Chapter 139: Newbie Hunter (5)

Ascension Stone Fragments must be destroyed.

The meaning contained in those words was completely different from the goals of Bellerophon or the Demonic Persons.

“What…… are you talking about right now?”

The argument the Newbie Hunter made was unusual enough that Luna, who had been listening quietly until now, opened her mouth.

Apart from that, what the Newbie Hunter said couldn’t just be ignored.

“What did you see beyond the sky?”

The Newbie Hunter smiled faintly.

“The reason why the fragments must be destroyed, I saw that.”

“If you plan to gloss over it vaguely, you better stop. Because your words won’t be persuasive with just that.”

“……Indeed, that is certainly true. But there is an unavoidable circumstance as to why I am speaking in a roundabout way like this.”

The Newbie Hunter looked up at the statue of the Goddess of Punishment with unreadable eyes.

“To me, no, not only me but to anyone, the freedom to divulge what lies beyond the sky has not been granted. Do you still wish to hear?”

“Yes.”

“I see. Then I should tell you. Although it won’t reach you, that too must have some meaning.”

The Newbie Hunter’s lips twitched.

“Beyond the sky, there is ■■■■■.”

The moment the Newbie Hunter opened his mouth to say a certain word, an unidentifiable noise occurred, and the area around the Newbie Hunter’s mouth crackled.

A phenomenon that was definitely not normal.

“What in the……”

Luna also seemed to have seen the sight and couldn’t hide her shock.

I had already seen this phenomenon once before.

Great Sage Akiro.

When he tried to convey some words to me, a similar phenomenon occurred then too.

“It seems it is true that you cannot convey what lies beyond the sky.”

“Yes, regrettably. If I could have conveyed this fact, I wouldn’t have needed to struggle alone like this.”

“Are you saying that if they knew what lies beyond the sky, all players would act like you?”

The Newbie Hunter smiled bitterly.

“Well. That is something I cannot know, since everyone’s thoughts are bound to be different.”

“Is that so.”

It was merely such words, but just with that, I felt like the clues about something beyond the sky that the Newbie Hunter saw were narrowing down.

“One door has already opened.”

I had already heard a similar story from Great Sage Akiro.

But since I couldn’t know exactly what that meant, I quietly listened to what the Newbie Hunter was saying.

“Eventually, everyone will come to know that I was right. But by then, everything will be too late.”

“What does that mean?”

“One cannot resist a great flow that is already happening. Only struggle.”

Luna scoffed.

“It’s a bit funny to say that struggle involves killing innocent people.”

“It would just be sad.”

“Sad after killing people…… someone might think someone else killed them.”

“That is why it is even sadder.”

Luna looked at me with eyes asking what kind of guy this was.

“Is that all you have to say?”

“Yes. That is all.”

“It sounds like you’re saying we can go back now. Is that right?”

I understand that the Newbie Hunter harbors some kind of great cause in killing players.

However, those who harbor such great causes usually end up becoming the most terrible people, and I didn’t want to be involved with such a person anymore.

“Yes. You may return. Just having you listen to my story is enough.”

“You’re surprisingly compliant for someone who tried to kill us until a while ago.”

The Newbie Hunter nodded.

“The method I chose is merely the best method available, not the absolute best method. If I could persuade through conversation and compromise, there would be no need for that.”

“Persuasion…… unless I know what lies beyond the sky as you say, I have no intention of believing your words.”

“Just that much is enough.”

The Newbie Hunter smiled brightly.

It was a smile that would make anyone think he was truly a formal priest.

“Is that so?”

I don’t know if those words are sincere or not.

He could have attacked our backs the moment we turned around after saying that.

But despite that, for some reason, I didn’t think the Newbie Hunter would do that.

“We will leave now.”

“Yes. I hope the protection of the Goddess of Punishment be with you all.”

“Someone might think you are a real priest.”

“Ah, since you don’t know, I will tell you. I am the formal bishop of this temple. I have also received the Goddess’s baptism.”

“……Unbelievable.”

Of course, since this is a world where miracles of gods actually happen before one’s eyes, the Newbie Hunter’s faith couldn’t be compared to something like a cult.

But despite that, doubt truly soared as to whether faith could arise like that while possessing the concepts of a modern person, but at least the Newbie Hunter was saying it was possible.

“Let’s go.”

“Ah, okay.”

I left the temple with Luna.

As expected, the Newbie Hunter didn’t attack our backs, and the ghost soldiers weren’t seen either.

Therefore, we were able to exit the temple and leave the Imperial Capital without any interference.

***

Luna, who couldn’t hide her bitter expression for a while, opened her mouth.

“……By the way, is it really okay to just leave the guy called Newbie Hunter like this and come out? He tried to kill us, you know? Since he used ghost assassins, he practically knows our faces too.”

“If we fought, one of us would have definitely died. Or maybe both.”

If the Newbie Hunter were an average opponent, I would have chosen to eliminate him even if it meant pushing myself a little.

Leaving a risk behind didn’t fit my personality well.

However, to eliminate the Newbie Hunter, even if Luna and I fought together, we had to risk our lives, and that wasn’t a very efficient action.

“……That guy was that strong? His aura was unusual, but isn’t he just a cultist?”

“Well. If he were just that level, I wouldn’t have backed down in the first place.”

“What on earth did you see to judge like that? To me, no matter how I looked at it, he wasn’t at that level.”

The answer to that was simple.

“At first I was unsure, but after talking, I became certain. The Newbie Hunter’s nickname is Ballak.”

“What?”

“Do you know him?”

Luna’s voice rose.

“Of course I know! If it’s Ballak, he was a famous ranker in the past! But I think I heard he quit the game a long time ago…… Why on earth is he here?”

“He didn’t quit the game, he must have come to this world first. Or he was dragged here even though he quit the game.”

“What’s that? Can you be dragged here even if you quit the game?”

“Well. I haven’t really felt the need to think about that part, so I haven’t really thought about it.”

Actually, I haven’t seen anyone within the Anonymous Bulletin Board who claimed to have been dragged to this world even after quitting the game, but that’s unknown.

Since the criteria for being dragged to this world right now were vague at best.

“But how did you recognize Ballak? Did you know him originally? No, even if you knew him, since he was in a priest’s outfit, the equipment he was wearing must have been completely different from before.”

“A few characteristics I saw in the past still remain. And above all, Ballak was fanatically obsessed with the Punishment Order even during the World of Justice days.”

“Huh? Was he?”

“Yes. So there was a time when he was active as an Inquisitor himself. Although it’s an old story.”

Although he was a figure of the past when I was playing World of Justice, Ballak is a player who had established himself as a ranker.

I don’t know what kind of martial power the current Ballak possesses, but it was a wise choice not to cause an unnecessary clash.

“Hmm, I wonder what on earth is going on……. It feels like only strange things have been happening since Akiro’s Labyrinth.”

“It means something is gradually approaching.”

And at the center of it, there must inevitably be Ascension Stone Fragments.

Great Sage Akiro too.

Newbie Hunter Ballak too.

One and all were warning about Ascension Stone Fragments or talking about beyond the sky.

‘What’s unexpected is that what they are wary of doesn’t seem to be only the demonic energy harbored by the Ascension Stone Fragments.’

The reason players haven’t recklessly taken Ascension Stone Fragments until now is because they harbor demonic energy, one of the most dangerous energies in this world.

Ordinary humans cannot endure and die when exposed to demonic energy, and those with strong bodies like players transform into Demonic Persons.

However, whether it was Great Sage Akiro I met the other day or Newbie Hunter Ballak, both seemed to be paying attention to the Ascension Stone Fragment itself, not the demonic energy harbored within.

‘One thing is certain, the more Ascension Stone Fragments are gathered, the closer one can get to the sky.’

The phenomenon caused by gathering Ascension Stone Fragments wasn’t simply the rise of the bulletin board level.

The process of approaching the sky.

As the name suggests, Ascension.

I don’t know what happens when one approaches the sky.

But at least I have an obligation to see it with my own two eyes and make a judgment.

Because in a way, the Ascension Stone Fragments were no different from originating from me.

What are Ascension Stone Fragments?

What lies beyond the sky.

Why did the Newbie Hunter wish to destroy the Ascension Stone Fragments.

It was still full of unknowns, but at least I knew the way to find out.

Collecting Ascension Stone Fragments.

And facing the revealed truth squarely.

That was what I had to do.

***

Although we got sidetracked on the way back due to the sudden ghost attack, ultimately our goal was returning to Winter Castle.

Therefore, when we were on the road again heading north, Luna, who seemed to be quietly checking the bulletin board on her horse, spoke.

“Vell-nim, I’m sorry but I think you’ll have to go alone from here.”

“Did something happen?”

“Yeah. It seems a personal matter has come up. I’ll come to Winter Castle later when my business is done.”

I don’t know what happened suddenly, but Luna said she would break away from the return trip to Winter Castle.

It seemed she received some news through the bulletin board.

“Is there anything I can help with?”

At those words, Luna looked at me with a genuinely surprised expression.

“……I didn’t expect you to say that.”

“Isn’t it about helping each other out while living.”

“That is true. Still, I’m thankful for the thought, considering I was the one who sought you out unilaterally in a way.”

“So you knew.”

“I’m not that shameless, you know?”

Luna shook her head side to side.

“Thanks for the words, but still, I think this is a problem I have to solve personally. To borrow Vell-nim’s hand as well…… should I say I feel sorry? Your vacation isn’t long anyway, right? Or has it already passed?”

“Since I already went out with you, I don’t think Edric would care about such things.”

“Hmm, certainly if it’s that slick-looking guy, he might be like that. But still, I feel like this is a problem I have to solve.”

Luna didn’t say what happened.

I didn’t expect Luna, who didn’t seem to have much to keep secret from me, to show such a reaction, but everyone has a few big or small secrets.

Right now, even I had plenty of things I hadn’t told Luna.

“Sorry. Still, I wanted to go to Winter Castle together, but it seems the situation is urgent.”

“Do not mind it.”

“Thanks for saying that.”

Luna, who nodded her head, turned her horse’s head.

“You shouldn’t cry alone at night because I’m not there, okay?”

“Don’t say something that isn’t even funny.”

“Really? I think I’ll cry a bit without Vell-nim. Hing.”

“……Just go quickly.”

Luna laughed loudly as if finding my appearance amusing.

“Then…… I’ll really go.”

“Stay healthy.”

“Yeah, Vell-nim too. See you at Winter Castle later!”

Like that, Luna left the path.

On the journey back to Winter Castle that started with two, I was left alone before I knew it.

I don’t know why, but my side felt a little empty.

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