By Zephyria It seemed the Team Leader wouldn’t back down until he got a proper answer. Of all times to return, why now! The joy I felt vanished completely. Kang Ji-soo squeezed her eyes shut and said, “J went into the mouth of a big Monster, and he went in so cleanly that there was no time to stop him. I contacted the Rift Management Bureau to capture it alive, but I couldn’t do anything else. I was dealing with Prometheus acting up when I got the call.”
Sa-young nodded as if to say, tell me more. Kang Ji-soo pointed to the white hole swirling in the sky.
“As you can see, that thing is acting up again. The Wave Guild is dealing with the Rifts that have opened up everywhere. Romantic Opener is cooperating with the Bureau of Rift Management to evacuate civilians, and Min-gi Seo was taken by Jung-bin Team Leader.”
“How long has it been since J went in?”
“Let’s see, about… 20 minutes.”
Only 20 minutes. A narrow margin. If I had been just a little faster, I could have stopped him. Sa-young organized the information Kang Ji-soo had given him in his head and asked, “What’s Prometheus again?”
“They said he did another ritual to summon Doomsday? What was it? He opened his eyes when it wasn’t time to open them? So Gates are opening everywhere, Rifts are appearing, and people are mutating. It’s a mess.”
“……”
“So we have to go back. And Matthew is the head of that side—”
“Hey! Don’t say things you’re not sure about.”
“Ouch!”
Kang Ji-soo clutched her struck crown and grumbled.
“Oh, why! If Honeybee unni said it, it’s true.”
“Where’s Honeybee?”
“She said she’s going to kill Matthew.”
Sa-young frowned slightly. In the last world, Prometheus didn’t exist. Matthew also died saving people. What’s the peculiarity of this world?
The 8 years of J’s absence.
“……”
I wonder if the world can change so much with the absence of just one person, but I soon understand. After all, his life was also changed by Cha Eui-jae. Sa-young weighed two options. Whether to go get Cha Eui-jae or chase Honeybee to Prometheus’s headquarters. In fact, there was no need to weigh them. The scale tilted towards Cha Eui-jae. Always.
Then I need to follow the train of thought.
Cha Eui-jae’s thoughts and judgment? It’s obvious without looking. He must have jumped in thinking he would take care of the main body before the guy above his head destroyed the world. How can he be so simple, ignorant, and consistent?
I liked and disliked that about him.
“Hoo….”
Sa-young sighed softly and lowered his head. He felt hungry. I want to put something in my mouth. It was a sensation he hadn’t felt in a long time. Sa-young reached out to Bae Won-woo.
“Huh? What, why?”
“I’m hungry. Do you have anything to eat?”
It was a brazen attitude, as if he had left it in his care.
“Oh, I only have energy bars right now….”
Bae Won-woo’s eyes quickly scanned the signs of the surrounding buildings. He pointed to the sign of a franchise hamburger shop and asked.
“Shall I, shall I buy you a hamburger or something?”
At the same time, the flickering sign fell to the ground with a thud. A hamburger poster fluttered through the broken window. I bet they’re open for business. Sa-young flicked his fingertips.
“I don’t need it. Give me that.”
Bae Won-woo quickly took out an energy bar from his pocket and handed it over. Sa-young tore open the wrapper and took a bite. He still couldn’t taste anything. He mechanically chewed the dry lump of nuts, thinking. Did he eat before jumping in, or did he jump in without any plan?
‘He wouldn’t have eaten.’
Sa-young clicked his tongue and carefully sealed the remaining two-thirds of the energy bar in the wrapper. If he hadn’t eaten anything, I thought I should feed him this. Bae Won-woo asked cautiously.
“I, is it not good?”
“Why are you saying that, Vice Guild Leader? Of course it won’t taste good, I can’t taste anything.”
“That’s not what I meant, you!”
Is this enough? I don’t think he eats much. But you never know. Sa-young looked at the small energy bar and turned his head to Kang Ji-soo.
“You. Do you have anything to eat?”
“…Me?”
The way she subtly averted her gaze was suspicious. Come to think of it, Kang Ji-soo never seemed to go hungry. She was horrified every time Lee Sa-young skipped a meal.
‘She must have something.’
Sa-young gestured to Bae Won-woo. Meaning to bring it. Bae Won-woo scratched his chin with a troubled face.
“Sa-young… Isn’t it too heartless to take it from a kid? We have to eat to live too.”
“That’s right, Guild Leader. I’m a hungry college student!”
Action is always faster than words. Sa-young took out his wallet from his coat pocket and held out two 50,000 won bills.
“100,000 won.”
“Yes! Here’s a chicken breast chipotle sandwich and an ion drink. I bought it right before the incident, so it’s very fresh and cool….”
Kang Ji-soo politely handed over the black plastic bag and quickly took the bills. Bae Won-woo looked down at the red head with a dumbfounded face.
“You said you stood in line for an hour to buy it? You said you were going to save it?”
“Hey, it just found a better Master.”
Kang Ji-soo grinned and fanned herself with the bills. Sa-young got up from the ambulance. Now that I’ve packed something to feed the person who’s acting recklessly, it’s time to go take care of him.
At that moment, an Awakened Management Bureau Hunter who was talking on the phone nearby approached. He watched Lee Sa-young’s expression and said.
“Excuse me, Jung-bin Team Leader said….”
“……”
“I’m sorry for the sudden request, but he asked for your cooperation.”
Sa-young tilted his head slightly.
“To me?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Is the situation that bad? That I have to step in.”
Lee Sa-young’s ability is Poison. It’s not suitable for saving people. Unless it’s killing them. That’s why the ability is mostly used only inside Dungeons. The Hunter nodded with a firm face.
“Yes, most of the civilian evacuation is complete. There’s an area where Gates have opened intensively, and he asked you to take care of it.”
“Hmph….”
Sa-young rubbed his lips and raised the corners of his mouth to smile.
“Is it okay if the asphalt and buildings melt while I’m taking care of it?”
“It’s okay.”
Bae Won-woo, who saw the smile, took a step back.
“What if unavoidable circumstances arise?”
Kang Ji-soo also shoved the bills into her pocket and took a step back.
“That’s okay too.”
“Then… all responsibility?”
“Jung Team Leader said he’ll take it.”
The smile deepened. It was the most welcome news he’d heard. Sa-young nodded.
“Location.”
“Ah, yes! I’ve just sent it to your device!”
“Ah, it’s close…. Good.”
No wonder it was so noisy, it was the sound of Hunters trying to close the Gates. Sa-young said in a languid voice.
“Get all the Hunters fighting over there out of here. They’re just getting in the way.”
When he took off the glove on one side, a black hand was revealed. He pointed to Bae Won-woo with his black finger.
“Bae Won-woo, call Jung-bin and record what I just said properly. So he can’t change his mind later.”
“Huh? Oh, okay. Got it.”
“And, Kang Ji-soo. You have a motorcycle, right?”
“Yes, I do. But the road is a mess. Is it okay?”
“Call and bring it. I’m not going far.”
“Where are you going?”
“Where else would I go.”
He threw the blue blanket he had around his shoulders into the ambulance and got up from his seat. The black bag on his wrist dangled.
“I have to go pick up a stupid person.”
The place Jung-bin asked him to take care of was a cluster of Gates that appeared in the middle of the park. Monsters poured out endlessly from the white-shining Gates. The park floor was covered with the ashes of dead Monsters.
‘They must be seriously short of manpower.’
The moment Sa-young closes the Gates, this place will become a wasteland covered in Poison. A space of death where not a single tree or blade of grass can survive. It seems Jung-bin chose life over the lives of people and the park.
Perhaps it’s only natural. You can’t have everything.
“I don’t need to drag this out….”
White Monsters rushed towards him. Sa-young didn’t avoid them. Instead, he knelt on one knee on the ground and touched the ground with his left hand. Black liquid spread from where his hand touched.
The black liquid that spread like water melted everything it touched. Not only the grass, but also the brick floor, benches, fences, streetlights, and straight-grown trees. The Monsters that were attacking from all sides were no exception. The Monsters that stepped on the black liquid screamed and collapsed. Their feet and legs melted, floundering in the Poison.
Sa-young slowly got up. The park had lost its former appearance. All that remained was a black pool of Poison. He stepped on the Poison and headed towards the Gate cluster. He reached out his black hand towards the white-shining Gates.
“Okay…. Let’s finish this.”
Purple eyes that shone brightly between his black fingers were visible.
“Because there’s someone waiting.”
The moment his black hand touched the white light, Paaat— Black liquid covered the Gates. The Gates soon lost their shape and melted. Thud, a black mass fell to the ground. Sa-young carefully examined the empty air where nothing remained, and then checked the contents of the black bag. Fortunately, the sandwich and ion drink were safe.
He took out his cell phone.
“It’s me. It’s over. Come to the park entrance.”
Splash, splash…. Sa-young was coming out of the black puddle when he glanced back.
“Oh, and tell them to issue a no-entry order for the inside.”