Chapter 133

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Translator: Ryuma

Chapter: 133

Chapter Title: The Returnee's Revelation

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There was a woman with her hair down, drinking from morning till now.

"Sis... did you drink all night again? We're heading into an adventure soon. You need to take better care of yourself..."

"Haha, take care of myself? Yeah... sure, that's important. But Inyoung, adventures aren't the kind of place where a guy comes back alive just because he doesn't have muscles or flab. So, do we really... have to bother with all that self-care?"

"You're drunk. Uncle, you should head home too. Sis! Get a grip!"

The drunken woman was Son Juyeon, one of the key figures in the Audenin alliance.

It was rare to see her like this—so disheveled when she was usually sharp and cold.

"Just a little more..."

"Huh? I can't hear you."

She looked sorrowful.

"Can we wait just a little longer...?"

"...Sis, Changsik oppa is dead. Can't you stop this already?"

"Eeeee... yaaaa!"

Crash!

The fine glass cup shattered. She'd hurled it in a fit of rage.

"Sob... sob... Changsik isn't dead! He's not!"

"I couldn't stop you from going in... and now it's over."

The selection process for the Labyrinth's penitents had been unusually frigid.

There were reasons for how things had turned out.

Guild rivalries played a part, but when Park Changsik—the real leader of the alliance—headed into the Labyrinth, everyone had worried about his absence.

Son Juyeon especially.

That's why she'd tried to find replacements to go in his stead.

A plan that failed spectacularly with Kang Seol's arrival.

Choi Inyoung knew Son Juyeon and Park Changsik had been close.

In truth, Park Changsik had not just great character but unshakable confidence, drawing many alliance members to him.

Choi Inyoung sadly gathered the glass shards at Son Juyeon's feet.

"He's already been devoured by the Labyrinth."

"Fuck..."

"Sigh... watch the language! Again!"

"Fuck... fuck... why'd that idiot have to go in there..."

"Sis."

"He could've just lounged around, licking the sweet guild perks. Why... why'd he step up?!"

Choi Inyoung took Son Juyeon's hand.

"You know better than anyone Changsik oppa wasn't that kind of guy."

"Idiot."

"That idiot is why we all gathered here."

"...Yeah, at first."

After the transfer, the first thing to vanish was trust.

Mutual faith, promises, belief in comrades.

Everyone was scrambling to survive—who got trampled underfoot hardly mattered.

But Park Changsik was different.

He showed something else.

That's why so many rallied behind him, birthing the alliance as it was.

But without him, it was just a hollow interest group plagued by dirty problems.

The alliance without Park Changsik felt empty.

"The longest any adventure party's lasted so far is three months."

"...Three months?"

"Yeah. And it's been four months since Changsik oppa entered the Labyrinth."

Four months inside the Labyrinth.

No hope.

The Labyrinth had claimed another soul.

"So now, for the future..."

That was when it happened.

"Son Juyeoooon!"

"...Huh?"

"Son Juyeon! I heard you were here! Haah... haah... Son Juyeoooon!"

A man burst into the shop where Son Juyeon was. The familiar voice suggested he was one of her close guildmates.

The guess was spot on.

"Why're you here? Juyeon sis has been drinking since morning and now..."

"Haah... haah... there you are... Just a sec, let me catch my breath... whew..."

He'd clearly run here in a hurry, drenched in sweat.

What urgent news could demand such haste? Son Juyeon, fighting off drowsiness from booze and fatigue, pondered it.

Then, chills ran down her spine.

"You don't mean..."

The man grinned.

"Haah... yeah."

Son Juyeon bolted for the door, tripping with a clatter.

"Sis!"

"It's him, right? Right?!"

Son Juyeon scrambled up unfazed and shouted. The man nodded at her question.

"He's back."

The wait was over.

"I'll kill you! I swear I'll kill you!"

Park Changsik's throat was in Son Juyeon's grip.

"Gack... gack... someone... ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠air... I need air..."

"What happened in there?! What the hell went down?!"

"I'll explain... everything, just let me breathe!"

Choi Inyoung hugged Son Juyeon from behind and pulled her away.

"Sis, enough with the dramatics... I told you to ease up on the drinking."

"Let go! That bastard..."

"Whew... I can breathe now."

Park Changsik rubbed his neck and smiled.

He scanned the room, piecing together the situation.

"The Labyrinth? You mean the Labyrinth?"

"Four months ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ago, right?"

"Weren't they all dead? No chance of survival, they said."

"Beats me, I just got back."

The place was packed.

So many of Audenin's transferees had crowded around the freshly returned Park Changsik, it felt like they'd all come.

Son Juyeon, now composed, asked belatedly.

"But why... are you alone?"

"......"

"What about the others...?"

Park Changsik limped toward where the guild members gathered, then bowed his head low.

"I'm sorry. Jang Heungsu, Sung Jaeho, and Kim Taegyu died inside the Labyrinth."

"......"

"It's my weakness that killed them. They..."

Thud...

"No way... Jaeho... Jaeho's dead?"

"Liar! They're all gone?"

"What about Anonymous? If he's alive, then that guy ditched his team and survived alone!"

"Yeah! He probably grabbed the loot and ran!"

They didn't know what happened inside.

That's why they lashed out, seeking a target for their grief-fueled rage.

Grind...

Park Changsik clenched his teeth as if personally insulted, then responded as calmly as he could.

"This isn't the place. Let's talk at the lighthouse."

The alliance core pushed through the crowd toward the lighthouse.

At the lighthouse, Park Changsik sat at the meeting table. Son Juyeon noticed his injured leg and called a guild healer to check it during the meeting.

"It's fine. Rest and it'll heal right up."

"Thanks."

"Ugh, booze stench."

"Juyeon, drinking since morning?"

"Nah, since yesterday."

"......"

The alliance leaders chuckled it off.

They waited for Park Changsik to speak.

"We..."

He finally opened up.

His detailed account was so gruesome, it furrowed brows around the room.

"So it came down to fighting themselves, huh."

"They all broke in there... even Jaeho attacking Taegyu..."

"What do we do..."

The more sensitive ones teared up.

"So... what happens to those whose souls got taken?"

"Yeah, are they trapped there forever...?"

"Well..."

Park Changsik ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠continued with the tale of the final penance.

The unbelievable power of the Labyrinth's final boss and the might of Anonymous who faced it.

"No way!"

"You mean Changsik couldn't help at all?"

The story flowed to how they defeated the boss and chose rewards.

Thud!

Park Changsik pulled out a treasure chest.

Everyone had half-expected that to be the reward.

Clunk.

"Hah... haha..."

"What kind of gear..."

Over a dozen exceptional items, ancient coins, jewels.

But it fell short.

"This... is all I chose."

Three guildmates dead, souls trapped— this was woefully inadequate.

"Anonymous! Didn't he take separate rewards?"

"Where is he now?"

"He went back to his lodging to avoid trouble."

One leader said.

"No! That's not it. He probably left 'cause he's scared we'll claim the rewards."

"Right! He might've snagged everything..."

Park Changsik looked utterly deflated.

Only Son Juyeon noticed.

"...What did Anonymous choose?"

"Obvious! To hog all that treasure solo..."

Park Changsik shook his head.

"Soul liberation."

"......"

"He wished for the release of all souls trapped in the Labyrinth. Even knowing it wouldn't be 'fair' compensation."

"......"

"N-No way..."

Park Changsik closed his eyes.

"Thanks to that kindness, the departed party members were freed from the Harvester too."

"You expect us to believe..."

Park Changsik glared.

"If you value your lives, stop insulting him. He's not the type to take that. With a fraction of his power, he could silence everyone here effortlessly."

"......"

"That's all from me. Take a cut of the treasure as broker fees if you want. I'm... exhausted."

The mood was dismal.

They'd all rejoiced at the survivor's return, but the loot as blood money and Anonymous's character left them somber.

Then, a woman in the corner spoke up cautiously.

"Um... did everyone see the updated rankings?"

"Oh yeah..."

"Haven't checked."

A man who'd always admired Son Juyeon and envied Park Changsik spoke.

"Chang sik, you know your score's behind mine now, right?"

"Really...?"

The man provoked him, glancing slyly at Son Juyeon.

"Well, scores aren't everything, but still..."

"N-No way!"

"...Hm?"

"Scores! Check the rankings now!"

"What's up?"

"What happened?"

Eyes turned to the rankings.

They froze at "Anonymous" in 1st and 2nd.

"Chang sik over 2 million?"

"Labyrinth gave over a million points?"

"No, it's the top spot..."

"My god..."

In Audenin, only one surpassed Park Changsik's 2 million.

Kang Seol had changed out of his torn top into casual clothes and was sitting in his lodging.

Drained from the grueling Labyrinth ordeal, even glancing at his new title felt exhausting.

'Come to think of it, I've got a good stash of ability points too...'

Park Changsik would handle spreading word about the Labyrinth.

'Right now... I just want to rest.'

So much had happened there—body and mind were weary. As he reclined in the armchair, eyelids drooping for a nap.

Knock, knock, knock.

Someone interrupted.

'The alliance?'

If curious about the Labyrinth, they might come straight to him.

"Who is it?"

"...Can we talk?"

"Talk?"

Suddenly, he sensed the visitor might not be from the alliance.

"Ngh..."

He rose and approached the door.

"Tell me your purpose, or I won't have the energy to open up."

"...Melli."

"Pardon?"

"I'm Cha Melli, Black Pilgrim."

"Black... Pilgrim?"

The group of Kang Boseok, his rival in the final penance.

Here about that settled four months ago?

Creeeak...

Kang Seol opened the door, revealing her face.

Not tall.

Looked like a veiled woman.

The Black Pilgrim had pulled back her robe's hood. Several others stood behind her.

Cha Melli spoke.

"I've come to consult with brother."

"Still in Audenin?"

"Had to wait."

"For who... don't tell me..."

"Yes."

Cha Melli smiled awkwardly.

"You."