One week before the fight between Rahvar and the mysterious winged creature, Yoo Seodam and the four S rank hunters from the Hunter Association were wandering in the ‘wandering dimension’ that they found in the SS rank dungeon. However, unlike in the dungeon, there were no monsters here. It was a place where no trace of life could be felt. It was eerily quiet, and the four hunters realized for the first time that humans could also feel fear due to silence.
“I didn’t know that such a place could exist inside a dungeon…” While walking through the barren rocky mountain range dyed in scarlet, the hunters’ expression kept getting stiffer and stiffer. They didn’t seem to be aware, but the place where they were currently at wasn’t exactly ‘inside’ the dungeon, but somewhere completely separated from the dungeon. But Yoo Seodam didn't bother to tell them.
<It seems like this place was an entangled and twisted wandering dimension.>
Wandering dimensions exist everywhere on Earth. They were not as numerous as Gates, but there are still a lot of them. And in Iran, their numbers were particularly high. Perhaps it was the influence of the neglected SSS+ rank dungeon. It’s overflowing power leaked out and attracted nearby wandering dimensions into the dungeons in its vicinity. Those wandering dimensions were then entangled in such numerous dungeons, forming a maze-like structure.
"…Oh! Isn't that a dungeon?"
And because of that, a dungeon was even formed within the wandering dimension.
‘It's serious…'
Since the dungeon phenomenon had not been proven by modern science, no one knew what would happen if a dungeon was left unattended in a wandering dimension like this. However, since Yoo Seodam could see with his own eyes that the dimension was twisted, he knew that he could not leave it unattended.
“Let’s go into that dungeon.”
The dungeon inside the wandering dimension had difficulties ranging from C rank to S rank. Therefore, they had to stay vigilant. Afterall, S rank dungeons were a place where even a veteran S rank hunter could be seriously injured or killed.
For three days and three nights, they went back and forth between the dungeon in Iran and the dungeon in the wandering dimension. And because of that, the 4 hunters of the Hunter Association were able to know the true nature of the man called Yoo Seodam. They realized that his tricks were not without ‘style'. But rather, it could be said that his tricks were the ‘pinnacle’ of being a hunter. They were greatly ashamed. Even though they were also veteran hunters like Yoo Seodam, they were too engrossed in getting involved with the media and were lost in its blinding glamour.
By nature, hunters were people who kill enemies with quietness and precision. However, these days, hunters always show their overwhelming power by destroying all things around their target’s vicinity or using a more dazzling skill rather than a more efficient one in order to gain popularity. Compared to those hunters, Yoo Seodam was certainly different. Once he encountered a monster, he would always quietly and carefully kill the enemy with a single shot. It was far from anything flashy, but it was undoubtedly the best way to kill monsters. It was way better than wasting vast amounts of ether and stamina for moves that were only good for showing off. Thanks to that, even though the four hunters barely slept for three days straight, their stamina was not worn out.
And as they entered a certain wandering dungeon which was different from all the previous wandering dimensions they had been in and out from for the last 3 day, they began to relax to some extent and set up a camp with Yoo Seodam.
“By the way, this place is beautiful.”
Is it apt to say a place where even weeds couldn’t survive pretty?
Up above, countless stars were twinkling in the dark sky. At that scene, the hunters couldn’t help but feel relaxed.
“Time doesn't pass here?” One of the female hunters asked suddenly.
"That’s right." Yoo Seodam answered.
“It’s cool."
If they were to measure the current time, it would be around 4 in the morning, just before the sun rises. The darkest time but most beautiful at the same time. The sky was not a pitch black place. It was illuminated with a purplish hue due to the illuminating stars in the night.
Then, suddenly, Yoo Seodam had a thought. Time in the destroyed world didn’t cease to flow. It just stopped at dusk and passed very slowly towards dawn as all life beneath the sky slowly slumbered into death. If so, what will happen to the world where dawn has finally arrived?
Yoo Seodam lifted his head. Then suddenly, he heard someone shouting from a distance.
"You all! What are you doing there! Didn't I say you can't come here anymore!"
The hunters of the Association were startled and looked at where the voice was coming from. They were probably surprised because it was a language they couldn't understand. However, thanks to the [Protagonist Hunter] skill, Yoo Seodam could understand their words. He hurriedly equipped the item <Brilliant Vow of the ‘Bright season’> rose up to his feet and faced them.
There were a total of three people who came. Each of them came from a different race. A big guy with green skin, a stocky dwarf and a blue-skinned woman with pointed ears.
“Ah, sorry. I think we are lost.”
"Really? But, you look human. Aren’t you an ‘Earthling’?”
After pondering for a few seconds, Yoo Seodam decided to shake his head just like how he had answered Bersok.
“I’m indeed a human, but I’m not an Earthling. I only live on Earth.”
If you tell them that you are a human living on Earth but not an Earthling, you're naturally identified as an ‘otherworlder’. By doing that, the vigilance of the three would decrease.
“I finally met you. Are you guys otherworlders who have also crash-landed on Earth?” Yoo Seodam said as he deliberately wore a happy expression.
“That’s right."
"Ah! I came here after belatedly hearing about the fact that otherworlders were living together in a community.”
“You heard it this late? How? We could feel each other's dimensional shift waves, though?"
“…”
Yoo Seodam wasn’t aware of that fact.
“Ah, that… it’s because I had completely assimilated to life on Earth and couldn’t return to my dimension.”
"Is that so?" The dwarf nodded his head seemingly convinced. Moments later, he hurriedly approached Yoo Seodam and said, “By the way, hurry up! We have to get out of here!”
"Yes? Why?”
“Shouldn’t you know about it if you are also from another world? When ‘Dawn' arrives, the dimension will collapse. This dimension has already reached its end, you never know when it will collapse! If you're not too far away, you might get caught up in it! Let’s go quickly!”
“Come on, wait a minute…”
Dawn usually means hope, doesn't it? But will the dimension fall apart at ‘Dawn'? Although Yoo Seodam could not completely understand the dwarf’s words, he still followed them with the Association's hunters in tow.
The otherworlders were using a very unusual technique. They created a blue gate which would move them to another dungeon or wandering dimension. When they passed through, they arrived at a dimension which still had traces of life remaining.
Buildings could be seen standing tall in the lush forest basked in the sunset crimson sky. Numerous races were inhabiting the said buildings which resembled buildings from Earth. A giant with grass all over its body, a monkey man who jumped through trees, a human with antlers on their head, a human with two pairs of limbs and so on.
The community—which was created by gathering numerous races which crash-landed on Earth—was quite interesting for Yoo Seodam.
“Hey, wh…what the hell is that…?” One of the Association's hunters stuttered. Recognizing their state, the dwarf put magic power on their head. It was some sort of telepathic magic. The spell would make whoever it casted on understand the contents of the conversation. However, it wasn’t a direct translation magic.
“Now you can hear me. Trust me and follow me.” The dwarf led Yoo Seodam and the hunters and went ahead. “Hey, where did you come from?”
“Vivienda Empire is my hometown. It was a world that loved magic.”
“Hmm… if it’s magic, I think you'll get along well with Lacanthal. By the way…" The dwarf's expression slightly hardened. “What happened to your world?”
Without even understanding the context, Yoo Seodam knew what the dwarf wanted to ask him. It was whether his home world had already been destroyed or not.
"I don’t know. On the verge of extinction, we developed a dimensional movement spell and were able to barely escape.”
"You are lucky then. You don’t have to see the real ‘Destruction'."
“That ‘Destruction’ you are talking about, what is it?”
The dwarf gave Yoo Seodam no answer and just beckoned to him.
“Follow me.”
Yoo Seodam did as the dwarf said and walked after him. As they passed through the main road, many different races were staring at them. There were quite a few humans among them, but they were probably the only lucky few who were by chance caught up in a dimensional rift before their world got ruined.
“Here it is.”
The place the dwarf guided Yoo Seodam to was a very unique building which was made from blue crystals, unlike other buildings.
“Did you say you were from Vivienda? A magic empire? A resident of this building, Mr. Lacanthal, also came from a world filled with magic. It was all thanks to him that we are able to freely traverse through dungeons and wandering dimensions.”
According to the dwarves, even though they were lucky enough to be able to move between dimensions, they were unable to completely make their own dimensional spell. In fact, it was impossible for even Aracelli, an 8-circled magician, to create a flawless dimensional movement spell. Therefore, there was no way that so many races could have done it.
Of those gathered at this community, 99% of them crash-landed on Earth because they were caught in dimensional movement ‘by accident', and the remaining 1% were able to move the dimension on their own. And among them, there was only one person who handled the dimension the best, it was Lacanthal.
“When I was informed that I had a visitor, I never thought it would be a human.” A man with blue hair said as he walked out from the building with a relaxed gait. His presence was dazzling and bright. But, as he had a naturally bored face, all his charms were nullified.
“Mr. Lacanthal. This person said he was someone from Vivienda, a magic empire. He says he had settled on Earth and had adapted to living there…”
"Is that so? It is indeed a very unique case.”
“My name is Yoo Seodam.” Yoo Seodam bowed his head towards the man.
“I’m Lacanthal. I came from a race of dew soaked in blue starlight.” Because he was from a race he had heard of in the passing in other worlds, Yoo Seodam could barely pretend to know him.
“To see the greatest magical race blooming in the dew, it is truly a great honour. As a wizard, I really wanted to meet you.”
“I see… it seems that my kind does not exist in your world.”
“It is as you said.”
While Yoo Seodam was conversing with Lacanthal, the four hunters behind him were busy looking at each other with bewildered expressions.
‘Uhhh… Do you know what they are talking about right now?’
‘I don't know…'
‘Even though it is being interpreted in English, I still can't understand…'
Lacanthal glanced around the hunters, and said in a dull voice.
“By the way, they are pure Earthlings.”
When the hunters sucked a deep breath as they were being mentioned, Yoo Seodam hurriedly said: "That’s right. I could only bring them here because I have a lot of influence on Earth.”
“Oh? Is that true?”
"Yes. It was due to all the things I did to continue living there.”
“It’s amazing, really…" Lacanthal said with a glint of interest in his eyes. “Then, there must be a reason why you came to us.”
"Yes. I have a question.” Yoo Seodam nodded his head.
“Tell me.”
The person in front of him was not a witch, but he was someone from a race which had developed magic to the limit just like witches did. With the hope that maybe he might know the answer, Yoo Seodam opened his mouth.
“What will our world be like after the ‘Destruction'?”
To his question, Lacanthal smiled bitterly. From his expression alone, Yoo Seodam could guess that he regarded his question as a pointless question.
“How will it be? Isn't it simple? The countless ‘worlds' would simply gather and become ‘one' again. That’s all.”
"Yes?"
It will gather into one? What the hell was he talking about?
When those questions passed through Yoo Seodam’s mind, Lacanthal added.
“The world has created our dimension. If so, wouldn't the opposite also be possible? I am one of those unfortunate people who saw the moment of ‘Destruction' with my own eyes.”
Saying so, Lacanthal held out his wrist. It was covered in something akin to red skin which didn't suit him at all. Then Lacanthal turned his back on Yoo Seodam. There was something like the bark of a tree attached there. His thighs were like lumps of rock, while on his clavicle something like lips were protruding.
“At the moment of destruction, the worlds becomes one and blends. It's like two clays being squeezed into one. The distinction between you and me disappears, the distinction between trees and rocks disappears, the distinction between heaven and earth itself disappears.”
Hearing his words, Yoo Seodam couldn’t utter a single word. He kept staring at Lacanthal’s body. After all, the phenomenon which happened in his body was something he had witnessed first-hand in ‘Hell Gate'.
“…you are rude.”
"Ah… My apologies."
As Lacanthal started to cover his skin once again, Yoo Seodam turned his gaze away. Confusion filled his head to the brim. However, as it was only a deduction at this point, he forced himself to calm down.
“Then, did you come all the way here just to ask that question?”
“Of course not.” Yoo Seodam tried to pretend to be calm, and said with a smirk. “As I said, I am also an otherworlder. But, I have become a very influential person on Earth. I am well aware of the fact that other otherworlders besides me cannot properly live on Earth. So, I have come to offer my help.”
Actually, taking them in was not in his original plan. It would be fine if he just returned to Earth like this. However, after seeing the handsome man named Lacanthal in front of him, he changed his mind.
He was someone who was capable enough to lead so many different races in this small space, and although it seems like he had lost all of his magic power just like Aracelli, he was still a valuable person as his race specialized in ‘magic engineering'. It could be said that the race of dew was very similar to Protoss from the RTS game StarCraft which was popular half a century ago. On top of it, there were also dwarves in this community. They were a mythological race which was known as excellent craftsmen.
‘If I could pull these people to my side, they would be a huge help.’
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