Chapter 98
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 98
Gio continued to peer through the frame, monitoring Earth in search of a human who could become his “new friend.”
Unable to restrain himself any longer, Iser finally asked, “Why is it that you never simply pass by the humans you observe? Why must you always strike up a conversation or hand out gifts?”
Gio replied in a gentle, yet thoroughly confident voice.
“It would be one thing if they hadn’t seen me, but they did. And as you know, once eye contact is made, a battle must commence. I simply can’t resist talking to them.”
“To think a duel must be fought just because eye contact was made. Earthlings are far more bellicose than I thought. Are there specific rules for this?”
“The longer you hold eye contact, the more likely it is to be interpreted as either an act of seduction or a challenge to a duel.”
“How fascinating. When I was disguised as a child on Earth, I was in too much of a rush to study their customs properly. To think they had such a culture.”
“Perhaps that is why this teacher of yours simply cannot let anyone pass once our eyes have met.”
It wasn’t that he didn’t realize how startling these encounters must be for the people involved, but surely there was a perfect match out there for someone like him. And he would never know unless he tried talking to them first.
Who knew how long it would take to stumble upon someone who wouldn’t be terrified of the name ‘Black Cloak’ and would instead greet him with a cheerful hello? Yet, this young man from the deep valleys of Gangwon-do—who had reached his thirties without ever being in a relationship because he stubbornly insisted on “organic encounters”—still harbored such a whimsical, romantic notion.
“If I keep casting my line like this, I’m bound to reel in a new connection eventually.”
“Ah, yes.”
“And once you start talking to someone, isn’t it only natural to want to give them a little gift?”
“Ah…”
“It’s not like I’m short on resources, nor am I short on time. And it’s not as if angry parents are going to file complaints because I handed out a few treats.”
With all three conditions perfectly met, there was absolutely no reason to hold back. No one could stop Gio, who was practically bursting at the seams with a wild urge to spread joy, love, peace, affection, and happiness.
“And above all, aren’t they just so endearing?”
“Do you give gifts to everyone you find endearing?”
“That, my dear Iser, is the heart of a teacher.”
“The child from earlier was not your student, but… I see. I understand.”
“Don’t jump to conclusions like you’re about to go murder someone. Being so impatient is unbecoming at your age.”
“Yes, Teacher.”
“Besides, does someone have to be my student for me to give them a gift?”
People who did lovely things always deserved a sweet reward. It was a philosophy typical of Seo Gio, who, back when he was a high school teacher, had always kept his pockets stuffed with snacks to hand out to his students.
“And besides, if there’s one thing I have in abundance right now, it’s time.”
Gio was in no rush.
“I have Honey, Dana, Father, and even you and Aria here with me, don’t I?”
“……”
“Your face looks highly satisfied despite your attempts to hide it, which makes me suspicious. Do you really dislike the idea of me looking for a human friend that much?”
“Yes, I dislike it immensely.”
“I see. But no matter how dear a disciple you are, Iser, you cannot stop me from finding a pen pal.”
Yoo Seong-un was far too busy, suffocating under the crushing workload of a modern-day hunter, to be his sole correspondent. Gio needed a new friend.
“Even if I do live inside a frame, I feel far too disconnected from the rest of the world.”
In Gio’s mind, his current situation was akin to that of an elderly grandfather living all by himself in some remote corner of the countryside.
He had somehow been relegated to the status of an ancient ancestor in the span of a mere thirty-one years. Yet, in his household, there was absolutely no one he could talk to if he wanted to learn about the modern world.
“So, I have no choice but to take the initiative and make some friends myself.”
“Could we not simply command those vulgar humans, who do not know their place, to crawl here on their own accord?”
“Stop trying to lock your teacher away in this cramped little cabin, Iser.”
“It is not particularly cramped.”
“To contain an existence such as mine, it is infinitely small.”
“……”
Iser nodded, his benevolent smile remaining firmly in place.
“Then how long do you intend to indulge in this search for a friend?”
“I suppose I’ll do it whenever I’m bored.”
“…And once you have acquired this ‘friend’?”
“I’ll keep going, of course. A single friend is hardly enough to satisfy me.”
“Ah. Are you going to put them in your pocket?”
“I meant that one friend is nowhere near enough.”
The more friends, the merrier.
“How dreadfully boring would it be to spend all this eternity without friends by my side?”
“We, your faithful disciples, shall remain by your side.”
“You need to foster some independence, Iser. How long do you plan on hovering over this inadequate teacher of yours?”
This is what happens when a kid stays cooped up inside for thousands of years; they turn out weird, Gio mused. He wished Iser would make a friend of his own and go to a karaoke bar or something.
Then again, Iser is so introverted. I doubt he’d enjoy such active hobbies.
Gio nodded to himself.
“Regardless, I shall continue my search for friends.”
“Speaking from an objective standpoint rather than my own personal bias, if you continue to reveal yourself in this manner, public awareness of the ‘Black Cloak’ on Earth will rise significantly.”
“You have a point. Since the public views the ‘Black Cloak’ as a monster, it’s bound to cause some confusion. I do feel a bit guilty about that.”
“…I care nothing for the confusion of humans, but I fear you will draw the wrong kind of attention, Teacher. Their nature is selfish and fickle. They are not to be trusted.”
“There are bound to be people like that. With billions of humans on Earth, how could there not be? But I have too many good friends to waste time worrying about such a bleak future. I trust that you all will protect me.”
Above all, Gio intended to cultivate an image for the ‘Black Cloak’ that would prevent anyone from viewing him as an easy target.
That’s why I wander around so openly, and why I don’t bother correcting them even if they mistake me for some terrifying entity.
Granted, this approach might cause a few minor incidents here and there, but…
“Well, I’ve never been one for deep, overcomplicated thoughts.”
As long as it was fun, that was all that mattered.
* * *
Inside a conference room at the Hunter Association.
“With that, we will conclude this discussion.”
“Yes, President.”
“And next…”
Wearing a polished smile, the Association President continued.
“…is the agenda item regarding the ‘Black Cloak.’”
The President spoke in a smooth, measured tone.
“This is the first time this has been brought forward as a formal agenda item. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.”
“……”
“Since this has been raised for the sake of public stability, let’s first hear about the general atmosphere in the city. Team Leader Seo.”
“Yes, President.”
The head of the Information Processing Team, responsible for gathering and organizing intelligence, spoke up.
“According to our current findings, a significant number of citizens have witnessed the Black Cloak. We have secured testimonies from twenty-six eyewitnesses so far: nine 1st-Grade Citizens, eleven 2nd-Grade Citizens, two 3rd-Grade Citizens, and four 4th-Grade Citizens.”
5th-Grade Citizens, who were barely regarded as human, were excluded from the count. Even if they had come into contact with the Black Cloak, the Association had no way of verifying it, as they were all criminals living in hiding.
“The common thread in their testimonies is that the Black Cloak shows favor to those who treat him politely or perform good deeds, even if those deeds are unrelated to him.”
“By ‘favor,’ do you mean the snacks that were previously reported?”
“Yes. So far, we have confirmed baked goods like cookies, as well as sweets like candy and chocolate. Although they appear to be handmade, their chemical composition is almost identical to food from Earth. However…”
“Though they taste like ordinary snacks, their efficacy is entirely different, correct?”
“Yes, sir. Tailored to the specific recipient, the treats have produced medicinal effects, acting as nutritional supplements, anemia treatments, or painkillers.”
“Any side effects?”
“We have confirmed that if anyone other than the intended recipient consumes them, the efficacy drops by more than half. No other side effects have been detected.”
Following the team leader’s briefing, another staff member was permitted to speak.
“Where were these sightings primarily concentrated?”
“The only recurring location is the slums in the outer zones, but even then, he has never been spotted in the exact same spot twice.”
“It sounds as though he has no restrictions on spatial teleportation. His scale seems entirely different from typical entities from the Origin. In that case, has he ever been spotted overseas?”
“Ever since the ‘Deep Sea Kingdom’—the site of the first Black Cloak sighting—was opened, we have requested cooperation and information from international associations, but nothing has been reported so far.”
“Is there a possibility that foreign associations are withholding information?”
“According to our intelligence, foreign branches have reported no sightings of the Black Cloak. However, given his characteristics, we cannot rule out the possibility that he has appeared overseas but simply went unnoticed.”
Another staff member chimed in with a question.
“The most critical issue is whether he poses a threat to public safety. You mentioned we have twenty-six eyewitness testimonies. Among them, were there any instances of someone being attacked by the Black Cloak?”
“Not from the eyewitnesses themselves, but there was mention of an attack in one of the testimonies.”
The Information Processing Team Leader pulled up the compiled data on the monitors of the department heads.
“Twenty-five of the citizens concluded their encounters peacefully, parting ways after receiving gifts from the Black Cloak. However, as you can see, there is one exception. The situation was remarkably different for a 3rd-Grade Citizen who encountered the Black Cloak in the ‘Vein of Jewels.’”
The dungeon known as the ‘Vein of Jewels’ was not particularly famous among the general public, but it was highly favored by Black Hunters looking to traffic monsters through illegal channels. This was because it served as the habitat for the ‘Anti-Cat,’ a creature highly sought after for its beautiful and charming appearance. It was in this very dungeon that the Black Cloak was spotted.
“The witness who cooperated with our inquiry is Hunter Lee Seon-hoo, an F-Rank porter. He was not the one attacked by the Black Cloak.”
“Then what are the details on the individual who was attacked?”
“The victim is Hunter Park Eun-gyeom, a B-Rank party leader. According to the witness, Park Eun-gyeom had attempted to abandon him in the dungeon.”
“These kinds of incidents never seem to end…”
Clearing a dungeon required a massive expenditure of resources. Porters, who offered no combat utility, were often ruthlessly abandoned the moment they became injured or unable to carry their loads. After all, they were dead weight but still required a share of the provisions.
“Things like this rarely happened in the old days.”
“Things are quite different now compared to our time.”
“They don’t even view their comrades as human beings…”
Observing the disgusted expressions of the senior officials, the Information Processing Team Leader resumed his briefing.
“Since the ‘Vein of Jewels’ is a dungeon rarely frequented by other hunters, the witness knew he would starve to death if left behind. He clung to Hunter Park, begging for his life. In the process of shaking him off, Park Eun-gyeom resorted to violence.”
And then…
“It appears the Black Cloak witnessed this scene.”
The witness had practically deified the Black Cloak.
“According to the testimony, the Black Cloak manifested in the form of a picture frame. Due to the poor visibility inside the ‘Vein of Jewels,’ neither of them noticed the frame at first. However, the moment the now-missing Park Eun-gyeom turned violent, the entity intervened.”
“Hold on.” One of the elderly committee members interrupted. “Missing? You mean he wasn’t found injured or dead, but has vanished entirely?”
“Yes, sir. The witness testified that Park Eun-gyeom was dragged directly into the frame.”
“I’ve never heard of a human being pulled inside a picture frame… How was he dragged in? Did the Black Cloak grab him by the collar and pull him in himself?”
“The witness stated he did not see the Black Cloak itself. Rather, from within the frame…” The Information Processing Team Leader frowned slightly. It went against his professional instincts to deliver such a bizarre, unscientific report. “…multiple transparent hands allegedly crawled out and dragged the victim inside.”
“…Multiple transparent hands?” the room murmured with skepticism.
“If they were transparent, how did he know there were multiple, let alone that they were hands? An F-Rank porter shouldn’t have the sensory perception to discern such forms.”
“The witness was merely describing his subjective experience, and he struggled to articulate it logically. However, he insisted he clearly saw that the hands were clad in suit sleeves.”
“Suits… Clad in clothing, yet the hands themselves were transparent? Is he claiming he saw an invisible man in a suit?”
The Association President spoke up, cutting through the murmurs.
“It is not impossible. It has been barely thirty-two years since the dawn of the Hunter Era. We must not be arrogant enough to assume we know everything. We will acknowledge the possibility and classify it as a monster.”
“Yes, President.”
“Yes, President.”
Once the room murmured its assent, the President turned back to the Information Processing Team Leader.
“And the Black Cloak itself was not seen during this process?”
“Correct. However, based on the unique nature of the frame and the witness’s adamant testimony, we have concluded that this incident is directly linked to the Black Cloak.”
“Is there anything else to report?”
“That concludes the report on the phenomena associated with the Black Cloak. No other anomalies aside from the Park Eun-gyeom incident have been identified. Please refer to the written report for further details.”
“I see. Good work.” The President nodded. “Please, feel free to share your thoughts without reservation.”
One of the staff members in the room raised a hand to speak.
“I believe we should first discuss how we ought to define the Black Cloak.”
“Indeed. He exhibits traits that defy our standard classifications in many ways,” one of the senior committee members agreed, picking up the thread. “On that note, I would like to hear the thoughts of Kang Woo-ri, a Gardener and the Research Team Leader of the Seoul 1st Branch.”
“…I had hoped to reach a definitive conclusion before this meeting, so I conducted extensive research. Unfortunately, I have yet to arrive at a clear definition.”
“…Which means he is no simple entity.”
“Precisely. He is a highly contradictory entity, making him impossible to categorize.”
The Research Team Leader pulled up a chart on everyone’s monitors.
“This table compares traditional gods, monsters, and Children of the Origin. As you can see, the Black Cloak could fit into any of these categories—or, conversely, none of them.”
To call him a god, his presence contained too many impurities outside of pure divinity. To call him a monster, he lacked even a shred of malice toward humanity. Yet, to call him a Child of the Origin, he displayed far too much interest in humans. And yet, he embodied all of these traits simultaneously.
“If there is one thing we can say with absolute certainty, it is that the Black Cloak is an entity belonging to the Origin. Furthermore, he operates under his own set of rules.”
“His own rules… Are you referring to that?”
“Yes. He embraces the good and rejects the evil.”
“And I assume he is the sole arbiter of what constitutes good and evil.”
“It certainly appears so, though we have no concrete proof. However, judging by his actions thus far, his moral compass does not seem to differ significantly from our own.”
Yet, his sheer extremity was undeniably characteristic of an entity from the Origin. Simply because he witnessed an act of violence, he had abducted the perpetrator to parts unknown. This proved that even if the Black Cloak harbored goodwill toward humanity, he had absolutely no regard for human laws. Given that the fate of the missing hunter remained entirely unknown, his pattern of behavior posed a severe threat.
“What is particularly noteworthy is that the Black Cloak’s actions do not seem to be intended as formal ‘punishment.’”
“If rewarding the good and rejecting the wicked isn’t punishment, then what is it?”
“It seems closer to personal preference. He doesn’t display the authoritarianism or superiority complex typical of other humanoid monsters. It is simply his nature.”
The President chimed in. “That is indeed a trait highly characteristic of a Child of the Origin.”
“Yes, precisely.”
Had the Black Cloak acted out of a desire to mete out justice, he likely would have shown himself. Yet, throughout the incident with Park Eun-gyeom, the Black Cloak remained hidden, acting solely through the frame. It was as if he had simply swept an eyesore out of his sight.
“None of the Black Cloak’s actions thus far have revealed a clear, calculated agenda. Based solely on the trajectory of his behavior, we can only surmise that he operates under a rule of embracing the good and rejecting the evil.”
In truth, the reality was quite different.
Gio had no idea that a frame like ‘Void City’ was roaming around on its own, let alone that someone had been dragged into it. Rather, the sentient ‘Void City’ had simply taken it upon itself to dispose of “something” its creator would find distasteful.
It was the exact same instinct that had driven Honey to swallow that malicious man at Gyeongbokgung when he first entered modern society. Gio’s creations wanted their creator to see only beautiful things and remain eternally happy.
“……”
“……”
Of course, to the oblivious humans, every action seemed like a calculated move by the Black Cloak.
The realization that the Black Cloak had vanished a human being without a shred of malice sent a cold shiver of dread through several of the Association staff.
“…He has no restrictions on movement.”
Given that he had even been spotted inside a dungeon, the Black Cloak could truly go anywhere he pleased.
“He possesses a keen interest in human life.”
“……”
“He bestows blessings upon the good and despair upon the wicked.”
A staff member with a naturally cheerful face spoke up in a lighthearted tone. “He’s like an Easter egg in a video game.”
That is, if one were to compare life and dungeon raids to a game. An Easter egg was a hidden feature or joke left behind by a developer. Because it was a whimsical secret tucked away by the creator, it might have nothing to do with the main plot. If you found it, you were lucky; if you didn’t, it had no bearing on your progress.
“Doesn’t he seem like a rare, fun event that pops up every now and then?”
“Now that we have a confirmed missing person, I hardly think we can call this a ‘fun event.’”
"From what I hear, the missing hunter was a real piece of trash, anyway. If everyone just behaves themselves, there shouldn’t be any issues."
"Punishing the wicked is the duty of the Association and the government. We cannot rely on some unidentified entity of the Origin to do our job for us."
"Understood. I apologize for my thoughtless remark."
"And the question we must ask ourselves now is..."
One of the senior committee members spoke up.
"...what exactly happened to the hunter who was dragged into that painting?"
The answer to that question would determine the Black Cloak’s true threat level.