Chapter 124. Seol Jihu (2/2)

Seol Jihu stared at the Plaza of Sacrifice vacantly.

‘Right.’

There had to be a reason. A reason it was appearing as the Golden Commandment.

*

The hourglass stopped after the first successful battle and did not move again.

The remaining participants were happy at first, thinking they escaped being forced to make their move. But looking back, the stopping of the hourglass provided more leisure, and that leisure mutated into betrayal and tyranny, creating widespread distrust.

This was easy to see by looking at the minority faction.

There was no group more disingenuous and double-faceted than this one. Its members stayed together due to necessity, but what they were thinking on the inside had to differ from how they were acting on the outside.

Time was flowing by meaninglessly. Cooperation was necessary to conquer the Stage, but the notion was completely out of the picture with how much the atmosphere had deteriorated.

What was important to the people wasn’t conquering the Stage, but survival.

Seol Jihu smoked one cigarette after the other. He tasted nothing but bitterness in his mouth. Although it was a little, he even felt a sense of shame.

‘I couldn’t do anything again.’

When he first entered Stage 2, he was full of spirit. He vowed to do something, to show a better side of him, even if only a little.

But now that he faced reality, he was repeating the same thing he did in Stage 1.

Of course, Seol Jihu knew he wasn’t anywhere near enough to take on the role of a leader in this place.

Unlike Stage 1, Stage 2 was targeted for all participants. Naturally, there were many who vastly surpassed him in strength, intelligence, and leadership. Even some High Rankers couldn’t speak out casually, having to look for the right timing.

As a mere Level 3 Warrior, Seol Jihu had no choice but to stay put.

‘But….’

Was being a spectator on the sidelines the right choice? He didn’t do anything that would make him feel guilty, but he was afraid of how this result would return to him.

After all, this was the Golden Commandment. And in Stage 1, he had personally watched and experienced how the Golden Rule functioned.

This fear made his heart beat faster. All of his senses were telling him that he couldn’t let things be like flowing water, and that he needed to change its course no matter what.

This wasn’t such a baseless hunch.

Only 110 people remained. It was lacking, in a sense, but he felt that this was the line of no return.

Assuming that everyone joined hands, he could see a way out just barely. But if the number of participants decreased even a little… then conquering the Plaza of Sacrifice would become impossible.

Since the number of remaining people was decreasing by the day, he no longer had any time to waste. He couldn’t think of any bright idea, but it wasn’t as if he was completely in the dark. A way out had to exist.

In truth, this was something that everyone present knew, not just Seol Jihu. It was just that no one was stepping up. Knowing that reaching this way out would be extremely difficult and full of obstacles, they had simply given up.

Seol Jihu had been the same. The situation had already been twisted so much, and with the interpersonal chasm becoming wider by the hour, just thinking about where to begin gave him a headache.

“Haa….” He sighed yet again. No matter how many times he thought about the matter, doing it alone seemed impossible.

Thankfully, Seol Jihu wasn’t alone. He had comrades he trusted.

[What’s wrong about using something you’ve built up fair and square?]

He was suddenly reminded of Kazuki’s words.

‘I can do it. No, I have to do it.’

Seol Jihu took a deep breath and walked forward.

*

“Hm?” Kazuki looked surprised by the sudden visitor.

“Mister Kazuki.”

“?”

“What is your plan from now on?”

“I don’t know.” Kazuki readily raised the white flag hearing the abrupt question. “Several incidents broke out before anything could be done…. This Stage is likely the hardest the Banquet’s second Stage has ever been. I can’t even begin to think about how to go about it.”

Kazuki looked a little embarrassed. Of course, it wasn’t his fault that things had turned out like this, but he couldn’t help but feel frustrated inside.

“I do think we need to hold another conference.”

“Will we come to a decision?”

“…No.” Kazuki shook his head and smacked his lips before abruptly widening his eyes. He sensed something out of place from the young man in front of him. Seol Jihu’s expression was strangely sunken in.

He didn’t have his usual bright, playful face. His expression was… hard to read. The way he looked almost entranced, Kazuki felt he was looking at a different person.

‘Could it be?’ Kazuki’s eyes flickered with light.

“Do you have a good idea?” He asked feeling hopeful. However…

“The good ideas all went out the window,” Seol Jihu replied coldly.

“…I guess you’re right.” Kazuki folded his arms and rubbed his chin.

The way and method of doing something naturally changed depending on the situation. What Seol Jihu was saying was that they had already lost the opportune moment to make the ideal move.

“A method that fits this situation….”

“There is only one.”

Kazuki stared at the youth fixedly, and Seol Jihu started talking.

Once the youth finished his explanation, Kazuki fell into deep thought.

“Now that’s surprising. I didn’t think you would choose such a straightforward approach.”

“It’s not like I can always think of good, unique ideas.”

“No, that’s not what I meant.” Kazuki shook his hand. “I agree with you. That is the only way. I think everyone knows that.”

“Right.”

“But they’re keeping it in their heads,” Kazuki spoke calmly.

“The majority faction isn’t sitting still because they don’t know what needs to be done.”

He hesitated for a moment before speaking with difficulty, “…It’s the same for me.”

“….”

“Even if everyone cooperates, Level 4s and Level 5s will need to stand in the frontlines of the battle. If we do as you say, each side will have to give up one thing that can’t be yielded…. The majority side will not accept an equal trade. They will voice their opposition without a doubt.”

“I don’t think that’s necessarily the case.” Seol Jihu spoke, “In Stage 2, the relationship between the majority and the minority shouldn’t be parasitic.”

“I know, but there is a definitive difference between those with a choice and those without.” Kazuki spoke bluntly. However, Seol Jihu couldn’t deny that it was true. “The minority faction is at a dead-end. Even if they disagree with your plan, they have no choice but to agree. But that’s not the case for us.”

The light in Seol Jihu’s eyes grew fiercer.

“I have a plan.”

“…What is it?” Kazuki, who had maintained his calm the entire time, furrowed his brows.

Seol Jihu opened his mouth, “I have a way of changing the apparent parasitism to symbiosis.”

Kazuki was about to say something when he hurriedly closed his mouth. It was a known fact that having more people made conquering the Plaza of Sacrifice easier. However, the majority faction knew that there was no need to take the difficult way, when they knew it was easier to simply devour the minority forces.

Seol Jihu saying this had to mean that he had a method of overturning this status quo.

‘What could it be?’

If such a thing really existed, it could turn the tables in one fell swoop.

“Then why didn’t you….” Kazuki was about to say something when he saw Seol Jihu hesitating and realized why he had not said anything until now.

“I can’t be sure,” Seol Jihu muttered. “But it’s worth confirming. Three or four times… no, once or twice is enough.”

Seol Jihu emphasized his last point one more time, “Once or twice is enough.”

“….”

“Please help me.” His voice carried a sense of sincerity and conviction.

Kazuki raised his hands and rubbed his face. After thinking for quite some time, he opened his mouth with an exhausted voice. “…We’ll have to persuade the minority first.”

“Mister Kazuki.” Seol Jihu’s complexion brightened.

“I’ll have to rethink my decision to cooperate with Carpe Diem next time. Every time I’m with you, it feels like I’m walking on a tightrope.” Kazuki smirked.

Next…

“Seol.” He suddenly turned serious. “I hate to say it again, but there will be opposition. You asked me because you expected as much, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then promise me one thing.” With an intense stare, he put more strength into his voice.

“If you’re going to do it, do it properly.”

Strength entered Seol Jihu’s eyes.

“Now, it’s do or die. It’s unacceptable to half-ass things like in Stage 1.”

“I know.”

Kazuki looked surprised as if he hadn’t expected the youth to answer immediately.

“I think I kind of get it.” Seol Jihu smiled faintly. “What you told me… about finding clothes that fit me.”

“…Oh yeah?” He tilted his chin up slightly and examined the youth. He didn’t seem to be lying.

“Then try it.” The corners of his mouth curled up.

“I’ll set the stage for you.”