LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 42
The illegal guild, Black Murderer. Commonly called black cockroaches in Korea, they were the garbage of society that had taken root in countries around the world.
Specifically, it was a collective term for various guilds that had been united rather than a single guild. Since it was easy to join and leave, it could be said that most illegal guilds were part of it.
And this man was one of them.
“Is this really the best option?”
“This is the best option.”
Monsters that had come out from gaps were pushing towards two points. I shuddered in horror as I watched the scene from above.
“I don’t even want to look at white for a while.”
“I don’t even want to look at my own hair.” The reliever who just appeared, PK, shook his head in disgust.
If you don’t want to see white hair, just shave it off.
“Just shave it off,” I shook my head and replied sullenly. I saw the S1 Team over there.
“Wow, it’s the real Daybreak Guild. Are you sure no one has died so far?”
“That seems to be the same for the S1 Team. Did the cave monsters give an easy test?”
“It’s nothing like that. We just have Finger Technique on our side…” The new member of Team S1, who had been talking excitedly, suddenly stopped talking and closed her mouth. Looking around, she seemed to realize that she had made a mistake.
“Finger Technique?” Ban Seojun, who had been silently firing his gun, turned his head at those words.
Hey, let’s go. Let’s go.
I gestured toward PK.
There is nothing more to see here.
“Are you going to the center?”
“I have to get out of here, so yes, I’m heading that way.”
Even though the winged monsters crowded the ground, it was not a problem with PK’s telekinetic ability.
Telekinesis was a really convenient characteristic. I’d received a lot of help when I was looking for my mother in the past. At that time, I was also accompanied by PK. But when we were asked who we were, I remember being flustered and saying we were a party.
He wasn’t really a friend, more like a suitable companion. Technically, you could say we had a contractual relationship.
“Are we going to jail after work? If I’m dragged to the headquarters, will you say nice things for me?”
“Why are you swearing with a smile on your face?”
“You asked me to bring your terminal. Since there are two terminals now, won’t the TF from the headquarters come out now?” the unreliable guy, who could never be called a friend, smiled and said. I hadn’t known then that this guy would become national trash.
Anyone acquainted with the cockroaches would get beaten wherever they went.
Our relationship will be over if we’re exposed, you know? No, of course you don’t. And why do people talk while cutting words? It’s irritating.
I furrowed my brows and unfolded my middle finger. I was even angrier because I had seen many similar people lately.
Crack.
At the same time, the monsters near the center were squashed with an eerie sound. Pressed flat, they could not overcome the strong pressure and immediately exploded.
I folded my fingers with a sour expression. Then PK winked charmingly.
The disgusting sight called for a fist. I tapped my shoulder with my clenched fist. PK, who felt a threat to his life, awkwardly laughed and increased his speed. We soon arrived at the dark pit in the center.
I knew it would be like this from the beginning.
I landed in front of the hole in the center and looked down below.
“Is there a staircase?”
A majestic spiral staircase appeared as if telling me to step on it and come down slowly. I tilted my head back a little and observed the staircase.
The inside of the staircase, with its eerie texture, was painted pitch-black, making it impossible to see. The squishy sensation when stepping on the staircase felt strange, like walking on a tidal flat.
Aaaagh-!!
…I could hear screaming from somewhere.
“The monsters seem to go mad when you step on the stairs.”
The wriggling white things glowed whenever I stepped on the stairs.
If I step on this and go down, the lives of the remaining Hunters might be in danger.
I stated what I had confirmed while standing on the staircase. But conversation is for a human with a sane mind.
“Then shall we go down the stairs?”
“… Why?”
“Let’s cause some human casualties. Since we also have Coincidence’s terminal, it’ll make a headline. You’ll be the only one who survived in a dungeon where all the top rankers died. It’s the brilliant debut you want,” PK said, stepping firmly on the stairs with a bright smile like a kindergarten child showing off a drawing he drew today. “Then I’ll pick up the items. You can have the fame.”
Of course, his grumbling words were not very childlike. I grimaced and chose my words carefully. It took a lot of patience to refrain from using curse words.
“… Do you want to be a criminal?”
“I already am.”
“Then be a criminal alone. Why do you want to make me a criminal, too, you crazy bastard?”
Even though I tried not to curse, he made me do it. I lashed out and hit PK’s head. I had promised myself that I would break this jerk’s skull someday. Was today the day?
Thwack!
A loud, piercing sound echoed from the back of his head. He looked unfairly indignant and ran down the stairs, holding his head.
“Hey! Don’t step on the stairs!’
“Taking the stairs is good for us! You’d like it if Ban Seojun dies too!”
“Stop talking, I feel like I’m being persuaded!”
If it were just Ban Seojun… No, wait. If Ban Seojun dies, our country is finished. We’ll become a laughing stock with a false cult leader as our public figurehead! Do you want to be internationally humiliated?
I didn’t want to hear the Association Headquarters or the Dimension Society asking, ‘Isn’t the representative of your country the pseudo-religion cult leader?’
But that doesn’t mean I will reveal my identity and represent our country. Especially since I’m already suspicious of that guy, why would I want to do him any favors?
I grabbed the railing, turned around, and landed on top of the railing directly below. PK, who had just jumped down, widened his eyes in surprise. Grabbing his collar was a piece of cake.
“You really don’t want to step on the stairs? How are you going to go down then?”
“There’s an easier way. There happens to be a psychokinetic among us.”
Right. What’s the point of you coming all the way here without me taking anything?
I chuckled and lowered my index finger toward the middle of the spiral staircase. That black and dark space.
“I’m going to jump. Hold on tight.”
“What? Wait-“
I lifted up PK, strapped him to my side, and jumped off the railing.
“Noooooo-!!!” PK, who suddenly had to bungee jump without a safety device, screamed madly.
Oh, where is this dog barking at? Even dogs can talk nowadays.
I felt a cute punch hitting my thigh, but I didn’t flinch.
This was fast and didn’t cause any damage outside. I didn’t like Ban Seojun, but he couldn’t die here.
With a warm heart, I worried about the lifeline of my fellow Hunters. What an excellent posture the Rank 1.
***
We were falling. Falling endlessly.
There were whispers. A voice whispering in a hoarse voice.
「“The one who closed the door has finally returned.”」
“I hear a strange voice. Do you know who it is?” PK, who had never heard the nonsense of the neighboring kings, raised doubts.
“Common sense dictates that a human wouldn’t say something like that.” I corrected those doubts and said, “It’s probably a mental attack from the dungeon boss. Ignore it.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because we’re on our way to meet the dungeon boss right now.”
I tilted my head and looked around. Only white feathers floating in the endless air told us we were falling.
「”I am keeping the item you entrusted to me as promised.”」
“Did you entrust things to the dungeon boss?”
“This is my first time in this dungeon. Are you the one who left your belongings with the dungeon boss?”
“What are you talking about? I don’t give my stuff to anyone. Who knows if they might steal it.” PK spoke with a righteous face.
But seriously, what the hell? Even aliens can say they keep other people’s belongings safe. Is it okay for our dimension’s average level of humanity to be like this?
「”If you don’t want to have your neck bitten by the dog you raised, you better come quickly.”」
The tone was that of an old man, but the voice was that of a child. I thought I was conversing with the King of Lust, but it didn’t seem like it.
Who is the raised dog? Is it appropriate to talk to the King of Lust about it? Is he calling me the dog since I intruded here?
“It’s strange.” Muttering to myself, I chewed over the voice I’d just heard.
Who was speaking just now? The King of Pride? Yes, it must’ve been the King of Pride.
The kings from the neighboring dimension were of a different caliber, just from the sound of their voices. Their words were forceful and ominous. But everything I had heard up to now had been directed at me in some way, whereas what I just heard sounded like it was directed at someone else.
Who was the King of Pride talking to, and what was he saying?
I narrowed my eyes and pondered, although my thought process wasn’t visible.
“I know. It’s strange.” Not knowing what I was thinking or why, PK looked down and agreed. The fall never ended. We just endlessly fell.
Are we going to fall forever?
I stretched out my index finger and straightened the joint. Blue electricity scattered and ignited the white feathers. Strangely, there was no smell of burning.
“Welcome.”
Since the dungeon’s name was ‘The Pit Where the Stars Fell’, I thought it was living up to its name.
But isn’t this completely different?
If there were any footholds, I would have stepped on them and kicked them. But there wasn’t even that. White feathers and us in the black space. That was all that made up this space.
“Those feathers don’t budge even if you push them.” PK, who had been groaning and stretching his hand for a while, realized the situation.
The power of the King of Wrath burned, but it had no effect. The King of Pride’s hand probably influenced the feathers.
“What do we do now?” PK asked, holding down his wild bangs with his hand. Well, what could we do?
We could try something. I reached out and drew my index finger down. Electricity crackled around the feathers surrounding us.
The sound of a current vibrating in my ear. I grabbed PK, who was leaning against my side, and increased the output.
Bluish sparks flew like stars. The space expanded, unable to overcome the power.
Crack!
A rift appeared in the empty space. My limbs were numb from the excessive use of power.
The penalty for over usage is being cold in the limbs. I need to remember that.
Originally, the penalty would not have been coldness in the limbs, but what could I do because my characteristics are body-strengthening? I’ll just have to endure it.
“It’s terrible.” I gritted my teeth and increased my output even more. Now my limbs were numb.
Is it better to lose sensation in my limbs or listen to the TMI of the King of Lust?
If I had to choose between the two, I’d choose the former. The latter is too much to handle. At this point, I could even be friends with the King of Lust.
Kwaaang-!!
The expanded space burst out to its limit. It didn’t tear apart or shatter like glass.
“Crazy!!”
It literally exploded. The technical term for it is an explosion.
The black debris filled my sight. The aftershock was destructive enough to kill most humans, but for now, I was unscathed.
“Aaaaagh-!!”
The other guy…seemed all right. It was me who wasn’t all right right now.
My vision flickered on and off. Had I used too much power? I patted my throbbing head and closed my eyes.
The sight of the shattered space was still clear in my mind, even with my eyes closed.
“Hey.”
A voice I’d never heard before spoke up. No, wait. Had I heard it before?
“Snap out of it.”
Someone kept shaking my shoulder. My head shook back and forth.
I was definitely falling, but I didn’t feel like falling anymore.
I struggled to push my heavy eyelids. In my blurry vision, I saw the face of a young boy.
“Can you hear me?” The boy had impressive pink eyes and tousled white hair. As soon as I confirmed his face, I looked at the sky.
Surprisingly, there were two moons.
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