Chapter 179: Interlude – The Hammer and the Librarian
Chapter 179: Interlude – The Hammer and the Librarian
The Enemy before me launches an attack.
I don’t know what kind of skill it is, but even a glance tells me that fist is packed with immense energy.
If that hits me, it’s game over.
I swung my hands in a desperate attempt to block, but my sluggish arms couldn't keep up with The Enemy’s speed.
"No..."
My pathetic voice hovered in my mouth before ringing in my own ears.
However, that voice had no effect on The Enemy.
Boom.
A fist—slender, yet carrying massive force—slammed into my body.
My body collapsed.
Blood spurted.
Health plummeted.
Struck by the attack, I rolled across the ground and crumpled.
Then, text appeared before my eyes.
YOU LOSE
"This game is fucking dogshit!"
"You're being too loud, Ha-ram. You're being a nuisance to the neighbors."
"The only nuisance is the money you waste on snacks."
Besides, this was a private room in the Management Bureau; what 'nuisance' was I causing?
I could hear the TV blaring from the room next door—is that not a nuisance?
"Getting angry over losing a game isn't very Hero-like."
Ah, I agree with that, but...
"That guy is a hacker. Dammit. He's 100% definitely a hacker."
"What's a 'hacker'?"
That damn Un-ho. Is he trying to drive me to an early grave by pestering me?
"He cheated, dammit!"
I'm certain. That bastard is definitely a hacker. How could a normal gamer keep up with my reactions?
My reaction speed is faster than the program itself, and he kept up with that?
"Maybe it's just a skill gap. If you're a Hero, you should accept victory and defeat gracefully."
"Eat shit."
"Guekk. Wait. The Management Bureau trash chute has a shredder, it hurts... stop... Poyo-!"
After tossing the noisy Un-ho into the Dust Chute along with his snack bags, I messaged the opponent from the results screen.
-Hey. You're a hacker, right? Level with me before I report you.
The window on the monitor flickered for a moment.
-Hacker? Look who's talking. Judging by your reaction speed, you look like the hacker. Aren't you embarrassed to lose even while hacking?
This guy?
Who's calling who a hacker right now?
I was already pissed because I haven't been able to blow off steam lately, and you just walked right into it.
-Eat shit. I'm 100% pure natural physical ability, okay? Does your hack measure the opponent's reaction speed too?
I fired off the message, unable to control my emotions. The thought that I might get banned for profanity crossed my mind, but that was no longer important.
-Oh, sure, sure. 'Pure physical,' yet you can't even land a combo properly. You're just a 'phys-ical' who used a hack to accelerate your reactions, lol.
Fine, you picked the right one today.
I knew it was immature, but as an adult, shouldn't I be the one to correct this brat's personality?
-You son of a bitch, where do you live?
Let's settle this in person, kid.
-Oh. Resorting to violence? Typical of someone who relies on hacks.
Seeing how he was getting under my skin, he was definitely doing this on purpose.
-So what? Then come meet me and prove you're not a hacker. I live at the Korea Management Bureau, so get your ass out here right now.
I threw the first punch.
The contract clause about 'Maintaining Heroic Dignity' floated through my mind, but who cares? So what if my salary gets docked a bit?
-The Management Bureau? The Manage-meeeent Bureau? Are you a Hero? The quality of Heroes these days is absolute trash, isn't it?
-Does a damn hacker have a problem with my character as a Hero?
If there's a Hero more Hero-like than me, bring them out. You want to be the mole in a midnight game of Whac-A-Mole?
-I have a very big problem with it. As it happens, I'm also a Hero living at the Management Bureau, so let's meet at the training hall. I'll fix that attitude of yours.
Oh, so this guy is a Hero too?
A Hero spends his time using hacks in games? I'll beat some manners into him.
-Fiiiiine. I'm heading to Training Hall 23 right now, so don't you dare run away.
Beep.
I turned off the computer without waiting for a reply and prepared to leave the room.
"Pyoooook! I thought I was gonna die!"
Un-ho, having crawled back up from the Dust Chute, chattered noisily while covered in trash.
"Go back down."
And take a shower while you're at it.
"Where are you go— Poyo-oooooook!"
* * *
A spotless white Magical Girl outfit.
A sparkling hammer.
Tight leather boots.
A Management Bureau ID card hanging from a necklace.
Fully armed, I marched confidently down the hallway.
My destination: Training Hall 23.
I didn't know which Hero would show up, but I was going to give them a true education today and turn them back into a proper Hero.
Thump. Thump.
Perhaps my resolve was leaking out of my body.
The surroundings shook with every step.
The entire hallway trembled, and my footprints were being stamped into the floor, but my anger wouldn't subside. To minimize the damage, I picked up my pace.
If I used the stairs like this, I felt like they would collapse. I stood in front of the elevator and waited.
—Wiaaaaaang. Evacuation alert. Evacuation alert.
Ding.
While warning sirens blared and the entire Management Bureau was in an uproar, the elevator doors opened.
"Ah. Hello, Ms. Lee Ha-ram."
"What is it, Librarian?"
I saw my old colleague inside the elevator.
"Where are you headed?"
"Basement level 12."
"What a coincidence. I'm going that way as well."
"..."
The Librarian spoke to me cordially, but I couldn't think of how to respond.
To be honest, the Librarian was a bit uncomfortable to be around.
For one, he mostly operated in the U.S. sector, so we didn't cross paths often.
And since the Librarian was more of a research-type Hero than a combat-type, we didn't really mesh well.
We were basically just acquaintances who knew each other's faces.
The Librarian seemed to realize this as well; he pressed the elevator button and fell silent.
Vrrr. Wiaaaaaang.
As the acceleration of the descending elevator pulled at my body, only the warning sirens filled the silence.
"The alarm is going off. Don't you need to go check it out?"
Unable to bear the silence, I spoke first.
"I have a more pressing matter to attend to. What about you, Ms. Lee Ha-ram? Don't you need to go?"
"I also have an urgent matter."
I guess it wasn't that strange. Alarms like this were common at the Management Bureau anyway.
As a researcher, he probably wasn't a high-priority target for mobilization.
Silence returned.
But this time, it didn't last long.
Ding.
The elevator doors opened at basement level 12, and we stepped out.
Step. Step.
Our footsteps overlapped.
Right at the next corner.
We turned at the same time.
Next, left.
Again, the same.
"...Our paths seem to be overlapping strangely."
"...It must be a coincidence."
...I had a bad feeling about this.
After walking for about two minutes, I arrived at the training hall.
The Librarian was right there with me.
"..."
"..."
Silence hung between us.
He was probably thinking the same thing I was.
No way. Would an S-Rank Hero really do something like that in a game? No way. No way. It can't be.
Beep. Beep.
We took turns swiping our ID cards and entered Training Hall 23.
Flicker. Buzz.
The lights in the training hall began to hum as we entered, as if no one had used the place in a while.
We stepped into the hall, neither of us looking at the other.
Trying to ignore the reality before our eyes.
After about two or three minutes...
I desperately hoped someone else would show up, but no one else seemed inclined to open the door.
"...Mechanicus Omega?"
I opened my parched mouth.
"...Rip and Tear Magical Boy?"
Fuck.
"Why the hell is a damn scientist playing games and acting out! Go back to researching Otherworldly Power!"
Why is an S-Rank Hero being toxic in a video game?
"I should be saying that! Is it appropriate for a Hero belonging to the Management Bureau to have such a vulgar mouth?"
Look at him, not backing down an inch.
"Are you proud of being toxic?"
"Are you proud of picking fights with people and demanding real-life confrontations? Aren't you ashamed of the name 'Hero'?"
Snap.
Something inside me broke.
I quietly raised my hammer.
"I've never liked you researcher Type S. It must have been nice and comfortable in the rear while we were out there, huh?"
I'll settle all those old grudges today.
"Ha. You think we don't fight just because we're researchers? Combat Type S really do have nothing but muscle in their brains."
He countered by summoning a suit of Silver Armor that encased his body, and Otherworldly Power erupted from both of us.
Our powers clashed in the center of the training hall.
"DIIIIIIE!"
"Begone!"
We charged at each other simultaneously.
* * *
I can see the sky.
A clear, blue sky.
The sky I'm looking at while lying exhausted atop a mountain of concrete rubble.
I never knew sunlight could be this warm and bright.
I hadn't noticed lately, since I've been going out at night and playing games all day.
"Cough. Cough."
Hearing a sound, I turned my head to see the Librarian coughing, covered in stone dust.
Why did we fight?
It was just a trivial misunderstanding.
"Are you hurt anywhere?"
"My side hurts a bit from being hit by that hammer, but it's not a major issue."
"That's good, then."
We stared up at the sky.
About thirty seconds of silence passed.
"Do you like games?"
My bright voice broke the silence.
"I do. You can tell by my record, can't you?"
"What about MMORPGs?"
"They're not bad."
I see.
"There's a game I play."
"Is it a 25-man raid game?"
"You know it well."
"I play it often myself."
Then this makes things simple.
"Let's form a raid party. My voice is like this, so I can't really use voice chat."
I don't know why those damn guys keep swarming me.
Even if I tell them I'm a guy, they don't listen.
"Shall I lend you a voice changer?"
"Oh. You have something like that?"
"Isn't that what researchers are for? Making things like that."
"I suppose so."
Haha.
We laughed.
Whether dust got into our mouths or not, we just laughed.
To think a friend with the same hobby was so close by.
We had thrown punches at each other, but that was just a misunderstanding born from not knowing one another.
As they say, men become friends through fighting.
Today, I gained a new friend.
* * *
"Buy a house and get out."
The next morning. Those were the terrifying words that came out of Park Hyun-seok’s mouth after he summoned me.
"Aw, Hyun-seok. I just broke a little bit of stuff."
"A little?"
"Yeah. A little."
I didn't think I broke that much.
"Hmm. Let's see."
Hyun-seok quietly lifted a piece of paper at my words.
"The hallway area near the private rooms: completely destroyed."
Ah, that. I was a bit angry and stomped my feet.
"Training Hall 23: total loss."
Well, the Librarian and I went at it, so that couldn't be helped.
"Surrounding areas: decimated."
Hmm. Maybe I misjudged my strength.
"Request for reconstruction due to structural collapse of the Management Bureau building foundation."
Um?
"Small-scale earthquakes observed in the vicinity. No fatalities, but numerous casualties."
Um??
"Lobbying costs to keep this incident quiet."
Um???
"Compensation claims due to the mobilization of military forces from various countries."
Um????
"Finally, there is a report that you are the one who broke the Dust Chute by putting foreign objects in it. Lee Ha-ram."
Ah, I don't think that one's my fault.
I only threw trash in there.
"Anything to say?"
"Um. Can I pay in installments?"
"I don't need your money. Just leave."
"Yes, sir."
Well, at least I saved some money.
I'll have to ask the Lord of Infinite Castles for a house.
* * *
A place where land is cheap because Otherworldly enemies appear frequently.
Nanjido was nearby, so it smelled a bit and the security wasn't great, but thanks to that, the land was very cheap.
Even though it was in Seoul.
So, I called the Lord of Infinite Castles to that location.
And the result...
"You want me to build a house here?"
"Yeah."
It's a bit bumpy, there are lots of weeds, and there are no materials, but the Lord of Infinite Castles can make it work somehow.
With such a positive mindset, I looked at the site of my new sweet home.
"3.3 square meters. About the size of two tatami mats."
The Lord of Infinite Castles observed the tiny plot of land and spoke in a dry voice.
Ah, so two tatami mats make one pyeong? The Japanese use weird measurements.
"A two-story house, about 100 square meters, fully equipped with a bathroom and washing facilities, an Otherworld Generator, a water generator, shock absorbers, soundproofing, and a trash transmission device. Is that all you requested?"
The Lord of Infinite Castles' voice continued.
Hmm. I think the Management Bureau Teleportation Device was missing, but that's fine. I do have a conscience, after all.
"Yeah."
When I spoke with a cheerful, affirmative tone...
"There is only one house I can provide for you. You miserable brat."
The Lord of Infinite Castles swung his staff at me, his voice laced with fury.
"It's a coffin to bury you in, you ungrateful wretch!"
Whack.
It didn't hurt, but the heavy staff thudded against my head.
At the same time, a single thought occurred to me.
I'm screwed.