The Hunter’s Gonna Lay Low - Chap 141
Master?
Cha Eui-jae glanced around and spotted the person who had drawn out the Basilisk’ Fang. It was Lee Sa-young, standing slouched in the same clothes he had worn in the Memorial Dungeon.
‘No way…’
The Basilisk’s Fang wriggled like a live fish, as if to confirm that this was indeed the answer.
[Fang’s Thoughts: Finally, I’ve met my master!]
[Fang’s Thoughts: This person only neglects me and is boring! I want to go back!]
However, the so-called master, Lee Sa-young, simply nodded with a disinterested expression.
“What are you doing, Hyung? If you’ve drawn it out, drive it into the skull.”
“Ah, no…”
“…Huh?”
[Fang’s Thoughts: Master?]
[Basilisk’s Fang seems shocked.]
Even without saying anything, it was clear. The writhing in his hand had suddenly stopped. Instead of recognizing or greeting it, the so-called master was suggesting fratricide. Although Cha Eui-jae had no affection for the Basilisk’s Fang, he had formed a camaraderie with it while escaping from the West Sea rift. Cha Eui-jae glanced at the Basilisk’s Fang, which had fallen silent, despite usually being so talkative.
“…Are you okay?”
“Shouldn’t you be asking that question to yourself…?”
“No, not you. This guy.”
The Basilisk’s Fang remained silent. Despite feeling uncertain, Cha Eui-jae agreed that escaping from this place was the first priority, as Lee Sa-young had suggested. He adjusted his grip on the Basilisk’s Fang. A sense of déjà vu washed over him, but there was no confusion. He had people to protect now.
Yoon Ga-eul didn’t have much time left. He had to return. He looked down at the bones beneath his feet, likely mingled with those of his comrades. However…
“…”
Would he be able to come back here?
Would he be fleeing again, leaving them behind?
This might be his last chance.
“You can come back, J.”
A voice filled with certainty spoke. Cha Eui-jae raised his head. Yoon Ga-eul, who had swallowed a cough, was looking at Cha Eui-jae with her golden, shining eyes.
“Our souls would have remembered the way back here. We might not be able to come back many times, but we can still move. Just like how I found you, J, after being dragged to this place.”
“…”
“But, you probably want to find them right now…”
Yoon Ga-eul lowered her head and fiddled with her hands.
“I’m sorry I can’t help you find them here. I wish we had more time…”
Despite being told they could return, a small unease remained. The guilt of not being able to save them would forever haunt Cha Eui-jae. But.
“…No, because of you, I now know there are comrades here.”
“…”
“If it weren’t for you, I would have kept wandering near the West Sea rift, unable to do anything.”
Cha Eui-jae met the gaze of Lee Sa-young, who was standing behind Yoon Ga-eul. Seeing his only success, Cha Eui-jae smiled defiantly.
“Thank you.”
Yoon Ga-eul pursed her lips and nodded, roughly rubbing her eyes with her sleeve. Cha Eui-jae took a deep breath and then jumped high into the air.
Pop—
Cha Eui-jae landed lightly on the bones. A gigantic skull of a snake with its mouth wide open appeared. Sharp teeth and the lower jaw were covered in white ash. In the center of the skull was a black mark— a spot he had pierced with the Basilisk’s Fang.
‘It’s really the same place.’
As the West Sea rift.
His heart pounded. Anxiety gripped him, fearing the silence that might come again. The wounds that had scarred Cha Eui-jae’s soul would not easily fade. However, doubt was unnecessary. He just had to do everything he could.
Cha Eui-jae gripped the Basilisk’s Fang with both hands. Then, he raised the sword high—
Thud, he drove it into the scar.
“…”
Wooong… Cha Eui-jae looked up. The still air began to vibrate as the flow reversed. A white vortex appeared behind the Basilisk’s Fang.
“Ah, it worked…”
A sigh of relief escaped him. Cha Eui-jae clung to the fang, letting out a long breath. Squeak! A small scream was followed by a light landing. Lee Sa-young stood there with Yoon Ga-eul, who was wrapped in a black coat, tucked under his arm. Yoon Ga-eul, pale-faced, covered her mouth, muttering.
“The, the poison… I shouldn’t touch you…”
“Stand on your own now.”
“Yes, yes…”
Yoon Ga-eul wobbled as she stood on her two feet. They stood silently before the vortex. But there was no time to hesitate. Cha Eui-jae signaled the other two with his eyes. Then, he drew out the Basilisk’s Fang and was the first to throw himself into the vortex.
…Cha Eui-jae opened his eyes.
A dark ceiling greeted him. Cha Eui-jae bolted upright. After blinking a few times to adjust to the darkness, he could finally make out his surroundings. He was lying in a bed, in an unlit room. A sharp pain throbbed on the back of his hand.
“What the…”
There was an IV line stuck into the back of his hand. Was it Seo Min-gi who had taken care of it? Cha Eui-jae carefully removed the IV and glanced around. There was another bed right beside him. He pulled back the curtain around the bed. Lee Sa-young was lying there as well, with an IV in his hand.
“…Lee Sa-young.”
He called his name cautiously, and his delicate eyebrows twitched slightly. Ugh… A small groan was followed by Lee Sa-young’s eyes fluttering open.
“…Ah …Where is this?”
“I don’t know. Maybe a hospital room?”
“…Ugh.”
Lee Sa-young grabbed his head.
“Wait, does your head hurt? I’ll go get someone.”
Cha Eui-jae hurriedly opened the door. A strangely familiar space appeared. A desolate area, so barren it made one doubt whether anyone actually lived there. A familiar sofa was placed in the living room. It was Lee Sa-young’s home.
And…
Cha Eui-jae stared blankly out the large window.
White ashes were falling from the sky.
“…Why?”
At that moment, a beeping sound echoed through the quiet living room. The source was an intercom.
—Guild Leader, this is Seo Min-gi. Since it’s not something that requires direct reporting, I’m leaving a recorded message. The situation outside isn’t good. The black hole suddenly turned white, and debris keeps falling from the hole. Moreover, countless infected individuals are roaming the streets, attacking both civilians and awakened alike, as if they’ve been waiting for this moment.
Why?
—Currently, Pado Guild has entered emergency mode and, under Vice-Guild Leader Bae Won-woo’s orders, is focusing on rescuing civilians and dealing with the infected. That concludes my report.
—…
After a long pause, a final sentence was added.
—I sincerely hope you return quickly, J, and Guild Leader.
Beep, beep, beep… The intercom shut off. Cha Eui-jae placed his cold hand on the window and stared blankly outside. This scene was from a world that had been destroyed. Such a thing should not have happened in this world. What went wrong? Something must have triggered it.
At that moment, he felt a vibration from the empty air. Cha Eui-jae reached into his inventory as if drawn by a trance. The Basilisk’s Fang was vibrating.
When he drew out the Basilisk’s Fang, its thoughts surfaced.
[Fang’s Thoughts: It’s because Master is gone.]
“What? What do you mean?”
[Fang’s Thoughts: …Don’t you know? Idiot.]
[Fang’s Thoughts: Master was holding the collapsing, destroyed world, keeping it from merging with your world.]
Master.
Considering the reaction and glimpses of the Basilisk’s Fang, its original master was likely Lee Sa-young. The Lee Sa-young who had wandered alone in the destroyed world they had visited.
[Fang’s Thoughts: Master was both the warden and the shackle by their very existence.]
Holding them apart, preventing them from merging. A shackle. White ash and remnants from the destroyed world were falling from the now-whitened white hole. The West Sea rift, which had been connected to the destroyed world, and the rapidly increasing eroded dungeon phenomenon. If the eroded dungeon was also caused by the destroyed world encroaching upon them…
Fang’s thoughts continued.
[Fang’s Thoughts: But with Master gone…]
The white hole flashed. Soon, something huge and white began to slowly emerge from the white hole.
[Fang’s Thoughts: The destroyed world is coming.]
It was a massive whale, just like the one they had seen in the destroyed world.
