Chapter 129

Chapter 129

Mumble mumble-.

“Bro, the room’s a bit rough, but the view is killer. Feels like I’m some American tycoon.”

Young-jin ate pizza while enjoying the view beyond the window.

The two who escaped from the dungeon quickly fled, breaking free from the police cordon.

Among them, there seemed to be an awakened police officer who chased Dojae at incredible speed, but unfortunately, his running speed was less than a tenth of Dojae’s.

“You’re rich too? If you can afford to rent a place like this, you’re already rich enough.”

Do-jae said with an exasperated tone.

This was a five-star hotel in Las Vegas.

It was the second-best, most luxurious suite in the entire hotel.

If Young-jin, who could rent such a suite without a second thought, wasn’t rich, then who was?

“Oh, come on, I’m just a lowly hunter! And it’s not even my money anyway. I can’t even spend it freely. I’m just using my allowance.”

Young-jin said, taking another slice and eating it with relish.

Do-jae shook his head in disbelief.

He’d forgotten, but Young-jin is the youngest son of a top company in our country.

Just how much pocket money does he get that he treats a five-star hotel’s top-tier room like it’s nothing?

“Next time, buy your own plane ticket.”

“Huh? This is for work, so of course I have to use the company card!”

“Whatever. Just use your own money.”

Feeling annoyed with Young-jin for some reason, Do-jae snatched the last slice of pizza and ate it.

“Whoa! You’re taking that? See, I told you we should’ve ordered another pizza!”

“Just buy another one. Go out and get it.”

“Ah… You’re such a jerk! Honestly, you ate five slices and I only had three. Shouldn’t you be the one going?”

“I told you not to eat so slowly!”

“Wow… what a jerk!”

Even as he said that, Young-jin hastily pulled on his coat.

Do-jae thought he was actually a kind-hearted kid at heart and waved goodbye with a smile.

“Have a good trip.”

“Yes. I’ll be back soon.”

“Oh, go ahead and eat without me.”

“Where are you going?”

“Yeah. Don’t wait up. Go to sleep.”

“Hehehe… Got it!”

Young-jin leaves with an excited look on his face.

Do-jae could clearly picture what Young-jin was thinking, but he just watched him go without saying a word.

Back in Korea, Dojae had always watched over him and nagged constantly, but here, at least, he wanted to let him be free.

“It’s quiet.”

The cabin fell silent the moment the boisterous Young-jin disappeared.

Do-jae enjoyed a moment of respite before opening the quest window.

And there, at the very bottom, was a single line.

[Do you accept?]

Finally, it was time to meet another seeker.

Do-jae murmured softly.

“I accept.”

Pop-!

***

A village unfolds before our eyes.

Structures unlike any human architecture rise from the earth to the sky.

Buildings buried underground were connected by bridges, and along those bridges, countless beings moved and lived.

And those beings were none other than the Shade Men.

Shade Men with skin of every color go about their respective tasks.

Though their appearance and way of life differed from humans, a sense of peace emanated from them nonetheless.

“What do you think?”

Dojae turned at the sound of someone’s voice.

A Shademan stood right behind him, observing the same scene.

“Hayden?”

“Haha, does it look like that?”

“No way…”

At first, he thought it was Hayden standing there.

He looked exactly like the Hayden seen in Altein’s room.

But looking closer, it wasn’t the ascetic Haydn.

Don’t Koreans generally find white or black people to look somewhat similar?

Moreover, the entity standing behind him wasn’t even human—it was a monster.

Given how identical they looked, Dojae’s mistake was understandable.

Yet Dojae could tell that man wasn’t Haydn because the aura emanating from him was completely different, not just his appearance.

“Nice to meet you, adversary. I’m Louisden. Hayden’s twin brother.”

The fourth Seeker, Shademan Luiden.

He greeted him warmly.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Dojae.”

“Haha, no need for formalities. I’ve already recognized your caliber.”

Luiden said with a faint smile.

Of course, whether that was a smile, a frown, or some other expression, Dojae, being of a different species, couldn’t tell. Still, he could sense the goodwill in Luiden’s voice.

“This place… is incredibly peaceful…”

Dojae turned his gaze back to the village and remarked.

Young Shade Men running and playing across bridges, female Shade Men chatting leisurely, sturdy Shade Men repairing buildings underground.

A scene reminiscent of a quiet countryside unfolded before his eyes.

“This was my brother and my favorite village. Compared to other places, most of the Shademen here were simple and unassuming. Ah, not that other villages are bad, mind you.”

Luiden too spoke in the past tense as he looked down at the village.

Dojae already knew this scene wasn’t reality, but an illusion.

It evoked a dreamlike feeling similar to his past memories of talking with Gelahan.

“I’m sorry about what happened with Hayden.”

Dojae asked about Hayden.

After his second meeting with Gelahan, Altane said Hayden had suffered severe damage to his essence and had fallen deep into the rift of causality.

Thanks to that, they had been able to awaken Briasius and prevent greater harm, but no matter how much of a god he was, he was still his twin brother, and somehow, Dojae felt a pang of guilt.

“Huh… You’re worried about me? A human’s essence worrying about a divine essence… Is that natural because you’re human? Anyway, don’t worry about it. Those who attain an essence like ours don’t feel emotions with their hearts.”

“Well… I don’t understand a word you’re saying, but are you saying it’s fine anyway?”

“Hmm… Still, it does hurt a bit. Hahaha, you wouldn’t understand, would you?”

“…So what trial will you impose on me?”

Dojae asked, turning away from the ever-changing Louis.

What interested him wasn’t this fabricated scenery, but the new skill Louis would grant him and the trial required to obtain it.

“I see. I had to impose trials on my adversaries to judge their worth. #&ㄲ& really made some strange rules.”

“Who?”

A name unheard in Louisden’s words.

It might sound strange to put it this way, but Dojae felt as if a fog had settled over the voice, obscuring it.

“#&ㄲ&… Hmm, can’t you understand? You’ll have to try harder, adversary.”

“Another rival?”

“Right. @*)*#()@ is #*($)… The day @*)*#@ does it will be… )(@*(%&%&, right?”

“I can’t make out what he’s saying.”

Once again, Louisden’s words came across as completely incomprehensible.

“Seems permission hasn’t been granted yet. Well, can’t be helped. I’d like to just give it to you, but I guess that’s not possible.”

“Nothing ever goes smoothly, does it?

“Hahaha. Yeah, right. I wanted it to be easy too. Well, shall we get started then?”

Clickety-clack.

Suddenly, strange sounds began emanating from Dojae’s body.

“What did you do?”

“Just one day. It’s the best I can give you.”

“My… my body…”

Do-jae’s body began to transform, bulging and swelling with something.

Before he could fully understand what it was, Dojae returned to his original world.

***

Thud-!

With a loud crash, the ceiling and floor collapsed.

Simultaneously, screams echoed from the rooms above and below.

“Aaaah!”

“Aaargh! Shut the fuck up!”

Thud-thud-thud-!

Americans stared up and down at him through the gaping holes.

Their eyes, filled with terror, stared at Dojae.

‘What the hell? What just happened?’

Dojae looked around, sensing something was off.

Even with his head bowed, his field of vision was much higher than usual.

“S-save me!”

“Oh… Noah! Come over here!”

A young couple shouting toward Dojae came into view.

And in front of Dojae, a blond child of about five or six was sobbing.

Dojae apologized and tried to pick up the child, but…

“Grrrrr!”

A low, growling cry.

And that cry came from none other than Dojae’s own mouth.

‘What the hell… What just happened…’

Dojae looked at his own hands.

Blue-tinged skin and thick, stubby fingers.

And sharp nails too.

This was not a human hand.

‘Wait… hold on… this can’t be!’

Dojai panicked.

Trying to break the tension, he reached out to reassure them he wasn’t dangerous, but his gesture only poisoned the young couple.

“Aaah! Oh my God…!”

“Noah, Kate! Run!”

The young man, his eyes filled with terror, grabbed the child, handed it to the woman, and picked up a chair leg lying nearby.

Bwoong- Bwoong-!

“Don’t come near me! You monster!”

The man swung the club with trembling hands.

Dojae realized he couldn’t stay here and turned, leaping out the window.

Clang-!

Do-jae and Young-jin had been staying on the 8th floor.

He had fallen one floor down, meaning he had jumped from the height of the 7th floor.

Thud-!

“Kyaaaah!”

“Holy shit!”

“Whoa! What the heck!”

Dojai, falling through the crowd of tourists, sent terror rippling through the people.

The area instantly turned into a pandemonium as people fled in all directions.

“Grrrrr!”

He wanted to say something, but the only sound that came out was a monster’s roar.

Dojae realized speaking would only backfire and began running to escape the scene.

But things didn’t go as planned.

“Everyone, get out of the way!”

A familiar voice rang out from somewhere, and a sword pierced Dojae’s thigh.

It was Youngjin, appearing inside the casino.

‘Young-jin, it’s me!’

Do-jae shouted as he stumbled backward.

Green liquid oozed from his thigh where the sword had been drawn.

“Grrrrr!”

“I don’t know where you came from, but die!”

Yeongjin swung his sword again and advanced.

Do-jae scrambled to dodge, but unaccustomed to his now several times larger frame, he stumbled and fell, his chest sliced open.

Puuwaaahh-!

‘Damn… getting stabbed by the sword I bought him…’

Realizing this couldn’t go on, Dojae tried to open his pocket dimension to retrieve the golem.

He thought if Yeongjin saw the golems moving under his command, he might catch on.

But not only did the golem fail to appear, the sub-space itself wouldn’t open.

‘Damn you, Louisden!’

Dojae cursed Louisden inwardly as he rose from his seat.

If anything, it was fortunate.

Whether his body had transformed into a monster or not, the wound healed instantly and the pain vanished.

‘He said one day, right? I have to hide this body somehow.’

Dojae reached out to push away the approaching Youngjin.

Thud!

Splash-.

“Guhhh.”

He’d only pushed lightly, but Young-jin slid far away, pushed out.

He hadn’t anticipated the length of his arm or his own strength, applying far too much force.

‘Sorry, Young-jin!’

Whoosh-!

Do-jae tensed his thighs and calves and leaped.

He planned to dodge people as much as possible, leaping between buildings and moving through the air.

But even that failed.

Thud-.

Dragged down by something, Dojae slammed into the floor.

A long, whip-like thing was tied around his ankle.

“How dare you cause a disturbance on this body’s day of rest!”

The man who dragged Dojae to the floor.

Wearing a leather jacket reminiscent of the Wild West and a cowboy hat, he was Rick Kurt, an American S-Class Hunter.