Chapter 26
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: Gel-tan
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I have no idea how many seconds it took me to get into attack position. But one thing was certain—it happened at an incredibly fast speed.
“…….”
“Scary!”
Festive pink hair tucked under a night hood. A black sleep mask covering the eyes. A massive fox tail the same color as the hair.
The mouth on that tail swiftly targeted my neck and lightly blocked the scythe I swung at it. It didn’t even flinch.
“Ease up on the killing intent. I don’t want to fight.”
“You pop out of nowhere like that?”
“What’s wrong with popping out of nowhere! I didn’t attack!”
“…Drop the weapon?”
“Huh? Oh, right. Sorry!”
Plop. The sharp teeth on the tail released my scythe. I confirmed it let go and immediately swung again.
“Ah, seriously! I don’t want to figh—”
The moment I saw it step back a little, I opened my mouth.
“Seung-hyeon Hun—”
“Wait!”
Snap. My mouth, about to shout, was quickly covered.
“For real, I just want to talk, no fighting. Give me one chance. Please? You want to talk too!”
“…….”
That made it even more suspicious. His teammates were out there fighting tooth and nail, but this one just wanted a peaceful chat.
“…….”
“Yeah?”
Wham! I kicked it with all my might, and the weird mouth-on-tail thing fell off limply.
“That hurts!”
“That’s why I kicked you.”
It fell off limply. That much was clear.
“You held back on purpose, right?”
“What? Why are you so quick on the uptake?”
It was acting like it was going easy on me. Which meant it had the power to kill me anytime. That made it a serious threat, but…
“Fine, whatever. I’ll hear you out.”
“Oh.”
It really seemed like it just wanted to talk. There wasn’t even a hint of the skin-crawling killing intent from those outside. Of course, that could make it even more dangerous.
Its tail mouth, with those razor-sharp teeth, grinned brightly as it rushed toward me. The moment it got close enough, pop! A star burst lightly in front of it.
“Why again!”
“Talk from there. Why should I trust you?”
“It’s close enough for me to rush you anyway.”
“…Fine, whatever. If you want to chat from 1km away, be my guest.”
“Nah. This distance is perfect.”
Flop. It sat cross-legged on the ground and smiled warmly at me. Well, with the mask on, I couldn’t tell if it was a real smile or just the mouth grinning—hard to say.
“So. What do you want to talk about.”
“…Your mood swings are wild!”
“If you’re just gonna waste time—”
“Changing the mood! Changing the mood!”
It wagged its tail back and forth, cleared its throat, and spoke again.
“First off, my name is □—no, wait. …It’s Gel-tan!”
It hesitated, so probably a made-up name on the spot. Not its real one.
No big deal anyway.
“…I’ve got a question first.”
“What?”
“That damn weird alien language—is that your world’s tongue?”
“Weird? It’s our world’s language, for starters.”
“Right.”
I figured as much, but had to confirm. Could’ve been some cipher instead of a language.
“Then—”
“Before that!”
“…….”
“Don’t glare like that. Exactly four times!”
“What.”
“I’ll give you four questions!”
“Anything?”
“No!”
“…….”
From the way it was acting, it felt like it came just to annoy me. The way it swished its tail only made it more obvious.
‘Stay calm.’
Even if not anything, it was a chance to get some info.
“Oh! And if you ask something I can’t answer, it still counts as one of your chances? I’ll treat it like you got an answer!”
“…….”
My energy had recovered some, so maybe beating it half to death and forcing answers out would be better.
“…….”
I turned my gaze to the thing sitting there all calm and peaceful.
No. That wasn’t possible. Not right now. I couldn’t beat it alone. I’d need the others. Solo? No way. The bunny ears and white mask outside at least gave me a shot, but this Gel-tan in front of me? No clue. Not even the usual killing intent.
Maybe after some time passed, but right now? Impossible.
“…Sigh.”
I let out a sigh and looked at Gel-tan. No killing intent, no will to fight—just sitting there.
“Alright, Gel-tan.”
“Yeah?”
“Light questions don’t cost a chance?”
“Hmm, sure, why not. I like you.”
“…Question. You guys are enemies with us, right?”
“Pretty much?”
“You’re Hunters?”
Gel-tan let out a thoughtful hum, then nodded.
“What about Patterns?”
“Patterns?”
“Nope.”
From the way it asked back, it didn’t have one. No Pattern meant not from our world. Hunters are people who awaken Patterns, after all.
“Next question. Why did you guys appear?”
“Why we appeared?”
“Exactly that.”
“Uh… this costs one chance.”
“What?”
“And the answer’s vague! Our role, that’s why!”
“As if I didn’t know that—no.”
Yeah. I was dumb for expecting a straight answer.
“Next question. Why here of all places?”
“Ah… that’s another chance.”
“…Do what you want.”
“Why we’re here? This place has the most flows coming out.”
“Flows?”
“That’s a secret! Shh!”
“So what does that have to do with you showing up.”
“I said it has the most flows. So we came to block them.”
“Really…!”
It burned a chance on that vague crap?
Pfft, a small sigh escaped me. It was frustrating since they were enemies—I couldn’t just spill about my past regressions. Not like they’d understand anyway.
“…So you’re saying this place has the most ‘flows,’ and we barged in, so you came to kick us out?”
“Uh… not exactly to kick you out.”
“What?”
“Well, □—er, the white-masked one requested backup.”
Not helpful. White Mask was a first-timer too, so it calling for backup…
Yeah, useless.
“Are you doing this to help me or just to piss me off?”
“Neither.”
“What?”
Its annoying tail swished like it was already sick of me.
“I’m doing this for us.”
“What bullshit is that? Us?”
“Details cost a chance, and I can’t say!”
“…Fine.”
Not surprising anymore.
“Alright, two left!”
Two. I wasted the first two too lightly. Could’ve dug into the core, but I blew it like an idiot. Did this damn Gel-tan’s stupidity rub off on me?
“…….”
Calm down. Think of questions it’ll answer without catching on—simple but not simple.
“…Ah.”
“Yeah?”
“Question.”
No point asking about Pattern-less Hunters. Better to probe higher up.
“I’ve heard about this ‘King’ guy.”
“Wow. They really blabbed? Tell them to keep their mouths shut. No fear, huh.”
“…Anyway, is that King the developer of this dungeon?”
“Uh… pretty much?”
“Good. Kill him, and the dungeon vanishes?”
“Dunno? No idea.”
Acting all-knowing before, now playing dumb? Or really clueless? Either way, Gel-tan wasn’t saying more.
“One chance left!”
“…….”
Honestly, I wanted to ask why they destroyed our world, why us specifically. But a non-King wouldn’t know, so no point. I know about the King now—ask him myself. Seems like he set this whole game up.
‘And it hasn’t destroyed us yet.’
Spilling un-happened events? Pointless.
I stared at Gel-tan for a bit. Something I’d never seen in any regression.
Dungeons were glitchy, not just my brother. So he was at the center. Or just a string of coincidences—but nah, too late for that.
“…Last question.”
One thing I wanted to know.
Why destroy our world.
I forced open my mouth despite the twitching.
“…What’s this King of yours? Like, why he was born or whatever—”
“Our god.”
“What?”
“Our everything.”
“What, the creator?”
“Something like that? Only the King knows the truth.”
“Then why bother with questions.”
“Didn’t expect such a deep one. Man, the more we talk, the more I like you!”
Gel-tan’s tail whirred like helicopter blades. Almost flying off with a whoosh.
“Hey, wanna join us?”
“You nuts?”
“Hmm, no thanks? Alrighty.”
“…….”
I ignored it and tuned into the outside noises, waiting for Seung-hyeon Hunter and Yoo A-han to finish up. Sounded like they’d win soon.
“Guess I should head out.”
“Huh?”
“‘Cause I really like you.”
Whirr. A gate suddenly appeared. Gel-tan stuck an arm in and turned to me.
“Don’t die.”
“No clue what you’re on about.”
“The King’s world is coming.”
“Wait, what the—”
Gel-tan grinned wide, flashing its fangs solo.
“Bye-bye!”
Whirr. Before I could finish, Gel-tan vanished into the gate.
“The King’s world is coming?”
Right. After this dungeon, strong ones pop up everywhere. An un-cleared S-Rank bursts, unleashing freakishly powerful things, and the world ends.
“So…”
“Han Ji-eon Hunter?”
“Yes?”
I jumped and turned. Seung-hyeon Hunter looked filthy now, unlike before.
“Oh, done already?”
“They vanished.”
“Vanished?”
Yoo A-han walked up, finishing the sentence.
“It said ‘the King’s world is coming’ and disappeared into a gate.”
“…….”
“No idea what it means, but it feels like something bad’s about to happen. We should regroup, clear this, and get out…”
“Ah.”
We had three here. Brother still solo somewhere, Ryu Cheon-hwa separated too—
“Looking for me?”
Whoosh. I spun at the voice behind me. Ryu Cheon-hwa stood there, covered in grime like he rolled in dust.
“Uh… Ryu Cheon-hwa?”
“Looking this wrecked, something showed up here too, huh.”
“Did those… Hunters appear on your side too?”
Ryu Cheon-hwa nodded lightly.
“They said ‘the King’s world is coming’ and vanished.”
“Same here.”
Seung-hyeon Hunter’s face darkened.
“Looks like we need to clear fast and head out.”
“But my brother—”
“Me?”
I turned at my brother’s familiar voice. He stepped out of a gate. Seriously?
“Bro, why’re you coming from there.”
“Cleared the next stage, so I could go back to the previous one.”
“What?”
“You can go straight to the stage after next from here.”
“No, wait. What’d you say before?”
“Cleared the next stage.”
“Why?”
“Just did.”
“How?”
“…Just did.”
I wasn’t the only one flustered. Yoo A-han laughed ha-ha, Seung-hyeon Hunter sighed, Ryu Cheon-hwa showed nothing. Wait, just me?
“You all knew?”
“More or less.”
Ryu Cheon-hwa answered. Then Yoo A-han.
“Enemies like this aren’t new.”
Finally Seung-hyeon Hunter.
“Told you we should do it together.”
Ji Hwa-yeon had said something like this before.
「So, just my personal take, but Han Ji-un Hunter feels like he can see the future, you know?」
Guess it wasn’t personal—it was the S-Ranks’ consensus.
How far ahead has this jerk seen?