Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Part 21. Revelation (2)
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Who the hell is that author?
It was a question that had been swirling around in BM's mind nonstop.
His name was Yoo Ji-tae. He looked to be in his late twenties. Height just shy of 190 cm. His physique was perfectly balanced. Up to this point, nothing special.
Whenever he saw a talented young superhuman like this, BM would think they had potential to grow even stronger in the future. But not with Yoo Ji-tae.
...Can he even get any stronger from where he is now? BM wondered, then laughed at the absurdity of it. In that brief standoff, he'd already come to see Yoo Ji-tae as someone utterly beyond his reach. Beyond mere strength, there was an aura about him that crushed everything down. Even for a returner who'd lived through two worlds, it was an unfamiliar sensation.
So how?
At that young age?
But satisfying his curiosity seemed hopeless.
Right before Yoo Ji-tae's group left the labyrinth.
BM glanced at the blue-haired little girl.
The red-haired young woman had been pretty too. Staring at her gave a sense of something off, something alien. But with her, it was just a fleeting thought of "pretty," nothing more.
But this kid was different.
"......"
"......"
No greeting or gesture even when their eyes met.
The girl just stared at him blankly.
But could someone really do that? This kid was...
Too...
...cute.
And so, BM decided to try something he'd never done before. He approached the girl cautiously, crouched down, and extended his hand. The blue hair stared at his hand, then turned and ran to Yoo Ji-tae.
"......"
Feeling oddly snubbed, BM stared blankly at where the girl had been.
Then he noticed something, and his eyes widened.
"See you next time."
"Yes. Safe travels."
After sending off the group.
Alone now, BM summoned his chimeras. Ones with suckers like octopus tentacles.
"Search everywhere traces remain."
The octopus chimeras moved, digging up every spot the blue-haired girl had stood. After groping through the labyrinth's dusty floor for a while, BM finally found a short black hair on the ground.
"......"
A black hair that had been on the blue-haired girl.
...This had to be that man's.
BM picked up the man's hair and headed to the far side of his workshop. Opening a large door on the wall revealed an artifact microscope bigger than a person.
Hera's Kaleidoscope
A level 4 artifact that could peer into the essence of matter from the tiniest fragment.
One of his treasures that every nation coveted.
Where does that man's strength come from, exactly?
With burning curiosity.
BM placed the man's hair into the kaleidoscope.
Dull lights flashed alternately, scanning the hair.
Peering in, BM couldn't help but be shocked.
No way...
The man revealed in the kaleidoscope wasn't alone.
Multiple individuals in one body.
Not a common situation, but not particularly special either. He himself was a "plural" while being an individual.
But being an individual who was "plural" meant his body contained more than one being.
In other words, the man was...
...a chimera. Never saw that coming.
Intrigued, BM put his own hair into the kaleidoscope. What appeared was himself as "plural." About 13 in number. Matching the chimeras attached to his hands, arms, neck, chest, back, legs, etc.
Like red and blue dots on a black screen, around 13 of them.
This is normal. That's how it usually looks.
But the existences in Yoo Ji-tae's body were too numerous to count.
Hundreds? Thousands?
No, not even close.
BM swallowed dryly and peered in again.
To put it in metaphor, what lay there was...
What the hell...
...a universe unfolding.
"Hey, fun's over. Come on out."
Yeoreum kicked at Bom's door as she passed.
Winter was a dragon too. With her ears wide open, she couldn't have missed what Yeoreum said to Yoo Ji-tae.
Bom's door slid open slowly.
Aqua eyes peered cautiously out into the hall.
Up until then, Yoo Ji-tae had been receiving memories from his "clone."
Year-end approaching. Three months since meeting the kids. The key event of his 7th regression cycle was upon him.
Melishia's Ball
The event where over 100 new demons would be born, and Wei Lian would finally ascend to his seat of power. Accordingly, the clone had been swiftly gathering intel from within invisibility.
What a mess it was.
Sudden disappearance of Prototype X and an unknown "enemy." Demon alertness was at its peak.
Among the clone's memories, Wei Lian screaming in rage featured often. Barking orders to find the "enemy," chopping off an incompetent subordinate's finger.
Demons were calling Yoo Ji-tae "X's killer," referring to him as X.
And here's the fun part. There was a bounty on his head.
15 top-grade magic stones.
About 15 billion won in real money. A huge sum even for demons, so other demon groups catching wind would start moving.
Of course. No issue.
Ryunosuke, leader of the 70-man raid team back then, is keeping quiet.
He would. That middle-aged man doted on his family terribly.
I'll keep monitoring. My liege.
Finishing the memory review.
Stepping into the hall, he saw Winter awkwardly emerging from Bom's door. Their eyes met, but she pretended not to notice, fiddling with Blue Bear's ears.
Yoo Ji-tae approached. As he got closer, Winter's hands fumbled more with the bear's ears.
He crouched right next to her, close enough it would be weird not to notice. Winter seemed hesitant to turn.
"Wanna go somewhere fun this weekend?"
"...!"
Winter whipped her head around at his words. Tense face for some reason. But not the excessive panic from before.
Nod...
"Where to?"
"......"
As she just glanced around nervously.
Come to think of it, Winter used to like the area near the Lake of Life.
"Water park?"
Eyes went wide. But her tightly clenched hands looked somehow disappointed.
Wrong answer.
"Or wanna go eat something tasty?"
Eyes: Tasty stuff?
"You know, like chicken. Pizza. Samgyeopsal."
Winter looked into Yoo Ji-tae's eyes, then dropped her gaze a bit. Disappointed again.
"Tasty stuff" was wrong too.
He found Winter harder than Bom, Yeoreum, or Gaeul. Especially now. When he couldn't tell what the kid wanted and conversation failed, it felt like tackling a complex puzzle.
As Yoo Ji-tae pondered this tough problem again. Winter, who'd been hesitating, tugged at his pant leg.
Then, looking up at his face, she carefully opened her mouth.
"...Sled."
Suddenly, the right answer popped out.
"Hold on tight."
"...!"
The wooden sled started down the snow-covered slope. Slow at first from the flat start, but speed picked up hitting the incline.
Shwoooosh!
The sled zipped across the snowy slope. White powder splashed onto Winter's face. Refreshing.
Thrilled, Winter threw her arms up.
But the slope steepened, and a sharp drop loomed. "Huh? Huh?" Winter's joy turned to fear. She turned to Yoo Ji-tae.
Eyes: Isn't this too fast?
...She'd polymorphed right after hatching and never flown. So she got scared easily.
Seemed thrilling enough not to want off. Yoo Ji-tae reached out his big hand to hold her secure.
"...Kyaa!"
Winter's giggling laughter tickled the regressor's ears.
This was some barren mountain in Hate Ling. He'd planned the Lair's sled park but came here instead.
"One more?"
Nod nod!
Right, no lines here.
The roughly carved wooden sled worked fine, and the regressor used mana to clear obstacles. Winter, oblivious or not to his efforts, tugged his pants excitedly, eyes sparkling. Meaning: fun, hurry up.
"Let's go."
Yoo Ji-tae extended both hands to Winter.
But as she went to hug him like usual, she paused. Hesitantly, she reached out her tiny hand and took his.
"......"
What was this?
As Yoo Ji-tae puzzled over her behavior. Winter tugged his hand gently. He followed naturally, and she led him up the slope hand-in-hand.
"......"
A while back, Winter had seen Myeong Yong-ha's son holding Myeong Yong-ha's hand as they walked. No big deal at first, but seeing them disappear into the woods hand-in-hand at the end made her envious.
I wanna hold hands and walk too... Winter thought.
Slip.
"...!"
But the steep path was slippery. "Uh-oh?" Winter lost balance. Forgot to use magic in panic. She squeezed her eyes shut.
Next instant, her body lifted. Yoo Ji-tae had scooped her up one-handed.
"......"
Hugged against him, Winter beamed.
"Up we go?"
Yoo Ji-tae casually planned to fly up like before. But Winter clutched his collar with panicked eyes.
From what the regressor could tell, that meant "No."
"Why."
"......"
"Done sledding?"
Shake shake.
"Then."
"...Walk."
"Walk up?"
She nodded her little head. But too steep to set her down. Pondering, Yoo Ji-tae hoisted her onto his shoulders.
Suddenly horseback riding for the first time, Winter hugged his head in surprise.
"Can't see."
"...Ah."
The small arms blocking her eyes loosened.
Yoo Ji-tae climbed with her perched on his shoulders.
And they sledded down again and again.
Winter's smile never faded.
They sledded for quite a while.
Dusk fell, sky darkening. Chill wind grew sharper.
Protected by dozens of blessings, the regressor felt no cold, but human-form Winter's nose and cheeks flushed pink. She wouldn't freeze to death, but she felt it.
Yoo Ji-tae dove into his inner subspace, grabbed a camping set, then returned to pitch the tent. Meanwhile, Winter sat making a tiny snowman.
"Dinner time?"
But the moment he said it.
Winter's eyes sparkled.
The regressor quickly gathered twigs, lit a fire with a heat stone. Poured clean water in the pot. Slowly boiled ramen.
He always wanted to feed the dragons good food, but ramen on a day like this, in a place like this, had a taste money couldn't buy.
...Or so he'd seen in some movie.
Come to think of it, a similar experience in a very early cycle. The regressor dredged up faded memories as he cooked.
Meanwhile, Winter entered super tense mode.
Peeking through the tent flap, hands clenched tight, she glared at Yoo Ji-tae.
Yeoreum's words from days ago echoed.
— But playing like that, you'll get cold, right?
— Know what you need then?
— Ajusshi boiling hot soup just for you.
Like prophecy, Yeoreum's words came true.
But not enough yet. Winter wanted one specific thing from Yoo Ji-tae.
Thump thump...
The blue-haired baby bit her lip, staring holes into him.
Finally, ramen done, Yoo Ji-tae brought the pot over. Set a small bowl and spork in front of Winter.
Her tension peaked as she took them.
Pot set down. Yoo Ji-tae's mouth opened slightly.
Right now...!
"Eat up."
Yay!
Winter's face bloomed into a radiant smile.