Chapter 226
Chapter 226
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 226
Chapter Title: Long-Lost Comrade
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Thud-.
Footsteps echoed regularly through the dark passage. The stairs wound down and up again, twisting like a maze.
How long had they been walking?
Kim Il-su arrived at a door lit by torches and clicked his tongue.
"It's cold. I told them to warm it up a bit."
The two rankers guarding the weathered wooden door bowed their heads.
"We're sorry. We didn't know you were coming."
"No, not me."
Kim Il-su gestured toward the inside of the door.
"My friend."
"...We'll keep that in mind."
"Good, good."
The half of his face not covered by the mask bloomed into a bright smile. After patting the shoulders of the rankers on guard duty, Kim Il-su opened the door.
Creeeak, graaate-.
The door, unopened for so long, emitted a chilling groan as it swung wide.
How long had it been?
Kim Il-su's gaze, upon entering, drifted toward the coffin propped up at an angle.
It resembled something used to store a corpse, but it was no coffin.
Inside lay a woman, gaunt and withered to the bone.
Her once-black hair had turned brittle and gray, her cheeks sunken deep.
Kim Il-su pulled a vial from his pocket and uncorked it.
Drip-.
Liquid from the vial trickled onto her lips. After a moment, her closed eyes fluttered hazily open.
"Long time no see, Hyo-min."
The woman in the coffin—Hyo-min—parted her lips.
"Il... su...."
"Pretty cold, huh? Here, I brought a blanket."
Kim Il-su handed over the blanket he carried.
Hyo-min stared at him for a moment before reaching out a trembling hand to take it. Wrapping it around her shivering body brought a faint warmth.
"...How long has it been?"
"About five years since last time."
"I... still haven't died."
"Not trying to anymore?"
"Because you won't let me."
Kim Il-su nodded. Following the blanket, he pulled a snack from his pocket and offered it.
"Smart thinking. Why die? What a waste."
"Choco bar."
Hyo-min took the snack from Kim Il-su and ate it. She didn't feel particularly hungry, but it was something she had always loved.
Munching on the choco bar bit by bit, Hyo-min asked,
"You sure about this?"
"Huh?"
"Giving me stuff like this... what if I recover some stamina?"
Kim Il-su grinned at her question.
"What? Gonna kill me again?"
Accepting the blanket to regain her body heat, taking the offered snack...
In her posture of receiving his kindness lurked murderous intent to slaughter the enemy before her eyes the moment she recovered her strength.
"20 years... no, almost 21 now?"
Kim Il-su briefly tallied the dates in his head, then shook it off with an indifferent shrug.
"Anyway, a ton of time has passed, Hyo-min."
"So?"
"And you're exactly the same as back then."
"......"
"But even then, you couldn't take me down."
Crunch-.
The sound of her lip being bitten.
Blood trickled from Hyo-min's mouth. Fierce killing intent blazed from her eyes.
Meeting her gaze calmly, Kim Il-su pulled a handkerchief from his pocket.
"That hurts. Here, wipe it."
"...Don't need it. Get lost."
"Harsh. Is that how you talk to a friend you haven't seen in years?"
"Harsh? Over something this trivial? How could you do that to us?"
For some, it had been over 20 years—a long time. But not for Hyo-min.
She had spent it in a drugged slumber, waking only occasionally.
A few times, she lunged the moment she awoke. Drained of energy, body withered.
Subdued, collapsing powerlessly again and again.
Others might forget, but that day burned vivid in her mind like it was days ago.
"Were you really our friend? Are you... even human?"
"Yeah, because I'm human. That's why I could do it."
"Dodging with words again...!"
"Si-woo and Ye-ryeong are alive."
"...!"
Hyo-min's eyes shook with emotion. She couldn't help doubting the words she'd just heard.
"You said... they died?"
"That's what I told you."
Kim Il-su shook his head.
"Sorry. It was a lie. They're actually alive."
"How could you lie like that!"
"So why do you think I kept you alive?"
He stroked the half-mask with his hand.
"Loneliness? Missing an old comrade? Or just to torment you?"
"It's... true."
The snack slipped from her hand. Hyo-min realized he wasn't mocking or deceiving her.
Trembling, she bowed her head. Kim Il-su's eyes narrowed as he looked down at her.
"Not curious why?"
"Who cares about that crap...."
A radiant smile formed on Hyo-min's downturned lips. She was on the verge of tears despite the smile.
She alone had survived by volunteering sacrifice, believing everyone else dead.
She had resolved to kill Kim Il-su or follow them in death.
But they were alive.
Her sacrifice hadn't been in vain.
"Alive is enough. As long as they're alive...."
"Really?"
As she shuddered with long-forgotten joy, Kim Il-su's voice cut in.
"It won't be a lie much longer."
Her heart plummeted.
She looked up at his face again. He kept fiddling with the half-mask, as if it throbbed.
"I figured they might be alive... and they were."
"No way, you...."
Hyo-min's eyes widened in horror.
Unknown for 20 years whether they lived or died.
That meant they hadn't shown themselves in 20 years.
"Used me... as bait...."
"I said it before. Why else keep you alive?"
Kim Il-su sighed deeply and shook his head.
"What incredible friendship. Nothing like mine."
"This is why... you kept me... alive?"
"Partly. Nice to have someone to chat with now and then. We do have those old memories...."
Grip-.
A bony hand seized his throat. As it closed around Kim Il-su's neck, the rankers behind him stirred.
Whoosh-.
Kim Il-su raised a hand. The rankers halted, weapons half-drawn and mana surging.
"Whoa. No need."
"Kill... you."
"You know you can't."
Hyo-min's arm fell limply. Kim Il-su's hand then tapped her forehead lightly.
"What can you do with a body devoid of even a speck of mana?"
Slowly, Hyo-min's eyes drifted shut. She gritted her teeth desperately to stay upright, but she was far too exhausted.
"The world's changed a lot, Hyo-min."
Standing, Kim Il-su gazed down at her with pity.
"The world has forgotten you all. That glory is mine now. In the world I live in, there's no one carrying on Blue Eyes, the legend of the blue-eyed one."
Kim Il-su turned away.
"Adolf."
"Yes."
The blond player who had followed him replied.
"Drug her properly and put her back to sleep."
"Understood."
"You heard they're both alive?"
"I've been informed."
"They'll come when I'm away. But I can't guard here forever."
Adolf nodded at Kim Il-su's words.
"I'll ensure nothing worries you."
"Good. I trust you."
Patting his shoulder lightly, Kim Il-su began ascending the stairs again.
As he walked, something occurred to him.
"Oh, right."
He scratched his head, realizing he'd misspoke to Hyo-min.
"One does exist?"
A successor to Blue Eyes. To the legend of the blue-eyed one.
The sun dipped languidly beyond the mountains, draping the world in gold.
He gazed up at the sunset sky, the deepening hues streaked with clouds—a sight he cherished most.
But today, he couldn't savor it.
"...He's late."
His murmur startled those gathered around.
The quiet group erupted.
"Kim Il-su?"
"Not yet."
"Late, that guy."
"The Grand Mage?"
"He said he won't join this raid...."
"Forget that bastard! Some young punk whose blood hasn't even dried!"
Namgung Ga-hwi bellowed.
Blue Zone's guild master Kim Il-su hadn't appeared. And the players' strongest asset, Grand Mage Hailz, had refused to participate.
"Scared, that's what! That puny guardian has them terrified!"
"Calling it 'puny'—looks like even you fear it, Namgung Clan Head."
All heads turned toward the voice. Kim Il-su strolled in leisurely—the last to arrive.
Blue Zone high-rankers followed in his wake. Joining the group, Kim Il-su scanned the crowd with a smile.
"Fair enough. Who here isn't afraid?"
"Why so late?"
"Sorry. The wound from the Heavenly Demon still aches."
A curt apology without much formality. But Namgung Ga-hwi didn't take issue with it.
For now, his mere presence was a great boon.
"Everyone seems gathered, so let me introduce an important sponsor."
The speaker was Bamael, the high-ranker known as the Mercenary King.
"Sponsor?"
"Someone you all know. Here."
Bamael pushed his sunglasses up and nodded. A woman in lavish adornments stepped forward.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Clementine."
Golden jewelry gleamed, paired with a businesslike smile. Her long, curly blonde hair shone brighter than the sunset.
"Here, energy drinks from my company. Take one each. You'll be working hard."
Her lighthearted distribution and cheerful grin seemed casual. Yet those assembled were titans leading the Tower.
But no one here could ignore her.
No.
In a way, she might be the Tower's greatest titan.
Clementine.
The magnate with the most points in this vast Tower.
Clad head to toe in a thousand items, including two divine-grade ones—power incarnate as wealth.
"Clementine joining the raid?"
Clementine shook her head as she handed out drinks at Namgung Ga-hwi's question.
"No. I'm just sponsoring the costs."
"...Not a small sum."
"I can recoup it. Public favor turns into money."
"Put your name on the raid team?"
"I'm sponsoring an astronomical amount. You can manage that much, right?"
Money in place of life. Namgung Ga-hwi fell silent, neither refusing nor accepting.
"How about offering a divine item instead?"
Kim Il-su's gaze fixed on the necklace around Clementine's neck.
"That'd be far more valuable sponsorship."
"Ah, Blue Zone's guild master? Perfect timing."
Clementine clapped sharply at Kim Il-su's words.
"Don't you have a divine item? Thinking of selling it? I'll pay top dollar."
"......"
Kim Il-su's lip twitched at Clementine's question, her eyes gleaming with greed.