Chapter 286
Chapter 286
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 286
Chapter Title: Hyles' Sudden Visit
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Soo-hyuk held off on answering for a moment.
Clementine wasn't disappointed. She fully understood that the matter was too grave to decide right then and there.
"Think it over and get back to me. Oh, and separately from that, we'll do a collab stream. I'll throw in some promo too. See you later!"
With those words, Clementine turned and left. Having wrapped up his business, Soo-hyuk rejoined Ye-ryeong and Si-woo.
"Why the serious look?"
At Si-woo's question, Soo-hyuk relayed his conversation with Clementine.
This was one thing he absolutely had to share, no matter what.
There might even be a connection between the Red Tower's experiments and Kim Il-su.
After hearing the full story, Si-woo nodded unexpectedly.
"I thought it was weird."
Ye-ryeong tilted her head.
"What?"
"Blue Zone. Didn't it grow way too fast, even for a big guild?"
"Ah... yeah."
It wasn't something recent.
Soo-hyuk had pondered it himself. Kim Il-su's guild, formed after parting from his comrades, had expanded at a suspiciously rapid pace.
At first, he'd chalked it up to Kim Il-su's talent. The guy had player skills and guild management chops.
But.
"He had a connection with Naila even before starting the guild?"
If Clementine was right, that changed everything.
No telling what experiments the Red Tower ran or how they shared results with Blue Zone.
"Not had. Might still have."
"......"
Ye-ryeong and Si-woo fell silent at Soo-hyuk's words.
Not from a lack of things to say. They had too many, and were sifting through them.
After a long pause, Ye-ryeong spoke up.
"Him leaving the guild... was it because of Naila?"
Long ago, Kim Il-su had left his comrades to form his own guild.
Ye-ryeong seemed convinced that might be the trigger.
"Can't say for sure. Even if true, it might've just been the spark."
Soo-hyuk chose his words carefully.
Anything tied to Kim Il-su demanded caution. Even staying level-headed, that name alone could cloud judgment.
Gyu-seong was proof.
If not for Kim Il-su, he wouldn't have fallen so easily to I Won-jae.
"Anyway, nothing solid yet. Gotta check it out. Won't be easy, though."
"Red Tower's basically Runeterra now."
"......The world's strongest guild."
The current top guild wasn't Murim Alliance or Blue Zone.
It was the undisputed champion, sweeping inter-guild wars repeatedly.
Ties to a place like that meant proceeding with care.
"But we can't just ignore this."
No matter how he turned it over, Si-woo let out a wry chuckle.
A mutter, but Soo-hyuk and Ye-ryeong nodded. Same thoughts.
"Screw it, it's just Hyles carry, right?"
Soo-hyuk nodded at Ye-ryeong's attempt to psych herself up.
Spur-of-the-moment, but not wrong.
Runeterra's streak owed much to the Heavenly Demon's absence and Hyles' dominance. Miss either, and they wouldn't hold the top spot.
And that was Soo-hyuk's edge.
"Hyles won't know."
No matter Red Tower's schemes, Soo-hyuk was sure.
Hyles wasn't involved.
"Gonna probe her side. Could make things smoother if it pans out."
"You were buddies with Hyles, right?"
"Not buddies. Met a few times."
"Still, that kid was into you back then."
Soo-hyuk flinched at the teasing.
Ye-ryeong narrowed her eyes.
"What's that reaction? Why so serious about a joke?"
"......Anyway."
Soo-hyuk pivoted quickly.
"Even without Clementine's request, we need eyes on this. Carefully."
"Pay?"
Right, he'd skipped that. Kim Il-su talk had sidetracked him.
"Well......"
Ye-ryeong and Si-woo's eyes went wide.
"Divine-grade item?"
They spoke in perfect sync.
Divine-grade item.
Its worth went without saying.
"Plus 1 million points upfront. More based on results."
"Points now?!"
Ye-ryeong, ever the moneybug, snapped at Soo-hyuk's point fixation.
"What was it? She only has two."
"Ring with a rice-grain-sized black gem."
"Ring of the Black Soul."
Ye-ryeong slapped a hand over her gaping mouth. Si-woo was subdued but shocked.
Unlike them, Soo-hyuk knew little of divine-grades.
"Why? What's special?"
"You really don't know?"
"Chill. He was out 20 years."
"Ah, right."
Ye-ryeong nodded, surprise overriding memory.
Divine-grades clearly meant big things to players. Ye-ryeong, no item hoarder, was losing it.
Steadying her breath, she explained.
"Ring of the Black Soul's perfect for you."
"Me? How?"
"You need stamina. Vitality."
Soo-hyuk's eyes lit up pre-explanation.
Vitality item. Top of his list.
Divine-grade? Mind-blowing potential.
"Details escape me. But legend says it's born of death and life gods, stores vitality specially."
"She dangled Lightning's penalty bait I couldn't ignore."
Si-woo whistled.
Black Soul Ring tempted sans Kim Il-su. For Soo-hyuk, impossible to pass.
Even mid-deliberation, such thoughts crept in.
"......Ask for it upfront?"
It'd simplify everything.
But absurd, he knew.
"Divine-grade advance?"
"Work?"
Soo-hyuk dropped it at their stares.
True. Even Clementine couldn't front a divine-grade.
Black Soul Ring waited post-job.
Smacking lips in regret, Soo-hyuk eyed them.
"First, clear from floor 8."
Vital job meant danger, caution. Greed for quick gains blinded to the big picture. Obvious end.
'Not like back then.'
Hydra raid was "necessary." Decided, disaster struck.
More power, stamina then? Maybe averted.
"No rush. No deadline from her. We go prepared."
Soo-hyuk unsatisfied with his power.
Uncheon-geuk clash reaffirmed. Long road ahead.
To match Si-woo, Ye-ryeong? Power beyond rookies' dreams.
Only then, Kim Il-su.
'When facing that bastard......'
Tzzzz-.
Soo-hyuk's pupils gleamed, replaying that day.
Final instant. Took half Kim Il-su's face. His agonized wail.
Now, just claim the rest.
Blue House went on high alert.
A colossal dragon soared overhead. No direct threat, but vigilance peaked lately.
Some rankers primed preemptive strikes; others who recognized it intervened.
"Hold up!"
"Volcanus!"
"Why's the Archmage's dragon here?"
Identity known, tension spiked.
Red Dragon Volcanus symbolized Archmage Hyles. Her summon, red dragons' king.
Could war Blue House solo.
She rivaled mega-guilds alone, now unannounced at Blue House.
Step-.
Kim Il-su emerged at her arrival.
"Esteemed guest."
His presence eased the jittery crowd.
Worst case, Kim Il-su might handle it. Even Archmage wouldn't touch Blue House lightly.
Soon, Volcanus folded wings, descended. Thud—the ground quivered as it centered.
"Long haul."
Post-long flight atop Volcanus, Hyles stretched, rising tall.
Rankers watched. Intimidating scene, yet she beamed refreshed, meadow-fresh.
As if they didn't exist.
Her gaze locked one.
"Uh, hi, oppa?"
Spotting Kim Il-su amid rankers, Hyles waved.
"Yeah. Good to see you."
"You good? Ages since outside inter-guild wars. Right?"
"Oppa" and chumminess. Like reuniting pals.
Easy chat defused Blue Zone rankers' nerves.
"They know each other."
"Duh, old acquaintances. Guild master's rep."
"Sudden visit why?"
"Dunno. Not fighting, seems."
Si-woo, Ye-ryeong tension faded. Feared her Meteor overhead.
But Kim Il-su, mid-chat, stayed wired.
'Not close.'
Soo-hyuk bonded with Hyles. Kim Il-su? Side meetings only.
Yet public chum act. Innocent? Doubtful.
Her presence screamed purpose.
Hyles' voice whispered in Kim Il-su's ear.
—Came to ask something.
Beaming face aside, eyes blank slate.
Thus, her intent? Unknowable.
—Who killed Oppa Soo-hyuk?