Report
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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Chapter 35
The replica Cheong Siyeol's head rolled across the floor.
The blue halo flickered and then vanished with a burst of mana sparks.
The head stopped rolling after three rotations, facing Baekya.
Its face was obscured by magical noise, making it impossible to read its full expression.
But a faint smile of admiration was visible on its lips.
It was a smile as if it had expected or even hoped for this outcome.
"Is that so?"
Baekya pushed the headless body of Cheong Siyeol, sending it tumbling to the ground.
Thump!
The moment the body touched the floor, it scattered as if it had never existed.
"I guess so. That makes sense."
Baekya lowered his head for a moment, lost in thought, then exhaled slowly, seemingly collecting himself.
It was too early to get sentimental.
That wasn't the real Cheong Siyeol.
He retied the Ghost Princess's Handkerchief on his wrist more tightly and glared at the Mirror Prince.
Even without the mandala-like halo above his head, his eyes blazed with a red light like a wildfire.
"It's not a good idea to keep poking at people's painful memories."
The Mirror Prince's facial features appeared on the large mirror that was originally a glass window.
Its mouth gaped open.
Another something, or someone's replica, was about to emerge from the mirror.
"You think you can keep doing this?!"
This time, Ryu Haneul raised the Dark Heavenly Demon Sword, but...
"Stay back."
"Senior!"
Baekya stopped Ryu Haneul.
"I don't know how many floors we climbed together in the future, but I'm sure I was the one who cleared the 50th floor, even then. Right?"
"Yes."
"And I'm sure I would've cleared this type of floor, where they try to play mind games, in this same way... though in the timeline you experienced, I must have done it alone instead of with help."
He beckoned Ryu Haneul closer.
Ryu Haneul trotted over and stood beside Baekya.
Baekya handed him not the sword, but the standard.
"One more time. Remember?"
He said with a gentle smile, filled with trust in his companion.
For a moment, Ryu Haneul's body stiffened.
Then, the Heavenly Demon, who had briefly lowered his head, looked up with a smile that radiated boundless confidence.
"Yes!"
They both gripped the standard at the same time.
They were two people who had seen each other's weakest moments.
【Law of Light】
【I Alone Am The Honored One】
【Domain Expansion】
Fwaaaaaah—!
Waves of white and purple light spread out in a semi-circular shape.
The two-colored waves slammed into the eight mirrors.
Boom!
The mirrors surrounding the sanctuary shook violently.
The world created by the Mirror Prince itself was shaking.
The Mirror Prince let out a furious roar.
["You dare obstruct my journey! I will revive my homeland!"]
Crack!
Cracks appeared on all eight mirrors at the same time.
Shatter!
Countless mirror shards transformed into sharp, long spikes, rising in defiance against the wave of Domain Expansion.
All the mirrors became sharp blades, hurtling towards the two of them.
Within the mirrors, the death throes of the countless worlds the prince had collected were replayed.
It was a deadly attack; a single touch would suck them into one of those worlds.
Swish!
Ryu Haneul, using the Black Maitreya Divine Art, tried to hold Baekya from behind.
"Be careful!"
Ryu Haneul's small frame couldn't even cover a part of Baekya's body, but he tried nonetheless.
Baekya didn't even use Hardening.
He simply stared straight ahead with blazing eyes.
"That's what my enemies should be doing."
He rubbed the 'Genie's Lamp' he had taken out of his inventory.
【Genie's Lamp (Mythical)】
"Genie."
A voice echoed in his mind from within the lamp.
["Yes, Master."]
Baekya spoke without a moment's hesitation.
"My first wish. I want to summon my Constellation here."
["The genie accepts your first wish."]
At the same time, blue mist poured out from the lamp's spout.
The blue mist formed the shape of a giant and swung both of its arms.
Hum!
The halo above Baekya's head transformed back to its original form, as if a veil had been lifted.
The Indian mandala-like, brilliant halo emitted red rays of light in all directions.
"Ugh!"
Ryu Haneul involuntarily closed his eyes.
Even though he turned his head away, his vision was filled with blinding white light.
The brighter a halo shone, the stronger the connection between the Awakened and their Constellation.
'A light this bright... it's like when a contract is first formed.'
And now, Baekya's halo was shining so brightly that it was hard to look at.
Hum! Hum! Hum!
Just when the light felt overwhelming...
Silence fell.
It was an eerie stillness.
Even with his senses heightened, he couldn't feel anything.
The mirror blades that had been flying towards them, threatening to pierce their hearts, were nowhere to be seen.
How many minutes had passed?
Their conversation broke the silence.
Their tones were different, but their voices were the same.
It was as if one person was playing two roles.
["You've pushed yourself too far. Descending as a 7th Stage Ascendant into a B-Rank body..."]
"I know."
["Even a wish granted by a Mythical-grade artifact is difficult to handle. The aftereffects will be significant."]
"We need to get through today to see tomorrow, don't we? That way, my Constellation can continue to watch my story."
Ryu Haneul squeezed his eyes shut even tighter.
That was an existence that 'others' should never face.
Even if he knew everything about Baekya, even if he was destined to break him someday, it was still true.
It was a privilege among privileges, allowed only to the Chosen, just like his Constellation.
["Indeed. You always wished for a 'tomorrow,' just like me."]
Swoosh
The light dimmed slightly.
Ryu Haneul cautiously opened his eyes.
It was still bright, but not unbearably so.
Baekya was facing the Mirror Prince.
["Now, show me a spectacular scene filled with victory and glory."]
"I always wanted to show you only spectacular scenes filled with victory and glory."
With the sun-like halo above his black hair and an expression full of compassion and empathy.
Sizzle!
The mirror blades all around were already melting and burning, sticking to the floor.
The Mirror Prince screamed in horror.
["This isn't right! This isn't how it's supposed to be! This is unfair intervention! I can't accept this!"]
Baekya pointed the Fire Dragon Sword forward and shook his head.
Clack.
"Can't accept it? I used an artifact manifested in the world you created. What's the problem?"
Hearing his incoherent rambling, it seemed he had already lost his mind.
["You… You! Do you think you've won? Do you think you've won?! Too many worlds have intertwined. In my quest to find my original world, everything has been ruined. There can only be one sun in this sky!"]
"Yes, just me."
["I was also a favored one like you! You'll end up like me too!"]
Baekya burst into laughter at his nonsensical words and raised his hand.
"I've heard similar stuff so many times that it doesn't even faze me anymore."
【Law of Light】
Fwaaaaaah—!
White light exploded forth.
"You even copied the last words you were supposed to say, Mirror Prince."
[Stop! Stop! No!]
Baekya's hair and clothes fluttered in the wind, and a deep shadow, like that of a character in a black and white comic, fell upon his high nose and sharp jawline, eventually turning completely white.
["I, our world..."]
The only color left in that world was the halo, symbolizing his connection to his Constellation.
It was the sight Ryu Haneul loved most in his past life.
The sight he had witnessed from Baekya's right side, while Cheong Siyeol had witnessed from his left.
This time, it was all his.
Soon, the fierce flames subsided.
Color returned to the world that had been painted entirely white.
Flicker. Flicker!
Baekya's halo flickered and then returned to its white ring shape.
The mirrors that surrounded them were nowhere to be seen.
The Mirror Prince, who had been screaming from within the mirrors, was also gone.
Ding.
【The Mirror Prince (S+) has been eliminated.】
【'World-Reflecting Mirror (Legendary → Heroic)' has been dropped.】
【'Aesthetics of Reversal (Heroic → Master)' has been dropped.】
【*Due to the class difference with the current owner, the artifact's performance is partially restricted. To restore its full potential, purify the artifact or change your class.】
With a loud notification sound, the scenery of the sanctuary changed once more.
Tzzzzt!
Suddenly, the two of them were standing in the middle of a magnificent, medieval-style castle.
The spacious hall was filled with mirrors from the ceiling to the walls and floor, likely a display of wealth, considering how luxurious mirrors were at the time.
"Senior! You're the best, as always!"
Ryu Haneul couldn't contain his excitement any longer.
Like a fan meeting his longtime idol, he ran and hugged Baekya from behind.
He didn't even notice the artifact set that had just dropped.
"You temporarily summoned your Constellation using the standard and the Genie's power, didn't you? That's incredible. Even with a considerably high Ascension Level, descending is... Senior?"
At that moment, Ryu Haneul sensed something was wrong.
Baekya's body was always strong and warm.
When he hugged Baekya, it should have felt like embracing heated metal beneath thin leather.
'Why is he so cold?'
But now, Baekya's body was soft and cold.
"...I'm fine."
"Don't say such nonsense!"
"I'll be better after a few days of rest. But first..."
Baekya gestured with his chin towards the front.
In the middle of the mirrored room, there was a large bell, seemingly out of place.
Ringing that bell meant clearing the floor.
Ryu Haneul tried to help Baekya towards the bell.
"You should be the one to ring it, Senior. I'm only here because of you, after all."
"If I ring it... wouldn't my name appear in huge letters on all eight sides of the Tower? Then Cheong Siyeol would come running to kill me."
"...Ah."
"Hurry up. I want to rest."
Ryu Haneul carefully laid Baekya down on the floor.
Then, he quickly approached and rang the bell.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
A clear bell sound echoed, and an Aitel notification appeared before their eyes.
This notification was visible to all Awakened in South Korea.
【Congratulations!】
【Regional Server: 'South Korea' has achieved the server's first clear of the 50th floor Epilogue Story.】
【The Constellations are paying even closer attention to the Regional Server: 'South Korea.'】
【The following titles and benefits are granted to the Regional Server: 'South Korea.'】
【First Clear of the 50th Floor】
【First to Clear the 50th Floor Retained】
【Increase in tutorial participants, increased probability of A-Rank or higher Awakened appearing, decreased occurrence rate of Rank 1 Gates, decreased overall Gate occurrence rate...】
Baekya looked at the notification windows and then closed his eyes.
'So we cleared the 50th floor.'
Even he, treated as a demigod, felt overwhelmed at times.
On such days, he doubted whether he could truly reach the 100th floor.
After being stabbed by Chronos' Timeblade, he might have subconsciously given up halfway.
But hearing this bell sound...
He felt that he hadn't truly wanted to give up.
He wouldn't give up on his beloved disciples, the journey to the 100th floor, or anything else.
'Siyeol, I told you, didn't I? I'll get everything back someday.'
Because that was his story.
【Transporting climbers to the lobby.】
The Aitel notification echoed in his mind.
'Lobby?'
Baekya, seeing the notification, opened his eyes in surprise and sat up.
"Haneul! Prepare for battle."
"What?"
"Think about it, barely any time has passed outside the Tower! The Management Bureau agents will be swarming!"
"What?!"
* * *
A few days later.
"I'm dying."
I was suffering from muscle aches, chills, and occasional coughing up of blood due to the aftereffects of the summoning.
Even painkillers from the pharmacy and most potions didn't work on these aftereffects, so I could only groan and bear it.
I told Wolha it was just the flu.
'Really?'
'Yes, really.'
'Okay, if you say so.'
He didn't seem to believe me, and I didn't expect him to from the start.
I opened my status window, hoping to forget the pain.
Of course, the status window itself didn't have any pain-relieving effects.
+
【Status Window
1. Name: Hong Baekya
2. Class: Pyromancer (B- ⋙ A-)
3. Titles: Sun of Humanity, Bringer of Dawn, Master of Fire, First and Greatest Climber...
4. Regional Server: South Korea
5. Ascension Level: 7th Stage Angelus/Angel
6. Skills: Satellite (S+) Dragon's Breath (S+) Law of Light (EX) Radiant Sword (S+) Radiation Ray (S+) Resonance Wave (S+) Wave of Fire (S+) Accretion Disk (S+) Spirit Form (S+) Sunrise (S+) Curtain of Extreme Light (S+)...
7. Stats: [Strength 495] [Agility 505] [Health 520] [Mana 732] 】
+
The pain relief came from the 'Pyromancer (B- ⋙ A-)' section.
Yes.
This is it.
This is what a Hunter should be.
I burst into laughter, forgetting all decorum.
I even winced because my abs hurt from laughing, but I couldn't stop.
The 'A-' next to 'Pyromancer' was so, so lovely.
It would have been even lovelier if it were just 'A' without the ‘-’, but considering I used the Winter Vanguard's Standard for an abnormal strategy from the start, used the cheat code of summoning my Constellation in the most important boss fight, and even let Ryu Haneul ring the bell, this was still a tremendous achievement.
Especially considering that even when I was 'B-' before, my stats were barely at the B- level. This was more than enough of an accomplishment.
I was convinced during this raid that I didn't even need to reach S-Rank; once I hit A+, I could probably challenge the Tower alone.
Of course, I wouldn't be able to just sweep everything away with Law of Light like before.
I would have to find clues one by one to unravel the story, and go in and out of the System Zones in between to recover.
But at least I could enter the Tower.
Growth in the Tower was incomparable to that in Gates.
It wouldn't be long before I regained my former strength and declared the return of Baekya.
I was already looking forward to the thrilling comeback story.
"Hyung, let's eat."
Wolha called me from outside.
I stumbled out to the living room.
I hoped I wouldn't cough up blood in front of Wolha.
...Come to think of it, it probably wouldn't be that soon.
...Once I recover from these aftereffects, then it would be soon.
"How are you feeling today?"
Wolha laid out a feast on the marble dining table, brought in on a cart.
"The same."
The Han River was visible through the window on one side of the living room, and the giant TV monitor on the other side was as vivid as a hologram.
Of course, Wolha hadn't bought this house by liquidating all the gold bars and cash in my suitcase.
This was a sort of dormitory that the Sun-Moon Divine Sect operated for its Hunters.
It was a place I received after joining the Sun-Moon Divine Sect as a contract worker directly under the Deputy Sect Leader.
As we were eating, the news came on.
[Breaking news. Director Lee Baejeong of the Awakened Support Agency's Management Bureau has regained consciousness after successfully undergoing memory erasure therapy by Hunter Joo Ye-eun, the 'Seven Star Saintess.']
[TL/N: ‘Seven Stars’ often refers to the Big Dipper constellation in Korean culture, which holds significant cultural and religious symbolism.]
[It has been reported that Director Lee Baejeong lost consciousness after suffering a mental attack while participating in the 50th-floor raid with Hunter Ryu Haneul. Meanwhile, it has also been revealed that Director Lee Baejeong entered the Tower while pursuing a certain Awakened criminal and has lost a week's worth of memories related to the criminal due to the aftereffects of the procedure...]
It was very welcome news, rare in these times.
[Next, we have news related to Hunter Ryu Haneul, also known as the 'Heavenly Demon.' Despite being a novice who awakened only a few months ago, Hunter Ryu Haneul has garnered significant attention both domestically and internationally for reportedly solo-clearing the infamous 50th floor of the Tower. The difficulty of the 50th floor is said to be such that even the late, great Hunter Hong Baekya, the world's number one, spent months preparing for it...]
[Meanwhile, in a raid interview, Hunter Ryu Haneul declared his admiration for the late Hunter Hong Baekya and stated that he has now moved on from the grief of losing him and will inherit his will by conquering the Tower and closing Gates. It is expected that the domestic Hunter industry, which had frozen after the death of Hong Baekya, will now start to recover...]
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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