Chapter 101
[Title: Ruse]
[Author: ㅇㅇ(33R.33Y)]
[Live the rest of your lives in the world of Mage Gallery.]
[Your big bro's quitting here.]
Sure enough, comments started pouring in almost immediately.
ㄴPkkatju: ?????
ㄴBeetle: What the hell?????
ㄴFridge: Sure, good work. See you tomorrow.
ㄴMagic Is Firepower: You're kidding, right??
Before I knew it, I'd become a bait magnet.
“Now I want to mess around even more.”
I hadn't planned on this, but reading the comments suddenly put me in a playful mood.
I started writing my reply.
ㄴㅇㅇ(33R.33Y): I'm not kidding. It's too hard and too dangerous now, so I can't do it anymore. Besides, even if I stop here, I've already earned enough to live on for the rest of my life.
ㄴMagic Is Firepower: Are you serious? You're really quitting? Seriously?
ㄴㅇㅇ(33R.33Y): Yeah. I'm going to live for myself from now on.
ㄴBeetle: What, did something happen? What's going on?
ㄴMagic Is Firepower: No. Absolutely not. We can't let your talent rot away like this. What do you want? Money? Items? I can give you anything.
ㄴMagic Is Firepower: If you join our guild, I'll make sure you get the same treatment I get. I can guarantee your safety too. We can form a party even now, can't we? I'll try to find as many Hunters around your floor level as possible.
ㄴMagic Is Firepower: Don't do this. Let's meet and talk, okay?
ㄴBeetle: Quit it. You should respect the person's own wishes.
ㄴBeetle: I actually think this isn't so bad. I mean, it is dangerous work.
ㄴBeetle: Honestly, I'd been thinking the same thing. There was no reason for you to keep doing this.
ㄴBeetle: If you really want to, you can always do it a few years from now.
ㄴFridge: I agree with Beetle. Honestly, I'd been worried about this too.
ㄴFridge: The newbie was climbing too easily, and since the newbie wanted it so badly, I kept quiet, but I really was worried.
ㄴFridge: Pushing someone like you into the Tower over and over is just cruel. Anyone who met you in real life would feel insanely guilty…
***
Meanwhile, in a dark room.
Shin Seha, Pkkatsu, stopped scrolling.
The monitor's faint light lit Shin Seha's pale, tired face.
Shin Seha's heart sank the moment the newbie's post appeared.
What followed was a strange sense of relief.
“Yeah... quitting is the right choice.”
Shin Seha muttered unconsciously.
The Tower is a dangerous place. A place where you never know when you'll die.
No matter how strong or special your talent is, in the end all it leads to is death.
Just like I did.
Knowing your limits and stopping at the right time is the wise choice.
“That's only natural….”
That was how Shin Seha rationalized the past and present.
That this hadn't been running away, but making a wise choice.
Shin Seha found comfort in the newbie's retirement declaration.
Shin Seha felt relieved that there was one more person like her.
“…….”
But beneath that relief, another emotion was slowly seeping up.
Disappointment. Or maybe something closer to betrayal.
“… Still, I had hoped the newbie would be different from me.”
The newbie had always looked so confident.
Shin Seha had thought the newbie wasn't the type to get scared and collapse.
Watching the newbie push ahead without hesitation, as if they could punch a hole through the sky, Shin Seha had unknowingly found vicarious satisfaction in it.
Because it felt like the newbie was walking the road Shin Seha could never take.
Even seeing the newbie overtake her had made Shin Seha feel proud somewhere deep down.
But in the end, the newbie was the same after all.
Just another loser who'd crumbled in the face of the Tower's terror.
Shin Seha bit her lip.
Watching Magic Is Firepower beg the newbie on the monitor, Shin Seha let out a cold sneer inwardly.
That won't do any good.
Once someone's heart is broken, they never come back. Shin Seha knew because she'd been the same.
Amid the swirling emotions, Shin Seha couldn't bring herself to post a comment.
She just waited for the newbie to post something new.
***
“This is bad….”
The gallery's comment section had suddenly turned far too serious.
I broke out in a cold sweat.
This wasn't how I'd planned for things to go.
I'd thrown out a WWE match, and everyone had responded with UFC.
“How am I supposed to clean this up?”
If I said, 'Everyone, it was all just a joke,' it felt like I'd get beaten to death.
I could only keep darting my eyes around frantically.
But I had to say something before it got any later.
It looked like Magic Is Firepower and the others were about to fight over their disagreement.
Once feelings got hurt, it would be really hard to clean up.
I hurriedly grabbed the keyboard.
ㄴㅇㅇ(33R.33Y): Uh, everyone, it was actually a joke....
ㄴㅇㅇ(33R.33Y): I was just trying to get some attention. Sorry....
ㄴㅇㅇ(33R.33Y): I just had something I wanted to brag about and share, but I didn't know how to bring it up, so I did something stupid...
ㄴㅇㅇ(33R.33Y): I'm sorry to everyone who really worried about me and everyone who seriously cared about me. I'm an idiot...
For a moment, the chat fell silent.
It took quite a while before a comment appeared.
ㄴPkkatju: This time, that was a bit much.
ㄴMagic Is Firepower: ………
Cold sweat dripped down my forehead.
ㄴㅇㅇ(33R.33Y): It's all my fault. Please forgive me just this once.
ㄴㅇㅇ(33R.33Y): I'll do anything. Please, just show me some leniency one time…
I apologized sincerely and begged for forgiveness again and again.
Fortunately, my sincerity seemed to get through, and the atmosphere loosened up almost immediately.
ㄴBeetle: Still, seeing this kid apologize is making this dad tear up.
ㄴPkkatju: =ㅅ=
ㄴFridge: Nope, this calls for a little forehead flick.
ㄴBeetle: Yep. Next time I see you, you're booked for 100 forehead flicks.
ㄴMagic Is Firepower: Ugh, fine, we're only letting you off this once, seriously.
ㄴMagic Is Firepower: (the usual flying-fist emote)
ㄴPkkatju: You clearly said you'd do anything, didn't you?
ㄴPkkatju: (the usual 'come here' emote)
“Phew.... Did I somehow make it through the crisis?”
I let out a relieved sigh.
I'd barely gotten through the crisis.
Now it was time to get to the point.
ㄴㅇㅇ(33R.33Y): Um... as an apology, I'd like to send you guys something I made....
I naturally changed the subject.
The shield I had made myself.
I was planning to hand it out as a sample and also promote the showcase I'd be holding later.
ㄴMagic Is Firepower: You can make items too? What is it?
ㄴㅇㅇ(33R.33Y): It's a shield, and I'll give one free to anyone who wants to try it. We're buddies, aren't we?
ㄴㅇㅇ(33R.33Y): But please be sure to come to the official showcase when I unveil it later....
ㄴMagic Is Firepower: I'll take one.
I got addresses from the people in the Mage Gallery.
Fridge gave me the lab address, and Beetle and Magic Is Firepower gave me their guild and office addresses.
Unusually, Pkkatsu requested convenience-store delivery instead of giving a home address.
Nobody said no.
Sending gifts like this could expose my identity to some extent, but by now it was too late to worry about that much.
I already trusted the people in Mage Gallery.
After getting the addresses, I called the broker.
“Mister, I'll send you four addresses. Please send one shield to each of them.”
I recited the addresses I'd gotten from the mages.
The broker's calm voice came through the receiver.
[Understood, Boss. Are you sending them for a preliminary inspection?]
“Sort of. And these folks said they'd come to the showcase later too.”
[That's great. Securing VIP customers in advance is very important, after all.]
The broker replied, sounding satisfied with my answer.
His voice carried satisfaction at how smoothly business was going.
I leaned back on the sofa and added whatever came to mind.
“Oh, right. Should we give one to Mr. Jeong Man-ho too? Why not.”
[You mean Mr. Jeong Man-ho?]
“Yes. Please have him deliver it himself.”
[Yes, understood.]
After I finished speaking, silence hung on the line for a moment.
The broker seemed to be checking the addresses I'd sent.
A little while later, his voice came back.
But unlike before, he sounded slightly flustered.
[Uh, this list... did you perhaps say it wrong?]
“Hm? No, that's right.”
My casual answer made the broker fall silent again for a moment.
As if trying to verify something, he spoke in a very cautious voice.
[Starting with the first address, it's listed as the office of S-rank Hunter Kim Suho.]
“Yep, that's right.”
[The second is A-rank Hunter Jeong Tae-yeon of the Hwayeon Guild... the third is A-rank Hunter Eun Mirae of a government-run research institute... and I don't know who the last one is. Pkkatsu? This one is convenience-store delivery....]
With each name he called out, disbelief seeped heavily into his voice.
Once the broker had confirmed the last name, he finally couldn't hold back and asked,
[Just how do you know people like this?]
I shrugged and answered as if it were perfectly obvious.
“They're just internet friends.”
[Hmm....]
It was clear the broker had been left speechless on the other end.
Ignoring his mental shock, I tore open a bag of snacks and went on.
“Anyway, please take good care of them. Thanks.”
I hung up.
Now the ball was in the broker's court.
I had no doubt he'd prepare the best showcase possible with this incredible network.
For the time being, all that was left was to wait.
Until the broker gathered capable people, prepared the showcase, and had people try out the shield and leave reviews.
What was I supposed to do in the meantime?
Browsing the gallery or eating snacks gets old after a day or two.
In the end, there was only one thing I could do.
“Maybe I should grind the Tower a bit?”
I got up and headed straight for the Tower.
Come to think of it, I'd also taken quite a long break while making equipment.
***
[Entering Tower Floor 40 (EXTREME).]
What lay before me was the very temple I'd turned upside down last time.
It was still just as neat as it had been after the remodel.
The golden hourglass emblem I'd carved at the temple's highest point was shining clearly.
“Sage!”
The first person to spot me was Sharon.
She had apparently been discussing something with the soldiers beside the temple pillar.
The moment she saw me, her face brightened.
She hurried over and bowed.
“You're back!”
“Nothing happened while I was gone, right?”
“Of course not. Everything is proceeding smoothly according to the Sage's will.”
Sharon smiled as she guided me into the temple.
Sharon began reporting the results like a secretary.
“This is the faith gathered over the last few days for you, Sage.”
When Sharon clasped her hands together, milky points of light bloomed above her palms.
They flew straight to me and were softly absorbed.
A warm, dense energy unlike anything I'd received before spread through my entire body.
By size, maybe about a hand's worth.
“Looks like the proselytizing is going well.”
“Yes. The Sage's story has spread throughout the entire kingdom. Now the soldiers pray beneath banners bearing the Sage's emblem before heading into battle.”
A fundamental question occurred to me.
“But what exactly are they praying for?”
“Pardon?”
“No, there isn't even any doctrine yet, is there? There's not even anything like what I like, or what people have to do to receive blessings. So what exactly are people praying to me for?”
I asked because I was genuinely curious.
What I needed was only the emotion of their faith.
I had never asked for anything else.
Of course, I'd never given them anything either.
My question made Sharon think for a moment, then she answered with a gentle smile.
“They pray for victory.”
“Victory?”
“They pray to be protected from the fear of death, to return safely to the side of their beloved families. And sometimes they pray for miracles that will overturn desperate situations.”
“Hmm….”
“They don't need complicated doctrine, Sage. They just need something to lean on.”
Sharon's words were simple, but they carried a strange resonance.
For a moment, I couldn't say anything.
I just nodded silently.
In any case, everything was going even better than I'd expected.
This was a very successful investment.
At that moment, Sharon, having finished her report, seemed to hesitate briefly before speaking with a serious expression.
“But Sage, there's one more thing I need to report.”
“What's that?”
“While we were refurbishing the temple, we found something strange.”
Sharon's expression looked odd.
I followed her to the temple's central altar.
It was the very altar Sandworm had swallowed once and I had recreated.
“It's below this.”
Sharon pointed to one corner of the altar.
When one of the floor slabs was pushed aside, a hidden entrance was revealed with a heavy sound.
Beyond it was a spiral staircase with no end in sight.
“A basement? Was there really something like this?”
“It was too deep and too dark to go in, so I couldn't bring myself to enter. I could feel something ominous from somewhere….”
Sharon looked down into the darkness with worried eyes.
She thought there might be something dangerous below.
I agreed.
After all, this was Floor 40, the floor where the final boss was.
No doubt that thing was down there.
“We have to go. We can't turn back now that we've come this far.”
I stepped into the darkness without hesitation.