[Item Inspection

Tier?

You can converse with νόμος. Once set, the ring’s owner cannot be changed.]

Saint’s eyes widened in shock.

Seeing his face, Elaine and Pierce also looked at the inspection window and became dazed. Suji, who hadn’t even had time to check the item details, was also stunned.

As if burned, Saint dropped the item into Suji’s hand, and Suji glared at the item placed in her hand with astonished eyes before looking up.

The status window, which had been continuously scrolling upwards with notifications turned off, paused briefly before resuming its upward movement.

[νόμος laughs at your actions.] [Νύμφη watches your actions.] [απόγευμα watches your actions.] [σκιά watches your actions.]

Suddenly, the thought of how tiresome this was came to mind.

“After all this, now they’re trying to talk directly by giving me this thing.”

As Suji muttered to herself, as if in response, the log moved again.

[νόμος smiles deeply at your actions.]

‘What smile.’

Suji grumbled while glaring at the ring.

If things turned out like this, another question arose.

Would other conquerors also receive similar items?

Judging by Ageha’s reaction, it seemed they all saw the same prophecy about the future. Then would the other rewards be the same too?

‘…Now I understand what it means for different beings to oversee each tower.’

Roughly, it seemed that one of the ‘Great Beings’ would follow the conqueror of that tower like a sponsor, enabling communication.

Suji rolled the ring in her hand, deep in thought.

That meant, regardless of individual tendencies, the guidance of such ‘Great Beings’ could have turned Ageha into a murderer, couldn’t it?

And once this ring was put on, it couldn’t be transferred.

The thought of how unsettling this was came first, but it was clear that this was not a situation to refuse this or that.

Whether rotten or not, if there’s a lifeline, you have to grab it.

Suji clenched her fist, gripping the ring tightly as she looked at her team members.

“If no one else wants it, I’ll wear this.”

There were no objections.

Elaine, Pierce, and Saint all nodded immediately.

Suji wasn’t the type to snatch good items first.

However, since it was still unknown how this would help, or harm, them.

It seemed better for her to take on an item with so many risks.

And it also seemed like the owner of was openly hinting for her to have it.

Before putting on the ring, Suji spoke once more.

“Before that, there’s something I want to say. This isn’t all of the reward. There was also a hidden reward with a special hint.”

“A special hint?”

“What kind of hint was it…?”

“It disappeared after I saw it, so there’s no physical evidence left. The special hint showed some kind of video.”

“A video?”

“Assuming the ‘Great Beings’ aren’t a cult, it seems like the world will soon be destroyed at this rate. We should try to find a way to prevent it.”

Everyone’s faces went blank at the sudden, unbelievable statement.

“What do you mean? The video you saw as a reward showed that?”

Suji nodded.

[νόμος protests your actions.] [Νύμφη expresses dissatisfaction with your actions.] [απόγευμα expresses dissatisfaction with your actions.] [σκιά leaves its seat at your actions.]

They seem outraged at being called a cult.

What a bothersome bunch.

As if they hadn’t forcibly attached themselves without invitation in the first place.

Suji explained the video she had seen, alternating her gaze between Pierce and Saint, who were looking at her with concern.

The urban space that looked like the Han River area. The sky where a huge gate had opened as if torn. The screams loud enough to hurt one’s ears.

About that scene that could only be described as the extinction of humanity.

She also added what Ageha had said. That it would be less than a year in the future.

“…My God. If that’s true, what do we do now?”

“…For something so many people want, the reward for is quite messed up.”

It was certainly enough to give anyone a headache, even if not as impactful as seeing the video directly.

Seeing Pierce and Saint’s pale faces, Suji glanced at Elaine.

His neat eyes were deep in thought.

It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.

The reason Elaine was always reliable was not just because of his skills, but largely due to his mentality that wasn’t easily affected by most things.

But even for someone like him, it’s unlikely he wasn’t shocked by the news that humanity would be exterminated by a wave event within a year.

Perhaps he was too shocked to say anything.

Suji looked around at her team members and then reopened her hand, gripping the again.

“The more I think about it, the fact that they called it a ‘hint’ bothers me.”

“…A hint?”

Saint, unable to hide his bewilderment, asked blankly.

Suji nodded.

“In games, there’s only one reason to use the word ‘hint’. It’s to provide a clue needed to clear some obstacle in advance.”

Pierce and Saint looked half-convinced, but Suji had already come to that conclusion.

That there must be something they could do to avoid that terrible future.

Otherwise, why would they give a hint?

Suji slipped the ring onto her ring finger.

Like all ring accessories in the Hunter system, the ring felt a bit loose at first but quickly adjusted to fit her finger perfectly.

− Finally.

Suji’s body stiffened at the unfamiliar voice echoing in her head.

Although it was translated into Korean and understandable as a ‘language’, it sounded eerily like a noise. It was as if the sound of ice clashing against ice was forcibly interpreted into Korean.

“…You.”

− Call me whatever you like. The Great Beings? That name is cute too. Or you can call me a fairy or a god if you prefer.

[νόμος responds to your actions.]

The voice resonating in her head spoke so nonchalantly.

Suji took a deep breath, not feeling the reality of conversing with the ‘Great Beings’ even as she watched the slowly rising log.

Then the voice rang out again as if echoing in one corner of her head.

− How is it?

“How is what?”

− How is it? Do you feel like you’re going to die? Are you angry? Furious? Resentful? Scared?

Suji frowned and glared at the ring. Then she looked around at her team members who were waiting curiously to hear the conversation she was having.

Even while being so annoyed and irritated, had some curiosity about the ‘Great Beings’ remained unconsciously?

Had she expected that they, who could produce items like pet eggs that could change appearance at will, might have a clue to solve the wave crisis?

The moment she heard those questions full of pure curiosity, it felt like all expectations shattered.

− Do you feel your limits? Are you in despair? Have you acutely realized that this is the limit of humans?

“…What are you?”

Anger filled Suji’s low voice.

[νόμος is embarrassed by your actions.]

− Is there really a need to be so angry? I’m going to save you.

“What are you? Great Beings? Do you deserve such a grand title?”

− Calm down. I said I’ll save you, didn’t I? You, I’ll let you live even when the Second Wave comes. Me.

Second Wave.

Was that the name of the horrific scene of death she had seen?

Suji sighed in irritation.

It seemed fitting that they would name it that, since the first wave that had come was called the First Wave.

“How are you going to save me?”

[νόμος laughs at your actions.]

− Finally interested? I see we can communicate.

“Stop with the unnecessary talk and answer the main point.”

− I’ll just pluck you out. Invite you to a perfect world, Shangri-La.

Shangri-La.

Tibetan. Shangri-La.

The name of a paradise that appears in some classic novel, they say.

It wasn’t difficult to recall having heard that name recently.

In the letter received from .

She clenched her teeth.

“Are you perhaps the cult god that worships?”

− There seems to be a misunderstanding.

“A misunderstanding. Don’t you realize that what you’re saying right now sounds exactly like a cult?”

− …No. Why do you dislike me so much? How many items have I given you? I said I’d save you.

Save me?

Right, survival, that’s good.

But something seems to have been misunderstood.

Suji laughed, almost like a sigh.

“If your goal is to gather followers, you’ve picked the wrong number by a long shot. I’m not afraid of dying. I welcome it, actually.”

− …A smart aleck, I see.

“But I’m not happy about the Second Wave.”

[νόμος expresses doubt at your words.]

− You welcome death, but dislike extinction? Is this bravado?

“No.”

− Why?

Suji shouted, as if telling them to listen clearly while glaring at the sky.

“I don’t mind dying, but I’ve been working non-stop until now! Let me rest a bit! Huh? Let’s rest and have some fun before dying. What hint? You conscienceless jerks!”

Her teammates’ eyes widened at her sudden outburst as they had been listening intently to the conversation.