### Chapter 393 – A Midsummer Night’s Dream (9)
—
– Han Kain
After falling into reality, I pondered how I could return.
What should I do after finding my true body?
The hotel’s first floor must be in the sky, right?
As soon as I thought about it, the situation became simple.
Since I haven’t obtained the Wing Boots, the only way for my true body to fly is via the descent.
I felt a slight fear about whether I could use the third descent, but the hotel assured me through divine revelation that it was okay to proceed.
And then…
A vague yet unwavering conviction.
It’s okay to use the descent ‘now.’
I don’t need to think about the aftermath ‘now.’
This conviction helped me make my decision.
[Descent: 1 -> 0]
*
Waves of light crashed down from the sky.
Even though this was already the moment of my third descent, the pain from the shell breaking was always the same.
I experienced a flood of information pouring into my brain that transcended human cognition.
Endless strength surged from every part of my body.
I felt as if I had transformed into a living volcano.
Since this boundless power’s blessing affected my entire body and soul, the pain didn’t last long.
When I opened my eyes, the surroundings were already a mess amidst the torrent of power.
Icthus and the nearby believers had either been thrown somewhere or were sprawled on the ground.
Some might already be dead.
And there stood Apollyon, the arrogant being who dared to call himself a god, right before me.
What on earth are you?
I had a few choice words I wanted to say to Apollyon over the past few days.
Now, I could finally say them.
“I never thought I’d say this.”
What do you mean?
“Hey, let’s get straight to the point. What kind of god are you?”
Apollyon’s eyes glinted ominously.
Even so, I had to speak my mind.
“Nowadays, it seems every dog and cow claims to be a god.”
Suddenly, a red-black aura surged from the devil’s body, shaking the ground around us.
In a flash, I was reminded of the moment I first met Apollyon, guided by Icthus a few days ago.
What was I thinking back then?
I was purely curious.
How much power does a being claiming to be a god possess in reality?
I was disappointed.
I hardly felt any intimidation even though I faced him without protection from the status window.
I had already seen what was required to claim the title of ‘god’ in this universe while at the hotel.
The prisoners were like living suns.
With just a nod, they toyed with the laws of the universe, and with a wave, they created new life.
The destruction of all things and the rebirth of everything condense into a single point!
It’s hard for a lesser being to even stand in front of them.
Not because they harbor ill will, but simply because they are too immense.
Just like a person turning to ash due to the proximity of the sun isn’t because the sun is filled with malice.
Wouldn’t this level be required to be considered a god?
In contrast, how far below was Apollyon? Maybe he could be compared to the moon if I was feeling generous?
A person might think the moon appears huge, but the mass difference between the sun and the moon is over 26 million times.
At that moment, the demon enveloped in a tar-like dark aura lunged at me.
Apollyon struck first.
He ripped off the red devil’s right horn, tore the wriggling skin from its left shoulder, and lightly kicked him away.
The opponent shivered and began to unleash a glinting flash with his horn.
I smoothly dodged the move and then delivered a sizable hole to Apollyon’s abdomen.
After just two exchanges, the superiority was clear.
What were we even talking about gods at this level for?
“Do you now realize how ridiculous it was for you to claim to be a god?”
Why on earth are you attacking me? I’ve only helped in your recovery; I’ve never harmed you.
“You helped me recover? That’s true. Since you aided me, I guess we can consider ourselves friends now, right?”
That’s right. We are friends. I shall serve you as my elder brother, so—
“There’s a saying: among friends, there’s no such thing as ownership.”
What?
“It’s natural for us to help each other, so just because I helped you doesn’t mean I owe you anything.”
This crazy bastard is talking nonsense—
Before Apollyon could finish his sentence, waves of light extended from my hand, crashing into his body.
—Boom!
The giant form of the red devil slammed into the ground, sending massive shockwaves radiating everywhere.
Most of his remaining followers at this point were likely dead.
I was surprisingly unconcerned about the deaths of demon worshippers.
“Friends don’t owe favors, you know? And place your hand—oh wait, no hand—where your heart would be and think about it. What kind of god are you? Do you think gods are sold at Nike?”
—Graaaargh!
Apollyon let out a strange cry, and instead of charging at me, he began to fly away in the opposite direction.
Is he trying to buy time to flee?
Considering the time limit on the descent, it’d be a suitable tactic, but there was one glaring problem.
He was too weak and slow to pull it off.
As I pushed off the ground, a thunderous explosion erupted beneath my feet.
At the same time, the atmosphere surrounding the earth hindered my movements as if it was a viscous liquid.
What an inconvenient planet this is.
Suddenly, Apollyon stopped fleeing and turned back toward me, revealing his intentions based on his positioning.
He faced away from Incheon, a massive city with a population of 3 million, and looked at me.
Apollyon might not be strong enough to be considered a god, but he clearly transcended a mortal frame.
An attack powerful enough to destroy him would surely cause significant damage to the city.
“Is this your plan?”
You hope to negotiate? I have no intention of hindering you nor staying on this planet. I’ll leave quietly—
“No, that’s unnecessary. You seem to think I’m some sort of real angel.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
Of course, I look like an angel descended from the gods, with whom no one would want to mess, right?
So this demon must have thought that the angel wouldn’t harm civilians indiscriminately.
“I’ll send about 100,000 humans along with you so you won’t be lonely on your journey. Farewell, ‘friend.’”
A wave of celestial energy coalesced at my fingertips.
This power was an attack even the ‘unborn’—a divine substance—wouldn’t take lightly.
There’s no way a self-proclaimed god on a Nike storefront could handle this.
Realizing the unavoidable demise, dread filled Apollyon’s face.
And just as my hand prepared to deliver stern judgment to the 100,000 humans and one devil—
For the first time, I felt a crack in my resolve.
I shouldn’t do this.
I wiped out a city before.
That place might not have been real, but this is reality.
No, I see this location as being no different than a curse chamber.
While it may not be my reality, it’s still a reality for my comrades.
What kind of logic is behind such meaningless boundaries?
A bizarre interplay of questions.
I question myself, and I answer myself.
Who is asking and who is answering?
Is this a self-reflective query? Or is it a dialogue of a divided self?
It was confusing.
Yet I knew that both the question and answer existed.
And then…
Another logic appeared.
The forces of the Bureau were nearby.
I explicitly requested they not deploy troops for three days; have they broken that promise?
No. When I clarified the promise, Apollyon was told not to hinder my recovery of my body.
If they haven’t intervened until I retrieve my body, it doesn’t count as a breach of promise.
The Bureau’s forces were present. If I were to massacre the citizens of Incheon before them, I’d also have to battle the Bureau.
Having already exhausted quite a bit of strength against Apollyon, it would be unwise to carelessly increase my enemies.
Think of how ‘our’ father was cautious of the Bureau.
Therefore, underestimating the Bureau is not confidence but foolishness.
This logic successfully persuaded both sides of me.
As I became aware of this crack, I realized that ‘I’ had awakened.
I am me. So was the ‘I’ from just before not me?
What on earth is this—
Is it okay for me to leave?
Apollyon’s voice silenced my mental chaos.
The thoughts I entertained until now lasted less than a second.
A short period for a human but quite a while in the domains of me and that devil.
As I remained silent instead of attacking, Apollyon seemed to interpret it as me allowing him to live.
“…”
Seemingly relieved, Apollyon began to flee.
And then…
An impeccably aimed wave of celestial energy struck the demon.
Apollyon faced his end.
*
In the moment the red devil’s form shattered, the aftermath rushed toward Incheon.
If things went unchecked, while it wouldn’t reach 100,000 sacrifices as before, thousands of casualties would be inevitable.
Luckily, nothing like that happened as I predicted.
As the Bureau manipulated some unidentified device, a translucent barrier, resembling multiple hexagonal panels, enveloped Incheon’s sky.
As witnessed in rooms 201 and 202, the Bureau’s technology truly felt like magic.
Perhaps, for those truly high in the hierarchy, the line between magic and technology is meaningless.
A helicopter approached from the Bureau’s side.
With no missiles or machine guns in sight, it seemed they had no ill intent.
…Maybe Mr. Park, whom I met recently, is aboard.
He’s quite cunning and has a knack for words, so conversing with him might lead to pitfalls.
Having finished my duties on the ground, I didn’t want to deal with more trouble.
Thus, I ignored it and shot up into the sky.
Now it’s time to return to the hotel.
…
I pondered the crack I first perceived.
The memory of the moment I conversed with myself.
While clearly not another, I distinctly felt the presence of a divided existence.
He and I grew from a single root, yet we seemed like two separate trees.
He was a revelation.
As I thought about this, I felt a gaze fixed upon me.
I beheld the revelation.
The revelation beheld me.
Should I fight?
Should I grapple with this being now to reclaim the purity of my mind?
At that moment, the revelation raised its hand, stopping me.
Now is not the time.
The moment I heard that, I realized the current state I was in was entangled in the hotel’s bizarre antics.
Or perhaps I always knew it.
Dreams and reality bizarrely intertwined.
This doesn’t mean everything I experienced thus far was an illusion.
Today’s events will surely be eternally recorded in the annals of history.
Just one thing is certain.
Once the hotel event concludes, everything that has transpired will be reset.
It’s pointless to grapple with things right now.
Be patient. The time is drawing near.
I will reclaim my purity from you.
What a naive thought. You best guard that body well.
…An unpleasant dialogue.
*
The sky over Incheon regained its calm.
Yet the chaos on the ground still lingered.
“Director, we can no longer track the entity!”
According to the report from Park Hyunmin, the ‘angel’ that flew to the sky had vanished suddenly.
Even the highly precise satellites capable of distinguishing human expressions failed to catch any trace of the angel.
It was only natural.
The hotel is a place where the unworthy cannot just approach at will, let alone observe.
If this were possible, the Bureau would have poured in someone 1,000 strong.
“Cease the pursuit. It’s a waste of time.”
“Understood.”
The participant’s abilities were beyond imagination.
I don’t know how they personally view it, but for Park Hyunmin, claiming such a being is human feels as absurd as saying a chicken and a T. rex are both dinosaurs.
Just like the insane gods from Olimpus in Greek mythology, they’re not that different.
“I’m worried.”
“Director?”
I recalled our previous conversation.
‘This is not my world.’
This statement implies somewhere there exists a ‘personal world’ which they believe in.
The Bureau is unaware of such a place.
The insane god from Olympus never grasped the world’s truth till the end.
It’s not that he lacked ability.
There is a period to discern truth, and this is not that period.
Thanks to this, he willingly returned to the hotel, seeking a hometown that doesn’t even exist.
…What will happen when the author eventually realizes the truth?
This concern made Park Hyunmin uneasy.
“Director, a temporary file has just arrived!”
“‘Starry Night Angel’
Serial number: C-003
Risk Level: Measurement Impossible
An unidentified entity appearing in the sky over Incheon.
It takes on the form of an angel and has destroyed the A-rank entity Apollyon.
Containment Procedure: Contain
Given that it’s unclear whether it is hostile towards humans, observe without approaching recklessly.
+ Keep in mind that this is a temporary file, so there’s a lot of uncertain information!”
“…”
“It seems we haven’t gleaned much since we’ve discovered barely anything.”
“Let’s head back.”
I promise a diligent serialization.
+ A question arose regarding whether encountering beings like those in Room 201 could drive one insane or mentally shatter them, as revealed in this chapter, is not due to a faulty mentality.
It’s akin to a human burning near the sun and fundamentally results from physical laws within the Haunted Hotel universe.
Thus, without a form of resistance, one cannot endure.
However, a divine being could grant consideration for dialogue.
In that case, the person isn’t enduring on their own.
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.