Chapter 126 – The Problem (２)

I really hope they figure it out.

While the party was taking a break, Gijun, too, was lost in deep thought.

Completely consumed by the question of that red aura.

It’s definitely part of the Ancient Evil.

He’d already encountered it before.

If that was the case, the probability that the red light was also connected to the Ancient Evil was close to 100%.

And he already knew that reality and the game were linked in some ways.

A level 9 dungeon, at that — he might even get a more concrete clue.

I’m getting closer.

That was Gijun’s thought.

The Ancient Evil.

He was drawing nearer to it — the thing that might be the beginning of all this.

In the end, this fight is a path I have to walk alone.

He couldn’t get help from anyone.

After all, he was the only one who could move between both worlds and uncover the secrets.

He might receive some assistance, of course, but in the end, it was a road he had to travel alone.

Unless he revealed everything he knew to someone.

Can I tell them?

It wasn’t that he’d never considered it.

But it wasn’t easy.

He had no idea where to even start explaining it all.

Still, I feel like the Guild Master would believe me.

If it was Woo Jimin, she might actually listen to him.

Considering what he’d shown her so far, and the fact that Gijun wasn’t the type to make things up in the first place.

But then comes the next problem.

Literally.

Even revealing his secret was still a problem.

What could Woo Jimin actually do after that?

It was too late for her to start playing the game again.

And even if she did, there wouldn’t be anything she could do inside it.

Right. For now, it’s better that only I know.

In the end, the conclusion circled back to the start.

To keeping it to himself.

He didn’t want to burden someone who was already dealing with enough.

When it comes down to it, they’ll inevitably find out naturally someday.

The likelihood was high.

Someday, when the two worlds became one, he’d be able to tell everything he knew.

I don’t know when, but that day will definitely come.

It was only a matter of time.

Getting stronger is a given, but I also need to gather as much information as possible.

The Ancient Evil.

A being so powerful that even the Ancient God had to seal itself, and the Monarchs themselves fell into an endless slumber from which they couldn’t awaken.

If he was going to fight something like that, he had to grow stronger. Stronger and stronger still.

It also meant he could never be satisfied with the strength he’d gained so far.

“What’s got you lost in thought like that?”

White Wood’s voice cut through the silence.

“Ah. Just something on my mind.”

“Understandable. I had a lot on my mind at your age too.”

“….”

It’s not because of my age, Gijun thought, but he didn’t bother adding that clarification out loud.

He let the comment pass without correction.

“And if I think back on it, I was terribly arrogant back then.”

“Arrogant?”

“Yes. I was dead certain that no mage greater than me would ever appear, not until the very end of the world.”

He let out a soft snort as he said it.

“Well, even looking back now, I don’t think it was an absurd notion. I was truly the best, after all.”

That went without saying.

The history of mages—

No, if we’re being more precise, it was said that the history of Superhumans was divided into before and after White Wood.

His very arrival had upended everything—the growth of mages, their combat, all of it.

Mages who had once strutted around with their noses in the air were forced to bow their heads before White Wood, and he reigned as their monarch for an age.

That was still true today.

“But now, I feel like I’m witnessing the arrival of a new emperor.”

He looked at Gijun as he spoke.

“That would be you.”

“….”

Staggering words.

If the Gijun of the past had heard them, his breath would have caught in his throat.

But now, it wasn’t quite that shocking.

Because White Wood had already given him such high praise several times before.

No, maybe it was because—setting that aside—Gijun himself agreed.

He could feel it too.

That if he kept growing at this rate, he would undoubtedly become a mage greater than even White Wood.

No, he had to.

To end this fight.

“Good look in your eyes. You seem determined to make it happen.”

“…I am.”

Gijun answered honestly.

It was tantamount to declaring out loud that he would surpass White Wood.

“Excellent. That’s an ambition I very much like. Become a mage who surpasses me. And I hope you’ll carry on the fight I couldn’t finish.”

“I understand.”

White Wood—no, every Superhuman standing here—was born to fight, and they would die fighting.

That was the mission given to Superhumans.

If they ever stopped fighting, humanity’s future would vanish along with it.

Gijun knew that truth. He had sworn it countless times—that he would fight and keep fighting for the sake of the world he loved. And he was swearing it again right now.

“That aside….”

White Wood slowly shifted his gaze.

“Something seems to be happening over there again.”

White Wood was now looking at Ha Taehyeong.

Ha Taehyeong, his face somewhat grim, was scrutinizing something.

*

“Analysis confirms an energy signature that has never once been detected on Earth before.”

Roughly twenty hours.

It was the lab directors’ conclusion after analyzing the red energy that had begun to be detected again inside the dungeon.

“That makes sense. We’ve never seen this phenomenon before either.”

Brad said.

Up to that point, everyone had expected that answer.

The real part came next.

“This power is dangerous.”

The lab director’s face hardened.

“The moment anything living touches this energy, its cells begin dying at an accelerated rate. Monsters are no exception.”

“Wait. So…”

“Superhuman biometric data showed no exception either. The instant they contacted this light, their DNA structure shattered and cells rapidly necrotized. This energy is on a completely different level of danger from ordinary Magi. Please order the Superhumans to return immediately.”

“…Damn it.”

Woo Jimin and Brad’s faces went rigid.

They sent a transmission into the dungeon at once.

The order they relayed was simple.

Return right now.

*

“We have to go back.”

Ha Taehyeong said.

“What do you mean by that?”

White Wood shot back at Ha Taehyeong’s question.

“They say the red light is being detected again in this dungeon. And here’s the data the researchers analyzed on that red light.”

Ha Taehyeong gestured, and a hologram flickered to life in midair.

The hologram showed cells extracted from the corpses of monsters exposed to the red light, alongside cells from Superhumans.

The moment either touched the red light, every cell—monster or Superhuman alike—instantly twisted and died on the spot.

“The researchers’ assessment is that there’s no guarantee even we would be safe from it.”

“…Definitely dangerous.”

White Wood’s face turned grave.

“Dangerous. It’s clearly a different class of energy from ordinary Magi.”

“Yes. I encountered it on the battlefield last time, but I didn’t realize it was this serious.”

As he said that, Ha Taehyeong looked at Gijun.

That light they’d both faced when they’d gone to the battlefield together.

And Gijun had even come face-to-face with it.

Yet there’d been no major issue with Gijun’s body, had there?

“It’s regrettable, but I think it’s right to stop this raid here. Something’s clearly changed with the red light inside this dungeon…”

Before Ha Taehyeong could even finish that sentence—

Ssssssh-!

A fierce wind began to blast from beyond the Third Gate.

“…!”

Everyone’s gaze snapped toward that direction.

And then.

Crack!

“…!!!”

A red light burst forth.

“…Damn it…”

The Superhumans frantically reached toward their subspaces.

Gijun did the same.

He couldn’t afford to get greedy here.

Forcing it now might mean there’d be no next time at all.

“Everyone, use your return scrolls now.”

The red light slowly began to envelop their bodies.

As a chill ran down everyone’s spine, the Superhumans hurriedly activated their return scrolls.

Fwoosh! Fwip!

The Superhumans’ bodies were enveloped in a wreath of light.

The Return Scrolls had activated properly.

One by one, the Superhumans’ forms dissolved into the air.

Gijun, too, hastily pulled out his scroll and funneled Mana into it.

Shwaaah!

The scroll responded to the Mana, scattering into the air.

Gijun’s body began to slowly wrap itself in a cocoon of light.

Watching this, Ha Taehyeong tore his own scroll as a last act.

Shwaat!

Ha Taehyeong’s body, too, was engulfed in light, and then his form vanished.

But in that very instant,

Crackle!

Kkuh!

Crimson sparks erupted around Gijun’s light-wreathed body.

Then the Mana infused into his Work Scroll scattered into nothing.

“Wha—what?!”

A cry of bewilderment tore from Gijun’s lips.

He had definitely used the scroll, it had been working—and yet,

The had failed to return.

[Where do you think you’re going.]

“…!”

A chilling voice whispered at his ear.

A familiar voice.

Exactly the same one he had faced last time.

By now, every Superhuman except Gijun had succeeded in returning.

But Gijun had not.

Because of that crimson light’s interference.

[Now all the nuisances are gone.]

The voice came again.

As if it had been waiting.

As if it had allowed the others to escape.

‘…This might be for the best.’

But Gijun quickly steadied his mind.

After all, wasn’t this exactly what he had wanted?

One of his main goals in entering this Dungeon was precisely to encounter that thing.

It would make no sense to feel fear or dread now.

“….”

Instead, Gijun slowly turned his gaze toward the direction the light was seeping from.

[Heh, heheheh….]

A mocking laugh echoed out.

[You’re insolent, and brave. To hold such an unafraid gaze even before this body.]

“There’s no reason to be scared.”

Gijun replied.

It wasn’t a bluff.

Right now, he truly wasn’t afraid of the source of that light.

‘After all, there’s nothing I can do about it.’

Now that he was this far, his life was essentially in that thing’s hands.

So what was there to be afraid of?

If anything, being backed into this corner had stripped away his fear.

And at the same time, a certain premonition struck him.

A groundless conviction that thing couldn’t do anything to him.

“Enough chatter. How about we get to the point?”

So Gijun spoke.

“Why did you keep me here?”

[Heh heh, heheheheh….]

The laughter echoed again.

That thing’s laughter continued for a while.

[As clever as I thought. Yes. As you suspect, I can’t do anything to you. Not at this point.]

What was its reason for being so blunt about it?

There was definitely something going on with that thing—it had an agenda aimed squarely at Jun.

Jun, on full alert, trained his gaze on the spot where the light was emanating.

But then—

[Let me ask you one thing.]

The voice came through, slightly softened now.

[Do you believe there’s any reason for you and me to fight?]

“…?”

What the hell was this—some kind of nonsensical question out of nowhere?

Jun let out a hollow laugh.

[Think about it. You possess extraordinary talent. And I wield immense power.]

“So what’s your point?”

[Come now—let us join hands. What do you say? Isn’t it a magnificent proposal—a way for us to claim this world without ever having to battle each other? Take my hand. If you do, there’ll be no more need for bloodshed, and you, too, will gain a power so vast that no one else could ever hope to match it.]