Chapter 236 - Awl (1)

A dim room. White light filtering through wood-toned blinds. A two-hundred-dollar single mattress, a work desk with a laptop on it, and a tiny tea table pushed against the wall with just one chair.

A woman stood in that cramped room, utter confusion written across her face.

"This is..."

It wasn't an unfamiliar place. This was the first apartment she'd rented when she'd moved to New York for work—and the place she'd been summoned to at midnight on the fifteenth of every month for years.

"Why am I here...?"

Her head aching, the woman retraced her memories. Slowly, they came back one by one.

["It's a dark mage!!"]

["Buy me some time. I'll deal with this shortly."]

The first day in the Labyrinth, when the war broke out. The safe zone they'd reached through Mass Teleportation magic. The coldhearted choice they'd finally had to make after a long meeting of the leadership.

["Those royal bastards are abandoning us! They're trying to run! Stop them!!"]

Herself and her clanmates racing through the dimensional gate while the knights held off the explorers.

And then...

WHOOOOSH!

A magic circle pouring brilliant light out of the ground.

KABOOOOOOM!

A massive pillar of fire engulfing the sky.

"D-don't tell me..."

Only then did she understand why she was here, when she'd only just returned to the city through the dimensional gate.

"Fifteen days have passed...?"

The woman hurriedly switched on her laptop and browsed the forums to find out exactly what had happened. She did this sort of thing often enough that it didn't take her long to find the information she wanted.

Only 103 of the explorers who'd emerged through the dimensional gates had survived. Apparently, every one of them was unconscious, and even the Toberra Order's high priest, known as the "Proxy," had given up, saying there was currently no way to heal them.

"N-no..."

Versil Gouland, deputy commander of the La Ler Clan.

As reality sank in, her face drained of color.

* * *

As soon as my computer booted up, I checked the chat room first.

[Long Live Korean Independence] - 0 users online.

As expected, Lee Baekho hadn't come back this time either. Well, the Ghost Master had personally banned him. Even he probably couldn't do much about that.

Man, things really had been better when he was around.

'So the Observer of the Round Table is my only source of high-level information now...?'

Pushing aside my disappointment, I moved the mouse. The Round Table wouldn't open until three hours after the community did, so I planned to lurk until then and get a feel for the atmosphere.

'A lot of Players died too, just as I thought.'

Normally, as soon as the community opened, Players who'd been waiting for this moment flooded the Trade market, general discussion board, and other sections with posts.

But this time?

'Barely a third as many.'

It wasn't just the forums. The chat rooms were the same. Even the big rooms that always had at least fifty people in them now had barely more than ten.

"Ha..."

Seeing changes like this made me sigh. It felt like some great flood had swept over the world. Everywhere I went, everything had been washed away. Nothing was normal anymore.

'Will this place fill up with new newbies again, given enough time...?'

Yeah, it probably would. Even our own country had been left with nothing after the war, but look how far it had come.

By then, I probably wouldn't be a newbie anymore. I'd be a fairly high-tier Player.

Wait, was I already high-tier? Yeah, thinking about it, there couldn't be many others who'd even snagged a noble title.

CLICK, CLICK.

With those thoughts running through my head, I made the rounds of the various forums as though surfing the web. Most of the posts on every board were about the recent disaster, and I occasionally spotted discussions about me... No, they came up pretty damn often.

[What the hell is Bjorn Jandel's deal?]

-He was a rank-five explorer, so I figured he was in his thirties. Turns out it's only been a year since his coming-of-age ceremony?

-What have I been doing for the past five years?

I'd been mentioned a few times back during the third-floor Floor lord incident, but that was nothing compared to this. There were a staggering number of posts about me, and every one had dozens of comments.

[these99: He's not even really rank five. How is that guy rank five? If it weren't for the Guild merit score requirement, he'd easily be rank four already.]

[└OP: Wow, he's that good? After just one year? Now I feel even worse about myself.]

[└NExtlevEL: Rank four? That's a huge exaggeration. OP, no need to feel bad. Hitting rank five within a year is standard if you get good Essence drops.]

[└NExtlevEL: Oh, and he doesn't seem to have that many Essences either? Looks to me like he barely qualifies as rank five.]

[└these99: Rank five within a year is standard? Are you playing some game all by yourself? How can you spout bullshit about him barely qualifying? He already proved himself by beating the fucking shit out of the Corpse Collector.]

[└NExtlevEL: Are you American or something? They're obviously manufacturing a hero, and you're buying it. Even if he really won, you think he did it alone? His team carried him.]

[└Pnec: This guy's right. The Corpse Collector fought hundreds to one. How does that count as getting the fucking shit beaten out of him? Are you retarded?]

The Players tossed around opinions as though they were arguing about a celebrity online. Several comments made my heart skip a beat.

[fliccolo: I reckon he's a Player too.]

[└OP: Oh, that's possible. Why didn't I think of that?]

It was an inevitable question when someone rose to fame so quickly. Still, the path I'd taken worked in my favor.

[└arolf5205: A Player, my ass. If you'd ever seen him in person, you wouldn't be saying that lmao.]

[└stevencastle: Everyone saying this was lucky enough not to enter the Labyrinth. If you'd seen him bite off the Corpse Collector's ear while blind at the end, you'd never call him a Player.]

[└cherylvander: The ultimate man's man.]

[└Ykbell: When he screamed while stepping on those goblin traps, even I got fired up. First year or not, no modern person could ever have that spirit. Anyone who was there will agree.]

[COOOOL75: VEHELLLAAAAAA!!!]

Reading posts that either trashed me or sang my praises felt incredibly strange. I'd grown enough to become this much of a hot topic.

All that attention was a burden, but I figured it was something I'd have to go through if I wanted to climb higher. After all, I was going to keep climbing. There was no avoiding fame growing with the floors I reached.

'It's about time.'

After I'd spent a good while browsing, three hours had passed since I entered the community.

[03 : 01]

In the past, I'd gone in as late as possible to draw even a little more attention, but this time I entered as soon as it opened. I wanted to hear the small talk before the actual gathering, too.

'Surely everyone except the Clown hasn't died, right?'

Setting aside my slight unease, I quickly double-clicked.

Light flashed briefly before my eyes. When I came to my senses, I was in the familiar customization room. I hurriedly put on my usual suit and lion mask, then headed to the main room with the Round Table.

CREEEEAK.

Three people were already there: Goblin, Fox, and Stag Horns.

'Looks like that Clown bastard isn't here yet.'

As I entered, the three glanced at me and let out peculiar little exclamations.

"Ah..."

"Thankfully, you've come again today."

They did this every time I showed up.

Slipping into my Mr. Lion persona, I took my usual seat and propped my chin on my hand as though utterly uninterested. If I did this, they'd entertain themselves. All I had to do was close my eyes and listen.

"At any rate, that's four survivors already."

Goblin spoke almost to himself, apparently uncomfortable with the silence.

"Curious. I don't know about the others, but I thought you'd be in danger. How did you make it back alive?"

I was curious about that too. Apart from a few priests, most of the religious personnel had left through the dimensional gates. In other words, nearly all of them were fucking dead.

So what had happened with Goblin?

"Well, that concerns my identity, so let's just say I was lucky."

"Tch. As if it's some great secret."

Stag Horns smacked his lips when Goblin smoothly dodged the question. The two then exchanged some idle chatter.

Strangely, Fox didn't join in. Had they noticed too?

"Fox, something's off about you today."

"Yes. You've just been staring into space this whole time..."

Stag Horns and Goblin looked at Fox questioningly. A beat late, she started and tilted her head.

"... Sorry? What did you just say?"

"See? Something's definitely wrong."

"If something's happened, please tell us. I don't know about anyone else, but for you, Miss Fox, I'd do everything I could to help..."

Goblin seized the chance to hit on her. Fox let out a long breath and shook her head.

"Thanks for your concern, but it's nothing. So please leave me alone."

"Ah, yes. If you say so..."

Her tone was much sharper than usual. Looking embarrassed, Goblin changed the subject.

"Anyway, the others still aren't here?"

Only five minutes remained before entry closed. Two members had yet to arrive: the Clown bastard I'd been waiting so eagerly for, and Crescent Moon, who desperately wanted the Stone of Resurrection.

"Surely they haven't both died?"

"Hmm. I can't speak for Crescent Moon, but I doubt that Clown fellow is dead."

"... R-right? Probably?"

Goblin sounded vaguely disappointed as he replied.

That was when it happened.

CREEEEAK.

A customization room opened out in the hallway, and I heard someone moving.

'Is it the Clown?'

Trying to look indifferent, I turned to check.

And...

"Huh?"

I froze, just like Goblin and Stag Horns. It wasn't the mask I'd expected.

'Queen?'

A mask harmoniously set with brilliant jewels. Gold ornaments decorated the eye area like makeup, and the forehead was shaped like a crown. The outfit she'd chosen was an equally extravagant red dress.

'A returning member?'

The thought crossed my mind, but the Queen mask's elegant greeting told me otherwise.

"Oh, hello. I'm new, so there's a lot I don't know yet, but I look forward to getting along with you all."

She was a new member.

* * *

The first new member since I'd joined. Naturally, everyone's attention turned to her. Fox was the most eager of all.

"You're new? How exactly did you get in? Did you meet the Master too?"

Unlike the vacant, distracted woman she'd been a moment ago, Fox couldn't hide her excitement as she fired off questions.

"Yes, well... I suppose you could say that?"

At the Queen mask's tentative affirmation, the excitement in Fox's voice grew.

"Where is he? The Master! No, I just need to meet him. There's something I absolutely have to ask him..."

"Oh dear, I'm sorry. I'm afraid I can't help you with that."

Queen firmly drew the line. Then, smiling, she took charge of the conversation with an ease that hardly suited a newcomer.

"Anyway, shall we introduce ourselves?"

Queen spoke as though she owned the place, despite having only just met us. Stag Horns answered with apparent displeasure.

"The rules forbid using names."

"I see! Then you're Goblin, she's Fox, and this is Lion. Hmm, what should I call you, then?"

"Stag Horns."

"Not just Stag?"

"Your mask should have had its name written on it too."

"Oh! That's right. Then I suppose I'm Queen? Hehe."

While everyone's attention remained on Queen and they chatted away with her, I kept observing her. A mask couldn't hide everything.

Goblin had coppery skin, so I'd figured he was from Southeast Asia or South America. What about this woman?

'She's definitely Western, at least.'

Blue eyes and flowing blond hair. Her skin was very pale, like a white person's.

Of course, that was all her appearance told me, and none of it helped me guess her identity in this world. Even so, I couldn't take my eyes off her.

'I feel like I've seen her somewhere...'

An inexplicable sense of familiarity stirred. Why did I feel this way?

"Anyway, Miss Fox, it's so lovely to meet you. As you know, there aren't many female users, are there? Oh, and Mr. Goblin, you have such a wonderful voice. Mr. Stag Horns seems very kind too."

When Queen turned her gaze on me, radiating enough energy to exhaust anyone around her, Fox quickly spoke up with a warning.

"As for Mr. Lion... Listen."

"Yes?"

"I can see what sort of person you are, but I'd advise against getting too familiar with him."

"Huh? Why?"

Queen tilted her head. Fox glanced at me awkwardly. Did she think I'd put Queen in her place, like I'd done with Goblin?

Well, ordinarily, I might have. If one blast of Bloodlust could free me from that demonic energy, it'd be a fucking bargain.

But...

"Hmm, you're a man of very few words, Mr. Lion. Let's talk lots once we get to know each other!"

"..."

I merely ignored her instead of doing anything. The reason was simple.

I needed to save my strength.

'Looks like he's finally here.'

With about a minute left before entry closed, another door creaked open in the hallway.

"Oh, there are more members?"

Queen's monopoly on everyone's attention ended as their gazes shifted toward the sound.

"Well, well! So many of you survived!"

The Clown called out from a distance in that uniquely fucking obnoxious way of his.

"Honestly, Mr. Goblin, I thought you'd just di— Huh?"

The Clown tilted his head at Queen.

"Hello. May I call you Mr. Clown? You look like such a fun person. I'm so excited!"

"... What is this? Who is this frivolous woman?"

"A new member. Apparently she came on the Master's recommendation."

"Hmm... Is that so?"

After studying Queen, the Clown sat down. Then he lost interest in her and addressed me.

"Pfft, have you been well, Mr. Lion?"

The same old routine. This bastard was always acting friendly with me, as though I was the only person here who stood on equal footing with him.

"Look forward to it. I've brought quite a few entertaining stories this time."

What the fuck was this idiot talking about?

"..."

I slowly raised my Bloodlust. Normally, I had to consciously work myself into wanting to kill someone, but this time I didn't even need to.

'If it weren't for this bastard.'

Daria wouldn't have died. So many other explorers could have returned alive to their families' arms.

And what was this bastard doing now?

"Pfft, I don't see Crescent Moon. I suppose that one's dead?"

Grinning away, as carefree as ever.

Right. So...

"But why have you been so quiet this whole time, Mr. Lion?"

I opened my eyes, my mind filled with a single intent. Call it sincere Bloodlust.

"Are you feeling somew— Urk!"

The instant our eyes met, the Clown clutched his throat with both hands. He writhed in agony as though he'd entered a vacuum, then crumpled to the floor and twitched.

"...!"

The other members were bewildered, unable to understand what was happening.

I slowly rose from my chair and walked over to the Clown. Then I looked down at him from above.

"S-s-stop..."

It was almost funny. Always talking like a fucking idiot, treating everyone else like morons as though he was something special.

"Just like a bug."

No more acting friendly with me, you bastard.