Chapter 171

A pitch-black space with no light.

Rocks floated around the dark space as if gravity had gone haywire.

*Thud thud-*

In a space reminiscent of outer space, long white hair, out of place in the darkness, swayed.

At the same time, red eyes pierced through the darkness.

*Crack!*

In that instant, red lightning surged in her grasp.

Gripping the lightning like a spear, she hurled it forward.

*Zap zap zap!*

“Grooooooar!”

The moment the lightning pierced the dark space, a deafening roar echoed.

It was the sound of a creature in agony, as a massive, grotesque jaw thrashed in pain.

The creature, hiding in the darkness, had been slowly approaching to devour Baeksan.

But it wasn’t the only one targeting him.

As the creature screamed, human-sized parasites clinging to it swarmed toward Baeksan.

Seeing the writhing, glowing-legged parasites flying at him, Baeksan immediately grabbed Bazra and sliced through them.

In an instant, Baeksan cut down thousands of parasites and kicked off the rocky ground.

Reaching the head of the still-thrashing creature, he brought his sword down.

*Zap zap zap!*

With a burst of red sparks, the creature split in two and plummeted into the darkness.

Baeksan, landing on another rock, let out a long breath.

—

‘Comfortable.’

Since entering the Tower of Apocalypse, Baeksan had fought hundreds of battles, yet he felt at ease.

Because ever since his return, he had never felt truly at peace.

The Earth he returned to was vastly different from what he remembered.

Of course, it was only natural.

It had been a long time since he was caught in dimensional movement and returned.

Still, some things remained unchanged.

His stepmother and father, whom he reunited with after so long, had aged but were still the same.

Even his stepsister, whom his stepmother often spoke of, was kind to him.

But even if they hadn’t changed, he had.

Deep-rooted distrust of humanity had taken hold in his heart.

Too much betrayal and an environment where no one could be trusted had shaped him into this.

Even the family who showed him deep affection couldn’t escape his suspicion.

Baeksan believed that one could never truly know another’s heart, even in death.

Thus, even after returning to his family’s embrace, he felt an underlying discomfort.

And the primary source of that discomfort was none other than Kang Ha-chan.

A man who wielded the same Aura as him, used Bazra, and had the skill to point out flaws.

Moreover, he was inexplicably connected to extraordinary individuals.

While by Kang Ha-chan’s side, Baeksan had met many of his acquaintances.

One was a monster who called himself the “Greatest in the World.”

A being with absurd power, fitting the title of Cheonma, more terrifying than any demon.

Another was a Returner seemingly consumed by shadows.

The depths of his shadowy form were unfathomable.

Yet another was a strange child who gave the impression of gazing at the cosmos.

Meeting his eyes felt like being surrounded by stars, yet the death lurking within was suffocating.

And then there was a kid who seemed to distort space itself.

It was as if space itself bent around him, as though he were beloved by the god of space.

Countless such figures surrounded Kang Ha-chan.

The problem was, despite their presence, Kang Ha-chan showed no suspicion.

His eyes always radiated trust.

And that trust was directed even at Baeksan.

Such boundless trust was incomprehensible.

Yet, he somehow always seemed to know what Baeksan needed or wanted, providing it without hesitation.

Even when Baeksan tried to refuse out of embarrassment, he ended up accepting, as the items were genuinely useful.

‘What is he?’

To Baeksan, Kang Ha-chan was a truly bizarre individual.

At first, he thought Kang Ha-chan was putting on an act, pretending to be selfless.

After all, those who unconditionally help others usually had ulterior motives.

But this wasn’t just a one-time thing.

In the few days since his return, Kang Ha-chan had done countless inexplicable things.

This guy was genuinely insane.

He seemed blind to reason, willing to throw his life away to help others, to the point where even Baeksan grew tired of it.

No matter how much Baeksan distrusted him, the value and meaning of his actions were beyond reproach.

That’s why Kang Ha-chan made him uncomfortable.

He was someone Baeksan couldn’t understand with his common sense.

Of course, it was only natural to feel uneasy.

That’s why Baeksan chose the Tower of Apocalypse.

Here, he could be alone.

Being alone meant he didn’t have to suspect anyone, and nothing could be more comfortable.

Baeksan’s eyes turned toward the dark space.

For a moment, various people flashed through her mind.

Those who smiled one day and stabbed the next.

A world where the only one she could trust was herself.

Recalling the hellish world she had left behind, she compared it to Kang Ha-chan and this world, then lowered her head.

‘And yet.’

She began leaping across the floating rocks again.

With her superior physical abilities and Aura, the floating rocks posed no obstacle.

Though dimensional beings occasionally attacked, they were nothing to her.

As she moved through the rocks, she soon stopped at a certain point.

Approaching, she saw a distorted space.

Stepping inside, she found a man barely breathing in a corner of the rock.

Severely injured, he struggled to catch his breath, then smiled in relief upon seeing Baeksan.

“You’ve come.”

“You’ve managed to survive somehow.”

“I’m a bit tenacious.”

Seeing him, Baeksan clicked her tongue and sat down, dismantling a fish-like dimensional being she had brought.

She tossed a portion of it to the man.

“There’s probably no poison. Eat it.”

“I’m in your debt.”

He pressed his bandaged wound and chewed the raw fish.

Though raw, for someone in need of recovery, nutrition was a priority.

Chief Wolfgang Beiger.

His bushy beard, wrinkles, and bald head symbolized his age.

He was none other than an S-class Hunter from Alters.

As for why he was here, it was due to Baeksan’s whim.

While climbing the 10th floor, Baeksan had noticed traces of battle.

Though he didn’t pay much attention, while ascending, he found Wolfgang collapsed on the 23rd floor.

Normally, Baeksan would have ignored him.

But for some reason, Kang Ha-chan’s face briefly crossed his mind.

The thought of that guy, who did meaningless things without a care, made his steps falter.

Annoyed, Baeksan decided to treat Wolfgang to shake off the thought.

‘What am I even doing?’

He had entered the Tower of Apocalypse to be alone, yet here he was, saving some random guy.

And now he was waiting for him to recover.

Feeling foolish, Baeksan brushed his hair back.

Had he changed somehow?

“Your name is Baeksan, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I didn’t get to ask earlier. Are you a Returner?”

“Yeah.”

Hearing Baeksan’s blunt reply, Wolfgang, who seemed a bit better after eating, leaned against the rock wall.

“Figures. Only a Returner could be that strong. *Cough*.”

He wiped the blood from his mouth and looked up.

“Are you planning to challenge the Tower of Apocalypse?”

At the word “challenge,” Baeksan looked up at him.

“To me, it seems like your entry here is far from a challenge.”

“How would you know that?”

Baeksan’s sharp retort made Wolfgang chuckle.

“I’ve been the gatekeeper of the 10th floor for decades. I can tell.”

“Why bother with such a pointless task?”

“To stop those who climb the tower out of sheer pride, seeking to die.”

Wolfgang coughed again and forced a bitter smile.

“Climbing the Tower of Apocalypse can make you a global star. In the past, companies and nations forced Hunters to climb it to boost their image.”

Though things had improved recently, in some developing nations, Hunters were still treated poorly.

The world wasn’t equal.

Thus, many Hunters were treated like tools, even slaves.

Alters was founded to protect such Hunters.

Higher-grade Hunters were often bound by national restrictions.

“Now, I’m just seen as an old man blocking the young. But the Tower of Apocalypse was once a history written in Hunters’ blood. That’s why I stayed. If you can’t break it, don’t challenge it.”

“Got nothing better to do, huh?”

“Can’t deny that. My body’s aged, but my mind’s stuck in the past. My son died on the 10th floor. I’m still trapped there.”

His lonely smile hinted at memories of his son, who had also been part of the tower’s bloody history.

“That’s why, to me, you seem like you’re running away.”

“Me? Running away?”

“Some Returners can’t adjust after coming back. They use the tower as an escape.”

The more extreme the dimension they were trapped in, the harder it was for Returners to adapt to Earth’s peace.

“You seem like one of them. Using the tower as a refuge.”

“Talkative for someone about to die.”

“Haha, since I feel like I might die soon, shouldn’t I at least talk? Helps keep my mind together.”

Baeksan clicked his tongue and turned away.

In his eyes, Wolfgang, though weak, had a sharp insight.