Chapter 228. < Hatred (1) >

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Translator: Seven

1.

[I].

Slowly looked around.

-Homerun! Homerun!!

-Its a Homerun! Ahh, the ball went over the fence!

The Yoo Soo-ha Guild.

On the second floor terrace of a building in the heart of Babylon, the sound of a Korean baseball broadcast quietly flowed. Like the cries of crickets in the summer, the voices of the commentators were more like a distant sound in the background than a conversation between people.

Ah.

Yoo Soo-ha was sitting on a sofa.

He was scratching his head back and forth.

The part Yoo Soo-ha was scratching was where his head had been pierced a moment ago.

Baseball is boring as h.e.l.l.

Guys. Im going out to grab a drink.

Yawning, Yoo Soo-ha got up from the sofa.

I dont feel like drinking with anyone, so dont follow me. I might stay out overnight, so dont call me. Ill f.u.c.k you up if you call, just remember that.

Dont drink too much, Mr. Yoo Soo-ha.

Tap tap, tap tap.

Beside me, Ja Soo-jung tapped away at her laptop keyboard.

The early summer winds blowing across Babylon Square swept through Ja Soo-jungs hair.

Unless Mr. Yoo Soo-ha wants this one to make a pilgrimage to Babylon in order to find you again.

Ok.

Yoo Soo-ha didnt even give us a glance.

Instead, he just turned his back and waved his hand.

Soon, Yoo Soo-ha disappeared down the stairs.

I couldnt help but inquire.

Manager Ja Soo-jung.

Yes. Mr. Kim Gong-ja.

Viscount Ja Soo-jung.

Yes. Advisor.

Tower Master.

Yes. Death King.

Three names and three understandings were exchanged.

Is this a possibility that youre showing me?

Thats right.

Pa.s.sersby crowded the square below the terrace.

It was [the future], 11 years before my worlds present.

Or, my present was 11 years ago, [the past].

It was a world built under the a.s.sumption [If Ja Soo-jung existed].

than this world.

I looked at Ja Soo-jung.

The world I created is far more peaceful than this world!

What the heck is this?! Its a complete mess! The Black Dragon Master, Anastasia, is still alone and lonely! The Heretic Questioner Bambolina hasnt changed either! Hes still in a broken state without even realizing hes broken!

However.

[I] fixed the Guild Leaders relations.h.i.+p!

In my world.

The Sword Saint had cast aside his arrogance and prejudice.

The Black Dragon Master considered the Crusader her friend again.

The Crusader had put off the distrust from the past purge.

The Heretic Questioner had acknowledged his shortcomings and lowered his head to me.

They could now talk to each other, they acknowledged each other.

Nothing has changed in this world! The Guild Leaders are still locked into their seats of power, and the Tower is still a mess. Theyre just being swayed by the outside world

However.

Ja Soo-jung shook her head.

Her purple eyes met mine directly.

You killed Mr. Yoo Soo-ha.

The wind blew.

You didnt change Mr. Yoo Soo-ha.

Ring.

The wind chimes tied by the terrace window rang out.

That,

Was it because Mr. Yoo Soo-ha was such a wicked man that he couldnt be converted?

The sound of the baseball game broadcast was carried by the wind.

Mr. Yoo Soo-ha is a villain among villains and a psychopath among psychopaths, so I had no choice but to kill him. It wasnt my fault or my incompetence that forced me to kill him.

But look, Mr. Kim Gong-ja.

The early summer wind blew against the wind chimes and set the background.

In this world, Mr. Yoo Soo-ha works with other people.

The Flame Emperor.

When Ja Soo-jung died and I died, he carried out a [regression].

In exchange for killing himself, he returned 24 hours.

And just now, with the excuse of [going for a drink], he disappeared.

The person responsible for the bombing. The traitor who infiltrated the Ten Thousand Temple. The a.s.sa.s.sins who stabbed the Black Dragon Master in the back, and above all the Saintess that attacked him. Mr. Yoo Soo-ha is currently moving to eliminate them.

Ja Soo-jung turned to look at the square with an expressionless face.

More evil than you, less positive than you, less responsible than you, less willing to change the world than you, and with less of an impact on the world than you. Hes a much worse person than Mr. Kim Gong-ja.

The Square.

In the middle of the s.p.a.ce crowded with pa.s.sersby.

A certain Hunters black hair fluttered.

And yet, he still became a person who would move for someone else.

Mr. Yoo Soo-ha, could have become such a person.

Ahhh.

When you killed Yoo Soo-ha. Or to use Mr. Kim Gong-jas terminology, when you [hunted] Yoo Soo-ha. That Yoo Soo-ha wasnt the same as the Flame Emperor who killed Mr. Kim Gong-ja. He was nothing more than a young F Rank Hunter who might have become the Flame Emperor. In a way, he might have even become the Flame Emperor in this world.

I shut my eyes tightly.

I.

The sound of my teeth grinding could be heard.

I, gave him a chance too.

I didnt want to kill that guy.

I put on an act. I didnt just kill him suddenly, I gave him a chance. I wondered if hed feel pity for an injured person, and if he would offer to help instead of trying to hurt the injured person

Such a [hard] test, like a G.o.d playing with a human.

The Tower Master spoke calmly.

I,

It was hard for me too! If hed just quietly healed me, if he hadnt tried to kill me

Is it really that [special]?

The Tower Master looked at me.

Is [In a situation where there are no witnesses, a person who is in a tight spot kills an injured person and takes their property] really something that could only be done by an [unforgiveable and unredeemable]?

Anyone

Is it a test that anyone could pa.s.s?

Silence.

Mr. Yoo Soo-ha disappeared without any news. The [Disappearance of a low ranked Hunter] is a [common occurrence]. Mr. Kim Gong-ja knows what that means, dont you? Since you were a low ranked hunter, too?

What percentage of people would have been able to pa.s.s Mr. Kim Gong-jas test?

The scent of early summer was potent.

The air was sticky and the air was humid. The air didnt feel like the air someone would breathe in, instead, it felt like the breath that someone had breathed out. The oxygen entering my lungs was already heavy with the traces of summer.

Right.

And with it was also breath that was dyed purple.

Mr. Yoo Soo-ha didnt help you. He didnt save you at the hunting ground and even attempted to hurt you. He tried to kill you.

However, what about Ms. Preta?

Ja Soo-jung murmured.

What about the Devil King of Fall Rain? Ms. Preta tried to kill you. She actually killed you. You were slain dozens, hundreds of times by Ms. Pretas sword. The continent was once drenched in blood and destroyed by the Devil King of Fall Rain. And yet, Mr. Kim Gong-ja allowed the Devil King to live another life.

I gave Preta a life.

What about the Lady of Golden Silk? What about the Constellation Killer? What about the Heretic Questioner? What about the Black Dragon Master? What about the Sword Saint? There is not a single one among them that isnt a [murderer], and not a single one of them has killed less humans than Mr. Yoo Soo-ha?

The Death King changed all of those people.

However.

Except for Mr. Yoo Soo-ha.

Only that guy.

Because, Death King. You are bound to never know.

Only that b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

When you were killed by the Devil King, you got a glimpse of the Devil Kings past. How the doppelganger had become the Saintess. How the Saintess became the Witch. How the Witch became the Devil Kind. You saw the reasons why she became evil.

In a dark alley.

When the Constellation Killer killed you, you got a glimpse of Kim Yuls past. The rooftop in glow of the setting sun. The sunset on the playground. You saw the broken cell phone and the text message that would be forgotten.

In the past, not very long ago.

I idolized the Number 1 ranked Hunter.

A Hunter I witnessed killing someone in an alley.

You heard about the Sword Saints story. You heard the Black Dragon Masters story. You knew about the people who killed you, and the people around you. You knew [why] they did it. Thats why you didnt abandon them.

That Hunter then killed me.

The only one whose past is still unknown to you is Mr. Yoo Soo-ha.

Dog like b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

You will never be able to glimpse Mr. Yoo Soo-has trauma.

You didnt have to kill me.

And, you dont want to see it.

Why?

You could have explained.

You could have told me what happened.

You dont want to know.

I admired you so much.

Why the h.e.l.l did you do that to me, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d?

Mr. Gong-ja.

How could you treat me like that

You felt betrayed by Mr. Yoo Soo-ha.

I closed my eyes and my vision went dark.

Ja Soo-jungs voice drifted over quietly.

Thats why you hate Mr. Yoo Soo-ha.

Silence pa.s.sed.

The broadcast of Korean baseball stopped.

The wind was cut off.

The wind chimes by the window stopped moving.

Time pa.s.sed.

The light of the setting sun s.h.i.+ned on the crowded square.

The light of the setting sun had no nationality, and the people in the light had no nationality.

Its not.

I murmured.

Thats not it.

I shook my head. Several times.

He would have become a monster. He was already a monster anyway.

My voice leaked out as if I had a fever.

Regardless of where he was born, where he grew up, or what he experienced, he would have become a monster. I had no choice but to kill him. I had to kill him. I couldnt not kill him. It wasnt for me. It wasnt because of my mood. It wasnt because I couldnt tolerate him. It was for the Tower. For the world. I couldnt let that guy exist. I,

I.

I that b.a.s.t.a.r.d

I idolized him.

You were weak.

At that time, Mr. Gong-ja was weak.

My heart pounded.

It would have been different if this one was there.

My heart pounded loudly.

Mr. Kim Gong-ja couldnt forgive Mr. Yoo Soo-ha at all. You couldnt tolerate him. Mr. Yoo Soo-ha must have a past and circ.u.mstances, but you were incapable of acknowledging it and you didnt want to know. Its simple. Mr. Kim Gong-ja was very weak back then.

The Owner of the Tower spoke.

You were weak, did that make you angry?

You felt inferior to and betrayed by Mr. Yoo Soo-ha. You were angry because of your own murder. Because of the feeling of helplessness that no one could change. Because of the anxiety that you would never be considered anything by others regardless of how you cherished and admired them. Because of that sense of absolute worthlessness.

I didnt know when Id be abandoned.

So you had to make yourself meaningful to others.

Right.

I am not powerless. I am different from Yoo Soo-ha. You had to be different. Neither the people you chased after nor your subordinates nor your comrades are as evil as Yoo Soo-ha. It couldnt be.

No.

Rescuing the children from the burning mansion.

No.

Unlike Mr. Yoo Soo-ha, who chose to kill the Sword Saint, Mr. Gong-ja chose not to kill the Sword Saint. Instead of abandoning people, you chose to save them. You accepted the Heretic Questioner as a subordinate, and the Black Dragon Master as a friend.

I

Mr. Kim Yuls pain, Mr. Directors regret, no, the Heavenly Demons devotion, and Duke Ivansias love. The things Mr. Kim Gong-ja did since your return was all because you didnt want to be abandoned. Because you didnt want to be weak again. To prove that you are different from Mr. Yoo Soo-ha, and that others are also different from Mr. Yoo Soo-ha

No!!

No.

That wasnt right.

I glared at Ja Soo-jung.

Dont you dare.

Dont you dare say that.

Why not?

The Tower Master spread her arms.

The hem of her clothes fluttered like the wings of a b.u.t.terfly.

I,

Yoo Soo-ha, that guy isnt the meaning of my life.

I was weak.

I was weak.

I couldnt be a psychopath, and no matter how successful I was, I couldnt turn a blind eye to children burning in a mansion. There were definitely days when I told myself [I shouldnt be like Yoo Soo-ha].

I have already gotten over Yoo Soo-ha.

But not any more.

Yoo Soo-has impact on my life is so insignificant that I can easily look at him and laugh!

I met Bae Hu-ryeong.

I met Master.

I met Raviel.

I met the Director.

In my life,

Such beautiful people.

Those who have meaning,

Those whom Ive chosen to keep by my side.

Is up to me to decide!

Im the one who will decide the people who are my reason for living, only me.

I am only strong for them.

Not because of Yoo Soo-ha.

0

I no longer live with an inferiority complex towards Yoo Soo-ha, fear being betrayed by others, or feel anxious because of others.

I wont let them be my reasons for living anymore.

I am stronger than I was before.

Ja Soo-jung looked at me.

Are you saying that Mr. Yoo Soo-ha is no longer your reason?

Yes.

I answered confidently.

I dont even think of that b.a.s.t.a.r.d once in a day. Im over him.

But, you still hate Mr. Yoo Soo-ha.

f.u.c.k.

He still has a lot of meaning in Mr. Kim Gong-jas life. Because you will never forgive him. No, its not just that youll never forgive him. You continue to think of him as the most vicious psychopath in the world so that you never forgive him.

Fine.

I brought something up.

Thank you for proving to me that even a b.a.s.t.a.r.d like Yoo Soo-ha can change.

Now Im going to prove that b.a.s.t.a.r.d doesnt mean anything to me.

Dog like b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

Viscount Ja Soo-jung.

I stared at her.

Are you trying to show off in front of me that you changed Yoo Soo-ha and you are the only one who can change him?

Yes.

I will hate Yoo Soo-ha forever, and that will never change, so that makes me weak. So you want me to admit that I am weaker than you and that you are the only one who can change all the misery in the world, right?

Yes.

You can stop.

I got up.

I wont give contempt and hatred to that guy named Yoo Soo-ha anymore.

With my back to the sunset, I looked down at Ja Soo-jung.

That guy, in my life, no longer has any meaning.

No.

I wouldnt let him have it.

I had gotten sick of hating that b.a.s.t.a.r.d!

I have become stronger.

I took out a skill card.

The first skill Id gotten.

My starting point.

+

[I Want To Become Just Like You]

Rank: S+

Effect: Activates automatically upon death. After being killed by an enemy, copy one of their skills and make it your own. Skills cannot be copied from targets who have killed you before. The copied skill is randomly selected.

However, you die!!

+

I will change Yoo Soo-ha.

I stared at the Lord of Manseng.

I changed Preta, who destroyed a continent. I changed the old man Sword Saint, Black Dragon Master, and Heretic Questioner too. Yoo Soo-ha do you think I cant change that disgraceful son of a dog?

Yes.

I dont need your IF world.

My voice was hot as if Id swallowed fire.

Preta, old man Calenbury, Anastasia, Bambolina, Raviel. I changed them all. I made them the happiest. Theres no need for an IF scenario that a.s.sumes you existed. The reality with me in it is their best scenario.

You cant make my Master as happy as I did.

Your redemption was unneeded.

You cant make Raviel as happy as I do.

There was no reason for you to tinker with our weaknesses.

Because I wasnt weak anymore.

We dont need your wealth.

And you.

I declared.

You wont be able to change that motherf.u.c.ker, Yoo Soo-ha, like me.

Yoo Soo-ha, who drinks soju in this world, wont even share it with you. Im not going to just change that b.a.s.t.a.r.d, Im going to make him happier, better. Because Im more capable than you. Because Im strong. .

Ahaha.

After hearing my declaration of war.

Ja Soo-jung laughed. She laughed for a while.

She laughed a lot.

Can you prove that? Anyone can build a heaven with words.

I can because Im a b.a.s.t.a.r.d who has never been much of a talker.

Right. I see. Then, can I take this as you challenging me, Mr. Gong-ja?

Its a duel.

This one always welcomes a duel.

The G.o.d with the face of an 18 year old hummed happily.

He who duels is a warrior. Warriors are the only humans capable of bearing their own lives. This one loves all humans, admires the beauty of blood, and takes pleasure in defeating all challengers. This one is strong.

Im strong too.

This one is the strongest in existence.

The expressionless girl was having fun.

This one melted the heart of the Sun King, who had imprisoned himself for 60 years. This one devoted myself to the Apathetic Duke, who had been rotting for a thousand years. This one thawed the time of the Dragon Emperor, which had been frozen for 7,000 years. Not to mention, all of that was just the beginning.

The Tower Master tilted her head to the side.

This one built the Tower. So that the unhappy, the unfortunate, the weak, the evil, the murderers, the slaughterers, the cannibals, all of the weak and evil, would be able to live again. This ones heart is infinite, and this ones life is infinite, so this one can soothe the wounds of all the children in the world who have been torn. How dare Mr. Kim Gong-ja ask this one for a duel when even you could only finally breathe after entering the Tower this one built?

Then.

I said.

Try to make Raviel happier than me.

Since your life proves your strength.

My life also proved my strength.

Try to make my Master smile brighter than I can.

The people who stood with me proved me.

Try.

Ahaha.

Ja Soo-jung laughed.

Good.

Her laughter grew in the glow of the setting sun.

Very good.

Those purple eyes twinkled.

The early summer air mixed with the purple scent.

So? How?

It had the scent of a poisonous flower.

How what?

The scent drifted to me.

How the h.e.l.l do you plan to change Mr. Yoo Soo-ha more than this one? Huh? Do you have the means? Do you have a method?

The scent of purple stroked my cheek.

This one has the manseng. This one, this ones talent, the risk of this ones life, and this ones manseng ability. I built it. I completed it. Do you have a means a method, Mr. Kim Gong-ja?

The Kingdoms courtesan whispered in my ear.

With the voice that had bewitched countless n.o.bles, royals, and even Dragons.

Sweetly.

You already killed Mr. Yoo Soo-ha.

Ah, do you intend to return to the past before you killed Yoo Soo-ha? You already went back 4,000 days. It wouldnt be impossible to go back a few hundred more times. However, Mr. Kim Gong-jas relations.h.i.+ps with the Black Dragon Master, Sword Saint, Heavenly Demon, Constellation Killer, and many others would be lost, wouldnt they?

You would give up your other relations.h.i.+ps to change Yoo Soo-ha. Right. It really must be that [the human called Yoo Soo-ha means nothing Mr. Kim Gong-ja]. Isnt that right? How meaningless must he be to still have more meaning than the last few hundred days?

Dog like.

My head was hot.

The heat had risen from my heart.

Unable to hold back the heat, I spat out.

Reward.

Huh?

Ja Soo-jung tilted her head to the side.

Did you say reward?

Give me my reward.

I hadnt pulled out the card for nothing.

You still have to give me something.

I flipped the card over.

The description of the card was written there.

+

Activates automatically upon death.

After being killed by an enemy, copy one of their skills and make it your own.

+

The rules you made.

The Tower you built.

That means it was rightfully obtained.

The dagger I kept from the Tower.

Based on this, I demand to be rewarded.

Heh.

Ja Soo-jung smiled brightly.

Do you intend to take a skill from this one and be stronger than this one?

Yes.

By chance, are you trying to take [Manseng]? Thats too bad. That skill is only meaningful when combined with different skills. If you had [Gold Dragons Eye] and [Ice River Dragons Breath] you could maybe play a little trick, but how about this?

Ja Soo-jung hummed.

Mr. Gong-ja can only take one more skill, right?

Her happiness was growing.

If you take one of this ones skills, let alone becoming stronger, would you be able to change Yoo Soo-ha? To become a munchkin like this one, you would need a lot, a lot, a lot of preparation, Mr. Gong-ja.

Are you scared?

I couldnt let G.o.d alone feel pleasure.

Aha?

You dont want to give it to me. Because youre scared. If youre worried, just go ahead and admit defeat. Because of the penalty from my skill, I had to watch your whole life. Can I only get a penalty and no reward? This is something worth knowing about the Towers management.

Thats a cute provocation. Really.

Ja Soo-jung smiled widely.

And its a provocation I cant ignore.

Her fingers danced in the air.

Fine. Death King. You can take anything.

The Towers voice rang out.

[Skill condition satisfied.]

[The Lord of Mansengs skills are being randomly copied!]

Tak!

Ja Soo-jung snapped her fingers.

Take a piece of the life this one walked and prove your words. Death King. Advisor. Mr. Kim Gong-ja.

Flip.

Gold cards lined up in the air.

[The skill cards are being created!]

After the sun set, night fell on the terrace.

The dark night sky.

The Tower Masters golds s.h.i.+ned like north stars.

[Madness to Insanity]

[Three Musics Kings Road]

[The One Loved by Dice]

[Kings Tutor]

[Guardian of the Subrace]

[Gold Dragons Gaze]

[Earth Bone Dragons Skull]

[Ice Rive Dragons Breath]

[Manseng]

The stars s.h.i.+ned one after the other.

They were all connected to form the constellation known as the Tower Master.

This was the Tower Masters life, and the Tower itself.

I reached out for the stars in the night sky.

And.

I held a golden light in my hand.

(TL: Whenever I think I understand, I just get more confused. Anyways, I think a cliffhanger is well worth it after this monster of a chapter.)

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