Chapter 26 - The Chosen Ones (2)

"... Talk?"

"Yes. Honestly, I'm pretty bewildered."

The audience chamber. The twelfth-floor stage, modeled after some empire's palace. My quiet voice drifted through its center.

"I don't know why you're attacking me, Sword Star. This may be your first time seeing me, but I've always admired your sublime swordsmanship. Having you draw your sword on me without warning puts me in a very awkward position."

The Sword Star's expression hardened, even though everything I was saying was true.

'Of course it would.'

There was a reason the old man's face had gone rigid. On the day we first met—that night the Sword Star no longer remembered—he had shouted this the moment he saw me.

["Did you think I wouldn't know you were an elite assassin sent by Black Dragon?"]

["I don't know whether the Black Dragon Witch sent you or someone else hired you, but I shall kill you with everything I have!"]

He had suspected me of being an assassin.

'An assassin trained by Black Dragon, at that.'

He was probably harboring the same suspicions now: that I was an assassin who had stained my hands with countless lives on Black Dragon's payroll. No, his suspicions might be even worse.

'An elite assassin secretly trained by the five great guilds, for instance.'

"Hmm, fair enough." The attendant spirit nodded. "From an outsider's perspective, you really are strange, Zombie."

'Exactly.'

A new hero appearing when nobody expected one! A mere E-rank hunter had conquered an impregnable stage. What's more, immediately afterward, he'd struck a deal with the five great guilds and been promised treatment equal to their leaders...

'Suspicious doesn't begin to cover it.'

"Right. To old man Markus, you're not a self-made hunter. You're a fake hero the big guilds conspired to manufacture. Tsk, tsk." The attendant spirit clicked his tongue.

"Zombie, did you say your kill count was around 4,090?"

'It's probably showing 4,093 now.'

"Right. To the old man, 4,093 isn't simply the number of people you've killed. Because you're not a hunter operating alone—you're someone raised from the ground up to be the big guilds' lackey."

From the Sword Star's perspective, it could hardly look any other way.

"In short..."

'Yes.'

All in it together.

'He'd see it as the number of people the big guilds have assassinated through me.'

The great guilds that ruled the Tower had assassinated at least 4,093 people. It was nothing more than a misunderstanding, a mistaken impression... but even so, to that elderly gentleman, the scene must have looked utterly revolting.

"Hah."

Had the Sword Star been even slightly less righteous, he would have backed down here.

"The outside world or Babylon. There's truly no difference."

But the Sword Star knew no compromise. Even if he did, he rejected it.

"Ever since I entered the Tower, you lot have courted me almost daily, asking me to join your guilds. But I firmly refused. Do you know why?"

The Sword Star tightened his grip on his sword. His hand was old, its flesh sagging. But the veins bulging beneath his skin hadn't aged in the slightest. A lion's mane might grow old, but its fangs remained sharp.

"I wanted to show that here in the Tower, in this new world, one could reign at the summit even alone."

He glared at everyone with eerily blue eyes.

"Blood ties. Nationality. Background. Unlike the outside world, which reeks from being bound to such things, here, a single sword is enough to stand supreme. One can succeed through talent and effort alone."

"..."

"It was to demonstrate that hope to everyone that I have never formed a clique. Yet what have you lot been doing?"

The Sword Star leveled his blade at them.

"You are no different from muddy water that has already stagnated and rotted."

The guild leaders stirred. Rage. Humiliation. Resentment. Ink-dark emotions flickered across their faces. The Sword Star's words were a declaration of war. Some, like the Inquisitor, continued smiling as though nothing had happened, but most of the guild leaders' expressions twisted.

"Sword Star. Of all people, how could you say that..."

"Ha! Already forgotten how you alone ducked out when we were clearing the fifth floor? Old man, looks like dementia's scrambled your brain!"

"Indeed, Mr. Kallenberg. Had you used your connections outside to help us, our current food shortage would be far less severe, and our Union..."

The clamor seethed. The hunters gathered here had known one another since the Tower's earliest days. Had so much built up between them? As their emotions collided, the atmosphere in the audience chamber swiftly turned murky.

"As number one, you should have behaved in a way befitting your rank. But you were too good for everyone else. You lived for yourself. Do you have any idea how many hunters we could have saved if you hadn't been so full of yourself?" the Black Dragon Witch said, as though uttering a curse.

"Not just the fifth floor! On the seventh and ninth, too, we could've halved our losses if you'd cooperated, old man!" The Heavenly Martial School's Viper radiated murderous intent.

"You're a grown man who was supposedly part of a wealthy business dynasty outside. Had you lent a hand, our current system would have settled into place far more smoothly. We're rotten muddy water, you say? Very well. Then you're nothing but a child with no sense of responsibility." The Union's Count glared venomously.

An utter mess. Faced with the guild leaders' curses, bloodlust, and glares, the Sword Star merely furrowed his brow once. The words he tossed out only fanned the flames.

"Quiet."

"..."

"Grown adults, yet you prattle on and on... Do you think I'm your grandfather? Enough. If you wish to challenge me, do it with a sword."

The atmosphere in the audience chamber grew uncontrollably hostile.

"Ha! That's old man Markus for you. Just what I'd expect of my one and only disciple." Only the attendant spirit, oblivious to the mood, voiced his admiration.

"Nothing disgusts me more than hunters babbling about connections and politics. If you've got time to worry about that crap, swing your sword once more instead!"

He had a point. But... unlike the attendant spirit, what I felt first was sadness.

"Only ten people here, and you're still fighting."

The hunters, poised on the brink of violence, looked at me. I sighed.

"Even the eleventh-floor NPCs fought together to defend their empire. But look at us hunters. We're screaming and pointing fingers over whose fault it is. Isn't being worse than NPCs a little embarrassing?"

"... Hunter Kim Gongja." The Witch spoke. "This has nothing to do with you. It's more serious than you think—"

"I know. I understand. But if we're supposed to be hunters, there's something else we ought to be doing."

I swept my gaze around the audience chamber.

"Let's focus on clearing the twelfth floor first."

"..."

"Giving people hope is good. Trying to minimize casualties while conquering the Tower is admirable. It's all good. But please, put some effort into clearing the stage right in front of us."

I spoke while looking pointedly at the Sword Star.

"They may just be NPCs... but their empire is in danger of being destroyed, isn't it? They're asking for help. If the people summoned as heroes don't give a damn about the empire's safety and just bicker among themselves, how disgraceful is that?"

"You little..."

I meant every word. The Sword Star couldn't threaten my life any further here anyway. The difference in our sides' strength was clear. So now my only concern was how to clear the twelfth floor. The hunters' tangled emotional disputes and political battles were none of my interest.

"What's so special about being a hero? Solve something someone else couldn't, and you're a hero. We've cleared the eleventh floor, so let's handle the remaining stages."

"Kim Gongja is right."

Fortunately, one hunter supported me: the Paladin. The Vigilantes' deputy guild leader stepped forward.

"I find it difficult to understand why the Sword Star attacked Kim Gongja, but at least one thing is clear: this isn't the time to fight among ourselves. Everyone has gotten too worked up."

"..."

"..."

The Paladin stepped in to mediate. Yet nobody lowered their guard. The Sword Star, Viper, the Count, the Inquisitor—all remained ready to attack at a moment's notice. Words alone couldn't persuade them... They distrusted one another too deeply, because of all the feelings that had piled up over the years.

"Haah." Perhaps realizing that, the Paladin sighed. "Very well. There's no other choice. I'll make a small sacrifice."

At the word sacrifice, the hunters turned. With everyone's eyes on the Paladin, a quiet utterance followed.

"Skill card, open."

Light flared! A soft glow rose from the Paladin's hand. A moment later, a silver card appeared in midair. A card nobody else could ever see without its hunter's permission—the Paladin's skill card.

"... Deputy leader." The Witch looked concerned. Top-ranked hunters almost never revealed their skill cards. Skills were a hunter's secret weapons. Showing one openly to others was as good as scoring an own goal.

"It's fine. I don't mind." Yet the Paladin willingly turned the card over. "Everyone, take a good look."

+

[Lie Detector]

Rank: A-

Effect: You can tell whether the other party is lying. Applies not only to people, but also to NPCs and monsters! However, what the other party believes to be 'true' may objectively be 'false.' Trust or suspicion? The final choice is always yours.

※However, there is no guarantee that people will believe you.

+

My eyes widened.

'Lie Detector!'

That was the skill the Flame Emperor had once falsely claimed to possess. So that was it. The Paladin had it, not that flaming bastard.

'What a perfect skill for the Vigilantes' deputy leader!'

The Vigilantes were a guild that maintained public order. Naturally, the Tower was crawling with criminals. Just look: hadn't even number-one hunters like the Flame Emperor and the Sword Star murdered me where nobody could see? That was the kind of world this was. [Lie Detector] would be enormously useful for identifying criminals.

"As you can see," the Paladin said, holding the card, "I have the ability to recognize another person's lies. It would be no exaggeration to call this the skill that raised me to deputy guild leader of the Vigilantes. Sword Star."

"... What is it?"

"If you will trust me, ask Kim Gongja anything you like, right here. I will tell you whether his answer is true or false."

The Paladin looked between the Sword Star and me with an impassive gaze.

"Kim Gongja, the same applies to you. If you will trust me, I will vouch for whether your words are true or false."

"..."

"Suspicion is a poison that eats away at people, and truth is the strongest antidote. We may not recover the trust lost until now, but at least we will be able to cooperate on the twelfth floor."

"Hmm..." The Sword Star stroked his beard, lost in thought.

'Wow.' I, too, thought to myself. 'What a fucking windfall.' This was the best possible opportunity.

It was an unexpected stroke of luck. But... this was the right answer. After all, the reason I'd come under suspicion was the Sword Star's skill, [Detective's Insight]. If a skill had caused the suspicion, wasn't it only natural to dispel it with another skill?

"I'm fine with it." I answered immediately. In situations like this, whoever accepted first had the advantage.

"... Young lady Paladin. You're the only person here who has never harmed a single person. Very well. I shall trust you too." The Sword Star accepted with a meaningful remark.

She nodded.

"I'll take that as both of you agreeing. Now, Sword Star, please question Kim Gongja. On my honor and the Vigilantes' reputation, I will fairly verify your exchange."

"Hmm." The Sword Star glared at me. His face was solemn, as though he'd been waiting for this very moment. Perhaps he thought he was about to expose me to the world as a terrifying villain. Whatever the case, his eyes were certain of victory.

"Oh dear..." The attendant spirit wailed beside me. "Oh deary me, old man Markus. You stubborn old geezer. This is why I keep telling both you and Zombie not to rely too much on skills. Live by skills, and someday skills will betray you! Oh dear, oh dear."

'Please be quiet.'

Unfortunately, his voice couldn't reach the Sword Star. This ghost bastard was my ghost bastard now.

"Hunter Kim Gongja."

"Yes."

"You have murdered over four thousand people. Have you not?"

He thrust out his hand! With the hand that wasn't holding his sword, the old man pointed at me. How should I put it? It was as though he were shouting, 'How's that! Now the time has come for all your evil deeds to be laid bare before the world!'

I smiled.

"Yes."

"Oh, look at that! You despicable wretches. I shall expose what you've done by employing this boy as an assassin, and proclaim it to the world—"

"False," the Paladin said.

"What?"

"False," she repeated impassively. "Kim Gongja answered 'yes' to your question just now, didn't he? That answer was a lie. In short, Kim Gongja has not murdered over four thousand people."

"..."

"Any further questions?"

Silence. While the Sword Star kept his mouth shut, only the Paladin tilted her head.

"But four thousand? How strange. Can one person kill that many people? Common sense suggests that would be nearly impossible."

"Th-that is because you lot... raised this young man as an elite assassin..."

I beamed.

"That's right. I'm an elite assassin."

"False."

"..."

The elderly swordsman's mouth hung open blankly.

"Y-young lady Paladin. I misjudged your character! I believed that you, at least, would mediate honestly!"

"Whether to trust my words is up to you," she replied steadily. "Believe me if you wish. Don't if you don't. Didn't I ask both of you the same question at the beginning? Whether you would truly trust me?"

"..."

"If you intend to go back on your word now, that's a little... petty. No, very petty. Sword Star, this isn't like your usual conduct."

"W-wait!" The old man hurriedly looked at me. "Surely you cannot have never murdered anyone at all!"

"Oh, yes. That's true. I have killed someone else before."

The Paladin nodded.

"True."

"There, you see!"

"But just one person."

"... What?"

The Paladin nodded again.

"True."

"..."

"Of course, only killing one person doesn't change the fact that I'm a murderer. But, Sword Star, while I can't claim to be entirely blameless, I can tell you this: I killed that bastard because he truly deserved it. Because he tried to kill me first."

"True."

"No, if he'd only tried to kill me, that would've been mild by his standards. That bastard was a mass murderer. A mass murderer! I even witnessed him committing murder once, and wow—he burned someone to death without batting an eye! That fucking bastard!"

"True."

"I don't know for sure, but he must've killed dozens. No, easily hundreds. Yes. He was capable of it. That's the kind of man I killed. Call me a murderer all you want. But you know what? Even if I went back into the past again, I'd take him out first. Holy shit. How can a human being be as vicious as him?"

The Paladin slowly nodded.

"All true."

"..."

The Sword Star fell silent. Slowly, the old man looked around. His expression said he had no idea what was happening, but looking around probably helped him understand. Because all the guild leaders were staring at him with eyes that said, '... What are you doing?'

"Ahahaha! Ahaha!" The Inquisitor clutched his stomach and roared with laughter.

"Hunter Kim Gongja, an elite assassin for our five great guilds? What an interesting idea! It would have been wonderful if that were true, but, Sword Star! Unfortunately, we only met Hunter Kim Gongja yesterday!"

"For the record, that is also true."

"..."

The Sword Star's silence deepened.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Those who rise by skills shall fall by skills." The attendant spirit did nothing but click his tongue.

"Well. Anyway, I've answered all your questions." I smiled mischievously. There really wasn't a single thing wrong with Lord Gongja's words.

"It seems there was a major misunderstanding between us. I'm glad it was only a misunderstanding. But, Sword Star, you attacked me because of it, and if the guild leaders hadn't protected me, there's a very high chance I would've died, isn't there? Truly unjustly."

"..."

"I think I ought to hear an apology at this point. What do you say?"

The Paladin nodded.

"Perfectly true. An entirely sound argument, without a single leap in logic."

"..."

"Apologize to Kim Gongja already, Sword Star."

The old man's face lost all sign of life.