WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ SSS-Class Revival Hunter ◈
Chapter 226: If. (4)
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Kuwaaaang!
The next explosion sounded even closer. The entire building shook.
Priests of the Pantheon Guild quickly activated their auras to form protective shields. Inside the barrier, the Heretic Inquisitor, Kim Gong-Ja, and Jaa Soo-Jeong struggled to stand.
-American products are indeed superior!
Even amidst a terrorist attack, the Heretic Inquisitor was cheerful.
-Glad we equipped the building to withstand destruction!
-Thank you, Heretic Inquisitor.
Jaa Soo-Jeong dusted the dirt off her face.
She was as composed as usual.
-But this is not the end. The organization behind this terror is about 5 million strong. The number of explosions could keep multiplying.
-Five million followers, you say! How many of them are actually believers, and of those, how many will actually act? Ahaha. Faith is abstract, but death is real.
-But let me remind you again, even if one in a thousand, no, one in ten thousand acts, that's 500 people. 500 explosions.
-Yes.
The man responsible for the Tower's religion adjusted his hat.
-And 500 is a number we can [handle].
-......
-It would have been better if we could've anticipated and neutralized the terror beforehand. But it's too late now. So, I will take responsibility for my mistake and handle the aftermath!
Jaa Soo-Jeong hesitated for a moment.
A rare occurrence for her.
-By aftermath, you mean...
-Of course, kill all suspects. Reducing 5 million to 2.5 million is difficult, but bringing down 500 to 250, then 125, and further below 50 isn’t that hard.
-......
-I should ask the Black Dragon Master to declare martial law! It's been seven years, huh? Quite a long peace!
Kim Gong-Ja was at a loss for words.
Once again, Kuwoong, the wall trembled.
Another bomb.
-How can…
Kim Gong-Ja spoke instinctively.
-How can you speak so casually about this?
-Hmm?
The Heretic Inquisitor turned to Kim Gong-Ja.
Innocent eyes, befitting the term, but Kim Gong-Ja clenched his teeth. Even the eyes of a reptile could be innocent. The Heretic Inquisitor, retaining the naivety of an animal, smiled broadly.
-Why shouldn't I speak this way?
-......
-This way of thinking and speaking leads to quick and clear conclusions. Why shouldn't we discuss in this manner? Is it because it upsets you, part-timer?
-It's not about that…
-Yes, it is. Someone has to do it eventually. If it has to be done, it's faster to do it without unnecessary euphemisms. Caring about public sentiment is a politician's virtue, but we promised long ago to leave [that] to the Black Dragon Master!
Kim Gong-Ja clenched his teeth harder.
A gentle touch caught his agitated shoulder.
It was Jaa Soo-Jeong.
-Kim Gong-Ja.
-......
-Do not try to change him. There is no time now. You should use him instead.
-Use…
-Incredibly, the man in front of you is [persuadable by words].
Hearing that, Kim Gong-Ja struggled to think.
'I need to minimize the victims of the bomb terror. But also minimize innocent people being sacrificed on mere suspicion. How? How to persuade the Heretic Inquisitor, how to use this person...'
Use him.
-......
At that moment, Kim Gong-Ja realized something.
-It's the Pantheon.
The Heretic Inquisitor stopped in his tracks.
-What?
-The Pantheon.
Kim Gong-Ja spoke urgently.
-The vice-leader you captured. He's dead. But he must've died inside the Temple, and by your hand, right!
Just moments ago, the vice-leader's blood was on the Heretic Inquisitor's left hand.
The Heretic Inquisitor tilted his head.
-Yes, that's right, but?
-Then how did [the young person who played the video in the square] immediately know about the vice-leader's death! They could not possibly have clairvoyance, and they could not have seen inside the Temple's torture chamber,
Kim Gong-Ja saw the Heretic Inquisitor's eyes waver.
-A traitor inside the Temple reported the vice-leader’s death to their own comrades!
The Heretic Inquisitor was about to make the sign of the cross. Whether he intended to deploy a protective barrier or kill his own close associates, the Temple executives, remained unclear.
It became unclear.
Explosions and roars.
The world turned upside down.
It righted itself once, then immediately tilted again.
Kim Gong-Ja found himself fallen, something warm covering his back. Apart from feeling something warm on his back, he could barely sense anything.
It felt like cicadas were droning somewhere.
Beyond the shattered hearing, someone muttered.
-So the damn Flame Emperor had a needlessly sharp-eyed bastard working for him.
Kim Gong-Ja couldn't identify who it was.
But it wasn't the Heretic Inquisitor, nor Jaa Soo-Jeong. Then it must've been one of the Temple priests.
The owner of the voice walked away, making footsteps.
-What a pity. I could have kept using you for quite a while longer.
To whom was he speaking?
-You just had to act and move like a puppet, Temple Leader.
-......
-But a marionette without strings is useless. Time for disposal. Fortunately, today's a big day, so the time loss is minimal...
And Kim Gong-Ja forever lost his chance to see the traitor's face.
A flash burst, and screams followed.
The man enjoying the success of his betrayal no longer made a sound. The fact that if he could betray his superior, his superior wouldn't trust him completely, let alone the fact his superior never truly trusted anyone, was overlooked by the betrayer till the end.
-Ahaha...
A small hand tapped Kim Gong-Ja's cheek.
-Are you alright? Are you alive?
-Ugh... Fuck...
-Starting with a curse, you really are the Flame Emperor's subordinate. What's your name?
-Kim Gong-Ja...
-If you can swear and say your name, you already have half of living figured out. Can you open your eyes, Kim Gong-Ja?
Kim Gong-Ja opened his eyes.
In his blood-tainted vision, the Heretic Inquisitor smiled.
The redness in his view wasn't just because he was bleeding. Kim Gong-Ja slowly realized this.
-Good. I'm glad. There's one more person besides me who's aware of the current situation.
The Heretic Inquisitor was also drenched in blood.
His voice was heavily laced with the scent of blood.
-Temple Leader...
-Yes.
-Manager Jaa Soo-Jeong...?
Kim Gong-Ja struggled to speak. Jaa Soo-Jeong? Just now, the Heretic Inquisitor said it was fortunate that [one more person besides me] was left. Kim Gong-Ja desperately hoped for an error in that count.
-This is not the time to worry about others.
The Heretic Inquisitor coughed up blood, Kelok.
The blood was too vivid.
Not just blood, but also several pieces of flesh were mixed in.
-We need to treat......
Kim Gong-Ja barely managed to speak.
The Heretic Inquisitor raised a hand to stop him.
-There is no need. We do not have time for it. I will not survive.
-But if we don't try......
-Even without trying, I know. It's more efficient to do what can be done now......
Once again, the Heretic Inquisitor coughed up blood.
The blood splattered on Kim Gong-Ja's cheek.
-Ugh.
Unconsciously, Kim Gong-Ja got up, supporting himself on the ground. He remembered going to an amusement park with the orphanage director when he was very young, feeling like he was inside a squirrel cage, struggling to keep his balance in a world spinning with dark red.
As he got up, something that had been covering his back slid down and fell to the floor, but he desperately tried not to pay attention to it.
Kim Gong-Ja fixed his gaze on the Heretic Inquisitor.
He was sitting right in front of Kim Gong-Ja. However, whether his posture could still be called 'sitting' was something Kim Gong-Ja couldn't tell.
From the waist down, torn apart, the Heretic Inquisitor spoke.
-As your observation implied, Mr. Kim Gong-Ja, this terrorist attack seems to have been prepared far more thoroughly than expected. My mistake.
-Don't speak... Your body right now.
-On the contrary. Since I'm in this state, I have to speak. That way…
Blood and coughs.
-Ah, even proud American-made equipment ends up like this when the explosion comes from inside. The damage... If this place is in this state, I wonder what happened elsewhere. Ugh.
-Temple Leader, please, be quiet for a moment, I'll call someone...
-Instead of calling, take these.
The Heretic Inquisitor pulled out something from his pocket.
There were two items.
A small doll and a hand mirror adorned with a pitch-black Black Dragon.
Before Gong-Ja knew it, he had accepted them, and the Heretic Inquisitor smiled at him.
-The first is called The Idol. It means my proxy. The Pantheon is now yours for the time being.
Kim Gong-Ja froze.
-Why, to me?
-Just as I said before. Right now, you're the only one who can move here.
Kim Gong-Ja clenched his teeth.
He didn't look around or look back.
The Heretic Inquisitor continued speaking.
-But honestly, I'm not sure if that mark will have any meaning... whether the system I set up will continue to operate after my death. But still, it's better than nothing, so for now... More importantly, this second item. A mirror.
-A mirror.......
-It's called the Black Dragon Mirror. To communicate with the guild masters of other guilds... It is one of the emergency tools the Black Dragon Master gave us. Tell them you're my proxy...
The Heretic Inquisitor stopped talking.
Kim Gong-Ja waited for the rest of the sentence.
It took him a while to realize that it wouldn't come.
-..........
Kim Gong-Ja spoke.
-Temple Master?
There was no answer.
And there would never be.
-Temple Master.
Life is mercilessly persistent, yet it can disappear without warning.
Kim Gong-Ja looked down at the two relics left in his hand. Staring blankly in the ruined room.
It wasn't for long.
Determination set on his face.
-I must move...
But how?
And where to?
That was something an E-Rank Hunter like him couldn't know. Fortunately, the people who died at this moment weren't just the Heretic Inquisitor. There were others still alive, moving desperately. As a result of their movements, a voice came through.
-Damn it...
The voice was coming from the mirror in his hand.
-Hey. Is there anyone alive there? If so, respond.
Kim Gong-Ja recognized the owner of the voice.
Probably every resident of the Tower would know.
-Black Dragon Guild Master?
-Huh? What? Who are you?
Kim Gong-Ja took a deep breath.
And briefly explained the situation.
There was a moment of silence from the other side of the mirror, then the voice continued.
-I see. Well. He wasn't a child meant to live long.
-......Do you believe me?
-Yeah. I have a skill I got from Paladin before. I can roughly... Ah, damn it.
The Black Dragon Master let out a long groan.
It was not a dry groan, but a wet one thick with blood.
-Are you hurt?
-A bit. It's been a long time since I got stabbed by an assassin...
The second-ranked Hunter.
The most powerful figure in the Tower, in both name and reality.
Even in the reality of such a person being assassinated, Kim Gong-Ja kept his composure. Perhaps his reason was paralyzed by the continuous catastrophes.
Either way, only the voices of the Black Dragon Master and Gong-Ja flowed through the Black Dragon Mirror. Even as time passed while Gong-Ja explained the whole situation, no one else joined the communication. The Black Dragon Master quietly voiced what that implied.
-It's a big problem. Maybe the second biggest since the Tower was built.
-..........
-I've made a lot of enemies over the years...
Coughing.
-The person who stabbed me had served as a section chief and deputy section chief at the U.S. State Department. I thought they were just a nobody kicked out of power, living a normal life, but fuck... these damn CIA bastards... now they even use cult freaks to screw us over...?
-Black Dragon Master, where are you? I'll come to you.
Coughing and laughter followed.
-What are you going to do if you come? Unless it's the secretary or your master.
Kim Gong-Ja knew this better than anyone.
-Still, I can't just stand by.
-You're young...
There was a touch of sorrow in the Black Dragon Master's voice.
A brief sigh.
That sorrow was soon replaced by cold calculation.
-But you have no power. I have no use for ideals like that.
Before Kim Gong-Ja could respond, the Black Dragon Master continued.
-In a situation like this, guild masters usually meet and decide on a leader. But considering the current situation...
-Black Dragon Master...
-I'll take command.
The Black Dragon Master breathed heavily.
-From this moment on.
The ruler of the city spoke.
Her voice didn't just come through the Black Dragon Mirror.
It started to flow from the destroyed Babylon Square, from the streets, from the slums, from the streetlights installed everywhere, from the speakers attached under the streetlights.
-I declare martial law. I am the Black Dragon Master, head of the Black Dragon Guild. Once again, I declare martial law effective from this time.
There were sounds of spitting blood between the Black Dragon Master's words.
-At present, the outside world has mobilized unidentified hostiles to carry out multiple explosions inside the Tower. All guild masters are out of contact. Casualties could be in the thousands, maybe tens of thousands.
The sound of coughing.
-Anyway. The Tower was nobody's from the beginning. There were those who killed humans saying the Tower was God's, those who killed enemies saying the Tower was the United States', and even those who trampled humans saying the Tower belonged to thugs.
The fact that the person assuming command was bleeding echoed through the speakers and resounded even in the shattered Babylon Square.
-But now, after more than a decade, we can say it firmly. This Tower is ours. Our territory. We are the humans of the Tower. The sky of the Tower is our airspace, the streams of the Tower are our territorial waters. The land of the Tower is our territory. And we call those who defile our sky, water, and land enemies.
The Black Dragon Master swallowed once.
Maybe she swallowed blood.
With a scent of blood, from beyond the speakers, the Black Dragon Master's declaration burst out.
-It's war.
The echo exploded simultaneously in every alley of the speaker-installed city.
-This is war.
The echo fell even on the back of a mother tightly holding her child under the speaker.
-In this situation where the Tower's security is seriously compromised, we, the Black Dragon, declare martial law and announce that we will achieve victory in this war as swiftly as possible. And I promise. I will show merciless revenge to those who dared to shake the Tower.
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