Chapter 85 (1/2)

Hak-joon sucked in his breath after hearing Kim Seok-jin’s question and looked at Su-hyeun. To think, it’s a blue-colored dungeon.

There had only ever been talks of such a dungeon potentially appearing in the future, but it had never appeared until now. But still, such a dungeon was waiting for them in their destination.

Now that he thought about it, Su-hyeun had never explained the reason why they were going to the United States of America in the first place. No, he simply told the younger man to tag along, that’s all.

“I heard the news, and I’m certainly intrigued by it.” Su-hyeun opened his lips a beat later, but his voice remained calm and collected. “I was thinking of stopping by there, actually.”

“What I’m asking you is, did you have foreknowledge of a blue-colored dungeon generating in that location?” Kim Seok-jin asked.

Su-hyeun brought up the need to go to the States before the blue dungeon had appeared. But then, a blue dungeon did indeed appear in that very same country. This all could have been nothing more than pure coincidence, but Kim Seok-jin was feeling this unexplainable sense of incongruity.

However…

“There’s no way that’s true. How can I predict something like that?” Su-hyeun’s reply was as expected.

There was no sure-kill method to make him talk. Not only that, Su-hyeun’s initial purpose wasn’t the dungeon, to begin with. Even within the Reaper Guild, only two people — Kim Seok-jin and Ji-yeon — knew of the information related to this event.

<> Kim Seok-jin thought.

He then nodded his head at Su-hyeun’s reply. “I see. In that case, I’ll let you know when we have touched down. Please rest until then.”

“Thank you.”

Kim Seok-jin stood up and headed to the next cabin. Hak-joon, unable to breathe until then, spat out a long sigh and spoke up. “A blue-colored dungeon? Is that for real?”

“Probably. It should show up on the evening news later today.”

“How did you find about it?”

“I heard from Park Ji-yeon.”

“Didn’t you say a minute ago that you wanted to go there….?” Hak-joon asked again. “Were you being serious?”

“Of course I was serious.”

“Wow….”

“If you’re scared, you should turn back now. I’m not planning to force you.”

“Scared? Who, me?”

Su-hyeun asked in case Hak-joon was scared by the prospect, but the latter was forming a completely different expression from fear.

“No way. I’m actually looking forward to it, you know.”

“…You’re also a weirdo, aren’t you?”

Although Su-hyeun said that in a somewhat unhappy tone of voice, a smile floated up on his face soon after.

It was a uniquely satisfying reply. Well, if Hak-joon got scared by events like this one, then it’d be a bit hard to expect greater things from him in the future, after all.

<hr />

The private plane flew for ten hours and finally reached the other side of the globe.

As soon as he stepped on the brand-new country, Hak-joon looked around at the surroundings as if they were all too strange to him. Nothing seemed too different from home so far, but just the fact of being in America alone must’ve been too stimulating for him.

“Is this your first time in America?” Su-hyeun asked.

“That was my first time riding on a plane, actually.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

“Have you been to America before?”

“Nope.”

At least during this lifetime, this would be his first. Of course, he came here often in his previous life. He had traveled to America at least twice before he even became an awakener. After that, he came here around two or three times a year; he didn’t have much of an impression of this place anymore.

“Please at least pretend to be excited, will you? Where is your humanity, man?” Hak-joon lamented.

“Well, it doesn’t matter where people live. It’s all the same, anyway. Besides all that…”

Su-hyeun scanned the people on standby near the airport’s runaway one at a time. Around ten folks showed up today, and they were all awakeners, to boot.

Kim Seok-jin, climbing out of the plane along with Su-hyeun, approached them first. Maybe they were already acquainted to a certain degree because he formed a bright expression and did a simple hug with a man stepping forward from the waiting group.

Kim Seok-jin then proceeded to converse for a little while before beckoning at Su-hyeun. “Please come this way.”

He introduced the man he was talking to to Su-hyeun and Hak-joon.

He was a white male with blonde hair and blue eyes, kitted out in a comfortable-looking tracksuit. While studying Su-hyeun with mystified eyes, he spoke. “You’re a lot younger than I thought.”

“My name’s Kim Su-hyeun. And this is Choi Hak-joon, my closest friend.”

“I’m Josh, from the Medical Guild. I’ve heard your name many times. You’re a hot topic even in this neck of the woods.”

The rankings within the Tower of Trials were applicable to all countries. As no such thing as one’s nationality applied within the Tower, the rankings had been unified.

Su-hyeun’s ranking on each floor always showed the overwhelming first place. He was the only one who climbed up to the 30th floor and passed the 10th level trials every single time.

“Personally, I’m a huge fan of yours. I’ve been cheering you on your challenges so far,” said Josh.

For a first meeting, they sure were rather embarrassing things to say.

Unsurprisingly, though, this man named Josh was a rather excellent awakener.

<>

The United States possessed the highest number of awakeners. However, that didn’t necessarily equate to their overall quality being high. So, even in America, someone with an A-Rank should be considered as occupying a pretty high plateau.

On top of this, Josh was the chosen representative of the group of ten waiting here to offer their greetings, so he must have occupied a very high position in the guild.

“We heard that you were hoping to get in touch with our guild,” said Josh.

“I have a favor to ask of you, actually,” Su-hyeun replied.

“If we can build a friendly relationship with you, Mister Su-hyeun, then we will do everything within our power to accommodate you.”

That was a considerably positive reply.

It was around then that Kim Seok-jin, quietly listening to Su-hyeun’s and Josh’s conversation, decided to butt in. “Well, then. I shall be on my way back now. If you’re in need of anything, please don’t hesitate and give us a call.”

“Ah. Thank you.”

Su-hyeun and Hak-joon shook hands with Kim Seok-jin to bid him farewell. They certainly didn’t expect the vice guild master of the Reaper Guild to personally guide them here.

“Shall we talk more while on the move? My guild master also wishes to speak to you as well, Mister Su-hyeun.”

Su-hyeun nodded his head at Josh’s suggestion.