Time for Rest
I safely cleared the second floor and returned to reality, and I remembered the days when I was hospitalized.
Since I couldn't move properly, the only thing I could do was investigate the death energy seeping from the lower floors.
In that process, I learned several important facts.
The most efficient time to collect essence is right after life has been extinguished.
That wasn't to say it couldn't be absorbed from an old corpse.
After enough time had passed for the body to be able to walk on its own, the place it headed for was precisely the burial room.
Even in the burial room where corpses were stored, I could absorb a small amount of essence without it being as much as in the emergency operating room.
The standard storage period for corpses in a burial room doesn't exceed a week, they say.
So this time, I was going to check whether essence could still be absorbed from an old corpse.
I also wanted to confirm whether there was a difference in the total amount of essence each person, monster, and hunter's corpse could absorb.
This stop is the 3rd exit of the Hunter Association. 3rd exit of the Hunter Association.
I got off the bus and looked up at the Hunter Association building.
Fifteen years ago, this place was a ruin, yet it was now a bustling street and towering buildings.
Behind the association building slept those who had fallen while stopping the S-class gate that occurred fifteen years ago.
The place where those who were enough to be called heroes at the time were sleeping, entrance was restricted as usual.
Even without going that far, it was more than enough to feel.
The death energy emanating from the corpses of the hunters.
...
I clasped my hands together in front of the tombstone and knelt, offering silent prayers for a while.
Please forgive me for consuming your death in this way.
Please let me rest in peace.
After finishing my prayer, black energy flowed from the bottom of the tombstone and seeped into me.
Without trying to absorb it on purpose, I watched the scene of essence naturally coming into my body.
Somehow, my heart felt heavy.
I had no idea if it was just an illusion, but.
It felt as if I was taking on the death of the person themselves.
So.
I repeated that same action endlessly from then on.
Please let me rest in peace.
Please let me rest in peace.
... Please let me rest in peace.
Until the sun hanging in the middle of the sky set in the sunset.
Continuously.
Continuously.
And finally, as the sunset sank beyond the horizon.
After passing the late night, it became the deep dawn.
Only after praying in front of every tombstone in the National Cemetery did the sun, heralding the new morning, begin to rise.
Current essence possessed: 100/100
After fully charging the essence to its maximum and returning home, I slept as if in a coma for almost a day.
Today was over.
I thought that after a month of rehabilitation exercises and awakening following my heart surgery, my body condition had greatly improved.
But pushing myself too hard while climbing the tower and doing that crazy thing yesterday made my condition collapse completely.
Originally, I was going to head straight to the third floor upon waking.
But looking at my current state, it was obviously impossible.
For a mood swing, I showered appropriately and went out.
Just as I was about to order the same coffee as usual at the nearby favorite cafe, my hand stopped.
"You know, no matter how much awakened, you should avoid caffeine as much as possible!"
I recalled the memory of secretly drinking coffee in the hospital and getting scolded by a nurse, so I ordered decaf instead of the cafein coffee I had just been about to buy.
While waiting for the coffee, I sat at the table to access the portal site first in order to find out how the world was turning in recent times.
It's still hot.
Looking at the news articles related to me who dominated the main, I felt anew how tremendous my achievements were.
While waiting for the coffee and reading the news, I sensed something strange.
Was there originally no one in the cafe?
I remembered that there were some people when I entered, but the cafe had only me, as if I had rented the entire place by myself.
The customers had already left, and the staff were nervously glancing at this side.
Just as I wondered what was going on.
Click-click-click-
A woman wearing sunglasses entered the cafe from the entrance and walked straight to the table where I was sitting, pulling out a chair on the opposite side.
The waiter quickly approached the woman.
"May I take your order?"
"The same thing as what this person ordered."
"Yes, yes! Understood. I'll bring it right away."
Watching the waiter leave quickly, I wondered what kind of situation this was and looked at the woman.
The woman lowered her sunglasses and met my eyes.
The moment I saw the woman's face, I immediately understood the situation.
"Scout?"
"Correct~"
The woman, Han Su-hyun, answered with a sly smile to my words.
A fox-like smile that seemed to be seducing people.
I momentarily stood there blankly staring at her face, then pinched my thigh to regain my senses.
"I'll introduce myself formally. I'm Han Su-hyun of the Arcane Guild."
"I'm Yohan. Nice to meet you."
"You don't look at all surprised?"
"I was quite surprised."
Half of what I said was sincere
Ever since I registered my name on the rank list, I had expected moments like this.
But to attempt contact so quickly... especially directly by Han Su-hyun herself.
"Is there something you want to ask?"
"Yes. Feel free to ask."
"Why did you register your real name on the rank list?"
"Because I respected Hunter Han Su-hyun for a long time? Han Su-hyun Hunter also registered her real name."
"That part is different because I'm a public figure. It's also calculated for marketing reasons."
"Two decaf cafe mocas for your order have arrived..."
"Thank you."
"I'll drink it well."
"But Yohan-nim is not a public figure. You really respected me and followed me?"
"If I lie, will you believe me?"
"Yes. Even if it's a lie, I'll believe you."
This is awkward.
This Han Su-hyun.
She really is not an easy person.
After just a little conversation, I felt my breath was blocked and my energy drained.
"I have a strong attachment to my name. As a side note, I hoped a group that could raise me well would take me in."
"Huu~ Different."
"What's different?"
"Usually people hide their true identity a lot to raise their own value, but... Yohan-nim is the opposite."
"I hadn't thought about that either, but... since the tower I'm climbing is Hell difficulty."
"Will you get stuck while climbing Hell difficulty alone?"
"Yeah, maybe. I did think about that."
"Good. I'll believe you."
"Then, about the conditions..."
"What conditions?"
"... You said you came to scout, right?"
"Yes. I came to scout. Until a few days ago."
Han Su-hyun handed me her business card.
"Until a few days ago?"
"Yes. Recently, I visited to talk with you."
"If it was yesterday..."
I was at the hunter national cemetery all day yesterday?
"My heart changed there. So whether you go to the Arcane Guild or another guild or the association doesn't matter."
Without any regret, Han Su-hyun stood up from her seat and said quietly.
"I'll see you later. Bye bye~"
With that, Han Su-hyun really left the cafe.
... What exactly was that?
I stared at the opposite side where Han Su-hyun had sat for a long time, sipping my coffee and lost in thought.
After leaving the cafe, Han Su-hyun boarded the vehicle waiting in advance.
"I'll see you to the guild?"
"No, the association."
"Understood."
Han Su-hyun, who had changed her destination, leaned her head against the window and fell into thought.
A few days ago, the day I visited Yohan to make contact.
Han Su-hyun saw.
Yohan kneeling in front of each tombstone and praying.
Curious about how long he would continue that action, she controlled the entrance so no one could enter the national cemetery.
She also gave instructions so that no one could disturb Yohan.
After Yohan's prayers finally ended after a whole day.
Han Su-hyun, who watched the scene from start to finish, hurriedly returned to the guild.
Entering her own office, she picked up a frame installed on the table and looked at the photo beyond the mirror.
Fifteen years ago, the tragedy of the S-class gate occurred, and the hero who saved young Han Su-hyun who was nearly killed in it.
Not only that, the true hero who finally closed the S-class gate and saved tens of thousands, or perhaps hundreds of thousands of people.
Seo Ha-neul.
Han Su-hyun, staring at the last photo of Seo Ha-neul, who was an S-class hunter at the time, raised her head and blankly looked up at the ceiling.
Haa...
It was true that I was curious about who she was.
It was also true that I tried to scout her.
But after seeing that scene, I had no choice but to change my thoughts.
As a result, in our first meeting with Yohan, she talked to him not as the president of the Arcane Guild but as Han Su-hyun herself.
For someone who clearly distinguishes between public and private matters, this negotiation was an unprecedented event.
There are many hunters... but no heroes.
I recalled the scene of Yohan praying once more.
When I replayed that intense memory engraved in my mind.
Han Su-hyun's desire twitched.
The desire to see the hero's appearance with her own eyes once again.
Han Su-hyun looked at the documents organizing Yohan's personal information.
Report. Report. Report again.
Han Su-hyun kept staring at Yohan endlessly.