Chapter 664 – Longing (2)
Shocking?
If he were an ordinary person, perhaps. But Lorenzik was different. The mind of an explorer began to turn. Why did contradictory traces exist? He began to closely examine the evidence before him.
‘There are no signs of manipulation.’
What can you possibly learn from rings?
“It’s not ‘just’ that.”
Wasn’t the World Tree said to have risen alongside the birth of the Arcana continent? More precisely, it was about finding the traces of ‘creation’ engraved in the World Tree’s rings.
Soon, Lorenzik’s hand trembled slightly.
“…Is this truly how the great traces should appear?”
The rings, presumed to be traces of creation, were so densely packed that Lorenzik had to give up attempting to fully comprehend them. Then, let’s try to shift perspectives. Let’s think about how to explain the mysterious unofficial histories left behind on the Arcana continent.
“What if all of this is history from another timeline, not the current one?”
Even so, it was still incomprehensible.
“Why would this kind of world repeat like this…?”
The reason he called it ‘this kind of world’ was simple.
The Cataclysm.
As an explorer, Lorenzik had watched the Arcana continent slowly fall into ruin. He had witnessed and recorded the horrific tragedies and felt them firsthand. Of course, there was no guarantee that the flow of the Arcana continent’s past was the same as the current one.
In fact, the unofficial histories left behind didn’t mention the Cataclysm.
Suddenly, Lorenzik muttered.
“…After all, who would record such a tragedy in history?”
Why? He himself had written only about romantic events and didn’t hesitate to pen a book titled ‘The Bible After the Great Cataclysm.’ At that moment, Lorenzik pushed aside the stray thoughts.
‘For now, this is just a hypothesis.’
There was still much to confirm with his own eyes.
Lorenzik’s pupils darkened.
His voice, which usually had a light tone, was now serious.
“Perhaps my exploration ends here.”
*
*
read only on pindangscans
support me : https.//ko-fi.com/pindangscans & https://paypal.me/tbhe
*
*
As expected, the telepathy didn’t reach.
‘He must not be in the Arcana continent, then?’
I, who can send telepathy from the real world to the Arcana continent and vice versa, had no problem with that. But when it came to realms like the Demon World or Hell, worlds distinct from the Arcana continent, I lacked the understanding to send telepathy there.
‘Well, there’s nothing I can do about it.’
He claimed he hadn’t matured yet.
Lorenzik was still living as a boy,
but despite his appearance, he was not someone others should worry about.
‘After all, he fell into Hell alone and still managed to return unharmed.’
Instead of worrying about Lorenzik, it would be more prudent to focus on worrying about entering Hell without his help. I turned my gaze to Elsidor and Kinver.
Actually, I didn’t know much about Kinver other than that he had been a supernova in the past. But I didn’t worry. The tough Elsidor was looking after him…
“Don’t go around sniffing that scent, trash.”
“I know, I’m not an idiot.”
“That’s why I’m saying it.”
I also took [The Lycoris Flower That Grows from Blood] out of my inventory.
Its red glow was still enough to make me feel faint.
I couldn’t understand what was so resentful,
that it would want to drag others into Hell.
I thought to myself.
‘Maybe I’ll understand the reason when we pass the third gate.’
That said, thinking about the next first and second gates made my head start to ache. It was only with Grandfell’s help that I had been able to overcome the obstacles back then.
‘Forget it. Why worry in advance?’
Still, there’s nothing wrong with thinking a little positively.
After all, the debuff in Hell gets stronger as the weight of karma increases. No matter what, I had probably lived a bit more decently than you, Grandfell.
‘Being alone might actually be more comfortable in Hell.’
Alright.
I put those thoughts aside.
No matter what, the promised time had arrived.
“I’ll have dinner in Hell.”
I said that with a single word and inhaled the scent of the Lycoris Flower.
.
.
.
“…It’s quiet, unlike last time.”
Kinver spoke cautiously.
Elsidor and I, neither of us are the type to engage in unnecessary conversation. He must have opened his mouth to break the uncomfortable silence. But I didn’t have the leisure to understand his feelings.
‘This feels so unsettling.’
The trials of the first and second gates of Hell, which I had already prepared for. This time, no one was here to welcome us. It was an entirely different development compared to when the vengeful souls were pouring out and clinging to us the last time.
‘Is this because Grandfell isn’t here?’
See? Live a little better.
‘At least if I had said something nice…’
I was about to complain to Grandfell.
But Elsidor, for once, nodded at Kinver’s opinion.
“I also don’t sense any sin.”
…Really?
If that’s the case, I feel bad for scolding Grandfell unnecessarily.
If I’m not the only one feeling this unease, then it might be true that Hell has changed.
‘Perhaps it’s because we’ve already passed the gates.’
Well, from the perspective of the Arcana continent chronicles, maybe the shortcut to the dungeon has opened. Anyway, if only there had been a system at times like this to solve my doubts…
[■■■ ■■■■ ■■■■■.]
At this point, what am I even supposed to see?
‘But at least there’s something to rely on.’
In Hell, the Akshan seniors are there, right? If anyone knows about this phenomenon, it would definitely be them. Because of the trust, I was able to move forward without hesitation.
But isn’t it getting a bit too late…?
‘Shouldn’t they have appeared by now?’
The second gate.
We entered the Hell village where the festival was held. But there were still no vengeful souls or seniors to be seen. Was this a trap or an ambush? Kinver, who was quick-witted, dashed out first to check…
“There’s no sign of any threat.”
Nothing.
‘Nothing.’
Looking back now, I should have felt something amiss from that moment. But I didn’t, and instead, I thought it was fine, heading toward the third gate.
Without knowing what awaited us beyond it.
“…Sir?”
As we entered the third gate,
“?!”
All my bodily senses began to fade. It felt like an overwhelmingly powerful force was pulling at my body and mind, trying to separate them.
“…Sir!!”
It must have been because my legs wobbled. When Elsidor and Kinver urgently called my name, I realized two things.
First, I was the only one experiencing this pain.
‘Should I call this ‘fortunate in the misfortune’?’
Also, the only one who could see the hooded demon hunter ahead of me was me.
I desperately tried to hold on to my consciousness.
‘If I faint here, nothing will remain, Hoyeol.’
I came to Hell for the 30% of Grandfell’s truth that I still didn’t know, right?
Grinding my teeth so hard that they almost cracked, I looked at Akshan’s senior. Whoever he was, he must know how the third gate looks, and whether I’m the only one suffering in this altered state, and the reason behind it.
‘What should I know to be able to deal with this…’
Did my desperation reach the senior?
Finally, the hooded Akshan senior walked toward me.
I realized, too late.
It wasn’t a senior… it was a junior…?
I recognized the man as Shegwin, the Sword Saint. How did I recognize him? Don’t ask me. Of course, it was thanks to Grandfell.
Because we had matched our skills in the space-time duel.
I still remembered Shegwin’s unique stance.
And Shegwin, speaking to me, said, while Elsidor and Kinver still hadn’t recognized his presence:
“What is it that brought you to this Hell?”
What do you mean, what for?
‘How could you ask that?’
It’s for the truth about Grandfell, the one I don’t know.
It must have been conveyed without my words.
But, seemingly not understanding, Shegwin asked again.
“What is it that you seek the truth for?”
What for?
‘…Obviously, to reunite.’
Should I be more honest?
For Grandfell, who only knows pride, to ask me to kill him… That’s why I’m here, to end this nonsensical act.
I had come to Hell on my own.
“Is that so.”
Shegwin nodded quietly, his eyes seeming to understand everything at last.
I glared at him.
‘Now that you understand, do something about it.’
At this point, it was reaching my limit.
As I entered the third gate, the pressure that weighed down on me caused pain unlike anything I’d felt before. I was genuinely worried if my head would survive this…!
But I was overlooking something.
“One last thing I must ask.”
I was certain of one thing:
I had sent Shegwin to Hell myself.
I was sure of it.
Wasn’t this all your doing, huh?
You ask me questions while I’m barely hanging on, with no time to spare to save me?
‘…Fine then.’
I wanted to shout at him, but I had no energy left.
It would be faster to just answer him.
And just like that, Shegwin asked me again.
“If you cannot reach your goal, what choice will you make?”
*
*
read only on pindangscans
support me : https.//ko-fi.com/pindangscans & https://paypal.me/tbhe
*
*
Akshan.
They climbed up from Hell to hunt their final prey.
Along the way, some were subjected to the horrific punishments of Hell, but…
‘If it were them, they might even be welcoming it.’
Similarly, the demons who were punished would be eagerly awaiting the demon hunters so they wouldn’t get bored. Naturally, Shegwin did not head toward the Arcana continent.
‘It’s still too heavy a burden for me to escape Hell.’
The reason the demon hunters could defy Hell was that, by hunting demons even in Hell, they had cleared their “karma,” which had suppressed their physical forms.
‘The karma I bear is on a different level from the start.’
On the Arcana continent, honor always came with a price. But Akshan, those who pursued nothing but hunting demons, were different. In that sense, it was unexpected.
‘Why are you in so much pain?’
Shegwin knew.
Hoyeol and Grandfell were fundamentally different beings. Therefore, the moment Hoyeol entered the third gate, Shegwin guessed it. He thought it would be easy for Hoyeol to pass through the third gate.
But something was off.
‘Isn’t your sin too much to bear?’
It started then.
Shegwin’s prejudice, or rather, his unwarranted assumptions began to break.
Shegwin had vaguely thought that the reason they had faced trials upon their first entry into Hell was because of Grandfell’s sins, being the vessel of the Seven Deadly Sins. It was the only thing he could think of. No matter how proud, Grandfell was still a demon.
‘The sins of the Claudi family are never light.’
However, after hearing the answer to his question, Shegwin realized.
What had oppressed them was not Grandfell’s karma.
Thus, he asked one last question to confirm.
“If you cannot reach your goal, what choice will you make?”
To that question, Hoyeol replied.
No.
A Ray of Light, unlike any before, flared up.
“A world I cannot reach…”
So intensely that it could devour everything.
“Is not needed.”
*
*
*
—
read only on pindangscans
support me : https.//ko-fi.com/pindangscans & https://paypal.me/tbhe