Chapter 230
Chapter 230
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 230
Chapter Title: The White Figure
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A pure white figure floating above the clouds.
The first time he had encountered it was after completing the trial on the 7th floor.
A pure white object made of clouds. It took the shape of a human doll, but it was hard to see it as a person.
If something that wasn't alive spoke, should it be considered a living being?
The answer was 'no'.
You wouldn't call a machine alive just because it spoke.
But what if it had once been alive?
Thunder asked.
"Why are you here?"
"To get a little closer."
"To me?"
An unexpected reaction.
"Do you know what that means?"
"I do."
"Yeah, you would. There's a fool right next to you."
It was Thunder that had driven Thor mad. It carried an incomprehensible madness.
No, even without Thor, he knew.
In fact, he had known for a long time. Probably since the first time he used Lightning.
'This guy harbors anger.'
Back then, he hadn't believed that a skill could have a will like a living being.
But he kept feeling it. Lightning was angry.
He had no intention of seeking the reason for that endless rage. He only thought about how to suppress it better and endure it.
But now, facing its true form like this, he felt like he was starting to understand a little.
"Aren't you scared?"
Thunder whispered.
"You could end up the same. You could die."
"But maybe not."
"How can you be sure?"
"Because I have the qualifications."
A flinch.
For the first time, Thunder reacted.
It had no expression, but it always seemed to be smiling. But now, for the first time, the smile had vanished.
He didn't know if that silence was affirmation, but at least it didn't deny it.
'As I thought.'
He had a vague idea of the source of that anger.
"Tell me later. Not yet."
"Right."
Soo-hyuk nodded.
"One piece is still missing."
"……."
Tremors rippled through the silence.
His chest felt a little more at ease. Understanding what it wanted felt like the fog that had clouded everything was lifting.
It had talked a lot when they first met. Watching Thunder grow quieter, Soo-hyuk grinned.
"I'll come get it soon."
Thunder, lightning, and Lightning.
Of the three, Soo-hyuk possessed Lightning and Thunder—two. The missing one it referred to was lightning.
"I doubt it'll be easy."
"Easy or hard, doesn't matter."
"Talk is cheap."
"Yeah. If everything went as planned, life would be a lot easier."
The conversation paused. Thunder stood silently, gazing at Soo-hyuk.
"Why?"
"You feel different from last time."
"Me?"
"Impatient. Anxious, yet... somehow excited."
A knowing tone. It seemed like he knew exactly what Soo-hyuk was doing—and what he planned to do.
But it was a relief, even so.
Because it was only watching, not peering into his soul.
"Are those guys that precious to you? Enough to throw everything away?"
"Wrong."
"Huh?"
"It's not throwing everything away—"
Soo-hyuk's eyes gleamed beyond the mask.
"They are my everything."
Not many days left now.
He could meet them soon. Just that fact banished any fear, filling his heart with excitement that made it want to soar.
Thor was right. Soo-hyuk was impatient.
Scared that he might fail again this time. Like with Su-hun, Min-jae, or Ji-young. Or lose them again like with Gyu-seong.
But half of that impatience stemmed from a burning desire to see them as soon as possible.
"I don't want any regrets."
Crunch. His teeth ground together as if they might shatter.
"Just trying until I die isn't enough. Anyone can do that."
A life wasn't infinite in value. No matter how great Soo-hyuk was, he couldn't save everyone with one life as the price.
Literally, dying for it wasn't enough. What Soo-hyuk wanted wasn't effort—it was results.
"So pull it forward a bit. I'll make sure to deliver the last piece you want."
"You sure? If......"
"Don't scare me for no reason. That won't happen."
"Hm?"
Its head tilted crookedly. If it had an expression, it would probably be one of utter bewilderment.
Soo-hyuk smirked, lifting the corner of his mouth.
"I can have it all without the scare tactics. No need to worry I'll stop here."
"Heh."
No expression, but it was definitely laughing. As if pleased with Soo-hyuk's response.
"Fine. Got it. I'll do as you want."
Thump.
His heartbeat echoed in his ears.
His breathing quickened, his body heating up as if lightning flowed through his veins instead of blood.
"Cough!"
Thump, thump.
His heart felt like it would burst. Groaning in pain, rolling on the ground, Soo-hyuk smiled.
"But keep that promise. You have to."
Thump, thump. Faintly, muffled by the pounding of his heart, Thunder's voice reached him.
"This is the second chance, right?"
'......What?'
How do you know that?
His eyes shook. He wanted to jump up and demand answers.
But he couldn't.
Thump, thump.
His heart raced relentlessly.
And his consciousness slowly faded.
His hazy consciousness and vision slowly returned.
So many questions. No, even more now.
With only questions lingering in his mind, Soo-hyuk was expelled from where Thunder had been.
'It definitely said 'second'......'
"Friend!"
Flick.
His eyes snapped open. Before he could delve deeper into thought, a strong shaking jolted him awake.
"You okay? Open your eyes!"
"......A bit."
"Huh?"
"Leave me alone......"
His half-lidded eyes ground his teeth. Somehow, Thor had been shaking his shoulders.
No.
This wasn't just shaking.
Being two heads taller, Thor had lifted Soo-hyuk entirely, rattling him like a ragdoll.
Soo-hyuk's feet weren't even touching the ground.
"Oh, sorry."
Thud.
Released, Soo-hyuk's feet hit the floor from where they'd dangled.
"Haha! But you woke up thanks to me. You just passed out standing up."
"Not passed out."
"Huh? You weren't responding when I called. Were you sleeping?"
"That... no. Forget it."
There was no way to explain. Seeing Thor's bumbling side more and more, Soo-hyuk sighed.
He'd seemed like a prince at first.
Asgard must be doomed, he thought, glancing at the chat window.
Apparently, during the time he met Thunder, he'd been standing there unconscious.
How to explain this? As Soo-hyuk pondered, the mission window appeared in his view.
He turned on his mic and spoke.
"I was thinking for a bit."
"About how to clear the mission."
Soo-hyuk started walking.
Thor followed with a puzzled expression.
"Where to, friend?"
"Something to show you."
"What?"
He stopped at the edge of the clouds.
A clear blue sky without a single cloud. Staring up at it, Soo-hyuk slowly drew up his magic power.
Tzzzz.
The lightning coursing through his body writhed. His heart began to beat slowly.
The process to ramp up output felt utterly natural.
He looked up higher into the sky.
His golden eyes reflected the sun.
"Friend, what are you looki—"
In that instant.
Shadows engulfed both their bodies.
Looking up with a hunch, Thor's mouth fell open in awe.
"Whoa, shit......"
Thor muttered in a hollow voice, chuckling in disbelief.
"......Was I really the slow one?"
The message on the screen.
The broadcast ended sooner than expected. Unhyang, who had been watching, tilted her head.
"Huh?"
She leaned in, squinting at the kit closer.
No mistake.
An unexpected end to the broadcast.
'No way.'
It hadn't been short.
Soo-hyuk had already spent considerable time making the clouds.
The pace was slower than usual, but she brushed it off. She knew how tough the 8th floor trial was.
What was odd was the timing.
'Why now of all times?'
Broadcasts had a flow. Trials did too.
Streamers or players followed their own rhythms.
She watched and analyzed Soo-hyuk's streams more diligently than anyone, so she knew.
Normal Soo-hyuk wouldn't stop here.
"Been waiting?"
Turning, she saw Soo-hyuk back from his trial.
"Soo-hyuk!"
Unhyang ran to him. Soo-hyuk scanned her appearance and asked.
"You stayed here the whole time?"
Dust covered her clothes. She hadn't changed once, just waited here.
And not just waiting idly.
'She didn't just sit around.'
Hollow cheeks, pale complexion.
The face of someone whose stamina was depleted.
Someone of Unhyang's caliber wouldn't look like that from a few uncomfortable days. She'd probably done something while he trialed.
"You should've gone to the lodging."
"How could I rest easy alone when I knew you'd come back?"
"No need to suffer with me."
"No suffering. You know I'm tough."
"......You look more exhausted than me."
"That obvious?"
"You look half-dead."
Unhyang gave an awkward smile at his words.
She smiled, but it was only surface-level. Seeing her face, Soo-hyuk recalled Cheongryang's words.
She'd always been skilled at hiding pain behind a smile.
"I was just resting anyway. Then the broadcast suddenly ended. I was about to watch more."
"Should've kept going longer."
"It cut off at an exciting part... Why so sudden?"
Curiosity and worry mixed in her voice. Meeting Unhyang's eyes up close, Soo-hyuk hesitated briefly.
Dodge again? Or...
The deliberation didn't last long.
Soo-hyuk spoke.
"I have somewhere to go."
"Where?"
"Not far."
The where didn't matter.
It was the what.
"You said you like Blue Eyes, right, Unhyang?"
At the out-of-left-field question, Unhyang blinked before nodding.
"Yes. Of course."
"What about Blue Zone?"
"Like them too. Because of Kim Il-su. Not a fan of Lee Won-jae, though."
As expected.
It was only natural. Blue Zone had always been Blue Eyes' sibling guild. They were two but one.
Not just Unhyang—everyone thought so, which was why Soo-hyuk had to ask.
"What if."
Click.
Soo-hyuk removed his mask.
Revealing his true face, he finally voiced the secret he'd harbored for so long.
"If I fought Blue Zone?"