novelraw Chapter 190 : The Uncovered Lid (2)
Chapter 190 : The Uncovered Lid (2)
About a minute later, the tears flowing from Cheon Jiweon’s eyes stopped.
“Forgive me. I’m old enough to know better, yet I’ve shown such a disgraceful sight.”
“It’s nothing.”
He cleared his throat several times before speaking again.
“But you said you came from a world that had already perished.”
“Yes.”
“And in this world, you’ve already taken action in many ways. Which means you haven’t given up hope. That must mean you know of some way to resist the Latesai, don’t you?”
“I do.”
“Then tell me what it is.”
Cheon Jiweon’s tone was calm, but in his eyes smoldered a fury he could not conceal.
He had just learned that his comrades were still alive—only to realize that their noble sacrifice had been rendered meaningless.
Worse, those comrades who had gone into the Demon Realm, and even Nadia Hassan, the last one who remained, had become nothing but toys of the Latesai.
No wonder he was furious.
From now on, Cheon Jiweon would do anything to destroy the Latesai and save his comrades. The cursed shackle that bound him to guard the world his friends had died for was broken. Now he was ruled only by rage and vengeance—decades of it, distilled into something sharper than steel.
And I would have to use that to fight against the Latesai.
“There is one circumstance where the Latesai’s brainwashing does not work.”
“And what is that?”
Cheon Jiweon leaned closer toward me.
“Level 150. Once that threshold is reached, even the Valro Latesai cannot enslave an awakened.”
“Level 150…”
His face darkened.
“Was there anyone in your world who reached that?”
“There was only one. His ability allowed him to gain more experience than others. But even so, no matter how high his level was, a single person couldn’t stand against all the awakened who had fallen to the Latesai’s control.”
No such person exists here, of course. But telling it this way makes it easier to accept.
“I see… Then how did you manage to escape the Latesai’s brainwashing?”
“Because I was weak.”
“…What?”
“What the Latesai want are awakened strong enough to be of use. At that time, I was just a first-year student at Gwangcheon Academy with a level of 15. They had no interest in someone like me. They only start turning people into pawns once they reach at least level 30.”
“Which means…”
“In my world, everyone above level 30—yourself included, Mayor—every awakened and hunter was taken and turned into soldiers for the Latesai’s war games.”
“…Haa.”
Cheon Jiweon let out a deep sigh.
“But you just said your level now is 60.”
“Yes.”
“How did you level up so quickly?”
“When you were my age, Mayor, wasn’t your level higher than mine?”
“Truthfully… it was thanks to my comrades. We fought countless S-class monsters and hunted down awakened who had gone astray. That was how my level rose. But your circumstances must be different.”
I nodded.
“I can’t explain everything in detail, but I have knowledge. Knowledge about monsters, dungeons, equipment, and about the abilities of promising students with great potential. All of those things combined have created the squad I have now. And my next step is to form a team out of the most talented students from all six Seoul academies.”
“…What!”
Cheon Jiweon’s eyes widened in shock.
“Then your so-called Demon’s Class…”
“Yes. It’s a special unit against the Latesai, made up of hunter cadets.”
“I see. So that’s what it was. But why cadets? Wouldn’t it be faster to gather experienced adult hunters with high levels and aim for 150?”
“There are several reasons why that won’t work. First, the people whose abilities I can analyze and guide toward growth are limited to a handful of cadets. That’s the scope of my knowledge. Second, my age. If I told adult hunters I had the secret to growth, would they believe me? Hardly.”
“…So that’s why you went to HAUT and won.”
“Yes.”
That wasn’t the original plan, of course. I had intended to compete in my second year. But thanks to Lee Hanye, who possessed Lim Seong-yeon, I got the opportunity early. Still, it gave me the idea of gathering companions from every academy.
“Level 150…”
Cheon Jiweon muttered under his breath.
“Mayor. You need to be careful.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Latesai are watching you.”
“…As a pawn.”
“Yes. Not just you—every strong awakened over level 80. If you start gathering people to raise their levels, the Latesai will notice. That’s why the task of creating a force against them should be left to me.”
“Then what do you want from me?”
“First, time. And second… supplies.”
Cheon Jiweon looked puzzled.
“Nadia appearing before me… that means the Latesai are about to come to Earth. In your world, you said Nadia didn’t approach me until next December?”
“Yes. But this world is merging with the Demon Realm much faster than mine ever did. Dungeon transfer phenomena, the sudden appearance of new dungeons—everything is happening at an accelerated pace. At this point, I can’t even guess when the Latesai will show themselves. Maybe not tomorrow or the day after, but it could be as soon as next week… or even in two weeks.”
Cheon Jiweon’s expression grew grave.
“Then isn’t there too little time for your comrades to reach level 150?”
“If we stick to my original plan, yes. That’s why I intend to use a more drastic method.”
“And what would that be?”
“We’ll live inside a dungeon.”
“…You mean an open-world dungeon?”
I nodded.
“In an open-world dungeon, no matter how much time you spend inside, once you return, it will always be the same moment as when you entered. I plan to use that to push everyone’s levels to 150.”
“I see… so that’s your plan.”
“Yes. And among the newly appeared dungeons, there are two that are open-world: the Magic Tower and the Arena. Please extend the investigation period for both, and block other hunters from entering.”
“When you said you needed time, that’s what you meant. You intend to send your people into those two dungeons.”
“Correct.”
“And how long do you need the investigation period extended?”
“Three days.”
“…You’re saying you can push more than twenty cadets to level 150 in just three days?”
“Yes.”
“Then what exactly do you mean by ‘supplies’?”
“Just that. Food, water, and necessary demonic materials. If you have a person’s hair or blood, you can send things to their time within the dungeon. That way, we can be resupplied.”
“…I see. That much I can do.”
“Thank you.”
“But what about your comrades? How will you explain to them why they need to live in a dungeon and push their levels to 150?”
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
Dealing with cadets is child’s play compared to what I’ve been through.
“And there’s one more thing, Mayor. This is the most important request.”
“What is it?”
“Nadia Hassan must be neutralized.”
“……”
Cheon Jiweon’s face hardened.
“You’re asking me to kill Nadia?”
“No. Just neutralize her. She’ll claim she’s found a way to rescue your comrades and try to take you into the Demon Realm. If you refuse, she’ll try to force you. A fight is unavoidable.”
“…But it won’t be easy.”
His face was still grim.
“Nadia is strong. Even for me, there’s no guarantee I can win. I might lose—or she might slip away.”
“You’re right. That’s why I’ve prepared a specific strategy. If you follow it, the chances will be much higher.”
I explained to Cheon Jiweon the plan I had devised for dealing with Nadia.
“…Very well. I’ll try it your way.”
“Thank you. I’m counting on you.”
After that, Cheon Jiweon drove me back to Gwangcheon Academy, then left.
“So you’ve finally shown yourself?”
Seoul City Hall, the Mayor’s office.
A dark-skinned woman sat casually on the sofa.
“It’s been a long time, Nadia.”
Cheon Jiweon forced a wry smile as he greeted her.
Nadia had tied her slightly reddish-golden hair back into a single tail. The lines on her face made her look to be in her late fifties or early sixties. She wore a tattered cloth draped over her like a robe or poncho.
“What kept you? Is there something more important than seeing an old comrade’s face?”
“Sorry. But try to understand. I’m a mayor now, and my schedule is full. Considering you came without warning, I came as quickly as I could.”
“Hmph. I suppose I’ll let it slide, since you did fly all the way here from London.”
As Nadia smirked, Jiweon felt like dozens of needles were stabbing into his chest.
‘Could Yein really be right…? That Nadia has fallen to the Latesai’s brainwashing?’
To his eyes, Nadia looked unchanged from the days they had traveled the world together—aside from her age. The way she always squinted one eye when she laughed, the arrogant tone she used to act superior, the way she crossed her legs as she stared at him… all exactly the same.
“Where have you been all this time?”
“I’ve been wandering the world. From the ruins of destroyed civilizations to untouched wilderness. I scoured every corner. While you were here playing mayor.”
“Playing mayor? I’ve taken the office seriously.”
“Hah. I hear you’ve been re-elected six times already. What, bullying everyone with your strength to keep the position?”
“Of course not. It’s thanks to the people of Seoul who trust me. But why keep wandering the world?”
“To find them.”
“……”
Jiweon’s heart dropped into his stomach.
“That day—our comrades who went through the Gate into the Demon Realm and never returned. Unlike you, I never gave up on them. I believed they were still alive somewhere. So I scoured every dungeon in the world, convinced one of them would lead to where they were. And finally, I found it! Not the fragments of the Demon Realm we knew inside dungeons, but a completely different place—the true Demon Realm!”
As Nadia’s voice rose with excitement, Jiweon felt the blood in his veins turn cold.
“I came here to bring you, Jiweon. Our comrades are definitely there. Come with me to find them.”
“……”
“What’s wrong? Don’t tell me you don’t believe me.”
“No… You may not have the best personality, but you’re not someone who would lie about our comrades.”
“What? ‘Not the best personality’? You’ve grown bold.”
“But even so, there’s no real proof that they’re alive there.”
Nadia’s face froze.
“That’s why I’m saying we have to go find them! This is the true Demon Realm, something no one’s ever seen. They must be there!”
“Calm down. I didn’t say I wouldn’t go.”
Jiweon looked at her furious face.
“But I can’t just go right this instant. I have obligations tomorrow I can’t cancel—several mayoral duties I can’t avoid.”
“Then when will you be free?”
“Tomorrow evening.”
“Tch. Fine. I’ll be back tomorrow evening, then.”
Nadia stood up with an annoyed expression.
At the door, she turned back to look at him.
“You’ve changed.”
Her eyes were cold.
“The old you would’ve leapt up at just the suggestion our comrades might still be alive.”
“I’m just more cautious now. Unlike before, I have a lot on my shoulders.”
“Hah. And your tongue’s gotten smoother too. I’ll be back at five tomorrow. Be ready to leave.”
With that, Nadia slammed the door and left.
About five minutes after she was gone, Jiweon pulled out his phone and made a call.
[Yes, Mayor.]
“Yein. Everything is on schedule. Prepare as planned.”
[…Understood.]
“Good.”
He ended the call, then rubbed his face with his hands and let out several heavy sighs.
(End of Chapter)