Chapter 115
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 115
Park Eun-gyeom was not the only one dragged into the Void City.
"Huh...? Wh-where am I...?"
A C-Rank Hunter who had tried to murder his teammates to steal their items.
"Ugh? Urgh... What? What bastard did—huh?"
A civilian who had committed a random act of violence against a passerby while drunk.
"...Could this place be the Void City?"
A B-Rank Hunter who had been advancing by using his companions as bait.
Whether they were Hunters or civilians didn’t matter. Every last one of them met the same fate as Park Eun-gyeom, left to flounder in the Void City. And since they never met the Black Cloak, the master of this Dungeon, they were simply turned into paint for his art.
*
"I-I was invited to the Void City and came back in one piece!"
Meanwhile, someone else returned completely unscathed, having been treated to a thrilling experience.
"I ran into the Black Cloak while walking down the street at dawn. I was just throwing some trash into a bin..."
"You did something small and good like that? You, of all people?"
"Fuck, yeah. Honestly, I’ve been doing it lately because I wanted to get one of the snacks the Black Cloak gives out."
"You crazy bastard, you’re lucky to be alive. I don’t know if I should report this to the Association or not... So? What happened?"
"He asked if I wanted an invitation to the Void City instead of a snack, so I went."
With the Black Cloak’s help, the man was able to safely appreciate the Void City before leaving. For a civilian who wasn’t a Hunter, it was an incredibly brave venture, but his courage earned him bragging rights for the rest of his life.
"It was absolutely mind-blowing. Sometimes a Black Suit would pop out and just stare at me... Hey, you know Hunter Lee Seong-jin?"
"Of course. He’s the B-Rank Hunter who was presumed to have been dragged into the Void City recently. Don’t tell me..."
"I’m telling you, I saw him there! Well, he was all mottled with black... Honestly, I could barely tell if he was even human anymore."
Just then, a Black Suit with Hunter Lee Seong-jin’s voice had spoken.
"That was him."
Unless the situation required it, the Black Suits did not mimic the humans they had usurped. They simply retained the form of a stylish black suit, moving with the heavy, polite gestures of a gentleman while possessing a human’s voice and face.
"It gave me absolute chills. It was totally insane, so awesome...!"
"You... you did something completely insane. What kind of idiot crawls into a Dungeon on their own two feet?"
"But I’m telling you, it was worth risking my life for! The place is a work of art!"
Just when the buzz was starting to die down, stories like this would pop up and keep the public talking.
Some were dragged away by force. Others escaped the painting thanks to the desperate pleas of their families. Among those who returned, some reverted to their wicked ways and became paint once more, while others repented and lived honest lives.
"I want to visit the Void City, too."
"They say you shouldn’t if you have a guilty conscience. Is yours clear?"
"Well, I’m about average. Just average."
The safest way to get invited was to ask the Black Cloak for an invitation instead of a gift. One could also request entry directly in front of the Void City, but if they were judged to be wicked, they would be dragged inside on the spot.
This phenomenon wasn’t limited to thrill-seekers.
"A work of art that you can not only look at but actually step inside... How marvelous."
"I heard there is so much to feel just by appreciating the Black Cloak’s work. They say it is small yet grand."
"Have you heard about the safest way to get invited to the Void City?"
"They say if you encounter the Black Cloak after performing a good deed, you can ask for an invitation instead of a gift..."
Even refined art enthusiasts were having the same conversation.
"Who else could step inside a masterpiece to appreciate it?"
If one could step into Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night and explore its world, who could possibly refuse? Those who prided themselves on appreciating art were thrilled by the Black Cloak’s work.
"I heard the art style changes depending on the theme of the work."
"Doesn’t that suggest a lack of conviction? An artist ought to have their own distinct style."
"But if a work offers so much to appreciate, how can you say the one who painted it isn’t an artist?"
"The Black Cloak is a good painter. The moment you look at their work, you understand what they are trying to say."
"That might simply be because they are a monster."
"In an era where countless gallery artists use Skills to paint, what does that matter?"
"Exactly. In fact, that could even be an advantage."
"If the Black Cloak has a signature style, it’s that their paintings are living, breathing worlds."
"When you put it that way, indeed... The message of the work is also very clear."
As the Void City fully revealed itself to the world, subtle changes began to ripple through society.
"Uh... what are you doing?"
"I’m looking for trash."
"Why are you searching so frantically?"
"This is a spot where the Black Cloak is frequently seen."
"Ah, the Black Cloak."
In places where the Black Cloak was spotted often, trash became hard to find. Cleaning the streets was the easiest, most effortless good deed one could perform regularly.
"I came out again today. You never know when the Black Cloak might show up..."
"Well, keep up the good work."
"Yes, thank you. It’s cold out, so get home safe."
Some did it for a taste of the Black Cloak’s snacks. Some did it to be invited into the masterpiece that was the Void City. Others performed these tiny good deeds just to interact with the famous monster.
Just as people were starting to grow weary of this trend, someone let out a cheer and began to brag.
"Hey, look at this! It’s a gift I got from the Black Cloak!"
"The Black Cloak? No way. This isn’t a snack, is it? Whoa, the scent is amazing."
"It’s Flower Tea. Flower Tea! I’m the first person to receive something like this, right?"
A woman who had taken pity on the Carnation Child and secretly bought him Bungeoppang had been gifted the 'Flower Tea'.
"What? Snacks aren’t the only thing?"
"So there are tiers to the Black Cloak’s gifts..."
"I heard its effects are on par with a potion."
"That’s way too good of a gift for a civilian to receive."
"Fuck, I’m so jealous."
A few people, hearing how potent the Flower Tea was, approached the woman with ill intentions. They quickly backed off, however, after feeling the gaze of the Void City on them for a full month. In particular, one individual who had nearly harmed the woman was dragged straight into a Frame.
"The follow-up was impeccable."
A situation had been created where neither civilians nor the Awakened had any reason not to try.
On the flip side, those who habitually committed evil deeds grew timid. Constantly worrying about the Void City, which could appear anywhere, forced them to monitor their own behavior.
"...Fuck, who does a mere monster think it is..."
"This is so humiliating, I can’t stand it. Goddamn it."
Yet they couldn’t just run wild as they pleased. It was due to their ingrained nature: preying on the weak and cowering before the strong. They knew all too well what a horrific fate had befallen Park Eun-gyeom and several others.
Sensing this trend, the Association put something on display.
"Huh? Hey, that thing in front of the Association building..."
"What is it? Paint? Ink?"
"No, the color is a bit strange."
It was Park Eun-gyeom, the very first to be branded a villain by the Void City.
"...Why does that look alive?"
"Cut the bullshit. How can that thing be alive?"
"Has the Association completely lost its mind? Isn’t this a human rights violation?"
"If you want to end up like that too, keep talking."
"...Ugh... Goosebumps..."
Those who hadn’t read the Association’s official notice didn’t know the exact details, but it was self-evident that the substance was living paint. Somehow, just looking at it made that fact clear. It was a blatant demonstration of the horrific existence that awaited anyone branded a villain by the Void City.
"Is it really acceptable for the Association to act like this, borrowing a monster’s power?"
"I have no idea what you mean. We merely wished to inform the public of the dangers of the Void City."
It was a transparent ploy, its underlying motive obvious to all: The current trend brought about by the Black Cloak isn’t bad, so let’s keep it going. Yet the Association feigned innocence, claiming they 'only wished to raise awareness since more people have been rashly approaching the Black Cloak lately.'
The select few who knew of the Existence of the Origin, along with the Gardeners, realized the Association’s true intent: to steer the Black Cloak’s 'story' in a direction beneficial to human conscience and order.
"I do wonder what they’ll do if the Association’s endorsement makes the Black Cloak’s 'story' grow too massive."
"It’s not some monster tucked away in a corner. To call it a mere monster is an understatement; it is an existence incredibly close to the Origin. This is actually better."
"True. If it keeps appearing among humans, its 'story' is bound to grow massive anyway."
"So, they’re trying to shape its image so that the Black Cloak acts in a way that benefits humanity?"
"If they can use this opportunity to guide the direction of the highly active Black Cloak, it’s a win. I can understand their reasoning."
"Even so, it’s a bold move. Since it’s a rare entity that directly influences humans, the Association must have felt rushed."
"It’s always better to prepare before an incident occurs rather than cleaning up afterward. Especially when it comes to matters of 'stories'."
"This is bound to provoke the monster-haters. It’s sure to cause some severe backlash."
"Well, the Association will handle that, won’t they? They have plenty of capable people over there."
Besides, even without that, no one was in a position to strongly oppose the Association.
"If anyone has complaints regarding the Association’s operations, please contact me directly."
This was because the Association President, Dan Hae-ra, had personally stepped forward. In a world where human rights had long been treated as mere lip service, citizens who relied on the Association’s help to lead safe lives didn’t dare rebel. Only a few who had been secretly committing criminal acts fumed in silence.
*
There was someone else who benefited from this trend.
"What the fuck."
It was F-Rank Hunter Cha Ah-ra.
"Oppa, I just made some money."
"What are you talking about?"
"The people who abandoned me in that Dungeon finally paid me compensation."
"How much?"
"Uh... enough to buy a new electric blanket, at least?"
"Spring is almost here, and you’re talking about an electric blanket."
Though it wasn’t common, there were times when the Black Cloak judged good and evil based on a victim’s appeal. If the Black Cloak deemed the perpetrator wicked as a result, the culprit would suffer a misfortune or two. This was why Cha Ah-ra was only now receiving compensation for an incident that had happened a long time ago.
"Should we fix the ceiling then? There’s a draft."
"Save it. I’m not going out to sell Bungeoppang anymore, so we need to hold onto some cash for a while."
"That’s probably for the best. So you’ll be staying home for the time being, Oppa? What are you going to do?"
"I should start tending to the vegetable garden. The weather is warming up..."
"If you’re trying to make money from farming, I can help out with the fieldwork for a bit."
"Forget it. A Hunter should do a Hunter’s work. Why would you be messing with dirt?"
"What are you going to plant?"
"Hmm... I’m thinking potatoes and lettuce for now."
As they chatted, the topic shifted to their youngest sibling.
"What’s Cha Yi-sol up to?"
"Probably eating well."
"Does he have a girlfriend lately?"
"No... they seemed like they were just best friends."
"Bummer. I thought our youngest was finally learning about love."
"He’s still just a sprout. What does he know about love?"
Cha Eun-hyeok clicked his tongue. "I heard he’s going out for practical training soon."
"Huh? Why didn’t I hear about this?"
"He called a couple of days ago, but you weren’t home."
"Ah, I wanted to hear his voice... I wanted to talk to him..."
"You have to actually be home if you want to talk to him."
"Our youngest is literal cotton candy, and he’s already going out for practical training."
"You’re seeing him through rose-colored glasses. He’s no cotton candy."
"But he melts in water."
"So do we."
For generations, the Cha family melted whenever they entered stagnant water. They were a people who found it difficult to submerge themselves for long.
"Anyway, I told him to summon the Black Cloak if things go to shit."
"Are you crazy, Oppa? Trying to ruin the kid’s life? That’s like telling him to summon a demon!"
"It’s milder than a demon... Hey, it’s still better for his life to get a little complicated than for him to die."
"Honestly, it’s hard to say which is worse: a clean death or a thoroughly tangled life."
"No, from what I saw last time, the Black Cloak dotes on our youngest."
"Well... that’s true, but..."
"It might find it offensive that he was called for personal reasons, but I’m telling you, it’s better than actually dying."
"..."
Cha Ah-ra, who had been quiet, finally asked, "...So, what has that person been up to lately?"
"According to the news, they seem to be living quite an interesting life."
"Haven’t their appearances become less frequent lately?"
"They say sightings have definitely decreased compared to winter."
"Does it feel like everyone is slowly calming down?"
"It’s less that things are calming down and more that they’re settling into a new routine, which is actually creepier."
"Like... what do you call it... a mandatory national vaccination program..."
"Exactly. It feels just like that."
The city, which had been constantly buzzing with stories of the Black Cloak, was gradually regaining its usual appearance. Although there were still people running around trying to meet the Black Cloak, and others holding themselves back to avoid being branded as villains, the atmosphere had grown much calmer, feeling like a return to daily life.
"This planet is going to have to coexist with the Black Cloak until it dies..."
"Fuck, putting it that way makes it twice as creepy."
"It just feels like everyone has adapted. Besides, the Black Cloak has been less active lately."
Cha Eun-hyeok, who had even shared a meal with the entity, asked, "By the way, is 'Mr. Seo Gio' not active?"
"Setting aside why you’re asking me that... Mr. Seo Gio?"
"The Black... you know. His... identity. The one created at the 'Deep Sea Temple'..."
"Ah, right..." Cha Ah-ra nodded slowly. "...Now that you mention it?"
Did the Black Cloak have no intention of using his human identity?