Chapter 7

After this, Ju-Hee lost consciousness. Song picked up the unconscious girl and placed her on his shoulder.

- I'm really sorry. - Mr. Song admitted.

Mr. Song bowed his head to Jin-Woo.

- Me too. But I'm glad you managed to escape.

After saying goodbye, Song quickly left the altar.

While the three were talking, the statues came within a stone's throw of them.

Jin-Woo knelt down and took a few deep breaths.

He noticed the sword Kim had left next to him. So he reached out and picked it up.

If he was going to die here, he would just take one monster with him.

When he looked back, Jin-Woo saw that Mr. Song was safely walking out the door with an unconscious Ju-Hee slung over his good arm.

What a relief that was.

Only he will die here. No one more.

He didn't do it because of some hidden nobility of his, wanting to heroically sacrifice himself for others.

His decision was well calculated.

Even if he survived and got out of here today, he would have to live as a cripple for the rest of his life.

Of course, being a hunter would then be impossible. And it was also doubtful whether he would be able to live a normal life either. He was only a high school graduate, and since he had no discernible job skills, he simply didn't have many opportunities to put food on the table.

It would only be an even bigger burden.

He wouldn't be able to pay for his sister's studies or his mother's hospitalization.

Not as an unemployed cripple.

If his little sister dies here, he will get quite good compensation.

His sister was young, but if she had money, she would manage somehow.

She was not a person who stupidly spent money left and right.

Since their father left, they both had to learn to save. And when their mother became ill, money problems worsened.

That's why she knew how much their absence hurts and how disastrous wasting them can be.

From what I knew, there was enough compensation paid to family members of fallen hunters.

Three or four hundred million won (221786 USD or 295715 USD)

It was a huge amount of money for the worthless life of an E-rank Hunter who was useless.

Finally, the statues arrived.

The first to arrive climbed the altar. Jin-Woo glared at him and raised his sword.

The pain was blurring his judgment, and his vision was already darkening from blood loss and exhaustion. But he wasn't going to give up now.

Unfortunately, the expected attack did not come from the front, but from the rear.

A long spear pierced Jin-Woo's back and exited from his chest.

Jin-Woo took a painful breath, spitting out a lot of blood that stained his chin, neck and already ruined sweatshirt.

An unimaginable amount of pain came like a tsunami.

The stone statue raised its spear. Jin-Woo was lifted into the air, still pierced by that spear. However, he only struggled for a short while - as the statue threw him onto the altar.

He could hear the unpleasant, disgusting cracking of his own bones in his ears.

He instinctively doubled over in pain, which only made it worse.

As he began to shake, stone statues slowly surrounded him. They formed a circle around him. Jin-Woo raised his head and looked at them, barely conscious.

In his eyes, these statues were just increasingly blurry spots.

He didn't want to die so much.

Now, with his final moments ahead of him, tears came to his eyes again.

He remembered the faces of his family. He even remembered Ju-Hee's face, her face full of worry and concern for his safety.

He lived only twenty-four years. Was it supposed to end so miserably?

How can this be okay?

What kind of gratitude is this?

He was fed up with these constant betrayals!

He had a family too...!

He wanted to see her again too.

Didn't that count?

Was he really happy that he was the only one who would die here?

Will he deceive himself even in the last moments of his life? No one but his sister will miss him.

But did that mean his life really had less value?

According to whom?

The stone statue wielding a sword took a step closer without a hint of emotion. Then she raised her sword high.

Even though he was shaking badly, Jin-Woo didn't look away from that son of a bitch.

Although he won't be a coward in the last seconds of his life.

Finally, the statue's sword slashed.

If... He... Had... Just... One More... Chance.

Jin-Woo's eyes opened wider.

But suddenly something happened.

He heard a strange sound from an unidentified place.

As if someone was running some application on the computer.

When this sound echoed around him, the statue froze motionless with its sword raised up.

But now, to Jin-Woo's eyes, she was just a large blob of a barely recognizable shape.

As if someone had pressed the pause button, the terrifyingly fast-moving sword suddenly stopped in mid-air.

NO...

He didn't stop at all.

He... Slowed down?!

The vague shape of the sword continued to move.

But very slowly.

Even though the sword was still falling, it would take even a minute to reach it.

What... just happened?

It was then that a woman's voice he didn't know and had never heard before rang in his head.

[ NOTICE! ]

[ YOU HAVE MET ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS TO COMPLETE THE SECRET QUEST: "COURAGE OF THE WEAK" ]

What?

What was that?

Secret mission? Conditions?

Were... were they dreams?

But if so, why... like this?

Jin-Woo couldn't understand it.

From where...? - Jin-Woo croaked with the last of his strength. However, the word was so distorted that no one would likely understand it.

The voice ignored the attempted question.

[ YOU HAVE EARNED THE RIGHT TO BECOME A PLAYER. DO YOU AGREE? ]

Did he get the right?

Right?

For what?

He grew up in poverty since childhood, so until now he has never refused freebies. However, this was a story from when he was still alive. What was the use of free stuff when he was dead?

When Jin-Woo hesitated and didn't answer, the voice in his head asked again, as if to encourage him.

[ YOU HAVE NO TIME TO THINK. ]

[ IF YOU REJECT THE OFFER, YOUR HEART WILL STOP 0.02 SECONDS AFTER YOU MAKE YOUR DECISION. DO YOU WANT TO BECOME A PLAYER? ]

[ YES ] [ NO ]

He couldn't tell if he was hallucinating or not, but he still knew he was just moments away from dying for good. He finally saw countless other weapons pointed at him besides that damn sword.

He had no time to think. But even if he had... his brain was already practically shut down.

He didn't agree.

He actually acted on instinct.

It was suggested so he said yes.

Or rather he thought. Because he no longer had the strength to even open his mouth. Let alone say anything.

[ NOTICE! ]

[ HELLO, PLAYER ]

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