HACKED 101

There was one more thing I wanted to ask before deciding whether or not to grant his request.

“Why are you going this far?”

“What do you mean, why?”

“Mr. Malchi, you said it’s just because you want to quit everything, but if that were really all, there are much simpler ways. You could hang yourself, slit your wrists, or if all else fails, just fill a sink with water and shove your face in.”

I listed several options in a row. Malchi’s complexion turned pale, shifting by the second.

Did my words sound cruel? But, well. Aren’t these the kinds of things anyone who has ever considered ending their own life has thought of at least once?

“And yet, you sent back each of your Incarnations by your own hand, contacted me, came to find me in person, and offered a deal after this long conversation… Isn’t that because there’s a reason for it?”

“…….”

“I won’t refuse your request. It’s a benefit to me, not a loss. It’s just my personal curiosity.”

Malchi slowly turned around. His Incarnation was still there. Wearing a helmet that covered its entire face, it held its arms in a rounded gesture as if it were about to embrace Malchi.

“That is because…”

That Incarnation was not only large in stature but was even floating in the air. To meet its eyes, Malchi had to lift his gaze slightly.

“Because I love this child. Enough to hope that even if I die, only he will live.”

Malchi reached out and slowly stroked the helmet worn by the Incarnation. Because he had turned his body completely, I couldn’t see his face from where I was. But somehow, I felt like I knew what kind of expression he was making right now.

Malchi looked forward again. For the first time, a faint smile spread across his pallid face.

“I’d have nothing to say even if you mocked me for loving a virtual life-form that isn’t even a real human, or for sacrificing my life for it… but that’s how I am.”

And then, the Incarnation that had remained still in one spot like an ancient divine statue until now moved for the first time.

He reached his hand toward the empty air. His wings flapped once with a great thud. Feathers of mixed white and black fluttered, obscuring my vision. In the next moment, a large scythe was held in his hand, which had been empty.

“This child is a 5-star, the <Valkyrie Who Leads to Death>. …I’ll leave him in your care.”

After finishing his words, Malchi slowly closed his eyes.

I didn’t see what happened after that clearly. First, it was because the <Valkyrie Who Leads to Death> wrapped his master’s body in his wings to hide it, and second, it was because San Gun pulled me firmly to face him.

“Myeong.”

I was dragged a couple of steps, staggering under the strong force pulling from the side. Even then, I was half out of my mind.

‘Why did he call me all of a sudden? Why is his arm…’

His large hands covered both of my ears. It was a movement lacking his usual composure.

But just before my hearing was cut off, in that very brief gap… I ended up hearing it anyway.

Squelch.

The sound of human bone and flesh being sliced through by a sharp piece of metal. The moment I realized what that sound was, my heart felt chilled as if it had fallen into ice water.

My face was forcibly fixed to face San Gun. However, I caught a glimpse of something through my peripheral vision.

The floor was a pure white color without a single smudge. From one corner of that pure white base, a dark red wave began to spread. Reflexively, my gaze went there.

“…….”

San Gun, with a frown, gave a small shake of his head. It seemed to mean “don’t look.”

A few drops of blood were scattered on his cheek. With his physical abilities, he could have easily avoided it. Did he not avoid it because he was busy covering my ears?

‘A person… died again.’

Malchi had given a forewarning. That he would die.

But hearing it in words and vividly witnessing the scene of a person’s life slipping away before your eyes were worlds apart.

It was horrible. I wanted to act as if all of this never happened. I wanted to gouge out the things I had just seen and heard from my sensory nerves. At the same time, I wanted to crouch in this spot, do nothing, and run away from reality.

I staggered back a few steps and turned around. Toward my side, toward my Incarnations. It was an unconscious action.

Everyone was standing still in their places, looking at me. I didn’t have the leeway to examine each of their expressions.

San Gun, right next to me. Agent and the twins, a little distance away. Hwarang had his body half-turned toward the opposite side as if preparing for a potential danger. Dokkaebi seemed to be saying something to me, but I couldn’t hear well.

And Ja-myeong-go. As always, she was in a proper posture with both hands neatly gathered.

‘But was Ja-myeong-go always… standing alone like that?’

I felt like someone was always next to her like a partner.

‘…Ah.’

The <Sickly Model Student>. Model Student was gone.

Model Student was always stuck to Ja-myeong-go’s side. As if trying to fill the empty spot of <The Trumpet that Sounds on its Own>, who had been Ja-myeong-go’s younger sister.

That child was shy around those who looked like adult men, including me, but she was only affectionate toward Ja-myeong-go. The two of them would link arms without hesitation as if they were real sisters, and exchange whispers in low voices.

‘Why isn’t Model Student here? Why…’

The branches of my thoughts stopped at one scene. The library district, pitch black with all the lights out. Model Student died there. It was an irreversible death, no different from a real person.

At that time, too, a puddle made of blood expanded its area by the second. I was kneeling helplessly in front of it. Despite being a Compiler and that child’s master, I couldn’t do anything for her, just holding her hand like a lifeline while pouring out stupid laments….

I hung my head helplessly. Only the pure white floor was visible.

Then, at some point, I saw the tips of feet wearing black student loafers at the edge of my vision.

My heart sank. I forced my gaze, which wanted to stay fixed to the floor as if a heavy weight were attached to it, to look forward.

“Teacher.”

I heard Model Student’s voice, full of hatred.

“Even though you knew I was 1-star and Level 1, you sent me into battle. Aren’t you really too much? You should have at least given me the minimum leveling. Then I wouldn’t have died so miserably.”

“I…”

‘I’m sorry. It’s my fault.’

I tried to say that.

Swish, thud!

But a crossbow bolt flew from somewhere and pierced through that child’s chest. Model Student fell powerlessly like a marionette with its strings cut.

Blood gushed incessantly from the spot where the bolt was embedded. It was to the point where I wondered if that much blood could even fit in that child’s small body.

While lying in the middle of the sea of blood, Model Student lifted only her head and looked at me with an expressionless face. Her mouth moved mechanically.

“Being that incompetent and indecisive, how many more people are you planning to kill? Right, Jae-young?”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

I turned my creaking head and barely looked to the side. At some point, a boy was standing next to the fallen Model Student. Although the design was completely different, he had something in common with Model Student in that he wore a school uniform.

A used school uniform that was ironed as neatly as possible but looked worn out. Stained sneakers. And a familiar face I used to see every day…

“Myeong hyung, you’re really as pathetic as ever. Wasn’t killing me enough?”

“No. No, no…”

“Just how many more people are you planning to kill in the future? You should know by now. Everyone involved with hyung becomes unhappy.”

“…….”

“Still, hyung. Remember this.”

I locked eyes with the boy. I couldn’t tell what kind of expression I was making right now. The best I could do was manage my legs, which kept trying to give out.

The child said in a whisper.

“I like you.”

The next moment, the boy vanished. In the blink of an eye, as if he had never been there in the first place.

‘No, he didn’t disappear. He didn’t disappear, but…’

Whoosh.

I heard the sound of wind being sliced from above. It was the sound of something heavy in free fall according to gravity.

Thump!

A person, something that was once a person, fell right in front of me. Blood splattered on me from the top of my head to the tips of my toes.

“Gasp…”

I couldn’t breathe. As the oxygen supply was blocked, my body reacted quickly. My fingertips and toes felt numb, and even the tip of my tongue went numb. My vision was stained black from the edges.

“Myeong. Myeong!”

Someone called me. It felt like someone was stroking my cheek, massaging my hands, and supporting my falling body.

But I couldn’t make any response. My consciousness sank rapidly.

˙✧˖°🎮 ⋆｡˚

[‘DriedAnchovyLowerEnds’s Pantheon’ has been annihilated.]

[DriedAnchovyLowerEnds has died.]

[UserMyeong808 has become the final winner.]

Congratulations. You have survived the ‘Dimensional Merger’!

‘DriedAnchovyLowerEnds’s Pantheon’ will be subordinated to ‘UserMyeong808’s Pantheon’.

[Expanding the ‘Dimensional Boundary’…]

[Summing up resources…]