Chapter 65
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 65
Iser prided himself on not being a fool.
‘Of course, compared to my sister, I am nothing more than a microbe. But having learned so much under brilliant geniuses, there is no way I am an idiot. My intellect is sound—a trait I can rightfully take pride in.’
Perhaps it was because he had spent so much time crossing dimensions with his cold-blooded sister, but her icy, detached nature had rubbed off on him. He had developed a temperament that prioritized cold reason over raw emotion.
Thus, finding himself in a state like this was an exceedingly rare occurrence.
“...I’m sorry, I was a bit out of it for a moment.”
“No, you must have been startled by the sudden situation, Mr. Gio.”
“Thank you for your understanding.”
“Don’t mention it.”
Within Iser, reason and emotion fought a fierce battle.
Even in that brief exchange, he cycled through the same worries dozens of times.
‘I can feel the Sun God’s energy radiating powerfully from this man. If that’s the case, did the Sun God—who knows of my sister’s and my existence—fashion our sole weakness into human form and bestow upon him the Sun’s divinity? It’s impossible that I would meet my deceased mentor so suddenly. The timing is far too convenient.’
And yet…
‘This face, this presence, his habits, his voice… every single sensation points directly to my deceased mentor. Besides, how could the Sun God resurrect Teacher when even my sister, who imprisoned the Sun God in the sea, failed to do so? The man before me must be Teacher, reincarnated through natural means.’
Both arguments were so plausible that they only fueled his confusion.
‘If there is one absolute certainty, it is that no one in this world could be a more perfect likeness of Giovanni than this man.’
Whether the being before him was an avatar of the Sun God mimicking his mentor, or a reincarnation of his mentor who had yet to fully reconstruct his past self, one thing was clear: Iser could not afford to let him go.
“My mind went blank for a moment when the waves rushed in,” Iser said, composing himself. “I apologize for showing such an unsightly side of myself.”
“……”
“My head still hurts… Could you tell me exactly where we are?”
“Well…”
He seemed to know this was a dungeon, but he didn’t appear to know what specific place it was modeled after.
‘Should I call that a relief?’
Even as he realized his mentor’s memories were incomplete, Iser couldn’t help but feel a wave of relief.
“……”
For both Iser and Giovanni, the fact that Giovanni could not remember the horrific things he had suffered here was a blessing.
‘Teacher’s persona is definitely not fully intact.’
But the longer they stayed here, the clearer Gio’s memories might become.
Considering how he had shown no reaction in the Temple of the Sun, but reacted the moment they arrived at the Deep Sea Research Lab…
“Eun-ha mentioned it earlier, but this is a Virtual Dungeon, Gio,” Yoo Seong-un interjected.
“……”
“...I haven’t fully grasped the situation myself, but it seems to be a dungeon related to the sea.”
Yoo Seong-un glanced at Iser before continuing.
“I don’t know how many people from the Temple of the Sun were dragged in here, but the number we can confirm right now is quite large. They’re scattered all over, making it hard to get an accurate read on the situation.”
“Where are the novice priests?” Iser asked.
“They aren’t in this cavern, at least. But considering this Virtual Dungeon triggered right at the end of the Initiation Ceremony, it seems highly intentional. There’s no way the novice priests weren’t dragged in as well.”
“Then we should gather everyone first, don’t you think?”
“Easier said than done…”
Gio might not see it that way, but uniting a crowd of terrified, scattered people was no easy task.
The only saving grace was that the threat had lessened slightly, thanks to the dungeon master’s mood softening.
‘The chimeras that looked ready to leap out and slaughter everyone just moments ago are now completely docile. If we play our cards right, we might be able to escape this dungeon with minimal casualties… but is that really possible?’
It was then.
“—Honey.”
“Chirp?”
A small, yellow puffball popped out of Gio’s hood.
“Chirrrrrp!”
It was Honey, the good little bird who slept early and rose early.
Flying straight into the center of the cold, shadowy cavern, Honey began to glow with a brilliant light.
“...Oh.”
It was almost… like a miniature sun.
“Are you kidding me?!”
Yoo Seong-un was utterly dumbfounded.
‘He was with Honey this time too? Why on earth does a tiny monster like Honey radiate the Sun God’s energy? Why? Does this even make sense?’
Regardless of his bewilderment, the terrified, wandering people began to calm down one by one under the warmth of the gentle light.
At the very least, it felt as though the lights had finally been switched on in this dark, eerie research lab.
“Wait, what is this light…?”
“Is that a bird?”
“L-Let’s all gather over there for now.”
The people scattered across the vast cavern instinctively gravitated toward the comforting light, gathering beneath Honey. A few were already sniffling, their faces slack with relief.
Watching them, Gio turned to look at Yoo Seong-un.
“There.”
“……”
Yoo Seong-un felt as if he could hear a voice saying, ‘See? Simple, right?’
“...Well done…”
“Yes, I did a good job.”
“Oh, look at you, Mr. Competent.”
Just don’t let them find out you’re a portrait.
‘If your true identity gets exposed on top of all this chaos, there’s no way in hell I’ll be able to clean up the mess.’
This was the ‘Gio’s Portrait’—an entity whose true nature even Bisabeol, who had reached S-Rank solely through his Appraisal Skill, had failed to fully grasp. He could become a human, a monster, a Child of the Origin, or even a god.
‘If the crowd catches wind of that fluid nature, their hostility might suddenly turn toward us.’
There were already people hysterically demanding that a mediocre C-Rank Hunter take responsibility for this disaster. If they realized they were looking at something non-human—especially something possessing divinity—there was no telling how violently they would react.
“……”
Staring intently at the unexpectedly warm light, Yoo Seong-un eventually called out to Gio.
“Gio.”
“Yes, I’m listening.”
“I didn’t get a chance to tell you beforehand, but you were scheduled to receive an A-Rank Hunter license soon.”
“Am I a Hunter?”
“It makes it easier to operate on Earth, doesn’t it? It seems the Guild Master wanted to do you a favor in his own way.”
So, here’s the plan.
“Since you’re getting the license anyway, when we introduce you to others, say you’re 'Seo Gio,' an unofficial A-Rank Hunter affiliated with the Collector Guild.”
“I see.”
“Your class is Tamer. Since you carry Honey around, that will make it much easier for you to blend in.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
“Don’t mention it.”
He just had a small, desperate hope that Gio would please act like a normal human.
‘I know it’s asking for too much.’
Because the danger of an Existence of the Origin fluctuated depending on the scale of their ‘story,’ Yoo Seong-un wanted to cram Gio into the category of a human as tightly as possible, especially since Gio himself was currently mimicking one.
Lately, however, Yoo Seong-un felt that Gio lacked the drive to mimic a human properly. Regardless of his intentions, Gio simply could not behave like a normal human being.
‘That’s why I was already planning to separate Gio the human from Gio the anomalous entity.’
This was just a step in that process.
‘Gio’s characteristically heavy aura is still there, but since we’ve framed his status around the level of an A-Rank Hunter, no one—unless they are exceptionally sensitive to energy—will be able to pinpoint the source of his uncanny nature.’
Of course, "unable to pinpoint" didn’t mean they wouldn’t feel a strange sense of dissonance, but that ambiguity was key. At that level, any oddity could easily be brushed off as a quirk of his Holy Power or a specific skill.
“……”
“……”
Yoo Seong-un and Eun-ha’s eyes met.
“...Anyway, things turned out like this. Are you going to keep playing innocent?”
“I have no idea what you mean.”
“Things are turning out quite amusingly. Completely different from what I expected…”
Watching Gio walk toward the murmuring crowd, Yoo Seong-un spoke in a voice too low for the others to hear.
“It seems you’ve abandoned the idea of openly slaughtering everyone. Am I right?”
“I simply no longer wish to get blood on my hands. That is all.”
“Well, I’m incredibly grateful for that. I know exactly what you mean.”
“……”
“You just don’t want to look like a bad kid to Gio, right?”
Yoo Seong-un let out a low whistle.
“That’s more than enough.”
Between the monsters' behavior shifting according to Eun-ha’s emotional state and the dungeon’s atmosphere adjusting itself, this place was clearly an integrated dungeon that lived and breathed in sync with its master’s psyche.
Since Eun-ha was desperate not to be seen as a ‘bad kid’ by Gio, the difficulty of this dungeon was bound to plummet.
“As long as you cooperate, I’ll keep quiet about your identity, so don’t worry.”
“Humans have a terrible habit of hastening their own deaths. I suggest you do not overstep, Hunter Yoo Seong-un.”
“Ooh, terrifying.”
Honestly, he was actually terrified.
“Why can’t we just take the easy path?”
He had no desire to die in a place like this.
‘If I die, the maintenance of the Garden is going to fall apart.’
Yoo Seong-un held a position akin to the main artery of the ‘Garden’—the very lifeblood of the Origin. Even if he managed to find a successor, he would be swamped with training them for the foreseeable future. He simply didn’t have the luxury of dying so abruptly.
“……”
Glancing at Yoo Seong-un, Iser turned his dull, pearl-colored eyes back to the man in the black cloak.
A wistful, dreamlike look soon filled his gaze.
‘...He really is...’
Exactly the same.
‘Nothing has changed.’
Even if the colors were different, that benevolent figure, gently coaxing and soothing the Sun’s creations with warm Holy Power, was unmistakably Giovanni.
No matter how suspicious the circumstances, he could not deny that truth.
“That’s a sight so sacred I almost feel guilty watching it for free. Doesn’t he look just like a saint?” Yoo Seong-un murmured.
“...I have no desire to respond to your worthless chatter, but he was indeed once called a saint.”
Yet, he had been forced to die such a cruel death. In a freezing water tank, his throat torn open by the teeth of the very disciple he had taught…
‘...Humans truly are disgusting creatures.’
Watching Gio show mercy as he embraced those vulgar monkeys, Iser felt the faint smile permanently etched onto his lips twist in distaste.
He still could not be certain if this man was truly his mentor. But seeing someone who looked so much like him showing mercy to humans, of all things, deeply displeased him.
‘Why must I watch this?’
Suspicion toward this sudden stroke of luck. The longing and agony of recurring memories and nightmares. The burning urge to tear the black-cloaked man away from those insect-like humans. Desperation.
Searching for a way to define this swirling vortex of emotion, the merman whispered to himself.
‘I really wish they would all just die.’
It was at that exact moment.
“……”
“Eun-ha.”
“...Yes.”
“Don’t stand alone. Come over here.”
That large hand, now cold to the touch, reached out toward Iser.
“You look lonely.”
“……”
Hearing that he looked lonely in the man’s eyes, Iser found himself unable to speak.
The hand Iser silently took was indeed freezing. Compared to the hand of his teacher, which had always been so warm in those long-faded memories, its temperature was no different from a corpse’s.
Yet, it was still incredibly gentle.
“...It’s cold and dark, so I’m scared. This place is so desolate.”
“You are very honest, Eun-ha. In that case, I will stay by your side.”
“Will you really?”
It’s a lie.
“That brings me comfort.”
Even if you are children of the deep sea, I will stand by your side. You had said those exact words to him once before.
‘...Hearing those words now only twists my stomach. Now, when everything has already run cold…’
When nothing can ever be undone.
He wanted to scream in resentment, but the firm grip of the large hand holding his own gradually quieted his turbulent thoughts.
As if falling back into a forgotten habit, he waited, and soon a voice as calm and warm as a quiet evening spring breeze reached his ears.
“Are you alright?”
“……”
Giovanni was far too good a man to bear the resentment of a cold creature like him.
“...I don’t think I am.”
“...Are you hurt somewhere?”
“I’m just scared.”
He wanted to slaughter every single insect-like human in this place. He still did. But he could not possibly reveal those dark thoughts now.
Because whether the man holding his hand was a mere imitation of his mentor or his true reincarnation, one thing remained absolute: he had to keep him by his side.
‘...What should I do?’
A profound murderous urge and a deep-seated anxiety washed over him simultaneously.
‘I must keep this man alive, no matter what.’
And make him mine…
* * *
Meanwhile, Gio…
‘The world has really come a long way.’
…had absolutely nothing on his mind.
“It’s my first time experiencing a Virtual Dungeon in person. It’s quite fascinating.”
“Haha, you’re incredibly bold even in a situation like this, Mr. Gio.”
“Isn’t it interesting?”
“Most people would be terrified rather than intrigued.”
“I see. That makes sense.”
To Gio, waking up here felt like being suddenly transported to a haunted house, which made the whole experience rather exciting.
‘I wonder if this counts as an adventure.’
An adventure shared with a bustling crowd of people—for Gio, who had spent so much time alone lately, this was actually a welcome change of pace.
‘Even if it’s a bit exhausting…’
The moment the massive event of the Sun Cult Initiation Ceremony concluded, this brand-new "Virtual Dungeon" content had practically delivered itself right to his doorstep.
‘Not bad.’
No matter how one looked at it, their current predicament was lightyears away from a "cozy adventure" or "new content," but Gio’s relentlessly optimistic mindset refused to buckle under a minor detail like a life-threatening crisis.
‘Maybe because we aren’t on the verge of immediate death, but honestly, it just feels like standing on a well-crafted movie set. I think I’m lacking a sense of urgency. How do people usually feel tense, anyway?’
Since there was a way to escape, this was basically just a highly immersive escape room.
‘Ta-da.’
Having reached this neat conclusion entirely on his own, Gio felt a quiet thrill at being surrounded by a bustling crowd for the first time in a while.
He enthusiastically engaged with the people who approached him, answering their questions and chatting with those trying to strike up a friendly conversation.
“So, Mr. Seo Gio, are you a Hunter with the Collector Guild?”
“That’s correct.”
“Wow, I had no idea the Collector Guild had such a dashing Hunter…”
Yoo Seong-un quickly chimed in.
“Well, there are plenty of Hunters who keep out of the media spotlight, just like me. Since the Collector Guild focuses more on acquiring and managing the Guild Master’s collection rather than raiding dungeons, many of our Hunters prefer to keep a low profile, just like Gio.”
“But with looks like that, why on earth...? If he appeared on TV just once, he’d have an instant fan club! Working as a Hunter with a face like that and keeping it hidden from the world is practically a crime!”
“Haha…”
Yoo Seong-un forced a polite laugh.
“...Gio is a bit shy around strangers.”
Gio looked deeply offended by the excuse, but Yoo Seong-un felt his assessment was entirely fair. Considering how the ‘Gio’s Portrait’ had actively avoided human contact in the past, it was a perfectly logical explanation.
While keeping a wary eye out in case Gio accidentally let his non-human nature slip, Yoo Seong-un carefully gauged the reactions of the whispering crowd.
“Hunters from the Top 3 Guilds really are on another level. It’s my first time seeing a Tamer in person…”
“But isn’t he a little intimidating? I feel like if I say the wrong thing, he’ll look down on me with absolute contempt.”
“His posture and stride are so aristocratic. Do you think he’s from a prestigious family? That would explain why he’s hiding a face like that.”
“Judging by his Holy Power, he might be a devout follower of the Sun God… Though since he’s a Tamer, he obviously isn’t a priest.”
“He’s polite, but there’s an aura about him that makes him hard to approach. Maybe it’s because he’s just too good-looking?”
These were more or less the reactions he had anticipated.
‘...I was worried about how civilians would perceive Gio, but they’re surprisingly friendly and receptive. At this rate, we should be able to cover for him without any issues once we get out.’
If they did that, they would have to officially register Gio as an active Hunter, but this was something both Yoo Seong-un and Bisabeol had already anticipated.
‘An entity of his caliber can’t be hidden away forever in a gallery. And even if we could somehow keep him under wraps… that goes against the Collector Guild’s core philosophy.’
Furthermore, they had already concluded that it was impossible to force the grand ‘story’ of this portrait into the narrow confines of a mere human.
Since Gio himself couldn’t suppress it, people were bound to eventually sense the unfathomable, transcendent nature of the ‘Gio’s Portrait,’ whether he wished it or not.
In that case, it was far better to draw a clear line between Gio the human and Gio the anomalous entity.
‘Gio, who views himself as a human, will do whatever it takes to mingle with others. If we have to establish his human identity anyway, we need to isolate his more dangerous aspects beforehand.’
The identity of ‘Seo Gio,’ an unofficial Hunter of the Collector Guild, was created precisely for this purpose.
‘With this identity, the human-mimicking side of Gio… can significantly dilute the danger of his overall narrative. It’s a much safer alternative than exposing the full weight of the Gio’s Portrait to the world.’
This sudden dungeon raid had merely accelerated Gio’s debut into society. It was simply a matter of timing; there was no reason to panic.
Sorting out his thoughts, Yoo Seong-un observed the crowd.
“……”
Looks like everyone has calmed down.
‘This is by no means a normal situation, but is this also a manifestation of Gio’s power?’
Just like with Hunter Cha Ah-ra in the past, Gio possessed a bizarre knack for putting people at ease—even while failing to fully conceal his terrifyingly high status.
Whether that was a passive effect of his high status or simply a personal talent, he couldn’t say.
“Gio, I think we should start moving to see if the Cha family or any other survivors are nearby.”
At Yoo Seong-un’s words, the crowd began to murmur anxiously once more.
“C-Can’t Hunter Seo Gio stay here with us?”
“Including you, Mr. Yoo Seong-un, there are already three other Hunters here.”
“While we wait here… couldn’t you Hunters go ahead and clear the dungeon on your own…?”
“Do we really have to move too?”
“What if we all get killed? Someone needs to stay and protect us!”
These were predictable reactions, but the cold smile spreading across the face of Eun-ha—who clearly harbored a deep hatred for humans—was a glaring red flag.
‘They’re going to get themselves killed.’
Just as Yoo Seong-un let out a sigh and prepared to placate the crowd, Gio stepped in.
“In that case, I will leave Honey here with you.”
“What? But Hunter Seo Gio’s summon is so tiny…”
“Honey is stronger than I am.”
“Come on, don’t joke around.”
“I’m entirely serious.”
Gio waved his hands in a gesture of absolute sincerity.
“We’ll be back shortly, so please don’t worry. We’ll take care of everything.”
“……”
“With resolve like yours, I’m sure you’ll all be safe until we return.”
Despite his words containing little actual substance, soft sniffling once again broke out among the crowd. They had clearly found immense comfort in Gio’s gentle reassurances, leaving Yoo Seong-un slightly dumbfounded.
‘They wouldn’t have listened to a single word if I’d said it. And how is no one complaining that he’s just spouting empty platitudes?’
Meanwhile, Gio walked back over to him.
“Let’s move.”
“……”
His tone clearly suggested they should run for it before the crowd could cling to them again, which Yoo Seong-un found rather amusing.
Whether Gio’s words had been mere sweet-talking or genuine comfort, his ability to draw such a sharp line between business and pleasantries was strangely impressive.
‘To sway people’s hearts so effortlessly with just a few words…’
It was truly a remarkable talent.
“You know… you’d make a great idol. Or an actor, or some kind of celebrity.”
“That’s high praise, but I do believe I have the raw talent for it.”
“I agree.”
“Thank you for playing along with my joke. How could a timid person like me ever become a celebrity?”
“……”
If you can sway a crowd like that with just your face and a few words, you should either become a celebrity or start a cult.
‘I need to keep my wits about me.’
Witnessing the bewildering talent of Gio’s new persona only made Yoo Seong-un feel the weight of his own responsibility that much more heavily.
* * *
“……”
“...N-Noona...”
“Shh.”
Cha Ah-ra clamped a hand over Cha Yi-sol’s mouth, giving him a warning look. Beside them, Cha Eun-hyeok nodded in silent agreement.
“Quiet.”
Right now, even the sound of breathing was a luxury they couldn’t afford.
Cha Eun-hyeok glanced back at his two younger siblings cowering behind him, then scanned the area. A cold sweat broke out on his skin as the thick, metallic stench of blood filled the air.
“H-H-Hungry… Hungry… H-H…”
“Aaaaargh…!! Argh, aaaargh!! S-Save me…!!”
“H-H-H…”
People were tearing into and devouring each other’s flesh. This was the work of an infectious monster, one that was surely still lurking nearby.
Fortunately, Cha Eun-hyeok and his siblings had managed to slip under a desk just before the madness erupted.
Trapped with no way out, Eun-hyeok pushed his terrified, frozen siblings deeper into the corner.
“…”
He could see novice priests hiding in various spots, anxiously exchanging glances.
“...Haa...”
Perhaps because of their small stature, the only ones who had survived in this chamber were the young priests.
The only ones who could even remotely be considered adults were Cha Eun-hyeok and Cha Ah-ra.
‘What a fucking nightmare.’
He had no idea if they would make it out alive.