Chapter 30 Part6 (1/2)

<chapter 30.=”” hero=”” hunter=”” -=”” 6=””>

According to Lee Man Bok, he was part of the first hero group that was summoned. He had been a typical company employee in Seoul, South Korea, and when he was summoned, he asked that G.o.d give him the ability to use magic. Fortunately, he had a high apt.i.tude for magic, so he was able to win every battle in the Empire.

[That young lady was beautiful. The one who's in charge of the shop...]

”...Pleine.”

He'd thought about it for a bit, but in order for their conversation to progress smoothly, he added more background information. That the wandering knight, Paul Zero, was once a hero (honestly, s.h.i.+no Rendu and Bisher Moon had guessed the same)!

But here, an unexpected truth was revealed.

[She never told me her name, but it seems like you two are quite close.]

”...Is that so?”

If he had just brought her a bottle of wine, she would've told him her name. Unfortunately, it seemed like he hadn't been aware of that fact.

[But thanks. Pleine... It fits her, as she had such sparkling eyes. Now that I know, I'm happy.]

”It seems like you really liked her.”

[There's no way the other heroes couldn't like her. Unlike down here, which was teeming with the undead, the secret shop had her warm smile and was overflowing with life. Above all, she was the only one who could safely give us food.]

”Well, that's true...”

Lee s.h.i.+n Woo couldn't relate, and Lee Man Bok spoke of Pleine in the past-tense, while he could see her whenever he wanted, so it was really tough to listen to, but with his level 17 Acting skill, he was able to bear with it.

Lee Man Bok was wondering whether he could really trust Lee s.h.i.+n Woo or not, as he gazed at him. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo looked completely natural.

[It's been a long time since I felt like this, but when I think back to that time, I feel happy. Back then, I thought I could do anything. It felt like I'd become the protagonist of a fantasy novel. I thought I was the only one with unique skills, unique equipment... Everything was exactly as I'd dreamed it to be.]

That's right. When summoned to this world, most earthlings would feel that way. They wouldn't become skeletons like Lee s.h.i.+n Woo! Lee s.h.i.+n Woo suddenly recollected the moment he'd been sent to the Empire and gritted his teeth.

It was his own fault and it p.i.s.sed him off that he couldn't complain about it to anyone!

”Since G.o.d's blessing is supernatural. It's a power that can easily enable you to overcome a level difference in a specific situation.”

[Yeah, it was indeed. You're right, I put too much faith into her blessing...]

Firstly, this was all information that Lee s.h.i.+n Woo couldn't have known unless he was a hero. Secondly, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo looked incredibly reasonable. Therefore, Lee Man Bok was able to trust him. To be honest, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was using his Instigate skill here, but Lee Man Bok wasn't able to figure that out. That was the power of Instigate.

[...Those good times pa.s.sed by in a flash. I got to level 7, and... despite her, Pleine, telling us not to, we (the heroes) arrogantly challenged the 12 generals. However, the darkness that covered the Empire was truly deep and vast... In the end, we lost to them and became undead.]

”And then?”

That's right. This was the important part. After all, wasn't Lee s.h.i.+n Woo the one who killed all of the undead heroes? Lee Man Bok saw Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's goblin fire burn, gravely nodded his head, and spoke.

[Of course, I didn't regain consciousness immediately. At the beginning, the moment I degenerated into an undead, I instinctively began to hate humans... and wanted to follow the Emperor. Honestly, they welcomed us. To the point that it felt like we had never even fought against each other before...]

”Hoo...”

His words caused Lee s.h.i.+n Woo to automatically recollect the Archmage, Feotane Von Seldin, and shook. As expected, incorporating the heroes into their forces had been going on for a long time.

”And then?”

[Ethan Cruz saved us. No, to be exact, my comrades and I... he infused his darkness magic into us and returned our sanity.]

Ethan Cruz, who hadn't spoken, didn't have a special ability, and was a junior that no one was interested in, possessed such a terrifying ability; Lee Man Bok remembered how surprised he was, and smiled bitterly. It was a feeling Lee s.h.i.+n Woo could understand, even if he was learning about it after the fact.

[And so, we ran. We ran so hectically with him... But as we ran, we felt it. He was trying to destroy our minds and turn us into his subordinates. Ironically, at that moment, I was able to advance myself as a magician, and punish him for his dirty tricks.]

”Were you not able to kill him?”

[Unfortunately... Once he realized he was at a disadvantage, he used my comrades, who were now under his control, as human s.h.i.+elds and retreated. I confronted them and we fought, and I was somehow able to return their minds to them, but... he was already nowhere to be found.]

So it seems like Ethan Cruz wasn't a monstrous level 8 dozens of years ago. He was inexperienced, so contrary to his intentions, Lee Man Bok had awakened and had regained his sanity. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo listened to his story, and wondered whether there were traces of Ethan Cruz's darkness magic within Lee Man Bok, but there wasn't.

[After that, a few things happened, but... Ultimately, I hid here. It was extremely safe, and it was a hidden base. Though I had no idea you would find it.]

”Why are you just staying here? You don't want to take revenge on the 12 generals who killed you, or Ethan Cruz, who tried to control you?”

[Revenge? ...Haha.]

Lee Man Bok chuckled at Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's question. At that moment, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo knew that he'd failed to convince Lee Man Bok. As expected, Lee Man Bok shrugged his shoulders and weakly spoke.

[Surprisingly... In my last fight, I learned something I really didn't want to know. At that moment, I lost all my lingering attachments. I had a taste of something that went beyond anger: despondence.]

”...”

[All my lingering attachments from my old world, as a hero, and even those as an undead... My hate towards Ethan Cruz? That's the only thing that still remains, but I don't want to risk my life for that and go outside again.]

What exactly made him hide in here? In any case, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was sure that Lee Man Bok didn't look at G.o.d favorably. It wouldn't be a good idea to stimulate his mental state. If that's the case, then...

”Ethan Cruz is aiming for our junior heroes again. I'm aware of this, so I'm trying to stop him. Your juniors, who were put into exactly the same state as you were dozens of years ago, are sinless, yet... you have no intention of helping them?”

[None.]

But his plan, which targeted Lee Man Bok's compa.s.sion, didn't work at all. Lee Man Bok's voice was quite cold.

[Leave them be, so that they can overcome that danger on their own. I don't know how you were able to remain so sane, but what you're trying to do won't matter. There's no reason to follow G.o.d's command and struggle in death. It'll be... in vain.]

”...I'm not trying to follow G.o.d's command.”

'Is it really ok for me to tell him this,' Lee s.h.i.+n Woo thought as the words thoughtlessly came out of his mouth. He had said it on a whim, as he was displeased that someone so strong was just sitting on their a.s.s. 'Well, I suppose it's good to say as a Joker,' he thought, and spoke.

”I just want to become so strong that no one can order me to do anything. So I'll say it again, I... just want to be free. What about you?”

[Free... That'd be nice. Much better than living here in hiding.]

Lee Man Bok respected his intent, but didn't empathize with him.