Everyone Out of the Arena (6)
[At that moment, inside a building resembling a grand cathedral.]
"Hmm..."
The blonde angel Estiel, scanning dozens of screens spread out before her, squeezed her eyes shut at the hologram window floating in front of her.
"What should I do."
A murder among the reserve heroes in the Tutorial. The victim: Park Chang-su. And the perpetrator: none other than Yoo Si-woo.
...The conclusion was already set.
The important part was the process leading to that conclusion.
"The report—"
Just as she was about to write the first page of the report, a flash of light sparkled behind Estiel.
"!!"
A golden light, as if infused with the glow of a red sun. Estiel immediately clasped her hands together and bowed her head toward the light.
"I greet the Archangel."
"At ease. Don't be so stiff."
The one who emerged from the golden light was a girl far smaller than Estiel. Her height barely reached Estiel's lower chest, but the thirteen wings sprouting from her back proved she was a being Estiel could never hope to approach.
"...Shouldn't you be at the front lines?"
"Why? Can't I hang back here for a bit?"
"No, it's just..."
"I heard some interesting news while supporting the front lines, so I came by. Chekhov opened her arena?"
"Yes."
As expected. Estiel could guess why this girl with red twintails, the Archangel Michael, had come.
"Results—can I hear them now?"
"We threw the twenty reserve heroes who failed in the Goblin Forest straight into it. As a result, everyone except one has successfully escaped."
"Impressive. Really impressive."
The Archangel Michael clapped her hands and reached toward the screens.
"This is faster than when I ran it, isn't it? Fewer people, sure, but if that last one racks up five wins and gets out, it'll be a record-breaker."
"...No one but you, Archangel, could send all 108 straight to the arena and get them through in under a month."
"Thanks for the praise. But... what's this?"
As she scrolled through the screens, Michael tapped one with her finger.
"This last guy—you designated him as a reserve hero? Why no penalty for killing a comrade? Penalties should be applied immediately."
"I judged it wasn't a case warranting a penalty."
"Why?"
"Revenge. If you check the logs, you'll see reserve hero Yoo Si-woo was killed by reserve hero Park Chang-su in the goblin stage."
"Hmm..."
The Archangel Michael placed her index finger on the screen and flicked it along. The screen slid, bringing up a new one, and soon a sheer cliff in a vast forest appeared.
Whoooosh.
A man grabbing someone by the collar. The young man he held thrashed for a moment—
Whoooosh.
—before plummeting off the cliff to his death.
That face was identical to the young man now basking in victory after five wins in the arena.
"Impressive. Incredible skill. Hmm, could this be... hey, Estiel?"
"Yes, Archangel."
"Can't you tell me? Just between us."
The Archangel Michael sidled up to Estiel with a sly tone, poking her waist.
"Come on, he's got that one's blessing, right? What kind of blessing is it that lets him shatter my record like this? Huh?"
"......."
"Tell me, and I'll move you from tutorial stage manager to something better. How's that? For an angel with barely any experience, this is a huge offer. You did well at the angel academy, so you know what I mean."
"...I'm sorry, Archangel."
Estiel bowed deeply.
"By principle, we cannot speak of the Goddess's blessings to anyone but the recipient."
"......."
"Truly, I'm sorry."
"......."
Michael, who had been staring at Estiel for a long moment, grinned and patted her body.
"Aw, of course! I figured you wouldn't spill. Good attitude! You can't just blab when an archangel shows up. Yeah, well done. Smart. Stick to the principles. Good."
The principle regarding the Goddess's blessings. Once Estiel raised it like a shield, the Archangel Michael didn't press further.
"Estiel. What's this reserve hero's name?"
"Are you referring to Park Chang-su?"
"Nah, not that trash. This one."
"...Reserve hero Yoo Si-woo."
"Got it. Yoo Si-woo... Heh heh, we'll cross paths nicely later."
The Archangel Michael licked her lips and walked toward the golden halo from which she'd appeared.
"I'll check the reports often when I have time. If Yoo Si-woo clears the tutorial and it's time to assign a guardian angel... heh heh, you know?"
"Archangel. Outside the guardian angel designation period..."
"I know, I know. That's why I'm saying this now. Don't you get it?"
"......."
"Then it's a deal! Bye!"
Shaaa.
After the Archangel Michael vanished.
"...Ha."
Estiel furrowed her brow and quietly closed her eyes.
"He's too damn good, and already they're circling like sharks..."
Crunch.
* * *
Comrade killing. Unlike Park Chang-su, who got wrecked by the penalty, I killed him and faced no penalty for it.
Why?
'Angels aren't some rigid program.'
Right now, only Estiel is monitoring, but once we move past this, all angels will be watching the heroes closely.
Angels are sentient beings with emotions, well-versed in justice and the feelings of revenge.
Park Chang-su killing me was manslaughter. Me killing Park Chang-su was payback murder.
If you ask who showed clearer intent to kill, obviously me—worse crime. But this isn't a Korean courtroom deciding.
'Angels might not get everything, but they understand grudges.'
The angels. Estiel didn't impose the comrade-killing penalty for my killing of Park Chang-su.
Of course, it could become a big issue later. Say Park Chang-su miraculously clears the tutorial, contracts with an archangel, and snitches.
If a higher angel Estiel can't handle comes at her with, "You let one guy kill a comrade in the tutorial and now he's turning my hero into a total fuckup?"—I might get penalized then.
But that won't happen, and I've planned to prevent it anyway.
Even if emotional rifts can't be mended, there's a way to erase the penalty itself.
'Just use Goddess Points to wipe it.'
The Goddess Points I'd earned from Chekhov for once.
That blessing is a perk and cheat for those whose abilities are recognized. No buff is a shame, but removing a debuff alone makes the point worth it.
Fortunately, Estiel had protected my points.
Now, time to use them.
'I've decided.'
With Park Chang-su's death leaving my Goddess Points intact, I had one thing to do.
"Congratulations, warrior Yoo Si-woo."
In this public space, where angels could be watching, the arena's owner Chekhov stood before me to celebrate my five wins.
"I am Chekhov, owner of the arena."
Chekhov played the pure NPC, offering only a brief smile. The moment I left, the moment this stage ended, she'd lose all memories of the 29th run—but like a program fulfilling its role, she bowed to me and pointed to the exit.
"Through here, you can leave. The road to the east is long, but surely you'll make good use of it. The blood magic you learned from me."
That line was at my request. If anyone asks where I learned blood magic, she could proudly say it came from this arena's vampire.
"Be careful. Blood magic is generally classified as vampire magic, and most vampires serve the Demon King. There are exceptions like me, but unless in dire straits, please refrain from using it."
"Can't I use it to kill demonkin?"
"Use whatever method suits you."
"Got it. I'll keep using blood magic even outside. And if possible, when I kill the Demon King later, I'll use it then too."
"I ask that of you, warrior."
"......Chekhov."
Before leaving, I approached her.
"How about sex, just once?"
"......."
"Feels like a waste to leave without it."
"If I may be so bold, I have no such intentions."
Chekhov shook her head firmly. That resolve wasn't just as the arena's owner—it was also her declaration as a prospective angel who'd chosen me as her 'hero'.
"I will remain here with the arena."
Even if she was forgotten and became like the others, it didn't matter.
"Please defeat the Demon King. Someday, may news reach even this arena that you've slain him, so it no longer needs to rehabilitate those fallen into the abyss."
She wished only that no more reserve heroes would appear—that the root cause making Chekhov's Arena a used stage would be resolved.
"You're really okay with that?"
"...Warrior Yoo Si-woo."
"Is that your true heart? No desire to come with me?"
"I cannot leave."
"Yeah? Then..."
I reached out toward Chekhov.
"I'll get you out of here."
"Like I said—"
"Declaration."
I took a deep breath.
"I will use a Goddess Point."
I declared.
And as soon as I did, the world turned white.
Shaaa.
With the white light came a blonde angel with a pair of pure white wings: Estiel.
"First off... what? Something piss you off?"
"...Pardon?"
"You looked seriously annoyed. Did I time it wrong?"
She seemed to carry a heap of displeasure.
"Makes me wonder if I'm here to spend your Goddess Point or listen to your venting."
"......."
"You can talk freely while using a Goddess Point. Got time to spare? Someone mess with you?"
"We'll discuss that later. So, where do you wish to apply your Goddess Point?"
Down to business. No intention of sharing, so regrettably, I got straight to it.
"Using a Goddess Point, I wish to subjugate a soul. From a soul belonging to the Tutorial stage."