Chapter 65
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Ice Dog's Suspicions
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"......"
The soft sofa cushioning his lying body. The thin, fluffy texture of the paper covering his face.
As soon as his consciousness stirred, Lee Se-hun lay still and examined his body amid the vivid sensations.
Ssshh...
His body was battered in places but had been roughly patched together with all his might, making it sturdy enough. His mana circuits were damaged too, but he'd separated them with Spirit Link Magic, so they were still usable.
Blood pulsing at his command. Seven attributes of mana accumulated within. Having checked everything, Lee Se-hun quickly reached a conclusion.
'It's the old days.'
Before his regression—to be precise, right when the war with the Demon Gods was about to begin.
Having gauged the rough timeframe, Lee Se-hun slowly moved his old body and peeled off the paper covering his face.
"Here...?"
A ceiling of transparent glass. A galaxy shining vividly beyond it. Lowering his gaze revealed bookshelves at least three times his height.
A red carpet on the floor. Piles of books and documents scattered messily atop it. Amid the luxurious yet cluttered scene, his eyes narrowed.
"You're finally awake?"
A voice of genuine admiration came from behind.
"You barge right in and sleep for four straight hours. I knew you were shameless, but I didn't expect this much."
Not sarcasm—just pure awe at how a human could pull that off.
Her tone poked at his nerves. Lee Se-hun turned to see the person seated at the elegant desk.
Jet-black hair. Brown skin. Heterochromic silver-gleaming eyes. A sly upturned smirk.
A face that made him want to punch it for entirely different reasons than Yeom Seong-ha's. Lee Se-hun slowly opened his mouth.
"Amir Singh..."
One of the Three Dogs: Ice Dog. Seeing him after so long, Lee Se-hun narrowed his eyes. Amir hurriedly waved his hands.
"Whoa, whoa. Calm down, bro. Just a light joke. Anywhere else is fine, but causing a scene in the office is trouble."
"......"
A gaze like staring at a walking bomb. As Lee Se-hun inwardly marveled at the dream's vivid recreation—
"Anyone'd think I'm the Mad Dog. Cut it out."
A snappy retort shot from Lee Se-hun's mouth.
'...What?'
An answer that slipped out without his will. As he blinked in surprise, his mouth moved again.
"More importantly, why'd you ignore the summons? I told you to show."
The voice flowed smoothly. Even coming from his own mouth, it felt eerily alien, like someone else speaking.
Examining his body amid the unfolding scene, Lee Se-hun realized what was happening.
'Am I experiencing past memories in first person?'
Not dreaming of the past—but vividly reliving the memories from then.
Only now did he grasp that he couldn't control his body freely.
'It registers as my body, but no control...'
He'd intended to view past memories, but not like this. As he marveled at the sensation—
"Ignore? Don't make me sound ungrateful."
Amir pointed at the desk and surrounding piles of documents, feigning offense.
"Can't you see all this stacked up? You're just taking commissions from clients and hammering away, but I have to compile reports from subordinates everywhere and handle new..."
"Cut the bullshit and spit out the truth. Before I blow it all away."
"...Tch. You're way too serious."
At the threat, Amir slumped back in his leather chair, arms crossed.
"I told you already. Fine, you beat me fair and square, so I'll acknowledge you. But those alliance worms? Can't trust 'em."
"Ascendant Emperor down, then Pilgrim too. Two Summit Climbers dead in a year—you think they'll backstab now?"
"Haa... You really don't get it, bro."
Amir sighed deeply, his face turning cold.
"That's why they'll strike. Perfect opportunity."
Deep-rooted distrust laced his words. It reminded Lee Se-hun what kind of man Ice Dog was.
'Acts friendly on the surface, but in some ways, more distrustful of humans than Mad Dog or Violent Dog.'
He'd joined the alliance latest among the Three Dogs, despite longest contact. As old memories resurfaced amid the scene—
"Bro."
Amir straightened in his chair, face grave.
"Of S-rank heroes in the last 20 years, what percentage came from Babel?"
"How the hell should I know?"
"70%. Including dropouts."
Superhumans who qualified for summits and could reshape the guidance itself—like natural disasters made flesh.
Summit Climbers overshadowed them, but S-rank heroes were no slouches. Babel had produced most.
"Impressive, right? Even 50% would be nuts, but over 70..."
Standing, Amir slid a bookshelf aside effortlessly.
Dr-r-rk.
The sliding shelf glided away, revealing new ones behind.
He kept pushing shelves aside, continuing.
"But Babel produces something else as well as S-rank heroes. Guess what?"
"I said I don't know. Get to the point."
"Demons."
Pulling books from shelves, Amir said flatly.
"50% of confirmed S-rank demons are Babel alumni. Unidentified ones would push it higher if investigated. Prestigious families erase evidence out of shame."
With a stack in hand, he set them down on empty air.
Ching!
A thin ice tray frozen from ambient moisture. Razor-thin yet buoyant, it floated with the books.
"People think Myriad Demons' Mire leaves Babel alone out of fear of the Ascension Lord... Half-right."
Gathering desired books, Amir approached, leaning an arm on the sofa back and pointing forward.
Pop!
Five trays settled on the table before the sofa, melting into air.
A sudden pile of documents. Scanning them, Lee Se-hun caught titles on the covers.
[Observer-suspected Babel faculty]
[Babel-Myriad Demons' Mire unofficial cooperation report]
[Babel hidden special facility blueprints]
"No reason to attack. It's nurturing future demons."
Babel bred top heroes and powerful demons. The paradox stirred faint memories in Lee Se-hun.
'Right... there were rumors like that.'
Babel's scale and standards were absurdly massive for a normal school.
Its founding purpose and the Ascension Rite sparked endless questions.
No solid proof, so all conspiracy theories. But here was evidence.
'If I could just see these...'
It might guide his future moves at Babel. The thought birthed a question.
'But why didn't I know any of this?'
No matter his memory, he'd remember something from these organized files.
As he eyed them puzzled—
"So?"
A bored voice leaked from his mouth.
"Babel's shady? So what."
"Which means they might be colluding with Myriad Demons' Mire..."
"They are. You too."
Conversation halted. Air chilled.
He hadn't turned, but he sensed Amir's mood souring.
"Just be honest. As an info broker, you peddle to both sides, but you're scared of losing the deal."
"...You're hopelessly clueless."
The facade cracked, revealing icy tone. Past-him snapped back irritably.
"Don't know what you should know, but one thing's sure. The Ascension Lord and Babel you suspect fought the Annihilation Demon God to mutual destruction."
"......"
"More trustworthy than a shady bastard like you, hunkered in a corner suspecting everyone?"
His body rose without checking docs.
"Sell internal intel if you want, but cooperate a bit. Those Demon Gods are way more dangerous than you think."
With that, his body headed for the door. The scene blurred.
Recognizing the memory's end, Lee Se-hun panicked.
'Wait... it ends like this?'
Recalling Babel suspicions was good, but he needed something.
Yet his body marched on. Frustration twisted his eyes.
'Damn... all gathered right there...'
Teasing like this was too much. As rage surged—
Whoosh!
Purple flames erupted from his chest.
"Huh?"
His body halted. The binding constraint vanished. Regaining control, Lee Se-hun whirled without thinking.
"......"
Amir stood biting his lip, head bowed in frustration.
Unexpected. Lee Se-hun recalled why.
'Right, he dealt with Myriad Demons' Mire because of the Dream Illusion Demon.'
One of the Ten Evils, lord of pleasure districts in society's shadows: Dream Illusion Demon.
Amir's info-broker clan was fully subservient. Thus neutral despite war's start.
'Must've felt wronged being called shady.'
But hindsight came after the demon's death and alliance's fall.
Past memory or not, Lee Se-hun ignored him and rushed the documents.
"...Bro?"
Ignoring Amir's confusion, he scanned rapidly.
'Can't memorize details anyway.'
Skim the big ones, relevant stuff.
Leveraging paper-skimming experience, he gleaned key points.
[Inoue Clan wiped out. Suspected regular Observer contact. Faction check needed.]
[Galaxy Company President Lea Clodel. Debt ties to Puppeteer of Ten Evils. Details required.]
[Valmut Clan involved with Observer via Forging Department ruins confirmed. Further probe needed.]
[Myriad Demons' Mire implicated in youngest Pilgrim bishop death. Deeper investigation required.]
Many unknowns, some familiar names.
As space blurred faster, papers in hand disintegrated.
Last one. He flipped it.
[Forging Department former instructor Kim In-cheol. Confirmed Observer-affiliated blacksmith. Presumed dead in Flame Blade Hunt.]
[Awakening Dream has activated.]
Flash—!
His mind yanked awake. Eyes snapping open, Lee Se-hun bolted up, clamping his mouth.
"Urk..."
Surge of nausea. Like his whole body crammed through a pinhole. Sweating coldly, he pinpointed the cause.
'Confusing dream-body with real one...? Didn't see that coming.'
The first-person vividness amplified the physical dissonance.
Awakening Dream cleared the confusion—or it'd have twisted his guts badly.
"Hoo... Hoo..."
Deep breaths steadied him. He scanned surroundings.
Little changed from using Dream Circuit Path. Barely a minute passed.
'Viewing memories costs little time. Handy.'
With reliable allies, safe outside too.
Musing on Dream Circuit Path's uses, he glanced around.
"...Hm?"
No purple dagger—Dream Circuit Path—anywhere. Puzzled frown.
'Where'd it fall?'
Checked under sofa, table. Nothing. Face hardening.
"No way... one-use?"
A priceless artifact from rare Dream Tusk and South Flower Rain—billions worth—gone after one go?
Unbelievable. As his expression stiffened, his gaze hit the living room window.
"...?"
Babel's streets dark, lights out even in bustling areas. His faint reflection above.
Eyes drawn to his chest, where Dream Circuit Path had stabbed.
[Artifact 'Dream Circuit Path' absorbed into body.]
[Acquired skill 'Dream Storage (A)'.]
Whoosh!
Purple flames blazed proudly within him.