Chapter 79
Chapter 79
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 79
Chapter Title: Promise
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I threw down the gauntlet to Zero One from the top of a skyscraper, and he accepted it.
Zero One declared that he would proceed with the human reduction scenario using a supervolcano and lion resurrection.
I only knew the names of the supervolcano and lion resurrection.
They had been briefly mentioned as the society's fallback plan after the Queen's Descent failed, but they weren't described in detail in the original story.
Unlike the times with the Experimental Awakes, Irregulars, or Han Cheong-ah's awakening, I had to confront the society without the advantage of prior knowledge.
The scale of the incident had shifted from Academy City to a global level. It would undoubtedly be on a whole different dimension of difficulty from everything that had happened so far.
Can I do this?
That pathetic doubt vanished quickly.
I had to.
I possessed tremendous abilities and the accumulated turning points I had built up until now.
Everything I had amassed as Baek Do-hyun up to this point was firmly supporting my mind.
After parting with Zero One, the first thing I did was summon Aria to South Korea. She had kept her promise to me.
After gaining her freedom, she had met with Merlin in Florence, Italy. Together, they gathered the monsters who refused to side with the society.
Since most of the anti-society monsters were in Europe, it hadn't been too difficult to assemble them. In just a few short months, they had gathered nearly a thousand monsters.
Merlin was just as he had been in the original story, aiding the protagonist's group. He was kind and courteous even to me, a total stranger.
"Pleased to meet you, Dracula. My word, seeing you in the flesh with my own eyes... you truly are as beautiful as they say."
"The pleasure is mine, Merlin. Your reputation precedes you. Thank you so much for your cooperation."
"Haha! Spare this old man such flattery unfit for my age. No need for thanks yet. We can save that until everything is over. I've gathered the monsters alongside Aria. Fewer than the society's forces, of course, but they'll be of some help."
The elderly man looked at me with kind eyes.
The master of Zero One and Mimir had taught his disciples the mindset of a bystander.
Monsters with the power to sway the world could too easily bring about upheaval and chaos. Thus, to coexist with other beings, they must never use their power.
The reason Zero One had stood against the Progenitor centuries ago was because of Merlin's teachings.
But in the end, Zero One had strayed from the path of the bystander, and Merlin wanted to stop him.
"The human reduction scenario must never come to pass. I don't know what that wretched disciple saw at the bottom of the abyss, but we cannot allow him to unilaterally exterminate 7 billion lives."
Merlin was determined to stop it, even if it meant killing Zero One. He would be a great asset in the battles ahead.
More than a brilliant mage, he was the master who had taught Zero One. With Merlin and Mimir, we could counter Zero One's troublesome magic.
"Dracula, it's been a while."
Aria looked brighter than before. Still cool in expression, but the worries and concerns that had weighed her down seemed gone.
"Long time no see, Aria."
"I kept my promise."
"Yeah. Now all that's left is stopping the society and Zero One."
Besides the key members gathered in Academy City, we had prepared cards to play against the society.
The Hunter Association, the anti-society monsters, Kang Chang-su and Ichika who had survived unlike in the original, and our jolly friend Goat.
The Progenitor, the Erosion Demonic Eye, the Turning Point User, and...
"Dracula."
"Yeah."
"I want revenge on Zero One."
"I know."
The werebeast's eyes blazed with hatred—eyes that had been forced to do unwanted things for centuries.
"I want to kill him. Even if it's not by my hand. I just want to see his corpse with my own eyes."
"Zero One will die."
If Zero One didn't die, we'd be the ones dying.
Zero One's death had to become an established fact.
So I declared it firmly.
"Such confidence."
"If I weren't confident, I wouldn't have started."
"I'll believe you."
Infinite trust resonated in Aria's voice.
"I'll believe those words you just spoke, your confidence, your abilities."
Repaying trust wasn't proven with words. It was proven with actions.
I would repay Aria's trust by utterly crushing Zero One and the society.
After that brief meeting with Merlin and Aria, I returned to Academy City with the new allies gathered on this small peninsula and Yubyeol-ha.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Trait 'Heat Manipulation' second evolution condition achieved. Evolution points fulfilled... Trait 'Heat Manipulation' final evolution to 'Heat Dominion'. Trait 'Progenitor' final evolution conditions fully achieved. Trait 'Progenitor' undergoing final evolution... ⚔ STATUS ⚔ Level.Max - ■Progenitor (■) ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ It's not time yet. This power will awaken in the final battle. For now, it's still just Progenitor. Zero One is a formidable foe, but he won't be your last opponent. Of course, if you lose to Zero One, the story changes. Will you and I meet again? I hope you reach me beyond the rift. My dear friend. I hope you entertain me this time too, Seoah. ◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Do-hyun."
Someone nudged my mind, sunk in the swamp of drowsiness.
"If you're tired, wouldn't it be better to sleep properly?"
I had collapsed face-down on the desk. Drool pooled on the surface.
After returning to Academy City, I'd gone to my room to unpack, only to fall asleep.
Han Cheong-ah wiped my face with a wet wipe, scrubbing crisply.
The cool, refreshing touch roused my foggy mind.
"Yaaawn..."
"What a impressively huge yawn."
Han Cheong-ah stared intently as I stretched, then plopped down on the bed.
Noisy sounds came from beyond the window.
"It was around the 13th century, I think, out of boredom I took a wooden stick and hit a ball, and lo and behold, the Scots saw it and copied me— I reckon that's the origin of golf..."
"M-Master, please stop that story... I've heard it 332 times already! Y-Yubyeol-ha looks bored...! Oh, and come to think of it, I-I was the originator of ice hockey in the Netherlands..."
"Stop! Stop! Stop! Your stories are fucking boring, so shut it!"
Yubyeol-ha plugged her ears with a pained expression, while Mimir and Merlin, true teacher and disciple, spewed endless trivia.
"Want some gum?"
"No, I'm good..."
"How about a leash?"
"No, that's fine..."
"Or maybe we go for a walk?"
"..."
Beyond Mimir and Merlin droning on with their dull tales, an uncomfortable scene was unfolding for Aria.
Lee Gyeo-ul grinned cheerfully, petting Aria's ears like a pampered dog. Aria trembled as if on pins and needles.
It was like watching a terrified puppy tangled with a dog trader at Moran Market.
"The pickpocket is shaking like a leaf. Winter unni really is something."
Fear etched into the body wasn't easily forgotten.
For Aria, who had directly experienced a special-class hunter's strength during the Experimental Awake incident, Lee Gyeo-ul waving a leash around must look exactly like the grim reaper holding a noose.
"You okay?"
"With what?"
"You nearly got seriously hurt by Aria. And like you said, she's a pickpocket too..."
I'd expected complaints from Han Cheong-ah and Lee Gyeo-ul when bringing Aria from South Korea.
But the Han Cheong-ah in front of me didn't seem to care at all.
"A magnanimous person doesn't sweat the small stuff. I've decided not to dwell on petty past emotions."
I gave the girl a dubious look as she casually spouted lines fit for a Romance of the Three Kingdoms general.
Han Cheong-ah was truly an incomprehensible fourth-dimensional girl.
"Do-hyun."
"What."
"It's time to keep your promise."
Black sparks began crackling from Han Cheong-ah's body.
A cool breeze blew in. Not from the window.
It was wind generated by the pink-haired girl's superpower.
"While you were off in South Korea, Do-hyun, I perfectly succeeded in my awakening. Also, she demands that you pet her promptly."
The Dimensional Beast Queen smiled serenely and flashed a victory V-sign.