SSS-Class Revival Hunter - Chapter 255

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

◈ SSS-Class Revival Hunter ◈

Chapter 255: One Who Does Not Clear the Stage (1)

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Time passed swiftly.

Despite the unprecedented rise of a Mountain Snail Tribe member as the chairman of the Fire River Council, there was no significant turmoil. Those who harbored doubts nodded in agreement upon hearing, "That Mountain Snail Tribe member beheaded the Red Dragon." Numerous warriors from both the Earth Spirit and Ghost Tribes testified to Seimslam's accomplishments.

"This is no longer just a nation of Earth Spirits!"

The Black Dragon Master exclaimed excitedly.

Seems this topic suits Anastasia's taste.

“Our children’s nation will be greater than Rome! Do you realize how incredible this is, Gong-Ja?”

“Anastasia, I only graduated from middle school. I dropped out of high school. Please put it in simple terms I can understand....”

“Ah, okay. Rome initially began as a nation solely for Romans. But it truly became a great empire encompassing everyone when outsiders from different provinces were allowed to enter the center, and a certain faith from a remote border became the state religion."

As she gazed at that world, the Black Dragon Master cupped both cheeks in her hands.

“But Rome had its limits... Do you know what they were?”

That’s why I’m saying I don’t know.

There was no need for me to interject.

"It’s because religion became overly sanctified!"

“It ran out of nations to conquer, making it difficult to sustain a war economy, right?”

“It's because of the corruption in politics and society’s decadence.”

It wasn’t me but the Heretic Inquisitor, the Countess, and the Paladin who interjected these points.

The Black Dragon Master uttered an "Oh", waving her arms dismissively.

“You all go away. I’m talking to Gong-Ja.”

They retreated with drooping faces.

The Black Dragon Master cleared her throat.

“Hmm. There were many limits, but I think it was because the interests of each group were not distinctly divided."

“What do you mean?”

“Look over there.”

The Black Dragon Master pointed towards the seats of the Fire River Council.

"While the goblins manage national defense and food production, the Fairy Tribe handles capital. The Gill-Fin Tribe takes charge of logistics, and the Mountain Snail Tribe oversees underground resources... This creates factions on a biological level. As long as one tribe doesn’t go extinct or become enslaved, it’s impossible for someone from a specific tribe to monopolize power!"

The Black Dragon Master’s cheeks were slightly red, perhaps from drinking too much.

She even began to stammer.

"This is important. Decisions made on a biological level. Mutual dependence naturally leads to checks and balances...”

"......."

“This system is strong and robust. It is even kind to latecomers. If any new tribe is better at a field handled by one of the existing tribes, especially if its nature means it cannot help but be better, that field will naturally become its specialty. But, yes, the road to establishing such a system is extraordinarily difficult.”

The Black Dragon Master brushed her hair back.

"For instance, if a tribe fears challenges to its domain. Fears being ousted from their specialty. And decides to oppress the newcomers. And if the established tribes see this as normal. If such a trend dominates, this system will decay over time. But…”

No tribe went extinct.

Uburka did not allow the extinction of the Mountain Snail Tribe.

When it seemed like the Earth Spirit Tribe would dominate the continent, the Fire River Council timely eradicated racial discrimination.

Ssonia. That child, born into the Fairy Tribe yet longing to dance, devoted a lifetime to presenting Bloodflower Plays onstage.

The discovery of the new continent bolstered the standing of the Gill-Fin Tribe, who led the way, and the natives of the new continent, the Dream Demons, reportedly merged with the Vampires led by Anastasia.

And through the clash with the Ghost Tribe, people learned how much distance to keep between themselves and their gods.

One by one.

One person at a time.

One life.

Changed the world, until at last a member of the Mountain Snail Tribe became chairman of the Fire River Council for the first time.

The Fire River Council was transforming into a council that truly embraced both fire and water.

"Everything, yes, fell into place so perfectly."

The screen showed a grand festival celebrating the defeat of the Red Dragon.

A flamboyant Fairy Tribe member showcased all sorts of circuses and fire dramas, and tourists from across the country laughed along with the festival.

“What lies before us, this scene, Gong-ja, is a vast miracle like a sacred painting created by the overlapping footprints of countless people.”

The Black Dragon Master murmured dreamily.

It was not an unpleasant feeling, so I smiled faintly.

“That’s true. Truly a miracle…”

“Unless this miracle was ‘created’ by someone.”

I paused.

Before I could blink, the dreaminess in the Black Dragon Master’s voice was gone. Simultaneously, the atmosphere, more precisely, her eyes changed.

“You, Gong-Ja.”

The Black Dragon Master turned to me.

Everyone else who had been dismissed was far enough not to hear our voices.

In this place where only the two of us were having this conversation, those purple eyes focused on me.

“You didn’t [Return] without telling me, did you?”

"......."

“You have a return skill, Gong-Ja. Like when you defeated the [Demon King of Autumn Rain]… Did you go ahead to the stage alone, die, find a non-lethal route, and bring us to this point where everyone is happy… You didn’t do that, did you?”

The Black Dragon Master’s hands gripped my shoulders.

The beer can fell, and the chair rolled away. I lay on the cold floor, pinned down by the Black Dragon Master.

“This world wasn’t built upon your corpses, was it.”

Ah.

"......."

I see.

'Um.'

Embarrassingly, I almost cried.

Not because my efforts were being recognized. That emotion, now past its expiration date, had been discarded long ago from the fridge of my heart.

It wasn't that.

‘As expected, senior is a beautiful person.’

In Senior Anastasia's eyes, remorse, regret, gratitude, and something like anger were laid bare and mixed together exactly as they were. So were feelings unlike any of those, and countless others that had almost, but not quite, become them.

Even though I lack a mind-reading skill.

[I hate the idea of a friend dying without me knowing.]

I deeply understood what senior’s eyes meant.

Because I had already done this to Anastasia once before.

A battle thought to have ended miraculously and harmlessly... The war in the Aegim Empire was actually a flower bloomed from my countless deaths.

Now, she knows too.

“Senior.”

Therefore.

“Let’s renew our friendship contract.”

I spoke earnestly.

"Huh?"

“Our previous contract. Oh, can you move off a bit? If Raviel sees me like this, she’ll mock saying, ‘As usual, you get drunk and someone jumps you at every gathering.’”

“Ah, that's vividly imaginable... Sorry, I'll sober up a bit. The contract is here.”

The Black Dragon Master extended her nails and sliced through the air. Like opening a zipper, the air split apart, revealing a pitch-black abyss.

Nonchalantly, the Black Dragon Master reached into the abyss and swiftly pulled something out.

[Friendship Contract]

This contract is concluded when Kim Gong-ja (hereinafter C) accepts the request of Anastasia Zelenska (hereinafter A).

A does not trust the shelf life of human emotions and is convinced that only a diligent attitude and an industrious intellect can place the relationship between these two people on solid rock. Accordingly, A and C swear to the following:

1. All promises are valid only when both parties agree.

2. All promises can be voided if both parties agree.

3. However, the establishment or voiding of a promise is only possible on weekends (Saturday or Sunday).

4. In case of disagreements, roll the dice and follow the opinion of the person with the higher roll.

Signature: Anastasia Zelenska (Seal)

Signature: Kim Gong-Ja (Seal)

“Yeah. This is our contract… Why this?”

I slightly concentrated aura on the tip of my finger.

“I’m adding a promise to it.”

Scribble, scribble.

The aura on my index finger carefully wrote the letters. Or rather, it was slightly burning the surface of the paper, so “burning letters” would be a more appropriate description.

5. Just as both parties can say what they want to each other, they can also choose not to say what they don't want to, and can even lie.

6. However, when asked a question with the phrase "I swear on the contract," they cannot lie.

7. And we will never doubt the answer that comes with the phrase "I swear on the contract."

I looked up.

“How about that?”

"......."

“It should help us build more trust, don’t you think? A bit childish, yes, but we were already out of the ordinary when we wrote a friendship contract. I was thinking of aligning with senior’s thoughts..."

“I swear on the contract.”

Before I could even finish talking, Anastasia grabbed my right hand.

And looked me straight in the eyes.

“Did you never die in creating this world?”

"......."

Just a few lines of text.

A few promises.

Text and promises are so powerless that ignoring and breaking them is too easy.

If these easily breakable things suddenly become difficult, it's only because the hand that wrote the letters and the fingers that made the promises are far from ordinary.

"......."

The country where she had lived as a child was torn apart. She lost her father while fleeing through the breach it left. I never asked what had happened to her mother, and she never told me.

But she once abandoned the world.

The Black Dragon Master's coldness showed in the fact that she had once discarded the world. Anastasia's inner lack showed in how she still craved recognition after discarding it. The Black Dragon Master's nobility showed in how she raised the Tower anew in that abandoned world, and Anastasia's anxiety in how she could not bring herself to let go of the Tower she had built.

If the heart has a color, hers would surely be blackened too.

Yet, she never stopped acting.

Instead of sitting and crying, instead of curling up and hiding, she always took a step forward and addressed the problems in front of her.

Anastasia is a strong person.

“I died once.”

I said quietly.

“Explaining that death will take a long story: whom I met, why I died, and what happened as a result.... I will tell you someday. No, I will tell you as soon as these stages are over.”

“But Anastasia, there's one thing I can promise.”

I spoke to Anastasia.

“From the 31st through the 37th floor, while clearing these stages, I never died even once.”

“The children I raised, and the children all of you raised, are amazing. Truly. I did not turn back time. Every miracle you described could have happened without me.”

"Okay."

Suddenly.

The Black Dragon Master stroked my head.

"That's right."

"......."

“I see.”

Once, twice.

The hand of Anastasia stroking my head was trembling.

“I…”

“I…” she said.

After a moment of silence, she continued.

“One day, I’ll ask you to ‘die’.”