Fahrini trailed off. Was it that hard to say it aloud? No. Ashton, experienced in negotiating with various kinds of people, knew. He trailed off so he could enjoy his audience’s reactions.
“The Kartan Empire doesn’t want an alliance.”
“…!”
Fahrini gave the shocking answer while maintaining his friendly smile. Ashton, who had been spacing out, reacted a moment later.
“…What do you mean?”
They said they wanted an alliance, and now that wasn’t the case? Why did he come in the first place?
Ba-thump!
Ashton’s heart began to race. He could guess the reason.
‘No way…’
As always, his bad hunches never missed the mark.
“I don’t know why a person like you remains on a sinking ship. Why don’t you join the Kartan Empire? We promise to give you the best treatment.”
An offer for asylum. In other words, they would take Yoon-seok to their country in front of everyone. No wonder he said that he wouldn’t talk to anyone unless it were Yoon-seok. Was this his real intention? Probably so, seeing how he’d prepared this thoroughly.
“If your family is a problem, you don’t have to worry. Our challenger who has gained the power to move through dimensions can solve that.”
First, they solved Yoon-seok’s biggest potential problem.
“If it bothers you to move to an underdeveloped place compared to Earth, you don’t have to worry about that either. The Empire has already won over a large number of Earth’s scientists and engineers. Once we’re equipped, we’ll catch up pretty soon.”
Then they presented their vision. They were seriously preparing.
“But this proposal isn’t limited only to Mr. Yoon-seok. The current emperor is greedy for talent. We welcome challengers from the 10th floor onward. Of course, ordinary useless humans would be too much.”
“You, crazy bastard…!”
Ashton, biting his lips, couldn’t stand it and spat out the venom. His body suddenly hardened. It wasn’t because he belatedly realized he had made a mistake. Instead…
“…”
Fahrini’s gaze turned to him, and he instinctively froze.
‘Shit.’
Cold sweat rolled down his spine. The seconds dragged on.
“Stop.”
Yoon-seok cut in shortly. Ashton raised his head, breathing roughly as if he were being strangled. Suddenly, Fahrini smiled and looked back to Yoon-seok.
“Let’s stop joking around.”
“There wasn’t anything I wasn’t serious about earlier.”
“Enough for the introductions; I’m asking about the benefits I can get if I go there.”
No way, if he understood correctly, he was responding to that ridiculous proposal.
“Yoon-seok…!”
Ashton called out to him. But, Yoon-seok’s attention remained on Fahrini.
“As expected… I think we can somehow become closer.”
“That’s enough. Just get to the point.”
“People here don’t properly support rankers like us.”
It was hard to understand for Ashton, who assisted him like his personal secretary, but when he listened to the rest of his explanation, it wasn’t exactly wrong.
“Tattooing, imprinting, enchantment, and granting additional power. Looking at your expression, you seem to know what these are. Yes, they are usually used by others, but these can also be used on others, and most have a permanent effect.”
Fahrini took off his top and explained his ability by pointing to the densely packed, weird tattoos on his torso.
“Increase strength. Increase flame resistance. Emergency recovery of physical strength. Higher magic and durability increase…”
“…”
“My equipment also has a lot of similar abilities. As you can see, our support is practical assistance…”
“That means all the lower-ranked players must be sacrificed for one ranker!”
A challenger listening to the conversation shouted. It was Taro Kitamura, the Japanese challenger who could teleport long distances. However, Fahrini only tilted his head.
“Why is that a problem?”
“You don’t even know…”
“Isn’t it natural that one ranker is more important than 10,000 challengers? I can kill any number of you right now.”
“…”
“And speak properly. This isn’t coercion but a trade. They lead a comfortable life provided by the Empire in exchange for their efforts.”
“B-but…”
“The end is coming.”
“…?”
“Considering the chance of survival, why is it bad for everyone to work together?”
There was no room to deny it logically. But that wasn’t the case emotionally.
“You traitor…!”
Taro Kitamura hit a sensitive spot.
‘Traitor.’
Fahrini’s eyes turned cold. If Yoon-seok weren’t there, he might have busted his head already. As if he realized that, Taro Kitamura faltered and stepped back. Fahrini snorted.
“So I got unnecessarily excited at this kind of person. Sacrifice? These people will never know. They don’t even want to know. Who is the one sacrificing themselves? Who is the one fighting for their lives on the most dangerous battlefield?”
His hateful gaze passed over the challengers. Ashton thought of the past when Yoon-seok’s family was kidnapped by the Korean Challenger Management Department. If something went wrong, wouldn’t Yoon-seok be like this?
“You don’t have to answer right away. I will stay on Earth for the next three days. Please give me an answer by then at the latest.”
Ashton couldn’t refute even when he openly said he would take away the Earth’s talent. It was the same reason he couldn’t stop him when Yoon-seok asked what benefit he could get if he went. What right did he have?
“…”
Earth was different from the Kartan Empire, and one’s interests took precedence over a sense of mission. He didn’t even have to mention it to Yoon-seok since he had been doing everything within his means until now, but… a politician asked for a meeting with Yoon-seok to only take a picture, and the government planned to invite Yoon-seok to hold a lecture to raise their country’s status however they wanted.
Also, whenever there was a sign that a large-scale crack would open, they tried to summon Yoon-seok from the Tower, saying that the public needed a hero. Shouldn’t they reduce the civil damage even just a little? He’d given them so much, but they couldn’t even give back this much?
‘Damn it.’
He was ashamed. The end of the world was approaching. They kept saying the world should join forces, but individual greed buried them. Maybe that was why.
Rather than thinking of the country Ashton was born and raised in, he decided to prioritize Yoon-seok.
‘Is this just a deception in the end…?’
Ashton smiled self-deprecatingly. If he put Yoon-seok first, it was right to let him go. Then he could be stronger.
‘But in the end, what I wanted from this person was…’
He couldn’t do much for him yet. No, maybe there was nothing he could ever give him. But…
“Yoon-seok.”
Ashton clenched his fists. Maybe his mind had already changed, but he must say it.
“I think Yoon-seok…”
Nevertheless, he wanted him to stay. To not abandon the powerless. Until the darkness fades, to be a light to guide them.
“It’s done.”
He didn’t even give him the chance to finish.
‘…Did he already make up his mind?’
Ashton bowed his head deeply.
Thud.
He felt Yoon-seok moving away from Fahrini.
“Have you decided?”
“Yes. You seem to put a lot of emphasis on efficiency.”
“Because survival is like that.”
He could picture it without looking, what kind of expression Fahrini was making right now.
“That’s a relief. You are such a person.”
“You made a really wise choice.”
He could hear Yoon-seok raising his hand. The situation has already become irreversible. He had no power, no ability, nor basis to stop it. Ashton raised his head again, unable to hold back his lingering resentment.
And he saw it.
“Yes. I love efficiency, too.”
Slapppppppppp-!
The back of his left hand hit Fahrini’s cheek.
「Countdown is starting.」
It was kind of amusing that this once familiar phrase now felt so unfamiliar.
‘Power. Or is it a Unique Skill…?’
Fahrini quickly analyzed the situation, looking straight ahead.
‘What the heck, you bastard…’
The situation was clear. Just as he had been dealing with countless annoying characters behind the scenes, his foe acted the same way.
‘No way, I didn’t know he was like this.’
It was unexpected. He didn’t expect an Earth challenger, who had gone through all kinds of irrationalities, would do this.
‘Still, he’s in his early 20s. It’s not strange to have a savior complex. I took this too lightly.’
He thought Yoon-seok’s actions were for the Earth, not himself. Of course, it was natural since he didn’t know about b Predation}.
「START!」
Their restraints lifted. Fahrini circulated magic through his body to prepare for an attack, but he tried to persuade him first.
“I won’t ask you why you did this since I roughly understand the motive.”
Did he at least succeed in holding his interest? Yoon-seok lowered his sword a fraction.
“…You understand?”
“Yeah. There was a time when I had that kind of mind, too.”
To empathize after grabbing his attention was the basis of persuasion. However, there was no need to act. Fahrini was in the early days when each country was just beginning to recognize the Tower of Heaven; that was, he was a first-generation challenger.
“Just like you, I felt a sense of mission. I thought about who would do it if it wasn’t me. But they were busy taking advantage of that idea.”
“…”
“Then a colleague of mine died. I felt unfair and protested. That’s it, but my family had to die. I couldn’t even hold a proper funeral because I was running away from them.”
Many things were reorganized now, but at that time, challenger groups were still in their early stages.
“Is that why you moved to a different dimension?”
Fahrini didn’t deny it.
“At least I don’t have to sacrifice myself there. I had to live as a challenger anyway, so I decided to use this ability entirely for myself. And the Kartan Empire was just the right place.”
“…So what exactly do you want to say?”
“It’s not too late. Change your mind. I’m not just telling you to come to the Kartan Empire; you’ll gain nothing even if you sacrifice yourself.”
“…”
Yoon-seok was silent for a while. Fahrini waited patiently. However, the answer that finally returned was incomprehensible.
“It doesn’t matter. I’m going to change it.”
“…?”
The Kartan Empire was no different. Those who refused to make sacrifices would not gain anything. It was human nature to take advantage of people like them as the world was full of such humans. But he was going to change that?
“…Do you think that’s possible?”
“I just need to climb to the top of the Tower.”
If he went to the top floor, his wish could be granted. It was a rumor circulating among the challengers.
‘Seeing that he believes in this, he’s young… huh?’
Fahrini, clicking his tongue at the troublesome turn of events, suddenly stiffened. He felt his skin prickling up as he met Yoon-seok’s eyes.
‘Crazy bastard.’
Yoon-seok was a crazy bastard with the scariest belief of all. He couldn’t even begin to guess what his wish might be after reaching the top floor, but Fahrini was sure. Everything he’d done was a waste of energy. There was no way he could persuade this kind of guy.
‘Damn it… I don’t want to fight, though.’
Yoon-seok’s rating by the Tower was SS+. Of course, that wasn’t absolute, but he wanted him to risk his life in a fight that reaped no benefit?
‘I’ll have to step back for now.’
Fahrini used his power of Dimensional Leap. If his guess were right, this arena would be a dimension created by a Power of Unique Skill. Even if this power were purchased from an admin, he would be able to escape. But…
「This is a dimension discontinued by the system.」
He kept his face still, but did Yoon-seok notice? His eyes were colored with amusement, like the eyes of a predator watching its prey.
‘Goddamn bastard.’
The option to escape disappeared. In the end, he had no choice but to fight. He wouldn’t be an easy opponent, but he had no intention of rolling over. No, he would win.
‘Do you know how I made it up here? Do you think I’ll die?’
Fahrini clenched his teeth and drew his weapon. Then, an old book with an ominous aura unfolded in the air, and a notification appeared.
「You are registered in the Death Note.」
「Due to weakness, all stats are downgraded to level 1.」
It was a type of downgrading skill. To counteract this, Fahrini chanted a command.
“Holy bless… ing…?”
Whooooooosh-!
A roar came from above him. Fahrini instinctively raised his head as a shadow covered him.
「Your death has been registered as death by explosion.」
「The date and time of death are three seconds later.」
He saw it between the phrases appearing in his eyes.
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