[Spacian: Corruption? Setting up Demir Workshops is a national gain. And what, a president can't do that? I didn't even want to! The people told me to!]
Vladimir was back to his old cheerful self.
It didn't match a head of state's tone at all.
‘Anyway, good for him.’
As a pleased smile formed on my lips.
“Huff, huff huff! Workshop Master! Thought you'd vanished, but here you are?”
Kim Jin-ah's voice rang out after a long while.
‘Oh.’
Come to think of it.
This was the side mountain, the peak.
I'd come up for the cool breeze.
“You came all the way up here yourself?”
“What, my phone wouldn't connect otherwise—I had to! What else could I do? Or just add me to that chat thing!”
Ah.
Gotta think about that too.
Might as well make a workshop-only chat.
“Anyway, what's up?”
“Phew, outside right now. The association president is here. Come out.”
“……The association president?”
My eyes lit up.
Ancient Magic Fragment (SS Grade).
Had they finally found a trace?