Becoming a Hunter in a Dark Fantasy - Chapter 108
Only Noblemtl
Episode 108 The Stranger
Every gaming company has a game series that represents the company.
This is the case with Ninjago’s The Legend of Link and Gamlix’s Pocket Monsters.
Users who enjoy games often call the series that is the foundation of the game company the ‘original’ series.
Among them, the world-famous game developer, Game Chrome.
The original series of the so-called ‘Gemchrome’ was none other than ‘Soterria’.
‘A game where the main character becomes a savior who saves the world.’
Unlike other game companies that continue their series by following similar settings, narratives, and worldviews, Gamechrome has taken a unique approach.
Each series presents a completely different and unique worldview.
Aside from the main setting – the protagonist becomes a savior, they share titles like Sotera and Soteria – they had absolutely nothing in common.
So there were quite a few works that failed.
After all, people tend to like things they are familiar with.
[Gamechrome, these kids have no back? Why do they keep hitting on you with no-fault? Well, it’s a blessing for me to play, but… Aren’t you guys going to fail?]
[222 Don’t fail… I’m scared, brother.]
… … In fact, even from the perspective of a game user, Gamechrome has attempted many adventures from time to time.
‘It’s either a bust or a jackpot.’
Anyway, among those attempts, some games achieve tremendous success.
One of these is,
“Soteria: Replay Hunter”
Abbreviated as ‘Soriheon’, it was a game genre that was often a mix of hunter and apocalypse.
In a world where science and magic are advanced, a rift has opened between the two worlds, and the Awakened, who possess unique abilities, are divided into two factions: the Hunters, Heroes faction and the Mines, Villains faction.
‘Such a common setting.’
The protagonist was the director of the Hunter Management Bureau. As a person without any special abilities, he was the first to be assigned to an organization where everyone had special abilities.
This is a story about a new director who gradually gains the trust of the hunters who distrusted him, and his heroic actions as the savior of all people.
[Oh lol, what’s going on with Game Chrome]
[Finally surrendered to capital lol Let’s go see Wangdo-mul]
[Ah, are you going to get healing water?]
But soon the protagonist experiences a shocking incident and regresses.
It was his first day as director.
[Shocking True Story) Soundheon Revealed to be a Returner]
Although Elwin’s past self is vague, he clearly remembers the thrill he felt back then.
But soon you realize that it was a mistake.
The protagonist, who was trying to change the future, was suddenly murdered and returned to his first day in office again.
[Infinite loop? What the f*ck, I knew this would happen……]
[I thought it was a health supplement, but it was poison]
[I’m going crazy, I’m going crazy, I’m going crazy, I’m going crazy, I’m going crazy, I’m going crazy]
In addition, the unchanging principle of the ‘Soterria’ series.
─The principle of equivalent exchange.
There are risks to be taken to reap rewards, and every miracle comes with a price.
The same goes for looping abilities.
In exchange for the protagonist repeating the turn, one of the characters who died in that turn was randomly offered as a sacrifice.
And the character offered as a sacrifice disappears from all timelines after the protagonist loops again.
forever.
[crazy]
It was natural that the protagonist and users’ spirits would collapse when they found out about this.
Among the characters that disappeared forever, there were many people precious to the main character and characters loved by users.
According to the setting, those chosen as sacrifices would go to another dimension and live on after death… … but in reality, this was the same as extinction.
What if a game character doesn’t appear in the game? Then they’re dead.
Even the protagonist didn’t know this. Until he saw the ending, he thought they were gone forever because of him…
[Those dog-footed bastards who even make Satan unemployed (not a typo)]
Thinking about it again, it’s a devilish idea.
[Gamechrome you fucking bastards……!!!!!]
[Give me back my favorite, f*ck]
[You showed me that crazy narrative and relationship and godwaku and then took the kids to the afterlife??? Where is Gamechrome headquarters? I’m going to burn it down right now]
‘Soriheon’ was a ruin that shattered the protagonist’s mentality, and it was a fatal disease. It was killing, not healing.
I forgot, but Gamchrome is a bunch of immoral kids who only make up stories without dreams or hopes.
Those kids have no heart. They don’t know the ways of the martial world.
[Hey, I don’t expect much, so show me our kids… They’re alive in another world, right… No, they’re really alive, right??]
[Please give me some side stories… or even some side events]
[Gamechrome developers will be banned from both heaven and hell after death]
However, those who were deeply immersed in the game wanted to meet the characters who disappeared in exchange for the loop.
It was too meaningless a death to just pass over like this.
A world where everyone is happy… … I knew that Gamchrome wouldn’t listen to me anyway, so I just wanted to see my beloved characters alive somewhere.
[‘Soteria: Replay Hunter’ sequel production decided!]
Then, for some reason, Gamechrome came forward with an enthusiastic plan to release a sequel and spin-off game to ‘Soriheon’.
‘Randomly selected sacrifices are transported to another dimension somewhere with their memories preserved when they die.’
… … is a game created based on the ‘Soriheon’ setting.
That’s it… … .
“LAMPAS”
It was the world where Elwin was reincarnated.
In other words, this meant that heroes and villains who were dimensionally transported from ‘Soriheon’ were living in this Rampas.
The criteria for being chosen as a sacrifice were randomly selected regardless of the two camps.
However, the natives who originally lived in this Rampas felt something alien about these dimension-shifters, and created terms to distinguish them from each other.
─Stranger.
It was a word that came from ‘Soriheon’ and referred to all the once great heroes and villains.
Elwin suddenly raised his head.
“Miss Yana. Did that woman have long crimson hair and green eyes? With unusual pupils that looked like spiderwebs?”
“Ah! That’s right! That’s correct!”
“… … Then it must be true.”
─Majin (魔人) Floeta.
* * *
Deficio’s hideout is a giant tree trunk-shaped structure that surrounds a forgotten stone pagoda.
The room located deepest underground among them.
“Hehehehe~”
There, a man dressed in black from head to toe was humming softly and preparing something.
Surgical instruments were neatly arranged around him, and bloodstains and unidentified liquids were scattered throughout the room.
Squeak, squeak-
The man continued to hum as he wiped his hands clean. Wearing thin gloves, he adjusted some device and walked to the center of the room.
“Hello, white moon.”
An altar made of tree trunks so thick that they almost feel hideous.
Above it, a dazzlingly white woman was sleeping quietly. The man instinctively raised his lips and smiled.
“That’s right, I told you. Even if you run away, you’re still in my hands.”
Man, Black Moon couldn’t forget the look in her eyes before she betrayed Deficio and ran away.
“Did you enjoy the short time?”
Everyone who saw her loyal attitude, which was no different from the white moon before the mission, believed that she would not change.
Even though she sealed her ego and memories, she was still Depicchio’s white moon.
But the Black Moon was different. He sensed something boiling in her still face. Instinctively.
No one noticed. Not even the chief.
But the black moon was different. He could notice all the changes in the white moon with keen awareness.
“Of course. You are my daughter, the one I gave birth to. Right?”
The black moon smiled darkly and stroked her hair. At first glance, the touch seemed affectionate.
“I’ve given you permission to go abroad for a short while… … Now it’s time to do your duty.”
But no parent would force their daughter to sacrifice herself in the name of a cause.
We do not force children into harsh training that forcibly takes away their freedom and destroys their emotions from an early age.
This was possible because children were born only as tools, for a purpose, and as a means to achieve a long-held wish.
“You were born only for this moment, right now.”
One of Depicio’s long-standing grand plans.
A woman of the Umbra clan who conceived the bloodline of the royal family of Batevil.
In her womb… …she is trying to summon the spirit of the ‘Suinwang’ who has been wandering the nine heavens.
“I was in trouble when the Witch’s Association, which I had originally agreed to cooperate with, suddenly withdrew… … and then, as luck would have it, a collaborator who I could communicate well with appeared.”
While I was searching everywhere for someone who could handle spirits, she suddenly appeared out of the ground.
Not metaphorically, really.
Suddenly, a flower of an unusual shape bloomed, and soon it transformed into the shape of a beautiful woman.
-Hello? Hello, hello, hello! Nice to meet you~! I’m Floetta!
-It seems like you’re in trouble… …Should I help you?
Depicchio, who was not unaware of the ‘stranger’, gladly accepted her as an ally.
A cunning spirit or a clever nature was no problem.
Because her abilities were desperately needed for Deficio’s grand plan.
“It’s almost time. Go away, daughter. You have been a very useful child.”
The black moon reached out to the lying white moon, interlocking its fingers with its hands.
A thin thread stretched out from each of the ten fingers.
Black Moon’s specialty is mental manipulation.
Whatever he was trying to do, it was clear that it would be harmful rather than beneficial to the White Moon.
But at that moment, the eyes of the white moon that had been lying motionless as if fainted flashed.
“……you?!”
The black moon, who met her eyes, opened its eyes wide as if it realized something and took a step back.
The white moon’s hands moved faster than that.
Shhhhh!
She quickly grabbed the dagger she had placed in her chest and swung it without a moment’s hesitation.
Phew!
A sharp knife pierced the heart of the black moon.
The white moon, laughing cruelly, turned the knife it was holding tightly and tore at the wound.
Puhwaaaaak-!
Bright red blood spurted out, wetting the already damp floor.
“Huk, ugh! You, you… …!! No way?!”
Frowning as he was, dripping with cold sweat, and sensing his own death, Black Moon mustered up all his strength to barely open his mouth.
To confirm the facts he had sensed!
“Ahaha.”
Nero, who was disguised as the white moon, or rather her, laughed at that desperate appearance.
Nero also realized that the Black Moon had figured out that the current her was not real.
‘Is that what it means for a father to be a father?’
Nero, who read Yana’s memories while disguised as the unique magic ‘Imposter’, laughed loudly. Bloodlines are meaningless. He now found this farce extremely funny.
He approached me closely and whispered so that only the black moon could hear.
“How did you know, Father?”
The veins in Black Moon’s eyes burst as he realized her identity at her distinctive tone of speech.
“Yes, neinooooooooh!!!”
It only took a moment for Noh Ho-seong to burst out in anger like that.
Crunch!
White Moon took out a knife like a ray of light with his other hand, not the one holding the dagger, and cut off Black Moon’s neck.
The blown off head rolled somewhere with a thud.
“Huh~”
It was then! A white, beautiful hand appeared from somewhere and lifted it up. She stroked it with affectionate hands.
“Oh my god, white moon! To cut off your own father’s head like this! You… … .”
A high-toned, hoarse voice shouted playfully.
“I really like it!”
Then, the narrowed pupils opened like flowers in bloom.
It was Mine Floeta.