Chapter 72

Chapter 72

 

Ha-kyung and John looked at each other. 

They were briefly taken aback by the completely unexpected situation.

But the silence lasted only a moment.

Ha-kyung immediately lifted Veil Lancer's head.

“Is it you?”

―State the subject, you rotten human bastard.

“The Emperor?”

―Do not refer to Him so carelessly, lowly being.

“So it’s Veil Lancer. I thought it was something else.”

―What kind of attitude is that?

“I thought maybe the Emperor had shown up. Anyway, my intuition was right.”

Right before Ha-kyung drove Crimson Edge into his head.

Even as death closed in on him, Veil Lancer had remained calm.

Fear, shock, despair, resignation, regret, rage, and so on.

If he was a sapient life-form, it would have been normal for at least something to show.

But Veil Lancer had displayed none of that.

Ha-kyung sank into deep thought.

“John.”

“Yeah, bro. You’re thinking about how to finish this bastard off, right?”

“Ha! As expected, we really are on the same wavelength.”

“What should we try?”

“I don’t think any ordinary method will work. He’s still alive even with a hole through his head.”

“I know someone who runs a factory. Should we press him with a hydraulic press? I heard it’s a five-hundred-ton model.”

“That’s not bad.”

Before the force of five hundred tons, even Veil Lancer might become flat as a pancake .

Of course, there was no need to go that far.

It would take some time, but they could just grind him completely into powder.

Especially with Dead Zone, Ha-kyung could erase him as much as he wanted.

The reason they were doing this was that Veil Lancer's body was so large.

And because it consumed a lot of Abyss Energy.

Perhaps Veil Lancer sensed Ha-kyung and John's sincerity.

He clacked his jaw.

―Wait! Wait a moment! Let’s talk.

“You called me a rotten human. A lowly being.”

―I am sorry. I said I am sorry!

“But you’re only going to ask me to spare you anyway.”

―That is true, but......

“Yeah. Thanks for your time.”

―There is a way! There really is a good way!

“Let’s hear it first.”

―Whew! You truly are more barbaric than any life-form I have ever met.

“Hey. Get to the point.”

―Ahem! Very well.

Veil Lancer's expression went blank at the blade shoved in front of his eyes.

Soon, a proposal tempting even to Ha-kyung followed.

The terms Veil Lancer proposed were simple.

―I will hand over key intelligence about our empire. In exchange, place only my head into the Upper Floors of the Abyss so that I may be reborn as a lesser creature.

“How is that any different from asking me to spare you?”

―For us nobles, the amount of power we can wield depends on the size of our bodies. In addition, His Majesty must regenerate any body parts we have lost.

“So if only your head returns to the Upper Floors of the Abyss, you’ll no longer be a Talent Predator?”

―Correct. I will simply live as an ordinary creature.

Ha-kyung met John's eyes.

To be honest, the terms were quite appealing.

In truth, it would not matter much even if he sent Veil Lancer back.

Ha-kyung was confident he could win even if they met again.

If he obtained information in exchange for sparing him, it would be a bargain heavily in his favor.

Of course, that did not mean there were no problems at all.

Ha-kyung narrowed his eyes and stared at Veil Lancer.

‘There’s no such thing as trust between this bastard and me. All of that could be a lie.’

Had they not been trying to kill each other until now?

At this point, what could he not say?

Still, there had to be something worth salvaging.

Ha-kyung lifted Veil Lancer's head.

“Let’s get started. If I like your answers, I really will drop you off in the Upper Floors of the Abyss. Even if you’re reborn, I won’t kill you.”

―R-really?

“I don’t care even if you return to the Emperor.”

―What if I recover my power, return, and take revenge?

“Well, go ahead.”

―I cannot understand you. Why would you leave a future threat behind?

“I can just smash you apart the same way again. Why do you think you’d be able to win next time?”

―Uh......

Veil Lancer's expression twisted.

In truth, it was only natural.

Ha-kyung could directly use Abyss Energy.

And every time he found an Ultimate Abyss Fragment, he grew stronger.

Had he not advanced by another stage even now?

When Ha-kyung stared at him silently, Veil Lancer began to speak.

―I understand. Then allow me to introduce myself again. I am a noble serving His Majesty Emperor Kaigon of the Zardor Empire.

The main topic was the personal information of the Emperor's faction.

Until now, nothing had been known about the empire of The Void.

Because of that, even Jeong Tae-won was listening carefully.

It seemed the gruesome sight no longer entered his eyes at all.

Ha-kyung threw out a few more questions.

“I know you’re the ones who made the Upper Floors of the Abyss that way. You said you’re going to do the same thing to Earth.”

―Correct.

“How can you do that?”

―Through Gate Breaks, we transmit cores and plant them in your land. Then Abyssification begins.

Of course, Ha-kyung had already guessed that much.

But it was not meaningless.

Because he had received confirmation from a noble of the Zardor Empire.

However, questions still remained.

Ha-kyung opened his mouth again.

“Why do you have to do that?”

―To be honest, even I do not know that much. We merely obey His Majesty's orders.

“So it’s just because of the Emperor's desire to conquer?”

―......

Veil Lancer closed his mouth.

To speak by guessing at the Emperor's inner thoughts would be a crime of irreverence.

Ha-kyung could understand that much.

But this level of information was not enough.

He asked one final question.

“Do you know where the next core will be transmitted?”

―Of course.

“If you answer that properly too, I’ll let you go.”

―Truly?

“If it were up to me, I’d like to lock you in a laboratory and try all sorts of things. But I’m not that inhumane.”

―You would not be able to do that anyway. Now that my body is in this state, I do not have much life left.

It seemed Veil Lancer was not immortal either.

Then again, the same was true for Ha-kyung; it was only his nickname.

If he took damage beyond his limits, he could not help but die.

Soon, Veil Lancer indicated somewhere with his eyes.

―The continent across the ocean in that direction. The opposite far edge.

“The eastern United States?”

―I cannot know that much.

“Fine. I’ll accept that.”

In any case, Ha-kyung decided to keep his promise.

He looked back at Jeong Tae-won and said,

“I’ll go release this guy, so please write what we just heard in the report too.”

“Understood. But will it be all right?”

“If this bastard becomes a noble of the Zardor Empire again, that’s actually a benefit to us.”

“Pardon?”

“He fights like absolute shit. If an incompetent bastard is hogging a high position, that’s a good thing for us.”

“Ah! That is an unconventional idea, but it is logical. I will include that in the report as well.”

“Yes.”

Ha-kyung immediately moved to the gate.

With only Veil Lancer's head inside the body bag.

But then he heard a voice full of complaint.

―Let me ask one thing. Did you mean what you said just now?

“What?”

―About an incompetent bastard hogging a high position.

“It’s not that far from the truth.”

―Why?

“Your strength, speed, and abilities are powerful, but you don’t have any fundamentals. As I see it, you’re nothing but a bastard who doesn’t even know what throwing a punch is.”

―......

Veil Lancer closed his mouth.

Then he said nothing for a long while.

Of course, Ha-kyung paid it no mind.

‘Monsters sulk too, huh.’

What difference did it make?

Either way, he would only wander the Upper Floors of the Abyss until he became prey for the Awakened.

Ha-kyung immediately crossed through the gate.

Then he placed Veil Lancer's head in a suitable spot.

Soon, an astonishing change began.

Fssssss!

[Talent Predator, Veil Lancer, is being reborn]

A body a little larger than a fist.

A form like a wolf with bat wings attached.

It was far too shabby to call a monster.

From a distance, it looked almost like a real bat.

Ha-kyung let out a hollow laugh without realizing it.

“That’s all?”

―I filtered out and recombined only the intact parts from the body you left me. Of course I would be small.

“That might actually be better. If you’re going to return to your main base or whatever, whether it’s Zardor or Around-dor.”

―That is true, but...... I have changed my mind.

“What?”

―I am not going.

“What kind of sulking-girlfriend bullshit is that?”

―You were right. I only became strong thanks to His Majesty's grace. I was originally an incompetent bastard. So it is right that I do not return.

“......”

Ha-kyung stared at Veil Lancer in disbelief.

A monster sacrificing himself for the greater cause.

What kind of bastard was this?

He shook his head hard.

“No, I’m telling you to just go.”

―I will not. Thanks to you, I have gained enlightenment. My position should be taken by a more capable junior.

“Fine. Then wander the Upper Floors of the Abyss until you die.”

―I do not want that either.

“Ah, what the hell do you want me to do?”

―I will handle myself, so you go.

“Okay. I kept my promise.”

Ha-kyung left Veil Lancer behind and turned away just like that.

As he passed back through the gate.

An Association employee spoke to him.

“Mr. Lee Ha-kyung?”

“Yes?”

“Is the one that followed in behind you a summoned beast?”

“I don’t have anything like th......”

Then he suddenly remembered Veil Lancer throwing a tantrum.

When he turned his head, the bastard was trailing along behind him.

“What are you?”

―It is much safer here.

“Capturing monsters is prohibited. Stop talking nonsense and go back.”

―You can just call me a summoned beast. Besides, if I am with you, it will be easier to find the place that will burst, will it not? Do you know how many gates there are on that continent?

“Hmm.”

That was not wrong.

It would be good to have a guide.

Moreover, if this bastard did not return, that was also a benefit in its own way.

Because the fact that the information had leaked would not be revealed.

After thinking it over, Ha-kyung spoke with a short sigh.

“Yes, that’s right. A summoned beast.”

“Then please fill out some paperwork.”

“I will.”

Perhaps because he was a Special Advisory Committee Member, the procedure was extremely simple.

Ha-kyung finished only a brief explanation.

And then he was able to pass through the gate.

Veil Lancer hopped around near him.

Earth's environment seemed quite fascinating to him.

Then the bastard suddenly looked back at Ha-kyung and said,

―From now on, call me Rokan. I am no longer Veil Lancer, and that is my true name.

“Well, look at you. For someone clinging to me because he doesn’t want to die, you’re acting awfully natural.”

―Ahem! Do you think I am doing this because I cling to life? It is the greater cause. The greater cause!

“Like hell it is.”

Ha-kyung immediately returned to the office.

In the meantime, John had disposed of Veil Lancer's corpse.

“I didn’t do it all myself. It suddenly turned into powder in the middle, so that saved me some work.”

“Ah, that was because of this guy.”

“What’s this, bro?”

“Veil Lancer. Apparently, his real name is Rokan.”

Ha-kyung explained what had just happened.

Surprisingly, John accepted it without much resistance.

“So you’re using him as a substitute compass?”

“That’s right.”

“Can he tell us about Breaks after this one too?”

Ha-kyung looked down at Rokan.

Because it was not something he could answer.

Then an unexpected answer came.

―If it is not too far away, I can at least confirm the signs. The presence of a core is immense.

It seemed they could make good use of him for longer than expected.

Of course, they would have to think a bit about what to do with him from here on out.

Ha-kyung often went in and out of The Void.

And he could not take Rokan with him.

In any case, the first Dungeon Raid in The Void that Ha-kyung had planned ended cleanly.

‘Should I start heading back?’

But just then, the news was playing on the wall-mounted TV.

Ha-kyung, who had been about to pass by without much thought, abruptly stopped and turned up the volume.

Because he had seen an ominous caption.

―Breaking news. The first case of abuse of the Foreign Gate Usage Agreement has occurred.