Chapter 54

Chapter 54

 

To think he had been called insane by a monster.

It was an utterly absurd moment.

In any case, he had won.

But truly, it had been one dizzying scene after another.

Lee Ha-kyung let out a sigh of relief inwardly.

‘That was really dangerous this time.’

When he had collided head-on with Silent Ruin.

Lee Ha-kyung had nearly died.

Because the impact transmitted to him had been that tremendous.

Reactive Magic Armor had been reduced to tatters.

And his injuries had been so severe that every bone in his body had nearly been crushed.

If he had used Tyrant’s Bracelet even a little later, he would have died on the spot.

Lee Ha-kyung began trudging forward.

‘It isn’t over yet.’

The Gate Break was still in progress.

Before Lee Ha-kyung’s eyes, a yellow-glowing sphere was floating in the air before he knew it.

This was the Abyss Core.

The object Silent Ruin had been guarding.

Lee Ha-kyung raised his karambit.

‘I don’t know what it is, but there’s a high chance it’s the source of the Gate Break. In that case, breaking it is the right answer.’

He was the sort of person who acted immediately once he made up his mind.

Lee Ha-kyung’s blade pierced into the center of the Abyss Core.

Squelch―!

Unexpectedly, its texture was quite soft.

There was almost no resistance, as though he were cutting tofu.

The moment he split the Abyss Core in half like that.

An intense beam of light stretched out.

Piiiiing―!

[Abyss Core destroyed]

[Core Guardian’s will, ‘Dead Zone,’ internalized as a skill]

[A vast amount of Abyss Energy is transferred]

Tzzzzzzzzzt!

“Grrrrgh!”

A groan escaped Lee Ha-kyung’s mouth on its own.

That was how tremendous the pain assaulting him was.

This pain was on a different level from having his bones broken.

It felt as though his soul itself were being wrung out.

A tremendous power seemed to be rampaging through the inside of his body.

A pitch-black form flickered before Lee Ha-kyung’s eyes.

‘This is.......’

It was the very power Silent Ruin had absorbed.

The burning pain slowly faded.

If this had been before, his body probably would have collapsed.

It was something he could accept only because Lee Ha-kyung had grown that much.

‘It feels as if something has opened up.’

It was as though wind was pouring into his chest.

It was not simply because Reactive Magic Armor had been riddled with holes.

Should he say that Abyss Energy now flowed through him more smoothly than before?

Only belatedly did Lee Ha-kyung read the system message.

“Dead Zone? I obtained this?”

Silent Ruin’s main skill.

A technique that launched an annihilating attack with no sign or presence whatsoever.

Lee Ha-kyung immediately tried to use Dead Zone as a test.

However, no matter how much he manifested his will, it would not activate.

He tilted his head.

‘Why isn’t this working?’

Then, when Lee Ha-kyung casually swung his karambit.

The middle portion of the Wall debris beside him vanished in an instant.

[Core Guardian’s will creates an Extreme Annihilation Zone]

Crack!

“Huh?”

The activation mechanism itself was different from Silent Ruin’s skill.

It had been altered so it would be unleashed through swordsmanship, Lee Ha-kyung’s main method of combat.

Apparently, it had gone through a slight degradation process.

Its power was somewhat weaker than the original Dead Zone.

Because it was only about two meters in diameter.

Even so, it was not a bad result.

Lee Ha-kyung smiled in satisfaction.

‘This gives me more variety in my attack directions.’

On top of that, it was good for rotating skill cooldowns.

He could alternate between Soul-Sever, Heaven-Shattering Fist, and Dead Zone.

Lee Ha-kyung leisurely turned away.

However, the Abyss fog had vanished completely before he knew it.

And countless Awakened had completely surrounded the area.

They looked no different from defeated soldiers.

Apparently, they had barely overcome the third wave.

Holding the Whisperer, Lee Ha-kyung spoke.

“The Gate Break is over. You may relax now.”

“......”

A strange silence continued for a while.

Apparently, it seemed hard for them to believe it easily.

They had only just overcome the third wave.

How absurd would it sound if they were suddenly told it was over?

Normally, they would have had to block at least up to the fifth wave.

Then, the moment they confirmed that the Gate had returned to its original blue-green color.

A roar of cheers shook the ruins.

“Gwaaaaaah!”

It felt as if a gigantic boss monster were roaring.

The ground trembled.

And people came rushing in a mass.

For a moment, Lee Ha-kyung flinched.

“Huh? Wouldn’t this be dangerous?”

If he were crushed beneath that enormous crowd, even an Awakened would not be safe.

But that proved to be needless worry.

Because the charging Awakened soon all collapsed.

“Oh, man! I’m dying.” 

“I seriously thought I was going to die because support never came.”

“Those Association bastards are damn awful at their jobs.”

“Post-processing or whatever, let’s rest first.”

Even as they said that, they waved diligently toward Lee Ha-kyung.

They were trying to express their gratitude for his efforts, even in that way.

Lee Ha-kyung chuckled and turned away.

‘Let me rest, too.’

***

He had intended to return home and spend some time recovering.

But Lee Ha-kyung could not do that.

Because the Association requested a fact-finding investigation.

So he was confined in a space that resembled an interrogation room.

Of course, it only roughly had that sort of atmosphere.

There was no force involved.

Bang!

“Good day, Lee Ha-kyung.”

The person who suddenly stepped inside greeted him warmly.

Lee Ha-kyung rose from his seat and bowed his head.

“We meet again, Deputy Chairman.”

A middle-aged man in a shabby suit.

Jang Myeong-cheol shook his head from side to side and spoke.

“Whew! It was such chaos that we had no choice but to bring you to a place like this. I truly apologize.”

“It is all right. I saw everything on the way down, too.”

Association Headquarters was no different from a battlefield.

Because they were insanely busy with the aftermath of the Gate Break.

Moreover, this time, there was even more talk because of the Association’s mistake.

A disaster had occurred in which the deployment of support forces was delayed.

In truth, the Association was not entirely without excuses.

They had prepared for an ordinary Gate Break.

But this time, far more powerful monsters had appeared.

The numbers had far exceeded their expected range.

This was not a mistake, but an accident.

Deputy Chairman Jang Myeong-cheol hid his haggard expression as he spoke.

“Thanks to you, Ha-kyung, we were still able to reduce the damage. But how did you stop the Gate Break?”

Lee Ha-kyung explained the situation at the time.

Deputy Chairman Jang Myeong-cheol listened with a grave expression.

“To think the Abyss Core is the cause of a Gate Break....... That is truly astonishing information. But why does something like that form?”

“I have not discovered that much yet.”

“Well, I suppose that could not be helped. You must have been busy fighting the bastard called the Core Guardian.”

“In any case, that is everything I found out. Then I will take my leave.”

He had nothing more to say.

And leaving quickly would probably be a consideration in itself.

The Deputy Chairman must have barely made time to come here as well.

However, Jang Myeong-cheol hurriedly stopped Lee Ha-kyung.

“J-Just a moment.”

“Is there something else you wish to say?”

“In truth, the Awakened Association is facing harsh eyes both inside and outside.”

“You acted according to the manual. And did everyone not do their best? They fought while risking their lives. What do you mean?”

“Because the world is teeming with people who will criticize no matter what.”

Lee Ha-kyung nodded.

It had been the same during the time when Axis Prime was uncovering the secrets of the Abyss.

How many people were there who tried to profit by tearing others apart?

The Awakened Association was also on the chopping block because of this incident.

If they failed to respond properly, they would be carved to pieces.

Deputy Chairman Jang Myeong-cheol opened his mouth with a troubled expression.

“We have prepared a position for you in the Association. It is called Special Advisor for Crisis Response.......”

“Surely you are not trying to use me as a shield, are you?”

“I cannot honestly say there is no such intention. Of course, you may refuse. Instead, I ask only that you say once that there had been prior consultation.”

Lee Ha-kyung immediately understood the Association’s response method.

What had been the core of what the government and the media were saying?

The lack of support during the third wave.

Were they not trying to hold the Association accountable for its failed response?

However, what if they had anticipated that far and deployed Lee Ha-kyung like a special forces unit?

Then they could make only the person who had created the manual take responsibility.

Lee Ha-kyung smiled meaningfully.

“The First-Generation Awakened who made the manual must have retired long ago.”

“Yes, he has already passed away.”

“That will create a proper forced move. But I do not particularly want to join the Association.”

Lee Ha-kyung was about to refuse immediately.

There was no need to think about it.

Why had he avoided belonging to any organization until now?

Because it narrowed his range of movement that much.

That was why he had not joined a guild either.

And now, a high-ranking position in the Association?

When Lee Ha-kyung shook his head, Jang Myeong-cheol hurriedly opened his mouth.

“The Special Advisor position is not full-time. It is simply a position where you occasionally provide guidance, as you did this time.”

“You said I could refuse, but it feels as if you are begging me to take the position.”

“......Yes, that is correct.”

Jang Myeong-cheol nodded heavily.

At that, Lee Ha-kyung was instead taken aback.

“Pardon?”

Because he had not expected the man to admit it so frankly.

On top of that, something even more absurd happened from Lee Ha-kyung’s perspective.

Deputy Chairman Jang Myeong-cheol grabbed onto his trouser leg.

“Please, I am begging you!”

“No, why in the world are you doing this?”

“The monsters trying to tear the Association apart are swarming out there. To be honest, I find people more frightening than monsters.”

“Th-That is true.”

“Of course, the current Association is not perfect either. But I cannot guarantee that what comes after it is ground down will be better than what we have now.”

Lee Ha-kyung held no ill will toward the Association.

To be honest, he thought they had done quite well until now.

They had provided all sorts of conveniences for Awakened.

And had they not even successfully concluded the Ranking Tournament?

Rather than letting ignorant bastards come in and order them around.

Maintaining the status quo seemed far better.

Lee Ha-kyung nodded.

“If you put it that way, I suppose I have no choice.”

“Oh! Are you truly accepting?”

“But, Deputy Chairman.”

“Yes, yes.”

Deputy Chairman Jang Myeong-cheol nodded vigorously.

Lee Ha-kyung smiled meaningfully and said,

“I feel as though I said this to someone before, but it seems I will have to use it again.”

“What do you mean?”

“My price is rather high.”

“Ah.......”

“You will treat me generously, I trust?”

“O-Of course.”

Deputy Chairman Jang Myeong-cheol answered with a bewildered expression.

It seemed he had never imagined Lee Ha-kyung would respond this way.

Lee Ha-kyung immediately took out his cell phone and stretched out his arm.

“Now, strike a pose.”

“Why are you suddenly taking a picture?”

“If we are doing this anyway, we should do it properly. Once I upload it to social media, it will spread through the community in an instant. Taking it now.”

Click!

Lee Ha-kyung uploaded the sight of himself fist-bumping Jang Myeong-cheol as it was.

Of course, he uploaded only the photo by itself.

He did not add any explanation.

Because stimulating people’s imagination would produce better results.

Now, Lee Ha-kyung truly intended to say goodbye.

But Deputy Chairman Jang Myeong-cheol handed him something.

“Please think of it as a signing bonus.”

“What is this?”

“It is the Dungeon Key of The Void.”

“......!”

Lee Ha-kyung raised the corners of his mouth.

Because this was exactly the sort of price he had wanted.

‘As expected, he really was someone I could talk to.’