Creating Hidden Endings - Chapter 32

After hearing Sora’s words, Hana immediately grabbed my shoulder and stepped back. The scenery of stuttering and staring at the body that accompanied me was amazing.  In particular, Lee Jehee was trying hard to stop Han Chorok.

[The Imprinter of Party Member ‘Han Chorok’ has given an order.] 

[The Berserker, Berserker refuses the order.]

[The Imprinter of Party Member ‘Han Chorok’ has given an order.] 

[The Berserker, Berserker refuses the order.]

[(….)]

[The Imprinter of Party Member ‘Han Chorok’ has given an order.] 

[The Berserker, Berserker obeys the order.]

Again this time, orders and rejection clashed several times. Then, Lee Jehee, who barely confirmed the order that had worked, hurriedly stepped back.

Han Chorok shook his head once as if disobeying an order with a rough sound of breathing. But he soon took a step back and retreated to the cave wall.

After hesitating for a while, the guy quietly knelt down and sat down on his knees. His droopy shoulders and arms looked like they were tied to invisible chains, as seen in Lee Jehee’s house.

Sora, who confirmed that all the party members stepped down with a safe distance secured, picked up the shield she had stuck on the floor. Then, she looked at Nightmare with a confident face.

“Be bold, and I will overcome the world.” 

[God’s Apostle, Heresy Inquisitor activates the awakening skill ‘Summary Judgment’.]

It was then. Sora, who was running forward, jumped high at the same time as the notification of the new status window. Soon after, a bright flash erupted from Sora, who soared close to reaching the ceiling. Whether it was a signal to announce the activation of the ‘Summary Judgment’ skill, a huge cross-shaped appeared below the place where Nightmare stood.

[The subject of judgment is being judged at the request of the Heresy Inquisitor.] 

[It was sentenced by ‘Heresy’ as a result of the judgment.]

[The target of the Summary Judgment is confirmed: Nightmare]

When Nightmare was judged by Heresy and confirmed as a target for elimination, dozens of chains sprang from the golden cross, shackled its body, and forced its head down.

[You have succeeded in defeating the monster ‘Nightmare’.]

[As a reward, you obtain the weapon item ‘Advanced Staff’.]

[As a reward, you will receive the Special Item ‘Collector’s Orb’.]

[As a reward, you will receive the top-class crafted item, ‘Nightmare’s Horn’.]

[As a reward, you will receive the top-class crafted item, ‘Heart of Nightmare’.]

[Congratulations, Hunter Yeon Seonwoo! You have successfully leveled up!]

[Congratulations, Hunter Yeon Seonwoo! You have successfully leveled up!]

[(…)]

Along with the status message showing that the monster ‘Nightmare’ had been defeated, notifications showing that various rewards had been earned appeared one after the other.

The message congratulating the level up was the same. I had risen to a remarkable 5 levels by the time the Nightmare was defeated. Thanks to that, I eventually reached level 58 and cleared the dungeon successfully.

[‘Time of Nightmare’ ends with the disappearance of ‘Nightmare’.]

[Special clear quest completed! Check the rewards.]

I couldn’t believe it. The fact that they defeated an S-class monster, the abilities of those who defeated it, and the sudden rise in level by 5 levels.

All of this was terribly unrealistic.

But now this was also a reality. The real reality I live in right now. The excuse that I was dreaming no longer worked.

“This is… what the hell…”

Except for me, who has no awakening characteristics, Lee Jehee, the only one who doesn’t use awakening skills, approaches first and looks at my body with a dry gaze. Then, he glanced at Chorok, who couldn’t release the awakening skill by itself.

I, too, settled my startled mind and turned to look for Chorok. After wandering around with a little dazed mind, I found that brat kneeling on the floor of the cave and struggling.

Chorok, unable to return from his rampage, made a new beast-like sound and shook his shoulders and head roughly. I hesitated and approached, showing that I didn’t want to go due to the rough situation. 

“Ugh… Why do I have to make a contact? You know what to do.”

“Grrrrr.” 

“C, Chorok, you’re good boy, right?” 

“Grrrrr.” 

“Ugh! Chorok wait! Don’t move!” 

As if to warn me as I approached, the man with his teeth staggered as if he was about to run. When I shouted to him to stop and wait, Baek Taera heard this and shouted in surprise.

“Hey! Do you think our Chorok is a dog?” 

I’m talking about casually playing while swallowing potions!

“N, noisy! Do you know how scary I am right now? Ugh, what kind of trouble is this, getting caught in the midst of things that don’t seem like humans?”

“…I think he’s crazy. He’s not doing that because he doesn’t see anything after going up a level, is he?”

“Uh? Do I like that more? People should be honest!”

Baek Taera murmured something. It was the same with Sora’s words that followed.

No matter what they talked about behind me, I approached Chorok carefully, looking only at him. A gray neck was seen through the tightly swollen shoulder muscles. ‘Please, don’t move,’ I muttered and put his cold palms on it in a cold sweat.

[Party member ‘Yeon Seonwoo’ is preparing the support skill ‘State Transition’. Please set the state to be transferred.]

[Status transition skill activated. Gives ‘Relaxing’ status according to the set value.] 

After confirming that the skill had been activated safely, I hurriedly stepped down and stood behind Lee Jehee. This is because likable or not, and he’s the most reliable among them.

However, this Chorok, who had been in Berserker state longer than at dawn, took time to return. The man, who continued to struggle with a growling sound, barely calmed down after five minutes. 

[Party member ‘Han Chorok’ cancels the awakening attribute.]

In the status message that Chorok’s skill was canceled, I also canceled my skill. 

“…Really? Are you really calming his madness?”

“Of course, it’s true. Were you just being deceived?”

“No, it’s not that—Then you really saved Chorok? Are you incapable in battle?”

“You didn’t believe it either? You have a lot of doubts in a strange place. I am not a righteous person, and I am not trash enough to play with life.”

What? Why are you looking at me like that? Did you really see me as that trash?

Even in my explanation, Baek Taera still had a face that didn’t believe me. I didn’t like the suspicious look, so I turned my head, pouting my lips. Then, eyes and gazes that were so burdensome enough to make me regret saying, ‘Oh, I’m just looking at you.’

Damn it, our eyes met again. I mean, leave my precious little one alone—.

“Seonwoo-ssi, this is really not a joke, please go to our guild, hmph!”

“This is the third warning. I told you not to do it.”

This time, fortunately, Lee Jehee came and blocked the invitation to join the guild. The problem is that his voice was very cold to me, too. It was a cold voice with a strong warning that I was surprised and moved back.

[Warning: Being Loved is -1 because the master is upset] 

[Warning: Since the status of the skill to Be Loved is negative, “Melancholy” effect will be given] 

Crazy. What did I do? It’s Shin Sora who recommended joining her guild?! 

I’m not sure if there was anything else this time that offended him, or if it was done on purpose to show off, but I had a status effect since the condition ‘Be Loved’ was negative.

It was most likely the latter. Isn’t that what he’s telling me to know about my situation?

Feeling my strength loosen from my leg, I hesitated and fell to the ground. Lee Jehee, who was looking at me with a cool look, turned to Sora again.

Even though his eyes were looking cold enough to make anyone nervous, Sora was not afraid at all and made eye contact. It wasn’t a romantic relationship, no matter how anyone looked at it.

Why? Aren’t they once even engaged? What’s wrong with their relationship?

“Are you really going to be like this? Did you forget that I helped you? They said it would bother me here and there, so I even got engaged at the best, but how can you come out so rudely with just one person!” 

Huh? What does this mean?

“I guess you don’t remember that your guild master asked to help him become a leader, right? I think we’ve helped each other a long time ago, but don’t think about bothering each other with a contract that’s already ended.”

…What? Wasn’t their engagement broken up because of Lee Jehee’s broken personality? Is my hypothesis wrong?