VSP 160

“…Ha.”

Hope didn’t matter right now. Could this world really defeat that Asura if he left?

This boss was originally designed with the participation of two EX-class hunters in mind.

They couldn’t gain the upper hand even now. Cha Dogyeong definitely couldn’t win against the strengthened boss alone, or more precisely, if he were to fight it with a burden called Seo Sejun, he would definitely not be able to win.

But he couldn’t blame Cha Dogyeong for wanting that. If he were in Dogyeong’s position, he’d also be scared that the person he knew might disappear. He’d have wanted them to come back.

He thought anything was fine as long as they reached the ending. Even if he disappeared, the remaining people would be happy. He hadn’t had a choice before. Back then, it was his only lifeline.

But when the choices were thrust before his eyes, he couldn’t figure out what to choose.

What if they failed?

Everyone would perish since they wouldn’t see the ending.

What if he stayed and succeeded? He didn’t know if he could return to his original world or if Seo Sejun would even remain there.

Ultimately, there was only one sure, happy ending.

He had to return the body to this world’s Seo Sejun, and this place had to find its happy ending. Of course, the odds were remarkably low.

They didn’t even have a proper conversation yet. He had only recently begun to hope for a future with Cha Dogyeong. Now, when he return, all he wants to do is look at his face.

What should I do?

He saw the wounded Asura wriggle in the distance. His allotted time was running out. The monster would resume his attack soon, and by then, choice would become a luxury then. It was already a luxury now.

He didn’t even have time.

Sejun laughed hollowly. He wished he’d been given some time to make his choice, but he didn’t have the luxury of that.

Sejun looked up at the sky. The dark clouds looked like their future. He didn’t want to think that way, but desperate thoughts filled his head.

[Asura didn’t consider the situation a major crisis even then.]

Sejun was slow to react because he was clutching his pounding head.

What was that?

He saw words floating above Asura’s head.

[Humans are weak. Humans must die. A monster that exists solely on that instinct, though wounded, has become all the more powerful for it.]

Sejun turned towards Cha Dogyeong, who was looking in the same direction, so he couldn’t have missed it.

However, Cha Dogyeong did not react much and just watched Asura writhing around preparing for the next phase with a calm expression.

Is this something only I can see?

At that moment, someone’s voice rang in Sejun’s ear at an incredibly loud volume.

[Yes, I’m the sinner. I’m the sinner!]

-I never said it went that far.

The voice that answered sounded familiar. Sejun stared blankly up at the sky.

[Oh, I’ll write it! I’ll write it!]

-I told you a long time ago that it was the only way. It would’ve been so good if you’d just written it sooner.

[Agh, I get it! I’m sorry!]

-Don’t apologize to me. Apologize to them. Hoya wouldn’t have been so angry if you’d just listened from the start.

[I said I get it!]

The sighing voice was filled with reluctance.

[Why do I have to… write even… here…]

The following voice sounded even more sorrowful.

-You decided to make them happy, didn’t you?

[I did, but…]

-Then you have to write. Hoya is angry. I can’t hold him back anymore. It’s impossible.

The world grew dark, as if the ceiling lights were going out one by one from far away, and at that moment, Asura, who had finally completed all his recovery, lowered his arm that was covering his face.

In a world where even the blowing wind had stopped, Sejun stood alone in the pitch-black darkness for a moment, just a moment.

It lasted for a split second.

At least, it felt that way to most people. The world’s colors returned. Sejun saw Asura lift his head in the exact same pose as before the world turned black. Dogyeong looked at Asura, then looked back at Sejun.

The Sejun before his eyes showed no signs of change. His face was a bit blank, but unless Sejun gave up on his own will, there was nothing more Dogyeong could do. There wasn’t enough time to persuade him.

The situation hadn’t changed. Dogyeong tried his best to persuade him, but he judged that the other person didn’t accept it.

“It’s coming. Watch out.”

Sejun smiled brightly the moment Dogyeong spoke through gritted teeth. It was the brightest smile Dogyeong had ever seen. He hadn’t even seen it on the Sejun he knew.

He’s smiling? In this situation? Why?

“Hey,” Sejun suddenly spoke. “I actually really hate Deus Ex Machina.”

“What?”

“I hope that those who use hacks while playing games and such will die.”

He couldn’t stop laughing, as if he was really dumbfounded.

“But now that I am the beneficiary, I think my thoughts will change a bit.”

Dogyeong didn’t have time to think about this sudden statement. As soon as Sejun finished speaking, Asura, having recovered, roared.

A low, vibrating sound erupted simultaneously from Asura’s three heads.

Asura, determined to restrain his most powerful enemy, gathered his three heads together and prepared a powerful shockwave, just as he had done in the final dungeon.

Rumble!

The attack fired instantly. In the past, Seo Sejun barely saved everyone by using Hoya to turn the direction. Dogyeong realized that blocking it was a waste. He moved his body and dodged immediately.

The structure the two people were leaning against was instantly reduced to dust.

The view was completely obscured by dust. It was pitch black.

***

Blink, blink.

Sejun blinked his eyes twice, three times, and felt tears welling up in his eyes due to the dust that had accumulated there.

“Ah, shit…”

It wasn’t just a little dust in his eyes. It was as if he’d just stepped into a dust pit and emerged, his entire body covered in a white powdery dust. It looked like he’d been covered in volcanic ash.

Sejun, who was coughing and choking, belatedly realized where he was standing.

“Ah…”

It was on the flimsy railing of a building. It was almost on the top floor, at least twenty stories high. Behind him was nothing but a tightly closed glass window. Sejun was standing on a narrow railing that seemed barely wide enough for a person to stand on with one foot.

“Ugh, shit. What is this?”

Sejun immediately pressed his back against the glass window. He tried not to look down. He didn’t have a specific fear of heights, but this was too much. It would be normal for anyone to be afraid.

He gasped for breath. His heart started beating like crazy.

His mind was in disarray. The dust in his eyes wasn’t important.

Sejun tried to come to his senses, his vision becoming even more blurry due to his tears.

The sheer volume of information flooding into his head was overwhelming, even though he’d already experienced it before.

“Oh, shit.”

What did that crazy bastard do?

After a quick review of his memories, he concluded, ‘What the hell did this crazy bastard do to my body?’

Much more time had passed than he thought.

His last memory was burying his head in Cha Dogyeong’s warm embrace.

Warm chest, my ass! Why am I on top of a building? Sejun felt like he’d been wronged. He wanted to beat his chest, but he didn’t dare. He was afraid the ledge would collapse. He didn’t know why ‘Seo Sejun’ left his body here and vanished.

You can get down, but I can’t!

Should he wait for rescue? But what rescue? This building looked like it was about to collapse. Also, his recent memories suggested an imminent crisis.

Wait, is Cha Dogyeong safe?

“Fuck…”

A curse escaped his lips. He didn’t know anything. He felt miserable again. It was miserable that his weak ego let his body be taken. It was also shameful that Cha Dogyeong found out about all those embarrassing missions. He felt pathetic because he couldn’t even get down from a building by himself.

“System, Hoya, Cha Dogyeong…”

Sejun looked for the people he could lean on first. He called Cha Dogyeong even though he couldn’t hear him.

Ah, now that everything’s been discovered, you have no conscience.

Sejun closed his eyes.

He knew he was shameless, but…

‘We can resolve any hurt feelings while we live together. The one who loves more is the one who loses.’

A few intense memories surged like a tsunami among the others. He heard that voice again. It was the voice that said everything was okay even though Dogyeong knew Sejun had deceived him.