SSS-Class Suicide Hunter

4.

-It’s really a stroke of luck.

Bae Hu-ryeong clicked his tongue in disapproval.

-Imagine if you, Zombie, hadn’t maintained your connections usually. Think if things weren’t great between you and the Crusader. Then you’d be out of this stage in no time, completely out. How could you succeed in the world of music when you can’t even hear the sounds?

‘Exactly….’

I trudged toward the World Tree village. The village was incredibly beautiful. Having traveled through many worlds and seen all sorts of landscapes, the fairy-tale-like scene of the tree village built around the World Tree was still a mystical sight to me.

“■? ■■ ■ ■■■■■?”

I encountered a villager along the way. The villager waved and smiled at me. Despite being a stranger, I felt no hostility from them, perhaps because in this heaven, the concept of hostility towards each other seemed nonexistent.

‘Uh…, hmm.’

The problem was that I couldn’t hear a single word the person was saying.

I opened my mouth to speak.

‘Ah, hello?’

“……?”

The villager tilted their head in confusion.

“■■■■ ■■■■■■. ■■ ■■■■ ■ ■■■■?”

What are they saying?

I tried my best to enhance my perception to observe the movements of the villager’s lips, the angles at which their tongue twisted. Maybe the villager was asking, [Your voice sounds strange. Do you have any discomfort?] Probably. I emphasize probably because something about their pronunciation was odd.

‘I’m sorry. I can’t really hear well….’

“…….”

The villager gave me a strange look, continuously tilting their head as if to say, what a weirdo, then left without saying anything.

Why? Why is that?

-Kakakakakaka!

Bae Hu-ryeong was the only one having a blast.

I frowned deeply.

‘Ah, what’s so funny? Is it funny because I can’t speak? Huh? You, who knows nothing but to swing that sword, you fiend.’

-You, you might not have heard because of your condition just now. The villager who greeted you earlier, they were talking to you while singing like they were in a musical.

That’s why even when I tried lip-reading, their pronunciation seemed strange.

-And you trying to talk back normally while they kept singing in soprano. Kakak! This stage seems worth watching.

‘So, you’re still a fiend, no change there! Forget it. I’m ignoring you.’

In short, this entire world was like a giant musical stage.

Dandelions sang, white horses sang, and every villager I passed by in the village sang.

Above all, the source of the grand chorus was the World Tree.

[‘Goddess of Protection’ admires the song of the World Tree.]

[‘A Music Box Only for You’ acknowledges this as a magnificent sight.]

According to what the constellations described to me, each leaf of the World Tree hums faintly.

Low pitches from the green leaves. High pitches from the white blossoms.

Dozens of leaves and flowers come together to form a small harmony on one branch. Several branches come together to create a larger harmony, buzzing. Thus, as if hundreds of thousands of choirs were softly voicing out, the entire World Tree sang quietly at times and magnificently at other times.

‘Only I can’t hear it….’

Of course, I had no means to enjoy that overwhelming fairy tale.

‘If people talk to me, I should at least try lip-reading, but I can’t even hear them. What a waste.’

-That can’t be helped. What are you going to do now? Your companion said no matter what kind of spectacle you create, it’ll still be considered a clear.

‘Yes. So, I just need to do something….’

At that moment, the snake bracelet wriggled around my wrist.

[‘The Eye Living in the Labyrinth’ informs you that in Musical Heaven, the only meaningful actions are those related to music.]

[‘The Eye Living in the Labyrinth’ advises that engaging in musical activities, whatever they may be, could provide an opportunity for the judge to pass you.]

Whatever it may be, music, huh.

‘Hm.’

I looked around. The village in Musical Heaven was sloped like the moon village where I had lived. Clinging to the World Tree, it became higher in altitude following the vast stairs, which also served as a plaza.

“■■ ■■■■.”

“■■■■. ■■ ■■■ ■■ ■ ■■■ ■ ■■?”

“■■■ ■■■ ■■■ ■■■■■.”

People were going up and down the stair-plaza. Their conversations, too, must have carried the melody of songs.

However, whether it was because they found a real-time musical odd or simply because some residents disliked talking to others, instruments were installed at various points along the stairs.

‘If any action really doesn’t matter.’

I looked at each instrument while climbing the grand staircase. Most were instruments I had never seen before. Instruments that humans from worlds I didn’t know, civilizations unknown to me… had played before they died.

‘Would it be enough to just play one simple piece of music?’

Fortunately, after looking around a bit, I found a piano.

The instruments had no owners. Anyone could sit down and play them. A child was playing the piano, and several younger children gathered around, clapping their hands.

“■■■■■?”

The child noticed me and spoke.

‘Would you like to sit?’ Probably what they said.

“■■■ ■■ ■ ■ ■■ ■■■■.”

The language of the child felt to me like Spanish or French. Maybe it was a completely different foreign language. But it was clear that it wasn’t an alien language but a foreign one. That child died in a tower where the piano was played and, therefore, must have lived in the same world as me.

Though a soul that has forgotten its past life would not remember.

This place was meant for those who wanted to discard everything from their former lives, except for instruments.

‘Yes. Thanks for letting me have a turn.’

“■?”

The children whispered to each other upon hearing my voice.

“■■■■ ■■■.”

“■■■ ■■■.”

“■■■■? ■■■ ■■■ ■■■ ■■■ ■■■.”

“■■■…….”

It seems my voice really does sound strange to the people here… Raviel said she liked the sound I make….

Hmm.

Indeed.

‘I haven’t seen Raviel for too long.’

I sat down at the piano bench.

‘I will play something about longing.’

There was no way to tune the piano. I couldn’t hear anything.

‘Well, it’s literally the heaven of music, so tuning should take care of itself.’

Six children looked at me with wide eyes, sitting on the stairs. Excluding the Fire Painting Play, this was my first concert. These kids were my first audience.

I pressed the E note firmly.

‘Sword Emperor, does it sound correctly as an E to you?’

-Eh? How would I know?

‘I’m a fool to have expected anything from you…’

It seemed the Sword Emperor had no intention of becoming my ears. Well, perhaps this stage was something I had to clear on my own.

Slowly.

I began to play.

“■? ■■■ ■■■.”

“■■.”

“■■■.”

The children blinked. I didn’t have time to read their lips while focusing on the play, but somehow, the atmosphere conveyed their reactions. Probably something like, ‘He plays quite well, unexpectedly.’ ‘Ohh.’ ‘Not bad.’

It was a good response.

‘Hmm.’

But it didn’t reach the level I wanted.

‘It’s hard without being able to adjust the tone with aura. Really.’

It felt like a knight who had forgotten his armor and rashly went to the battlefield.

‘Whenever I thought a note was too soft, I used aura to amplify it, and if I wanted a note to sound more desperate, I would grasp and shake it. But now, I can’t hear anything at all… Well, I’ve brought this upon myself.’

Up until now, what I played was more akin to musical martial arts than music.

[If you neglect basic swordsmanship and focus only on extracting aura, you’ll eventually face a big setback], Bae Hu-ryeong had said. My playing was exactly that.

Like a mercenary who became all brawn and no brains due to relying too much on tricks.

“■■■■!”

“■■■, ■■■ ■■!”

“■■■■ ■■■ ■■■■■.”

As the light piece came to an end, the children clapped their hands.

Judging by the atmosphere… It was like the feeling of unexpectedly having a good, cost-effective lunch in a restaurant you entered without any expectations.

‘A modest debut.’

I smiled bitterly.

It was impressive enough to get a nod of approval for being a “cost-effective restaurant” from children whose tastes had been refined by the World Tree’s choir all day long.

[You have taken an action valid in this world.]

[The judge chosen for you has granted approval!]

Patricia seemed not to expect more. Watching my day’s work from the 70th floor lobby, she immediately stamped her approval.

[You have received recognition from your judge!]

[You can declare stage clear at any time!]

It was a moment when the stage of the 70th floor, known as a challenge for top hunters, was easily overcome.

[‘Goddess of Protection’ says the path the hero has taken has led to today’s easy victory.]

Hmm.

‘Perhaps that’s true.’

Combining what I’ve heard from various places, it’s rare for top-ranked hunters to get along well.

It’s just rare.

There might be some close relationships, but a case where ranks 1 through 10 entirely build a fortress of trust like ours might be the first.

‘So, in ordinary cases, it would be a difficult quest.’

Normally, there would be a mix of sticky grudges, slimy jealousy, contempt, and indescribable emotions sedimented together. Before I made an effort, it was like that with the Black Dragon Witch and the Sword Saint.

-Right. Honestly, I get confused with ranks below 2nd. Why waste my precious brain capacity on that? Who cares whether someone is 3rd or 4th. I’m the best anyway.

You’re a first and last case of your kind….

[Would you like to declare clear?]

As I was about to shrug and say yes.

“■ ■ ■ ■■! ■■■!”

“■■ ■ ■■■■ ■■ ■■■ ■■!”

“■■! ■■! ■■!”

The children clapped and shouted something. This time, I could easily decode it. It was an ‘encore’.

I smiled awkwardly.

‘Hmm. Well, if it’s just one more song.’

There was no need to rush and clear the stage right away.

I had almost breached an impregnable stage in less than half a day. There was plenty of time.

Rather than hurrying on, I wanted to spend more time with souls who had died in the same tower as me. Even if they didn’t know why they died, at their last moment, they thought, [Now, if it’s not music, I don’t want to hear it; if it’s not a song, I don’t want to speak].

I played again.

“■■….”

“■ ■. ■■■■ ■■■?”

“■■■, ■■■ ■■ ■■ ■■.”

I couldn’t hear the piano sounds I was playing. I tried hard to regenerate my hearing with aura, but it seemed like soundproofing was done on a systemic level. Perhaps one of the constellations of this world had exerted some power.

“■■.”

So, I had no way of knowing whether my performance was good or bad, or even if it was going well.

“■. ■■.”

By myself.

“■■■….”

“■■■.”

As I played the piano, I watched the children’s expressions. Their faces were the only clue for me.

When the children closed their eyes and gently nodded their heads, swaying left and right, it meant it was a [good performance]. If the children blinked in confusion, ah, that meant I hit some notes wrong.

At some point, instead of chasing the sounds in my head, I found myself tapping the keys while looking at the children’s gestures, gazes, and faces.

“■■■!”

The children laughed as if they found it amusing.

“■■, ■■! ■■ ■■!”

It meant I had made a fun mistake, unknown to me, or a playful humor had passed. Seeing the children laugh, I laughed too.

And in the moment I looked into the children’s eyes, seeking to deliver another impressive performance, to know if I was doing well,

“…….”

I realized something.

‘Right.’

It was a simple realization.

‘I’ve always been like this.’

Suddenly, everything seemed to make sense. The current performance and all the things I had done before, which seemed unrelated on the surface, somehow connected in a straight line.

‘I didn’t learn swordsmanship because I was fascinated by the sword. It’s because when I wielded a sword, the people around me reacted. I felt recognized and gradually started to grasp the sword more heavily.’

It was the same even now, playing without hearing anything.

I wasn’t particularly fascinated by the piano. It wasn’t because I had a perfect score in my head that I wanted to replicate. Maybe some people do, but at least I didn’t.

I was gauging [good performance] and [bad performance] solely by the children’s giggling breaths, their slightly moving eyebrows, the way their cheeks curled up at the edges of their mouths.

“…….”

I was just a human who had pushed [this method] to its limits.

‘It doesn’t matter if I can’t hear the sounds.’

I surged aura throughout my body.

‘This is rather a familiar method for me.’

I pulled up my aura, but not focusing it on myself as I did on the stage of the Fire Painting Play. On the contrary.

I enveloped the children with my aura.

“■……?”

“■■, ■■■■.”

The children felt ticklish. It was harmless to them. I simply allowed my aura to permeate, letting the condition of their bodies be transmitted to me.

‘Hmm.’

Where their gazes were directed.

Whether they were watching my fingers dance on the keyboard or looking around to chat with another child sitting next to them.

The twitching reaction to the sounds.

The children’s heartbeat.

The flow of their blood.

The speed of their blood flow.

‘Right.’

All of it reacted differently according to my performance. It was subtle, but the touch of aura was even more delicate.

It wasn’t just the expressions on the children’s faces that provided my criteria. Everything has an expression. The issue is whether I have the means, the experience, the skill to read those expressions.

‘I’ve always wanted to do this.’

And I had the skill to do so.

‘Shall we try?’

I paid attention to when the children’s gazes were fixed on my fingers as I played certain notes. I observed which sequences of notes caused the children’s hearts to react most vigorously. The children couldn’t hide their expressions.

And they didn’t.

“■…….”

“■■…….”

The children’s whispering time grew shorter and shorter.

At first, each child reacted strongly to different notes, which was challenging. But it was okay. There was an intersection. The children had a huge commonality beyond any differences.

These children had once abandoned the world and wished for the same heaven.

Thus.

Though I still couldn’t hear any sound,

I pressed the keys for the sounds that made all the children react most brightly.

“…….”

For a moment. The children’s hearts resonated together.

*****

ED: I’ll be back after watching Frieren ep 26.

*****