Chapter 253

Justitia.

South Korea’s top-ranked guild, renowned for its devotion to justice. Its Guild Master was Seo Seohui, one of the Symbols of Eternity. They confronted sinister incidents and terrible calamities both at home and abroad.

“Guild Master, may I ask you something?”

“Of course. Ask whatever you like.”

“Do you believe it is right for our guild to take part in this case?”

“Since when has Justitia weighed cases by their severity?”

CLICK.

“Besides, this case...” Seo Seohui said as he put on his equipment. “I think it more than warrants the involvement of a major guild like ours.”

“... In terms of scale, perhaps, but surely you realize, Guild Master.”

“What, that the culprit has been far more docile than we could have imagined?”

“Yes. The head of the Moon Cult claims an evil god is behind this, but there isn’t even any solid evidence.”

“You aren’t dismissing the bishop of the Moon Cult, that so-called Tower of Wisdom, are you?”

“Not at all.”

“We should get that solid evidence at this meeting.”

Seo Seohui grinned at his colleague. “You’re always so afraid.”

“You’re so fearless that the rest of us have to be timid to compensate.”

“I don’t recall recruiting anyone timid into this guild.”

“Be that as it may, we cannot help worrying about your safety.”

“You’re still unhappy that I’m taking part in person, aren’t you?”

“I apologize if I’ve offended you.” His close aide, the Deputy Guild Master, bowed his head. “It’s just that you seem rather... unlike yourself when it comes to this case.”

“And how have I been acting?”

“You seem a little excited.”

“Ah, do I?” Seo Seohui nodded. “I suppose I might be.”

“... You’ve been like this ever since you heard Hunter Seo Jio would be attending the meeting.”

“I must have made it rather obvious. What do the others think?”

“It hasn’t been that obvious. Only the secretarial staff and I have noticed anything.”

“You’re right. I’ve wanted to speak with Hunter Seo Jio for quite some time.” Fully equipped, the Guild Master turned to face his colleague. “Weren’t you looking forward to meeting him too?”

“I won’t deny it entirely.”

Justitia pursued justice and order. It was a guild of people who understood the value of goodness. They already thought highly of Hunter Seo Jio, who was said to be a saint in all but name, embodying self-sacrifice in everything he did.

“He seems rather like you in some ways, Guild Master.”

“Like me? How so?”

“... I hear he’s a man of considerable initiative. Not that he disregards his own safety, but he always puts it second. Just like you.”

“I think so too.” He smiled as he always did. “I hope we can become good friends.”

“...”

The Deputy Guild Master lowered his head.

Seo Seohui, Justitia’s Guild Master, had a primary skill called “Friend.” It allowed him to be influenced by beings who mutually considered him a friend, and it was a passive skill he could not switch on or off.

‘... I hope he’ll be a good influence.’

But worry came first for the Deputy Guild Master.

‘Who knows what strange influence he might have on him?’

Put simply, the skill let him assimilate with his “friends.” The influence could be good or bad. The Deputy Guild Master feared he might acquire an even greater tendency toward self-sacrifice from Hunter Seo Jio.

Seo Seohui smiled at his deputy’s reaction. “We don’t even know whether he and I can become friends yet. Don’t start worrying already.”

“Is there anyone who could refuse once you set your mind to befriending them?”

“Of course there is. They’re everywhere.”

Even he couldn’t be friends with everyone in the world.

“I might not want to, or the other person might not. I am fairly sociable, but that doesn’t mean I have a skill that brainwashes or enthralls people.”

“Your ability to get along with people comes fairly close...”

“That’s far too much praise. Though my skill certainly is well suited to making friends.”

Seo Seohui checked the clock. “Shouldn’t we get going?”

“Yes. I’ll escort you.”

“Sorry to take up your time when you’re so busy, my friend.”

“It would be unthinkable not to accompany you when you’re stepping in personally.”

“I keep telling you there’s no need to worry so much.” He grinned. “We’ll win, just as we always do.”

That childish saying, that justice would prevail.

It was Justitia’s motto.

* * *

The meeting venue was none other than the Association’s party room.

When Justitia arrived at Association headquarters, the staff greeted them. They bowed deeply in respect to the Symbol of Eternity, then smoothly guided the group to the meeting venue.

“Oh, my.”

Association President Dan Haera was waiting there for her friend.

“I’d heard, but I didn’t think you’d actually come.”

“If my friend, who’s so busy she might work herself to death any day now, is making an appearance, how could I possibly lounge about in my comfortable office?”

“Quite the flatterer, aren’t you? You get smoother every time I see you.” Wearing her usual doll-like smile, Dan Haera asked, “So what’s the real reason?”

“This isn’t like the mermaid incident.”

That had been a disaster not merely nationwide, but worldwide, requiring considerable manpower from Justitia. With a clearly defined enemy, the response had been equally clear. It had been something they could resolve without their Guild Master intervening personally.

But this was different.

“It’s too abstract.”

Vast in scale, with an ill-defined enemy.

“I hear side effects are already becoming fairly common.”

“More and more people are becoming addicted to the dreams and trying to find the dungeon itself.”

“Right. Apparently the dreams themselves aren’t the dungeon. The real dungeon lies beyond them.”

“That seems to have stirred their desire for conquest. They’ve become even more proactive.”

“And if we leave this alone, all of society will collapse.”

It was a society he and his friends had worked hard to build. A flawed world, but one striving to improve. Much had been done, both right and wrong, yet more blood still had been spilled.

“We can’t let that happen.”

“I agree.”

The immediate damage was minor, but the potential danger was far too great.

They moved on to exchanging everyday small talk. Association President Dan Haera still wore her mechanical smile, but her friend Seo Seohui could tell she was in a fairly good mood.

‘She must have been exhausted.’

Seo Seohui knew what Dan Haera had given up for the world they had today.

“... Looks like people are starting to arrive.”

“We agreed to meet at three.”

“He’ll be coming too, won’t he?”

“You mean Hunter Seo Jio?”

“Yes.”

Seo Seohui studied his friend.

“...”

“...”

They both knew the other had felt the same thing.

‘... Will seeing him in person make it clearer? I’m merely a party to the contract, but Haera is the owner of the promise. Surely she’ll be able to tell.’

Association President Dan Haera’s skill was called “Promise.” It was a sort of transaction through which she could secure a promise of fate. By offering objects or concepts, she could be promised something of equal value.

Memories and emotions offered the greatest value for the cost. Dan Haera and her friends had sacrificed them to forge the Korea of today. That was why they were so interested in the man known as Hunter Seo Jio.

‘When I saw the photos and footage the reporters took of him, something definitely felt... strange.’

He might be someone connected to their “promises.”

‘But I have no idea which promise he’s bound to.’

From what he had heard, Hunter Seo Jio was twenty-nine. Considering that they themselves were now in their fifties, he was most likely bound to an abstract promise.

‘Which means we might owe Hunter Seo Jio something.’

That was why Seo Seohui had been looking forward to meeting him. He had already grown fond of the man, and the thought that he might also be a comrade affected by “Promise” made his excitement inevitable.

‘Well, our connection could be an unhappy one. But I can find that out in time.’

Soon afterward, the head of the Moon Cult and her priests entered the meeting room.

“We’ve been seeing each other rather often lately, haven’t we?”

“A pity. It would be better if there were fewer such occasions.”

“Please, take your seats. We have already prepared the materials you sent ahead, along with those gathered by the Association.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

Next came Collector.

“All these familiar faces in one place!”

Bi Sabeol was the first to enter.

“It’s been a while, everyone. I’ve rather neglected to keep in touch, haven’t I?”

“Yes, it has been a while, Guild Master Bi Sabeol.” Once again, the Association President indicated their seats with a mechanical smile. “Please take the places marked Collector.”

“As cold as ever... After so long apart, couldn’t you spare me a bigger smile?”

“I always smile for everyone.”

“That is precisely what I mean by cold, but it’s good to see that side of you too. Thank you for the invitation. We’ll take our seats.”

Had something put him in a good mood? More overt in his manner than usual, Bi Sabeol grinned at Curator Garasani, the fifth-floor chief, who followed him in.

“Where is our Hunter Seo Jio?”

“He seems to be running a little behind because he’s having a brief conversation with one of the Moon Cult’s priests.”

“Then he’ll be here soon.”

There were still about five minutes until the appointed time of three o’clock. No one had broken their commitment, so Collector could hardly be faulted. Above all, there was no chance that “Hunter Seo Jio,” The Root itself, would fail to keep a promise...

True to those words, two more people entered the meeting room ten seconds before three.

“I’m sorry. I’m a little late.”

“It’s all right. Please take a seat.”

“Then...”

As the priest awkwardly took his seat, Hunter Seo Jio, who had entered with him, sat down on Collector’s side. Dan Haera and Seo Seohui watched him.

He radiated the warm divinity associated with the Sun God, along with the pure energy peculiar to priests. His manner was elegant and upright, and the smile on his lips bore a certain resemblance to Dan Haera’s.

“...”

“...”

... Beyond that, they sensed nothing particularly unusual.

‘... Perhaps I’ll be able to tell once we talk.’

With that thought, Seo Seohui turned to the Association President.

‘Ah.’

In an instant, he understood what she meant.

What had she seen? Her look seemed to say, “Let’s talk later,” suggesting she had noticed something. Seo Seohui spoke up to let things proceed naturally.

“It seems everyone is here, wouldn’t you say?”

“I believe so.” Dan Haera nodded. “Let’s begin.”

They had gathered to discuss how to respond to the new S-class dungeon, the Amusement Park of Dreams.

* * *

The meeting did not last long.

“The saintess of the Moon Cult has been taken by the evil god of dreams.”

There was already an unmistakable victim, after all.

“What further concrete harm do we need?”

“I agree with the bishop of the Moon Cult.”

The Association President also sided with the Moon Cult.

“You carried out our Association’s commission with great thoroughness. Thanks to that, we were able to examine records within the dungeon concerning its master, that evil god.”

By passing beyond the surface, which could be considered a lucid dream, and venturing deeper, one could reach the Amusement Park of Dreams. There, members of the Moon Cult and Association staff had obtained information about the “evil god.”

“He is called the evil god of blood and wrath. We’ve confirmed that pleasure, fear, and war are also terms that describe this Divinity. Even within the dungeon, he seems to be regarded as a very ancient evil god... And it appears he has awakened again.”

“Why Earth, of all places?”

“We can surmise that Earth’s present condition makes this the ideal time for the Amusement Park of Dreams to run rampant. There must have been numerous candidates, and we could say we drew the winning ticket. Any more detailed explanation will require investigation.”

“We must assume that this Divinity evolved while sealed away. Compared to his past reign over the world through bloodshed and terror alone, the means he now employs are highly intelligent. He is touching on humanity’s greatest desires.”

“While it cannot compare to direct harm such as that suffered by the Moon Cult’s saintess, definite victims are already emerging. There have been more than a few cases of people becoming addicted to sleeping pills and nearly dying.”

“What’s interesting is that no one has actually died. How could that happen unless the evil god intervened personally? The Divinity behind this prank knows very well how to manipulate humans.”

“Precisely. Since no one has actually suffered major harm, citizens are gradually losing their self-control. It occurred to me that the evil god’s objective might not merely be society’s collapse, but the expansion of his power. He might intend to colonize the entire Earth.”

“At this rate, we may be led around helplessly until the evil god devours Earth. And of all things, he’s a Divinity. To think a being so difficult even to seal, with no better way to deal with it, would set its sights on Earth...”

Justitia’s Guild Master spoke. “We have faced countless situations like this before.”

“Guild Master Seo Seohui is right. This is simply another obstacle we must overcome.”

“Then it seems we already have the conclusion to this meeting.”

They needed to mount a subjugation campaign.

“We must close the Amusement Park of Dreams. We need to block the passage of mystery so it can no longer interfere with Earth, and devise measures to help citizens focus on reality.”

“I trust the Association and the government will handle measures for citizens addicted to dreams or showing signs of addiction. In that case, our own course is clear as well.”

A Virtual Dungeon without even an entrance. What humanity had to confront was not an unkillable Divinity, but their own desires and thirst. Their enemy had found a most insidious weakness to exploit.

“This concludes our first meeting. Before the next one is arranged, I would appreciate each organization’s leader submitting a clear plan for entering and dealing with the Amusement Park of Dreams. By then, the Association will consult with the government and present policies to aid affected citizens.”

With their course decided, it was time to put it into action.

* * *

After the meeting ended, Seo Seohui, Justitia’s Guild Master, called out to Seo Jio.

“Hunter Seo Jio?”

“Since chance has brought us together, could we talk for a moment?”

“You’re very sociable, Guild Master Seo Seohui.”

“Ah, I hear that often.”

“Do you?” Jio smiled. “How unexpected.”

He hadn’t even known how to smile back then.

With that thought, Jio agreed to talk.

(To be continued)