Chapter 64
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: 【Savior and Savior】
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"I'll scan it."
While the Association employee scanned the item, I rolled my eyes toward Choi Min Hunter and quietly winked my left eye.
[Choi Min Hunter]
[Most reliable comrade]
[Holder of 'Air Raid Shelter' skill]
[Apostle of the Harmonizer]
[Just like me]
[Don't want to leave her alone]
[Savior of my life]
[Died three times in Hell Path, once from gate explosion]
[Need her alive to reach the front of Hell Path]
Dozens more lines floated around her.
'...Different from Se-bin.'
The completely blank record for Se-bin weighed heavily on my shoulders, but for now, I had to focus on Choi Min Hunter right in front of me.
"Sorry for inviting you so suddenly."
That's when Choi Min Hunter spoke up.
"Pardon? Oh, no. No need to apologize..."
I said that, but honestly, I was surprised.
Just as we were leaving the Aoshima Dungeon, she contacted me out of nowhere, and we agreed to meet here the very next day. Having regained about half my memories, I accepted her invitation to get to know this timeline's Choi Min Hunter.
"Let's go."
Choi Min Hunter opened the gate and stepped inside first. I followed her into the Gamcheon B-Rank Dungeon.
Tak.
"It's really cramped."
"That's because it's themed around a village of murals. Monsters pop out suddenly, so stay sharp."
Just as she said, walls surrounded us everywhere. Intricate murals adorned the fences, and inside them stood rows of low-roofed houses.
If this weren't a dungeon, every spot would be a photo op, but unfortunately, it was a dungeon—so it just looked like the perfect setup for ambushes.
'Feels familiar, though.'
After dozens of regressions, it'd be weirder if there was a dungeon I hadn't seen.
[One Who Steps on Karma]
[Clear the karma from past timelines by reclaiming your memories.]
[Karma that can be cleared has been detected.]
[You have arrived at the location.]
"Huh?"
"What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing."
'No wonder it felt familiar.'
I'd really been here before.
And if I'd racked up karma here, what the hell happened?
Was it something involving Choi Min Hunter, or just my own mess?
Kiiing—
'The Path-Lighter' pointed northwest. We could both fly straight to the gate, but it's best to avoid that since mid-bosses and regular monsters might spawn all at once for the boss fight.
Choi Min Hunter stepped into the alley without a word, so she planned to clear it by the book.
I kept my finger on Ego's trigger, staying alert, occasionally glancing back for ambushes.
Kwaduk.
We hadn't gone a few meters when a pretty vine mural burst out from the wall, aiming for Choi Min Hunter's neck.
Tang!
Pulling the trigger sent a white bullet severing the stem.
Pububung!!
A crimson explosion erupted from the cut end, and the alley's air suddenly heated up.
"Wall mural monsters will keep popping up until the mid-boss point. Be careful."
Choi Min Hunter stomped the debris and headed deeper into the alley.
"But why'd you bring me here?"
I finally couldn't hold back my curiosity. At my words, Choi Min Hunter halted abruptly and glanced back over her shoulder. Her sharp eyes, with their dark red pupils, stared at me impassively.
"Is that a problem?"
"...No, not really."
A bit sharp. Feeling awkward at her attitude, I followed her into the left alley.
'Doesn't Min seem kinda pissed?'
Ego agreed with my assessment. Staring at Choi Min Hunter's back as we climbed the stairs.
She must've called me here because the Harmonizer told her something, or she wanted to investigate me personally. No clue which, and it was making my head buzz.
Sssuk.
Then I heard a friction sound. Spotting a black shape on the wall move, I held Ego's trigger down long. Before the air could vibrate, snake murals peeled off the wall, writhing belly-up in agony. Choi Min Hunter calmly pinned one underfoot without flinching.
Tang!
Sound bullets shattered the snake mural, leaving sticky paint behind.
Definitely one-shot enough for B-Rank.
Shwaaa—
This time, crimson liquid poured down like a waterfall from above the stone stairs. I leaped with 'Bird That Listens to Daytalk,' and Choi Min Hunter ignited her body in flames, floating into the air. Pots and buckets touching the liquid melted, smoking.
Tung, tung, tung.
The culprits staining the stairs red—piles of giant paint cans—bounced down. I hooked my finger on the trigger and fired at them. The white bullets lodged in, spewing red liquid everywhere.
Pubububung!
Choi Min Hunter turned the whole staircase into a sea of fire, finishing them off.
'Overkill much?'
Like she was venting. Flames crackled, and explosions popped nonstop.
I turned to look at her, and our eyes met. Her tone was sharp, but her eyes looked strangely sad.
"Let's move."
Choi Min Hunter floated gracefully to the top of the stairs, and I followed, stepping on air.
Tak.
A large observation deck awaited at the top. Tiny mural houses sprawled below at a glance, and beyond them, the blue sea cleared the mind just looking at it.
"This is the mid-boss point."
"What kind of monster?"
She started to answer but clamped her mouth shut.
"Humanoid. Low defense, but very agile."
Humanoid... Hit with sonic first, then subdue.
Teruk.
Reaching the center, footsteps echoed. From the stairs we'd climbed came a figure carrying paint cans and brushes. Their face was covered in black paint, and their apron stained red.
I stepped back a pace behind Choi Min Hunter and cautiously winked my left eye.
[What an absurd way to go]
[Don't die]
[Easy to kill if not careless]
Thump, thump.
My body reacted before my head. I calmed my pounding heart and breathed slowly.
The karma I needed to clear in this dungeon...
'Was my own death.'
Still ridiculous thinking about it.
How careless was I to die to a B-Rank mid-boss?
Thudoom!!
No time to lament. It vanished in a blink, reappearing between me and Choi Min Hunter.
"Kgh."
I dodged back and aimed Ego instantly, but the monster had vanished again. My bullet sliced empty air.
Wooong—
Holding the trigger made the air vibrate.
Kya aaaak!!
Thud.
It screamed and crashed onto a roof, flames devouring its body. As I aimed at the black smoke, a huge shadow loomed over my head.
Kugugung!!
'A bus?!'
Dozens of watercolor buses plummeted onto the deck. I retreated fast and pulled Ego's trigger again.
Kaduk.
The bus murals crumpled like tin cans at the white sonic wave. Vision cleared; I scanned for the monster.
Puk!
"Ugh!"
Sudden force shoved my shoulder. The railing hit my waist as I toppled backward, the view flipping to blue sky.
Dizziness hit; I rolled back with Daytalk Bird, landing on air.
Kyahaha!!
The monster stood at the railing, arms outstretched toward me.
"That thing...!"
Chik.
Rubbing my chest, I aimed Ego and fired at it as it tried to paint.
Pububung!!
Ugh!
Kieeeek!!
Before Ego's bullet hit, a pillar of flame—so intense it bordered blue—erupted beneath it.
[One Who Steps on Karma]
[Karma has been cleared.]
[Achievement greatly increased]
[Achievement: 70%]
'It's dead.'
The monster died, karma cleared, and memories flooded in. Daytalk Bird was newly unlocked last time, so I'd plummeted to my death here before.
Even rewinding time, it was so absurd I laughed.
Thup.
"Ugh?!"
Suddenly, Choi Min Hunter flew over, grabbed my arm, and yanked me back to the deck.
Thud.
My back slammed the wall. Before I could wince at the stinging pain, she pulled me into her arms and looked down at me.
"Don't you have anything to say to me?"
'Huh.'
I was the hurt one, but her face looked more pained. Blood seeped from her clenched lips, brows furrowed deeply.
"If you don't remember what happened to you here..."
Plop.
Her head dropped onto my shoulder.
"Then what the hell is this memory and guilt of mine...?"