Retribution (3)
“Just let her die. She’s already learned everything she can, hasn’t she?”
Elle’s intentions weren’t hard to grasp. Competitor. That single word said it all.
“Even if you save that woman, she’ll just come back as poison down the line. Someday, she’ll stand in Yun-seok’s way as a real headache.”
Strictly speaking, she wasn’t wrong. If she never gave up climbing the Tower of Heaven, they’d cross paths as challenger and challenger eventually. And when they did, it’d be a fight to the death—one tougher than any enemy he’d faced. Just like that scene from the precognition.
“……”
The future from the Wish Auction, where he’d contracted with the Heavenly Martial Artist. Yun-seok, fighting like a mindless beast over and over, had finally met his last opponent: a young woman. He’d won, but barely.
That must’ve been the Cheonma.
Her face was blurry now, like a half-forgotten dream. But he clearly remembered the aura she exuded and her swordsmanship—they’d evoked the Cheonma. Back then, her youthful looks had kept him from connecting the dots…
But things had changed. The old woman he’d once thought her to be had regained her youth.
…Even in the future where I chose Elle, could I have beaten her?
Yun-seok hadn’t contracted with the Heavenly Martial Artist. The future had already shifted. He might never encounter her until the final floor…
But if he did? Could he claim victory against her again?
The thought crept in unbidden, and Yun-seok stiffened.
I still have a long way to go…
Was it Elle’s sudden shift that had narrowed his vision? He realized how little he knew. Nothing was confirmed. Whatever decision he made, he needed facts first.
“If I hadn’t gone to Murim, would she have died?”
“Probably.”
A monster like the Cheonma on the brink of death? He wondered what kind of mess could lead to that…
Well, it wasn’t impossible. Even the Cheonma wasn’t immortal. Though he doubted there was much he could do if she was in that state.
“But that’s not the only reason I don’t want you going to Murim.”
Yun-seok’s eyes sharpened at Elle’s follow-up. Not the only reason?
He’d almost glossed over it, but that contradicted her earlier words.
“What do you mean? Didn’t you just say there were no other reasons?”
Was she lying again? But how? Shaman’s Law was still active. Did she have a way around it?
If so, this whole conversation was invalid. He had to clarify.
But Elle just shrugged it off casually. “I said you asked if other reasons were needed. I never said there weren’t any.”
“……”
Yun-seok let out a hollow laugh. She was right, technically. He’d assumed.
Elle hadn’t lied from the start.
She’s showing new sides today.
He knew the premise had its blind spots. He’d just let his guard down because it was Elle. He hadn’t expected her to weave such clever misdirection.
Or… is this her true self?
Maybe. She’d shown him her scatterbrained side so often he’d forgotten. But she was a challenger who’d reached the top, who’d faced down the Heavenly Martial Artist with a cool voice and said her piece.
Her enigmatic first impression had once put him on high alert.
Get it together.
Yun-seok didn’t get mad at being tricked. He just resolved not to repeat the mistake and pressed on.
“So, what’s the other reason?”
“Honestly, what happens to the Cheonma—or that woman—doesn’t matter to me. I just wanted to check something.”
“Check what, exactly?”
Elle ignored the question, barreling ahead. “If you go to Murim, Yun-seok, you’ll lose something precious.”
Lose something precious?
Yun-seok pondered what she meant. Power? Family? Those were the obvious ones.
He sighed deeply. “Can’t you just say it plainly?”
His honest feeling: no more pointless mind games draining his energy.
Elle hesitated, then relented. “Fine. If you go to Murim, you lose an opportunity. A very, very precious one.”
An opportunity? What kind, emphasized like that? He leaned in for details—
But she cut him off. “Don’t ask more. It’s from multiple futures. I’d tell you if I could, but constraints prevent it.”
Constraints. With Shaman’s Law active, it wasn’t a lie.
He couldn’t argue. But oddly, relief washed over him. At least it wasn’t family or the worst-case scenario.
Then Elle’s voice trembled. “You’re not thinking, ‘That’s not so bad, so Murim it is,’ right?”
“……”
It hit close. He wasn’t planning to save the Cheonma, but… the future was unpredictable. No penalty meant he could relax a bit.
She didn’t like that. “I told you! It’s not just any opportunity. It’s very, very precious!”
“But even then, it doesn’t really sink in…”
“Agh…!”
Frustrated, Elle thumped her chest. Her cold edge was gone; she sounded like the Elle he knew. Tension eased unconsciously.
But then—
No, wait.
Her wish from the auction flashed back.
—I want nothing from you. Live freely, enjoying only rights, no obligations.
She’d wanted nothing. Post-contract, she’d urged him to live as he pleased.
Yet something nagged.
Why is she so desperate for me to seize this opportunity—and let the Cheonma die?
It could be pure goodwill, helping him however she could. But a subtle dissonance lingered.
Her wish is just a wish. Does she actually want me to climb the Tower?
Come to think of it, Elle had given him the Blood Demon Divine Art combination—the spark for his judgment against evil.
Back then, he’d been thrilled by the power, side effects be damned. No suspicions.
He didn’t think she’d orchestrated everything—that’d be a stretch. But time to resolve lingering doubts.
“Elle.”
“Yes? What suddenly?”
Shaman’s Law was still on. He could get straight answers.
Yun-seok steadied his breath and spoke slowly. “Why did you want to contract with me?”
At the Wish Auction, the Heavenly Martial Artist had warned:
—Don’t be fooled! She’s the suspicious one!
Elle had ulterior motives. He’d agonized over traps in her wish.
Learning about managers, wishes, and WP had eased that. But not this.
A wish anyone could grant. Why him, out of countless challengers?
“……”
Was it that hard? Elle fell silent. A faint tremble shook her slender shoulders.
He pressed. “Why? Answer me.”
“……”
No reply. Yun-seok stared silently.
Finally:
“…Because it’s you. I was waiting for you.”
Her trembling voice. Then she released Shaman’s Law.
“Satisfied now?”
Far from it. If anything, he was more lost.
Waiting for me?
The meaning escaped him. Releasing the law signaled no more answers.
He backed off. If she wouldn’t say, he’d find out himself.
14th floor mission, right…
Kanna Blitz had said she knew why Elle chose him. Trust her. But if doubts arose, take the 14th floor trial.
* * *
Afterward, their talk turned awkward. Mostly Murim events from her visions; Elle answered fully within limits, like someone who’d erred.
“I’ll head out then.”
Yun-seok returned to his waiting room, having heard enough. Elle usually looked wistful at goodbyes, but not this time. Maybe the summoning made it easy—or today was uncomfortable.
What day is it?
May 26th, AM 08:30.
Per her vision, Cheonma’s crisis was a month or two out.
14th floor mission aside, need to check what’s happening in Murim.
Couldn’t hit the 6th Floor Plaza for Geom-ma yet. But other ways existed.
Return Ticket (Rank F) used.
Returning to Earth.
He used the 24-hour Return Ticket.
Why Earth to probe Murim? Simple: couldn’t go to the plaza himself, so send someone.
Few 10th-floor-plus challengers would run errands… but for Yun-seok, near-hero on Earth? They’d line up.
Been a while here too.
Back on Earth, he checked his gear. Dimensional Leap Bracelet worked; Tower equipment intact.
One curiosity: where’d his old clothes go?
Vanished?
Not important. He scanned the room: same hotel from his last week-long stay. Year-long booking meant no guest run-ins.
From the room safe, he grabbed his wallet and smartphone, dialing the contact network.
“…Is that Mr. Yun-seok?”
After rings, the voice picked up. “No word of your return—what brings you suddenly…?”
About to request street clothes and a 10th-floor-plus runner for the plaza—
“Wait, did you hear about that and come back?”
The hesitant question silenced him. No clue what “that” was. But the voice brimmed with panic—like a kid caught red-handed.