Chapter 5

Clang!

The sound of metal clashing echoed from the rooftop of the 30th Floor Rooftop Building.

On one side was the Cheonma of Murim.

On the other was the Apostle of the Outer God.

Two people from worlds that should never have met were now pointing their swords at each other under the name of “Returners.”

The swirling sword energy and the divine energy clashing against it were realms far beyond what an ordinary person could comprehend.

In the midst of the intense battle, where every move sent shivers down the spine, what bothered Apostle Orzia of the Outer God Auleps the most wasn’t the Cheonma, Cheon Hong-ryun, standing before her.

“Ayu! This time, it’s a mental confusion chant! If you think you need to dodge the incoming sword, even if you get hit, you have to deal damage! Your thoughts will get twisted, so doubt your actions for three minutes and focus on defense!”

“That’s Auleps’ claw! The moment it touches you, it carries a curse of corrosion! Don’t block it with your sword, just dodge! The corrosion will also affect her, so she can’t use it for long!”

Orzia was on the verge of going mad from frustration because of the man who saw through every move she was about to make, exposing all her weaknesses and countermeasures.

The Cheonma before her was an opponent she could barely match even at full strength.

And with such an opponent fully aware of her information, it was inevitable that she would only grow more disadvantaged.

‘How on earth…’

How could he, who wasn’t even an Apostle of Auleps, know this much?

‘Igis Seya.’

It had to be him.

That bastard must have spilled all the information about Serlintium.

He must have anticipated that I would come for revenge.

“Got time to daydream?”

At that moment, Orzia barely dodged a sword strike aimed at her throat and gasped for breath.

Sweat dripped from beneath her black eyepatch, disorienting her senses.

Her breath was ragged.

The wound on her side from earlier wasn’t healing, even with Auleps’ power.

There must be some special power imbued in that woman’s sword.

The Dimensional Beings she had released to find Seya were also disappearing one by one.

Someone else must be dealing with them.

‘I’m just…’

Orzia bit her lip hard.

Seyya came to mind.

She wanted to punch that bastard’s face with all the divine energy she could muster.

“Let’s end this.”

Swoosh.

A crimson sword energy began to scatter ominously from Cheon Hong-ryun’s sword.

Realizing the danger, Orzia raised her cross-shaped longsword.

Buying time to escape wouldn’t be difficult.

She already knew who she needed to protect above all else.

And the holy sword of Auleps in her hand began to emit a dark divine energy.

Like a falling star.

Her sword came down toward the rooftop floor.

Her plan was to collapse the building and buy time while Cheon Hong-ryun saved the man.

“Nonsense.”

But at that moment, she had to make a dazed expression behind her eyepatch.

Because the sword she had swung with all her divine energy was stopped by the tip of Cheon Hong-ryun’s sword.

Compared to her holy sword, it was as thin as a toothpick.

Yet, the moment her holy sword touched it, it didn’t budge an inch.

“I told you. Touching my partner in front of me…”

As Cheon Hong-ryun’s voice flowed out, Orzia realized.

That Cheon Hong-ryun had never once shown her full strength against her.

“Ah.”

A sigh escaped her lips.

The moment she saw the face of a demon, she realized her death as red camellia flowers bloomed around Cheon Hong-ryun.

The camellia flowers, blooming as if scattered in winter, followed Cheon Hong-ryun’s dance for a moment.

All of Orzia’s tendons were severed.

With a splash of blood, she fell to the ground, unable to resist.

The wounds inflicted on her couldn’t be healed even by Auleps’ power.

Unable to stand on her own, she gasped for breath as Cheon Hong-ryun stomped on her head.

“Are you ready to pay the price?”

I’m going to die here.

Without even getting my revenge.

I have to die in this world I wanted so badly to return to.

Tears of blood streamed from beneath her eyepatch.

In her mind, a man with a bright smile appeared.

“…Seya, the dimensional movement we created is impossible. If we don’t find a way to connect the worldlines, we’ll die from dimensional exposure soon.”

No matter how much they researched, they couldn’t find an answer to dimensional movement.

When they despaired over that fact, Seya always smiled brightly.

“It’s okay. Orzia, I’ll definitely save you from this messed-up world.”

And the next day, Seya disappeared.

After using the dimensional movement they had created together.

And not long after, she realized that the worldlines had connected.

But now, even that was meaningless.

“Wait.”

At that moment, the man’s voice echoed again.

“Let’s talk.”

And for some reason, his voice carried a hint of pity.

Looking at the nun collapsed on the rooftop, covered in blood, I let out a sigh.

A sword technique that severs all tendons with a single strike—truly terrifying.

‘Even without my help, she would’ve handled it alone.’

I didn’t think Cheon Hong-ryun, a Returner, would be weak, but I didn’t expect her to dominate another Returner to this extent.

She must be quite high-ranked among Returners.

But thankfully, she’s on my side now.

Enough to let go of the opponent she was about to kill just because I said so.

“I don’t know what to do with all this trust.”

“It’s not like trash like you can do anything against me anyway.”

“Yeah, it’s reassuring.”

Cheon Hong-ryun crossed her arms and turned her head, but the corner of her mouth twitched upward.

“So, Sister, even if the process was a bit rough, I’d like to talk.”

“……”

“Of course, you don’t have to say anything. The World Returner Association will be here soon, and you’ll be transferred to them.”

As I said that, I knelt down in front of her.

Blood soaked my pants, but I didn’t care.

“I just wanted to answer the questions you might have.”

I’m neither a Hunter nor a Returner.

I didn’t even graduate from university, so I’m not a professional in the industry, nor do I have any public authority like the police.

I acted only because people were in danger, and there was a Returner.

I just happened to assist Cheon Hong-ryun, who was nearby, in subduing the Returner.

What I did was practically nothing.

And it’ll probably be the same after this.

But at least, until the Returner Association arrives, I can answer some of the questions the nun might have.

Even if it holds little value to her.

Even if she’s a Returner who, despite returning to her homeworld, Earth, is met with rejection and scorn, I can resolve some of the long-standing doubts she might have.

“By the way, it’d be great if you could close the dimensional gate too.”

As I spoke casually, the nun slowly raised her head.

After staring at me for a while from behind her eyepatch, she opened her mouth slightly and asked.

“Is… Seya alive?”

The moment she asked, a breeze brushed past her hair.

Even with the eyepatch, I could feel her tear-filled eyes looking at me.

So, I resolved the question she had carried all the way back to this world.

Right here.

“He’s dead.”

Fantasy Category · No. 14.

Serlintium.

The last line written there concluded with the death of Returner Seong Ho-ram, Igis Seya, due to dimensional exposure.

And his final words in the report were:

“Please make sure my lover, Orzia, doesn’t go too wild and hurt herself when she returns.”

Originally, much of the Returners’ information is classified.

At most, only the category of the world is indicated, with no information on which Returner came from which world.

As evidence, I know almost nothing about Cheon Hong-ryun, the Cheonma.

But in Fantasy Category · No. 14, the Returner’s name and information were fully disclosed.

The reason was that it was written for his lover, Orzia, who would return someday.

*”You, damn bastard, if you left like that, you should’ve lived. You should’ve lived to the end, you damn, damn bastard.”*

In the blood scattered by the wind, her tears seemed to mix, but I couldn’t fully understand the sorrow she must have felt.

That was their story, not mine.

Only the grief of a woman who returned to confirm the death of her beloved lover echoed quietly on the rooftop.

Once again, I say, those who were merely caught in dimensional movement.

There’s no reason they should suffer and struggle just because they returned.

I think.

That day, there were no casualties from the Dimensional Beings brought by Returner Orzia.

And the Dimensional Beings she controlled were merely searching for Returner Seya.

Afterward, Orzia closed the dimensional gate and was transferred by the Returner Association.

There was property damage from the Dimensional Beings, but it seemed the Returner Association would handle that.

During the process, Cheon Hong-ryun had a brief conversation with the Returner Association personnel, and as an outsider, I had little to do except answer a few of their questions.

I only saw Orzia bow her head slightly to me as she was being transferred.

“Did it end well?”

“Yeah, haa, the Association people are making a fuss as if a Returner just appeared out of nowhere.”

When Cheon Hong-ryun returned, she was in the form of Ayu, whom I had met during the day.

I heard that maintaining Cheon Hong-ryun’s form requires intentional control of magical energy, so she finds this form more comfortable.

“Brother and I came out to eat, and now it feels like we’ve been through some ordeal.”

“I got dragged into it too.”

Hearing my answer, Ayu giggled and stretched.

“It’s been a while since I used my strength, so I’m feeling sore all over. Maybe I should start moving around more often.”

“Planning to do Hunter work?”

“The Returner Association provides a steady stipend, but since I turned 20, it’s been reduced because I’m no longer a minor. It’s starting to feel a bit tight.”

Then Ayu glanced at me.

“Wouldn’t it be nice to have some money to treat someone to a meal?”

“Next time, I’ll treat you.”

“Don’t bother. Don’t waste it on coins. Brother Domi, your impulsiveness is the problem.”

Ah, my coins went to the abyss.

I had forgotten about that for a moment and felt despair again.

What about the rent?

“And, if I earn enough to buy a house, how about you live there too?”

At that moment, Ayu twirled a strand of her hair and spoke.

Buying a house.

Hunter work does pay quite well, so it wouldn’t be too difficult.

But I saw through Ayu’s scheme.

“You just want to use me for duels.”

“Uh, yeah, that’s right! I want to reach Diamond with you, so living together and dueling every day sounds great, right?”

“Oh.”

“Look at that reaction. You’re dead.”

“No. I’m sorry.”

If Ayu were in her Cheon Hong-ryun form, she could really kill me, so I apologized immediately.

I almost lost my head for a moment.

“Then I’ll head back. It’s getting late.”

Somehow, we met at lunchtime, and now it’s past dinner.

Looking up at the darkening sky, Ayu stared at me and then tapped my shoulder.

“I’ll find you in the game if you quit.”

“Okay, huh? Oppa?”

“There’s no need to hide it in real life, right? Actually, the other guild members probably figured it out a while ago.”

What, was I the clueless one?

But I thought I was the closest to Ayu. Today, I’m seeing many sides of her.

‘Well, gaming friendships have their limits.’

It’s natural to see different sides of someone when you meet them in real life.

“See you in the game.”

After parting ways with Ayu, I returned home.

Looking at my one-room apartment, I felt the reality of today’s events sinking in.

‘What about the rent?’

How am I going to handle it?

Scratching my head, I opened the letters I had picked up from the mailbox on the way.

There was probably a rent notice, but I had to check.

“Huh?”

At that moment, something unusual was in one of the letters I opened.

[We offer you a ‘job’ at Roadri, a new company specializing in Hunter training.]

Something suspicious had arrived.