Chapter 99

There are three types of magic stones: the magic stone from mimicry dungeons that reads thoughts, the magic stone from siege dungeons that heals injuries, and lastly, the magic stone from flood dungeons that erases a hunter's ability upon contact. The red magic stone that had been pressed against Soram's back to seal his ability when he was on the guard floor was this very one.

It had been a while since he had seen it, so there was no chance of being lucky enough to score a big haul. Unfortunately, it was impossible to secretly take it away this time. Since the surroundings were still filled with toxicity, if he hid it in his clothes and it touched his bare skin, it would be a big problem.

Soram took off his outer jacket and picked up the magic stone, wrapping it. Looking closely, the size of the stone was on the larger side compared to the dungeon's grade. After confirming that the rift had completely disappeared, Soram flew up and landed in front of the people gathered behind the barricade.

"Chief Jin-nim, what is that?"

"It's a magic stone. Is this your first time seeing it? It came out this time."

Soram showed the magic stone wrapped in his clothes. The red stone sparkled inside the black lining.

"So this is it. It seems much prettier than most gems."

"That's right. It's a shame it's a consumable item."

"Well, they said this wears out and disappears when used..."

Lee Gyeong-in, who had been continuously looking at the magic stone in amazement, whispered,

"Can I touch it just once before submitting it?"

"Ah, not with bare hands yet. Hmm..."

Soram looked around. As some time passed after the rift was eliminated, most of the yellow smoke had also thinned out. It seemed okay for civilians to slowly take off their thick gloves and loosen the fixation of their gas masks.

"Be careful. The feeling will be strange."

"Yes!"

Lee Gyeong-in carefully placed his finger on the magic stone.

"Oh. Uh, wow."

Suddenly, it felt like the blood was draining from that spot. Lee Gyeong-in rapidly blinked his eyes and looked at his body.

"It really... feels like I've gone back to being a non-awakener. Oh, right. This was the feeling."

He was slower at controlling his ability compared to others. He struggled even more because he had never fought before in his life, and his special ability was also a wide-area type. The power that he couldn't adapt to always felt uncomfortably surging inside his body.

But for the first time in a long while, he felt like he could control his own body.

"Chief Jin Soram-nim, Chief Lee Gyeong-in-nim. I've prepared the transport box for the magic stone."

From a distance, a member of the Busan Branch's Reconnaissance Bureau showed an iron case with cushioning in the middle.

"I should take it there now."

"Yes."

As he removed his hand with regret, the uncontrolled power circulated inside his body again. He had broken many things due to mistakes in controlling his power, and even today, his training amount had doubled, so he couldn't help but feel irritated by the power rampaging as it pleased. Why does it go crazy every time I go out on a dispatch when it can be this calm? With a gaze full of lingering attachment, he glanced at the magic stone and finally spoke.

"Um, can I take it there myself? I want to walk like this too."

"Uh... are you feeling okay?"

When asked like that, it seemed like he had a bit of a headache. However, the fact that this opportunity was difficult to come by again was greater.

"Yes. I'm fine."

"...Still, just look at it again when we return to the branch. There's no need to take a risk here."

"No. I'm really okay!"

If he returned to the branch, he might be able to see it, but it would be impossible to use it again. It would become a national asset. To prove that he was fine, Lee Gyeong-in reached out his hand towards the magic stone. Unlike earlier when he had lightly touched it, when he grasped the magic stone, a spinning sensation beyond dizziness came over him. Soram made a troubled face.

"Chief Lee, it's better not to do it after all..."

"Oh."

The eyes of the two people who faced each other widened simultaneously. A streak of dark red blood flowed from one of Lee Gyeong-in's nostrils.

"Chief Lee Gyeong-in. Let go right now!"

Soram snatched his wrist. Lee Gyeong-in also knew that something had gone wrong now, and he had no intention of being stubborn about it any further. But,

"My hand, it's stiff, ah, it won't open..."

The magic stone attached to an awakener's body absorbed all strength, including regenerative power and stamina. His face and fingertips gradually turned blue. The toxic gas that had remained in the surroundings had penetrated his body, which had become like that of an ordinary person. A sharp sound escaped from between Soram's teeth. He picked up Lee Gyeong-in and leaped far away from the epicenter of the rift.

"Do you have an oxygen mask?"

"Yes, yes!"

A person wearing a gas mask took out an oxygen mask and covered the respirator. Soram opened the bent fingers grasping the magic stone. And he pulled the tightly grasped magic stone.

"Don't lose consciousness. Keep your eyes open!"

It was more difficult to avoid injury than to forcibly remove it. If he accidentally applied too much force and the magic stone got embedded in his body, it could cause even more problems, especially for someone whose ability control was already unstable.

"Ugh..."

Since he couldn't pull the magic stone hard, only the tips of his fingers turned white with force. The people standing next to them could only watch the two without being able to do anything.

After a brief struggle, the magic stone came out of Lee Gyeong-in's hand as if being pulled out.

Pak!

"Ah!"

At the same time, the sharp surface heavily scratched Soram's fingers. The blood-stained magic stone fell to the ground, rolled a bit from its spot, and stopped.

"Gasp! Huk, I, I'm alive...!"

Lee Gyeong-in's body, which had regained the regenerative power of a 2nd-grade hunter, quickly expelled the toxins. As he took a deep breath and sat up, this time, Soram was in front of him, holding four bleeding fingers and biting his teeth tightly.

"Ch-Chief Jin-nim?"

"..."

Soram couldn't open his furrowed eyes. From the wound where the magic stone had penetrated, the blood vessels burned and rose to the top of his head.

The magic stone from the flood dungeon caused a different effect than he knew, creating wounds inside the skin. It was clearly different from the function he originally knew, which was to drain power to the outside. The magic stone that had penetrated into the flesh intervened inside the body and tried to touch something.

"Ugh, urk...!"

His lips were tightly pressed together. Along with the pain of unknown cause, an unbearable nausea violently pounded his entire body. Soram's hunched shoulders trembled violently. The voices around him calling out to him gradually faded away.

It hurts, why the hell, is this happening..., argh!

Then, an impact as if something had struck his head hard came. His eyes hurt as if the thick blackout curtain that had been lowered had been suddenly pulled apart. The gaps between the four walls resembling a towering fence swayed.

'Soram-ah.'

What leaked out from there was the voice of someone unknown. Soon, his vision twisted like a wildly smeared abstract painting. The voice rang in his ears, changing its pitch and tone.

'I'm sleeping.'

'I'll go to school and come back.'

Who are you? School? But Soram's mouth was moving on its own, saying, 'Don't go.'

'The next director position is yours.'

This seems to be Director-nim. But he couldn't tell if it was a voice or text. This time, he answered a little louder, 'No.'

'The person who can't speak.'

'This country can never be saved again.'

'The 4th Great Rift.'

'Something like providence.'

'Chief Jin-nim, I can't do it.'

'You can run away.'

'That guy seems quite strange.'

"Urgh...!"

Along with a dry heave, bitter liquid rose from his stomach. As he bent over, the voices poured down as if standing on a tilted cliff. Familiar voices and unfamiliar voices were all jumbled together.

'Do you like it?'

'Traitor.'

'In the end, what's important is breaking the balance.'

'You won't die from getting cursed a bit.'

'No, I... if it's ..., that's enough.'

'I'll do it with this. Erase the rest for me.'

Stop it. Enough now...

His vision completely tilted to the side. He didn't even have time to realize that his body was collapsing.

"Chief Jin-nim, Chief Jin-nim!"

"!"

The sound that had faded away penetrated his ears again. Soram raised his head, opening his eyes wide with a startle.

"..."

The shaking in front of his eyes disappeared as if a finished video had been turned off. What he saw was the scenery of the mountainside and the surprised faces of people. As he took a deep breath, cold air entered his lungs. The numerous voices disappeared as if scattered by the wind. The chaotic space in his head became unnaturally still, leaving only the dust that had risen heavily.

"Are, are you okay?"

Soram slapped away Lee Gyeong-in, who had approached to wipe the blood with the towel he had.

"I."

"..."

"I clearly told you to be careful."

The voice spitting out each syllable was chilly. It was completely different from the person who had been smiling brightly until just now.

"...I'm sorry..."

The pale head bowed deeply.

"I, really, why did I do that? What should I do? Because of me, sob, I really made a mistake, I'm sorry..."

"..."

Soram retraced the words and actions that had come out without him knowing, pressing his lips. In an instant, he saw the appearance of Ayoung from his previous life and himself in the current situation. Along with that, he could also find the cause of a certain emotion he had felt towards Lee Gyeong-in, who was being pressured by the director.

A team member under a chief who only looked ahead and ran. He had been overlapping the image of Ayoung from his past lives. That's why he had been concerned about this person.

"...Chief Lee Gyeong-in-nim. You're sorry to me, right?"

"Yes, yes!"

"Then don't go to the headquarters and go straight to the hospital. While we're at it, let me hold the magic stone and drink poison, so we can match our stories and take sick leave together."

"Yes, I'll do whatever you tell me to...! Huh? But why...?"

"Why? To run away, of course."

"Huh...?"

Soram grinned.

"I'll report that it was an accident that happened while trying to catch the magic stone that I almost dropped, so let's each keep a secret and be really careful from now on."

Seeing him return with a soft expression, Lee Gyeong-in was sincerely relieved.

* * *

Swish―...

On the sandy beach where white waves endlessly rushed in, there was no one except a single person.

He had become somewhat familiar with the appearance of the sea now. The blue sea, the red sea, and the black sea that changed with time. It was probably because he had blankly stared at it whenever he had time. Even a country bumpkin from Seoul who had been tied to a forest of buildings all along no longer felt a particularly great impression of the sea.

Still, although he had looked at it from a distance many times, it was the first time he had set foot on the sandy beach. The sand that the waves had brought in slipped through his toes.

Then, another wave came. The white foam swirled around his ankles and receded back. Soram, who had been watching the sea come and go for a long time, felt a presence and raised his head. A black suit that didn't match the beach fluttered in the wind. Soram's eyes widened as he confirmed the other person's face.

"How did you come all the way here...?"

No, actually, he knew he would come. He had just pretended not to know.

The man, who was much taller than Soram, approached him with a blunt gait.

"Soram-ssi."

...?

At that moment, goosebumps rose as if he had been hit by a winter gale on the beach. Soram, Soram-ssi? His hands and feet shriveled up helplessly. The climax of the goosebumps was the fact that such an unseemly way of address had been uttered by Han Tae-un.