By Zephyria Eui-jae frowned. However, Sa-young didn’t seem to have any intention of stopping his words or his movements.
“Let’s finish this conversation before we move any further. Surely we have that much time, don’t we?”
Without bothering to answer, he scanned the surroundings, but thanks to smashing every Golem he saw, there were no more signs of activity nearby. Eui-jae casually rested the staff on his shoulder and nodded.
“Go ahead.”
“…….”
In a gray world covered with white ash, only Lee Sa-young was black.
“Hyung, what’s your current job?”
“What?”
It was a sudden personal inquiry. He wondered if he was about to spout nonsense again and examined his face. But he revealed no emotion on his delicate face, simply staring at Cha Eui-jae. He pressed him.
“Answer me. What do you do, Hyung?”
“…Well… I’m a part-timer at Hanover Soup Restaurant.”
Eui-jae answered awkwardly. As if he had been waiting for those words, Sa-young twisted the corner of his lips.
“What do you think my job is?”
“…Hunter?”
“Uh-huh. Then, between a Hunter and a Hanover Soup Restaurant part-timer, who should catch the Master?”
“Are you making fun of me right now?”
“Surely not.”
A strange heat flickered in his low-saturation purple eyes.
“I didn’t want to say it in such a childish way… but someone keeps acting like they’re all alone. Before I knew it.”
“…….”
“Even though Jung-bin is weak against Monsters, he can endure enough. And I can fight reasonably well too….”
Sa-young, letting out a short laugh, put on his gloves and took a step closer. Then, he boldly reached out his black hand and covered Eui-jae’s hand holding the staff. Sa-young, slightly lowering his head, whispered.
“There’s no need for a part-timer to tremble and rush around trying to save people and catch the Master all alone…”
He must have seen his trembling hands when they first met inside the Dungeon. In fact, the anxiety that had been gnawing at his heart had long since disappeared. Thanks to the man in front of him. But Eui-jae didn’t answer. A thumb covered in leather gloves brushed against the back of his hand and fell away. Sa-young, who had stepped back as if he had never approached, tilted his head.
“Hyung told me before that you wanted to live quietly.”
“I want to live quietly.”
“I didn’t ask why back then. I should have asked… because your actions show the complete opposite.”
Sa-young, muttering softly, slowly blinked his eyes.
“Do you really want to live quietly, Hyung?”
He certainly seemed to have made such a promise with someone. To live quietly. Who that person was… it was as hazy as if covered in mist, but one thing was certain. Eui-jae answered briefly.
“I don’t know.”
“…You don’t know?”
“I think you’re misunderstanding something, living quietly and saving people are separate things.”
Sa-young frowned. Eui-jae met the confused, swirling eyes without avoiding them.
Eui-jae living quietly was someone’s wish, and saving people was something Eui-jae could do. There was a time when what he could do was what he had to do. However….
“What reason do you need to save people?”
Why should he save people? Why should he sacrifice himself like this? He had already finished agonizing over that a long time ago. The desire to live quietly, the terribly trembling hands and churning stomach every time he entered a Dungeon and Rift, were not considerations in the face of life. The most important thing was people’s lives. There was nothing more foolish than losing someone he could save because of hesitation. And….
‘This Dungeon is my responsibility, after all.’
Eui-jae, swallowing his words, took a step towards Sa-young.
“And I told you I made a rational decision. Like you said, Jung-bin is practically Poison to Monsters, so he’s no help. You’re a Poison Esper, right? Judging by the state of the Dungeon, the Dungeon Master is also a Golem, so can you melt it? Okay, let’s say you can melt it.”
“…….”
“As an S+ class Master, it’ll take a long time to melt it. It’ll be faster for you and me to beat it up in that time. Like we smashed them earlier.”
“…….”
“And the reason I’m trying to join up with Jung-bin is… because there are other people who have come in besides us. I’m trying to save them.”
“…Ha.”
Sa-young, who had been listening silently, raised his eyebrows. Eui-jae could now perfectly interpret all of Lee Sa-young’s expressions. His current expression meant, ‘You’re finally saying it,’ or something like that. Sa-young, letting out a short sigh, asked.
“Who else is in here besides Hyung?”
“Hong Ye-seong. And one more person.”
“…….”
Only his long eyelashes fluttered as if he were chewing over the words. Soon, the corners of his eyes slightly distorted.
“Why is that crazy brat here? And who’s the other one?”
“He came to find Mana Stone.”
“Shit, just give him that damn thing and cut ties.”
“I wanted to, but there’s an unavoidable situation… anyway.”
Hmm, Eui-jae, clearing his throat, glanced at Sa-young. Lee Sa-young had been contorting his face ever since he heard the name Hong Ye-seong. Damn it, Hong Ye-seong was no help after all. It was time to change the atmosphere. Eui-jae poked Sa-young’s arm and joked.
“If you’re worried, say you’re worried properly. Huh? Don’t be so rude.”
“…….”
Changing the atmosphere was a bust, a crisis had arrived. A terrible silence flowed.
‘Damn it, what did I say wrong?’
Eui-jae froze, looking at Lee Sa-young’s delicate face, which was overshadowed by a dark gloom. This was not the reaction Eui-jae had expected, he swore to the heavens. According to his expectations, Lee Sa-young should have, upon hearing these words….
‘Worried? Who’s worried about who?’
‘Are you crazy?’
‘Surely not.’
‘Are you blind….’
And so on, he should have been spewing out sarcasm as if he had been waiting for it, and perked up. But looking at his pale face and tightly closed, plump lips, there was no sign of that at all. Eui-jae, taking his finger off his arm, asked awkwardly.
“…You were really worried?”
“Why.”
His plump lips opened.
“Shouldn’t I be?”
It was a completely unexpected question. Sa-young twisted his lips into a smile.
“Why are you so surprised?”
“…….”
“What if I told you I’ve been waiting all along?”
Countless words floated up and sank, were written and then erased again. At the moment he opened his mouth to utter the last remaining word after that.
The two of them were startled and looked in one direction. The air was sharply torn.
KWAH-AH-AH-ANG―!!
A fierce ash wind swirled. Eui-jae wrapped his arms around the back of Sa-young’s head, pulled him close, and held his breath. At the same time, a strong arm wrapped around his back and waist. After the swirling wind subsided, Eui-jae looked around. Something very large was moving slowly at the source of the sound. That must be the Master of this Dungeon. Eui-jae closed and opened his eyes.
Why was his ominous premonition so accurate?
Eui-jae, biting his lip, tapped Sa-young’s shoulder area.
“It’s over there, where Jung-bin is.”
“…Ha.”
Sa-young let out a hollow laugh and released the arm that had been holding him. Their eyes met briefly. They started running without either of them saying anything first.
The more they moved their feet, the clearer what was reflected between the white ashes became. It was a very large Golem. It was walking on all fours like a dog, but it was so huge that the area around its head was not even visible.
Goo-ooo….
The Golem howled long. A chilling shiver shook his whole body. They had already come under the shadow cast by the Golem’s body.
“…Tsk.”
Sa-young frowned. Cha Eui-jae’s judgment was correct. If he were to melt something of that size, everyone except Lee Sa-young would be poisoned to death before the Golem melted.
It would be a pointless battle of attrition, but. Sa-young cracked his fingers and looked at the Golem. There was no choice. If he kept hitting it until it broke, it would break someday. Of course, Lee Sa-young’s hand would break first, but it wasn’t a big problem since he had Elixir. At that time, Cha Eui-jae, who was running next to him, muttered.
“It’s over there.”
At the end of Eui-jae’s blue gaze, a transparent rectangular Shield with a gold border was shining. Inside, Hong Ye-seong, holding up a Shield and sweating profusely, and the collapsed Jung-bin, and a girl supporting him, could be seen. It seemed they had found them on that side as well. Hong Ye-seong was heard groaning.
“Ugh, shee-bah, I’m alive….”
“Be careful!”
The girl screamed. The two of them raised their heads. A huge palm was flying towards them. Sa-young reached out to grab Eui-jae. However, instead of grabbing his hand, Eui-jae pushed him away. Sa-young’s eyes widened. Cha Eui-jae was…
Smiling.
Sa-young’s eyes widened and he opened his mouth to say something. But the words did not come out of his mouth. Sa-young was pushed near the Shield created by Hong Ye-seong. Hong Ye-seong gritted his teeth and shouted.
“Student, bring Lee Sa-young inside!”
“Yes!”
The girl grabbed Lee Sa-young’s arm and dragged him into the golden Shield. The moment Lee Sa-young tried to shake off his seat and get up, something grabbed him. It was a black lasso. Sa-young snarled fiercely.
“Damn it, release this right now.”
“Ah, what are you going to do if you go out there now! Can’t you see Jung-bin?”
Hong Ye-seong shouted, panting. Only then did Sa-young look down. Jung-bin was lying there in rags. Only the faintly heaving chest proved that he was alive.