Chapter 338
Chapter 338
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Farewell
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-Thud thud thud!
Eirin rolled across the floor, letting out a scream-like shriek.
"How am I supposed to block that?!"
"Just block it! Why are you whining like this?!"
"Is this what daily life in the HR Team is like?!"
"Hang in there!"
Song Arin snapped back at her question with a voice full of irritation as she swung her hand, and at the same moment, threads extended from her hand to block the incoming attacks.
"If you just keep whining like that, how do you plan to survive?!"
"I'm your senior—"
-Thud!
Dodging a flying kick by dropping flat to the floor, Eirin shouted in a sharp voice.
"—you know!"
"Ah, yeah! So wise despite being younger!"
"Watching you two bicker while dodging makes it seem like it's not that dangerous after all!"
They weren't even the same age.
I, too, dodged alongside Yoo Daon and turned my gaze forward.
The Masterpiece swung its foot at us with a grin.
Yoo Daon extended her hand to twist the attack away, and with a crunch, its arm bent in an unnatural direction.
"Ugh...!"
"Daon! You okay?"
"I'm fine!"
Yoo Daon shook her head at my words with a smile.
"Jaeheon, you've got no injuries, right?"
"Don't worry about me—"
-Thud!
With an enormous crash, the Masterpiece charging at me went flying.
"Watch out."
"Thanks, Chaeyeon."
Jang Chaeyeon nodded, then looked at me.
"Any reason we're dragging this out?"
"Yeah."
"What is it?"
"Probably this."
-Whoosh!
As Song Arin stretched both arms backward, the Masterpiece, tethered by threads, twisted grotesquely before collapsing.
"The Aestheticist's idea of art is ultimately something that's preserved."
"Huh?"
"Not you and Daon."
Yoo Daon looked at me, thinking I meant her, but I hurriedly stopped her and continued.
"The Aestheticist is more rigid as an artist than you'd think."
"And they've lived a long time."
"Exactly."
Its materials were merely human, but its methods of painting or sculpting, and even its artistic style, couldn't be called progressive.
Plus, given how chummy it was with the Branch Chief, it had clearly lived a long time.
"So?"
"Ultimately, we're fighting a containment object created by another containment object."
"Yeah."
"In other words, if we understand the nature of the art the Aestheticist creates, that's the key."
The Masterpiece couldn't escape the Aestheticist's influence.
Whether positive or negative.
"Yeah... so?"
Jang Chaeyeon glared at me as if telling me to get to the point.
No, I have to lay out the premises first to make it easier to understand later.
Putting aside my frustration, I continued the explanation.
"Ultimately."
"Huh, it seems a bit slower."
Glancing at Jang Chaeyeon after hearing Yoo Daon's words, I smirked.
"As you can see if you look closely, the Aestheticist's perfect art."
-Krrunch!
[Chronos's Shield: 8 seconds remaining]
Yoo Daon extended her hand to block the Masterpiece's attack.
Its foot grazed past the shield at a noticeably slower speed than before.
"Doesn't move."
Jang Chaeyeon looked up at the Masterpiece after hearing me, and the Masterpiece looked back at her.
At that moment, it swung its foot even harder, and Jang Chaeyeon squeezed her eyes shut before sending it flying again.
"...Then, sis is..."
"Exactly."
"..."
She stared bitterly at the floor.
"...That thing's gotten slow?"
"Yeah."
And we weren't the only ones who noticed.
Song Arin and Eirin stared at the Masterpiece right in front of them.
"Hey, am I seeing this right?"
"Yes. You are."
"..."
-Creak creak...
Creaking sounds came from the Masterpiece's joints as it twisted its body.
"Sis."
"..."
Jang Chaeyeon looked at the Masterpiece, and it smiled back at her.
"Chaeyeon."
"Yeah."
"This feels really good. Let's do it together."
"..."
Jang Chaeyeon dropped her gaze to the floor, and Song Arin walked past her to stare straight at the Masterpiece.
"Oh, Arin's here too?"
"...You."
She glared at the Masterpiece, then at Jang Chaeyeon, and it immediately slashed its claws at Song Arin.
-Clang!
Naturally, Yoo Daon and I blocked the attack.
"Even so, she worried about you a lot."
"Really?"
Song Arin muttered while thumbing back at Jang Chaeyeon behind her, and the Masterpiece beamed.
"I'm so happy. To think you cared about me that much. In that case, this time for sure—"
"So it's time to end that worry."
Song Arin strode forward without a hint of hesitation.
It swung its hand.
"Arin!"
-Slash!
Yoo Daon and I blocked the claws again.
"Sorry. Hold it off just a bit."
"What the hell—"
"It's gonna stop soon anyway, right?"
She looked up at me.
"..."
"Then, sorry, but I have something to say too."
Then she faced the Masterpiece.
Song Arin had always been strong-willed, but in situations like this, she'd always yielded her opinions.
-Clang!
"Daon, sorry, bear with it one more time."
"It's fine!"
Hearing Yoo Daon's cheerful reply, I turned my gaze to the Masterpiece as well.
"I relied on you a lot too. Most people in the Management Bureau have great character, but yours was truly exceptional."
Song Arin looked at it with steadfast eyes.
"So this is the greatest courtesy a junior can give a senior."
Then she turned to Jang Chaeyeon, scowled fiercely, and yelled.
"Hey! You gonna stand there like a mute? Get over here and say something!"
Jang Chaeyeon looked up at her words, glancing between Song Arin and the Masterpiece,
then extended her hand, sending it flying backward.
By then, the Masterpiece could barely move properly.
It's developing at an insane speed.
-Thud!
It crashed into the wall, and Jang Chaeyeon slowly approached it.
"Sis."
"Chaeyeon."
She knelt down and brushed the hair from the Masterpiece's face.
"...Thank you. Thanks to you, I made it this far."
"..."
It said nothing.
It just stayed rigid there.
"It's complete."
Song Arin murmured, and Jang Chaeyeon stared at it.
She clenched her fist tight.
-Crumble!
At that moment, the mannequin that had been unbreakable moments ago shattered into powder, scattering before us.
Inside was another transparent orb.
"...Here."
Jang Chaeyeon held it up and handed it to me.
"Chaeyeon."
"Yeah."
"You okay?"
"No."
She slowly shook her head at my question.
"But I have to go."
"..."
"Let's go. It's time for my revenge too."
She muttered softly and started walking, and I picked up the orb to examine it.
Identical. This one glowed transparently too.
*
Jang Chaeyeon walked at the front of our group.
"What floor is this?"
"Fourth floor, I think."
Just one floor from the top.
The Aestheticist was probably at the summit.
"..."
Jang Chaeyeon took a deep breath, and Eirin looked at me.
"Let's take a short break."
"...Yeah."
We'd run nonstop from the first floor.
At my words, Yoo Daon sighed with relief and plopped down.
"Then let's rest a bit!"
"You're not even tired."
"What are you saying, Arin? I'm human too?"
Song Arin snorted at Yoo Daon's words and sat beside her, and I approached Jang Chaeyeon.
"Chaeyeon."
"Yeah."
"You okay?"
"...Yeah."
She hesitated at my question before nodding.
"Yeah. I'm fine."
"Good. Now..."
"We're going to catch the Aestheticist, right?"
"...Yes."
"But."
Jang Chaeyeon looked up at me intently after hearing my words.
"Why are you doing all this for me?"
"Huh?"
"From your perspective, this isn't even your business."
"..."
"You don't even know much about my sister, and it's just my issue..."
"Chaeyeon."
I cut off her mumbling and continued.
"You came along when I went to handle something about my little sister."
"..."
She opened and closed her mouth repeatedly.
"That's what we are. We help each other and do what needs doing when it comes up."
"..."
Jang Chaeyeon stayed silent.
Then she suddenly grabbed my hand.
"...I... you..."
"Got enough rest?"
Song Arin interrupted, looking at us.
"The Branch Chief's still captured, so we can't rest properly. We gotta go in."
"..."
Jang Chaeyeon stared at Song Arin, who smirked back at her.
"What, got something to say? I'm doing the same for you."
Same how.
"...No. Let's go."
And we all started up the stairs.
Our faces far more tense than before as we climbed,
and a sign reading [5th Floor] came into view.
With every step up the stairs, my unease grew.
Can we win?
What happened to the Branch Chief?
What was the Aestheticist even trying to do, and why did the Observer ask me?
And why, in the past, had I never once beaten the Aestheticist?
I couldn't know,
"Someday it has to be done."
My murmur seemed to make the Manual tremble.
We passed the [5th Floor] sign and entered.
It was ornately furnished.
Furniture was arranged around, and soothing classical music played.
It felt like the top floor of a luxury hotel.
And there.
"Cough...!"
The Branch Chief, bound to a pillar and bleeding.
"Branch Chief!"
I shouted as I looked at her, and she opened her eyes to look at me.
"Don't come closer!"
At that moment, footsteps echoed.
"Took you a while."
-Step... step...
The sound of something hard walking on the floor.
I squeezed my eyes shut and looked toward the sound, and there was the Aestheticist, one arm shattered, walking toward us.
"Hello. You've become much more beautiful in the meantime."
She smiled at us.