Chapter 127: Descent

When Ion had previously faced Butterfly Mask’s Kim Young, Kim Young knew parts Teacher had never mentioned.

“Why did you post about the illusion dungeon on SNS?” “Why? I just acted according to the future Master told me.”

Butterfly Mask had stayed until the end, so they knew content Butterfly Mask had missed by escaping midway.

It could be wrong speculation.

“The Apostle only sets major events, so minor details can deviate from the Apostle’s intent…”

Teacher had said that in the World Tree’s mental realm.

Kim Young’s SNS post might have been just one of those minor deviations.

Either way, they needed to meet Butterfly Mask.

“Damn, you look super disappointed. But listen—this isn’t the end.”

Shin Sae-mi slurped her iced chocolate and continued.

“We were shocked—no D-NATE, no Moniti giant outbreak, no On-il demon alliance. Totally different from the future we knew. So we investigated Butterfly Mask. Those bastards stayed under Breeder until the very end.”

“So? What was different?”

“Yeah. They knew.”

Sae-mi jerked her chin; Ade Tuna pulled three roughly torn papers from inventory.

One short line on each.

[49.02.10 D-NATE] [50.08.23 Human–Demon Alliance] [51.04.18 Descent]

“What’s this?”

“Breeder said if we graduated after completing everything, he’d show us a memoir recording all future events.”

“Memoir… you guys escaped midway, so you didn’t see it.”

“Correct. But Butterfly Mask inherited and kept the memoir.”

“Our leader risked his life infiltrating the moths’ hideout to tear these out. Tried to take the whole book, but it wouldn’t budge—some trick.”

“Hm. So this is Breeder’s handwriting.”

Jin Seong-ha took the papers and examined them closely.

“Very similar to the orphans’ Breeder’s handwriting. The ‘ㅇ’ is written angular like ‘ㅁ’.”

“Really? Guess child-abusing trash have things have similarities.”

“S-Sae-mi…”

Ade Tuna glanced at Ion nervously.

“Don’t speak ill of my Breeder in front of me.”

He had heard that from Ion before.

But Ion’s thinking had changed a bit now… And the moment he saw the keyword in the memoir, he was lost in different thoughts.

“We’ll look into this further.”

“Hey! What the hell are you doing?”

Jin Seong-ha tried to pocket the papers; Sae-mi yelled.

BAM! She slammed the table—startled Ppuru shot into Jin Seong-ha’s arms. Jin Seong-ha frowned while stroking Ppuru.

“Sudden loud noises are bad for animals. Very hot-tempered personality. Never raise animals.”

“I never planned to, and except bees I hate animals. And f*ck—why are you pocketing them without asking? Our leader risked his life for those. You risk your life for yours and give ours back!”

“We’ll naturally go get the memoir ourselves if you tell us Butterfly Mask’s hideout. I just wanted to check the handwriting.”

“Check handwriting? For what… wait, don’t tell me you think the Breeders are the same person?”

Sae-mi, hearing something unimaginable, jumped up like a cat, eyes blinking fast.

“Impossible. Time periods overlap by almost twenty years—how could it be the same person?”

“One person existing in multiple places at the same time is fantasy-level nonsense, but we’re living in a fantasy-level nonsense world now. Just checking.”

“Thinking identical handwriting means same person is a stretch. With seven billion people, similar handwriting must exist.”

She said that, but her eyes darted—she was considering the possibility. Ade Tuna persuaded her.

“Sae-mi, Jin Seong-ha is right. Handwriting analysis will conclude ‘completely identical’ or ‘quite similar.’ The difference matters—it’ll clear up doubts.”

“…”

“The leader would’ve wanted us to check too.”

“…Ugh, f*ck. Fine. Keep them safe and return them. One crease and you’re dead.”

“Sure. Thanks.”

Jin Seong-ha photographed the papers, sent them to Sa-on, and stored them in inventory.

He turned to the silent Ion.

“Leader, you’d have noticed first that this handwriting matches your Teacher’s… but you look so reluctant. You’ve been quiet.”

“…”

True. Even if Ion hadn’t known Breeder was Teacher’s split soul, he would’ve suspected same person from the identical handwriting.

But that wasn’t what occupied him now.

Ion pointed at one line, finger trembling slightly under Jin Seong-ha’s gaze.

“This… April 18 ‘Descent’… what does it mean…?”

From the moment he read the word, chills ran down his spine.

Because “descent” meant…

Descent [降臨]

1. A god descending from heaven to the human world.

Could it be… a god descending to the world?

No.

Probably not.

Most likely an Apostle.

[Joy] descending directly to the created world for some unpredictable plot twist… With the voices waiting in the Divine Domain…

What the hell happens on that day?

His back felt cold.

Somewhere… [Joy] might be laughing with its subordinates, watching.

His neck stiffened.

He wanted to ask Jin Seong-ha if he felt the “gaze” right now, but the timing would be too obvious—he stayed silent.

“…”

Jin Seong-ha watched Ion’s frozen face and said,

“Some divine being descending… Butterfly Mask would know what it means. We’ll have to ask them directly. Butterfly Mask hideout—where is it?”

“I don’t know the moths’ hideout. I know where the memoir is, though.”

“Where?”

“They moved it to an Unimbara warehouse. Unimbara and the moths are on the same side, right? There’s a guild warehouse in Cheorwon, Gangwon-do—they moved it there.”

“Did you try infiltrating? If you were caught, they’d have moved it again.”

Jin Seong-ha frowned, worried Butterfly Mask’s actions might have interfered.

Sae-mi, feeling ignored, answered curtly,

“Didn’t get caught. Tuna and some subordinates tried and failed—only I succeeded. Got a super special skill.”

“If you succeeded, why not take the memoir?”

“How could I carry it alone? Just checked internal structure and memoir location and left.”

“Your special skill isn’t combat-related, I take it. Then you’ll have to guide us.”

“Ugh, f*ck. Annoying, but that’s why I came personally.”

Sae-mi pouted and gave the exact address of the Unimbara warehouse. Jin Seong-ha checked the map on his tablet.

The warehouse was halfway up Dolbi Mountain, Gangwon-do. Looked like a converted bunker.

Ade Tuna’s thick finger circled the area around the warehouse.

“There’s an artifact at the entrance that detects any lifeform within 50m radius. Passing that is key.”

“Artifact—an item blessed by god. Can’t be dispelled?”

“Precisely a god-touched item. Runs on mana, not aura or magic power. Need someone who can handle mana to bypass. Plenty in Idea, but on Earth… hard to find. Can’t dispel, so think of a way to avoid or deceive it.”

“Hm.”

Someone who could handle mana was sitting right there.

But Ion said nothing, so Jin Seong-ha pretended ignorance too.

“…Got it. We’ll find a way to trick the artifact.”

“Set the date for December 10. Heavy snow that day—good for us.”

They were coordinating date and time when—

“Wait.”

Ion, who had been frozen, finally spoke.

“Just tell us the internal layout—I and Hunter Jin Seong-ha will go in and get it.”

“Just you two? Are you crazy? We need to check the memoir too.”

“We’ll bring it out—you can read together.”

“How can we trust you? And they did something so the memoir can’t be moved. Have to read on-site.”

“Then send another Butterfly Mask member. Not you.”

Ion’s objection made Sae-mi explode.

“f*ck, are you serious? Who are you to order me? Even the leader allowed it!”

“Shin Sae-mi Hunter. You know why I’m doing this.”

Ion looked straight at Sae-mi. Sae-mi flinched as if stung and shut her mouth. Ade Tuna lowered his gaze silently.

“Seems there’s something I don’t know.”

Only Jin Seong-ha was unaware.

Everyone else here knew.

In <Hunter and Hero>, the Daisy Town dungeon overflow tragedy occurs, America forms a subjugation team against System Age—one member is Shin Sae-mi.

Shin Sae-mi dies fighting System Age.

That date: December 10.

The planned Unimbara warehouse raid: also December 10.

Coincidence?

After hearing the explanation, Jin Seong-ha crossed his arms.

“I see why you’re worried. I’m uneasy too—shall we change the date?”

“No need. That novel was fake anyway. I don’t care. December 10 it is. Tuna, let’s go.”

Sae-mi declared firmly and stood.

“S-Sae-mi…”

Ade Tuna stood hesitantly, bowed to Jin Seong-ha and Ion, and followed Sae-mi.

After they left, silence settled over the table.

“Leader, don’t worry too much. In that novel, we weren’t by Shin Sae-mi Hunter’s side—but in reality we are.”

“In the novel, Elliot Middlerner and Joseph Bright were by her side. She still died.”

“True. But we weren’t there. And from what I saw, Shin Sae-mi Hunter seems the type who prefers head-on fights.”

Jin Seong-ha spoke gently.

“She must feel anxious too. ‘Will I really die like Breeder’s future says?’ That fear will only vanish if she survives the December 10 battle against System Age. Only winning a full-scale war will let her feel relieved that reality differs from Breeder’s future.”

If they avoided a full confrontation with Age now, she’d be anxious every time Age was involved. Hearing that, Ion understood why Sae-mi insisted on going.

“Yes, I understand.”

“Now that talk is over, shall we finish the cake and—”

“Cake?”

“…”

Both looked at the table.

Empty cake plate, a plump round ball lying on its back.

Ppuruuuk…

Ppuru, having devoured the cake while the adults talked, let out a satisfied burp.