Chapter 154
Chapter 154
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 154
Chapter Title: Odin's Request
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In a towering office building that pierced the clouds, Lee Won-jae walked down the hallway, gazing at the cityscape visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Leading the way was the guild headquarters' secretary.
"Why did hyung-nim summon me?"
It was a question he'd already asked without getting an answer, but he tried again just in case.
But the result of hoping "just in case" was always the same.
"I don't know the details either. I was just told to escort you politely..."
"You really don't know anything?"
"I'm just a secretary."
It wasn't wrong. No matter how capable a secretary was, they didn't know everything about the guild master's affairs.
And when he was called like this, it usually meant something that needed to be handled in secret.
Lee Won-jae glanced at his reflection in the glass window.
Seeing his usual face eased his mind. Following the secretary's guidance, he headed to the guild master's office.
"We've arrived."
"Aren't you coming in?"
"My role is just to guide you. The guild master said only the vice guild master should enter."
With that, the secretary opened the door to the guild master's office herself.
Clunk-.
Grrrind-.
The locked door swung open, revealing a massive door nearly four meters tall.
The room inside wasn't as spacious as the door suggested.
In the center of the roughly 300-square-foot space sat a desk and chair, flanked by bookshelves filled with old books. That was it.
A space truly meant for one person alone, with no seat for guests.
"You're here?"
Kim Il-su.
He pulled a book from the shelf, glanced up from reading it, and turned his head.
"Don't just stand there. Come in, Won-jae."
Lee Won-jae's mind grew complicated at the affectionate call of his name.
But to avoid showing it, he stepped into Kim Il-su's domain without hesitation.
Creeeak-.
Thud-.
The secretary closed the door from outside.
The room, filled with the scent of books and wood, reflected Kim Il-su's tastes. Kim Il-su returned to his seat with the book in hand, while Lee Won-jae stood before him like a criminal.
Lee Won-jae looked at Kim Il-su.
It had been a while. Half his face was melted, covered by a mask, while the other half smiled.
"Long time no see."
"You summoned me after so long—why not somewhere nicer than this?"
"You're right. We should've had a drink at least."
"Shall we move now?"
"No rush. We can clear up the misunderstanding first, then drink."
Misunderstanding.
A word he'd heard countless times in life, but right now, it felt oddly sharp.
Lee Won-jae kept his expression neutral. He didn't need to change it.
He was certain.
"I heard you found something in the forest?"
He still didn't know.
"Did you find it?"
What he was doing.
"Yes. I did."
"Really? What was it?"
"It was a personal item. Related to the demons, so I had no choice but to mobilize the guild."
Smooth, fluent answers.
"If you want to know, I can show you."
"No need."
"You sure?"
"You said it was personal. If my little brother wants to keep it secret, I should respect that."
Scrape-.
Kim Il-su pushed back his chair, stood, and walked past Lee Won-jae toward the door.
"Let's go. We're done talking."
"Done?"
The question marks in his head wouldn't fade.
No matter how he thought about it, he couldn't grasp what misunderstanding had been cleared in this conversation.
No.
Whether it had been cleared at all.
"You said we should move spots? Come on. I'll treat you to some great liquor today."
He pondered briefly.
He just couldn't picture driving a knife into his heart.
Beyond the forest on the 8th floor.
There lay a land belonging to the demon world, known as the realm of the demons.
The ground was dark red, and the sky held two moons in eternal night.
Si-woo and Ye-ryeong, who had ventured into this perilous place, were taking a break in the middle of the road.
Munch-.
Ye-ryeong chewed on dry bread and jerky.
It tasted awful, but they couldn't skip meals. This trip might drag on.
"What the hell was that guy doing coming all the way here?"
Instead of the rubbery bread chunk, she spat out irritation and complaints.
Si-woo nodded silently in agreement.
"You're sure it was really Gyu-seong, the human hanging out with demons?"
"Who else? A human buddying up with demons."
He held his kit, staring at something. Since this wasn't the first time, Ye-ryeong continued regardless of whether he was listening.
"True, but isn't this too deep?"
"Maybe he's off to meet the Demon King."
"By himself?"
"It's not impossible. With his personality."
"...Fair enough."
Hwang Gyu-seong was the hottest-headed among their comrades. In old votes on who would die first, he always topped the list.
"But why?"
"No idea. Probably..."
"Probably what? Spit it out."
"His goal's probably similar to ours."
Ye-ryeong snorted dismissively at Si-woo's words.
She tossed the remaining jerky piece to the ground, done eating.
"Who doesn't know that?"
"Thought you didn't, that's why."
"What are you staring at so intently?"
"Nothing, just."
Si-woo replied while still glued to his kit.
"Soo-hyuk isn't streaming."
At some point, the two had started openly discussing Lee Soo-hyuk's streams.
"No stream today."
"It cut off midway."
"Cut off?"
"Yeah. Just poof, gone. No updates since."
Ye-ryeong chided his regretful tone.
"Snap out of it. This is the demon world."
The demon world was the demons' domain, not humans'. Even top players couldn't guarantee survival here.
"I know."
Si-woo knew too.
'Right now, the living unknown takes priority over the dead.'
He stared at the blank kit screen with lingering disappointment.
He pondered why he was so fixated on this stream.
The reason: Though Hwang Gyu-seong was distant, the Soo-hyuk on stream felt close.
Fake or not, he really resembled the real Soo-hyuk.
He turned off the kit and pocketed it.
Missing the streams made him appreciate the streamer more.
'Next time, maybe send some sponsorship.'
A token of thanks to the streamer who evoked nostalgia.
He was starting to understand why viewers donated fortunes.
"You want me to kill you?"
Thor nodded.
This was unexpected. He'd sensed aggressive madness from him, but not directed at himself.
Soo-hyuk's gaze shifted to Mjolnir in Thor's hand.
Killing him here would let him claim that hammer.
Greed flickered briefly, but Soo-hyuk shook his head.
"I can't."
"Gruk-?"
Thor tilted his head, questioning why, and pointed at his heart again pleadingly.
But Soo-hyuk couldn't grant it.
This was Odin's world. Odin's son Thor in this state—he'd know, and might be watching.
Above all.
"I'll restore you instead."
Through his plea, Soo-hyuk learned the trial's goal.
"Somehow."
"Gruk, grrr-."
Thor stared at Soo-hyuk intently for a while.
After lingering, he turned and walked away.
Step-.
Soo-hyuk watched his aimless back with pity.
'He wanted to live.'
No one in this world wanted to die—not even gods.
He just didn't want to live like that anymore.
"Can you do it?"
Soo-hyuk wasn't startled by the sudden nearby voice.
It was familiar, and he'd just been thinking of him.
"It's not impossible."
Odin.
The king of Asgard appeared before Soo-hyuk as Thor's father.
As if he'd been there all along.
"How are you so sure?"
"Worth a try, isn't it?"
"I've tried. It was impossible for me."
It sounded like:
If even I couldn't, no one can.
Thor must have felt the same.
Enough to choose the extreme of death, trusting Odin absolutely.
"You didn't have this, did you?"
Soo-hyuk held up the Gauntlet of Thunder.
"Sounds like having that makes it possible for you."
"Maybe."
Soo-hyuk tensed briefly.
Odin might demand the thunder here.
Fortunately, he didn't.
"Don't worry. I'll make that dirty choice after you fail. Not the best for me either."
Soo-hyuk inwardly relaxed and turned to the next path, marked green.
"I'll start at the end of this path."
"Planning to squeeze every drop, huh."
"It boosts the odds even a little."
Handling lightning required sturdy body and mana. This path built that foundation.
"Of course. Bathed in Asgard's holy water, clad in primordial wind cloth."
As expected.
Odin's words confirmed this path was his grand setup.
"Why make such a path?"
"Not for you."
"Then..."
Soo-hyuk closed his mouth.
Only one deserved such devotion. But that one was now mad.
'No wonder the rewards felt generous for the difficulty.'
Advance payment.
It lessened the reward's impact—made it feel small even.
Odin himself had failed.
Restoring Asgard's mad heir to normal.
How hard that would be was hard to gauge.
"Luckily, you haven't become like my son. Whether you won't or just haven't yet, the other half of thunder is in your hands now."
Odin yielded his preparations for Thor to Soo-hyuk.
"So you must master thunder completely."
He had reason to demand it.
"I beg you."
At that moment.
Shh-.
"Help my son."
Asgard's king bowed his head, triggering a new cutscene.