Chapter 871

EP.871 [Light Novel Side Story] The Chronicles of Deathdinas 1-018

D-Rank Dungeon cleared.

But this was no ordinary D-Rank Dungeon, as it spiraled out of control and a ‘Dimensional Gate’ opened, spewing forth monsters from another world.

The system indicated a mere one-minute golden time window to destroy the Dimensional Gate.

Within that brief span, the four managed to destroy the gate, successfully preventing a calamity involving an SS-Rank Monster appearing in Cheonan.

Xian and the group barely had time to revel in their dungeon-clearing triumph before they needed to have a certain… “conversation.”

* * *

<Night 11 PM, Xian's Office>

“So, what’s this thing?”

“This? What do you mean by ‘this’-”

“Don’t dodge the question. We’re talking about your gun, Xian.”

Nuri asked, but Xian tried to evade, until Raon drove the point home. Xian nervously glanced at the gun on the table.

“It’s just a self-defense weapon. For protection.”

“Is that so? Is this ‘protection’ weapon really strong enough to earn 43% of the dungeon-clearing share with just one trigger pull?”

Raon shivered recalling the bullet that whizzed past Yuna’s earlobe, obliterating over a dozen goblins transformed into demons by a long-term effect in a single strike. That kind of destructive power wasn’t something a regular firearm could achieve.

“Hmph, fine.”

Xian raised both hands in surrender and quickly explained the gun, much like how they’d explained it to Yuna earlier. Raon pressed further about the airport incident, and Xian admitted.

“Fooooo.”

Revealing secrets kept hidden was proving difficult for Yuna, who blew on her chocolate milkshake through a straw. As Yuna’s discontent bubbled within the plastic cup, Raon hefted the rather heavy gun, inspecting it carefully.

“A magical engineering-enhanced firearm loaded with ammunition made from grinding up monster corpses and cores…”

“Uncle, how much did you pay for this thing?”

Nuri, eyeing the silver barrel intently, showed great interest. Xian eyed them warily.

“Why?”

“Well, I’m just curious. It must’ve been super expensive, right?”

“…It’s not for sale.”

Xian reached out for the gun from Raon, who reluctantly handed it back with reluctance written all over his face.

“How exactly you obtained such a weapon is beyond me, but for now, let’s move on. Next.”

Raon brought up the results screen from the dungeon clearance. This was something even Yuna was quite curious about.

“The name displayed there isn’t ‘Xian,’ correct?”

The □▣■ on the results screen was clearly an error and certainly not Xian’s name. Xian nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, that’s right. My alias is Xian.w.Hibiscus.”

Xian’s straightforward confession prompted exchanges of glances among the three. Nuri spoke first.

“Uncle, are you a criminal seeking asylum here? Like, building a guild, earning merit, and then settling down here? Asylum, right?”

“No.”

A sharp reply led Raon to ask,

“Why can’t the dungeon system recognize your name? No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t make sense.”

“I don’t know either. This was my first time contributing damage inside a dungeon. The system glitched, and how would I know why?”

Had I known, I’d have been more careful. Clearly implying something, Xian’s attitude made Raon and Nuri uncomfortable while Yuna set down her cup and asked,

“Do you have any intention of revealing your real name?”

“No.”

“Then we’ll continue calling you Xian, right?”

“Sure… Sure?”

Xian hesitated, drawing attention from Raon and Nuri towards Yuna. She shrugged.

“You requested to be called by your alias, so we should respect that. Besides, our contract is with ‘Xian.'”

“That’s true.”

Raon awkwardly fidgeted with his cup. Yuna turned back to Xian.

“So, Guild Master, will you report the destruction of the Dimensional Gate?”

“Eh? Oh yeah!”

Nuri clapped her hands in surprise.

“That alone should be worth at least 100 million won in reward money!”

“100 million? Why so low? In America, they give 2 billion!”

Xian gasped in disbelief at the absurd disparity. Even if the compensation came from different countries, a difference of 20 times was hard to comprehend.

“In America, they suffered significant damage, but here, such incidents are rare.”

Raon typed on a virtual keyboard, showing Xian a summary of historical Dimensional Gates in Korea.

“Daegu, Busan, and Seoul. Only three instances?”

“All were suppressed early. Korea has experienced the least damage from Dimensional Gates worldwide because ‘Dragon’ class monsters have never appeared.”

“Wow. That’s unfair. If a Demonic Dragon had shown up, it would’ve been SS-Rank difficulty.”

Xian grumbled while chugging coffee. Despite the late hour, caffeine didn’t seem to bother them, prompting Yuna to scold,

“It’s bad for your body to drink caffeine before sleeping.”

“I won’t sleep anyway. I have a lot to do at home today.”

Xian gestured toward their magical gear and scratched their head.

“Turning into a demon, I get that. But there’s no reason for a D-Rank dungeon to spawn an SS-Rank Demonic Dragon via a Dimensional Gate. We need to analyze this. Too many strange things happened today. I’ll stay up all night analyzing this and let you know the results.”

“Are you sure you won’t report it? There’s 100 million won at stake.”

“Reporting it might lead to deportation. Besides, there’s already talk about core leaks and nearly dragging you into danger in the dungeon. It’d be trouble. If it were 2 billion, maybe, but for 100 million, it’s better to keep quiet and bury this.”

Xian convinced the group to conceal the existence of the Dimensional Gate. Nuri seemed hesitant but eventually agreed after some persuasion.

“Alright, let’s call it a day. Yuna, is there a car waiting for you?”

“About 20 minutes. I’ve already informed my family, so it’s fine.”

“Xian, I’ll guard the Hero Suits here.”

Raon pointed to two suits hanging on the wall. Having rushed to the Cheonan dungeon, Raon hadn’t secured accommodation yet, and bringing them home felt awkward with Yuna and Nuri watching.

“Thanks.”

With that, Xian entrusted the office to Raon and descended with Yuna and Nuri. The chilly night air greeted them as Yuna exhaled warm breath, waiting for the autonomous vehicle.

“Guild Master.”

“What is it?”

While Nuri was making a call, Yuna opened the arrived autonomous vehicle’s door, glancing between the office and Nuri before saying,

“No matter what happens, I’m on Xian’s side.”

“……”

Xian froze, speechless. Yuna smiled sweetly, adjusted Xian’s coat collar, and closed the car door before boarding.

Clunk. The car disappeared into the night, leaving Xian touching their coat lapel, exhaling deeply. Nuri approached, giggling after finishing her call.

“Uncle, sister said she’ll help draw attention away. Let’s go inside during that time… Uncle?”

“Eh? Yeah. Let’s go.”

Under the orange streetlights illuminating the night, Xian’s cheeks were faintly flushed.

* * *

Raon stayed behind to guard the Hero Suits, and Yuna returned home on the last autonomous vehicle.

Xian successfully entered the building as Nuri’s bodyguard, fortunately unnoticed by the lingering reporters.

“Isn’t that Kim Nuri?”

“Probably Kim Gaon again. She warned us she’d kill anyone mistaking her identity again. Her hysteria isn’t a joke.”

Eavesdropping on the reporters’ conversation, Xian sighed in relief. Nuri chuckled and entered after scanning her fingerprint.

“Feels like a spy mission, huh?”

“Yeah. It’s late, let’s head upstairs.”

Climbing the stairs, Xian closed their eyes. With almost no magic power left, rest was becoming necessary. In contrast, Nuri was still energetic. Just as they reached the third floor and Xian was about to open the door, Nuri wagged her finger.

“Can I run one more dungeon alone?”

“What do you mean by that?”

Thud. Both Xian and Nuri froze like guilty culprits. A familiar voice echoed from upstairs.

Clomp. Clomp.

As footsteps descended, their gazes naturally shifted upward. There stood Seohyang, glaring daggers at them.

“Uh, Mom…?”

“Let’s go inside first. And Xian, you should come upstairs too.”

“Huh?”

“The father is extremely upset. Me too.”

Like a condemned prisoner walking to the gallows, Xian climbed the stairs.

A little later…

“His ID checks out.”

Gaon confirmed Xian’s identity using her foreign travel experience, allowing Nuri to sigh in relief.

“So, this uncle’s credentials are solid, right?”

“Kim Nuri.”

Seohyang called Nuri’s name in a monotone filled with various meanings, but her expression was undoubtedly worried and reproachful. Gaon chimed in from the side.

“Then, is this ‘Oracle Studio’ real?”

“It, it’s real. Sister, you saw that business card, didn’t you?”

“It could be a well-crafted fake. Or maybe your name was embedded into a blank Oracle Studio business card. Moreover…”

Gaon narrowed her eyes sharply at Xian.

“I’m a Hero affiliated with the Round Table Esquire Guild.”

“What?! You’re a hero?!”

Nuri exclaimed in shock. Though reluctant to reveal herself, Gaon disclosed her true identity nonetheless.

“Sister, you said you worked for a foreign guild?”

“Idiot. Would I openly broadcast that?”

“…”

Unable to respond, Gaon continued, glaring at Xian.

“Anyway, since you claimed to be associated with <Oracle>, allow me to introduce myself. Hero <Undine> Kim Gaon from the Round Table Hero <Rasputin>‘s Esquire Guild <Matryoshka>.”

“<Undine>?”

Xian tilted their head in confusion, to which Gaon nodded.

“I inherited the title of the previous Round Table Hero. Nuri, sorry, but I’m actually an A-Rank Special Ability user.”

Stunned, Nuri struggled to breathe. Her widened eyes bulged comically in astonishment.

“Sister was B-Rank!”

“For Esquire Guild members, such information manipulation is basic. Sorry for deceiving you, but revealing it wouldn’t benefit us in this country.”

“A-Rank Heroes—especially those under the Round Table Guild—are bound to attract public attention. They could easily become Villain targets.”

“You understand now, don’t you? Why I revealed my identity?”

Xian silently nodded.

“Because you doubt my true nature, correct?”

“Of course. If you were merely an entertainment industry worker, I wouldn’t have anything to say. But you’re planning to establish a guild here, aren’t you?”

“A, Uncle?”

Nuri paled. The claim about setting up a studio in Korea was a lie Nuri fabricated on the spot. Now, due to her fabrication, Xian faced questioning from the family, leaving Nuri anxious and restless.

“…Correct. I’ve come to establish a guild in Korea.”

Crack. Seohyang crushed the orange she was peeling in her hand.

“Did you just say…?”

“I’ve established myself here to create a guild in Korea. I am-”

“Leave.”

Until now silent, Nuri’s father Do Yun spoke firmly. The sudden command shocked Seohyang, Gaon, and Nuri, but Xian calmly nodded.

“Yes. I apologize. I’ll visit again tomorrow-”

“I’ll return your deposit promptly. Until then, please leave this building immediately. Your presence here is unpleasant.”

“Apa!”

At the harsh words, Nuri clenched her fists, trembling with anger, but neither Seohyang nor Gaon stopped Do Yun.

Xian quietly rose and bowed.

“Thank you.”

Xian’s expression wasn’t particularly pleasant as they grabbed their coat and headed out. Do Yun maintained an uncomfortable demeanor until Xian exited.

“A, Uncle!”

“Kim Nuri. If you follow that man now…”

Seohyang bit her lower lip, trying to speak.

“You’ll be kicked out of this house. Nuri, it’s all for your own good-”

Creak. Xian closed the door and left. Nuri stood at the entrance, lowering her head.

“…”

Between family and Xian, Nuri burst into tears at the doorway. The door remained firmly shut.

* * *

“I didn’t expect it to be this severe.”

They anticipated it. They heard rumors. But the blatant rejection of foreigners was unimaginably extreme.

“Closing the borders to this extent is a sickness, pure sickness.”

Xian packed all their belongings into the suitcase, briefly lying down on the bed. After growing accustomed to the firm mattress over a month, parting felt bittersweet.

“…No. There must be something I don’t know.”

Through Nuri, who they had lived closely with for a month, Xian viewed Nuri’s family as anything but rude. Kim Gaon, introduced as <Undine>, was new, but Seohyang and Do Yun were cultivated individuals far from being boorish.

“It feels like having the office taken away from Yu-Sung a month ago. Still, it’s pretty distasteful, but what can you do?”

From a parental perspective, entrusting Nuri to a guild led by a foreign Guild Master amidst constant criticism and humiliation would be far less reassuring than placing her with a verified guild. Xian felt queasy but quickly shook off any lingering attachment, rising from the mattress and grabbing the suitcase.

“Fine. It wasn’t meant to be.”

With three weeks left until D-Day, recruiting a dealer to support Laon would surely open a path forward.

Click. Xian opened the door. Thud. Sensing something obstructive, Xian cautiously peeked outside.

“Let’s talk.”

Outside stood Undine, Kim Gaon, waiting for him just beyond the door.