Chapter 182 – The Hero (3)
[Chapter 10 – Section 2] Blink?
In the virtual reality game <Molang Fantasy>, I had properly accumulated achievements.
A whopping five times more!
I was already considered quite strong before, but by efficiently stacking achievements in <Molang Fantasy>, my ‘world’ expanded by five times.
However,
“So this is what it feels like.”
I had hardly used it.
My senior had said it, hadn’t he? That a city isn’t just packed with high-rise buildings—there need to be spaces like parks and plazas too. So he told me not to use up the entire world.
The result?
My world expanded. The world that had been limited to my physical body began encroaching on the surroundings, making the trick of turning my living skin into clothing unnecessary.
‘First things first.’
To blend in with the natives of this world, I changed my modern clothing first.
Swoosh—
Clothes resembling those of a commoner in the Middle Ages. Since underwear wasn’t visible, I kept it the same and only copied the outer garments of a nearby passerby.
“Senior.”
No answer even when I called.
Blink?
“…Huh?”
An SSS-class monster that I hadn’t created poked its eye out from my sleeve.
Super Grand Galaxy General Infinity Blade.
“Is it really you…?”
Blink~
The eye-tentacle wiggled pleasantly in affirmation.
“Where did Senior go… huh?”
The moment I placed my hand on the eye as if petting a cat’s head, information appeared.
[Valentine]
A mythical-grade demonic sword crafted by Blood God So Un-hyeon using solonium for his frustrating junior.
When you vigorously shout ‘Blood God banzai!’, blades are summoned equal to the number of enemies.
The effect range dramatically increases when there are no comrades or lovers nearby!
※Can only be modified after surpassing Senior.
“The name is Valentine…”
Setting aside the bewilderment, I think it’s tyrannical to name an SSS-class monster after the woman I once loved.
However,
“Ugh…”
Because of the postscript attached to the description, even though it was within ‘my world’, I couldn’t modify it!
Blink blink~
The eye-tentacle rubbed its eye pleasantly against my right arm.
“…I see.”
Seeing this guy made it hit home even more. That Senior had truly left me. He helped until the very end and then suddenly…
I became slightly worried about my real body in reality.
***
Blink blink!
The moment I touched the hand of the Ranuvel patient, Kang Moon-soo’s sleeping body immediately opened its eyes.
“So Un-hyeon-ssi. How have you been?”
Seo Hye-joo, the director who knew nothing, naturally asked after his well-being.
Then,
“Primitive human with no abilities whatsoever. Bring Song Sun-young here.”
“Hm?”
The tone and lines were off.
“Blood God instructed that I should not trust any human other than the excellent host’s female.”
“…Excuse me, but if you tell me who you are, I can call her for you.”
Having dealt with various patients, Director Seo Hye-joo didn’t panic and played along.
This wasn’t So Un-hyeon?
Then who exactly was controlling Kang Moon-soo’s body?
“My name is Valentine.”
“Ah! You’re the escort knight who was Kang Moon-soo-ssi’s ex-girlfriend.”
Kang Moon-soo had said that ‘Valentine’ from the romance fantasy novel <I Became the Youngest Daughter of a Count’s Family> was very feminine, but meeting her in person, she was completely different.
“No.”
“Not, huh.”
“I am the being that primitive humans called Super Grand Galaxy General Infinity Blade.”
“Ah!”
Director Seo Hye-joo, who had shared most of the story, immediately caught on to the situation. She didn’t know why the rational So Un-hyeon had disappeared and this SSS-class monster had popped out instead.
Blood God.
Just from mentioning that name, it was clear this wasn’t a mere coincidence.
“Primitive human. If you understand, hurry up and bring the female called Song Sun-young.”
Song Sun-young.
The Infinity Blade was looking for her the moment it opened its eyes.
It became clear that Blood God So Un-hyeon had chosen his girlfriend ‘Song Sun-young’ as a trustworthy safety measure.
“…Please wait.”
She acknowledged it.
If the Infinity Blade had trusted her (Seo Hye-joo), it would have kept everything secret and drawn Kang Moon-soo’s blood first!
If it had been her assistant Yoon So-ra?
The probability of ending up in the OB-GYN within a month would have been extremely high!
‘That’s so like So Un-hyeon-ssi.’
Everyone except Song Sun-young has at least one ulterior motive. He had chosen the most suitable person as a guardian.
“Song Sun-young!”
“Infinity Blade—”
“Valentine!”
“Valentine. Please wait.”
“I know human society well. Hurry up and call that female on the phone and bring her here!”
“Hmm~”
It seemed to possess knowledge of human civilization from the hunter story <I Became an SSS-Class Hunter>.
“Hurry!”
But the concept of waiting didn’t appear to be included in that knowledge.
Ring~!
(Unni. Did Moon-soo go in okay?)
“He went in fine. But it seems there’s a small problem.”
The moment Song Sun-young answered the call, Director Seo Hye-joo let out a sigh first.
(Because of So Un-hyeon oppa?)
“Uh… something like that. If you’re not too busy with work, can you come over?”
“Song Sun-young~!”
“…I’m in a really difficult spot right now.”
(I’ll come. But it’ll take some time. The residence is far away, remember.)
That’s right.
Ever since Kang Moon-soo moved far away, Elmolance University Hospital had naturally become distant too.
“Still, I’m counting on you.”
(Yes.)
Click.
After ending the call, Director Seo Hye-joo spoke to Kang Moon-soo (the monster), who was staggering up from the medical bed.
“Valentine. Aren’t you hungry?”
Let’s try to pacify it like an untrained pet by offering food.
“I’m hungry.”
“Then…”
“But I won’t eat. Hurry and bring Song Sun-young.”
“…You heard the call, right? How about eating while you wait?”
“I won’t eat. I don’t trust you. I’ll eat only if Song Sun-young gives it to me.”
“Hmm~”
It’s very well-trained.
It seems to obey Blood God So Un-hyeon’s orders absolutely.
“Valentine.”
“What?”
“Did So Un-hyeon-ssi leave any other message?”
“He did.”
“Can’t you tell me until Song Sun-young arrives?”
“No.”
“Oh!”
That was unexpected.
“Then may I hear it?”
“Blood God said we would meet again later.”
“Later meaning…”
“I don’t know that either.”
“I see. Ah! Do you know how to use the bathroom?”
“Primitive human. Don’t underestimate me. I saw the host using it. So I can do it too.”
“Ah, yes, of course.”
Stumble~
But could this monster, who couldn’t even walk properly, really manage it?
She couldn’t call a nurse either. If word got out that Kang Moon-soo couldn’t even walk, it would be disastrous.
“The human body is primitive and inconvenient.”
“……”
Director Seo Hye-joo fervently prayed for Song Sun-young to arrive soon.
***
It seems the fact that Senior had left affected me more than I thought.
“Sigh…”
The starting point was set near the ‘patient’, which was the most important timing, but I couldn’t focus on anything.
Blood God So Un-hyeon.
Senior’s ability to read the memories of those he touched was useful, but far more valuable were the pieces of advice he gave me as an adult, not just as a shaman.
Blink blink?
“…Yeah.”
I want to see him again too. And nicely revise this guy’s name and activation condition while I’m at it.
‘Blood God banzai, seriously?’
It’s perfect for getting mistaken for a cult fanatic.
For that reason, I decided to seal it unless it was a truly urgent situation. It might be the very essence of Infinity Blade’s existence, but my decision was firm.
“…Shall we go?”
Blink!
I brushed myself off and stood up from where I had been sitting powerlessly in front of the fountain.
‘Easy.’
It didn’t deviate from my expectations at all.
As expected from an author who only wrote hero stories, the dream world was built entirely for the hero.
Starting as the hero and ending as the hero…
A textbook hero story.
“Did you see the hero-nim’s new companion?”
“Another woman, I bet.”
“Haha! But at least the races are diverse, right?”
“So? What race is it this time?”
“A lamia, apparently.”
“Whoa. A lamia…? A monster with the beautiful body of a woman but the lower half of a snake?”
“That’s right.”
“Haha! Love knows no discrimination, but still, a monster is…”
“What’s so surprising about it? Dragons are technically monsters too, if you think about it.”
“Well, that’s true.”
The adventure period of the Ranuvel patient ‘Jeong Yong-sang’—summoned as a hero from another world (Earth)—had lasted about one year and four months.
During that time, it seemed this world hadn’t regained even a shred of peace.
“Excuse me.”
I approached Citizen A and Citizen B, who were in the middle of a heated debate about whether the hero was allowed to accept a monster as a companion.
“What is it?”
“Who are you?”
“Do you perhaps know where the hero-nim is right now?”
I had given up on using my fraudulent senses that could cover the entire city, so I needed information.
“He’s probably already left the city by now.”
“Already?”
“He got into a fight with the innkeeper because of his monster companion. Even for a hero, bringing a monster into an inn is a nuisance.”
“I see.”
It seems I took too long.
“By the way, mister. What’s with that eye thing hanging off your right arm?”
“It’s a friend.”
“Ahh, so you’re a monster tamer. That’s a rare profession. But if the monster you tamed is that small…”
“Haha! It’s fine.”
Even if it’s small, this monster could turn this entire city into a sea of corpses in one second.
“If you’re looking for work, head to the mercenary guild.”
“Forget about becoming the hero’s companion. Hero-nim doesn’t even glance at anyone who isn’t a pretty woman.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
I thanked the kind Citizen A and Citizen B and parted ways.
‘Mercenary guild, huh…’
Our paths had crossed the patient’s, but I didn’t mind too much.
My goal was the Sword Demon, after all. Persuading the Ranuvel patient to return to reality could be done slowly without being too late.
For that reason,
“Welcome to the mercenary guild!”
Despite being a place swarming with rough-looking mercenaries, there was a cute female receptionist who didn’t fit the atmosphere at all…
I headed to the mercenary guild.
“I’m looking for work.”
“Then please take a look at the request board over there.”
“I’m searching for a monster with blade-like hands and feet.”
“Blade Phantom?”
“Ah, yes. That’s right.”
So in this world, they’re called ‘Blade Phantom’.
Blade Phantom.
Since the Sword Demon is a manifestation of the form that P fears the most, it’s a monster that didn’t originally exist in the novel world the patient wrote.
Just the fact that the mercenary guild receptionist knows about the ‘form of the Sword Demon’ already made coming into this dream worthwhile.
“This might be nosy, but Blade Phantoms are dangerous enough to take down even the hero-nim’s party.”
“Even the hero-nim?”
“Yes. That incident completely ruined relations between humans and elves. The Blade Phantom killed the elf princess.”
“So something like that happened.”
The story was gradually developing in a way the patient absolutely wouldn’t have wanted.
The intervention of the Sword Demon.
That must be the cause.
“Be careful. If you get hit by a Blade Phantom, you won’t even be able to revive. The temple keeps denying it as baseless rumors, but just look at how they couldn’t revive the elf princess…”
“Thanks for the advice.”
This additionally confirmed that ‘Blade Phantom’ was indeed the Sword Demon. It’s only natural that you can’t revive someone killed by beings unaffected by the rules of this dream world.
“Hey!”
A man with a greatsword on his back beckoned to me.
“Me?”
“Yeah. You. Why are you looking for Blade Phantoms?”
Busybodies exist everywhere.
“To kill them, obviously. What other reason would there be?”
“Give it up. A greenhorn like you will just throw away a precious life for nothing.”
Nosy people exist everywhere too.
“Thanks for the advice.”
“Hey! That’s not the right answer. I don’t know what grudge you have against the Phantoms, but don’t waste your life. Commission someone like me—an excellent first-class mercenary. It’ll cost a pretty penny, though.”
So it wasn’t nosiness—it was haggling.
Very mercenary-like.
“That’s actually what I wanted to say. If you have a grudge against them, commission me instead. I’ll take care of it cheaply.”
“Hah! This greenhorn… Follow me. I’ll show you the difference in skill.”
“Let’s go.”
I was curious about the combat level of this world’s natives anyway.