The Ghost of the Past
"Fighting like this brings back old memories, doesn't it?"
"Shut up."
My arms and legs were covered in new wounds, but the same was true for her. We were evenly matched. Considering my weapon was EX-rank, I naturally felt a sense of urgency. My sword grazed Picture’s cheek, leaving a shallow cut.
"Ah, that stings like hell. Hyunseo’s sword is always so electrifying. Did you change your name, too?"
Picture—no, my former senior disciple—licked her Chinese cleaver.
"Ptooey. Ugh, it’s so rusty~"
"..."
She stared at the chipped cleaver as if it didn't matter at all. It was now so worn down it was hard to tell if it was a knife or a saw.
"You’re using a good sword, aren't you?"
"That’s none of your business."
"Hmm. You couldn't even talk back to me in the old days."
That was because if I talked back, you’d stab me with a knife. You crazy bitch.
"Crazy bitch, huh~ Yeah, yeah."
Her eyes gleamed with madness.
"Come on, come on. Aren't you curious? Why my appearance changed like this?"
"I’m not interested."
"I liked my old look, but this one isn't bad either."
She muttered, touching her chest.
"The only downside is that my breasts have become too small. How is it? Is it cute? You used to like my breasts."
"Get lost."
Picture, who had been pouting at my words, slammed her cleaver down hard.
"You’re no fun."
"..!"
She had such brute strength.
"Ugh, it didn't split."
"..."
She took a step back and glared at me as if observing me.
"Did you see my second awakening ability?"
"...It’s a sick hobby."
"Ooh, thanks for the compliment, junior sister."
One of the people who had collapsed nearby instantly transformed into a teddy bear.
"Since you seem to be able to keep up with my speed, shall we play a little differently?"
Her pupils, which had been shining white, elongated. Red sparks flew. Her swordplay, honed to the extreme of speed, reached the essence of *swiftness*. Her arms flew in from every direction, like a whip.
"Come on, take more!"
Between my junior sister's attacks, the teddy bears rushed in to fill the small gaps.
"...Tsk."
I didn't hesitate to slash the teddy bear horizontally to secure my vision. The cleaver flying in from my blind spot was blocked by my sword of light, creating a bone-chilling screech.
Kreeeeeee-
With flying sparks, the teddy bear, sliced in half and spilling blood, collapsed to the floor.
"Oh my, look at how ruthless you are~ Everyone else hesitated and died."
"Crazy bitch."
"Is that something you should be saying~?"
I pressed on, swinging my sword without a word. Teddy bears flew at me from everywhere, but they couldn't block my sword path. It was different from ten years ago. Unlike that time, when I could do nothing but be helplessly struck.
As I swung my sword with a heart full of *killing intent*, a low voice echoed from beneath my feet.
Your mission is only to tear out hearts and sever life threads. You crossed the point of no return long ago. Only the moment you return to the sky will grant you peace.
"Shut up, seriously..."
"Hehe... can you hear it? You’re the same as me."
"Who says? I’m nothing like a bitch like you."
My sword, fueled by strength, shattered the cleaver. Along with the flying pieces of the blade, her chest was left exposed.
Thwack-
My sword pierced her solar plexus. The elegant, silver-white blade protruded from behind her back.
"You’re... ruthless. Even though I’m your junior sister."
"The day you killed that person, our relationship ended."
"You, who can't even call him Master."
She bit her lip and glared at me. Picture’s white eyes gleamed with madness.
"Yeah, it really was a spectacular moment. Killing the Master."
Picture vanished like smoke and appeared far away.
"See you next time, then? I’ll make sure to kill you next time!"
"..."
A blood-dripping teddy bear was hanging from my sword. My hand holding the sword trembled.
"Did she change? When?"
Was it when I was cutting down the teddy bears? No, the sensation of stabbing her was clear. As I was biting my lip, Eunseo approached.
"Are you... acquaintances?"
At Eunseo’s words, a wave of nausea rose, and I twisted my expression.
"No."
I tossed the sword with the impaled teddy bear into my subspace and sighed.
"She’s like a ghost of the past."
"A ghost...?"
"I’ll have to kill her next time. Let’s go. Let’s see if anyone is still alive."
I clicked my tongue at the bleeding teddy bears. Some of them had traces of having their arms or eyes torn off, as if she had played with them when she was bored.
"Tsk, she’s become even crazier."
A human consumed by the star of slaughter, burning herself out. She was a tragic *baleful star* consumed by light.
After meeting with the President separately to film the title conferment ceremony and returning home, Hyungtae and Ildo greeted us.
"Are you okay?"
"I heard you were hurt."
I shrugged at their words.
"I just got a few cuts, got treated, and that was it. A few skills healed it right up."
"Well, the Blue Guild is specialized in that sort of thing."
"Did you see Picture?"
"Yeah, I could’ve caught her, but I let her go."
"Whoa..."
The two of them looked at me with strange expressions.
"Why, why are you doing that?"
Hyungtae silently held up his phone.
[The Story of Hunter Kang Hyunseo, Who Shocked America and Flustered China – 2,311,322 views]
[Everlight, Who Is She? – 1,372,281 views]
[Someone Who Has Lived in the Tower Since Childhood? – 12,366,988 views]
"..."
I looked at the phone screen, flustered. One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand, million... Whoa, why are there so many? As I scrolled through the phone screen, I saw an enormous amount of news and videos.
"You’ve become incredibly famous."
"You’ve become a national star in just one day."
"Haa..."
Things are getting annoying.
"I didn't realize broadcasting had such a big influence."
At my words, Eunseo put her hands on her hips with a proud expression. Wait, is that something she should be proud of? Eunseo, looking satisfied, looked at Hyungtae and said,
"I told you! How about that? Internet broadcasting is this amazing. Got it?"
"No, it seems like that broadcast is Kang Hyunseo’s broadcast now, though."
"..."
At those words, Eunseo shrank back, looking dejected again.
"Hyunseo-nim... is just a natural..."
Eunseo crouched on the floor. Ildo, who had been watching Eunseo and me, asked out of curiosity,
"By the way, Eunseo-yang, are you using formal language with Hyunseo now? Even though you’re much older."
At Ildo’s words, Eunseo wilted.
"Don't talk about age..."
"What, is he your lifesaver or something?"
At Hyungtae’s words, Eunseo, who had been dejected, said,
"He’s my swordplay master now, and..."
Eunseo looked at me, asking for permission. I shrugged and said,
"It’s also tied to my class."
"Class?"
"Something like a summoner and a summoned beast."
At my words, Eunseo’s eyes wavered for a moment. The two of them looked at me, flustered.
"Then..."
"If you’re a summoner, does that mean you’re the master?"
"Why are you surprised?"
I tilted my head.
"Are there only one or two people surviving in the Tower like that?"
"Well, that’s true..."
"Many people do that if it means they can get even a little bit stronger."
"In Europe, I heard people even become zombies to get a hidden class."
"It’s a thousand times better than dying."
At my words, everyone fell silent.
"The Tower is going to get even harder from now on. The first-floor defense battle was strange, too."
I said that while placing my hand on Eunseo’s head.
"Ugh."
"So, Eunseo, and you two as well, you need to get stronger if you want to survive."
"Us too? Does that mean..."
"Let’s all prepare for the next raid."
At my words, Hyungtae and Ildo pointed at themselves.
"Are you taking us too?"
"Me too?"
"Then aren't you guys members of the Paradise Guild?"
The two of them looked at each other.
"Well, we’re E-rank..."
"Honestly, I thought we were going to get kicked out."
I scratched my head.
"It wouldn't be right to take away your opportunities."
At my words, their expressions brightened.
"But if you can't keep up, I’m going to abandon you without hesitation."
"Isn't that obvious?"
"I’d be grateful if you even gave us a chance! A single raid would be enough for retirement funds."
Everyone is misunderstanding something. I smiled broadly at Hyungtae’s words.
"Did you think I was going to let you watch from behind while I clear the highest difficulty?"
"Wasn't that what you meant?"
"I, if not, we won't be able to keep up..."
I crossed my arms and opened my mouth.
"We’re going to start slowly with D-rank requests."
"?"
"But it’s going to be brutally difficult, so make sure you keep up."
I closed my eyes and thought. How long will these people last? A day? Three days?
"Heh heh heh."
As I laughed wickedly, the two of them looked at me with blank expressions.
"Alright, if the three of you clear this nest, this training is over."
"A D-rank Sprinter’s nest?"
"The three of us?"
"Hy, Hyunseo-nim. You know that if we die here, we really die, right? Come on, you’re joking, right?"
"Joking?"
I smiled bashfully and pushed Eunseo into the cave.
"Hy, Hyunseo-nim? Hyunseo-nim? Hyunseo-niiiiiiim!"
Eunseo, who was struggling to avoid going in, tripped and rolled into the nest.
"It hurts! Argh! Kyaaaah! Spiders! I hate them! Aaaaargh!"
At the sound of the screams, Hyungtae and Ildo’s faces turned pale.
"What are you doing? Abandoning your comrade? Abandoning Eunseo? Are you going to let your guild leader die?"
At my words, the two of them entered the cave with miserable expressions.
"Uwaaaah, damn it! I got cut! How do you catch this thing!"
"Alright, I’ll show you just once, so watch closely and learn, got it?"
"Learn, my ass!"
"Ho, how are we supposed to catch this!"
"Kyaaaaaah!"
And so, with ear-piercing screams, the new daily life of the Paradise Guild grandly opened its curtains.