WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR
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◈ SSS-Class Revival Hunter ◈
Chapter 395: The Time He Waited, The Time He Walked (8)
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VIII.
After his master died, he wandered the world for a while.
It was a solitary, unrivaled march.
He walked alone. Yet, people lined up to block his path and queued to follow in his wake.
[Stop, you wicked demon! How dare someone like you claim to be a disciple of the Sun Sage and falsely represent the righteous factions!]
[My son, the Primal Blade! When will you return to us?]
[You are a formidable one. I pay my respects.]
[My lord, I am called Myohuseong, and I wish to light your way....]
There were those who swung weapons, those who clutched at his sleeves, those who sought a handshake, and those who bowed, but they all shared one thing in common, they all surrounded him. The weight of the footsteps he left behind was deepened by all those he met.
Thus, wherever he passed, great roads were formed.
It was the Great Road March.
[Sword Demon.]
[Sword Dragon.]
[Sword King.]
[Sword Heaven.]
[Sword Venerable.]
The myriad titles bestowed upon him were unified on those great roads.
[Sword Emperor.]
That became his new name.
One whom all blocked yet none could obstruct. One whom none could follow yet all seeked to follow. One who walked with none yet was accompanied by all.
The Sword Emperor traversed this world of myriad swords like a comet.
However, this period was not named the Fifth Slash of the Ten Thousand Sword World solely because the Sword Emperor's course had been engraved upon it like a blade mark. It was also the era in which [that] appeared.
People whispered amongst themselves.
[What is that?]
It was a colossal tower.
But the tower was far too large to be dismissed as merely a tower. It was high. It was also thick.
Anyone who had lived in a city would never dare call it a tower, for it was larger than the greatest city. Anyone who had climbed a mountain would never dare call it a tower, for it rose higher than the main range of any mountain they had climbed. Anyone who had gone to sea would never dare call something rising from the entire horizon a tower.
[It's like the hilt of a sword that a giant has thrust into the world to split it apart.]
That's what people whispered to one another.
This murmuring spread in the following words.
[Who built it?]
[What dwells within it?]
[What being resides at its summit?]
And it was concluded with these words.
[Why can it be seen from anywhere?]
Just as they said, the tower could be seen from everywhere.
It was a strange phenomenon. It's impossible for something to be in two places at once.
Yet, wherever one turned their head, the tower was there, beyond.
Beyond the city, beyond the mountains, beyond the sea, beyond the roads, like a backdrop that wouldn't fade, casting its base far into the distance.
[Is it too big?]
Someone who claimed that by walking far enough, one would return to their starting point because the world is round, speculated as much.
[Is it a mirage?]
Someone who found it strange that no matter how much they approached or fled, it never got closer or farther, speculated as much.
[No.]
The one who provided a clear answer to the heated debates was the Sword Emperor.
[It's following us.]
The people could not immediately comprehend the Sword Emperor's words. The tower was following them? Did that mean the tower was alive?
The Sword Emperor affirmed it plainly.
[It's waiting.]
[Waiting?]
[Yes. Can't you feel this 'waiting'?]
People looked at each other.
Anger is easily felt. Love, contempt, too, can be easily detected. But to feel 'waiting' was somewhat unfamiliar.
Yet, the Sword Emperor naturally used that unusual term. Even more astonishingly, what he said next surprised those gathered even more.
[I guess I should go and have a drink.]
“Heave-ho.” The Sword Emperor rose and stretched without a care.
He said,
[I'll be right back.]
[Excuse me? Where to?]
[Up there.]
It sounded as if he was saying he'd pop by the tavern in front for a moment. His too-calm demeanor left the people unable to grasp the meaning of his words.
[Whoever wants to come, follow.]
And the Sword Emperor did not give them a chance to understand.
[I'll be waiting.]
That day, a blade forged by people entered the blade embedded in the Ten Thousand Sword Realm.
It was over 150 years ago.
After performing the Rite of Nine Bows at Master's memorial altar, I entered the 98th floor.
[You are entering the 98th floor.]
The moment I set foot there, I was seized by a peculiar sensation.
-.......
A familiar feeling.
The sensation of peering into something familiar.
-This place is......
The Aegim Empire.
The very world where I met Shiny and fought Ester.
I was standing in the quiet imperial audience chamber.
-It's been a while since I've been here.
I murmured.
Beside me, floating leisurely, the Guardian Spirit crossed his arms and chuckled slyly.
-It's been a while since you've seen someone too.
-Someone I haven't seen in a while?
-Remember what your advisor once said?
-Eh? Ester?
-Right. Before she became your advisor.
-Oh, hold on. It's been quite some time...... Ah, perhaps the one who said she would send me to the 99th floor...... Ah.
Indeed.
As if in tune with my realization, a familiar sound rang out.
-.......
It was the sound of raindrops.
Drip, drip… drip-drip-drip. Drip…
Rain. The abandoned droplets from the sky hit the audience chamber window. A blurred streak slowly spread before being swiftly washed away by a new downpour.
-.......
Even in a world that had come to a halt, only the rain continued to flow.
And then, a voice reached me.
"Lord?"
I lifted my head.
From afar, Ester was walking towards me. That face, which I hadn't seen in so long, bore an expression as if she had seen a ghost.
"My Lord? ...Is it really you?"
Hmm.
I raised a hand with a pleased expression.
-Yeah, advisor. It's been quite some,
In the next moment, a terrifying shock struck me.
-Ugh...!!
Like a fly swatted by a flyswatter, I was slammed to the ground. Then, a waterfall of aura struck down on me again. I nearly perished!
-Wait, why are you suddenly, ugh!
"Why do you think!?"
Hmm.
Well, because it's been too long... No, wait a minute.
-How can you see me, kheuk!
"Because I am! Here! The test administrator of the 98th floor!"
-Being able to contact me means, ugh!
"Some Pillar or whatever came and explained it! They said you would be here soon, Lord, and told me to prepare!"
-That I can be touched means, kik!
"Yes! Really, what in the world… seriously!"
I shut my mouth. Her rapid-fire explanations made perfect sense. On top of that, every one came with a stab from her sword as a bonus. Each question brought another impact that felt ready to shatter my whole body, which certainly made me think carefully before opening my mouth again.
Ester, seemingly unable to contain her emotions, huffed and puffed for a while before lifting her red aura-wrapped greatsword again.
"Anyway, please take a few more hits!"
No.
Even if I keep my mouth shut, am I still going to be hit regardless?
-Just a moment, advisor. Isn't replacing the joy of our reunion with violence, gyaaak!
For a while, the beating continued. The sound of pouring rain and the shock that rang in my ears blurred together, indistinguishable, until Ester's sword finally stopped.
Not by Ester's will.
"That will be enough, advisor."
It was Shiny's voice.
I raised my head. Through my battered vision, I saw Shiny fluttering gently down.
Ester hissed.
"Hwiya."
"Yes. I understand the sentiment but... still."
Understood?
I wish she hadn't understood, just as I thought that, Hwiya added something.
"The way you look right now, Ester, is just like a girl from the genre of novels Viper loves to read...."
"Aaaaaack!"
Ester screamed. Hwiya extended a wing to gently pat Ester's head before turning to me.
Hmm.
I spoke.
-Hello, Shiny. You are...
"I'm also the test administrator of the 98th floor."
-Ah. Indeed. Just like Ester...
"I was also managing floors 11 through 20."
-Hmm. The reason you're interrupting me now is...
"Do you want to ask?"
-No…
I hung my head.
Both Hwiya and Ester, who had barely recovered her shattered self, glared at me with icy eyes.
Hwiya was the first to speak.
"Please come back soon."
-.....Hmm.
I couldn't argue against those words, laden with a sigh. After all, I had been walking among people for a long time without revealing myself.
-I'm sorry.
I had no choice but to bow deeply, sincerely.
-I'll be back soon.
"Yes. ...Hmm."
Hwiya spread her five pairs of wings wide. The Goddess of the Sword stretching was like a blanket dried in the morning sun, scattering a soft fragrance around.
"I, along with the advisor, will help ensure you can do that.”
A moment later, a message window opened.
[The Goddess of Protection offers you a reward.]
[The Demon King of Autumn Rain offers you a reward.]
[Please choose one of the two rewards.]
-Uh.
I unwittingly blinked.
It was inevitable.
Because those were messages I hadn't seen in a very long time.
-You guys…….
As if anticipating my reaction, a selection window floated up before me.
+
[The Goddess of Protection]
Description: The Goddess of the Aegim Empire, moved by your dedication, offers you the honor of preparing a meal for her.......
+
-Uh… wait a minute. Is this saying I should prepare the meal? Not that she'll prepare one for me? And this is described as an honor?
+
You may prepare rice with fried egg and soy sauce, a Sormewin-style Manchu-Han Imperial Feast, or fried chicken. Whatever you choose, your cooking will be rigorously evaluated and scored........
+
-Excuse me!?
+
O Warrior of the Goddess! Please return soon.
And please, give Silvia a good thrashing!
*Why can't you receive the Goddess's reward if you choose the Demon King's reward?
+
-No! The last part is really weird! Using a quest message like that, Shiny, you…….
As I stared at Shiny with a bewildered face, I was even more taken aback by the new message that appeared.
+
[The Demon King of Autumn Rain]
Description: The Demon King admires your feats. The Demon King proposes that you secretly collaborate with her. She promises the exact same reward as the Goddess, with an additional gift.
Hurry back and read 99 recommended novels by Ester and leave at least a 1200-character review!
If you promise that, the Demon King will use her power to transport you directly to the 99th floor.
*Only one person can receive the Demon King's reward. (It's just you anyway.)
*If multiple people choose this reward, one will be randomly selected. (But that won't happen.)
*If no one chooses, the Demon King's reward will be automatically selected.
+
-Ester, you too… Hey, you guys…….
As I muttered with a dumbfounded face, looking at their faces made me laugh.
I couldn't help but laugh.
-You guys are really…….
Once upon a time.
There was once a Demon King reduced to an incarnation of vengeance when everything she had was burned away. There was also a Goddess forced to watch everything she had built sink beneath a flood because of that Demon King.
-Ester…….
The Demon King did not want anyone else to become even the slightest bit happier. She wanted no future. Certainly, she wanted no happiness for herself.
The Demon King wanted only one thing: for those who had plunged her and those precious to her into misery, and everyone who had stood by merely by continuing to live, to fall into hell.
-Shiny……. Hwiya.
The Goddess tried her best to prevent it.
Like scooping out water from an overflowing dam by hand. Desperately pleading with us to not fall for the Demon King's tricks, to give their already ruined world one more chance.
-You guys….….
Thus, the two, while opposing each other, used every character in the quest window to point their swords at each other. Tempting us, begging us, mocking, lamenting, all so that we would choose them and not the other.
There was such a time.
-.......
And now, those two were speaking to me through that very quest window.
Hurry back, they said.
We'll be waiting, they said.
That was.
That was a very beautiful thing to me.
-......Yeah.
From the 91st floor to the 97th floor, what I had felt once again enveloped me.
The experiences I had while climbing the tower were not meaningless.
-I'll be back.
[Key manifestation complete.]
I said, wiping the corners of my eyes. Really, barely managing to speak.
Ester and Hwiya looked at each other and smiled faintly.
[The administrators of the 98th floor, the otherworldly administrators you first encountered, grant you passage.]
"Yes."
"Come back safely."
[The 98th floor stage has been cleared.]
Thus, they sent me off.
[You are entering the 99th floor.]
■.
As soon as the sandstorm dispersed, what enveloped me was an almost violent fragrance of flowers.
The floral fragrance of my sanctuary, the Afterlife Garden, hangs limp like curtains on a rainy day. The scent of those exhausted by life lies faintly across it and seeps deep, but never surges forward.
But what filled this place was a completely different, vibrant scent.
The scent of those living unreservedly. The fragrance of those indulging in life without holding back.
“……Sigh.”
I steadied my dizzy head, and almost immediately, I noticed another anomaly.
There was an unmistakable sense of touch in my palm.
Breathing was perceptible.
Temperature could be felt.
“……Indeed.”
I clenched and unclenched my fist. I closed my eyes once and then opened them. A feast of natural colors as dazzling as the fragrance assaulted my eyes.
Amongst the living, I, too, was alive.
"......."
And there, I saw him.
He sat cross-legged amid the overflowing flower field. He had probably remained that way for a very long time. Weathered alive through the endlessly changing seasons, there stood a moss-covered stone statue that had passed beyond grass. Flowers. Trees.
The wind blew.
Because he had been so still, at first, it seemed only his robe fluttered. Caught by that fluttering, it took a moment to realize he had extended his arm to the side.
His enormous hand grasped the hilt of a great sword whose lower blade lay submerged in the flower field.
His shoulder, arm, and hand writhed independently as if alive.
The sword was drawn.
The motion was as fierce as a waterspout. No flowers were crushed. No blades of grass were mangled. The flower field merely surged once like the surface of a lake.
Standing amidst the flower bed, soaking his feet, he rose.
He turned around.
The piercing sunlight shattered into light and shadow upon his angular muscles. The shattered sunbeams danced around the flower petals like beads, and his sprawling shadow merged with the shadow of the grass on the ground.
The open sky was traversed by clouds as grand as mountains. Within this narrow world, he stood alone, a mountain range unto himself.
The wind blew again.
Dandelion seeds, whoosh, scattered.
“Welcome.”
Under the azure sky, the Sword Emperor smiled.
“You're far too late, you zombie.”
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