SSS-Class Revival Hunter - Chapter 34

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ SSS-Class Revival Hunter ◈

Chapter 34: My Death Is... (1)

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Yes, I've returned.

Now I can say that I have 'returned' to this place.

[Randomly copying one of the monster Demon King of the Autumn Rain's skills.]

The pit where consciousness falls. The Netherworld.

My hell.

People called me a loser. I was indeed a loser. It was this place that gave me a chance. When I was engulfed and burnt to death by the flames named Flame Emperor Yoo Soo-Ha, I did not miss the last opportunity given by the tower.

Why?

[Creating skill cards.]

Why did the tower give me such an opportunity?

It's the same question as 'why did it allow a psychopath like Yoo Soo-Ha such power?' Why? To me, an insignificant person who lurked in the community, burning with envy, why did it gift such an opportunity?

-Checked all the skills.

The Sword Emperor spoke.

-Do you want me to read them out now?

"Yes, please."

Perhaps the tower felt regret.

Listening to the skills recited by the Sword Emperor, I pondered.

Maybe the tower was disappointed with the attitude of the hunters.

[Resentment Flows Like Rain]

Rank: S-

Effect: They do not look. They do not see. When something is not visible before their eyes, people believe that it does not exist. 'They have gone blind.' Yes. 'They are ignorant fools.'

Then, show them.

Show them vividly how many lives have died in their ignorance. As much as the innocent blood that flowed in this world, the sky will willingly pour down red rain.

*However, only the blood you have witnessed yourself will become rain.

Flame Emperor Yoo Soo-Ha must have literally shattered the 10th floor stage.

Not in the sense of clearing it, but literally breaking it. The resentment, grudges, and hatred of the dolls, he must have ignored all of it and shattered everything.

Didn’t the tower find this regrettable?

Was it disappointed, perhaps?

"What’s the next skill?"

-Here it is.

The Sword Emperor replied.

[Echoes of a Crying Heart]

Rank: A+

Effect: Your emotions fuel and strengthen your aura. The stronger the emotion, the more your aura responds. Vengeance. Hatred. Sorrow. All emotions, regardless of their nature, will ignite the flames.

*However, you will increasingly become addicted to that emotion.

‘......’

I took time to ponder.

Yes, the tower must have been disappointed.

‘There’s a hidden quest on every floor.’

Just like the quest to comfort the dolls in the hellish mansion.

Maybe... there was also a hidden quest on the 12th floor.

Wanting to discover it, I focused intently on what the Sword Emperor was saying.

[Ghoul Summoning]

Rank: SS

Effect: You summon as monsters those whom you have personally killed. The deceased do not inherit their abilities or memories from life. They are merely summoned as monsters like goblins, orcs, zombies, skeletons, etc.

* However, you can only summon once a week.

There were many other minor skills.

But the three that struck a chord with me were these.

‘...Alright.’

I nodded.

‘I’ve decided.’

Which skill to choose.

How to clear not just the 12th floor, but up to the 20th.

‘I’ll go with this one.’

-Huh?

Surprised by my choice, the Sword Emperor tilted his head.

-You're choosing that one? Hmm? I don't really see it.

'No. At least for clearing through the 20th floor, this will be the best.'

-I'm not so sure... Well, do as you like. I don't know what you're thinking, but you'll probably hatch another scheme anyway.

‘Look forward to it.’

I reached out towards the card, then paused and said,

‘Sword Emperor, sir. You’re well-informed about the Sword Saint's schedule, right?’

-Huh? Well, yes. Marcus wakes up at dawn and his schedule is tightly packed until he goes to bed at night. Totally like an old man.

‘Please tell me about his evening schedule. I need it for something.’

-Sure thing.

I grasped the card.

A voice echoed in the dark space.

[Selection complete. Copying skill.]

[Returning 24 hours into the past.]

And so, I returned to a day earlier.

[Your current Hunter Rank is D.]

[A penalty for the skill occurs.]

[Re-enacting the trauma of the enemy who killed you.]

Of course, there was a penalty.

I had to witness the trauma of the so-called Demon King of the Autumn Rain...

But we have to deal with the 12th floor first.

[The level of penalty is moderate.]

[Hungry Ghost Realm.]

Let's talk about that nightmare a bit later.

The Sword Emperor taught me how to live a single second.

He taught me that it is difficult for a person to live even one second properly. This time, I felt with painful clarity that it was true.

"---Leaving already?"

At the café.

The Witch looked up at me, sitting in her chair.

It wasn't just the Witch. The leaders of the major guilds looked at me with various expressions. Even the Countess, who had died to the Demon King's attack on the 12th floor, smiled faintly while fanning herself with a folding fan.

1st Floor City Café.

The place where I made agreements with the guild leaders.

I had returned there.

‘A day.’

I realized how vast 24 hours could be.

It was dizzying.

In a day, we ushered in a new era, cleared the 11th floor, and fought the Demon King on the 12th. But, goodness gracious, all of this happened in less than a day.

“...Yes. The 11th floor is about to open.”

I felt a lump in my throat.

Clearing it with a cough, I continued.

“We need to prepare from now to not fall behind others.”

“How do you prepare when you don’t even know what the 11th floor will be like?”

“......”

The 11th floor is not a problem.

The problem starts with the 12th floor, where the Demon King intervenes.

There, you all will be divided.

Someone will betray, and due to that betrayal, you'll be split.

Even deaths will occur.

“...Kim Gong-Ja?”

The Witch furrowed her brows.

“Are you okay? You suddenly look strange. Are you sick?”

“Hmm. I'm fine. It's just that all of you lead guilds and are such remarkable people, so being here with you made me a little emotional. I suppose it struck me how much times have changed.”

I smoothly continued.

In the meantime, the Sword Emperor watched me silently.

“Anyway, yes. I know what the 11th floor will be like. Not just that, I even know the contents of the quest.”

“......!”

The guild leaders' eyes changed.

Information was as vital as life itself. I had effectively told them that I held the key to a life-threatening issue. Naturally, their expressions changed.

“I got the information as a reward for clearing the 10th floor.”

“...And you're choosing to reveal this here because...?”

The Witch asked.

“You’re willing to share the information with us?”

“Of course.”

I raised my index finger.

“But there's a condition.”

“Speak. I’ll listen gladly.”

“If I ask for a [favor] someday, please grant it just once.”

I looked at each hunter seated around the table. They pondered my words. A favor. Simple yet heavy.

“What kind of favor?”

“I can’t say right now.”

“......”

“But I swear here that it won't be anything that threatens your lives. It's not about asking for money either. Nor will it be about taking someone else’s life. If you find it impossible, you can simply refuse at that time.”

“Hmm.”

The Heretic Inquisitor stroked his chin.

His right hand.

The hand that was lost to the Sword Saint's sword in the previous round.

“It sounds quite reasonable to me! Ahaha. With information, we can prepare in advance, and if we can prepare, there’s hardly any problem we can’t solve. I agree!”

“Hmm. If we have the right to refuse... Yes, I concur.”

The Inquisitor agreed, and the Countess joined in.

The rest of the hunters pondered for a while and then promised to comply with my condition.

"Okay."

First step cleared.

"Then I'll tell you. From the 11th through the 20th floor, the stages take place in another world called the Aegim Empire. It is being invaded by the Demon King, and the 11th floor is a battlefield where the two sides are fighting over a supply route..."

My voice softly filled the café.

After hearing about the 11th floor, the guild leaders murmured among themselves.

"...Indeed. The tutorial was up to the 10th floor. From the 11th, we are getting into large-scale battles."

"Information worth its weight in gold."

"Yes! The nature of the fight will completely change!"

"Our guild members need to be informed to some extent. Oh dear. But our Sang-Ryun members aren't cut out for fighting..."

The hunters actively exchanged opinions.

I nodded.

'This will make clearing the 11th floor stage much easier.'

Already things are changing.

Different from the previous round, just this alone has caused many changes.

But it still wasn't enough.

"Then, I'll be leaving now... Ah, Paladin."

"Hmm?"

The Paladin turned her head. She was sipping her third Americano.

"What do you want?"

"You're the deputy leader of the Vigilante Corps, aren't you? Would you take a walk outside with me? There's something I'd like your advice about while we walk."

"Hmm."

The Paladin looked around and shrugged.

"I was about to get up anyway. As long as the walk isn’t too long..."

"It won't take much time. About 30 minutes."

"Then it's fine with me."

The Paladin put down her coffee cup.

"Happy to accept your date offer."

The city teemed with people.

In the square, beside the fountain benches, and at outdoor restaurants, hunters discussed the 10th floor.

"Since there's no announcement yet, it must be some unknown rookie who cleared it!"

"Really? It's probably just the top guilds arranging something."

"Who really conquered it...?"

"I want to clear a floor too."

Buzzing noises filled the air.

For those whose tomorrow had been erased, the 10th floor clearance was a very recent event.

It felt like I was the only one walking through time without being deleted.

-Hey, zombie.

No, to be precise, I wasn't alone.

-He’s following you.

I had the Guardian Spirit with me.

‘Are you sure?’

-Yes. But don't turn around.

To clear the 12th floor safely, two conditions were necessary.

One was the cooperation of the leaders of the major guilds.

The other was... for the Sword Saint not to view me as an enemy.

‘It's too late to clear up misunderstandings with the Sword Saint on the 12th floor.’

I learned this painfully in the last round.

‘I need to clear things up before climbing the tower.’

The Sword Saint has a very bad relationship with the guild leaders.

If he draws his sword against me, it automatically makes him an enemy of the guild leaders too. They are already at each other's throats, and adding a traitor to the mix?

A shortcut to disaster.

-Wow, he's stealthy. You wouldn't notice him even if you turned around. The old man has stealth skills.

‘Just make sure he's following properly.’

So, I was currently [fishing] for the Sword Saint.

I asked the Sword Emperor about his schedule and deliberately caught his attention according to that schedule. He spotted me while having dinner at his regular outdoor restaurant. He immediately stopped eating and started following me.

Of course.

"Kim Gong-Ja, where are we going?"

The Paladin walking beside me didn't know this.

"This alley leads to a rather gloomy neighborhood..."

"There is a shop I would like to introduce to you. It is run by an unknown apothecary, but the owner's work is excellent. With a little name recognition, the shop would take off, but business has stalled because it has none. Please take a look, and if you like what you see, help the business out."

"Hmmm..."

The Paladin walked beside me, observing my face.

She was checking if I was lying.

'The Paladin activated the [Lie Detection] skill.'

The Paladin spoke.

"Is what you just said true?"

"Yes, of course. Why would I lie to you, Paladin?"

It wasn't a lie since I did plan to introduce her to the Alchemist's shop.

"Sorry to ask, but are you planning something suspicious?"

"I'm seeking your help, Paladin. Even if something dangerous happens, it will endanger my life, not yours. Trust me."

"Hmm."

The Paladin slowly nodded.

Everything must have been verified as the truth.

"I apologize."

The Paladin smiled.

"I'm often told that I'm too suspicious. Let's continue."

Okay. Passed.

We passed through the alley and safely arrived at the Alchemist's shop. The Alchemist was moving heavy luggage, possibly a new machine. She first looked puzzled at our approach but recognized me and beamed brightly.

"Ah! Customer!"

"Are you still open?"

"Ahaha. Business hours are over, but I always open the shop for customers! Especially for my first regular customer!"

The Alchemist put down the luggage.

A few days ago, the alchemist's hair and clothes had been grimy, but now the shopkeeper looked completely transformed. A fresh haircut and new clothes finally gave the impression of a respectable store owner.

"Whew. Ah, sorry. Customer. And this lady is...?"

"This hunter is the Vice-Captain of the Vigilante Corps. You've heard, right? Known as the Paladin."

"…Yes?"

The Alchemist's eyes wavered behind her glasses.

"Vice Guild Leader of the Vigilante Corps!?"

"Yep."

"That's a high-ranking person!"

As expected, a normal hunter would react like this.

"Into this humble shop… Eek! Drugs!? Are you here for drug inspection!? I, I haven’t manufactured drugs! Even though I operate in this alley, I never, no, not just drugs, I never produced even 1 gram of harmful medicine!"

"……."

"I’ve lived conscientiously! I will continue to do so! Please, spare me from the investigation!"

The Alchemist fell flat on the floor.

This wasn't a normal reaction.

"Hmm..."

The Paladin looked troubled. According to [Lie Detection], her words were true, so she seemed to be pondering whether to consider her a quirky lunatic or an honest merchant.

"Alright, alright. Let’s not worry."

Thump thump.

I tapped the Alchemist's shoulder.

"I didn't come here to report you to the Vigilante Corps. You have such good skills and a pure heart."

"Is that so…?"

"I feel sorry that your shop isn't doing well despite your skills. I came here to introduce you to the Vice-Captain."

The alchemist looked up, mouth hanging open.

"Introduction?"

"Literally. Give the Vice-Captain some potions to try. Who knows? If she likes them, she might make an exclusive contract with you."

"……."

"Wouldn’t it be easier for you if you supplied potions to the Vigilante Corps?"

The Alchemist blinked.

It took her a moment to grasp what I said.

Soon after, she grabbed my hand tightly.

"An angel…!"

I'm Gong-Ja, not an angel.

"You helped when the shop was about to be sold, placed an enormous order, and now... now you're even giving me a sales channel... Are you an angel...? How can I possibly repay this kindness...?"

At that moment, the eyes of the shopkeeper who would later be known as the Master Alchemist lit up...

Thud.

Someone stepped into the quiet alley. The footsteps were unusually heavy, making me, the Paladin, and the Alchemist all turn our heads.

“You there.”

The footsteps' owner was dressed in a black suit.

"Leave the man there and clear the area."

He coldly glared at me.

The Sword Saint.

The old man of this round who still didn't trust me.

The low voice of the seasoned Swordsman echoed quietly in the alley.

"This old man would like to have a quiet word alone with that man."

Fine.