Chapter 190: The Creator (3)
If the chain is human, it said.
“What do you mean? Are you saying it might have an effect if it’s not human?”
[Not necessarily. What I mean is that just a fragment of the chain wouldn’t be enough to influence the mana stone you’ve nurtured if it’s from a human. Ah, but if the chain belongs to someone with a special skill related to this, then even a human could potentially affect it. But they’d need to be at least SSS-grade for that. However, as far as I know, the chain doesn’t have that kind of skill…]
The volleyball suddenly stopped mid-sentence, as if realizing it had said too much. Wait a minute.
“You know Seong Hyunjae’s skills? Well, I guess you’d know mine too. And Myungwoo’s, for that matter.”
[No, no, that’s not—]
“Speak.”
I grabbed the volleyball and gave it a shake. Spit it out already. Sure, my Promising Talent skill could reveal only a few initial skills, but this thing clearly knew everything.
[Honey, honey! It’s not like we know everything! We only monitor specific people or skills that we’re focused on! And even that comes with a cost. The system’s information just passes by us, and there’s way too much of it to keep track of everything. Do you know how many people have the same name? If we could identify them all, we’d be sharing info on every other S-rank Hunter, too!]
“You’re probably hiding the fact that you actually know who they are. You guys are always shady like that, keeping secrets.”
[That’s not…!]
“Start with everything you know about Seong Hyunjae. Saying cryptic stuff like if the chain is human—don’t give me that meaningless nonsense. What, is he not human or something?”
[He’s human! He’s been here, so of course we’d know that. Even if he’s regressed, there are traces of his connection to the Crescent Moon, which makes things a bit peculiar, but he’s definitely human.]
So he’s human, huh? …Can I really trust that? Out of all the transcendent beings I’ve met, the volleyball does seem the most straightforward, but that doesn’t mean I should trust everything it says.
“Then why does the mana stone keep absorbing Seong Hyunjae’s magic power?”
[That, I don’t know. It’s not my area of expertise. The mana stone wasn’t normal to begin with, so there could be unexpected variables.]
“What do you know, then?”
At my retort, the volleyball seemed to droop, its appearance somehow giving the impression of a sulking face.
[I’d love to tell you more, but the chain has only met with the Crescent Moon. I did hear that the chain doesn’t seem to like the Crescent Moon very much.]
“Explain that in more detail.”
[That’s all there is to it.]
“What do you actually know, seriously.”
I shook the volleyball again for good measure. Knowing Seong Hyunjae, it wasn’t surprising that he wouldn’t be fond of a transcendent being like the Crescent Moon. This wasn’t anything new.
“Are the Crescent Moon and the Mermaid Queen still asleep? And are you really saying you can’t tell me any information about the chain’s skills?”
[Yes, they’re still asleep. And privacy is important! Honey, you wouldn’t want other people knowing about your skill information either, right? If we started revealing others’ information, you’d have to be prepared for your own data to be shared just as easily.]
Fair enough, but it was still frustrating. When would the Crescent Moon wake up? At this rate, Seong Hyunjae might regain his memories faster than they do.
[By the way, I’m working hard on a dungeon just for you, Honey! It’s designed so that everyone can get at least one item they want! From a minimum of S-grade to a maximum of L-grade!]
“Really? L-grade too?”
[It won’t be easy, but I think SS-grade items will be relatively common. You’ll get to choose something you like!]
“How many people can enter?”
[Right now, about four. But I can try to increase that!]
What a considerate little thing. Despite everything, the volleyball really is the kindest of the bunch. I reached out and patted its “head.”
“That’s impressive. Being able to make a dungeon like that.”
[It’s my specialty~]
“Thanks for putting in the effort.”
The volleyball turned red, as if blushing. It looked like someone had smeared it with crayon.
[It’s nothing, Honey. But if you want me to increase the number of participants, I might need a little more time. Could you give me two more weeks?]
“Sure, the more people who can join, the better.”
The volleyball beamed and spun around excitedly. Honestly, it was kind of cute. I couldn’t imagine what it would look like in its true form, though.
“By the way, since you can create dungeons, does that mean other dungeons were…”
[Not me.]
The volleyball abruptly shifted its tone, cutting me off coldly.
[We’re system administrators. That’s all, Honey.]
The protective barrier that had been surrounding me disappeared, and the volleyball bounced away. Blue, who had been crouching in the snow, immediately started hopping along after it. Once again, she failed to catch it and was sent flying back, but she didn’t give up, repeatedly lunging at the spirit.
[Returning to the original dungeon in three minutes!]
The volleyball spun in a wide circle, as if teasing the young griffin, and then vanished without warning. Blue squawked in disappointment, her beak wide open as she stomped in frustration.
“I want to ask what you were talking about, but I get the feeling I shouldn’t intrude.”
Myungwoo approached with Peace by his side, his gaze questioning.
“There wasn’t much important today… at least not for now.”
I avoided giving a direct answer about the dungeon.
“How did you figure out that this place was created by someone? To me, it just looks like an ordinary forest.”
“Well, how should I put it… I’ve been making items for so long that I’ve developed a better sense of their structure. To everyone else, items might look like ordinary objects from our world. But to me, I can sense their general framework.”
As he spoke, Myungwoo moved toward a tree branch weighed down with snow. His dark fingers, stark against the white, brushed the branch lightly, almost reverently. It was a slow, deliberate motion, as if he were feeling every detail of its structure.
“I can sense the fundamental force that makes this, the mana, I guess? I can understand its structure. I wouldn’t be able to replicate something on this level, but I can interfere a little. If I slightly adjust how it’s constructed—”
With a gentle shake, the branch trembled, and amidst the snow-covered slender leaves, small pink flower buds began to bloom. It was so out of place for the season that I was struck speechless, staring blankly for a moment. Flowers blooming on a winter tree—it was unbelievable.
“You can do something like that?!”
“No, it’s only possible because the person who created this place is incredible. I can’t even think about mimicking it yet—”
[You can’t do that! That’s rude and unprofessional! Please maintain proper work ethics!]
The volleyball suddenly popped out and began yelling, its appearance now adorned with a drawing of an angry face. It bounced furiously in the air. Myungwoo, startled, bowed his head.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize.”
[You can’t just alter another creator’s work without permission! Unless you’re picking a fight, you need to ask first!]
“I sincerely apologize. I acted thoughtlessly.”
[Since you seem like a junior in the profession, I’ll let it slide this time! But please be more careful in the future.]
The fuming volleyball disappeared, and the surroundings changed. A sweltering wasteland stretched out before us, and I quickly took off my outerwear. Blue, who had been happily shaking off snow from the branches, looked around in confusion and squawked.
“My work involves breaking down and reassembling dungeon byproducts, so I touched it without thinking.”
Myungwoo scratched his head awkwardly.
“To me, it still feels like just a forest, not someone’s work. But I guess even breaking a branch in someone else’s forest isn’t okay.”
-Grrr.
At that moment, Peace suddenly leapt forward. He shoved his paw into a crevice between the rocks and pulled out a round, furry creature. Without hesitation, he sank his teeth into its neck with a loud crunch. The creature was about the size of a medium dog. But as the cub let out a scream, an adult monster emerged.
-Kyaaaak!
It was massive, as big as a calf. The beast, with earthy camouflage blending into the wasteland’s soil, bared its fangs. It resembled a mix between a wolf and a wild boar.
A Ground Burrow Oplo. It was a monster that dug burrows into the ground, cleverly camouflaging the entrances to ambush unsuspecting prey. It was a fairly common monster that I’d faced several times before.
-Grrr.
Peace gazed at the charging monster as if it were beneath him, completely unbothered. The earth-colored beast, nostrils flaring, charged at the Flame Horned Lion without hesitation. However, before it could even get close—
-Kueek!
A set of talons struck down from above, piercing the dirt-colored hide. Dust swirled as the enormous creature was lifted into the air in a flash, accompanied by the sound of flapping wings.
-Kyaa kyak!
Blue had grabbed the struggling monster and was now somersaulting in midair. It didn’t seem like she was hunting; it looked more like she was playing with a toy. She even performed a trick, tossing the monster into the air and catching it again before it hit the ground.
Meanwhile, other monsters began to reveal themselves, creeping out from hiding. Those that had been lying in wait were now boldly showing themselves. Why were they suddenly—
‘Ah.’
My mana stone. They weren’t approaching too closely, likely because they were intimidated by Peace standing guard, but I could feel their gazes darting toward me. They seemed to be signaling to one another, and their numbers were steadily increasing. At this rate, every monster in the dungeon might converge on us.
“Peace and Blue can handle it, but you need to level up. Can you take them down?”
Myungwoo wasn’t a fan of hunting monsters. He’d struggled with it during rookie Hunter training and hesitated a lot during his first dungeon raid. Asking Peace and Blue to half-kill the monsters and leave them for him wasn’t realistic. Should I step in? It was an E-grade dungeon, so I could handle it with gear alone if necessary.
“Can I borrow Grace for a moment?”
Myungwoo stepped closer and asked. I deactivated Grace and handed it to him, but instead of taking it, he clasped my hand gently.
“Set the damage nullification to A-grade or higher and change it into a bow.”
“A bow?”
Following his instructions, I changed Grace’s form. A translucent crystal bow with elegant blue patterns, reminiscent of polished sapphire, appeared in my hands. The ornaments dangling from the bow’s ends swayed with a soft, clear chime. Grace’s aesthetic preferences were as consistent as ever.
“Ismuar.”
Myungwoo held the bow and called softly. A rift opened in the space above, and a stream of flames descended, settling onto the bow. The fire quickly transformed into an arrow.
“Peace should be fine, but Blue needs to back off.”
“Got it.”
I signaled Blue to retreat and Peace to return as well. Once Blue moved behind us, Myungwoo pulled the bowstring. The flaming arrow shot forward, piercing the monster at the front of the pack.
Fwoosh! Without even a moment to let out a dying scream, the monster was instantly reduced to ash. The flames spread, maintaining their momentum, and swept over the horde of monsters like a fiery tide. The air filled with the scent of smoke and ash.
Except for a few stragglers on the outskirts, most of the monsters collapsed into charred heaps.
“…Can you bring Ismuar out into the open?”
I asked in amazement. Myungwoo shook his head.
“It’s only a fraction of his power. I’ve been handling Ismuar’s flames so much that I’ve learned to draw out a bit of it. It’s not very strong—probably only around the level of a B-grade or A-grade skill. It just seems impressive because we’re dealing with E-grade monsters.”
“Still, that’s amazing. It’s like you’ve gained an attack skill now.”
“It’s not exactly like that.”
Myungwoo spoke, looking a bit sheepish.
“I can only materialize power through weapons, but I can’t use it with just any ordinary weapon. Ismuar has properties that dissolve and break down items. It needs to be at least SSS-grade for it to embed without damaging the weapon.”
“Ah… So it’s hard to use it regularly. That’s a shame. My younger brother’s spirit, Iryn, also melts and swallows things easily. Is that just a trait of fire spirits?”
“They’re a bit different. Iryn is a spirit born of nature, while Ismuar was specifically created for a purpose.”
“Oh? Did you just get a new skill?”
Myungwoo looked into the air as if checking his skill window. He must’ve gained at least five levels. Finally, he got one.
“What is it?”
“Master of Hammering. I think I can adapt this into an attack skill. It says it works on living creatures, too.”
“Does it look good? Do you think it’s useful?”
I wasn’t sure if I’d chosen well. Myungwoo nodded with a satisfied expression.
“Yeah. It’ll make my work much easier.”
Good. It looked like he liked it. As I gestured, Blue dashed toward the fleeing monsters like a hunting dog. Despite the considerable distance between them, she caught up in just a couple of wingbeats. She was so fast that I could barely follow her with my eyes.
Noah was already difficult enough to ride; Blue was clearly impossible. Once she fully matured, she’d be even faster. To make matters worse, one of her skills, Golden Arrow, seemed to be related to flight. She was already swift, but if a skill was added to the mix, she’d be nothing more than a blur.
With Myungwoo’s new skill acquired and only a few monsters left, I decided to let the others handle it as we leisurely walked forward.
“Does this dungeon also look like it was created by someone?” I asked.
“This one feels much more complex than the last. I wouldn’t dare touch it.”
That reminded me of the message windows that had popped up in previous dungeons. Those messages had always seemed like they came from the volleyball. It was also the one that claimed to have found me first.
‘It even called Myungwoo a professional junior in its field.’
Could the volleyball’s specialty be creating things? Were the toy soldiers and knights its creations as well? If so, that would explain why it was primarily the one intervening in dungeons.
If this dungeon felt far more complicated, then the creators of the dungeons appearing in the world were likely individuals of higher standing than the volleyball.
Who could they be? The origin? Perhaps senior figures far above the transcendent troublemakers I’ve met so far?
“Myungwoo, don’t you think you’ll be able to create dungeons like this someday?”
At my musing, Myungwoo gave a bashful smile.
“You sometimes overestimate me, Yujin. Even that last dungeon you mentioned is something I couldn’t replicate even with a hundred years of training.”
“But it’s not impossible. That alone makes it incredible.”
“No, there’s no guarantee I could even achieve that after a hundred years.”
“You never know. I was amazed just watching you make those flower buds bloom.”
The more I thought about it, the more I felt the transcendent beings would try to snatch Myungwoo away. I didn’t even have to ask—his safety was clearly guaranteed. If I were in their shoes, I wouldn’t let him go either.
As we walked for a while longer, a large monster appeared in the distance. It looked like a boss monster, bigger than the others we’d seen so far. Blue, clearly thrilled, darted around it in erratic zigzags. She cawed noisily at Peace, as if telling him not to interfere.
Then, like a cat toying with a mouse, she began playing with the boss monster. She even threw it into the air and caught it mid-flight. Blue really loved hunting. I’d have to find a Hunter partner for her at some point.
“By the way… this might be a weird question.”
I glanced at Myungwoo as I spoke.
“What is it?”
“Well, you know. When you get your first paycheck at a job, people usually buy their family gifts or something. That kind of thing.”
It felt odd to bring this up with Myungwoo, but he didn’t seem bothered and nodded easily.
“Maybe I should’ve gotten you something, too.”
“I already got Grace. What more could I ask for? That’s already more than enough.”
“But why are you asking? You—uh…”
Myungwoo trailed off. I wasn’t particularly sensitive about the fact that our parents had passed away early.
“If, let’s say, you gave the gift much later than expected, how would you usually go about giving it? Like if circumstances caused you to grow distant from your family and then reconcile afterward.”
It’s been years. Three years now, but it feels like eight to me. If nothing else had happened, the timing of a first paycheck gift would match my perspective exactly. Even if Yuhyun had gotten a job early, it wouldn’t have been now but back in the original timeline.
“…Most people would give it at home, I think. In the living room or something. If they wanted to be fancy, they might give it at a nice restaurant.”
“So, a restaurant, huh.”
Then why hasn’t he given it yet?
“…Are you talking about your younger brother?”
“Huh? Oh. Yeah. I think he’s prepared something.”
We’ve grown closer, and he’s already given me plenty—allowance, thoughtful gestures, all of it. But the first gift Yuhyun directly prepared for me was the watch. Even though it was crafted from dungeon byproducts, it was still a practical, everyday item.
“But it feels like he keeps putting it off.”
“Why don’t you just ask him about it?”
“Isn’t that kind of rude? It’s a gift, and asking ‘Why haven’t you given it to me yet?’ feels wrong…”
It’s probably the first and last thing like this he’ll give me. Was it because I suggested going out to eat? Maybe I should just wait quietly.
“…Want me to bring it up subtly for you?”
“Hmm… I’ll wait a little longer.”
If we went out for a meal together, Yerim would inevitably feel left out and throw a fit about not being invited. Maybe I should wait until she’s off on a dungeon raid. Then I can casually hint that I have nothing planned for dinner…
“Let me know anytime. I’ll bring it up for you if you want.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it.”
It shouldn’t take much longer. In the meantime, Blue finished playing with the boss monster and took it down. Shortly after, the gate appeared, and we exited the dungeon.
The next day, I got a call from Do Hamin.
–TL Notes–
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