4.
Fear.
An emotion that was more human than any other.
"Hee….."
Anxiety of the future. Horrified that it, the Fallen Constellation, could die like this.
'It' was scared of me. As I took another step forward, it gave a fearful moan. But a moan never stopped anyone.
"I'm really glad you're human."
I spoke.
"Think about it. If you were a monster, you wouldn't qualify to be summoned for the [Hundred Ghosts Summons], right? No, I guess it's now [Hundred Ghosts Reincarnation]. Although the name of the skill doesn't…"
"Ahhhhhhh!"
Waver.
It fought back its fear for the last time. The red sword of the Devil King. It wasn't even able to properly lift it anymore. It barely swung the sword at me.
"Mm."
There was no way I would fall to that. I lightly avoided it. Once, twice, thrice, it trembled as it swung the sword.
Bae Hu-ryeong muttered.
-It's nothing.
He eyebrows were furrowed.
-Its stance is unsteady. Its feet aren't properly stepping on the ground either. It's not even looking in front of it. There's no certainty in the path of its sword, geez. What's it trying to do after it swings that sword? What's it doing?
Bae Hu-ryeong grumbled.
-Tsk. It'a sword user that just relies on Aura and its skills. No, it's not even a sword user.
After I cleared the 19th floor, he had been silent, but the Sword Emperor seemed extremely displeased looking at the actions of the creature.
-Look. Zombie. Look at that. This is why I keep on telling you the importance of the basics. At the end of the end, all humans have to rely on is their hands and feet.
Bae Hu-ryeong spoke.
-Close the curtains.
I did.
With just one swing, I broke its sword. As blade clashed against blade, the sounds rang out. The Fallen Constellation's eyes widened.
"Ah,"
The red sword in front split into half.
"Ahh, ueh….ahhhh…"
The last resolve of the Fallen Constellation also fell with the sword. The lithe beast collapsed on the floor. The Acacia flowers were crushed under its bottom.
'Is it like the Devil King said?'
I calmly looked at its despairing appearance.
'Something that collects death…'
I suddenly thought of what the tower said as it gave me my nickname. Respects to the king who harvests death. That was what the tower said. It was strange, because it seemed to fit exactly with this situation.
'Yeah. I guess it's not wrong.'
I slowly put more force on my sword.
It was the moment I was about to bring my sword down upon the Fallen Constellation.
-Uh. Zombie? Wait a minute.
"······."
-Sorry I'm butting in when you were getting ready to show off what you don't have. Actually, I'm not that sorry. I just said it because I was bored. Anyway, wait a minute.
And like always, the Sword Emperor inspected. [TN: Inspected and Sword Emperor are the same words in Korean.]
"Ugh. What?"
Feeling annoyed, I just spoke out loud instead of inside of my head. The Sword Saint and the Witch weren't here anyway. There weren't any hunters around to think I was crazy.
-No. Just because you seem to be really sure.
"So….about what?"
-You're sure that isn't a monster anymore. But does that make it a human? What I'm saying is, are you treating that as a human, just like yourself. It could just be a normal NPC.
"So what…."
-Are you sure even NPCs can be summoned through [Hundred Ghosts Reincarnation]?
I stopped my sword.
"Uh….can't that be the case?"
-You're a fucking loser so you haven't killed an NPC yet. It's definite that [Hundred Ghosts Reincarnation] doesn't apply to monsters. But we don't know if that's also the case for NPCs.
"······."
-What if you just did as you liked and it said [Sorry! The skill cannot be applied to NPCs!]? Hm? Are you going to take care of the atmosphere suddenly becoming chilly?
"No, but…"
-Hey. Kim Zombie. Pay attention! I know because I experienced it, but the tower is really harsh when it comes to things like this.
Fuck this.
The Fallen Constellation was already looking at me with fear.
Its eyes were filled with the horror of death.
Cursing, I checked the skill card again.
+
[Hundred Ghosts Reincarnation]
Rank: SSS
Effects: What you killed will be summoned as monsters. The dead cannot use their abilities from when they were living. But if you want, the dead will be able to keep their memories and their looks from when they were alive. If you don't want to, they'll just be summoned as monsters.
※ However, you can only summon them once a week.
-See? It says 'what' you killed.
Bae Hu-ryeong pointed at the card.
-How do you know if NPCs are included in the 'what?' Hm? Can you be sure?
"N, NPCs are humans too. Humans."
-Oho. That's just what you think. Mr.Kim Zombie.
Bae Hu-ryeong spoke with a serious face.
-Before you kill that guy, make a deal with the tower first.
"A deal with the tower…"
-Why? So what? You were doing it fine earlier. You already did it once, you can do it again.
"Mm…"
That was true.
I looked up at the sky with a slightly awkward face.
"Um. Mr. Tower…?"
[The tower is listening to what you're saying.]
Fortunately, I wasn't ignored.
Earlier, I heard that I was being given the power of an apostle. Was it thanks to that? It seemed like for the time being at least, I could communicate freely with the tower.
"There's something I want to ask please."
-Hey. Earlier you spoke informally to the tower, so what's with all the respect now? What a funny guy?
"I accidentally spoke informally because I was so caught up in the moment and…geez, never mind. Be quiet!"
Even while we were fighting, the tower answered calmly.
[The tower is checking what your question is.]
"Let's see. Mm. So, does the Hundred Ghosts Reincarnation skill acknowledge an NPC? Or does that just apply to hunters like me?"
And I received an unexpected answer in response.
[The tower is judging.]
[The question surpasses the authority of the tower.]
"Pardon?"
And that wasn't the end.
The voices that followed went way past my expectations even more.
[The tower is confirming the authority of the questioner.]
[Pass. The Death King currently has the temporary qualification of an apostle.]
[The tower acknowledges the Death King's question as an official agenda item.]
And.
[The tower requests a majority conference to the Six Constellations of Ten Thousand Lives.]
Paaaat!
White light covered my eyes.
ㆍ
ㆍ
ㆍ
ㆍ
ㆍ
ㆍ
'-Huh?'
When I blinked my eyes after some time had passed, I was already in a strange place. It wasn't an unfamiliar place. I was taken even more aback because it was unfamiliar.
The nether world. My dark prison.
It was the starting point that I returned to when I died.
In other words, this was somewhere that I didn't have to come unless I was dead.
'Why am I…?'
Then, a voice rang out.
[Confirming participants.]
No.
It wasn't just a voice.
[The 6th Constellation. 'The Author of All Operas is participating.]
[The 5th Constellation. 'The Lady Who Walks the Mirage' is participating.]
[The 4th Constellation. 'The Moon That Observes Blindness' is participating.]
[The 3rd Constellation. 'One Who Created Bonsan' is participating.]
[The 2nd Constellation. 'The God Who Dances in Emptiness' is participating.]
"······."
No matter how much I looked around, there was only darkness, so I couldn't see anything. But even if I couldn't see, I could feel.
Presences.
[Confirming that the Six Constellations of Ten Thousand Lives are participating.]
[The temporary apostle of the tower, 'Death King's' problem is being shared.]
I could feel presences all around me.
They were too powerful to say they were just presences.
They were looking at me through the darkness.
[Sharing complete.]
Voices flowed where the gazes were.
[A majority conference is starting about the agenda item.]
[Does the skill 'Hundred Ghosts Reincarnation' apply to NPCs?]
[If you agree that NPCs are included, please assent]
[If you do not agree that NPCs are included, please dissent.]
Quietly.
The figureless presences opened their mouths.
-Gesh··· la······ ZaquA cho··· Deo······.
It was a language unknown to me.
-Sato, yovela? Weloyo-na Sh니···! Deo phenta···.
-kunto, nyola Gesh-ve-Nail na? Nai-Gesh-Nail na?
It seemed to be a language that formed a connection between all the shadows.
This place was filled with snakes I couldn't see. From the left, the right, from below and above, and right in front of me. Hiss…hiss…their voices were similar to the hissing tongues of snakes. Their tongues were red and long, and it entered my brain. It licked it.
-Gesh··· Mula-Gagamia······ cho Gretehen Weloyo···.
-Nail.
It was dizzying.
I was feeling faint.
I was definitely just a consciousness without a mind, but I felt like barking. Anything was fine. I wanted to spit something out. The oil in my stomach…no, oil infiltrated my brain.
It was a feeling like my soul was being sucked to the bottom.
-Layo na.
Then, the voices all stopped as one.
-Gesh. Nail. Nai-Gesh-Nail.
-······.
-······.
-Deo zakun.
Silence.