Chapter 185
Chapter 185
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 185
Chapter Title: A Trap Within a Trap
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While guiding Lee Si-woo, Rios couldn't let his guard down for a single moment.
The quality and quantity of mana emanating from Si-woo were so potent they made the hair on his arms stand on end.
‘A user with this much mana? Does that even make sense? At this level... he'd be beyond a Knight Commander, maybe even a Guardian.’
Those who guard the Saintess are called Guardians, and they are chosen only from the most exceptional among the already powerful Knight Commanders.
But to have mana comparable in quantity and quality to a Guardian?
Considering Si-woo was a user, it was incomprehensible.
‘And that suit. It's a type I've never seen, not even in the Trial World's Item Compendium.’
No matter how rare a suit was, it should be registered in the Item Compendium, a book that cataloged every item in the Trial World.
But a suit that doesn't exist in the compendium?
That meant the suit was either a Custom Item or a New Item.
As Rios's thoughts reached that conclusion, a certain name surfaced in his mind.
‘Lee Si-woo?’
In Rios's judgment, there was only one irregular in this world with the skill to overwhelm most Club Masters and possess a New Item.
The one who had opened the Secret Chapter: Lee Si-woo.
‘If that bastard is Lee Si-woo, then all of this makes sense. He must have obtained the New Item while clearing the Secret Chapter, and that immense mana... he probably got it as a reward or through some cheat-like method.’
Rios's assumption was correct.
Originally, even after becoming a Knight and gaining mana, Si-woo had only obtained the Card Draw Wish ability; his physical stats were abysmal.
That was why the Knight Commander had briefly looked down on him.
But Si-woo had slaughtered users with a virus, earning a massive amount of points, which allowed him to enjoy a proper shopping spree in the ‘Shop.’
Now, no one could even begin to imagine what weapons and abilities he possessed.
‘Can I win? No, can I kill him?’
Rios kept glancing sideways, as if trying to size Si-woo up.
Meanwhile, Si-woo was also on guard, sensing an unusual aura from Rios.
‘He seems stronger than any user I've ever met... Hmm, maybe I should try using *that*.’
Si-woo took a lens out of his inventory and placed it in his eye.
Rios questioned Si-woo's sudden and peculiar action.
“Why the sudden lens?”
“My eyes are a bit blurry. Are you always this interested in other people's business? Or are you trying to pick a fight?”
Nausea rose in Rios's throat at Si-woo's prickly attitude, but guessing his identity, he exercised as much patience as he could.
“Fine, I'll stay out of it. Do whatever you want. Just don't cross the line.”
“Telling me to do what I want but not to cross the line? Tsk, are you telling me to do it or not? Is this how the Dawn Club always treats its guests?”
“We'll see whether you're a guest or not.”
A peculiar light flashed in Si-woo's eyes at Rios's curt but careful demeanor, as if he were trying not to provoke him.
‘He's being too cautious around me. Could it be... he knows who I am?’
At the same time, Rios's status window appeared over the lens Si-woo was wearing.
「Rios」 ★★★★★★★★☆
Rank: 7
Position: Club Master
Affiliation: Dawn
Race: Human
Wish: Dice that Interfere with Fate
Physique: Guardian-Class
Mana: Commander-Class
Talents: Swordsman (劍客), Extreme Body (極體), Sword Specialization, Keen Senses, Ki Sense, Veteran, Pressure Point Strike, Self-Control (克己).
Having thoroughly analyzed Rios's information with the ‘Scanner Lens’ purchased from the Shop, Si-woo licked his lips.
‘The Club Master of Dawn is personally guiding me... He was planning to take me out if things went south.’
As soon as he identified Rios and understood his intentions, Si-woo began to plan his next move. Just then, Rios spoke.
“We're here. Adrian is inside, so go on in.”
The place they had arrived at was a panic room deep within the clubhouse.
Facing the steel door and walls, which felt more claustrophobic than sturdy, Si-woo spoke.
“If I go in there, I might not be able to get out, right?”
“If you're afraid of that, then don't go in. But then Ha-yun will die.”
Si-woo flinched at Rios's definitive statement about Ha-yun's death, then clicked his tongue softly and opened the panic room door.
As he watched Si-woo's back disappear through the heavy steel door, Rios took out his radio and contacted a club member under his command.
“Get the men ready to pull out. We're heading to Chapter 7 immediately.”
-Sir? Master, we're not ready to withdraw yet. We haven't gathered all the supplies and items. We'll need at least another day to get everything...
“Leave behind what you haven't packed. And are the bombs fully installed?”
-Yes, that part is complete.
“If we detonate all the explosives, what happens to the panic room? Is it sturdy enough to withstand the blast?”
-The panic room? Hmm, it's designed to be extremely durable, so it should withstand a certain amount.
“Then pile every remaining explosive around that panic room. I want it blown away without a trace, even if it were a panic castle, not just a room.”
-...Sir? Is that really necessary? There's nothing important in the panic room anyway, and we're severely short on manpower...
“Shut up and do as you're told. Got it? Every last explosive. No, not just the explosives—cram every single bomb we have onto that panic room. I don't want a single ant to crawl out of there alive, no matter what's inside.”
-But...
“Just do it. Understood?”
-...Yes. Understood. We'll begin at once.
“Finish it as quickly as possible, then gather the club members and head to Chapter 7.”
Having said his piece, Rios turned off the radio and gazed at the firmly shut steel door of the panic room.
‘It doesn't matter now whether you're Lee Si-woo or not. No matter what you do, having come here today, you won't be leaving that place alive. It's just... Ha-yun. I have failed you. But what can I do? Circumstances have forced my hand. So, if by some luck we meet in the afterlife, I will beg for your forgiveness. It's only a matter of time before I follow you there anyway.’
If Lee Si-woo, the only one who could clear the chapter, died here, Rios's death was also a foregone conclusion.
But Rios didn't care.
If his own death could prevent this world from being cleared, he would gladly embrace it.
* * *
Inside the panic room, a sickly Adrian and a blindfolded, gagged Ha-yun, who was tied to a chair, were waiting for Si-woo.
Upon seeing Si-woo, Adrian couldn't hide his smile, even as blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
“You came?”
“Let Ha-yun go.”
“I will. If you're really Lee Si-woo. So, why don't you take off that helmet first?”
Cough, cough.
Coughing like a consumptive patient, Adrian stared at him with expectant eyes. Si-woo glanced at him before letting out a heavy sigh and removing his suit's helmet.
When Si-woo's friendly face was revealed, Adrian burst into cheerful laughter.
“It really is you, Si-woo. *Cough*, as expected... I succeeded.”
“So? Are you satisfied?”
“That's what I wanted to ask you. How does it feel to be complete? How does it feel to have filled the part you were missing? Are you satisfied?”
“I don't know.”
Adrian let out a dry laugh.
“Well, I suppose you wouldn't. You were reborn as a human and lost all memories of your past life.”
Hearing his words, Si-woo's face hardened.
He had a feeling that the Ancestral Demon, having secured Adrian's memories, knew his situation perfectly.
Adrian leaned back in the wooden chair and said.
“What about Jin and Kinis? Are they well?”
“...I don't know.”
“You don't even know that? You know nothing. *Cough*...”
“I don't know if you're aware, but my situation is a complete mess.”
“A mess, you say? Hmm... why? Did Kinis and Jin betray you?”
At this, Si-woo was genuinely shocked.
As far as he knew, the Ancestral Demon had been helplessly betrayed by Jin and Kinis.
But for the Ancestral Demon at this point in time to say such a thing?
Could it be that he already knew of Jin and Kinis's change of heart?
Or...
“Wait, don't tell me... you were the one who led them to betray me...”
“*Cough*, don't jump to conclusions. It wasn't like that. I merely inferred it from peeking at this body's memories.”
“......”
Seeing the distrust in Si-woo's eyes, Adrian chuckled.
“You don't seem to trust me. How about this, then?”
Adrian took a knife from his pocket and aimed it at Ha-yun.
Instantly, Si-woo's demeanor changed.
Seeing Si-woo glare with the savage eyes of a wounded wolf, Adrian grinned.
Then, Adrian's knife sliced through the ropes binding Ha-yun to the chair.
After removing the blindfold from the freed Ha-yun, Adrian gave her a gentle push.
“Take her. And from now on, don't ever let her go again. Ever.”
As Si-woo reflexively caught Ha-yun in his arms, he felt the warmth of her body against his skin and finally realized it.
Yes, she had returned to him.
“Si-woo?”
As Ha-yun looked up at him with blurry eyes, Si-woo wrapped an arm around her waist and answered.
“Yes. It's me. So you can rest easy now. As long as I'm by your side, no one will be able to touch you.”
“Ah... it's you. It's really... you.”
Was it because the tension had finally broken?
Or had she been bound for too long?
She lost consciousness and slumped into his arms. Si-woo held her back tightly.
As if he would never let her go again.
In truth, he had harbored ominous thoughts that she might be a fake, that this could all be a trap.
But Adrian had returned Ha-yun to him.
Despite having used her as a hostage to lure him here.
Unable to comprehend Adrian's actions, Si-woo asked in a baffled tone.
“What is this? If you were going to do this, why did you take Ha-yun hostage and summon me here?”
“Peeking at this guy's memories, I got the feeling you'd lost all your memories and were being played by Jin and Kinis. So I took matters into my own hands to prevent any other variables from interfering.”
“Just who are you...”
Adrian spoke with a sardonic smile.
“Don't forget. I am you. And you are me.”
“...Cut the crap. You are not me. You're a fake.”
“Well, perhaps.”
Adrian let the knife in his hand fall limply to the ground as he continued.
“Enough. You should go now.”
“What?”
“I said go. The master of this club is no pushover. He's probably figured out that you're Lee Si-woo. There's no telling what he'll do. So now that you have Ha-yun, get out of here.”
Si-woo felt a strange sense of unease.
If this was the plan, why had the Ancestral Demon called him here?
Couldn't he have just told Ha-yun his location and sent her back?
But just then, the black remote in Si-woo's chest vibrated.
And Kinis's words flashed through his mind.
-It may be a bother, but please keep this beacon with you, and if it reacts, notify me immediately. I can't guarantee it, but there's a high probability that whatever the beacon reacts to is the source of the error.
‘Why is this remote reacting now? I brushed past Adrian before, and I'm with him now. So why now of all times...’
Hiss.
The sound of a snake flicking its tongue.
At the same time, hearing something slice through the air, Si-woo ducked reflexively.
Swoosh.
A snake made of dark red blood grazed past Si-woo's neck.
Having nearly been bitten by the snake, Si-woo's eyes narrowed as he glared at Adrian.
“You bastard. That body isn't your true form—that is. That snake is you.”
Adrian clicked his tongue, not bothering to hide his disappointment.
“What a shame. It was the perfect chance to take over that body. I guess this is my future self I'm dealing with, after all. I didn't think you'd avoid a trap this well-designed.”
Even though his trump card had failed, Adrian remained composed.
Success would have meant seizing Si-woo's body and enjoying a new life, but now that it had failed, he held no lingering regrets.
He knew Si-woo wouldn't let him live.
Having nearly been done in by Adrian, Si-woo gritted his teeth and spat out words filled with venom.
“I see now that the right thing to do is kill you here with my own hands.”
Just as Si-woo reached into his inventory to pull out a weapon from the Shop, a tremendous explosion roared from outside the panic room.
The entire panic room shook as if struck by an earthquake, and a deafening roar like thunder exploding next to his ear assaulted his eardrums. Si-woo quickly held Ha-yun tight.
Then, through the cracks of the shattering steel walls, red flames surged forth and engulfed Si-woo and Ha-yun.
The explosives Rios had planted in the clubhouse had detonated at the most lethal moment possible.