By Zephyria 326
—Breaking news. The Whiteholes that had been observed worldwide since the Day of the Rift have simultaneously disappeared….
The anchor’s voice flowed from Kang Ji-soo’s phone. The Hunters couldn’t take their eyes off the sky. It had been there since the moment the Awakened appeared, like proof of the world turned upside down.
Could a miracle have happened?
No.
“It can’t have just disappeared like that….”
Some Hunters nodded in agreement with Eui-jae’s murmur. Bae Won-woo rubbed his chin.
“Is something else going to happen? But I haven’t heard anything about anyone doing anything….”
“Didn’t Prometheus do something again?”
“Those are Whiteholes that even Hunters don’t dare touch. How could they get rid of them?”
“They’re the ones who caused a collective blackout and brought Doomsday forward, what couldn’t they do?”
“That’s true, but….”
His heart was strangely restless. Eui-jae tried to suppress the uneasy feeling and said,
“Let’s go outside first. Hasn’t anyone from the other Guilds or the Bureau of Rift Management contacted us?”
“Yes, the Bureau of Rift Management seems to be assessing the situation. There was a request on Ranker Chat to stand by at our respective locations, though it was unofficial.”
“Well, we’re not just going to stand here and watch the sky, are we? Like J said, let’s just go out to the front of the building. We can also check on the people walking by.”
At Kang Ji-soo’s gesture, the Hunters followed her one by one. Eui-jae stood in front of the window until the end, staring at the gray sky.
‘Why am I so anxious?’
Eui-jae pressed down on his rapidly beating heart with his fist.
The front of the Wave Guild building was already a sea of people. Not only the Hunters who had come down from above, but also civilians were standing in a long line. Bae Won-woo was already waving his pot-lid-sized hand, directing traffic.
“The Wave Guild shelter is this way. Guys! Guide them! We’ll protect you if anything happens, so don’t worry. Yes? We’re still assessing the situation, I understand you’re anxious….”
“J.”
Kang Ji-soo, who had been waiting inside the door, pulled on Eui-jae’s arm and whispered.
“It seems like things will get complicated if J stands in front of those people? You know, like a popular star. Do you want to wear a Gas mask?”
“But my clothes are like this too….”
“Of course, we have spare cloaks and robes. Min-gi Seo!”
“I knew this would happen, so I’ve already prepared it, customer.”
Min-gi Seo, who had only poked his head out of Eui-jae’s shadow, planted his hands on the floor and rose up to his torso. He politely held out a neatly folded black cloak and a Gas mask placed on top of it.
“Please put it on.”
“Why did you prepare something like this?”
“Preparing for everything, that’s my motto. Your Gas mask also has a voice modulation function, customer.”
It was absurd, but it was helpful. Eui-jae covered his face by throwing the black cloak over his head. Then he took off his mask and put on the Gas mask. A hissing sound leaked out. Min-gi Seo, who had already crawled out of the shadow, fixed the cloak with a satisfied look.
“It’s not a great item, but it’s useful because it reduces the wearer’s presence.”
‘No, I already have a skill to erase my presence.’
But he decided not to say that. Min-gi Seo looked quite proud. Eui-jae bowed his head.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Min-gi Seo took out another cloak and Gas mask and handed them to Ga-eul as well.
“Student Ga-eul, please wear this too.”
“M-me too?”
“You escaped from Prometheus, after all. You mustn’t let them see your face.”
“Ah, that’s right…. Thank you.”
Ga-eul also rustled as she put on the cloak and Gas mask. Kang Ji-soo, who had been looking out the window with a sharp gaze, pointed outside with her thumb.
“If you’re done transforming, let’s go out? Be careful because there are a lot of people outside. I see people in white clothes, so it looks like a company of Prometheus cult believers have come too.”
Ga-eul swallowed nervously. Kang Ji-soo added playfully as she opened the door.
“You don’t trust us, do you~? How could we not protect one person when there are so many Rankers here?”
“I, I trust you!”
“Okay, okay~ Let’s go!”
As the door opened, lukewarm air rushed in. The chattering voices grew louder. Voices expressing anxiety, voices praying quietly, voices trembling with unease. People were heading somewhere, following the guidance of the Guild members. Before Eui-jae could ask what it was, Kang Ji-soo said, tidying her disheveled hair.
“Guilds above a certain size are required to build shelters when they build Guild buildings. Monsters attack schools, hospitals, community centers, everything, right? The Guild shelters with Hunters are the safest.”
“Ah, that’s true.”
“Well… the number of people is limited, so we can’t just accept everyone. For now, we’re taking in the elderly, children, and residents around the Guild first. We check their IDs. Hey~ How full is it?”
“It’s about one-fifth full! There’s still room.”
“Is it because we didn’t say it was a disaster situation? Not as many people came as I thought. Check regularly and let the Vice Guild Leader know.”
“Yes! I understand!”
It was then. A small scream erupted from among the gathered people. At the same time, the Hunters raised their hands to their respective weapons and looked for the source of the scream. There was no sign of a Monster. Then what was it?
Something pure white and smooth ran through the path created by the parting people. Eui-jae was the first to recognize it.
“Cluck?”
“Cluck, Cluck!”
Cluck, flapping its wings, ran towards Eui-jae, and Eui-jae snatched it out of the air to prevent the misfortune of it colliding with his chest. The captured Cluck struggled, waving its wings and feet.
“Cluck! Cluck! Cluck!”
“Suddenly…. Why are you like this…! Hey! Cluck! Calm down!”
“Cluck!”
Tears welled up in its black bean-like eyes.
‘I, is it crying?’
Cluck shed tears and cried for a long time. Cluck…. Eui-jae, who had suddenly become a person holding a crying chicken, quickly looked around. Everyone looked flustered. At that moment, he felt a vibration in his pants pocket. It was a phone call. Eui-jae held the sadly crying Cluck in one arm, took out his phone, and pressed the call button without even looking at the caller.
“Hello.”
—J, this is Jung-bin. I’m calling because you haven’t seen Ranker Chat. Where are you right now?
“I’m at the Wave Guild. Student Ga-eul is with me too. What’s wrong?”
—Yoon Ga-eul too? Then….
Jung-bin groaned on the other end of the phone.
—We can’t reach Hong Ye-seong….
“Yes?”
Eui-jae looked down at Cluck. Cluck was still looking up and crying. His sleeves were soaked enough to be wet.
—I wanted to contact him to get his opinion on this matter, but…. He’s not answering. The Hunters stationed around his residence tried to enter, but the talisman didn’t react.
“Hong Ye-seong changed the entry method on his own….”
—That’s not it. He can’t do that under the contract. Has there been any problem with the Shield where Yoon Ga-eul was staying?
The collapsing classroom came to mind. The classroom collapsing one by one from the ceiling, revealing the void.
If it collapsed because something happened to the creator, Hong Ye-seong.
“The classroom collapsed. So I took Student Ga-eul out…, and Cluck just came here.”
—…The worst assumption has come true.
“…….”
—It seems that something has happened to Hong Ye-seong.
Jung-bin’s voice sank heavily. Eui-jae carefully examined Cluck again, pretending to hold it again. It was intact without any cracks, but the bottom of its three-pronged feet was….
Red.
“Cluck, this….”
At that moment.
Thud….
A chilling sensation swept through his entire body.
The fear that the Soul remembers.
One by one, they raised their heads to look at the sky. The people lining up to enter the shelter, the Hunters guiding them, and Bae Won-woo, who was looking at the tablet with a troubled expression. Everyone.
And,
“…….”
Cha Eui-jae also raised his head.
A black circle had appeared in the gray sky. No, it would be more appropriate to say it had returned. Because it was always there.
Eui-jae couldn’t take his eyes off ‘it’. The ash-mixed wind that blew ruffled his hair. Gray and silver mixed hair fluttered. His fingertips trembled. His heart beat fast.
Cha Eui-jae realized what ‘it’ was.
Did you turn the Eye of the Apocalypse elsewhere? No. That was just human arrogance.
‘It’ appeared in this world the moment Monsters appeared in this world, the moment the System appeared….
The black circle slowly turned white from the bottom.
As if it were opening its eyes.
Eventually, the black circle was completely white. The swirling white circle moved slightly up, down, left, and right.
It opened its eyes. It watched everything.
From the moment the Destroyed world that Lee Sa-young was holding onto disappeared, continuously.
“…….”
Eui-jae swallowed hard. His instincts screamed.
That’s it.
My prey is that.
The prey I failed to hunt twice!
Kill it!
Their eyes met. Not just a feeling, but definitely.
The white circle, no, the eye curved like a crescent moon.
As if provoking him.