Chapter 247
Chapter 247
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 247
Chapter Title: Scent of the Library
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December 2023.
On the cusp of the year's end in the Year of the Black Rabbit.
Rankers from Star Heaven began gathering at the Demir Workshop building.
"What's going on all of a sudden, Vice Guild Master?"
Floa burst in, her body crackling with electricity.
"I dropped everything on short notice and paid the penalty fee to get here. Not that it was a huge sum or anything."
Following her was the Absolute Invincible Maxi Ajusshi.
And then.
Dark Emperor, Guide, Iron Fist, The Druid, Asura.
One by one, the seven rankers who formed Star Heaven arrived.
Their willingness to heed the call of a non-ranker spoke volumes about how diligently Kim Jin-ah had managed them all this time.
"You're all here."
The meeting room had warm cups of coffee set out for everyone.
"So, it's about the blacklist, right?"
It was Kapu who answered Floa's question.
"More precisely, Hell Hound. He's a high ranker who attacked Hoon in the past. For someone like that to re-enter Korea? It's enough to make anyone uneasy."
"Hoo, yeah, I can see that."
"And Caliphena's tagging along, to boot."
"Caliphena...?"
Thunderclap's eyes widened.
"Are you kidding? That's a total red alert! She's a guild raider!"
"Can't move that slow on intel. Every Korean guild except Heavenly Demon Divine Church is already on high alert."
"Huh."
Well, yeah.
Unless Caliphena had a screw loose in her head, she wouldn't touch Hasera.
"Anyway."
"Our guild can't just sit back and relax, either."
"Right."
Floa nodded as if convinced.
She picked up a coffee cup and took a sip.
"Ah, what beans are these? The aroma is insane. Sweet and nutty."
"Probably some gifted beans."
Kim Jin-ah replied.
"Gifted?"
"Yeah, end of the year, so stuff piles up."
Ever since Star Heaven became famous.
Come year-end, gifts poured in from corporations, congressmen, guilds, social groups, even fan cafes.
Especially for Kim Jin-ah, whose abilities were top-notch and whose beauty turned heads, she and Gi So-yul had massive fan clubs.
"So, with Caliphena showing up, what's the plan?"
Caliphena ranked 12th.
Even all the rankers here combined might not handle her.
And they couldn't just call the Tower Master, either.
No matter how close the guild master was to the Tower Master, dragging the world No. 4 ranker here without solid evidence?
Even asking would be a massive faux pas.
"Hmm."
Crackle, crackle-crackle!
The electricity sparking from Floa's hair intensified.
A sign her head was spinning.
Tap-tap.
Floa drummed her fingers on the table, thinking.
'If they're really targeting us, they'll hit this workshop.'
With Joo Dong-hoon gone, the only things worth targeting were Star Heaven's assets and Kim Jin-ah.
"..."
Honestly, every ranker here knew it.
Who they had to protect: Kim Jin-ah.
And.
'Of course we'll protect her.'
'Duh, she's our vice guild master.'
'Honestly, without her, this group's done.'
'She signs our paychecks, after all.'
Not a single Star Heaven ranker had any complaints about that.
Frankly, Kim Jin-ah's business ventures brought in more money and items than dungeons ever did.
They all knew it contributed far more to the group's growth.
Anyone here could agree.
No one else could manage the guild as cleanly and efficiently as Kim Jin-ah.
Even beyond that.
It had been over half a year since Joo Dong-hoon vanished.
Profit aside, they'd grown deeply attached to Kim Jin-ah.
A group was like another family.
"It's been a while since we geared up for war. If anyone invades our guild—high ranker or dragonkin—I'll stop them."
The Guide muttered while fiddling with his glasses.
"I've trained nonstop for half a year. Even top rankers won't take us down easily."
Gi So-yul polished her dagger with a handkerchief.
The ink-black dagger Joo Dong-hoon had gifted her.
* * *
Time passed.
One day went by, then two.
December 31st.
Until New Year's Eve approached, the Demir Workshop remained peaceful.
"What, was it all for nothing? Well, it's been ages since a real break, so not complaining."
Floa stretched on the rooftop of the workshop building, muttering to herself.
With Demir gone, sales had been suspended anyway.
No reason for crowds in the building.
Plus, Kim Jin-ah had secured homes near Apgujeong for all the rankers and their families.
Premium ones, too.
A perk exclusive to Star Heaven rankers...
Which led to daily gatherings at the workshop for end-of-year parties.
Under the Star Heaven banner.
Everyone enjoyed a harmonious New Year's.
Eating together, training together, discussing...
"If only the boss were here, it'd be perfect."
Slurp!
Floa stabbed a straw into her cola and sucked it down.
The second-floor lounge brimmed with barbecue and drinks even now.
A giant projector beamed ready to broadcast the 「World Ranking Ceremony」.
Families weren't at this party, though.
They'd been sent to deep underground bunkers via the Association's help.
"You know we can't let our guard down."
Kim Jin-ah approached Floa and perched on the railing.
"Caliphena's an international terrorist. With every association and agency watching, even a high ranker can't move freely."
If she had to move.
It'd be during a global event.
Like the World Ranking Ceremony, say.
"Got it, don't worry. Whoever shows, I'll turn 'em into electrified rotisserie."
Crackle-crackle!
Floa formed an electric orb in her other hand.
Bluster, but the endearing kind.
Kim Jin-ah smiled.
Truth was.
She'd set one extra trap here.
Inviting Seoul's Five Stars for the New Year's event.
White Money and Divine Bow couldn't make it due to their groups.
But.
[Rank 19, Berserker Jang Dae-woong]
[Rank 400, Black Sword Lee Sun-ah]
These two had accepted.
Especially the Berserker—once she explained, he'd riled up, vowing to smash Rank 12 or higher on sight.
'Good people.'
For a moment, Kim Jin-ah felt Joo Dong-hoon right beside her.
Because he was a good man, good people stuck around.
"About five hours left?"
She checked her watch.
[International Time: 19:02]
Five hours until 2024, the Year of the Blue Dragon.
Kim Jin-ah clenched her fist.
* * *
An empty expanse of space.
Vaster than anything in the world.
Drift.
Someone floated aimlessly.
Seven skeletons and one human.
Humm!
From one of them.
Eloise Arin's staff emitted light.
Body temperature preservation magic and pressure maintenance magic.
Whoosh!
A faint wind blew from Eldrin's hand, too.
Through incantation ritual, blowing air into Joo Dong-hoon's nose.
In the void of space.
The seven retainers pooled every ounce of strength to protect their one master.
The average temperature of space, away from stars, was 3K.
Celsius: -270.15°C.
Nearing absolute zero.
But they were skeletons.
Dragon-bone ones, at that.
No big hardship.
"Please transfer all your remaining mana to me and Eldrin."
Arin pleaded.
"We don't have much left. We need to find a way fast."
Mana wasn't infinite.
To refill, the master had to resummon them.
But master Joo Dong-hoon lay unconscious, showing no sign of waking.
To any onlooker, he might as well be dead.
"You all need to conserve every last drop of mana."
She'd already dispelled her polymorph ages ago.
In her icy skeletal form, Arin strove to protect her master.
"Hmm."
Mugak, perched on an asteroid fragment, let out a groan.
"No one knows where we are, but one thing's clear: master has to wake up to fix this."
"Right."
Kaden nodded.
"Master can go anywhere via his medium ability."
"Then how about focusing on waking him?"
"Dunno."
Kaden shook his head.
"If we could, we'd have by now. Doesn't seem like a physical recovery issue."
"Yes, exactly."
Arin nodded.
"Dana's healing has his body mostly mended already. Sigh."
She sighed.
No air from bones, but still.
"Please wake up, Professor. Please, please."
Humm!
As she poured magic ceaselessly, tending him with utmost care.
"Hm?"
That's when something entered Arin's view.
A figure in a pitch-black hood, identity unknown.
Deeply suspicious, but truth be told.
In this empty space, its very appearance screamed suspicious.
"...Who are you."
Arin muttered, but the other skeletons showed no reaction.
Or rather.
'Has time stopped?'
All skeletons froze in place, unmoving.
The drifting asteroid halted.
Even the professor's heartbeat went silent.
"Nice to meet you, child."
Then, a remarkably kind voice flowed from the hood.
"I meant to stay neutral, but you are my apostle and fragment. Helping your professor is helping you. Without him, you cease to be..."
"Ah."
In that instant.
Arin felt a thrilling sensation.
Yes.
This hood carried a familiar scent.
'The library's scent.'
Whenever curiosity struck.
Whenever thirst for knowledge gnawed.
The ghostly aroma of those informative tomes wafted thickly.
"Are you... Ancient Magic?"
All space Tower Masters were apostles following Ancient Magic.
Though Arin served her professor.
She couldn't hide her excitement at facing Ancient Magic.
As a child.
In hard times, what she'd leaned on.
Not parents, not family.
Books.
Ancient Magic.
"Tsk-tsk, you've burned through quite the congenital essence."
The hood scanned the professor's body, glancing about, then nodded.
"His frame shifted drastically, letting him endure. Otherwise, he's as good as dead."
Like an expert.
Twirling his staff, computing something in the void, a glint flashed from within the hood.
"But child."
He turned to Arin.
"The universe is vast. Vast enough that beings like the constellation you fought exist infinitely. In such a universe, healing methods are equally vast."
"That means..."
There's a way?
Sss.
The hood's staff rose slowly.
Arin stared, dumbfounded.