Chapter 18: The Blue Sun

Master of Telekinesis.

One who manipulates everything within their Domain at will.

As soon as the thought ended, a curse burst from Hyunseung’s lips.

“Hey, you bastard.”

Nam Tae-min turned around in confusion, looking back at him.

Behind him sprawled sticky blood and the corpses of hundreds of monsters.

‘Why would someone who knows the dangers of the Abyss so well not attempt a raid?’

“You, bastard, let’s have a word.”

“…Are you talking to me right now?”

“Yes, you punk.”

Nam Tae-min’s expression chilled, passing from disbelief to icy calm.

“I’m not the kind of person who’d let a stranger talk to me like that, you know.”

Killing Intent surged from Nam Tae-min’s body.

It wasn’t just a threatening glare, but the registered mid-tier skill, Killing Intent.

A mental skill that provokes primal fear in its target, making them unable to even think of resisting.

It was a convenient skill for putting a rude upstart in their place, and he thought this would be enough.

[Trait ‘Can’t Live Without Style!’ is activating]

Hyunseung, with an incredulous look, only quickened his pace.

“Huh, Nam Tae-min—no, Sirbert.”

Only then did Nam Tae-min’s expression become grave.

“Why didn’t you go for the raid? What were you planning to do if you made even the slightest mistake?”

“You… Who are…?”

Hyunseung, having finally reached Nam Tae-min, grabbed him by the collar.

Nam Tae-min’s eyes shook uncontrollably in shock.

“No… No way, you…”

As he lightly tugged on the collar, “That’s right. Me.”

He whispered a name into his ear.

“Jijoncheonma.”

Above Hyunseung’s head, blue flames flared, illuminating everything as bright as midday beneath the blaze.

[Skill – ‘Fire’ is activating]

Nam Tae-min’s legs gave out, and he staggered.

That settles it. Jijoncheonma has lost his power.

Hahaha…

‘Who was it that spouted such nonsense?’

He wanted to drag that guy over and make him sit right next to him.

‘Lost his power? Who? This guy?’

The flames shone so brilliantly he felt he might go blind.

The massive blue blaze rising behind Jijoncheonma’s back lit up the empty city like a sun.

Jijoncheonma hadn’t failed to grow stronger.

He simply hadn’t needed to.

‘Could it be that the benefit of being number one… was inheriting previous abilities…?’

Judging by the circumstances, it seemed almost certain.

Jijoncheonma’s original ability was ‘Lord of Flames.’

And what he was seeing now matched the Jijoncheonma of those days perfectly.

‘So he didn’t bother raising his fame… because he didn’t need to…’

If he’d inherited his absolute power as it was, why would fame points matter?

He was already a supreme being.

Even with a fireball that size floating in the sky, all he could feel was a faint warmth.

That was what made it all the more terrifying.

Just how great was his control over flame?

“Explain yourself, Sirbert.”

Nam Tae-min, unable to see anything clearly through the blinding radiance, forced himself to focus.

Jijoncheonma was someone who cared about the Ventair universe as much as he did.

He couldn’t afford to make a mistake in his answer.

“I prepared for two years. I can guarantee there were no mistakes. So please, just calm down and listen to me…”

“I trusted you all, that’s why I didn’t step in. But to get stabbed in the back like this.”

“No, no! We really thought this was the best way! I mean it, please believe me!”

“The best, the best, huh…”

Jijoncheonma’s face suddenly closed in, stopping right in front of Nam Tae-min.

Those unwavering eyes stared straight through him.

The blue flames in the background looked down upon him.

“Can you really say for sure that was the best?”

So Nam Tae-min couldn’t say for sure.

Up until he’d met Jijoncheonma, he’d been certain this was the best, but now he couldn’t be anymore.

Under these blue flames, anything would seem small and pitiful.

“As I thought, you can’t answer.”

But he had to answer, somehow.

He didn’t want to anger Jijoncheonma any further.

He couldn’t afford to lose his trust.

“So, what happened is…”

“Tsk”

So, even as he tried to open his mouth and make excuses—

“I’ll be seeing you soon, Sirbert.”

Jijoncheonma’s figure began to blur.

“When that time comes, you’d better have a convincing plan to show me.”

As his form faded as if it might vanish at any moment, Sirbert snapped to his senses and asked one last question.

“Th-that means… you’re going to start making your move in earnest…?”

No answer came back.

He was gone, completely.

Jijoncheonma and that overwhelming blue sun in the sky.

“Ha, hahaha…”

Nam Tae-min collapsed on the spot, his strength gone.

Night had returned in an instant, but the blue flames would remain forever burned into his mind.

“If this isn’t a bolt from the blue, I don’t know what is…”

The meeting had been brief, but the shock was like a storm.

Facing him for a single minute was hundreds of times more nerve-wracking than fighting any Abyss Monster.

His clothes, once immaculate, were now wrinkled and a mess, and his hands were slick with sweat.

‘When was the last time he’d been so shaken?’

He straightened his crumpled clothes, dusted himself off, and stood up.

When he reached up to fix his disheveled hair, he touched his slightly singed bangs and shivered again.

‘If he’d raised the temperature even a little…’

If he’d wanted, it wouldn’t have been just his bangs burning, but the entire city.

And then, belatedly, Jijoncheonma’s last words echoed in his mind.

— I’ll be seeing you soon, Sirbert.

Nam Tae-min let out a sigh from the depths of his soul.

“Shit, I’m really screwed.”

[All Abyss Gates have been destroyed]

[Returning]

***

His vision grew dim, and when he came to, he was in a dusky mountain valley.

The familiar vegetable field.

He’d returned to the place he’d last been.

‘…There was so much I needed to ask.’

Thinking about it, none of this made sense.

‘How could Sirbert, who should be trapped in this world, be active as Nam Tae-min in Korea?’

If that was true…

‘Don’t tell me all the so-called first Awakened… are Rankers?’

If that was the case, it meant those guys could travel back and forth between Earth and this world.

…Impossible.

He, too, had tried every way imaginable to log out.

He’d even scoured the Point Shop, hoping maybe he could buy it with Fame Points.

‘There’s just one method I haven’t tried yet…’

The one thing he’d thought of but never attempted.

That was dying.

‘…Forget it. There’s no reason to go that far just to get back.’

It had been a long time since he’d been to Earth, but honestly, he hadn’t felt much.

No one he needed to protect, no one he wanted to see.

“Come to think of it, I forgot about the old man. Is he worried?”

To him, maybe this world was the one that felt more like home.

“What excuse should I make…? Should I just say I met someone from the village?”

Whatever he said, the old man would probably sulk for a while.

But if he called him Master, he’d be overjoyed right away.

“Well, I should head in.”

As he turned to leave the field, what caught Hio’s eye was—

A strange, unnatural flame rising in the distance.

***

At the very hour when Hio was forcibly logged out and sent to Earth, Berga was in his underground lab, proudly gazing at two books he’d made himself.

His hand, which had been stroking them as if they were treasures, paused at the loud rumbling of his stomach.

“Ahem. Hio, aren’t you done yet?”

As Berga climbed up to the first floor and called for Hio, there was no sign of him.

What could be taking so long in that little field?

Berga debated heading back down to the basement, but decided to wait a little longer.

It was a good day, after all.

He could still picture his disciple’s excited face, having run out in high spirits at the news he’d be taught a second spell.

“Hahaha. That kid must be thrilled.”

With that kind of talent, he must be itching to learn more magic, yet he was patiently studying—what a promising boy.

To a man who had lived his whole life obsessed with magic, this sudden disciple was all the more precious.

But there was one thing that worried him…

[A mage? Hahahaha! I never thought he was like that, but he must be out of his mind!]

[A mage? You mean those guys who act smart but can’t even earn their keep?]

“Berga. Sorry, but you’re just too weak. To be blunt, you’re useless. So let’s just…”

The reputation of mages had already sunk rock-bottom.

Even when he was young, it was terrible, and now, mages were almost treated like lunatics.

He’d spent his life trying to change that, but nothing had improved.

The only thing that had increased was his patience for scorn and ridicule.

‘…This place is old, too. Older than me.’

From what he’d heard, Berga’s master’s master—

‘Or maybe even before that, this mage’s house had existed, so who knew how old it was?’

Lost in old memories, Berga looked around the room.

It was Berga’s master who had saved him from a life of begging as an orphan.

Gerret Pavlenko.

A man who called himself a Grand Mage and was brimming with pride in his magic—Berga’s master.

He’d followed him, learned magic, traveled the world, and discovered just how little respect mages got.

Even his proud master would put on a servile face to beg for money from others.

And Berga was the same. He had to, to survive.

‘…But at least Hio, that kid…’

He would never let his disciple live like that.

That kid was a genius who could overturn the very perception of mages—he’d achieve anything he set his mind to.

“But why isn’t the kid back yet?”

By now, he should have returned, but his disciple, who’d gone to the field, showed no sign of coming back.

“Geez, tsk. Making an old man move around.”

In the end, Berga heaved his aged body outside.

The gentle autumn weather wrapped around him.

He felt the soft crunch of fallen leaves beneath his feet as he reached the field.

“Disciple! What are you up to?”

He called out as he entered the field, but there was no sign of anyone.

All he saw was the basket Hio had taken with him.

The vegetables and fruit inside were spilled out on the ground, the basket rolling around.

“…Hio?”

His heart dropped.

But the more he thought about it, the less sense it made, so he stood still and pondered.

There was nothing dangerous nearby.

The Cobalt Domain was in the area, but those guys almost never left their territory.

With only the basket lying around and nothing else disturbed, it didn’t look like a beast had attacked.

‘Then did Hio run away on his own?’

‘Why?’

‘Was he tired of studying magic?’

‘…That can’t be.’

There was no reason for a kid that excited to run away.

It wasn’t like he was being forced to stay.

So there was only one possibility left.

“That rascal… Must’ve spotted a mountain rabbit and dashed off to chase it. Haha…”

He must’ve tossed the basket aside in his hurry to get meat.

Yeah. That must be it.

All the signs point to it.

“Haha… That kid.”

Berga began picking up the spilled vegetables.

“Haha…”

But in that habitual laugh, there was a thick undercurrent of anxiety.