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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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Chapter 17: Shooting Star (1)
O Lord.
Where are You?
Why have You turned away from our suffering and disappeared?
Why have You abandoned us to the depths of darkness?
Return to us. Come to us once again.
Lead us not into further trials.
But deliver us from evil.
–Three minutes until stage time! Please finish preparations quickly!
A voice rang in the ears of the woman kneeling on the floor.
She tucked the small crucifix she held back inside her clothes and stood up.
Turning her head, she glanced at the mirror beside her.
Red eyeliner, blue lipstick.
Her pale white face was covered in thick makeup.
"Smile."
She spoke to her reflection.
She forced her lips into a smile, but her eyes—gloomy and full of sorrow—remained unchanged.
Even faking her emotions was too much to ask.
"Fighting..."
She whispered.
Taking a deep breath, she opened the dressing room door and stepped outside.
—Waaaah!
The sound of the crowd flooded the empty hallway.
At the end of the hall, three girls dressed similarly to her were waving eagerly.
Beaming brightly, they waited for her.
"Unnie, hurry up!"
[Unnie — is a term of endearment used by females to address older female friends or family members.]
"We're gonna get yelled at by the boss!"
"I bet she snuck off to eat something again!"
The woman didn’t move toward her teammates.
Instead, she turned her head toward the heavy doors leading out of the stadium.
Doors she had never dared open for herself stood firmly shut.
"......"
Forcing herself to look away, she moved forward.
Toward the direction where the cheers were erupting.
–Waaaah!
–I_Vu! I_Vu!
–We love you, I_Vu!
＊ ＊ ＊
Rumble—
Today, as always, Baek Ho’s office shook with the noise of passing trains.
“I really need to move this office...”
Leaning back on the sofa, Baek Ho stared blankly.
His right cybernetic eye activated, projecting a SmartCore display in front of him.
A message had arrived from the black-market dealer, Holiday.
–[We’ve received the Phantom Surge-666 you sent over. The engine is in excellent condition. However, it’s a shame that the adamantium attached to the ceiling was of such low purity…]
[Whatever. How much.]
–[It should cover about half the cost of the G-Wagon you purchased.]
[That’s kind of cheap. What about the special request?]
–[We’re still searching for a revolver that meets your specifications. Given your refined taste, we’re being extra cautious with the selection. We appreciate your patience.]
[Got it. Thanks.]
–[Thank you for choosing us.]
Baek Ho smiled in satisfaction.
“Nice.”
As expected, Sophia’s honey pot kept on giving.
Besides the money from fencing the stolen goods, the client had paid an even bigger fee than before.
Since it involved gang activity, they tacked on extra danger pay or whatever.
His Resolver license points had also jumped significantly.
At this rate, after completing just one more job, he'd likely hit B-Rank.
“That reminds me…”
He hadn’t heard from Sophia in days.
He was itching to cash in on the next sweet job, but there was total radio silence.
Even when he called, it just went to voicemail telling him to try again later.
When he contacted Mujin, Mujin said he was busy working private security gigs these days.
When Baek Ho asked about Sophia, Mujin stammered awkwardly.
‘Who’s that again? Ah—no, wait. Damn, slip of the tongue. I honestly don’t know.’
Baek Ho couldn’t shake the feeling he was being deliberately avoided.
‘...Maybe she found another fixer that’s better?’
As he stewed over Sophia ghosting him, he sensed some commotion behind the sofa.
“Cut it out already.”
Baek Ho muttered as he craned his head back.
There was Frank, dressed in a black tuxedo, awkwardly fidgeting and moving around in his clothes, which looked ready to burst at the seams.
“You…”
He opened his mouth to say something but stopped himself.
Today was the I_Vu concert Frank had been looking forward to for ages.
He didn’t want to kill the guy’s vibe over something petty.
“But why is your face so red?”
“I held my breath ‘cause it felt like my heart was gonna explode.”
“Fuckin' idiot…”
Just as Baek Ho shook his head in disbelief, Frank’s massive hand shoved into view, holding several colorful placards he had made.
[I_Vu ♥ I_KILL FOR YOU]
[What’s the point of resurrection without I_Vu]
[UnderHeaven’s Brightest Star ★ I_Vu]
[Forever - I_Vu - I Love You]
Turns out Frank had spent all night painstakingly crafting the signs by hand, using sheets of NecroShell—a material tough enough to tear through monsters.
“You’re seriously insane.”
“The bottom two are for you, Baek Ho.”
“...Cut the crap.”
“Don’t want ‘em? Then I’m gonna go get more surgery.”
"Hey, weren’t you supposed to use that money to upgrade your NecroShell?"
"I don’t remember. Must be a brain issue."
"...Fine, just carry them, alright? Anyway, did you really have to wear that outfit?"
"There’s a photo op after the concert. Gotta take pictures of Frank."
"Don't tell me you actually paid for those expensive tickets."
"I did. Bought them with the payment from our last job."
"You crazy bastard…."
Baek Ho clenched his fists.
Inside, he was screaming.
I want to hit him.
I want to hit him so bad I’m losing my mind!
Just the seats they reserved for the concert were enough to fill five spots.
Because of Frank’s massive frame, they had to book not just the seat itself, but the ones on either side and front and back too.
On top of that, Frank had also bought a photo session ticket with I_Vu.
If it had been back when they weren’t so tight on money, Baek Ho might have just brushed it off with a "you spent a bit, huh?"
But now, every credit mattered. It was a serious hit.
"You…"
"This is my last wish before I die. A once-in-a-lifetime chance to take a photo with I_Vu."
Baek Ho slowly unclenched his fists.
"Goddammit, no one’s dying… Whatever. Just make sure you keep your promise."
"Promise? What promise?"
"......"
"Alright, alright. Sorry. Don’t glare at me. I won’t get any more plastic surgery."
"...Let’s just head out already."
Baek Ho got up from the sofa and grabbed his black long coat from the wall.
The outer pockets were stuffed with black cigarettes and bullets, and the inside pockets held a revolver and a purple stick.
The purple stick, topped with a small glowing orb, was actually an exclusive limited-edition I_Vu lightstick—Baek Ho’s surprise gift for Frank.
"Frank, on the way here, I picked up something—"
Mid-sentence, a hologram screen popped up in front of him.
{Incoming call.}
{Caller: X}
Baek Ho quickly tapped the area behind his ear to answer.
"Yeah, it’s me."
–Have you been well, Baek Ho?
A stiff, mechanical voice answered.
Their tone was so distorted it was impossible to tell if they were male or female.
"Thanks for asking."
–Seems like you were waiting for me.
"Not even close."
–Based on the analysis of your voice, slight fluctuations were detected in your heartbeat and breathing patterns. Indicators of anticipation. Am I mistaken?
"...You’re the same as ever."
–They say people who change easily are the first to die. Anyway, what an honor it is to have someone destined to save humanity waiting for me.
"Cut the crap. Get to the point."
–Very well. As before, I will be passing down a new arcane technique today.
It had been some time after Baek Ho left his family home that he first made contact with the mysterious "X."
Out of nowhere, they had offered to teach him the long-lost arcane arts.
Baek Ho accepted.
At first, purely out of curiosity.
He had been drawn to the idea of learning summoning magic—something the Academy didn’t teach.
Once he actually started, he found himself utterly captivated by the bizarre powers and continued training.
Now, it had become a crucial part of his journey, directly tied to his ultimate goal.
"Teach me or don’t. Ahem... Anyway, when?"
–Head to the address I’m sending you now.
"...Right now?"
–You must hurry. I’m outside the EM Shield, and you’re deep inside UnderHeaven. That’s a very long distance. Even hacking the shield has its limits. The system will restore soon, and time is short.
A deep frown etched across Baek Ho’s forehead.
The truth was, he had been eagerly waiting for X’s call.
Every day, he looked forward to what new Black Divine Beast he might get to form a contract with next.
But not today.
It couldn’t be today.
He knew better than anyone—today was an incredibly important day for Frank.
"That..."
Baek Ho turned his head and looked at Frank.
Frank was practicing shaking a placard, his shoulders swaying with each movement.
Would he go if I told him to go by himself?
Maybe not, but it’s an I_Vu concert. Wouldn’t he go for that?
No way.
If it’s that guy, he’ll follow me to the end.
Especially since he's terrified of the arcane technique X is teaching me.
"Can we do it tomorrow?"
At Baek Ho's words, the mechanical voice replied.
–That's impossible. If it's not today, it could be a month from now... or even a year. I can't guarantee when. Do you know that Hell's Realm recently reinforced the EM Shield? It’s highly advanced.
"...Feels like you're blaming me?"
–Baek Ho.
"What?"
–Didn't you say you wanted to get stronger? With this kind of determination... Perhaps I should look for another successor.
"Cut it out with the threats. Did you forget who I am? I can recover the data on that so-called 'forbidden dark arcane arts.' You know what Hell’s Realm is capable of."
–Do you truly believe the data stored in UnderHeaven is the same as the authentic version I possess?
"Are you sure there's a difference?"
–It's up to your belief.
The mechanical voice paused for a moment before resuming.
–But there is one thing that’s certain. We know how to cure your friend. The chief technician of Hell’s Realm has given up, but we have the answer. It lies in the Barigyo Arcane Arts. Didn’t you confirm this?
"......"
–Don’t you want to save your friend? Your benefactor. Was your goal just empty words?
Baek Ho turned his head to look at Frank.
He looked at his only friend, who had willingly sacrificed his life for him.
After a moment of silence, he spoke.
"Give me the address."
＊ ＊ ＊
The place they arrived at was the top floor of a nearby megabuilding.
Previously, they had planned to meet on a pile of undead incinerator husks, but now it was practically a sterile environment compared to back then.
Of course, the journey up wasn't exactly comfortable.
Creeeak—
He opened the iron door and stepped onto the rooftop.
Before him, a vast panoramic view of the city unfolded.
Brilliant neon signs shining through the massive forest of buildings.
The dreary and chaotic back alleys.
The cacophony of advertisements and the blaring horns of passing cars filled the air.
To some, it might be the endlessly beautiful night view of the city, but not to Baek Ho.
He was utterly jaded by it all.
"There it is."
In the center of the vast rooftop, a TV stood.
Its bezel was about a centimeter thick, and the semi-transparent screen indicated that it was an old device.
Baek Ho didn’t immediately approach it.
Instead, he leaned against the nearby rooftop railing.
Below him, the deep abyss of the city’s heart loomed, while above him, the dark sky surrounded him.
"It’s the perfect place to jump off."
No one would have actually gone through with this horrible thought.
If the building manager were someone with normal reasoning, they would’ve locked the door tightly.
"Frank, come over here and take a look."
Frank, who had quietly followed him, now stood beside Baek Ho.
"......"
"Stop crying."
"Ugh..."
"I’ll get tickets for the next concert. This time, I’ll book you a seat in the stands."
"Undead can't sit in the stands. Don’t you know that?"
"Who do you think I am? You think I can’t manage that?"
"Yeah."
"...Look over there."
Baek Ho pointed to a distant spot.
The farthest edge of the vast UnderHeaven.
Countless mega-buildings were clustered together, forming a massive fortress.
Among them were four gigantic skyscrapers towering above the others, reaching high into the sky.
Necro Plaza.
It was known to the people as the Mecca of necromancy.
"Where am I supposed to look?"
"My house. Well, the house I used to live in."
Baek Ho pointed to one of the skyscrapers.
It had a particularly striking and unique design.
It resembled a traditional Hanok, the traditional house of a long-gone country called the Republic of Korea.
The tiled roof design, reminiscent of a curved eaves, wrapped around the building, and multicolored alloys intertwined between the eaves like the decorative patterns in traditional Korean architecture.
"Are you talking about the headquarters of Yeomra?"
"I’ll call them. No, I'll speak directly with my aunt."
"If it’s the chairwoman, I believe it."
"If you're satisfied, let’s get this over with."
Baek Ho was the first to offer a fist bump.
Reluctantly, Frank bumped his fist against it.
"Wait here. I’ll be back in a bit."
"Got it."
Baek Ho arrived in front of the old-fashioned TV placed in the center of the rooftop.
He took a deep breath and spoke.
"I'm here."
With a neutral voice, the TV screen flickered to life.
Against a red, noise-filled background, a white X-shaped symbol appeared on the screen.
–It’s so good to see you again.
"I don’t feel the same. You ruined an important appointment for me."
–I apologize. I didn’t realize meeting with me was less important. Were you supposed to meet a woman?
"Stop talking nonsense and give me a chair."
In front of the empty TV screen, a single chair appeared.
It was a luxurious one-seater sofa, upholstered in red leather.
"Oh, it’s the same model as the one in my living room."
It was surprising that X knew even these small details.
Although Baek Ho was curious about X's true identity, he didn’t ask.
He knew that X would never reveal it anyway.
Baek Ho slumped into the chair and crossed his legs.
He gestured towards the TV.
"Alright, X. Let’s get this over with."
–Personally, I prefer the title 'Master' over X. 'Sifu' also works.
"Shut up, X."
–I’ll say it again. It's not the letter X. It's Roman numeral Ⅹ (10).
"Are you stalling on purpose? Do you need more time to chant your spell?"
–Haha. Of course not. I’ll proceed with the arcane instruction right away.
With a stiff voice, the TV screen began to shake violently, filled with static.
{!Warning!}
{Unidentified magical energy detected.}
{Leave your current location immediately.}
Baek Ho casually dismissed the warning that appeared on his SmartCore, his expression indifferent.
In the blink of an eye, the surrounding scenery completely changed.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Hestia]
[Proofreader - Kaya]
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