Chapter 110

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Translator: 8uhl

Chapter: 110

Chapter Title: The One Who Saves the Savior

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"Sis, what do you think happiness is?"

Answering Hyeok-i's abstract questions was always tough. I wasn't the type to philosophize like Mom, nor was I sweet enough to say something gentle like Dad's, "I'm happy just being with our family."

And I wasn't someone who seriously pondered my own happiness like Hyeok-i, who asked questions like that. Conversations about happiness always ended with my empty laugh.

But after that day, I finally had an answer.

To me, happiness was something absolutely forbidden.

"I will block all emotions related to happiness according to your wish. You must find and eliminate the Apostle of the Creator as per my command."

Thud.

"Guhk...!"

The mysterious god known as the Adjuster had forcibly granted me a second chance. My mind was on the verge of shattering from the pain that felt like my entire body was being torn apart.

"Inserting your existence back into the original timeline. Please endure it."

A cold voice echoed in my ears. I could only claw at the floor, praying for the agony to end quickly.

The pain intensified around then, and a status window I'd never seen before appeared before my eyes.

'Savior...?'

The Adjuster stared down at me with an emotionless face, as if he couldn't see those words.

It felt ridiculous for someone like me, who couldn't even save her own family, to be tasked with saving a "Savior." Whoever assigned me this mission had made a terrible mistake. They'd regret their choice forever.

Czzzzt.

I reached out toward the status window, and the letters shattered, scattering in all directions.

'As you always have... Does that mean I've saved the Savior before?'

Before I knew it, the pain binding my body began to fade. I slowly rose, deactivating the air raid shelter, and foul air suddenly flooded my lungs.

"Ugh."

"Toxic substances."

Whoosh.

I transformed my body into flames and soared into the air. Only then could I breathe easily.

"Where to?"

"Home. Come find me if you have orders."

I flew toward the home I remembered, leaving the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Adjuster standing beside me behind.

Crackle, patter.

I burned every item left in the house as I slowly reflected on over twenty years of abandonment. Gates opening and closing had become everyday life, and now people could even predict when they'd appear or explode.

While I was ripping monsters apart, hunters who never showed their faces were suddenly as popular as celebrities. I'd hoped they'd all die, but in the end, I became an S-Rank Hunter drawing public attention myself. It was revolting in every way.

Flutter.

Then, a family photo slipped from between Mom's books. In it, Mom and Dad smiled with composed faces, while Hyeok-i and I awkwardly forced our lips upward in that stiff photo studio shot.

"Heh."

I nearly smiled along with them without thinking. Even recalling memories with my family brought guilt, so I clamped my mouth shut.

'I'll never smile like the me in this photo again.'

Crackle.

With the family photo as the last, not a single trace of them remained in the house.

On the way home after finishing my dispatch, a garbled mess of broken letters suddenly appeared before my eyes.

It was a desperate cry for help from someone—no, perhaps countless people.

It reverted to normal before I could even finish reading.

Thump, thump.

My heart raced. I instantly knew that cry for help was for the Savior—someone I didn't even know existed.

"Mister, pull over please."

"Pardon? Oh, sure."

Screech.

I bolted from the car like I was fleeing. Then I ran toward the place my body instinctively remembered.

'How do I even know this?'

Such questions didn't matter now. I relied purely on instinct, pushing my legs faster.

"Huff, haa...!"

In a rundown villa alley, a marble door on the ground caught my eye.

Bam!!

I hurled myself at the gate, practically smashing it open. It connected to the sky of some dungeon.

'There.'

Pew-pew-bam!

The moment I spotted the fallen figure, I deployed an air raid shelter around them. I rushed inside and laid eyes on the Savior's true identity.

She was ordinary. A woman with absolutely no distinguishing features. She looked far too weak to be called a Savior.

"...I think... I misunderstood..."

She was the Savior. My sole mission was now cradled in my arms.

Czzzzt.

A new reward appeared, inserted as if by some external force. It felt like the entire world was pushing me to save this person.

'Is she really...?'

Confusion mixed with curiosity.

Could this ordinary person truly save the world?

And could she save a sinner like me?

Strange things kept happening after the Savior appeared. I could track her location and status, and I started dreaming of her dying right before my eyes.

The former came from the mysterious mission, but the latter was incomprehensible. Thinking she might know the cause, I brought her to the dream location, but she knew nothing.

"Even if it wasn't a dream, it wasn't Choi Min Hunter's fault."

"So don't take it to heart. Choi Min Hunter came to save me."

She just gazed at me with those kind brown eyes, stirring up my insides with strange words.

"It's just that Choi Min Hunter's a good person and a good colleague, so I want to get close."

"If you dreamed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I died there, Choi Min Hunter might worry. Like at Geumcheon."

Understanding her actions was incredibly difficult for me. She was someone who threw herself for others without hesitation, fully trusting me despite knowing me for such a short time.

Truly a bizarre person.

"Are you listening?"

"...Huh? What'd you say?"

"I think that SS-Rank Awakener might be the Creator's Apostle, so we should eliminate him."

I'd questioned the Adjuster's words before, but never refused. But now, I couldn't accept his demand.

'Why?'

This person had nothing to do with me. No—if she could save me, I should kill her even more. I wasn't someone meant to be saved in the first place.

"I'll handle it when the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠chance comes. Not now."

I refused his order again and turned up the TV volume.

—Shin Ji-ui the Hunter finishes it off~

—She did it!

The Savior appeared on screen. Her cool face strategizing against monsters, then the warm gaze toward her comrades—it could melt anything.

Staring into those eyes made selfish thoughts creep in unbidden. Maybe I could break free from the Adjuster, become someone's comrade, and live my own life.

Click.

'What am I thinking...'

I turned off the TV. Watching more felt like it would shatter my resolve.

"Please, snap out of it...!"

Pew-pew-bam!!

'Quiet.'

As the world rippled in blue flames, the voice tormenting me vanished. I slowly rose and drew a deep breath. Hot air filled my lungs, squeezing my chest.

This must be what breathing in hell feels like.

In the long-awaited silence, an unexpected peace washed over me. This inferno felt like exactly where I belonged. Yes, this suited me perfectly.

I was a sinner who thrashed alone, unworthy of life in this world. Unworthy even of happiness.

"It's not... Choi Min Hunter's fault... Guh, you know that!"

Thump.

A kind voice echoed from afar. I turned toward it, but all I saw were blue flames consuming everything.

"It's okay... if you're numb! Live on... for the survivors, ugh, live the life of those left...!"

'Be quiet. You're too loud. Don't pull me from this despair.'

The voice drew closer. Terror I couldn't bear gripped me, yet I moved toward it instinctively.

"This time, I'll save you, Choi Min Hunter...!"

The voice said it would save me. Me, who had no value in living.

Who the hell are you? And what am I?

"Because you're someone who must live!!"

Thud.

She uttered the words I'd longed for, words forbidden to me. Words I dared not even think.

Her scream-like cry cut off abruptly. Tears streamed down my face unbidden. Leaving them, I stood there like a lost child.

"I want to be happy."

Yes, deep down, I wanted to escape this crushing guilt. To bury my family who'd left first and live the life given to me.

But guilt always choked me, dragging me to the guillotine, reminding me I shouldn't live.

Then what was this voice? Who was telling me to live for the survivors, saying they'd come to save me?

I shut my eyes and ears. Amid the ruins of layered memories, one figure slowly emerged. Kind lips and steadfast brown eyes appeared in sequence.

Thump.

Before fully recalling her, a warm energy spread through my body. The strange sensation made me slowly open my eyes and look ahead.

"Ah..."

A massive hole gaped in the azure flame wall. Beyond it, a figure stood.

Golden eyes filled with love for all life stared at me. A pure white halo floated behind her black hair, and the world's most radiant light swirled around her.

Awe struck me—fear mingled with longing I'd never felt even before the Absolute. I felt it first gazing at this being before me.

Thud.

Her halo faded, and she fell limply through the flame gap. I reached out, catching her body. The being who'd terrified me became an ordinary person in my arms.

But her essence remained unchanged.

"Shin Ji-ui Hunter."

I called the name of the Savior who'd severed my nightmare and chains of sin.

And like a miracle, my Savior slowly opened her eyes.