Chapter 620 – The Stolen World (35)
—
User: Han Kain (Wisdom)
Date: Day 229
Current Location: Special Meeting Room, Administration Bureau, Seoul
Advisor’s Advice: 3
—
– Han Kain
Three days ago, the decision was made to dismantle the young Ark and restore the Administration Bureau.
Two days ago, an agreement was reached between the hotel party and the plunderers.
And today.
Finally, Ari has been freed from her long suffering.
As the slumbering Silent Ones awoke and the minimum number for the meeting was met, the first agenda they passed was as follows.
“Stop the judgment on Silent Ones, Kim Ahri and Oswald.”
The slate, being a monitoring and punishing entity of the Silent Ones’ deviations, adheres to the conclusions of a formally convened meeting that has met the quorum.
Unfortunately, not only positive things happened.
What followed for the Silent Ones was an inquiry into me.
“Young Wisdom! Can you really sort out all this chaos?”
“Young participant! The aftermath of dismantling the Ark will be beyond your imagination!”
“Why don’t you share a concrete plan? If there’s a wicked scheme, we’ll -”
Ari sighed and tried to calm everyone down.
“Alright, everyone! Just calm down.”
“Ari! I didn’t expect you to be so tangled up in the friendships you built at the hotel! To cooperate with this lunatic—”
“It’s not because of friendship, but logical judgment, okay?”
“Enough!”
“I regret stopping your judgment!”
The bald-headed guy who’s been threatening Ari since a while ago—what was his name? Cervantes?
“Then let’s reopen the meeting.”
“Ari, you—!”
“Cervantes, please just be quiet.”
“Han Sooho!”
“What’s the point of arguing over something already done? There’s no time to make a new Ark anyway.”
The guy who at least spoke somewhat rationally must’ve been Han Sooho.
Anyway, before dinner, I successfully persuaded everyone.
As Han Sooho said, with the Ark already dismantled, there was no choice left for the Administration Bureau but to “fight the Moon.”
*
On the rooftop of a nameless building where I had just been meeting the Silent Ones.
Leaning against the railing, an old man who had been here before me approached.
“What are you doing so dangerously? You might fall.”
“If I fall, I’ll just fly away.”
“Oy! Are you bragging about the sacred sun?”
“Not really a bragging thing…”
“How did the meeting end?”
“It was complete chaos. They kept asking who would take responsibility if things didn’t work out.”
“And?”
“I said I would take responsibility.”
The old man’s eyes went wide.
“You? How would you take responsibility?”
“Why worry about what happens after it’s a mess? The ones who’ll seek blame and those who’ll take responsibility will all be dead anyway.”
“… Right. Now that I think about it, asking who will take responsibility is just plain stupid. So what’s the conclusion?”
“The Administration Bureau said they would cooperate with the plan.”
“And the plunderers?”
“They conveyed through the past Wisdom that they would also cooperate. The date is three days from now.”
With the help of the Administration Bureau and the plunderers, the starting point for the battle with the Moon is Day 232.
“That’s so soon? They’ll need time to prepare too, right?”
“They said they can’t delay further. Because—”
“Oh, the day Miro awakens inside the Moon is Day 233, right?”
“Yes. So it has to start before that.”
Since the freezing of the hourglass protecting Miro will end on Day 233, it means we need to start by Day 232 at the latest.
I wanted to start even earlier, but the Administration Bureau and the plunderers also needed some minimal preparation time.
“Hah! Hearing that, it’s starting to feel real now. There’s not much time left before the showdown, right?”
“That’s right.”
A brief silence.
“…”
“…”
From the look on his face, it seemed the old man had something to say.
“Do you have something to say?”
“… I’m still a bit unsure.”
“Go ahead.”
“I heard something strange just before or after we turned back time.”
“Strange words?”
“Participant Kim Mooksung, you have achieved all your desires with this. However, there’s still one step left to ascend.”
It was indeed a strange statement, as the old man said.
“Achieved desires… the content is curious, but the timing is even more so. What’s the connection between using One More Chance and your desires, grandpa?”
“… There might be a connection.”
“Really?”
The old man’s gaze turned a bit hazy, and looking at his nostalgic eyes, I sensed something.
This is related to his “real family.”
The story of those who passed away who became the origin of the family created from dreams.
“I’m reminded of old times.”
“Really?”
“It’s something that’s not related to the immediate fight. Once the battle with the Moon is over, we’ll have the chance to talk.”
“…”
“It seems Lee Eunsol has something to say to you.”
*
My sister was looking at several documents in the internal office of the Administration Bureau.
“Oh, Kain is here.”
“Sis, I heard you had something to say.”
“Yesterday, we all visited Room 105 for the first time in ages, right?”
“We sure did.”
“When I opened the drawer, there was a ticket.”
“…”
A reward ticket for breaking through the second floor.
“What are you going to do? You could immediately use it to achieve something.”
“What do you think, sis?”
“I…”
“…”
“I want to save it. Because—”
“Because you think someone might die?”
“Yeah.”
The ticket has various uses.
You could make a wish in the Mirror Room or gain another inheritance.
But the biggest use is of course, ‘revival.’
“It’s a cursed topic, but!”
“…”
“Someone could die in the fight against the Moon.”
“Let’s do it that way.”
“Great! Actually, everyone else aside from you already agreed.”
“Haha! You all held a meeting while I was away yesterday, huh?”
“Yep.”
“Is that all the talk you wanted to have?”
“Jinchul seems to have something to say to you as well.”
*
Jinchul was unusually scribbling on some sheets of paper.
I sneaked a peek and it looked like a document summarizing his thoughts on “What kind of person is Cha Jinchul?”
“What do you think?”
“Eh?”
“You’ve been staring hard. What kind of person do you think I am? Cha Jinchul, that is.”
“Uh… strong?”
“Strong?”
“A brave and righteous big brother who’s dependable?”
“Ha! That’s some insincere flattery…”
“Haha! That’s sincere! But why suddenly the introspection?”
He had a complicated expression for a moment, looking like he was deeply engrossed in thought.
“Kain, you know…”
“Yes.”
“I wanted to grow while being in the hotel.”
This is a story I’ve heard before.
“Really?”
“Looking back from this point, I feel I haven’t grown as much as I expected.”
“…”
“Of course, other colleagues haven’t grown as much as you either.”
“Hmm.”
“Where do you think I’m most lacking?”
That was quite a spontaneous question, but the answer came up quickly.
“Your blessings have grown a lot, especially Chalin, who’s got incredible power.”
“I think so too.”
“Your inheritance… hasn’t seen any change since you got it.”
“Yep, I think so too.”
With that, I recalled all the inheritances my colleagues had received.
Many inheritances have become much stronger than when they were first obtained.
The Book of the Incarnation has grown around three significant phrases.
Old Blood has expressed various abilities like slight flight, super strength, hypnosis, and recovery.
Foul Imaginations have increasingly grown in bizarre uses as they went through Rooms 203 and 206.
Various Perspectives have increased in fantastical precision and duration compared to the beginning.
And for the Sacred Sun, it hasn’t grown per se, but it has indeed been recharged compared to when it was first obtained.
On the other hand, I can think of several inheritances that exhibit little to no difference from the beginning.
“There are quite a few inheritances that haven’t really developed at all.”
“Right.”
“Some might not have anything to grow from at all. For example, the Flute of Rest.”
“Not certain about that though.”
“Right. It’s just my conjecture.”
Inheritances that hadn’t shown a consideration for growth in the first place.
The Flute of Rest.
The Last Glimmer.
These two seem to perform at 100% effectiveness right from the start, but there doesn’t appear to be anything more for them to grow.
Both inheritances had ‘growing alternatives’ proposed at the time of obtaining them.
Ludac, the Queen, was an option instead of the Flute of Rest.
An unknown cell was an option instead of the Last Glimmer.
Therefore, the lack of growth can also be deemed a choice of the participant.
Or maybe not.
“There are also inheritances that seem like they could grow but are blocked.”
“…”
“During the time of obtaining the inheritance, the original showed 100, but we’re only using a portion of it.”
“The Irregular Polyhedron comes to mind first.”
The chief researcher created all sorts of hyperdimensional constructs with the Irregular Polyhedron, yet Ari pales in comparison.
It may take a long time for Ari to reach the chief’s level.
“There are also time borrowings.”
The ancient Miro made much more diverse uses of time borrowings.
The key is probably placing ‘one’s own time’ into the time borrowings, but Miro hasn’t shown such powers yet.
“I feel there’s something more with the Soul’s Container.”
There’s consensus that it possesses the ability to possess, but Seungyub has never displayed such a function.
It feels like it would take Seungyub quite a long time to realize possession.
Perhaps it may even be impossible forever.
Because Seungyub has absolutely no interest in things like possession.
“Kain, the most representative inheritance is the Star Fragment of Another World.”
Looks like it could grow, but it’s currently blocked.
An inheritance that had shown many more abilities as an original in the Curse Room.
The Star Fragment of Another World.
“That’s right.”
“Why can’t I utilize the Star Fragment of Another World properly?”
“… I think…”
“Your thoughts?”
“The answer is something you must figure out yourself.”
“Okay, okay. You’re right. It’s something I have to find out myself.”
“Recently, I’ve started to receive vague realizations.”
“Recently?”
“Because I’ve seen other existences.”
The answer behind Jinchul’s newfound realization that he couldn’t have achieved alone?
“I saw the past Wisdom. And I heard that story about the prince.”
Knowing about the past Wisdom and the prince has led to this.
“Does that relate to your realization?”
“It does. Both of them are far removed from being human, aren’t they?”
“…”
“I find myself thinking. Perhaps the Star Fragment of Another World…”
“…”
“Is an inheritance that cannot harness even 10% of its potential if trapped within the mold of being human.”
“…”
“Do you remember the original user? That Kim Sangmin guy.”
“He became a monster.”
“He was quite a hideous sight. But he could wield a power far greater than I can now.”
“…”
“I mean, I don’t plan on becoming slime like that Kim Sangmin fellow.”
An inheritance that cannot be properly used within the confines of humanity?
At this point, I felt a subtle ominousness.
Jinchul’s realization doesn’t seem to be something normal.
“Coincidentally, I have one last dream left.”
“…”
“Perhaps it’s all part of the hotel’s arrangement for this moment…”
A stream of conflicting emotions mixed with both unease and anticipation.
“What do you think? I wanted your advice at the end. If possible, I’d like to hear a word from the Owl too.”
“…”
“Is that too much to ask? If so, I’m sorry—”
“It’s fine.”
The urge to say don’t do strange things was itching at my throat.
I wanted to tell him to give up if there’s an inheritance he can’t properly use within the human bounds.
At the same time, I thought.
I had already obstinately researched the Book of the Incarnation and Sacred Sun and gradually transformed into something bizarre, so would it mean anything to stop another?
Besides, how do you differentiate between what’s normal and what’s not?
In this world where changing from a monster to a great one is merely a sheet of paper apart.
Advice: 3 -> 2
‘What do you think?’
“As long as you’re alive, human desire doesn’t cease. No matter what you say, the conclusion is already decided.”
The moment I heard the Owl’s reply, my heart sank.
After all, the conclusion being made by my brother was already set in motion.
As long as there’s a desire for elevation, it was only natural that an experiment would take place regardless of what I say.
Even the means for elevation—the Star Fragment can be summoned any day of the year, could he really suppress the desire for growth?
Impossible.
No one in the world can stop him.
So I offered different advice.
“I hope it’s a choice without regrets.”
“Thank you.”
All I wish is for something to come of it.
—
Date: Day 229 -> Day 232
The day of the showdown dawned.
With a heart pounding chaotically from the morning, I looked out the window and noticed the surroundings buzzing.
Massive beings began appearing in the sky.
The plunderers had revealed themselves into reality.
Soon, we would prepare to face the Moon with the strength of the Administration Bureau.
And—after a long time, my scenario comprehension has reactivated.
—
Scenario: The Stolen World -> The Oldest Wish
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