“Really are you going?”
The rookie looked at Young Chaos with concern. Young Chaos nodded.
“I’m just going to deliver the ssage quietly this ti.”
“You said you’d just watch last ti too.”
The red eyes fixedly watched the rookie. The rookie’s long, drooping hair sagged further.
“...I’ll prepare.”
“Do so.”
“Senior Namu!”
The rookie’s figure vanished in an instant. Chaos gazed at the empty adow left swirled by the uproar. A conversation from the day before with Seong Hyunjae ca to mind.
‘A guarantee?’
When I asked back at the sudden request to stand guarantee, Seong Hyunjae calmly nodded.
‘If we find a way and safely remain in the isolated world, it won’t be necessary. Though it’s hard to say everything will be wrapped up by that alone, at least we’ll be safe for a while.’
To create a world that completely blocks external interference. Since the root of the problem was the transcendent’s excessive involvent, it was clearly a good solution. Yet Chaos didn’t think it would end there. Above all, Han Yujin himself didn’t seem to feel that way.
Even if we entered that safe world, the First would co back out again. I had that premonition.
‘But if we have to hold out for a month—’
‘It won’t be easy.’
‘Yes. We won’t be able to return easily. After all, we’d be turning the world we barely recovered and protected into a battlefield.’
During the month until all traces of the remaining connections completely disappeared, Han Yujin and his party would choose to hold out outside. But if the Transcendents began truly targeting them, there would inevitably be sacrifices.
‘So if we go straight back and aren’t protected, please stand guarantee.’
‘What kind of guarantee are you talking about?’
The crescent-like eyes looked down at Chaos.
‘The singularity of this matter isn’t Honey but Chain as the guarantee.’
‘What?’
One of Chaos’s eyebrows twitched.
‘Are you saying you’d even sacrifice yourself? You?’
‘Shall I say it like that?’
‘Stop the nonsense.’
‘The Crescent will want all eyes on Han Yujin.’
Seong Hyunjae continued in a low voice.
‘It wasn’t transcendent intervention but re Awakened who killed a Transcendent and damaged the system. It’s impossible to let that pass as if nothing happened now. So the Crescent will place Han Yujin at the center. They’ve likely already leaked the word.’
‘They mustn’t realize it was you.’
Few Transcendents have the ability to notice Seong Hyunjae. But one can never be sure.
‘They might focus on the First and in the chaos spirit you away. Now I see—that’s why. Once the Transcendents start reaching for you, slipping you out will be impossible.’
‘You know nothing of my care for Han Yujin. I’m hurt–’
Smack! The cane in Chaos’s hand struck Seong Hyunjae’s shin before he could finish. Seong Hyunjae froze, then slowly crumpled. Rubbing the struck area, moistening eyes fixed on Young Chaos seated in the chair.
‘...Tears...almost coming out. You really strike painfully.’
‘Normally an Upper Awakened can ease pain. Their internal mana naturally dulls pain so they can withstand most agony.’
Chaos lightly shook the cane as he spoke. Seong Hyunjae remained kneeling, bowing his head ekly.
‘A Transcendent can even block it entirely. If you completely shut off sensation it would affect combat, but you could substitute with mana sensing. But it doesn’t work on .’
‘It seems so.’
‘That’s why so many tremble at the sight of . Seems even Transcendents hate being struck painfully.’
Chaos flicked the cane down again, telling him to stop his nonsense. Seong Hyunjae sighed in grievance.
‘I have only one I truly love: Han Yujin and Song Taewon–’
‘And in front of them stands you.’
It was obvious, so Seong Hyunjae didn’t bother to deny. Chaos clicked his tongue.
‘Anyway, you want to say it was you who did it?’
‘Yes. Even if the Crescent tries to push forward Han Yujin, the Elder’s words will carry more trust. The Elder is one of the few direct parties remaining. The rest have mostly vanished.’
The King of Devourers has vanished, the r-Queen sleeps. And officially Chaos remained neutral.
‘I can handle it.’
‘F-rank and innate S-rank are different. A Pri Vessel who can grow into a Transcendent through achievents may draw attention, but those who burn greedily without regard for their body are rare. But Han Yujin is F-rank.’
‘Indeed, a Pri Vessel might just jot a note at best. The First is...an excessive singularity. But if your true form is discovered, chaos would erupt.’
‘That’s for the Crescent to solve.’
‘You’d both watch your back and load the Crescent with bla, plus protect the First as a bonus?’
‘Protecting Han Yujin is top priority–’
The cane’s tip twitched. Seong Hyunjae shut his mouth, pleading innocence with his eyes.
‘Understood. Keep one thing in mind.’
Young Chaos looked down at Seong Hyunjae and continued.
‘Don’t die. You almost perfectly hide your identity, but not at the mont of resurrection. At the mont you die and co back, your accumulated ti will surely show.’
‘I will try to be careful.’
‘If you die, die sowhere no one sees.’
‘If possible, in the presence of both of them–’
‘Hand.’
‘.......’
Seong Hyunjae ekly held out both palms. A light slap sounded, and a low groan escaped.
‘Enough tornting those poor kids.’
‘I...cherish...them...so much.’
‘Even if you die, your lips survive. They need to slowly reflect on themselves. If you kept quiet and stayed away, you might serve as a decent example, but you can’t help interfering. At least the First has improved sowhat, but that one is still exasperating.’
Of course he wouldn’t listen. Chaos watched him with mixed feelings. In a way his was the most pitiable fate, yet he himself was enjoying life so no sympathy arose. It was certain Seong Hyunjae himself thought he was living happily well.
‘The First still worries about scoundrels like you.’
‘Do you think so pure a nature?’
There was the prophecy of the White Bird. The Crescent’s long plan. Perhaps he had been preparing for this long ago. Chaos made a face as if to say he should knock him around properly soti.
‘You already concluded everything and then ask questions. If suspicious, you’d cast it aside without rcy.’
‘Either way is fine. It’s certain Han Yujin ca here of his own will. I only worry a bit.’
‘Still the sa as at first, a young, weak human. But now that it’s co to this, I can’t guarantee. If he did it without special ans, that’s remarkable—even if not, it’s still—’
‘There’s little difference.’
‘The First is the First, after all.’
Seong Hyunjae said he would entrust him to Young Chaos. The next day, a way to create a barrier erged. It seed they might safely enter the protected world, but the Crescent intervened at the last mont.
“Once the system applies, Transcendents can interfere.”
Chaos rubbed the back of his neck slowly. Only once the mana flow stabilized could Han Yujin and the others return to their original world. The rookie had said it would take three days or more even after system application. Much shorter than a month, but still not easy.
‘Even before application, interference wasn’t entirely impossible.’
But they said it wouldn’t have much effect for now, so it was safe. Young Chaos rose.
“Are you listening, Rabbit? The Transcendents are interested in the First?”
[Yes! Because Honey was the center!]
“How did you know that?”
[...What?]
As Seong Hyunjae said, it must be the Crescent. The rookie, saying preparations were complete, opened the passage. Beyond the open gate, Chaos stepped in. The air thick with mingled energies pressed in, but he pushed it aside and descended onto the soft grass.
The red eyes surveyed the vast space. Countless gazes poured down. He stepped forward lightly and spoke.
“I too had never seen such a thing.”
The declaration from a Transcendent who had lived an exceedingly long ti made the air tremble. Curiosity and intrigue intertwined in focused attention. A re human would die from the gathering aura alone.
“A child more confident in themselves than any Ancient.”
Chaos faintly smiled. Despite being irritating in many ways, this singular fellow drew the gaze.
“Even if Hani the Transcendent were pushed aside and the system damaged, it wouldn’t have been strange. That one certainly—”
The oldest blade, the most powerful Martial God, vouched for him.
“Will beco a Transcendent above Transcendents.”
He who stands upon the heads of those gathered here. Silence fell. A weighty murmur rose like slow waves. The rookie glanced around in confusion, and that honest look added credibility.
[Truly so I think.]
Soone spoke. Chaos nodded without hesitation.
“I swear by my na. Though the future may change, that talent is undeniable.”
In fact, the power Seong Hyunjae held had already surpassed Transcendents. So there was no problem swearing by his na. He had simply concealed it enough, and there was no lie in Chaos’s words. It wouldn’t be odd to shatter the system, and he hadn’t directly said it was Seong Hyunjae’s doing.
[That F-rank stat’s—]
“F-rank? What nonsense is that?”
Young Chaos tilted his neck and retorted.
“Of course S-rank. A Wonmaekja. An F-rank is ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) so weak I doubt it’ll even live out its natural lifespan. Isn’t it because of Chain that you’re all gathered?”
The Transcendents rustled again at the notion that an F-rank did such a thing. But Chaos was correct. No ordinary F-rank human could accomplish that.
[That one who has just stepped onto the path of Transcendence already stronger than us.]
[They said he can already manipulate the system.]
[At least Chaos is bound. If an even more powerful Transcendent—...]
[F-rank also served as the system administrator.]
[One must contract before ascending to Transcendent.]
[Since when did you interfere with a prospective Transcendent—]
[Simply damaging the system warrants preemptive restraint—]
A few voices ntioned Han Yujin, but they were very few. Most were already showing interest in the soon-to-beborn Transcendent. If he could already damage the system, perhaps the mont he beca Transcendent he could tamper with the entire system. Maybe even the Origin.
Among the exchanges, Chaos sensed so Transcendents leaving. They were those bored by talk of re Wonmaekja, not F-rank. Young Chaos quietly watched them.
‘Survive safely.’
A spiteful fellow with nothing to give, but still.
Thud!
Kuaaagh!
The large lizard struck by the truck soared into the air. It tumbled on the ground, then vanished like smoke. I opened the door and jumped down.
“What on earth, staying still on the road like that. Are you okay? Shall I take you ho?”
The old man sitting by the roadside stood and stared at blankly. Then he waved his hand, saying he was fine.
“I was startled, but I’m okay. Monsters die if hit by a car too.”
“Be careful getting ho~”
I climbed back into the truck and set off. Following the Gyeongbu Expressway, I entered Bundang, Gyeonggi Province. Soon I’d reach Seocho. I wished the KTX were running, but the station was empty. The highway was the sa. There were so cars, but few. Even they occasionally had accidents.
‘I heard many drears dream of traffic accidents.’
Perhaps because it’s a dream, even if the car shatters people aren’t badly hurt. Helping where I could made the trip longer. Still, I’d probably arrive before Yerim’s party. I wonder how the others fare. Sohow I feel I’m the only one in Korea. Where are Yuhyun and Peace? I miss them.
‘I hope our kids are asleep too.’
So I can at least et them in dreams. Even in the dream world, thinking ho was near gave strength. I drove on along the highway.
“Hey, over there—!”
Soone was jumping—or rather flying—off a rooftop in the distance. Wobbling, it seed unaccustod to flight.
“It should be about ti they get used to it.”
There were quite a few drears falling. Thankfully I didn’t see any too embarrassing dreams. Most stayed indoors rather than outside. I too more often dreamt indoors. Even outdoors it was in specific spaces, like a baseball stadium.
After a long drive familiar streets began to appear. Seocho-dong, welco. Just a bit further and...
“Huh?”
Director Song? I hurriedly stopped and got out. Director Song in a suit stood by a sports car.
“Director Song!”
Beep—the sports car door opened. Just a mont. Director Song naturally got in the car. Really just a mont. Wait, this...
‘...Whose dream is this?’
Looking closely, he was blurry—it was a dream after all. No one else around. In dreams I sotis don’t appear. Director Song in the sports car drove off and vanished. Whoever it was, they must have wanted our Director Song to have a nice car. So do I. It really is a dream, a dream.
‘Do other people appear too?’
I’ve already seen Yuhyun. ...Could there be soone dreaming of ? If I run into them I’ll pretend not to know and avoid them. It’d be embarrassing...
“Director Han!”
“...Yes?”
“You made it here from Busan already?”
“What?!”
Soone holding a phone approached with a smile. Uh?
“You saw it on SNS?”
“Of course! I check every day. I saw Park Yerim Hunter’s SNS too! Guildmaster Sesung and Director Song Taewon are in Japan.”
“...Japan? Director Song posted on SNS?”
“No. Soone saw them. They even took a photo and posted it.”
They showed a Japanese person’s SNS post on their phone. In the photo were Seong Hyunjae and Director Song. ...What a sight. Both of them wore ill-fitting clothes. Off-the-rack must be roomy to fit their physiques, but still.
“Can you tell what’s written there?”
“Oh, soone translated it. They say Guildmaster Sesung caught a cold. They heard him sneeze!”
...A cold? Sneezing? Ridiculous. Perhaps that too is a dream.
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