Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Black History #4
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Eira seeped into Do-yoon's body in an instant.
"...?"
Do-yoon fumbled around his solar plexus with a bewildered expression.
A strange sensation accompanied by a very familiar warmth spread through his insides.
'She's here.'
He hadn't probed directly, but he felt a strong certainty that Eira had fully become a part of him.
Do-yoon looked around.
With the Theme Stage period over, the village scenery had completely vanished.
All that remained was the familiar green zone he'd passed by so many times.
Lush grass and trees welcomed him back.
-Swooooosh...
Two portals gazed at him.
One blue, the other red.
They represented return to Earth and entry to the next floor, respectively.
Do-yoon thought for a moment.
Floors 1 through 4 were the tutorial zone, where Hunters from the same world could intervene.
From Floor 5 onward, trials awaited that he had to clear alone.
'Let's head back.'
He judged that was the right call for now.
The info he had only went up to the Theme Stage area.
Points of contact with other Hunters, clear rewards, and even the Hidden Piece that was Eira.
There were mountains of things to report and discuss with the Hunter Association.
'Gonna be busy already.'
He decided to tackle them one by one, slowly.
Do-yoon threw himself into the blue portal.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The moment Do-yoon returned, the world began to move at a rapid pace.
The successful mission of a Hunter treated like a deity.
Not only had he racked up the precious achievement of a Hidden Piece, but he reappeared before the senior Hunters with a stark difference from before.
He had completely shed the image of a clumsy rookie.
To avoid death, he had to kill—
A faint air of murderous intent began to subtly emanate from around him.
"...Do-yoon oppa...?"
"Yeah?"
Do-yoon turned at the familiar voice.
The woman's eyes reflected a face that was familiar yet somehow off.
Jeong A-hyeon was also a Hunter who had started alongside Do-yoon.
If his initial curiosity about the world had been like a baby wolf,
Now he seemed to have matured into a calm, quiet adolescent wolf.
His settled demeanor supported her metaphor.
"Did... something happen...?"
Of course something had happened.
He'd survived inside the Tower, competing with Hunters from another world.
As a senior Hunter, she knew better than anyone what that implied.
"A-hyeon."
Likewise waiting for his return, Han Ji-hyeok quietly called Jeong A-hyeon.
Perhaps beneath that calm lay somewhat gloomy, shocking emotions.
What was needed now was to give him time to process it alone.
"Ah... Yes."
Jeong A-hyeon glanced at Do-yoon with worried eyes before awkwardly smiling in welcome.
"Oppa, you did great...!"
"Yeah. Thanks."
"Good work. Go rest inside for now. We'll handle the follow-up."
"I have a report on Tower-related stuff too?"
"That can wait."
"Really?"
Do-yoon pondered briefly but shook his head and spoke.
"Nah. I should report first. Got two Hidden Pieces this time."
"Two...?"
At that, Jo Ha-rin stared at him with wide eyes in surprise.
Cha Yun-ha was the same.
How many more shocks would it take to get used to this newbie?
They had so many questions.
But for now, they had no choice but to help lighten the newbie's load.
"Whew."
After returning from the Tower and finishing the day's tasks, Do-yoon flopped onto his dorm bed.
'Gotta check on home too.'
Before he knew it, Do-yoon was treating the dorm like his real home.
His actual apartment, used only for sleeping lately, was probably covered in a month's dust.
"Maybe call a cleaning service."
Thinking that, Do-yoon habitually opened the gallery.
💬 Boss Mob Gallery — Title: But who are those two armband guys who still haven't checked in? [Still short-circuiting as grape juice zombie... Of course, talking about Wine Lord] — Armbands, listen up. If you don't lift the Eira restriction right now, I'll come shit on your doorstep That much of a black history hater? Should've lived better then lololol — Title: So where's the newbie now? The Boss Mob Gallery was still buzzing as lively as ever.
Do-yoon posted to give an update.
⭐ Your Post — Title: Newbie Update! (Photo of hands spread wide toward the ceiling) - Theme Stage all done, back at dorm chilling ㅇㅇ Thanks to the info you guys gave, somehow cleared it fine Thanks... — Oh, cleared it? Nice, made it back alive. Got some real talent? — Lmao talking talent to a newbie who just cleared 5th floor Theme Stage lololol ↳ Paper Enthusiast Didn't go to next floor, returned for now ↳ Your Reply ㅇㅇ Wanted a quick maintenance break — Title: You feeling like maintaining at your current level? - Get your ass to the next floor right now and clear it desperately Come find me where I am!!!!! I know how to graduate too... — You get out lololol Newbie's human too... — This is beyond flirting level? He's the one pitching himself as a useful Hunter!!! Fr, got us excited about graduation first — These guys up top are seriously dangerous.... Block the armbands plz Some users were interested in Do-yoon's movements.
But the most eye-catching was—
⭐ Top Post — Title: Hoooeeng...! Now it's Watashichan's era...! (Photo of Wine Lord smirking smugly) - Hehehe...! Now newbie-chan can't attack me with my black history memes anymore..! All the memes I spread are sealed, can't defy me anymore...! "Heh."
Do-yoon felt intense interest seeing that.
What reaction would she have if Eira was still inside him?
With the mindset of a reporter powering down a PC for a violence experiment at a PC bang, he posted.
⭐ Your Post — Title: Eira's still here tho? - Got her as a reward ㅇㅇ Don't worry Wine Lord; I'll take responsibility and leave Eira's traces in this room forever — Aged Wine is... ? — ? What is this? Obtained the object? Bullshit lololol no way even for a newbie... Huh? — Title: Idiots, is that the issue right now? (Photo of Eira smiling cutely) - Our goddess Eira is still alive and breathing!!!! Not even reset, still perfectly existing!!! I can howl and cry everywhere just from this fr... — Newbie is god? Newbie is god? Newbie is god? Newbie is god? — Eira baby... must protect.... Eira baby... must protect.... — Boss gallery already hyped seeing Wine Lord's frozen grin, upvote lol first me Lmao — Wine Lord begone.. now it's grape juice era — (Private) Title: Newbie come here a sec. Nickname: Paper Enthusiast* - What do you mean obtained object as skill? You carrying it around inside the floors for real? — Your Reply ㄴㄴㄴ Details need checking, but probably means can 'temporarily' summon as skill form ↳ Paper Enthusiast Hmm;;; Then what happens to the original Theme Stage? ↳ Short-Eared Goblin ~It'll handle it somehow~ Tower won't let it do impossible stuff~ — Aged Wine is... This, this means we gotta formally protest to the Tower Master...! Unfair!! ↳ Paper Enthusiast You were just saying it fine a bit ago why backtrack; ↳ Aged Wine is... I didn't say it well! "Talked to the Tower Master?"
Do-yoon took interest in the name.
If the armbands were the lords of each Tower,
The Tower Master was something above them.
'Who is that?'
At that point, probably a real god.
Someone who built this massive disaster structure called the Tower and quietly observed Hunters struggling from above.
Didn't seem to hold benevolent views toward living beings, at least.
— Title: Kinda wild tho - First time seeing someone in this gallery say they wield an object as a skill like that Newbie's one of a kind aren't they? — ㅇㅇ Balance break Low-rank Hunters can't even touch object existence, carrying it around? — Your Reply Not sure exactly yet;; gotta check more First, he needed to figure out how long Eira could manifest and how much mana she consumed.
Only then could he use the skill efficiently in the next fight.
— So when's next raid? Let him rest ffs lololol — What you expecting from guy who just left Theme Stage lol Did good with other Hunters? — Your Reply ㅇㅇ Somehow yeah — Ah lololol who'd hand out free Hidden Pieces lol That was true.
Once clear reward details emerged, their perceptions shifted dramatically.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The target has invited you to a chat room. "...?"
Then, a notification rang from the skill window.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The target has invited you to a chat room. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The target has invited you to a chat room. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The target has invited you to a chat room! No need to check; the name was plain as day.
Wine Lord.
She must have realized her hell wasn't over yet and invited him to control Do-yoon.
"Nah, not going in."
He vowed to make her pay dearly for rotting his nerves with her roleplay all this time.
Do-yoon sank deep into the dorm bed with that resolve.