NOVEL NEXT Chapter 34
“Just die for me once.”
She speaks while holding a kitchen knife.
In the dark house, the sound of water dripping can be heard.
“What are you talking about?”
Han Si-Hoo glances at Yoo Seo-Ah.
“The doctor is giving me medicine… for life.”
In the end, it’s all the doctor’s fault again. Just being at the Academy couldn’t erase the traces of the doctor.
“…Okay.”
The messy dormitory comes into view. The reason she wasn’t answering her phone becomes clear. A broken device. Strange pieces of rope lying on the ground for some reason. Several empty syringes rolling around. A pill bottle that used to contain pills is also rolling.
From the bathroom, the sound of water overflowing can be heard. Questions arise about what she was doing.
“So just help me… one more time.”
When asked for help, one cannot refuse.
“Can’t you just die for me once?”
Just once. Yoo Seo-Ah earnestly pleads while holding the kitchen knife. It’s not a request one could ask of anyone.
Han Si-Hoo doesn’t know what happened to Yoo Seo-Ah today. He doesn’t know how much medicine she has used. He rushed back while battling monsters in the nearby downtown. He saved several people. Rescued kids under attack from monsters. That was when the emergency call sounded.
A multitude of unknown citizens and one friend. Who should take priority?
The chronic manpower shortage is an issue. There are few people active as Awakeners. There aren’t enough personnel gathered at the Academy. If Han Si-Hoo steps back now, how many more people will suffer?
He tries calling but gets no answer. Should he retreat back to the Academy from here? At some point, the number of people Han Si-Hoo had to protect increased. From just Yoo Seo-Ah to all innocent citizens.
“You’re the protagonist, so you can do it, right?”
You can save them all. Yoo Seo-Ah believes Han Si-Hoo can do anything.
“Protagonist?”
“Right? You would want me to get better and be happy, right?”
Of course. He desperately hopes for Yoo Seo-Ah’s recovery.
“Snap out of it…”
In the end, Han Si-Hoo couldn’t guarantee the safety of the citizens. Because he realized there was no one else to help Yoo Seo-Ah. The atmosphere of battle was coming to a close, so it wouldn’t be a big deal if he stepped back.
“Snap out of it? I’m feeling great! So happy!”
The sound of water spilling from the bathroom doesn’t stop. Water is dripping from Yoo Seo-Ah’s hair and clothes.
“That’s not…”
That isn’t real happiness. That much is certain. So what is true happiness?
Living for others. And so, Han Si-Hoo lived that way. It’s what someone said was the destiny of a hero. As much as you have power, you must give back. Take responsibility for saving people.
He feels sorry to the point of wanting to die. It’s his fault that Yoo Seo-Ah, who always relied on him, ended up like this. If dying would solve all the problems, then that would be good. But that’s just an irresponsible escape.
“Can’t you just die for me?”
He says with a smile. Han Si-Hoo also lightly chuckled.
“…[Augmentation].”
It’s a skill he just obtained. Thanks to defeating the boss monster in the earlier city battle. Han Si-Hoo always thought of this world as being similar to a game. A game with extremely high freedom. If he attacks using Augmentation, the power increases. The same goes for using other skills. It’s a skill for strengthening.
He catches monsters. Levels up. Increases stats. Gets stronger. Catches stronger monsters.
Repeat. Eventually, he’ll catch boss monsters, and completing quests will progress things. It’s no different from a game.
“Ugh…?”
Yoo Seo-Ah retreats backward to avoid Han Si-Hoo who is approaching. It doesn’t seem like he is going to willingly die. If that’s the case, there’s only battle. But she feels scared.
Crash.
Yoo Seo-Ah slips on the water that has spilled on the floor. She falls backward awkwardly, trying to avoid Han Si-Hoo.
“When the skill level reaches 5, special effects kick in, and beyond 10, the performance becomes amazing.”
[Purification] was at level 1. The penalties from Purification were severe because of that. It only affected Yoo Seo-Ah’s medicine to that extent.
“Ugh.”
Han Si-Hoo is already beside the fallen Yoo Seo-Ah. Close enough to feel her breath. Then he has no choice but to stab.
Isn’t this a good opportunity?
Stab.
His arm gets pierced. Not by the syringe, but by the kitchen knife.
No need to stop it. If Yoo Seo-Ah can return to normal, that’s all that matters.
Thud.
The blade pierces his abdomen.
Is this the kind of pain? He tries to endure it, knowing it’s the pain Seo-Ah probably felt too.
“[Purification].”
All the skill points he had were already poured into Purification. That’s why he couldn’t secure first place in the Academy test. He invested heavily in that strange skill.
But Han Si-Hoo saw hope here. He thought he could somehow save Yoo Seo-Ah. With the newly acquired Augmentation skill, it would definitely be possible.
A light shines down.
*
Light.
[Paused]
With unprecedented clarity, he surveys the situation.
A wrecked house.
Syringes.
Whether or not he has scars on his body doesn’t matter.
It’s a sensation he hasn’t felt in a long time.
Everything is visible clearly.
The mess in the house is vividly visible.
The smell of tap water.
He feels water dripping from his head.
The taste of metal.
“Ah…?”
Han Si-Hoo is collapsed.
Blood is flowing from his abdomen.
A blood-stained kitchen knife is held in his hand.
His hands tremble.
He doesn’t remember what he did.
What were today’s lessons again?
Why is Han Si-Hoo collapsed here?
Move.
Do something.
Call for help.
Someone is hurt.
Can’t you just die once for me?
He remembers.
It’s a line he can’t admit to having said.
What was he talking about?
[Paused]
“I believed the protagonist wouldn’t die.”
“Are you… okay…”
He’s still breathing.
He hasn’t died.
Snap out of it.
Han Si-Hoo’s words echo in his ears.
After finally regaining his senses, he can’t think of what to do.
It’s unthinkable for the protagonist to be collapsed.
Why did this happen?
How did it come to this?
No matter how much medicine was needed, it shouldn’t have fallen this far.
[Paused]
“-Si-Hoo?”
He hears another voice.
Looking toward the torn door, a girl stands holding a sword in each hand.
With long braided black hair.
It’s Yeon-Hwa.
She was supposed to bring a present to Han Si-Hoo but ended up giving it to him.
“Who are you?”
He understands what it means to exude killer intent.
His body feels numb.
“What have you done?”
He doesn’t even know.
“Si-Hoo called you a friend. Did you attack him?”
Attack?
Why would he attack?
But it’s true he attacked.
However, it wasn’t intentional.
No, it was a deliberate act.
The kitchen knife is still clutched in his hand.
“…Syringe?”
She looks confused.
Numerous empty syringes are rolling around.
What did he use so much for?
He can’t believe the amount of it was used by him.
“Si-Hoo bled because of me.”
There’s no time for this.
He must help Han Si-Hoo first.
“Hah.”
Yeon-Hwa seems to realize what to prioritize as well.
She pulls Han Si-Hoo away from him and checks his wounds.
As she checks Han Si-Hoo’s condition, she points her sword toward him.
She’s on guard.
He’s clearly the enemy.
Having attacked Han Si-Hoo, he has nothing to say.
He doesn’t even think ill of Si-Hoo.
In fact, it feels better.
Because they are friends.
But why did he stab him?
[Paused]
It’s due to time.
He honestly doesn’t know how time stopped.
Thanks to Han Si-Hoo using Purification.
So if Han Si-Hoo is okay now, will everything return to normal?
“Are you okay? Si-Hoo?”
Yeon-Hwa checks on Han Si-Hoo’s status.
He wants to ask the same.
But asking if he’s okay after having stabbed him feels odd.
He had no intention of stabbing him.
But saying so would only be seen as an unsuccessful excuse.
It’s his fault.
“People will come to help soon. Just hold on a little longer.”
She is clearly on guard against him.
She checks if the unconscious Han Si-Hoo is breathing.
Then she looks back toward him.
“You, because of you.”
He can feel anger.
It’s the kind of murderous intent that seems to want to kill him right now.
“I had heard you were from the slums, but I didn’t expect you to come to this extent.”
She has information about him.
Maybe Si-Hoo told her.
“I see you’ve been a drug addict as well. I’ve seen people like you before. Disgusting.”
He has nothing to say.
“Why did you come? Did you think being an old friend would excuse this?”
No.
He has at least some morals.
He has a conscience.
It was just too much pain without the medicine.
His arm still aches.
It hurts like his hand has bruises.
He hates the creaking of his body.
When the drug is in effect, these things become nothing.
He didn’t do this just to experience slight pain relief.
It was just unavoidable.
“I think you’ve lost your mind. Get proper treatment. And pay for your sins.”
Treatment.
He thought that as well.
Holding the knife while half-soaked in water.
This is the result of using the medicine in the name of treatment.
“Do you really have any grudge against him?”
Yeon-Hwa wraps the wound area with her clothing to stop the bleeding.
Even while doing so, she doesn’t lower her guard against him.
[Paused]
How long has it been since the drug didn’t threaten him?
Thanks to Han Si-Hoo.
He has no grudges.
Because he’s a friend.
Maybe they could have returned to how things used to be.
If he hadn’t stabbed him with the knife, this situation wouldn’t have occurred.
That’s probably true.
Could he have gone back to when Seo-Ah and Si-Hoo were friends?
Because of what he did.
He did stab him.
But it’s odd that someone would collapse just from being stabbed by Han Si-Hoo.
There must be more to this.
From the moment he arrived at the dormitory, Si-Hoo looked exhausted.
He probably rushed over because of him after a fight somewhere.
By the circumstances, that seems certain.
So did he fall due to his attack?
“…I hear noises. A rescue team seems to be coming, so I’ll take you with me.”
He did something inhumane.
He has held Han Si-Hoo back for a long time.
And in the end, he couldn’t help him at all.
Damn it.
He truly didn’t want to attack Han Si-Hoo.
Is it true that when a person is cornered, they can do anything?
[Paused]
Did he try to kill Han Si-Hoo?
No matter how much he may hate someone, he doesn’t truly wish to kill them.
He wouldn’t do such a thing.
What did he do?
Even if he asks what he did, it wasn’t what he did.
No, it was him who did it.
But he didn’t do it.
He tried to kill someone, didn’t he?
Now even avoiding the situation using the drug is impossible.
He can’t tell if his body is wet from water or blood.
“It’s going to hurt.”
Bang.
With that, consciousness cut off.