Lives Aren't Means to an End
"Lives shouldn't be part of choosing means and methods."
As Seoya spoke in her clear, ringing voice, the hunters on the other side wore awkward expressions. They clearly disagreed with her words but couldn't bring themselves to argue back—not against the world rank 0th standing right in front of them.
So Eunsu muttered blankly at Seoya's words.
"Seoya-nim, you're totally the pure-hearted female lead from a romance manga..."
"What?"
Seoya blinked, not understanding So Eunsu's out-of-left-field comment. He gave an embarrassed smile and continued.
"No, I mean, I've known it for a while, but you're really upright. Impressively so."
"To be honest, we think we could ignore means and methods like those guys too!"
So Euneung emphasized her words, glancing at Seoya before winking.
"But I hate those people more, so I'm on your side!"
"What?"
As Seoya stared at her with eyes full of confusion, So Euneung whipped her head around, pointed her index finger straight at the hunters, and yelled.
"Shush now! Don't say weird stuff to our Seoya-nim!"
"What did you just say?"
Even faced with the Sprout Guild hunters' dumbfounded looks, So Euneung didn't bat an eye.
"Just like Seoya-nim said, lives are too precious!"
"As expected of the Asteroid Guild..."
Having only seen So Eunsu and So Euneung on Ntube before, the Sprout Guild hunters—who had assumed their real personalities matched their online image of "dedicated hunters always striving to help people"—nodded in agreement.
Right then, cracks spiderwebbed through the space as the dungeon began to shatter.
Seoya remembered something she'd forgotten amid these unfamiliar hunters.
"Phew."
As the dungeon crumbled and the space shifted back to the department store's first floor, Seoya slowly drew in a breath. The dungeon interior had been a department store too, so it was hard to tell if they were really out—but the police and a few reporters in front of her confirmed they had safely escaped.
Everyone had gathered on the first floor of the department store. A few groaned from bumping into each other on the way out, but no one seemed to have serious injuries.
As everyone busied themselves assessing the situation, So Eunsu shouted first and loudest.
"We have injured! Check them first!"
The paramedics who had arrived while they were inside the dungeon hurried toward the direction So Eunsu pointed, examining the wounded.
"Zombie monster bites. We've used potions and skills to stop excessive bleeding... but the bleeding hasn't fully stopped for some, and we couldn't regenerate the wounds, so please check the areas where flesh was torn off."
While So Eunsu relayed this to the paramedics, So Euneung brightly greeted a few approaching civilians.
"Sniff, sob... Thank you so much earlier...! I thought I was done for with that zombie!"
"You were so cool! Thank you, thank you!"
"Aww, no biggie~ Go home and rest up~ And tell yourselves 'good job surviving today' too~."
So Euneung chatted with them in her natural, cheeky way. Then, one of the people talking to her glanced at Seoya.
"Um, th-that..."
Seoya nearly responded but clamped her mouth shut, remembering she shouldn't reveal her voice in such a crowded place. She seemed to have bitten her tongue in her haste to stop.
"Th-thank you always!"
p> Unaware of Seoya's predicament, the person left those short words and dashed off into the distance."Kyaa! I just talked to her! I did it!"
...She thought she heard something weird after that.
Later, on the drive back in the car they'd come in, Seoya asked So Euneung.
"Why'd those hunters say no earlier?"
"Oh, the Sprout Guild?"
"Yeah, they said they hated it."
Was it because they straight-up ignored the screams from behind? Seoya wondered.
But So Euneung stared at her with wide, sparkling eyes and said.
"No real reason?"
"Huh?"
"Like... do you need a reason to hate people?"
Seoya made a baffled face. She knew So Eunsu and So Euneung weren't the nicest, but it felt like she was seeing the depths of it more each day...
As if reading her thoughts, So Euneung hurriedly added.
"Just to clear up any misunderstanding! I hate civilians and hunters equally! No reason, just hate 'em all fair and square!"
"Yup, Euneung never discriminates against people."
From the driver's seat, So Eunsu proudly chimed in, leaving Seoya's mind reeling again as she wondered if she'd heard right.
"Y-you hate all hunters too?"
"Yup! Oh, you're the exception, Seoya!"
So Euneung winked again.
"'Cause you're stronger than me!"
"Uh, wh-what...?"
For that reason alone...? Seoya stared blankly.
"Hehe, kidding. Being stronger doesn't mean I like everyone. Like, even though Go Heejae's stronger, I hate him. He's such a jerk."
"Yeah, fair..."
Seoya absentmindedly agreed, then clapped a hand over her mouth in shock, but So Eunsu and So Euneung didn't seem to care.
"After you, I like Sein-nim! Hmm, anyway... Among people stronger than me, there's some I like, but the rest I hate!"
Seoya started calculating in her head. So Euneung was rank 9...
"So basically, you don't like more than nine people in Korea?"
"Yup, exactly!"
"I like people."
Seoya said it without thinking. She had always liked people, basically. Sure, after falling into this world, she felt a bit wary at first meetings, but her default starting point with anyone was fondness. From there, it would go up or down.
"As expected... Our little star really does like people..."
So Eunsu murmured wistfully, but Seoya ignored him with the ironclad dismissal skills honed by Baek Yena and Ji Sein.
"Well, individually, people aren't that bad. When you look at them one by one, surprisingly few are actually awful!"
So Euneung spoke in a somewhat matter-of-fact tone compared to before.
"But people turn evil when they group up."
At that, Seoya suddenly recalled Toda. The way the people there, centered around the headquarters chief, saw her as a threat, pinned crimes on her, and acted when exiling her to another world.
She got what So Euneung meant, but...
"Hmm, still, I find it hard to hate people."
"Yeah, that makes sense! You're strong, Seoya, so maybe you don't need to be wary or hate them!"
The hotel they were staying at came into view through the car window. Before getting out, So Euneung spoke in a voice slightly subdued compared to her usual bubbly self.
"But for me, I just wanna hate first—before I get hurt."
Turkey dungeon was the world's first, and since the ground caved in where it appeared, with items buried, excavations are still ongoing.
I'm heading back to Turkey. If I need you, I'll let you know.
Seoya tilted her head at the sudden chat from Jeong Sira, then closed the window after replying.
Ever since sharing all the secrets, Jeong Sira had been pondering the Higher World just like Seoya. It was a blessing.
Two heads were better than one, especially since Seoya's thinking was a bit... short.
I need to figure out how to stop the Higher World and save both Earth and Toda...
Lying on the bed, Seoya drifted into sleep. Soon, a familiar face appeared before her eyes after a long time.
"Ah!"
A lucid dream after ages, and the man from the Higher World appearing after ages. Seoya bolted upright on the dream bed and shouted.
"Last time, you said you'd help somehow! That was you boosting the hunters' power, right?!"
"Yes."
Staring at her intently as before, the man finally spoke.
"But what point in time is this?"
"Huh?"
"It's a bit fuzzy. Hold on."
The man fell silent for a moment, then met Seoya's eyes with strange, knowing ones.
"Didn't I say I'd help you and then not show up again?"
"Uh, yeah... It was right after the monster, dungeon, and hunter levels all went up."
"Then you're still young and naive."
His expression was so grave that Seoya wondered if he was teasing her.
Ignoring her reaction, the man asked.
"Still in that world?"
"Yeah, this is Earth."
The man stepped closer.
"Can that world hold out?"
"Thanks to you raising the hunter levels, it seems to be hanging on. Thanks."
"...Well, honestly, I'd prefer if you left that world."
Seoya frowned slightly at the loaded words.
"You want me to leave Earth?"
Toda flashed in her mind. She was trying to leave Earth and return to Toda, after all.
"It's not that I don't want to leave. I'm looking for a way."
Then, in a firmer voice than ever, the man said.
"I can help."
"What?"
Seoya's eyes widened as she shot back.
"You can help? How?"
"But on one condition."
Seoya swallowed hard, ready to listen. Finally, the man spoke.
"Promise never to care about this doomed world again."
His eyes gleamed coldly.