Chapter 144

Thunder Rain Valley.

That was the name of the Gate serving as the stage for this tournament.

Its most notable characteristic was that once the number of entrants exceeded a certain threshold, lightning would begin to strike the canyon. To avoid the bolts pouring down like rain, the structure forced participants to converge toward the center.

Additionally, while there were other phenomena typical of Rank-1 or higher Gates—such as a significant time dilation compared to reality and the emergence of mutated monsters within the naturally formed underground caves—these were not heavily emphasized for the tournament.

Since the area hadn’t yet narrowed enough to restrict movement, our first priority was finding a safe zone. We started by securing drinking water near a stream of clear, flowing water.

“Are you done filling up? Why are you taking so long to wash your hands?”

“I’m a bit of a neat freak.”

“Talk to me after you clear that disco ball out of your room. Do you know how many complaints the dormitory office gets because it looks like a party’s going on every night?”

“I can’t help that. Alexei was the one who put it there, not me.”

While chatting with Kang Ha-neul, I submerged both hands into the stream and released a large quantity of the Tentacle of Transparency into the water. This was to locate other participants and grasp the overall state of the war. As a bonus, I could reduce the competition by contaminating their drinking water.

As the tentacles, thin as elvers, spread throughout the canyon following the clear currents, I detected the mana of several powerful individuals.

—Damn it, it’s the Spear of Lightning… Kang Cho-won!

—Of all people to run into at the start, one of the favorites…!

—Haha! Don’t run away, all of you come at me at once! Now, where is my grandfather!

—…Sigh.

On the opposite side of the canyon, Kang Cho-won had already entered combat, raining down bolts of bright yellow lightning. Meanwhile, Kang Nabi was hiding downstream, seemingly intending to lay low and wait for an opportunity, just like me.

I sensed a few other participants of Middle Level or higher from various guilds, but the most important figure—the Thunder Immortal—was nowhere to be found. He had to be in the canyon somewhere. Was he hiding with Lruyeh’s help?

“If you’re done, let’s move. Lightning’s already starting to fall behind us.”

“Understood.”

Lingering here was dangerous, so we decided to head toward the center of the canyon first. We had been walking for about ten minutes over gravel that couldn’t even be called a path. Just as my legs were starting to ache and I was eyeing Kang Ha-neul’s back to see if I could hitch a ride, he suddenly turned around and questioned me.

“Now that I think about it, why did you enter this thing?”

“Me?”

“Is there anyone else here besides you and me?”

“Well, obviously, it’s to help you win, Senior.”

“And you expect me to believe that?”

Wait, did he find out? That I was secretly in league with his siblings? My movement stopped involuntarily at his sharp remark, which felt like it was piercing my heart.

“You might fool others, but you can’t trick my eyes.”

“T-T-Trick you? What are you talking about?”

“There’s no way you’d tag along for something like this just for fun. Especially to help me, when I’m the one who’s always been strict with you.”

“Well, that’s…”

“Don’t you think it’s a bit too coincidental that everything has been going so well since you started fussing about helping me?”

Kang Ha-neul approached slowly without letting down his guard. In one hand, he held his spear, which had just turned a pack of monsters that attacked us into swiss cheese.

“I see you’ve noticed.”

“Yeah. So, I have one thing to ask you.”

“It won’t matter what you ask anymore.”

It couldn’t be helped. Since it had come to this, I’d have to subdue him, toss him into a cave somewhere, and deal with the Thunder Immortal myself. Just as I was mournfully preparing to manifest the Tentacle of Suggestion—

“You’ll be able to wake up after a nice long nap once it’s all over. 41st Tentacle—”

“You joined because of this, didn’t you?”

“Huh?”

What he pulled out of his pocket was a poster stating that the winner would receive a New Monster Wars RE:VIVE! Super Account as a prize. When did he even pick that up?

“This is the game you’re glued to all day during work hours, isn’t it?”

“That’s true.”

“You skip training every chance you get, yet you’re so hardworking when it comes to useless stuff. Still, the fact that you stepped up to help is commendable. Even if we don’t win, I’ll ask Kang Nabi and Kang Cho-won to make sure you get the account.”

“……”

He hated even speaking to his siblings, yet he was willing to bow his head to them for the sake of a junior who helped him? He was unnecessarily kind-hearted.

“What?”

“Nothing. Let’s go with that.”

I decided against riding on his back. Unlike Yoo Se-byeol or Alexei, he was fragile, and I didn’t want to accidentally throw out his back. Just as I was about to gloss over it and set off again, we encountered a group of Awakened.

Their guild marks were all different, but seeing five or six of them in a group, they seemed to be cooperating temporarily.

“Oh, Ha-neul oppa!”

Just as I was debating whether to attack first, a woman at the front waved her hand and approached. It seemed she was an acquaintance of Kang Ha-neul.

“Seul-gi? Long time no see.”

“I figured you’d be here, but I didn’t expect us to run into each other so soon. Did you enter the tournament to inherit the Thunder Immortal’s power?”

“It’d be nice if it worked out that way.”

Listening to the conversation, it seemed they had a connection from before Kang Ha-neul joined the Special Unit. The rest of her group must have recognized him too, as they stepped forward one by one to offer their greetings.

Since the colleagues around me—regardless of gender—tended to be exceptionally good-looking and famous to the public, this sort of thing happened quite often. I’d heard that some of them even had fan clubs, with names like ‘The Association of People Who Love Big Sister No Yeon-hwa’ or ‘The Society of Those Who Wish to Be Stepped on by Commander Yoo Se-byeol.’

Does everyone really have that much free time?

Mind you, I actually joined the latter three months ago, purged the chairman, and seized the throne for myself—but from my current perspective, it was a display of pathetic behavior I simply couldn’t hide my disdain for.

Anyway, while Kang Ha-neul wasn’t quite on that level, he seemed fairly popular, likely due to his “pretty boy” looks. Perhaps thanks to a bit of a trickle-down effect, some interest shifted toward me as well.

“By the way, who is this, Oppa?”

“A junior from work.”

“Hello! I’m Choi Seul-gi. I’m active with the Cliff of Pilgrims.”

At her introduction, Mala-nim tucked inside my sleeve squirmed. The Cliff of Pilgrims was a prominent guild that stood in direct opposition to the Cult of the Void. Sebas and Margaret were originally from there, too. Since they were the ones who had commissioned the Special Unit to investigate the place that used to be the Revelation Prayer House, it was only natural that the two groups didn’t get along.

“Nice to meet you. I am Sae Hayan, the ‘Light Mage.’”

“Ah… I see.”

Of course, since they were essentially just salaried employees, she might not personally hold a grudge against the Cult of the Void. However, her reaction soured my mood slightly. For a brief moment, she let a look of disappointment slip when she noticed the missing ring finger on the hand I extended for a handshake.

Whether you’re a warrior or a mage, it’s common sense that missing fingers lead to a sharp drop in combat effectiveness. But then again, the world always has a few beings who don’t follow common sense.

“I said I’m the Light Mage. Haven’t you heard of me? The number one streamer on Jjijijik who wiped out the Hand of Oblivion…”

“I’m sorry, I don’t really know much about internet broadcasts~. Oh, right, Oppa!”

“Yeah?”

“Why don’t you travel with us for a while?”

I was the very person she was dismissing, but Choi Seul-gi only had eyes for the fruit right in front of her. That was Kang Ha-neul—a Middle Level Awakened and the closest contender for victory after Kang Cho-won and Kang Nabi.

“We entered to gather relics and mana stones. We won’t get in the way of your win.”

“Relics and mana stones?”

“Haven’t you heard? They’re the loot you get from hunting the mutated monsters in the underground caves.”

Thunder Rain Valley wasn’t just a patch of land where lightning struck; it was a legitimate Special-grade Gate with immense value. It was a primary source of income for the Kang family. Since the rules had changed to a battle royale and this specific location was chosen, people were coming out of the woodwork to scavenge for scraps.

Since Kang Ha-neul was at the bottom of the family hierarchy and usually focused on Special Unit activities, he hadn’t kept up with family affairs. Choi Seul-gi’s group filled him in on the details.

“Once that ring of lightning closes in, you won’t be able to survive on the surface. But if you go underground, you’ll be safe.”

“We’ll drop out once the ranking competition gets serious. If you stay with us, you’ll be able to conserve your strength, Oppa.”

“Hmm…”

At the sudden proposal to join forces, Kang Ha-neul glanced at me, gauging my reaction. They all looked to be around Middle Level, but increasing the size of our party wasn’t part of the plan. In that case, there was only one stance to take.

Sticking close behind Kang Ha-neul, I whispered with the expression of a royal concubine who had just given birth to a prince.

‘Let’s refuse.’

‘Why?’

‘They’ll say all that and then backstab you. They’re definitely aiming for that New Monster Wars RE:VIVE! Super Account.’

‘Do you think everyone in the world is like you?’

He talked tough, but he didn’t seem too keen on the idea either. Just as he was about to give a polite refusal, Choi Seul-gi shouted urgently.

“I’m sorry, but I—”

“O-Oh, right! About the Thunder Immortal’s power! They say it’s at the bottom of the cliff!”

“What?”

“It’s information I heard in secret, but apparently the organizers hid it in one of the underground caves! I’m serious!”

“Really…?”

“I swear! Even if it’s found, only you would be able to claim the power anyway, Oppa, so it’ll be much better if you stay with us!”

This sounds like a 100% lie. If that were true, there was no way Kang Nabi wouldn’t have told me. However, since I couldn’t exactly admit I was in league with her, it was difficult to refute the claim here.

“We’ll only check out a few places and then split up. We’re already pressed for time.”

“Thank you, Oppa!”

And so, with our numbers increased, we headed underground to scout the various hidden caves throughout the cliffs. I watched the skills of Choi Seul-gi’s group from the very rear. I’d expected it, but “weak” wasn’t even the word for it. I figured as much since they were asking a perfectly average Middle Level Awakened like Kang Ha-neul to carry them, but their coordination was even messier than I thought.

“Ack, Oppa! A monster is headed your way!”

“These things are stronger than I thought…!”

“Damn it, the front line is already buckling!”

“Hayan, what are you doing? Take over your share!”

“Yes, yes.”

I guess they aren’t spies or conspirators after all.

Having been resting comfortably in the back, I lightly fired off a Singularity at Kang Ha-neul’s shout. There was a mage in the group, but unless they were someone on Hans’s level, they wouldn’t be able to discern my true rank anyway, so I wasn’t worried.

The arm of a Scavenger—a monster boasting razor-sharp claws—was pierced by the Singularity, and Kang Ha-neul finished the creature off with his spear. As Choi Seul-gi’s party gathered the loot, I approached the heavily panting Kang Ha-neul.

“Is this really going to help you conserve your strength?”

“It’s the result of my own lack of training. I just have to accept it.”

“You sound just like Commander Yoo Se-byeol.”

The difference was that she grew by pushing herself to her limits, whereas Kang Ha-neul simply couldn’t. It was an innate difference in talent that effort alone couldn’t bridge.

During a brief maintenance break following a few more battles, I headed to a corner of the cave and carefully pulled Mala-nim from my sleeve.

『Mala-nim.』

『Fear not?』

『What do you think about what I told you before?』

『……?』