SSS-Class Suicide Hunter

8.

“……It’s a break time, but the crowd isn’t thinning.”

Really?

“Look over there. The number of people in the alleys has increased! Oh my. We thought even if it went long, it wouldn’t exceed 7 hours!”

This is evidence that the conference is a success.

Isn’t this good for you, Anastasia? You were so worried it might fail.

“……It’s a big deal because it’s too successful. Right now, there are 13 B-rank hunters from [Golden Newspaper Guild] clinging to the side, acting as batteries. They’re exerting their aura to block external transmissions, and they’re almost at their limit, I heard.”

Ah, tell them to hang in there a bit longer.

“……How much longer?”

Well, I saw someone setting up tents over there.

At least until tomorrow?

“You crazy lunatic…….”

I hear that a lot.

“Master!”

What’s up?

“We distributed questionnaires to 100 people to quickly check the next set of questions, but they are too diverse! Some questions cannot be answered just by our guild leaders!”

Hmm.

What does that mean?

“It seems we should call people like Duke Ivansia or Chairman Seimsalam!”

9.

“Hello, thank you for taking my question. I run a café at Babylon Crossroads and also do deliveries.”

……

Ah, the one Yu Suha always ordered from……

“Eh?”

Oh, no. Sorry.

It’s nothing.

Please refrain from promoting your store and continue with your question.

“Ah, yes…. Alright. My question is for the Death King. Recently, with the success of the raid teams, our tower’s territory has greatly expanded. This happened with the Aegim Empire and now with the newly conquered continent. However, currently, the 5 major guilds are strictly managing access to these stages.”

Yes.

“Isn’t that a monopoly?”

……

“They’re essentially monopolizing the resources of the new continent, to strengthen their influence within the tower even further……”

“Hmm. I’ll take this question.”

Raviel.

“Please continue.”

“Uh…… My point is, there are many small guilds in the tower, and some are just tiny guilds with only three members, like a small shop. It seems like such guilds hardly benefit from this, right?”

“What benefits are you referring to?”

“Uh…. That’s what I mean….”

Raviel.

Raviel is too beautiful, looking at her can stun you.

You need to be more considerate of the questioner.

“Indeed. Is that so?”

That’s the point.

“I was too focused on my appearance and overlooked it.”

Yes. It’s like not being able to look directly at the sun.

“I apologize. I was born and raised in the empire, unaccustomed to such culture. In my mind, I view each of you as a baron or someone of equivalent status.”

“A baron? Uh. I’m just……”

“A bakery owner, right? I know. But aren’t you living a more prosperous and convenient life than a baron in our empire?”

“…….”

‘We are different from you. Indeed, in many aspects. Just as you are different from the people outside the tower.”

“…….”

“Some of you may covet our empire’s territories. There might be those who seek our interests. When forces collide, friction is inevitable, so I, along with the empire’s nobles, are prepared.”

“That means……”

“For 12 years, we will drastically limit civilian exchanges.”

“…….”

“In the empire, we select students for study abroad and have already sent them to the 29th floor’s Academy City. They will learn what is called public education and become familiar with your culture. Upon their return to the empire, they will take charge of negotiations. Until then.”

……

“Please wait.”

……

“As a representative of the empire, I ask this of all of you.”

……

“If,”

Hmm.

“What if many cannot wait? Oh, I should mention my affiliation first, sorry. I’m a priest from Ten Thousand Temple.”

“That’s fine. Go ahead with your question.”

“Yes, thank you. As you know, Duke… Our tower’s power is overwhelming. If we were to have bad intentions, for example, just as a hypothetical, there could be voices saying, ‘Let’s make the empire our colony.'”

“…….”

“I’m not making this up. There really are people who think and talk like this, whether jokingly or seriously. Reality can be harsh, can’t it? So…”

“You are mistaken.”

“Pardon?”

“Your premise is wrong. You are not overwhelmingly stronger than the empire.”

“……What do you mean? Even without bringing up technological advancement, if our hunters unite to attack……”

“Why do you think that you will unite?”

Press.

“Death King will help me.”

“…….”

“Those who help the Death King will also help us. That alone already makes you what you call the 5 major guilds. The Asuras who regard the Death King as both father and friend will help, as will the races that form the Fire River Council with the Asuras. Look around. How can you talk about an overwhelming power difference?”

“…….”

“The term ‘tower’s power’ you mentioned is flawed. You should have said ‘the evildoers of the tower’. If that’s what you meant, then indeed, the force you mentioned would be powerful.”

“…….”

“But as strong as they are, we are equally strong.”

Raviel.

“There might be those among you who cynically say the world has always been this way. While they color their day with cynicism, my wife, their enemy, has shed blood to build power. He has formed alliances, federations, and raised the current house regardless of race, nationality, or world boundaries, solely to confront them.”

……

“So if you ask me whether the world has always been this way, I have no reason to engage with your answer. Is that the logic of the world you live in? How unfortunate. I choose to make my world where Death King is. My heart needs his voice to breathe.”

……

Yes.

That’s right.

I’m on your side, Raviel.

“What……”

Forever.

“Aren’t we all people of the same tower? I mean, haven’t we been supporting the tower’s conquests in every way? Although we couldn’t physically join often due to ranking issues……”

“I am Ukrainian.”

Anastasia.

“After coming here and establishing the Black Dragon, becoming one of the top guilds in the tower, many people I never saw before started coming around. Ukrainians telling me to stay strong together.”

“…….”

“If I had followed the logic of [being from the same place], more than half of the Black Dragon’s executives would have been Ukrainians. But I didn’t do that.”

“That’s because.”

“Yes. It’s finally become bearable. So, shall we now create a nation called ‘Tower Country,’ establish a nationality as ‘Tower People,’ and build ‘Our Tower?’ They kicked us out, and now they can watch us flourish. Now we’re the ones who’ll mock the outside world. No, we’ll mock all worlds.”

“…….”

“Should we do that?”

I wanted to, but.

“I won’t.”

Though it’s possible.

“Tell them to bug off.”

“…….”

“Ahh, with the media blockade, life seems somewhat bearable. I should’ve asked the [Golden Newspaper Guild] to arrange something like this earlier. Really. It’s about time to get rid of this personality that lives and dies by public opinion…”

That’s also a part of Anastasia’s charm.

“Shut up. Anyway, I don’t want to. I’m fed up. I’m sick of it. I’m the Black Dragon leader, the 3rd ranked guild leader. I’ll take care of my guild’s people, look after those around me, and treat those who treat me as a human being with respect. How grateful am I that there are no language barriers in the tower. I pray every morning to some nameless being who tore down those damn barriers.”

“Ahahaha.”

Bambolina.

“I’m from Bulgaria! But I’ve never registered with any public institutions, nor have I ever received a passport! Technically, there’s no way to prove my origin. So maybe I could also be from Serbia or Romania!”

“…….”

“I’m just the leader of Ten Thousand Temple. Everyone, believe in your gods, but worship them in your hearts, and be careful not to fall into heresy! If you feel the world is testing you, knock on the door of Ten Thousand Temple anytime!”

“And they’ll offer you espresso coffee…”

Liao Fan.

“I’m Chinese. Well, there are some from my hometown in Chen Mu-mun. But the strongest is the best. The weak, whether from the continent, islands, or jungles, are just fit for cleaning the guild building.”

“…….”

“But then I found out that Death King is stronger than me, right? What can I do? As someone said, the world is harsh-.”

“…….”

“I was born in Venezuela.”

Patricia.

“Even now, when I close my eyes, I can vividly recall my hometown. My village was beautiful, with charming dirt paths, no glass on the ground. When you stepped on it, you felt the earth beneath your feet. When I went to study in the city, I frequented bars on the streets at night. The old jazz, the worn pianos… I miss everything.”

“…….”

“But that’s not all of my heart.”

Patricia?

Why are you suddenly standing up…

“The food district in Babylon’s 11th district is the best. The paella they occasionally serve there, though it lacks saffron, boasts a perfect taste. So much so that during the recent conquest, I thought of that restaurant three times. The owner is excellent.”

“…….”

“To the seventeen heroes who opened a jazz bar in the 6th district, I salute you. One chamber orchestra and eleven quartets, I take off my helmet to you. Even though you failed in the outside world, how could you be so confident about succeeding inside the tower? Excellent!”

“Bravo!”

“Long live Little Venice!”

“Who was that? The one who just mentioned the failed shop. If I catch you, you’ll be subject to a Civil Militia search.”

“Play the piano again!”

“Goddess!”

“Release an album, please! I’ll buy 10 copies! No, I’ll download it 10 times!”

“The walking paths in the 7th district are truly a marvel, whoever created them! From what I’ve heard, a Hunter ranked around 200th secretly dug up the path and created the garden at 4 AM every day. I can’t reveal their alias, but they must have a lot of time on their hands. Brilliant work. Thanks to them, I now spend one day out of every 30 in that place.”

“Respect!”

“I love my homeland!”

…….

“But loving my homeland is just like loving music!”

…….

“If I love the Tower, it’s only because the music never stops here!”

…….

“One can’t always love like jazz. Even songs need a break. But…, damn it. Fine. This time, I’ll establish a new guild called ‘Black Knight’ with the Black Dragon leader and Death King!”

“What?”

“A guild?”

“Yes?”

“A music guild. A jazz guild. We’re going to create an entirely new form of music called ‘Fire Painting Play.’ Damn it. If anyone who knew the old me comes to the performance, I’ll kill them. I’ll have them thrown in jail.”

“God Almighty!”

“The return of Little Venice!”

“Are you finally taking off the helmet and armor!?”

“I love you, Goddess! I’ve been waiting for you!”

…….

Lady Who Walks the Mirage.

[The Lady Who Walks the Mirage listens attentively to your words.]

Let’s start the vote.

[The Lady Who Walks the Mirage asks if you are really sure about this.]

Yes.

Not only the Snails, but also the Elves, Mermaids, Vampires, Dream Demons, Pure race, Goblins, and Oni, and even we humans need to agree to ascend the Tower.

[The Lady Who Walks the Mirage nods her head.]

[The privilege of the Pillar is activated.]

[Changing the quests for the 48th and 49th floors.]

[Integrating stages.]

[Sequential Layer Progression.]

Even those living in the Aegim Empire.

The old man who remains in the snowfields, guarding the pillar of his sect alone.

And the girl sitting on the porch of an old Hanok house, gazing at the sky.

[All characters belonging to ‘The Tower’ are granted the right to vote.]

[The vote is equally valid regardless of the stage.]

“Huh?”

“What’s this symbol…?”

[Editing the conquest videos from the 30th to the 47th floors.]

[The edited videos are played for those with voting rights.]

[The Lady Who Walks the Mirage sends a message: ‘I edited it moderately, so don’t worry about secrets being revealed! It’s a service!’]

For us to be just us.

[Currently.]

[The quest for the 49th floor is in progress.]

If luck is with us.

[The voting begins.]

Our next story will start at a higher stage than ever before.

***************