Cheon Sa-yeon’s back leaving the mansion was engulfed in pitch-black darkness.
After such a long time, a new scene began to unfold. The white hallway, the faint smell of drugs, countless people in white coats, and…
“Cheon Sa-yeon?”
Through the large glass, I could see Cheon Sa-yeon, whose body was tied up.
His eyes were covered, his mouth was gagged, and his wrists and ankles were fastened with heavy iron shackles.
“What the hell is this…”
Just looking at him took my breath away. In the white room beyond the glass, Cheon Sa-yeon was sitting alone, tied to the chair. Others would watch him outside the glass or write something down.
It was only when I looked at the nameplate of a researcher passing by with his head bowed, that I knew that this was the former guild management headquarters.
「I don’t understand. Why is it underground?」
「Dangerous person is underground for safety…」
「A dangerous person? Is that how Korea divides talented people?」
A familiar voice came from across the hallway. It was obviously Chloe who was walking here with the researchers.
How many years ago was this? Chloe, who I met again in Cheon Sa-yeon’s memory, had a slightly different hairstyle and a more cynical tone when she spoke.
Chloe, who turned her gaze away from the researcher who was chasing right next to her, and found Cheon Sa-yeon tied behind the glass, increased her walking speed with a startled expression.
「Wait. Why are you doing this now?」
「Ye, yes? Is there any problem…?」
「Are you asking because you don’t know that now?」
Chloe approached right in front of the glass and slowly examined Cheon Sa-yeon’s condition.
「Why did you tie him up like that? Since when?」
The man in charge opened his mouth with an awkward smile as if he had difficulty understanding the question.
「Of course… because he’s dangerous, that’s why we did it. Currently, the building has over 300 employees. The duration is short. About a week…」
「A week?」
Chloe’s eyes were filled with displeasure as she looked around the director and the researchers.
「According to what I heard, that person with that ability is said to be a survivor of the gate explosion. A survivor who barely survived from the death. Isn’t it?」
「That, that’s right.」
「He is a talented person who doesn’t attack or harm anyone and doesn’t run wild. even underage. Is this how the Korean management headquarters treat minors?」
「No, it’s not that. There seems to be a misunderstanding.」
The person in charge wiped the sweat from his forehead and made an excuse in a hurry.
「As Athena Deputy Master knows, this person is the first SS-rank talented person in Korea. So there’s a lot of things to check…」
「So what?」
「But that… the staff wouldn’t even want to come near this place if we didn’t do that, so I had no choice but to do it. He is the first SS-rank in Korea, and in particular, his ability…」
The person in charge who glanced at Cheon Sa-yeon continued.
「We don’t know what will happen if there’s even a little blood. We didn’t want to do that either. However, even if he bits his tongue, this place will be devastated.」(하지만 만에 하나 혀라도 깨물었다가는 여긴 초토화가 되고 말 겁니다, I don’t understand)
Chloe, who quietly listened to the person in charge, raised the corners of her lips. It was an obvious sneer.
「You believe that this powerful person will attack this place if he gets the chance. He is a 19-year-old child. A gate victim who didn’t hurt anyone. It means that he is in the same situation as the hundreds of victims who are pouring in every day.」
「They are all ordinary people. It can’t be compared with SS-rank abilities. And since it’s an order from the superior, I can’t release him at will.」
「Then tell the superior.」
Chloe said, who roughly stole the data file with the name “SS-rank talented person” on the outside so that it made a clicking sound.
「In this state, I can’t help anything. Also, when I go back to America, I will tell the people what I saw. How far is the ‘environment’ I’m talking about… you would have guessed it.」
The person in charge, who sighed deeply with a look of embarrassment, pondered for a long time and eventually nodded his head.
「Please wait a moment.」
* * *
Cheon Sa-yeon, who came out of the glass after being released from the restraints, sat facing Chloe in a narrow room that looked similar to an interrogation room.
Chloe, who had come close to Cheon Sa-yeon for the first time, looked down at the documents in front of her in a place like a prison dotted with a single white incandescent lamp and grey.
「Um, first… do you want to wear an interpreter item? Or do you even speak English?」
Cheon Sa-yeon, who was sitting in an expressionless state, immediately smiled faintly.
「I wish you could go straight to the point.」
Chloe paused for a moment when she heard Cheon Sa-yeon’s voice for the first time, and then spoke calmly.
「You don’t have to be sarcastic.」
「I don’t think that’s the case.」
「Your tone… sounds like a successful young businessman.」
Chloe lightly shrugged her shoulders with a joke. It was an effort to relieve the heavy and rigid atmosphere even a little.
「Great. Let’s get down to business. What’s your name?」
「Name?」
「I’m asking because there’s nothing written on the document other than your age. Are you sure you’re 19 years old? They even call you an orphan. Even if you’re an orphan, isn’t it uncommon for people who haven’t even registered their births?」
「Why are you curious about that? There’s no point in using my abilities, right?」
「Hm, that’s your misunderstanding.」
Chloe, who had been fluttering blank documents with nothing written on them meaninglessly, closed the documents and made eye contact with Cheon Sa-yeon.
「I know you are an SS-rank. You also have a very dangerous and powerful ability. However…」
Her two eyes filled with bright light.
「It hasn’t been polished in the slightest. As of right now, you can’t control or use your ability. If you make a mistake, not only the innocent person but also yourself will die.」
「……」
「Now you don’t need anyone. You saw it, right? Everyone looks scared. Isn’t that why you were treated like that?」
「What do you want to say?」
「Stop putting up the thorns and let’s go for the better. I’ll exclude anything related to birth, so please tell me your name. How were you first discovered in that mansion. If you answer me, I will help you in return.」
「Help me?」
「I will provide a place for proper training and find a guild where you can join after training is over. It’s that what everyone is doing these days? Future plan.」
Future plan. Hearing that, Cheon Sa-yeon sat motionlessly.
「I never once asked for this kind of power.」
As he lowered his gaze, his long eyelashes cast a shadow in the pure white light.
「I just wanted to live.」
It was painful to realize that alone could harm others. Unable to bear the power itself was bad luck.
「…I accept the deal.」
At the end of Cheon Sa-yeon’s answer, which came out in a low voice, everything became cloudy like water.
Cheon Sa-yeon, who received formal training with Chloe’s help, began to learn everything from practicing controlling and controlling his energy to train his body with martial arts one by one.
The season passed through spring and summer and into autumn. Over the course of those few months, how Cheon Sa-yeon changed, the scenes flashed by as quickly as a panoramic photograph.
From my point of view, who had learned modern martial arts to some extent, Cheon Sa-yeon had achieved outstanding growth in a surprisingly short period of time. Even though his body was an SS-rank that was far beyond the realm of ordinary people, it was possible because Cheon Sa-yeon was so talented and worked hard.
From the beginning of November, when the days began to get cold, Cheon Sa-yeon, who had just finished his training, was called out to several gates with the A-class sword he had received from the state. He was primarily a mercenary to make up for the shortage of the clearing team.
More than 10 years had passed since the gates opened and monsters poured out, but the world was still unstable. The number of gates that were created was more than the number of guilds, and the number of gate explosions occurred frequently.
The restoration of damage in the devastated area was too slow due to the small number of restorers or healers. The dead and the awakening appeared nonstop, the hospital was always full of people, and the management headquarters couldn’t handle the rush of work.
At the end of January, when Cheon Sa-yeon just turned 20, it was no different when he was called by the government to visit Uijeongbu (의정부도). Due to the flooding of the gate, all the neighbouring residential areas collapsed and monsters were spreading here and there.
The screams and cries of people resounded everywhere. In the meantime, Cheon Sa-yeon swung his sword vigorously. After he killed all the monsters, support personnel arrived 30 minutes more.
「You’ve worked hard.」
Chloe, who arrived at the scene with support staff, apparently heard the news late, approached Cheon Sa-yeon and said a word. Cheon Sa-yeon just stared at the front without any reaction.
When the debris of the collapsed building was lifted, a dead man emerged. A woman was seen crying with the body of her family in her arms. Other than that, a part of the body was eaten by a monster or crushed somewhere… The dead came out constantly.
There were also many talented people who were forced to fight in order to buy time to escape. Cheon Sa-yeon, who was looking at it silently, opened his mouth.
「You said you’d help me get into the guild.」
Chloe, who looked at Cheon Sa-yeon with a look of surprise, nodded her head.
「The last time I asked, you said you weren’t interested, what’s the matter? Is there any guild you want to join?」
「No.」
Cheon Sa-yeon blinked his eyes slowly and made a determined expression on his face.
「If not, I’ll have to make it myself.」
「What?」
「Isn’t it the same as joining a guild if I make my own guild?」
「…no, wait. Are you going to make a guild? You? Alone?」
「How many times are you making me say the same thing?」
「You jerk…」
Chloe, who was choked up for a moment, touched her forehead with a hint of a headache.
「Do you think guilds can be made so easily? You have to have initial members and go through complicated procedures… Well, you’ve done several SS-class mercenaries, so your skills will be recognized.」
「I’ll take care of it, so help me get someone.」
「Ugh, really…」
Chloe furrowed her brows as if her mind was complicated by the sudden request. After such a long silence, Chloe took a deep breath and opened her mouth as if she had given up.
「Have you decided on the guild name?」
「I have decided.」
「What is it?」
Cheon Sa-yeon raised his head and captured the ruined landscape in front of his eyes. Looking at them side by side, I already knew what name Cheon Sa-yeon would answer.
「Requiem*.」
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