The Wind Carries Wishes
The Wind Carries Wishes
A wish.
Everyone carries a wish in their heart.
'I need money.'
Some long for gold and jewels.
'I want to be with him. With me, not her.'
Some yearn for love's fulfillment.
'Grant me eternal life.'
Some seek immortality.
'Power. I want to become stronger than anyone.'
Others pursue absolute strength.
And surely, that wish would bring happiness to the one who holds it.
A wish.
It is envy.
It is obsession.
It is desire.
The primal instinct of mankind.
People live for the wishes they hold in their hearts.
Even if they burn to ashes in the process.
To fulfill a wish buried deep within, a human being is a creature that will gladly throw itself into the flames.
Yes, in this place—
"—Only the courageous earn the right to seize everything."
Become the brightest burning ember.
And your wish shall be granted.
*
"Is this really Gwanak-gu...?"
I murmured in a flat monotone as I stared out the window.
The landscape beyond was nothing like I remembered.
The first thing to snag my eye was a towering spire.
Below it sat a vast circular structure.
The shape was familiar—a Colosseum—but the materials that formed it were aggressively modern.
Impossible not to find it impressive.
"I've never seen this many people before."
Beside me, Ha Hui-ryeong breathed the words out, genuinely impressed.
She wasn't wrong. The streets were teeming with countless bodies.
Merchants hawking their wares at the top of their lungs, endless streams of passersby, street performers putting on shows...
A vivid, roiling crowd had gathered, pumping life into every artery of the streets.
"Honestly, though, everyone's clothes are a bit... you know?"
Kim Ha-yoon had a point. What stood out was that nearly every last one of them was practically half-naked.
Something out of ancient Greece—they strutted around in cloth garments and leather sandals.
...Was that some kind of rule?
"It is the Gladiator's taste. She encouraged everyone to craft and wear clothes from fabric she wove herself. The residents here owe their survival to her grace, so they did not refuse."
An old man who'd crept up beside us unannounced answered my curiosity.
Fine and good, but I wished he'd back off a step.
Because he reeked.
"The atmosphere's oddly bright. Except for the ones who look like slaves."
Angelica gestured with her chin toward a group on the street.
Shabbily dressed, much like the Three Musketeers we'd just captured, but with one distinctive twist: they were leading women with chains around their necks.
And since those women weren't given so much as a scrap of cloth to cover themselves, they really did look no different from slaves.
"Yet no one gives them a second glance."
Kim Ha-yoon rubbed her jaw, puzzled.
In truth, the people on the street showed no interest whatsoever in the group with the slaves.
As if this were a perfectly familiar sight.
"Old man. Do the fighters here raid other regions? Anything like that?"
"Not as a rule. However, those with a particularly strong competitive spirit sometimes embark on expeditions to other regions. To seek out warriors worthy of testing themselves against."
"Then what about those people? Are they originally residents here?"
When I pointed at a naked slave and asked, the old man shook his head.
"I wouldn't know. They're usually mixed together, so telling them apart is impossible."
"Mixed together? What's that mean?"
"Some are original residents, while others are those defeated in other regions and brought here as you see them now. They would have staked everything and lost in the end."
So basically... these people cross into other regions, pick fights indiscriminately the same way they did with us, and if they win, they drag people back like that.
Hmm. Isn't that practically the same as a band of plunderers?
As if reading my thoughts, the old man added a few more words.
"It would not have been carried out by force. For a duel to be established, mutual consent is required."
"But they taunt you as a coward if you refuse."
"That is all. If one cannot endure such meager mockery and accepts the duel, then the outcome is no one's fault but their own. Is that not so?"
At first glance, it sounded plausible.
If this were the world before the apocalypse, it would be nothing but sophistry, but in the current collapse of order, you had to be flexible enough to let pathetic provocations slide.
Getting worked up over a little yapping and rushing in headfirst, only to get yourself wrecked—there's nothing uglier than that.
"Hey, look. That woman over there has men as slaves."
Just then, Ha Hui-ryeong grabbed my shoulder and pointed somewhere.
Sure enough, a rather pretty woman was there, tugging on chains fastened around the necks of three or four men.
Quite a rare sight.
"There are female fighters too, I see."
"Of course. Honor and courage do not discriminate between men and women. Proving oneself depends solely on one's own ability."
"Then what about those three who kept running their mouths about bitches and females? Were they just freaks?"
I aimed my index finger at the three brutes lying piled together in one spot, and the old man coughed awkwardly.
"Ahem. I suspect they simply succumbed to youthful arrogance. Generally, whether male or female, it is proper for fighters to show each other respect."
So that's why they'd been stuck on the outskirts.
Well, a square peg never fits a round hole. Made sense.
"Youthful? Old man, come on, those bastards don't exactly look young to me."
Ha Hui-ryeong snorted, incredulous.
I agreed with her.
At best, their face value was early thirties.
"They are young. Their beards and shaggy hair merely make them appear otherwise."
"Seriously? Hmph. I don't buy it at all."
"If you find it so hard to believe, let us see... ah, there is proof, I suppose. Judging by the color, it seems they have not yet reached twenty. My guess was correct."
At our persistently unconvinced reactions, the old man casually approached the three and lifted the medals hanging from their necks.
Medals glowing with a green light.
What it signified, he said, was 'the youngest Sprout.'
"That medal indicates their age?"
"It does. Ordinarily, we fighters all wear similar attire, making it difficult to tell us apart. Hence, we adopted this method."
Genuinely absurd.
So that meant these bastards really were younger than us.
And if that meant they were even younger than Kim Ha-yoon, the youngest among us... well, that was nothing short of shocking.
"Still, seeing that faint hint of blue, they'll likely pass twenty next year or so."
"Not really interested in that part...."
I pressed my fingers to my forehead.
I had other questions beyond useless trivia.
"More importantly, it looks like we've arrived. How do we apply? We're supposed to participate in the tournament, right?"
"A fine question. This year's tournament will be held exactly four days from now, so you have ample time."
"No, I mean how do we apply. There's got to be some procedure—paperwork or something."
The one who answered my question was, unexpectedly, Mirkella.
"There is no need for that. For Round 1, all you need to do is show up. The opening ceremony is the process of sorting out the Sprouts. In other words, it is a free-for-all."
"How do you know that so well? Have you been here before?"
"When we first escaped Gangnam-gu, the very first thing we did was scout the surrounding districts. So I know a fair amount."
Aha.
No wonder she seemed particularly well-informed about this area.
"I heard this tournament is a team event. But a free-for-all doesn't really fit that description, does it?"
"I imagine it means you form a team and survive. If the focus last time was proving individual ability, this time they seem to be emphasizing teamwork."
"Hold on. This is the part that concerns me. We're outsiders, after all. There won't be any disadvantages, will there?"
At Angelica's question, Mirkella shook her head.
"The philosophy here is that as long as you possess the ability, nothing else matters. Do not worry—there will be plenty of outsiders besides us. Though... an outsider teaming up with a fighter will not happen, so you may draw a few dirty looks."
This place really was unique.
Most other regions were fiercely exclusionary.
I guess there was a reason so many people gathered here.
"Hmm, then what we need to figure out is who competes. Is there a limit on numbers?"
"There is. A maximum of five people."
If we counted this old man, that left four spots.
Alright. Who would be the most desirable to select?
I looked around briefly and sank into deep thought.
First of all, my participation was mandatory.
It wasn't my intention, but in an environment where killing was permitted, the odds were high that my crowbar would prove incredibly useful.
Next, Angelica.
Psychokinesis was a power that could flexibly handle a wide range of situations.
In a case like this with so many variables, bringing her was the best move.
Our Ha-yoon was an obvious must.
The only ranged damage-dealer in our party—she absolutely could not be left out.
And lastly....
"For this one, how about we let Lady Ha sit out?"
"What? You want me to drop out? Are you serious?"
Ha Hui-ryeong shot back, dumbfounded.
She clearly couldn't believe it.
Her expression was steeped in bewilderment—Caesar staring at Brutus.
"This time, Mirkella will be more useful than you. She happens to know her way around this place, and as a vanguard, she's strong enough to fill in for you."
"Ha, so now I'm useless? I didn't think you were like this, but you're really going there, huh?"
"No, listen. It's not that you're useless."
I let out a small sigh before continuing.
"Of course, our Lady Ha is the strongest in our forces, but in this specific situation, Mirkella is better. On the flip side, you're the most suited for guarding. Yes, there's no one but you."
"What bullshit are you rambling on about... Hmph. Fine. Don't talk to me from now on."
She was seriously sulking.
Though she pretended otherwise, she was the type who secretly relied on me.
Whenever we did something, it had to be together.
That had become something of an unspoken rule, so suddenly being told to stay behind must have disoriented her.
Before Ha Hui-ryeong could leave, I hastily grabbed her arm.
"Argh, you brat. Think about it. Where are we? First, we're inside enemy territory, right? And at its deepest core, no less. If some unavoidable trouble breaks out in a place like this, who's going to guard this camper van? Me? Ha-yoon? Angelica? No, not them. You're the only one, dammit. Until we regroup, you're the only one who can keep this camper van safe. You get that?"
"...You're lying."
"I'm telling you, it's the truth. Hey, have you ever seen me lie?"
"...I've seen it plenty."
Damn, she really leaves me with nothing to say.
Out of sheer frustration, I grabbed her wrist and forced her to sit down beside me.
"Listen carefully. What do you think the reason is that I've never used enslavement on you all this time?"
"...How would I know? What goes on in your head."
"It's because I trust you the most. Got it? I've got the mindset that I wouldn't even care if you stabbed me in the back. That's how much you're the one I trust above all. Do you understand?"
"....."
At my words, she fell silent for a long while.
She fidgeted uncomfortably, and then abruptly shot up from her seat.
I had no clue what on earth was happening.
"Fuck! Fine! I'll stay, alright? I'll stay!"
Smack.
She fixed my head in both hands and planted a light kiss on my forehead.
It was so completely sudden that I had no time to react.
Soft lips simply touched me, then pulled away—
"If anything happens, contact me right away! Got it!?"
She shouted that at me while I stood there, frozen stupid, then fled into her room as if escaping.
I remained rooted to the spot like a statue.
My mind went blank—a sheet of pristine white paper.
A whirlwind of questions churned inside me, but no answer came forth.
Just then, Kim Ha-yoon, who had been quietly watching me stand there in a daze, tossed out a single remark.
"Seriously, it's like watching a farce."
Normally, I would have snapped back and told her to cut the nonsense, but the shock had frozen me solid, and I couldn't bring myself to speak.
"......"
I merely touched my forehead and awkwardly rose from my seat.
Just as she'd said, that scene moments ago was nothing short of a ridiculous farce.