RE: Player again

276

[Chapter 092] [Evil for Evil (5)]

The corpse of the Class 8 instructor in charge was discovered.

The news spread like wildfire among the students.

"Did you hear? They just found the Class 8 instructor dead!"

"I heard too. They say it seems to be the work of monsters..." "No. I heard something. They say Slayers live on this mountain. Killing Players who visit the mountain..."

"What are you talking about! I clearly heard the instructors saying it seems monsters got them!" "...Then what happens to the other kids? The ones who haven't been seen until now..."

"Could they be dead too?" "No way..."

""""......"""""

It was natural for the students to be shaken.

The instructors tried to soothe them but anxiety spread in an instant.

In the end that evening, the instructors announced they would stop the comprehensive evaluation and come down from Seoraksan as soon as day broke.

Adding, do not act individually and do not leave the base camp.

What on earth is going on.

Meanwhile, Eun-ha sighed looking at the Players surrounding the base camp.

Apparently among the missing Players was Chae Su-jin, a Caster evaluated as SSS-rank by Dangun Clan.

Eun-ha knew her a little too.

He didn't expect even Chae Su-jin would go missing.

So they had no choice but to be so thoroughly on guard.

Even though it was like closing the barn door after the horse is stolen.

An academy instructor died.

Even if it's estimated monsters got him, there's no way monsters could have gotten him.

Because there's no reason for that to happen.

Currently the instructors were telling students with matching stories that the Class 8 instructor was killed by monsters.

But Eun-ha thought there was no way that could be true.

Even the instructors trying to subdue students' anxiety must actually be harboring different thoughts.

It's strange that he was found far from the missing area, and to say he accidentally stepped into a red dungeon and was killed by monsters.

He who had just spied on the instructors' conversation using Avenir's Cloak inwardly dismissed it as nonsense.

There was no reason for an academy instructor to seek out a red dungeon.

The cause of death hasn't even been accurately determined for the corpse damaged by monsters.

Surely someone killed the Class 8 instructor and made it look like monsters did it.

It was a common occurrence in the Player industry.

Before his regression, didn't Eun-ha also purge forces threatening Ha Baek-ryeon in that way?

That's why the Players are so on edge like that.

Because sometimes humans are more dangerous than monsters.

And 'surely someone' must be those who have abandoned being human while still human.

"...Slayers. Why did those guys suddenly do this?"

Eun-ha walked around the base camp.

To find places where the Players' guard was lax.

He wasn't the type to wait quietly.

He had already waited long enough.

His friends had gone missing.

Just that made him feel like he had been attacked.

And even the urge to burn those guys to ashes.

They were crazy bastards but...

Even crazy bastards should have known not to touch academy officials...

Before the regression, the Slayers on Seoraksan hid their existence as much as possible.

No matter how lawless they were, they didn't touch groups like the academy.

That's why the academy conducted the Seoraksan march every year in his previous life.

This had never happened before.

What on earth for?

No, let's think about the reason later.

The important thing is the kids.

If they're not planning to live just for today, they probably didn't touch the kids but...

He shouldn't think carelessly.

An academy instructor died.

It meant they could touch the students if they wanted to.

He had to somehow locate the missing students' position.

He couldn't wait trusting the academy instructors and Players.

Fortunately, he remembered some of the Slayers' villages hidden on Seoraksan.

"─Eun-ha, will the kids really be okay?"

That's when it happened.

Eun-ha belatedly noticed Ha-yang.

He didn't realize until she called out.

It was evidence her concealment magic had reached quite a level.

To the point Eun-ha inwardly clicked his tongue.

"...You don't need to worry too much." "Really?"

"Really. So Jung Ha-yang, you comfort the anxious kids."

"What about you Eun-ha...? Are you going somewhere?"

"......"

Eun-ha answered silently.

Ha-yang seemed to have guessed something.

Her gaze didn't leave the black cloak he was wearing.

"─I want to go too."

Eventually she who took her eyes off the cloak looked at him and said.

He stared at her unwavering pupils for a while.

Her resolute eyes were saying.

Take me with you too.

"It could be dangerous." "It's okay. I have the strength to protect myself now."

For a moment her presence became blurry.

She had deployed concealment magic.

She awkwardly assimilated her presence into the surroundings even under his gaze.

She had excellent understanding of concealment magic.

Eun-ha had to acknowledge it.

Jung Ha-yang's skills.

"...Alright, let's go together."

"Okay!"

Her abilities were needed just then.

Eun-ha who fell into thought for a moment concluded it would be better to take her along.

She who was excellent at reading information should be good at grasping Seoraksan's geography.

Her abilities would definitely be helpful on Seoraksan where detection nets couldn't be properly utilized.

"Then can you tell Min-ji? It would be a problem if we suddenly disappeared, so tell her to cover for us."

"Tch, I already told her."

"...Really?"

Her response was quick.

As if she knew this would happen.

He who was momentarily dumbfounded handed her the cloak he had been wearing on his shoulders.

"Eun-ha, why are you giving me this?" "I think it would be better for you to use that cloak than me." "Then what about you?"

"What do you mean what. We'll use it together." "Huh?"

Jung Ha-yang tilting her head making a question mark above her head.

She didn't seem to have expected this.

Eun-ha who chuckled bent his knees and showed his back.

"─Get on, quickly."

They must have villages all over Seoraksan.

There was no time to leisurely look around.

☆

"What? You're surprisingly good?" "Are you perhaps a ? Looking closely, your style doesn't seem like the academy's."

At first it was just simple entertainment.

The Slayers were expecting the 1st year boy to struggle facing a monster.

But the boy boldly betrayed their expectations.

With all his strength, in one go.

Mana Crasher

Basically, 1st year middle school academy students used wooden swords with excellent mana conductivity rather than swords made of mana alloy.

Because accidents could happen if proper devices were given to people who couldn't even properly wield swords.

There was no way they would be familiar with handling proper devices.

Kieeeeek!

But the boy swung the real sword with practiced movements.

When the 8th tier monster showed an opening, imbuing the sword with mana.

"Haa... haa..."

"...Wow. Who did you learn from?"

"Mana Crasher? That's magic taught in the 1st year high school academy curriculum, how on earth do you know it?"

"...That's a talent."

The boy, Choi Eun-hyeok, wiping the sweat gathered on his chin with the back of his hand.

He tried to quickly recover internal mana while gasping for breath.

He who had been covered in dirt several times was in terrible shape.

Even the academy uniform with excellent durability couldn't completely absorb the impact from successive battles.

The fabric was torn in places, and blood was flowing from exposed skin.

Nevertheless, Eun-hyeok whipped his body that seemed like it would collapse at any moment.

"Hey, shouldn't we switch now? It's already the fourth time." "Yeah, the kid will die at this rate. Let's just replace him with another kid."

"─I can... do more...!"

""""......"""""

His consciousness wavering more and more.

Eun-hyeok desperately clung to it and cut in on the Slayers' whispering conversation.

"I can... do more...!"

It was already the fourth time.

Eun-hyeok had faced 8th tier monsters four times alone.

He desperately resisted and definitely ended the monsters' breath.

In the process, his mana hit rock bottom and his body was battered.

Nevertheless, Eun-hyeok didn't try to pass the turn to other kids.

I... must fight...!

Didn't he swear?

That he would become a Player who protects people.

It was something only he could do.

Only he who wasn't infected with fear could protect the students.

"...Eun-hyeok..."

If he backed down here, the Slayers would play with other students to pass time.

They would become mere spectacles before them, and have to fight desperately against monsters to survive.

He couldn't stand by and watch that.

Above all, Jin Seo-na was among the students who would fall prey to the Slayers' toys.

He didn't want to see her get hurt.

"Your courage is really admirable... but don't you know that's recklessness?"

Just then, the man who created this spectacle got up from his seat uncorking a liquor bottle.

"Let us tell you as seniors─"

The man, Nam Ki-han, approached.

Then Nam Ki-han continued speaking while pouring the remaining liquor on Eun-hyeok's head.

"─You'll kick the bucket like that, you bastard. Don't you know courage becomes recklessness, and recklessness becomes foolhardiness?" "......"

"Remember that in this industry, the first to die are idiots who can't take care of themselves and rush in dedicating themselves to others without distinguishing between courage and recklessness."

The sensation of lukewarm liquor flowing down gave a sticky and unpleasant feeling.

Eun-hyeok could only glare at the man while clenching his fist tightly.

The man snickered.

Then lowering his voice─

"─Who told you to look at me like that?"

"...!"

He struck the back of Eun-hyeok's head hard.

It happened in an instant.

He who couldn't even properly defend lost consciousness and collapsed.

"Someone treat him just in case... It's too boring to end like this, isn't it?" "That's right! That's right! Pull out one more!"

The Slayers raised their voices.

Nam Ki-han approached the students confined in cages to fulfill their wishes.

"Let's see... This time playing with a girl would be... Oh?"

"...Ah..."

He who was looking around the cage confining Class 9 students soon had his gaze stop on one girl among the students.

The girl who made eye contact stepped back in fear.

But she who was already pressed against the bars had nowhere else to retreat.

The man carefully looked at her trembling with her hands clasped.

A girl who exuded sadness just by standing still.

She looked like she couldn't refuse at a glance.

Her downturned eyebrows and eyes trembling in fear naturally aroused sadistic desires.

"Hey. You, come out."

"...Y-Yes...?" "Yeah, you. I'm telling you to come out."

The designated girl's eyes trembled.

Even her startled appearance made him feel pleasure from tormenting her.

So Nam Ki-han decided to torment the girl a bit more.

"If you won't come out, I'll pull out someone else. Then that person will really resent you, right?" "......"

"I plan to keep doing that until you voluntarily come out. Still won't come out?"

"...I-I'll come out..."

A good kid who looks like she can't refuse.

Dealing with this kind of kid was simple.

You just had to blame her for all the harm done to others.

Then they usually can't overcome guilt and step forward to take the fall themselves.

The type that takes losses until death.

The type that shouldn't become a Player.

In his long experience, such people didn't last long in this industry.

Regardless, he decided not to care.

It was none of his business.

But─

"─I'll do it."

Occasionally there were such types too.

The type who usually act rationally but lose reason and act emotionally because of one person they care about.

In their case, it wasn't good with words.

Because in the end they lose everything they built up and self-destruct.

"Alright, then you come out."

The man indifferently jerked his chin and called out the boy with unwavering eyes.

☆

Meanwhile, at that time Seo-na was using concealment magic.

The key to concealment magic is assimilating one's existence into the surrounding flow.

And distancing oneself from people's attention.

Just then, the Slayers' gazes were directed elsewhere.

They were cheering watching Min-ho struggle against an 8th tier monster.

I have to do something somehow.

The only one who can resolve this situation now is me.

Though she was worried about Eun-hyeok receiving treatment from the Slayers.

Though she was worried about Su-bin who was dazed as if she lost her mind.

Seo-na decided to stay as calm as possible.

Because a state of unease soon brings emotional fluctuations.

I have to relay this situation outside.

It was already night.

Quite a lot of time had passed since they were dragged to the village.

Surely the academy instructors must be searching for them.

So she had to let them know their location.

Even if they didn't know about their situation─

─Eun-ha is there.

She recalled the most reliable person coming to mind.

She firmly believed Noh Eun-ha would somehow resolve this situation.

So she mustn't give up.

Eun-hyeok did his best too.

I can't just stay still here.

Seo-na shook off the creeping fear and sparked mana.

To use telepathy.

That's why she deployed concealment magic.

Because Eins need to spark mana to use telepathy.

Excellent Telepaths spark mana to the point it's invisible, but she couldn't do that yet.

That's why she deployed concealment magic.

[Help─]

Just then the cage suddenly shook with a thud.

She who was about to use telepathy turned around startled.

"...Ah..."

"What are you doing now?"

There was a rabbit-type Ein in front of the cage.

The Ein with piercings on her long ears looked down at her with bright red eyes and snorted.

"This is completely brazen?" "......"

"Did you think we wouldn't know if you cracked pumpkin seeds in the back? You stupid little fox."

Seo-na couldn't answer.

Because the rabbit-type Ein looking down at her seemed infinitely huge.

She was overwhelmed by the internal mana she was emitting.

"It's amazing you used telepathy at that age but... you little fox don't know much about concealment magic, do you?" "...Yes?"

"Try it once. See if your telepathy reaches outside or not."

The rabbit-type Ein, Shim Su-ji, cackled and kicked the bars with her foot.

Seo-na who was very tense sparked telepathy while looking at her.

"......" "How is it? It doesn't reach, right?"

Seo-na's face contorted.

Then Shim Su-ji bent her knees as if pleased by that and met her eyes bursting into laughter.

"Why can't the Mana Management Organization find our hideouts? Because dungeons are distributed all over Seoraksan. How do they know if what doesn't get caught in detection nets is a dungeon or village? Moreover, when mana is thickly scattered, detection nets don't work properly either."

"......"

"This hideout has providence cut off like a dungeon due to the influence of concealment magic. Did you think telepathy would work between inside and outside where providence is cut off, you stupid little fox b***h?"

Telepathy only worked when definitely on the same world line.

In the end, what Shim Su-ji was saying meant telepathy couldn't be used as long as concealment magic surrounded the village.

...Then what should I do?

Her body was stiffly frozen

There was only one solution.

Breaking through the concealment magic.

If even a tiny gap could be created, telepathy could be sent through there.

"Hey, do you think I wouldn't know what you're thinking? How many years of experience do I have as a Telepath..."

Shim Su-ji said then, smiling brightly.

Soon she shook the bars while raising her eyes as if looking down on people.

Like when a powerless Telepath once looked up at Players who made her their plaything.

With the gaze of those Players etched in her mind at that time.

She looked down at Seo-na.

"─Come out. You need a beating."

☆

"...This isn't it either?"

"...Judging by the traces, it seems no one has visited for quite a long time." "Really?"

It was another wasted effort.

Eun-ha clicked his tongue looking around the Slayer village in his memory.

Finding their villages was slow.

It couldn't be helped.

Seoraksan's environment wasn't conducive to spreading detection nets.

So he relied on Ha-yang's abilities, but the guys' hideouts weren't just one.

"Let's clean this place up for now."

"Are you going to start another fire?"

"Of course."

Eun-ha who picked up a mana stone fallen on the ground turned his back on the empty mountain lodge.

He had no intention of leaving their villages alone like this.

It would be troublesome if they moved to another village by mistake.

Then they would have to conduct an endless search operation.

That's why he set fire to every village they passed.

"It won't cause a forest fire, right?"

"...That won't happen. Because providence is separated by concealment magic. Once there's nothing left to burn here, it will go out on its own."

"That's good then."

"Let's move to the next place. Hurry and get on my back." "...Do I have to?"

They wasted some time.

Eun-ha called Ha-yang who was wearing a large cloak big enough for two people.

Then she whined with a displeased expression.

"To use Avenir's Cloak, you need to get on my back and wrap the cloak around. It's not like I can get on your back."

"But..."

"But what?"

"I'm saying I'm heavy."

Was it just for that reason?

Eun-ha looked at her incredulously.

She who felt his gaze tilted her head back avoiding his eyes.

"You're not heavy at all. Okay?"

"Tch, what's that."

"Did you think I'd be so weak I couldn't carry just you, Ha-yang?"

Ha-yang puffed her cheeks.

But she couldn't grumble.

Given the situation.

In the end, she got on his back.

"─Let's go."

"I'll tell you in advance, I ate a lo~t for dinner today."

As if.

Eun-ha laughed silently.

As if she would have eaten a lot for dinner in a situation where her friends were missing.

Asserting there was no way that could be true, he leapt into the night sky.

Avenir's Cloak

They needed to quickly find the next hideout.

Eun-ha deployed detection nets while avoiding monsters' presence.

Unfortunately, the range he could spread detection nets was limited.

However, not being able to properly spread detection nets meant there was a high possibility of areas with separated providence nearby.

Huh?

Just then.

Something was approaching them at high speed.

Ha-yang who grasped that quickly deployed protective magic.

Soon the barrier Jung Ha-yang deployed shook from the impact.

The being that attacked them was─

"─Stupid hyung!?"

It was Jin Parang.

He whose body showed wolf characteristics bared his sharply grown fangs and swung his Claw.

Graaah!!

Red pupils without focus.

He couldn't distinguish his opponent.

Even in his previous life, Jin Parang was occasionally consumed by his gift.

This hyung really─!

It seems he'll have to give a beating after a long time.

A beating was medicine for a mad dog.