Chapter 163 : Chapter 163

Chapter 163 - Surprise Attack (1)

“Age is my enemy...”

“What on earth are you talking about, someone who isn’t even fifty yet.”

“No, you bastard. You try getting old. It’s really different from before, I’m telling you.”

If a climber who was not only the strongest in Korea but also frequently ranked among the strongest of all time was spouting such nonsense, the reactions of the people nearby would be quite varied.

Those who genuinely thought his strength had declined due to age would send pitiful glances, while those who thought this man was exaggerating would send looks of disgust.

But those who knew the ‘inside story’ would probably burst out with reactions mixed with near terror.

And for good reason.

“It seems it’s a bit different from before now that you’re moving in earnest, sunbae-nim.”

As could be seen from the words that the man named Kim Gyu-sik uttered with a smirk.

It meant that the EX-rank climber who was called the ‘Almighty’ had recently started his ‘rehabilitation’.

Anyone would probably react with surprise if a man who had not been active at all since the Black Night Incident and had been living like a retired old man suddenly started such activities.

“Actually, the term Black Night Incident is a bit of an exaggeration, isn’t it?”

The man named Kim Gyu-sik interjected with a smirk.

“It was just you and Seo Jin-seong ganging up on Altair and getting beaten up at the same time. As an aftereffect, you became a body that would immediately become half-disabled if you used mana properly just once. As for Seo Jin-seong, his family was shattered in retaliation. Isn’t that all?”

“...”

That was true, but.

It felt a little absurd for the grand and bloody battle between EX-rank climbers to be summarized like this.

Above all.

“Why did you leave out Ah-in’s story, you bastard.”

“...Ah. Right.”

It wasn't right to leave out the person who had suffered the most that night.

As if even this guy with his twisted senses couldn't refute that, he readily nodded his head.

“That’s enough to leave a trauma. That’s why she couldn’t even properly hunt Demonic Beasts before, right?”

“Yeah. It seems she’s somehow gotten better now, but it might get a bit troublesome if we start to seriously brawl with Lancester.”

“Ah, that’s fine.”

At Kim Kang-in’s words, Kim Gyu-sik smirked and replied.

“That trauma will probably be completely resolved by tonight.”

I didn’t know how he could be so sure about that.

Kim Kang-in sighed deeply and continued.

“...But, do you really have a way?”

“What do you mean.”

“Stop pretending you don’t know. I’m talking about Altair. Last time, Jin-seong and I couldn’t beat him even when we ganged up on him. But this time, you’re saying we can win with just you and me?”

“No, you have to get your words straight. I’m the one who’s going to tear him to shreds, and you’re just going to put a spoon on it, sunbae-nim.”

“...”

No one in the world would be able to say such a thing so easily with the ‘Almighty’ as a colleague.

Except for this guy, that is.

Kim Kang-in, who was rotating his arms here and there as if his whole body ached, sighed and replied.

“And that method of tearing him to shreds is that?”

As he said that, Kim Kang-in pointed with his chin to the plastic bag that Kim Gyu-sik had been holding ever since he entered here.

Things like saws, nails, and barbed wire were evenly distributed inside.

“Yes.”

“...”

Seeing the answer that came out so coolly, I felt a throbbing pain in my head.

Of course, this junior had committed numerous things that even Kim Kang-in couldn’t have imagined while climbing the tower so far, but nevertheless, the thing this guy was boasting about this time was hard to follow even with the utmost imagination.

The strongest of all time.

The ‘Altair Lancester’ who was so often excluded from power rankings because he would inevitably take the number 1 spot no matter which index was used in any place...

“How much did it cost to buy all that?”

“20,000 won.”

...He was going to dismantle him from head to toe with 20,000 won worth of equipment.

What a crazy bastard.

‘Of course, since he’s a guy who has proven himself, it’s probably not a complete bluff...’

In the first place, why was he warming up so diligently like this?

Wasn’t he doing this because this guy said he would prepare a ‘stage to burn out brightly one last time’?

Since the Black Night Incident, his ‘full power’ was like a one-time-only special move.

After that, he would return to being a mana-insensitive person, no different from a regular person.

“Junior. To be honest.”

“Yes?”

“I thought I would never fight again until I died.”

Thanks to this damn junior, I saw a ray of hope.

Fighting Altair Lancester would probably have been absolutely impossible if I had prepared alone.

But.

This guy, who does things that everyone else shakes their head at, saying it’s impossible, as if he’s going for a walk after dinner.

He had said to me with such a serious expression today, ‘I will definitely promise you’.

Well then. There was no reason not to believe him.

“Don’t disappoint me. So.”

“Don’t worry about that, sunbae-nim.”

The other party replied coolly.

“It won’t be long.”

“Yeah. When should I know the timing? I need to prepare properly before then too.”

“Uh, so... it’ll be closer than you think. Considering the Lancester guys’ tendencies, they’ll probably make the first move.”

“Yeah. When is that?”

Kim Gyu-sik slightly furrowed his brow and turned his gaze to his wristwatch.

“...”

At that, a terrifying anxiety immediately washed over Kim Kang-in.

No.

Why is he looking at his ‘watch’ and not a ‘calendar’?

Don’t tell me...?

“About 5 hours left, sunbae-nim.”

“...”

No.

It wasn't just closer than he thought.

‘This crazy bastard, for real.’

Kim Kang-in thought so, sincerely.

***

“...It’s been a, a long time since we’ve slept together, right? Ha, hahat. Hahahat.”

“...”

At Seo Ah-in’s voice, which came out in a state of extreme tension, Seo Hye-in let out a deep sigh.

As if their recent good relationship was a lie, this younger sister of hers still stiffened up like a statue whenever she stood in front of her.

‘...Really.’

The building was well-equipped with hotel-standard accommodation, and the party had scattered to their respective rooms, which were assigned as two-person rooms.

And the ones here now were her and her younger sister’s group.

“...”

She suddenly recalled the situation from earlier.

To Kim Gyu-sik, who had deliberately put her and her younger sister together in one room, she had approached him closely and whispered.

-Um, Climber Kim Gyu-sik...

-Hmm? What is it? Are you unhappy with the room? Come to think of it, Ms. Seo Hye-in can’t sleep properly without a doll to hug...

-Th-that’s not it!

She didn’t know how he knew such a fact, but anyway, it was clear that it was a situation where she had to hurriedly change the subject.

-I-I don’t mind, but. I think Climber Seo Ah-in might feel a little uncomfortable.

-Are you still awkward with each other? Your mother has come back to life, so there’s no reason to be awkward with each other over the Black Night Incident or anything, right?

That was true.

The reason she had deliberately pushed her sister out of her consciousness until now was because of the guilt of not being able to protect her mother that day.

Now there was no reason to push her away.

But.

-S-since I’ve been pushing her away like this until now... wouldn’t she hate me now?

The memory of Kim Gyu-sik looking at her with a speechless expression after hearing those words was still vivid.

-How can you be so clueless?

-...

-...Why are you suddenly drawing your sword?

-No. To hear such words from anyone but you, Kim Gyu-sik, is a bit...

-...

After a moment of confusion passed, Kim Gyu-sik had held his forehead as if his head was throbbing and given a clear answer.

-Just talk to each other openly. It’s something that will be over in a flash if you talk honestly with the feel of a pajama party, so what’s the big deal?

-...Is that so?

-Yes. You have to reconcile quickly to solve the next problem too.

Right. If he said so, it would really be so.

She didn’t know what the next problem to be solved after reconciliation was.

So, maybe it was okay to be a little more honest now.

“...You don’t have to do that.”

“Pardon?”

“Of course, I may have treated you a bit... harshly until now. But we’re family in the end, aren’t we?”

Seo Hye-in said as she nonchalantly threw off her clothes.

Seeing that, Seo Ah-in’s expression changed as if her brain had stopped working.

“...?”

“Why the reaction?”

“No, why are you suddenly taking off your clothes...?”

“Kim Gyu-sik said it had a pajama party vibe, so shouldn’t we talk while wearing pajamas...?”

“...”

I wasn't sure, but judging by her expression, something seemed off.

“...Why does he leave a person like this alone and only call me simple-minded?”

“Pardon? What did you say?”

“Ah, no. It’s nothing. More importantly.”

After clearing her throat a few times, Seo Ah-in sat on the edge of the bed opposite her.

“...Are you really, okay?”

“Yes?”

“Before, on that day, I mean. Because of me...”

Ah, I see.

Seeing her sister who couldn’t bring herself to speak and was stuttering, Seo Hye-in let out a quiet laugh.

Now I knew why Kim Gyu-sik said it was a grudge that would be resolved if they talked for one night.

It was that common thing. The state where they couldn't approach each other because they jumped to the conclusion of ‘That person must hate me...’.

And in that kind of situation, usually.

“...U-unni?”

“Are you finally calling me unni now?”

It was usually resolved with one hug filled with affection.

It probably wasn't true, but at least their mother had taught them to reconcile like this whenever they fought when they were young.

And in that state for a few minutes.

“...Uu.”

Seeing her sister’s eyes welling up with tears again, Seo Hye-in inwardly chuckled.

Anyway. She had been a crybaby since she was young.

As she coddled her and stroked her back a few times, she completely buried herself in her arms and cried her eyes out. How sad she must have been all this time.

‘...Right. Kim Gyu-sik must have put us in the same room for this...’

There was a time when she thought he had assigned them that way.

It was just like that until a moment ago.

Until she felt the unpleasant sensation that vibrated piercingly.

“...Um, Ah-in?”

At Seo Hye-in’s truly awkward use of informal speech after a long time, Seo Ah-in sniffled and lifted her head.

“U-uh? Unni, why?”

“...Do you remember training together when we were young?”

“I remember... but why all of a sudden?”

They had done a lot of harsh training together under their father, focusing on ‘coordination’.

They were things that had been repeated so harshly that they were engraved in her instincts beyond memory, so if they matched up now, it would probably fit quite well.

Thanks to that, if she or her sister fought as a pair of two, they would probably be able to exert a power that far surpassed their usual fighting skills.

“...It seems there’s something we need to ‘solve’ with that.”

As expected of Kim Gyu-sik.

He wouldn’t say something like that unless it was an unusually ominous matter.

He probably deliberately put her and her sister in the same ‘group’ because their ‘efficiency’ was at its peak when they were tied together like this.

Mainly.

In the task of fighting someone who came to ‘kill’ them.

Just as Seo Hye-in was thinking that and bringing her hand to her scabbard.

-!

-!!

-!!!

A powerful vibration that covered the entire building reverberated.

Tip: Tap/click the left or right side of the screen to go to previous/next chapter.