Chapter 287: The Space-Time World (2)
“Insane bastard.”
Lee Su-yeon responded harshly when she realized that she was being used. Well, it didn’t mean much. Henigus’s expression didn’t change.
“Insane, huh…? Ms. Grape Jam, didn’t you kill challengers from another dimension even though it wasn’t for a duel?”
“That’s…”
“The same goes for me. Is it wrong to try to kill others to protect this dimension where I was born and raised?”
What sophistry. There were billions of people on Earth, and most people killed deserved it. Lee Su-yeon, who was about to say that, shut her mouth. There was only a difference in size, but the fundamentals appeared the same.
“In that sense, it is an attractive enough proposal for both of you.”
“An attractive one…?”
Lee Su-yeon sighed.
“Yes. If you help me, I’ll strengthen the equipment you wanted, Ms. Grape Jam. And for Mr. Predator, I’ll give you the information you wanted.”
Yoon-seok smirked.
“How do you know what I want?”
“…I’m guessing, so I’m not 100% sure. But it must be right. If you help me, I’ll give you the information that you need most.”
“I don’t need it.”
“It seems you lack trust.”
“Talkers learn by getting their heads split first.”
This was what Cheon-ma said, so as the Co-Sect Leader, he had no choice but to follow. However, Henigus remained calm.
“Predation, Divine Ultimatum, Force Shield, Demonify, Triple Cut, Metallurgy, Death God, Commander Call, Judgement of the Ruined Monarch, Thunder Sword, Incarnation…”
“What are you trying to do?”
“I’m reciting your unique skills, Mr. Predator.”
Yoon-seok’s expression froze over.
“Did you do a background check on me?”
“No way. It is all thanks to the effectiveness of my unique skill b Precision Analysis}.”
Yoon-seok already knew what sort of skill it was.
“That’s a terrible one.”
“I partially sympathize with your feelings. It would be unpleasant if others knew more about me than I did.”
“In other words, is this the case with you and me now?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
Henigus nodded.
“For example, there is the Soul Bonding. You haven’t used it yet, so you don’t know what it can do.”
That was true.
“…What kind of skill is it?”
Yoon-seok was honestly curious. It was a one-time skill so he couldn’t test it.
“It is the ability to summon the contracted person. Even if they are far away, you’ll share their mana and vitality.”
If that’s true, it was a pretty good skill. If he asked Cheon-ma to make the bond, would she? When he thought about it, Henigus poured cold water over his head.
“However, the contract can only be made with a being that is a soul.”
“Hm…?”
“For example, an administrator or so. But would they sign this contract with a challenger? When you die, their souls will also disappear. It’s a skill that can’t be used.”
“…I see.”
Yoon-seok nodded as if he agreed, but Elle would say yes.
“Anyway, is this enough to prove it? The fact that I know everything about you.”
Strictly speaking, not everything because he didn’t know anything about his relationship with Elle. However, it was a useful ability. If only this kid stopped looking down on people.
“I could tell you what is going on in your body and soul right now.”
“It sounds like there’s a time bomb in me.”
“Well, that’s not wrong. Then, what will you do?”
Was he trying to make up a disease to sell his medicine? Yoon-seok wasn’t sure.
—Wouldn’t it be strange if the avatar’s information was synchronized with the real body and everything was fine?
But when he gained his unique powers, that administrator said something quite meaningful. Besides…
—Wake up. Then everyone will know.
The Queen, Disaster, and Britzmann all said strange things of a similar nature. However, as time passed, Yoon-seok thought. Waking up might have been some sort of arrangement that Rick made while choosing his next life.
“A lot of precious time has passed, so I hope you can answer soon.”
Perhaps this was his opportunity to check. However.
“Would you like to accept my offer?”
“Of course, I refuse it.”
Yoon-seok had no intention of slaughtering millions of people. The moment he crossed the line, it all became meaningless.
“That’s weird. You will be able to get a lot of points with your skill.”
Certainly, it would earn him a lot of AP.
“Oh, is this greedy bargaining? If so, I will even strengthen the item you want.”
Perhaps he thought Yoon-seok had rejected it because of insufficient compensation, so Henigus added to the offer.
“For your information, there are only two times left, so I can’t give you more than this. So, what are you going to do?”
Henigus emptied his wallet even though Yoon-seok didn’t ask for anything. Well, his answer was already decided.
“I don’t need it.”
As Cheon-ma herself said, sometimes negotiations weren’t meant to be.
If you couldn’t catch two rabbits by yourself, perhaps you were too weak.
* * *
Even though Yoon-seok drew his sword, there was no change in Henigus’s expression. He just stared at the Dimensional Stone held in Yoon-seok hand and asked.
“It’s unfortunate. It could have been a good relationship. Anyway, since this happened, will you please return it to me?”
Yoon-seok had no intention of returning it. They needed this so that he couldn’t run away.
“Hmm, as expected. That’s why I don’t trust humans.”
Henigus smacked his lips as if he was disappointed. And that moment-
“…?”
The Dimensional Stone in Yoon-seok’s hand disappeared. When he came to his senses, it was already in Henigus’s hands. He didn’t even detect mana, nor was there a command. So how?
— Planar coordinate quantum transfer skill.
According to Lynn, it appeared to be the power of a simple skill.
‘Is it possible for a person to teleport?’
—It is quite possible.
‘Then how about stopping it?’
—It is impossible.
Yoon-seok would hold him and discuss matters calmly, but this would change the story.
Wheesh-!
As soon as Lynn’s reply came, Yoon-seok swung his sword. However, just before the sword touched Henigus-
Whoosh-!
He disappeared with a blurry afterimage.
[All dimensional movement abilities, including Tickets, are limited.]
Perhaps Dimensional Muscle wasn’t working because of this rule.
‘Is it because it’s not a skill he got from the Tower?’
It was highly likely, but Yoon-seok wasn’t sure. Nor did it matter right now. Henigus left, and the remaining soldiers watched with disbelief.
“It would be wise not to block me.”
“What?”
“If you want to leave alive.”
Yoon-seok suddenly hardened as the soldiers turned to dust and disappeared without any time to answer him, leaving only their clothes behind. They had mana, so Yoon-seok thought they were challengers, but they seemed more like summoned beasts.
‘…Did I lose it?’
Yoon-seok clicked his tongue. Henigus was ranked 12th, the same as himself. Considering how monstrous the power of the high rankers was, it would be possible for him to kill millions in two days.
‘It’s getting troublesome.’
They hadn’t fought properly, but Yoon-seok felt it instinctively. Henigus was a type of challenger he had never met before.
“Oppa, what do we do now?”
They lost the Dimensional Stone, their primary goal, and a new problem appeared.
For now, there are three options. Finding Cheon-ma somewhere in the Space-Time World and joining forces. Chasing after the Henigus, whom they just lost. And giving up on Henigus and focusing on the healing specialist and rival who were unknown.
“For now, it would be better to meet her first.”
Yoon-seok’s heart was inclined towards the former. Their purpose in coming to the Space-Time World was to find the healing specialist, but what the little boy said caught his heart. There was a time bomb in his body and soul?
It was necessary to find and check what it was. It would be nice if he could also prevent a massacre simultaneously.
“…Her? Don’t tell me you came here with Big Sister?”
“Kind of.”
Yoon-seok felt a strange sense of shame. Even before the full-scale negotiations could begin, Henigus fled by teleportation, and Yoon-seok chose to join Cheon-ma first before finding him. However, there was a problem here as well.
“So, where is she?”
“…We’ll have to look.”
Where the hell was Cheon-ma? Lee Su-yeon sighed.
“I’ll try to contact her.”
“Oh, that’s right. There was that, right?
Come to think of it. If she used her communication ability, she could contact Cheon-ma. While Lee Su-yeon sent a message, Yoon-seok checked the situation outside.
“The blockade order for Area 12 has been issued! Everyone retreat!”
The Imperial Army in robots was retreating in a line. Yoon-seok didn’t know for sure, but seeing that it was called District 12, it seemed there were several such subterranean cities like this. That made sense. Even as large as it was, it couldn’t accommodate millions of people.
“Oppa.”
“Yes, did you get in touch with her?”
“Yeah. I did, but…”
“Why? What did she say? Where is she?”
“I don’t know where she is. She asked me if I was okay, and she said she was fighting someone, so I’ll call her again later….”
Lee Su-yeon was dumbfounded, but Yoon-seok’s expression hardened as he listened.
“She is fighting?”
Cheon-ma used such an expression as proof that her opponent was unusual.
“With whom?”
“I don’t know, I’ll ask.”
Lee Su-yeon went silent again, and only her lips twitched.
At that moment-
Bzzzzzzzzzzz—
A huge magic circle spread over the underground city. Yoon-seok looked up blankly. This magic was familiar. The soldiers who were escorting Henigus had similar mana.
‘…Has it already begun?’
Whatever came out of that magic circle, the caster’s intention was clear. He said he had to kill millions of people in one day, after all.
‘Huh, he’s in a hurry.’
He was going to blow the whole thing away from here.
Whoosh-!
To protect himself, Yoon-seok raised his mana first. Just in time, Lee Su-yeon received a response from Cheon-ma.
“Oh, Oppa! I got a reply! She said she was fighting some kind of Lowly Monk? Do you know who she’s talking about?”
It was obvious. There was only one person whom she would call a Lowly Monk. But how they got here was another matter.
Bzzzzzzzz—
Khiek! Khiek! Khieeeeeek—!
Without giving them much time to think about it, a roar emanated from the magic circle above them.
“I-it’s the Eye of the Watcher! R-run away!”
Did they know what this magic circle was? The retreating Imperial Army fell into a collective panic, and the extraterrestrial-looking monsters grew even more excited and started to riot.
“Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!”
Indeed, this was the Space-Time World…
“Oh, it’s chaotic.”
It was chaotic, very chaotic.