Chapter 236: Awl (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 236: Awl (1)
A woman stood in a cramped room with a dark-themed interior and wood-tone blinds letting in white light. There was a two-hundred-dollar single mattress and a work desk with a laptop on top. A tea table for one person was pushed next to the wall with space for only one chair. The woman looked around, a very confused expression on her face.
"This is..."
She knew this place. It was the first apartment she'd rented after moving to New York for a job and the place she was called to every month on the 15th.
"Why am I here?"
The woman experienced a headache as she tried to recall. The memories slowly came back one by one.
"Dark wizards!"
"Stall for time. I will take care of this quickly."
War had broken out on the first day in the labyrinth. She had gotten to safety with a Multi Teleportation spell, a heartless choice that had had to be made after a long meeting between the leaders.
"Those bastards from the palace are running away and leaving us! Stop them!"
While the knights had been dealing with the adventurers, she and her clanmates ran through the portal.
Shaaa!
A magic circle on the ground had emitted a brilliant light.
Baaaaaang!
And then a huge pillar of fire had covered the sky.
"N-No way..." It finally made sense why, after returning to the city through the portal, she was here. "Fifteen days have passed...?"
The woman hurriedly turned on her laptop and, looking around the bulletin board, tried to figure out exactly what had happened. As someone who had done this often, it didn't take long for her to get the information she wanted. Among the adventurers who came out through the portal, only 103 survived. All of them were unconscious, and even the High Priest of Tovera Church, nicknamed the Agent, had given up on them as there was no way to treat them.
"N-No..." Faced with reality, the vice captain of the Larer Clan, Versyl Gowland,
turned white as a sheet.
***
As soon as the computer turned on, I checked the chat room first.
[Long Live Korea's Independence - 0 people are online.]
Once again, Baekho hadn't returned. Well, I was sure there was nothing he could do since the Ghost Master had banned him. Hah, it had definitely been nicer when he was here.
Are the Watchers of the Round Table my only source of high-quality information then?
I dismissed my disappointment and moved the mouse. The Round Table didn't open until three hours after the community opened. Until then, I planned to look around and check out the vibe here.
As expected, tons of players died.
Normally, players who had been waiting for this time of the month would be flooding the Exchange and bulletin board with posts. But now?
Nearly one-third.
Not only the board, but the chat rooms too. Even the large chat rooms, which always had more than fifty people inside, had barely over ten.
"Ha..."
Every time I encountered these changes, I sighed. It was like a great flood had covered the world. People had been swept away everywhere, leaving no place untouched.
Will this place be filled with newbies in time? Hmm, probably.
Even Korea had nothing left after the war but managed to make it as far as it did. When that time came, I would no longer be a newbie but a high-ranking player. Oh, was I already? Yeah, I was pretty sure there were no players with noble titles yet.
Click, click.
Letting my mind wander, I browsed various bulletin boards as if surfing the web. Every bulletin board I went to was full of talk about the recent incident. Looking around, there was some—no, a lot—of talk about me.
Bjorn Yandel, what the hell is that guy?
I heard he's rank five so I thought he'd be in his thirties but apparently he only finished his coming-of-age ceremony last year? What have I been doing for five years?
I had been mentioned a few times during the incident with the Lord of the Third Floor, but that was nothing compared to the mentions I was getting now. The number of posts in which I was the subject was countless, and each one had dozens of comments.
These99: He's not rank 5 to start with. How can he be rank 5? If it weren't for the guild's accomplishment point system, he would've reached rank 4 by now, easy.
└OP: Wow, he's that strong? Within a year? I feel even more ashamed.
└NExtlevEL: Rank 4 is a huge reach. OP, you don't have to feel ashamed. You can reach rank 5 within a year as long as you get a good essence.
└NExtlevEL: Oh, and it doesn't seem like he has a lot of essences. From what I've seen, he's just barely made it into rank 5.
└These99: Rank 5 in one year is easy? What, are you playing solo? How can you even say that bullshit? He already wrecked Corpse Collector and proved himself.
└NExtlevEL: Are you American? That's clearly hero-worship. Do you really believe that? And even if he did win, you think he did it alone? It was all thanks to his team.
└Pnec: He's right. Corpse Collector was fought a hundred to one. How can you call that wrecking someone? Are you stupid?
Players gave their opinions like they were arguing about celebrities on the internet. Several comments made my heart skip a beat.
fliccolo: The way I see it, he must also be a player.
└OP: Oh, maybe. Why didn't I think of that?
That sort of speculation was inevitable when one gained fame in a short period. Still, my past actions helped me out.
└arolf5205: What player? If you guys ever saw him yourself you would never be able to say that lol.
└stevencastle: Anyone who says something like that is lucky enough to have never entered the labyrinth. If they saw him bite off Corpse Collector's ear at the end while he was blind, they could never call him a player.
└cherylvander: A true man's man.
└Ykbell: His shouts as he stepped on goblin traps got even my heart pounding. Less than one year or not, that was something a modern person could never pull off. Everyone who was there at the time would agree.
└COOOOL75: Behelahhhhhh!!!!!
It was a very strange feeling to see both slanderous and praiseworthy things being written about me. I guessed I'd grown enough to become a hot topic. While on one hand, the strong interest in me was an issue, I decided to think of it as a bridge I had to cross to go higher. That was because I was going to keep going up. Floor number and reputation were inevitably proportionate.
Will this place be filled with newbies in time? Hmm, probably.
Even Korea had nothing left after the war but managed to make it as far as it did. When that time came, I would no longer be a newbie but a high-ranking player. Oh, was I already? Yeah, I was pretty sure there were no players with noble titles yet.
Click, click.
Letting my mind wander, I browsed various bulletin boards as if surfing the web. Every bulletin board I went to was full of talk about the recent incident. Looking around, there was some—no, a lot—of talk about me.
Bjorn Yandel, what the hell is that guy?
I heard he's rank five so I thought he'd be in his thirties but apparently he only finished his coming-of-age ceremony last year? What have I been doing for five years?
I had been mentioned a few times during the incident with the Lord of the Third Floor, but that was nothing compared to the mentions I was getting now. The number of posts in which I was the subject was countless, and each one had dozens of comments.
These99: He's not rank 5 to start with. How can he be rank 5? If it weren't for the guild's accomplishment point system, he would've reached rank 4 by now, easy.
└OP: Wow, he's that strong? Within a year? I feel even more ashamed.
└NExtlevEL: Rank 4 is a huge reach. OP, you don't have to feel ashamed. You can reach rank 5 within a year as long as you get a good essence.
└NExtlevEL: Oh, and it doesn't seem like he has a lot of essences. From what I've seen, he's just barely made it into rank 5.
└These99: Rank 5 in one year is easy? What, are you playing solo? How can you even say that bullshit? He already wrecked Corpse Collector and proved himself.
└NExtlevEL: Are you American? That's clearly hero-worship. Do you really believe that? And even if he did win, you think he did it alone? It was all thanks to his team.
└Pnec: He's right. Corpse Collector was fought a hundred to one. How can you call that wrecking someone? Are you stupid?
Players gave their opinions like they were arguing about celebrities on the internet. Several comments made my heart skip a beat.
fliccolo: The way I see it, he must also be a player.
└OP: Oh, maybe. Why didn't I think of that?
That sort of speculation was inevitable when one gained fame in a short period. Still, my past actions helped me out.
└arolf5205: What player? If you guys ever saw him yourself you would never be able to say that lol.
└stevencastle: Anyone who says something like that is lucky enough to have never entered the labyrinth. If they saw him bite off Corpse Collector's ear at the end while he was blind, they could never call him a player.
└cherylvander: A true man's man.
└Ykbell: His shouts as he stepped on goblin traps got even my heart pounding. Less than one year or not, that was something a modern person could never pull off. Everyone who was there at the time would agree.
└COOOOL75: Behelahhhhhh!!!!!
It was a very strange feeling to see both slanderous and praiseworthy things being written about me. I guessed I'd grown enough to become a hot topic. While on one hand, the strong interest in me was an issue, I decided to think of it as a bridge I had to cross to go higher. That was because I was going to keep going up. Floor number and reputation were inevitably proportionate.
It's almost time.
I looked around the bulletin board for quite a while, and soon it had been three hours since I entered the community. In the past, I went in as late as possible to attract attention, but this time I just entered as soon as the time came. I was curious about the small talk before the official gathering.
Everyone aside from Clown is still alive, right?
Letting go of a bit of anxiety, I quickly double-clicked the mouse.
Flash!
A light flashed before my eyes for a moment, and when I came to, I was in the familiar customization room. Wearing the same suit I always wore with Lion's mask, I headed into the main room where the round table was.
Creaaak.
Three people were already there: Goblin, Fox, and Deer.
I guess Clown isn't here yet.
When I entered, the three of them glanced at me and let out surprised exclamations.
"Ah..."
"I'm glad you made it today."
These guys were like this every time I came. Like the Lion on my mask, I sat down in my designated seat pretending not to care, and propped up my chin in my hand. If I did this, they'd start playing dialogue on their own. I just had to close my eyes and listen.
"The number of survivors is already four," Goblin muttered to himself like he found the stillness in the air uncomfortable.
"Interesting. I thought you of all people would be most at risk. How did you survive?"
That was the part I was curious about too. Aside from certain priests, most religious figures in the labyrinth that day took the wizards' portals out. That meant they'd all kicked the bucket. So what was the deal with Goblin?
"Well. Since it's related to my identity, I'll just say I was lucky."
"Tsk, like it's a big deal." When Goblin avoided answering, Deer clicked his tongue. Then the two of them made small talk.
Strangely, Fox didn't participate in the conversation. And it seemed the other two noticed too.
"Fox, you are acting strange today."
"Yes. You've been staring into space this whole time..."
Deer and Goblin expressed their concerns.
Fox flinched a beat later, then tilted her head. "...Sorry? What did you just say?"
"See? It's strange."
Goblin started acting friendly then. "If something's happened, tell us. I don't know about the others, but I can help you, Fox."
Fox let out a long breath and shook her head. "Thanks for your concern, but it's nothing. So please mind your own business."
"Oh, right. If you say so..." Goblin changed the subject, embarrassed, at Fox's harsher-than-usual tone.
"By the way, I don't think the others are coming."
There were only five minutes left before the room closed. The remaining participants were two: Clown, whom I'd been waiting all this time for, and Crescent Moon, who desperately longed for the Stone of Revival.
"Could it be that they are both dead?"
"Hmm, I don't know about Crescent Moon, but I don't think Clown is dead."
"...R-Right? Surely?" Goblin answered, though he sounded somewhat disappointed about that.
Creaaak.
It's almost time.
I looked around the bulletin board for quite a while, and soon it had been three hours since I entered the community. In the past, I went in as late as possible to attract attention, but this time I just entered as soon as the time came. I was curious about the small talk before the official gathering.
Everyone aside from Clown is still alive, right?
Letting go of a bit of anxiety, I quickly double-clicked the mouse.
Flash!
A light flashed before my eyes for a moment, and when I came to, I was in the familiar customization room. Wearing the same suit I always wore with Lion's mask, I headed into the main room where the round table was.
Creaaak.
Three people were already there: Goblin, Fox, and Deer.
I guess Clown isn't here yet.
When I entered, the three of them glanced at me and let out surprised exclamations.
"Ah..."
"I'm glad you made it today."
These guys were like this every time I came. Like the Lion on my mask, I sat down in my designated seat pretending not to care, and propped up my chin in my hand. If I did this, they'd start playing dialogue on their own. I just had to close my eyes and listen.
"The number of survivors is already four," Goblin muttered to himself like he found the stillness in the air uncomfortable.
"Interesting. I thought you of all people would be most at risk. How did you survive?"
That was the part I was curious about too. Aside from certain priests, most religious figures in the labyrinth that day took the wizards' portals out. That meant they'd all kicked the bucket. So what was the deal with Goblin?
"Well. Since it's related to my identity, I'll just say I was lucky."
"Tsk, like it's a big deal." When Goblin avoided answering, Deer clicked his tongue. Then the two of them made small talk.
Strangely, Fox didn't participate in the conversation. And it seemed the other two noticed too.
"Fox, you are acting strange today."
"Yes. You've been staring into space this whole time..."
Deer and Goblin expressed their concerns.
Fox flinched a beat later, then tilted her head. "...Sorry? What did you just say?"
"See? It's strange."
Goblin started acting friendly then. "If something's happened, tell us. I don't know about the others, but I can help you, Fox."
Fox let out a long breath and shook her head. "Thanks for your concern, but it's nothing. So please mind your own business."
"Oh, right. If you say so..." Goblin changed the subject, embarrassed, at Fox's harsher-than-usual tone.
"By the way, I don't think the others are coming."
There were only five minutes left before the room closed. The remaining participants were two: Clown, whom I'd been waiting all this time for, and Crescent Moon, who desperately longed for the Stone of Revival.
"Could it be that they are both dead?"
"Hmm, I don't know about Crescent Moon, but I don't think Clown is dead."
"...R-Right? Surely?" Goblin answered, though he sounded somewhat disappointed about that.
Creaaak.
Then the customization room by the hallway opened and a presence appeared.
Is it Clown?
I pretended to be indifferent and turned my head to check.
"Huh?"
Goblin and Deer also froze because that wasn't the mask we were expecting.
A queen?
Her mask was studded with colorful jewels. The eyes were decorated with various gold pieces that looked almost like makeup and the forehead was in the shape of a crown. The outfit she had chosen was a fancy red dress.
Is she a returning member?
The thought came to mind but after Queen's elegant greeting, I realized that wasn't the case. "Oh, hello. This is my first time here, so there's a lot I don't know, but I hope you will all help me out."
She was a new member, the first new member since my arrival. Naturally, everyone's attention was focused on her.
The most enthusiastic one among us was Fox. "First, how did you get in here? Could it be that you also met Master?" Unlike earlier when she was blank and absentminded, Fox couldn't hide her excitement and questions.
"Yes, well... Something like that?"
When Queen half-affirmed her theory, Fox's voice grew even more excited. "Master! Where is he? I just need to see him. There's something I must ask of him—"
"Oh, my. I'm sorry. I don't think I can honor that request." Queen firmly put her foot down. Then, smiling, she led the conversation with a relaxed air that didn't seem to suit a newbie. "Anyway, why don't we introduce ourselves?" Despite it being her first meeting, Queen spoke like she was right at home.
"The rule is to not use names," Deer replied, disgruntled.
"I see! Then you are Goblin, this is Fox, and then Lion. Hmm, then what should I call you?"
"Deer."
"Not Antlers?"
"Your mask should have had a name on it too."
"Ah! It did. So I'm Queen? Huhu."
While the attention was on her and Queen chatted with the other members, I continued to study her. A mask didn't cover every part of a person's face. Goblin had copper-colored skin, so I figured he was from Southeast Asia or South America. So what about this woman?
She's definitely a Westerner.
She had flowing blonde hair and blue eyes. Her skin was white like a Caucasian. Of course, that was all I could tell from her appearance, and even that was unhelpful when it came to inferring her identity in this world. But I still couldn't take my eyes off of her.
I feel like I've seen her somewhere before.
A feeling of déjà vu came over me out of nowhere. Why was I feeling this way?
"Anyway, Ms. Fox. It's so nice to meet you. As you know, there aren't many female players, right? Oh, and Mr. Goblin. You have a very nice voice. Mr. Deer seems very kind too. And Mr. Lion is—"
When Queen, who seemed to have the power to drain people's energy, turned to me, Fox quickly warned, "Excuse me."
"Yes?"
"I can see what type of person you are, but I think you'd be better off not getting too friendly with him."
"Pardon? Why not?"
When Queen tilted her head, Fox looked at me with unease. Did she think I was going to exert my dominance like with Goblin? Well, I might have if things were normal. If I could free myself from that excessive energy of hers with a blast of murderous intent it would be a win for me.
"Mmm, you are very reserved, Mr. Lion. Let's talk a lot more once we get to know each other better!"
I just ignored her and didn't do anything. The reason was simple. I had to preserve my energy.
Looks like he came just in time.
With one minute left until the room closed, with a creak, another door in the hallway opened.
"Oh, I guess there are more members than I thought?"
The attention on Queen was short-lived. Everyone's eyes turned in the direction of the sound.
"Wow! A lot of you survived!" As he walked in, Clown struck up a conversation in his characteristic asshole tone. "Mr. Goblin, I thought for sure you were d—Hmm?" Clown looked at Queen and tilted his head.
"Hello. Shall I call you Mr. Clown? I'm very excited to meet such an interesting person!"
"...Who is this? This ditzy woman?"
"A new member. It seems she has come at Master's recommendation."
"Hmmm... Is that so?" Clown stared at Queen as if to study her and sat down. Then, dismissing his interest in her, he spoke to me. "Pshehe, how are you, Mr. Lion?"
His repertoire was the same as usual. This son of a bitch always pretended to be friendly with me like I was his only equal here.
"Just you wait. I've brought many interesting stories with me this time."
What is this idiot saying?
I slowly raised my level of murderous intent. Normally I had to fall into a trance and make myself feel the desire to kill someone for that, but I didn't have to do that this time.
If it weren't for this bastard, Daria would not have died, and many more adventurers could have returned to their families alive.
But how was this son of a bitch acting now?
"Pshehe, I guess Mr. Crescent Moon is dead?"
Cracking himself up like usual. Yeah, so...
"But why are you so quiet today, Mr. Lion?"
Filling myself with one intentional thought—True Murderous Intent—I opened my eyes.
"Are you—!" The moment our eyes met, Clown grasped at his neck with both hands. Struggling to breathe like he had been thrust into the vacuum of space itself, he soon fell to the floor, where his body twitched.
The other members panicked, not knowing what was happening. I slowly got up and walked toward Clown. Then I looked him up and down.
"S-Stop..."
It was kind of funny. He was always treating people like idiots with his stupid tone like he was someone important.
"You look like a bug."
From now on, I ban you from acting like you know me, asshole.
Then the customization room by the hallway opened and a presence appeared.
Is it Clown?
I pretended to be indifferent and turned my head to check.
"Huh?"
Goblin and Deer also froze because that wasn't the mask we were expecting.
A queen?
Her mask was studded with colorful jewels. The eyes were decorated with various gold pieces that looked almost like makeup and the forehead was in the shape of a crown. The outfit she had chosen was a fancy red dress.
Is she a returning member?
The thought came to mind but after Queen's elegant greeting, I realized that wasn't the case. "Oh, hello. This is my first time here, so there's a lot I don't know, but I hope you will all help me out."
She was a new member, the first new member since my arrival. Naturally, everyone's attention was focused on her.
The most enthusiastic one among us was Fox. "First, how did you get in here? Could it be that you also met Master?" Unlike earlier when she was blank and absentminded, Fox couldn't hide her excitement and questions.
"Yes, well... Something like that?"
When Queen half-affirmed her theory, Fox's voice grew even more excited. "Master! Where is he? I just need to see him. There's something I must ask of him—"
"Oh, my. I'm sorry. I don't think I can honor that request." Queen firmly put her foot down. Then, smiling, she led the conversation with a relaxed air that didn't seem to suit a newbie. "Anyway, why don't we introduce ourselves?" Despite it being her first meeting, Queen spoke like she was right at home.
"The rule is to not use names," Deer replied, disgruntled.
"I see! Then you are Goblin, this is Fox, and then Lion. Hmm, then what should I call you?"
"Deer."
"Not Antlers?"
"Your mask should have had a name on it too."
"Ah! It did. So I'm Queen? Huhu."
While the attention was on her and Queen chatted with the other members, I continued to study her. A mask didn't cover every part of a person's face. Goblin had copper-colored skin, so I figured he was from Southeast Asia or South America. So what about this woman?
She's definitely a Westerner.
She had flowing blonde hair and blue eyes. Her skin was white like a Caucasian. Of course, that was all I could tell from her appearance, and even that was unhelpful when it came to inferring her identity in this world. But I still couldn't take my eyes off of her.
I feel like I've seen her somewhere before.
A feeling of déjà vu came over me out of nowhere. Why was I feeling this way?
"Anyway, Ms. Fox. It's so nice to meet you. As you know, there aren't many female players, right? Oh, and Mr. Goblin. You have a very nice voice. Mr. Deer seems very kind too. And Mr. Lion is—"
When Queen, who seemed to have the power to drain people's energy, turned to me, Fox quickly warned, "Excuse me."
"Yes?"
"I can see what type of person you are, but I think you'd be better off not getting too friendly with him."
"Pardon? Why not?"
When Queen tilted her head, Fox looked at me with unease. Did she think I was going to exert my dominance like with Goblin? Well, I might have if things were normal. If I could free myself from that excessive energy of hers with a blast of murderous intent it would be a win for me.
"Mmm, you are very reserved, Mr. Lion. Let's talk a lot more once we get to know each other better!"
I just ignored her and didn't do anything. The reason was simple. I had to preserve my energy.
Looks like he came just in time.
With one minute left until the room closed, with a creak, another door in the hallway opened.
"Oh, I guess there are more members than I thought?"
The attention on Queen was short-lived. Everyone's eyes turned in the direction of the sound.
"Wow! A lot of you survived!" As he walked in, Clown struck up a conversation in his characteristic asshole tone. "Mr. Goblin, I thought for sure you were d—Hmm?" Clown looked at Queen and tilted his head.
"Hello. Shall I call you Mr. Clown? I'm very excited to meet such an interesting person!"
"...Who is this? This ditzy woman?"
"A new member. It seems she has come at Master's recommendation."
"Hmmm... Is that so?" Clown stared at Queen as if to study her and sat down. Then, dismissing his interest in her, he spoke to me. "Pshehe, how are you, Mr. Lion?"
His repertoire was the same as usual. This son of a bitch always pretended to be friendly with me like I was his only equal here.
"Just you wait. I've brought many interesting stories with me this time."
What is this idiot saying?
I slowly raised my level of murderous intent. Normally I had to fall into a trance and make myself feel the desire to kill someone for that, but I didn't have to do that this time.
If it weren't for this bastard, Daria would not have died, and many more adventurers could have returned to their families alive.
But how was this son of a bitch acting now?
"Pshehe, I guess Mr. Crescent Moon is dead?"
Cracking himself up like usual. Yeah, so...
"But why are you so quiet today, Mr. Lion?"
Filling myself with one intentional thought—True Murderous Intent—I opened my eyes.
"Are you—!" The moment our eyes met, Clown grasped at his neck with both hands. Struggling to breathe like he had been thrust into the vacuum of space itself, he soon fell to the floor, where his body twitched.
The other members panicked, not knowing what was happening. I slowly got up and walked toward Clown. Then I looked him up and down.
"S-Stop..."
It was kind of funny. He was always treating people like idiots with his stupid tone like he was someone important.
"You look like a bug."
From now on, I ban you from acting like you know me, asshole.