Chapter 112
In the middle of the sea on the 7th floor. Cha Minwoo, having taken lodging on a small island, looked up at the sky..
“Was there always an island like this?”
He didn’t know how far he was from the city or how he had gotten here. He had been blindfolded and had his hands and feet bound.
Glance-.
Cha Minwoo’s gaze turned to Hwang Gyuseong, who was basking in the sunlight in the grand courtyard of their lodging.
To be taking a nap in such a situation. It seemed astonishingly carefree.
‘Is that person really…’
Hwang Gyuseong.
One of the legends of Blue Eyes. It was still hard to believe that he was standing before him.
“All I want is to kill Kim Ilsoo, someone you despise so much.”
Lee Wonjae’s words to persuade Hwang Gyuseong. When he first heard those words, Cha Minwoo couldn’t believe his ears.
“Vice Guild Master. What on earth do you mean?”
When he went to question him later, instead of answering directly, Lee Wonjae responded with another question.
“Minwoo, you joined because you respect Lee Suhyuk, didn’t you?”
Since then. The conversation with Lee Wonjae had not left his mind.
‘Could it be true?’
Once again, Cha Minwoo’s gaze turned to Hwang Gyuseong. Or rather, to where he had been.
“Why do you keep staring?”
Swoosh-.
Hwang Gyuseong’s hand moved to the back of Cha Minwoo’s neck.
“To kill me?”
“…No.”
When did he even get there?
Even though he was lost in thought, he hadn’t sensed his presence at all. It was chilling. He had considered most high-ranking players to be naive, but this was on a different level entirely.
“I understand you are not an opponent I can handle.”
“Really? Then why stare?”
“Just curious. If you’re really Hwang Gyuseong.”
Cha Minwoo was still uncertain. Could he really trust the man standing before him?
Could he trust Lee Wonjae?
His actions might be seen as a betrayal of Blue Zone, so he had to tread carefully with every step from now on.
“Do I need to prove I am who I say?”
“It’s important to me.”
“And if it’s true?”
“I need to ask.”
Why Lee Wonjae was planning to betray Blue Zone.
“Did our guild really betray Blue Eyes?”
At Cha Minwoo’s question, Hwang Gyuseong’s lips curled into a smirk. It wasn’t a smile of amusement. From that expression, Minwoo felt a chill he had never felt before.
‘Is he angry?’
Gulp-.
Nervous, he swallowed hard but didn’t take his eyes off Hwang Gyuseong. He couldn’t avoid this. He had to know.
The truth of what happened that day.
“That’s right.”
Hwang Gyuseong finally spoke.
“The conquest was a success.”
“Lee Suhyuk’s conquest was a success.”
“Lee Suhyuk, that guy was really something. Maybe it was because of us? He seemed to be pushing himself, flying all over the place.”
“Lee Suhyuk was genuinely impressive. He didn’t stop using the power of the Lightning Lord, all for his comrades.”
Hwang Gyuseong’s words overlapped with those of Lee Wonjae. It was hard to believe they could say the same things unless they had coordinated to deceive one person.
“At that time, he stabbed us in the back.”
“He?”
“Kim Ilsoo. Your guild master.”
Of course. They shared the same story. Hwang Gyuseong was saying the same things as Lee Wonjae.
“Why? Didn’t you know?”
“No, not at all…”
“You couldn’t have known. They buried it.”
The power of a major guild was beyond imagination. They could do whatever they wanted in this tower. Concealing the truth and manipulating public opinion weren’t difficult tasks for them.
“It’s known that you all betrayed Lee Suhyuk.”
Though not common knowledge, players who had reached a certain level had probably heard the rumor at least once.
That Blue Eyes betrayed Lee Suhyuk. And that Blue Zone moved to hide that disgrace.
“Of course.”
“Which side is the truth?”
“If you don’t want to believe me, don’t. I have no intention of explaining everything to a kid like you.”
Cha Minwoo nodded.
Indeed.
The man before him, Hwang Gyuseong, had no reason to painstakingly persuade him. He was strong enough that even if a group of players like Minwoo attacked, it wouldn’t faze him.
“Then let me ask just one more thing.”
Therefore, Cha Minwoo asked just one more thing. The last remaining question.
“Why were you there?”
Nowhere else. The place where Hwang Gyuseong was found was a forest inhabited by demons. Demons were enemies of the players. To find Hwang Gyuseong there was naturally strange.
However.
“Don’t you find it odd?”
This time, Hwang Gyuseong answered with another question.
“What?”
“These days, it looks like the big guilds and groups dominate this tower. But originally, this world wasn’t like that.”
“… And?”
“Demons? Arch-enemies? That’s laughable.”
Walking back to his original spot and lying down, he looked up at the sky with drifting clouds.
“You’re all so comfortable you’ve forgotten why we were brought here.”
With those words, a certain message floated in Cha Minwoo’s mind.
“… The event that will someday begin.”
No way.
Cha Minwoo’s eyes widened in realization.
“Do you know about that day?”
That day had been an unsolved mystery for all players. Even Lee Suhyuk. Even 20 years after his death, no one had found a clue about what would happen when that day came.
Yet.
“Who knows?”
The man before him.
“I don’t trust you guys either, you see.”
Hinted that maybe, just maybe, he knew something about that day.
***
Viola reopened her eyes half a day after she had collapsed. In a small annex reserved for the royal guests. As she woke up in a cold sweat, her eyes landed on Suhyuk and Vigo, who were having a light meal in the annex.
“Viola!”
“Are you awake?”
Suhyuk, anticipating her potential needs, brought over a bowl of soup prepared for her.
“Please, have some. You must be exhausted just getting up.”
“Ah, yes…”
With a dazed voice, Viola accepted the bowl. She spooned the warm soup into her mouth, comforting her empty stomach. Suhyuk, who had nearly finished his meal, checked on her condition.
‘She seems fine.’
Her injuries were never life-threatening. The reason she suddenly collapsed was likely due to the mental trauma. After finishing half the soup, Viola looked at Suhyuk and spoke.
“…Thank you.”
“What?”
“Thank you for helping me. Sincerely.”
Rising from her seat, Viola bowed to Suhyuk.
“If it weren’t for you, I would never have learned the truth, completed the mission, or avenged them.”
Savior.
Viola’s way of addressing Suhyuk had changed.
And then,
Step-.
She took a step closer to Suhyuk. She stepped right up, almost nose-to-nose, and then,
Smooch-.
“……?”
Their lips touched. Countless question marks flooded his mind. Vigo looked on in astonishment, almost ready to scream but covered his mouth with his hand.
And soon,
Swoosh-.
The short kiss ended as Viola pulled away.
-?????????
-???????
-What the heck???
-Is this for real???
Suhyuk touched his lips. He had removed the lower part of his mask to eat, and suddenly his lips were stolen in a kiss.
Why on earth?
Seeing the puzzlement in Suhyuk’s eyes, Viola knelt down before him.
Thud-.
“I vow to serve the one chosen by thunder as my master.”
“No, there’s no need for this…”
A flustered Suhyuk tried to help her up but fell silent. A Valkyrie had knelt. Something she wouldn’t do even with a sword at her neck. There must be a justifiable reason.
And if there was a reason, it was likely because of the Heart of Thunder Suhyuk had acquired.
“There are many things I want to ask.”
Since she vowed to serve him as her master, it would be much easier to get answers. Indeed, Viola’s attitude had changed completely, from her tone to her demeanor.
“Please, ask away.”
“What exactly is thunder? Why is Asgard so eager to protect it, and why does Muspelheim desire it?”
It had been a persistent question. Viola had referred to the power Suhyuk possessed as the power of lightning. And essentially, though their names differed slightly, lightning and thunder were the same type of power.
What exactly was the Heart of Thunder that made Asgard so determined to protect it?
Why had those figures in the cutscene gathered to determine the owner of this item?
Perhaps a Valkyrie like Viola might know the reason.
“A long time ago, there was a war over thunder involving gods, giants, and demons.”
“A war?”
“Yes, a very large one.”
Gods, demons, and giants.
All these were great races, incomparable to humans.
“The gods won the war. Our Asgard also participated in it.”
“Asgard ‘also’ participated, meaning there were other gods?”
“So I’ve heard. I don’t know all the details myself…”
“Heard?”
“Yes. The war took place before I was born.”
If it happened before Viola was even born, how ancient was this conflict?
It was a long time ago, much longer than he had anticipated. Suhyuk fiddled with the small blue gem no bigger than his thumbnail and asked.
“What exactly is this that made them so greedy for it?”
When he obtained the Heart of Lightning, it was the same. Many beings, their names and faces obscured, had focused their attention on him. Simply for having obtained the Heart of Lightning.
“You would need to meet the king to understand that.”
Glance-.
Viola’s eyes shifted to the Heart of Thunder in Suhyuk’s hand.
“And perhaps…”
Viola hesitated for a moment. Suhyuk knew what she was hesitating to say and asked.
“This is a half-piece, right?”
Viola looked surprised momentarily but then nodded.
“Yes, that’s correct.”
As expected. Among the myriad of gods, the unknown deity who had grasped the Heart of Thunder mentioned giving the thunder to his son.
Even if he wasn’t told the name, it wasn’t hard to deduce who he was.
‘King Odin.’
The king of Asgard. One of the gods with exceptional power, even among the great deities.
Odin.
He was the god who obtained the thunder. And the other half of the thunder he obtained was likely…
‘In Thor’s possession.’
The Heart of Thunder was a material item. The other half would likely take a similar form. This meant that one of the items Thor possessed was imbued with the Heart of Thunder.
This was already giving him a headache.
‘Finding it won’t be easy.’
It was impossible to forcibly take something from someone as significant as the prince of Asgard. It wasn’t just about Thor; it would mean going against all of Asgard.
‘Should I give up? No, first I need to understand why the other half was abandoned…’
At that moment,
“Will you join me?”
Viola, now standing, extended her hand to the pondering Suhyuk.
“To Asgard.”
TL’s Corner:
Okay, it’s all good going to Asgard and all, but I can’t ignore the side story.
The heck? How big will Minwoo’s role be in the story. Is he going to be the one to meet the MC and convey the MC’s friend’s message?