After hearing Monk Seungju's entire story, only one thought solidified in my mind.
"A Trainer NPC...!"
A Trainer NPC.
Back in the day, these were a near-mandatory feature in every game.
Their role was straightforward: teaching players new skills when approached.
"Although, calling it an NPC might not be entirely accurate," I mused.
According to Monk Seungju, that thing would kill him without hesitation if necessary.
It was more accurate to think of it as a type of monster—one capable of granting special techniques under the right conditions.
I crossed my arms and delved deeper into my thoughts.
"The black veil he mentioned... it’s probably a dungeon, right?"
The puzzling part was that this being had extended its influence outside the dungeon, using its arm.
So far, I’d encountered two dungeons:
- *Black Sand Hatchery*
- *Erosion Abyss Dasmur*
"In both cases, the dungeon's entities never ventured outside their confines."
Was it unusual for those two dungeons, or was the veil below the cliff an exception?
Come to think of it—
"This being, it asked for monster corpses?"
"Yes. I don’t know why, but thankfully the veil is located directly beneath the cliff. Tossing down the corpses of hunted monsters seemed to satisfy it."
A being capable of incapacitating a monster with a single strike.
Why didn’t it hunt on its own and instead requested corpses?
"...Maybe it can only extend its arm?"
Unlikely. A being that powerful wouldn’t be limited by something so trivial.
"Still..."
My excitement over the idea of a Trainer NPC had distracted me from a key point.
If Monk Seungju’s story was true—
"You’ve broken the contract just by telling me this, haven’t you?"
"Yes, that’s correct."
"Then why would you do such a thing?"
This monk... He’d knowingly violated his contract with that entity, despite its threat to devour his heart if he did.
"Honestly, I figured you’d already picked up on something. I still don’t know how you figured it out."
"Even so, letting someone figure it out and outright telling them are completely different things."
"True. However..."
The monk glanced down at the staff in his hand.
Though it was just a steel rod from a store, it bore clear signs of wear and long use.
"This martial art isn’t just a way to move your body efficiently."
"Hm?"
"The more I trained, the more it calmed my mind and brought order to my thoughts. It almost feels like it was originally meant as a form of mental discipline. And yet, there are still times I can’t control my temper, a daily reminder of how pitiful I used to be."
Even now, with the threat of that being carrying out its deadly promise hanging over him, Monk Seungju let out a wry laugh.
"Betraying others to save myself... That’s the greatest sin of my pathetic past."
"...Surely you’re not saying—"
"If you can truly solve the problems we face and provide a way for people to survive, then my life is a small price to pay. For the weight of my sins, losing my life would be getting off lightly."
Limiting food supplies to force survivors to Awaken, advocating harsher methods than the head abbot...
"It was all to save lives in the end," I realized.
If Monk Seungju were only looking out for himself, he could have just left the temple altogether.
Unlike me, who couldn’t abandon my unit due to my support-based role...
"Monk Seungju’s class is Paladin."
A class with excellent combat and healing capabilities, perfectly suited for solo play.
And yet, he chose to stay at the temple out of guilt and responsibility.
"I’ve already made up my mind. You don’t need to worry about me."
"Monk..."
"The real issue lies with all of you."
The monk straightened his posture, his expression turning serious.
"What will you do? The being inside that veil is... unlike any ordinary monster. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the martial art it casually granted me was nothing short of miraculous, enabling our temple to survive."
"Hm..."
"Granted, I’m in a precarious position now because I broke the contract. But the fact that I was able to strike a deal in the first place was an extraordinary stroke of luck."
Even if we found this Trainer NPC, there was no guarantee we’d receive the martial art as smoothly as he had.
"If luck is on your side, you might be chosen as the next trade partner and receive the technique. Or..."
"Or it could lash out at us for breaking the contract and kill us all," I finished.
"Exactly."
If we went to that being, we might gain the martial art—or face a gruesome death.
If we didn’t go, the monk [N O V E L I G H T] would eventually be killed by it, but we’d likely avoid any collateral damage.
"The choice is yours."
I crossed my arms, deep in thought.
For now, we’d secured an alliance with the temple’s people.
We’d formed a defensive line to keep the *Green Manes* from spreading further.
But...
"We’re still not strong enough to go on the offensive."
We needed something stronger. A decisive advantage.
For example, the martial art that Monk Seungju possessed.
"This isn’t a decision I can make alone," I said finally.
I’d have to consult my squad.
---
In the dining hall of Myohyangsa, I relayed Monk Seungju’s story to my unit.
"Heh. No wonder that monk’s so strong."
"So that’s why..."
The soldiers reacted in various ways.
Some showed interest in the martial art itself.
"What kind of monster is it, though?"
"Doesn’t sound like an ordinary one, that’s for sure."
"...Could it be some kind of demon?"
Others expressed concern about the being inside the veil.
And then there was Corporal Jeon Gwangil, who sat silently, deep in thought.
To be honest, if it were just my decision, I’d already be climbing down that cliff.
Even if it was a gamble, I believed we couldn’t pass up any opportunity to grow stronger.
But...
"That’s not the right approach moving forward," I realized.
Our corps was growing. While veteran soldiers like me and Sergeant Minjae could still handle decisions for now, that wouldn’t be sustainable forever.
The soldiers here—those who’d been with me since the days of the 423rd Battalion—were like officer candidates for our corps.
One day, they’d have to make important decisions themselves.
And since their lives were at stake, their opinions mattered.
"Honestly, I don’t see the need to gamble," one soldier began.
"Back when we were stuck on the mountain, we had no idea what was going on below. But now that we’ve seen the situation on the ground, it’s clear that our guild is months ahead of others at the very least."
The others nodded in agreement.
"If we were still struggling just to establish a base, it’d be different. But now we’ve got the fortress and the *Dragon Fang Troopers*. We’re not going to collapse anytime soon. Why risk a gamble when we can just keep growing steadily?"
He had a point.
The *Green Manes* were a threat, but with our fortress in place, they’d have a hard time overwhelming us.
"We can save that gamble for when we truly need it," the soldier concluded.
I glanced around and saw other soldiers nodding.
"Then what about the monk?"
"Hm?"
I was about to agree with the soldier’s reasoning when Gwangil spoke up, looking worried.
"Monk Seungju, I mean."
"The monk?" I scratched the back of my head.
"Well, if what he says is true, that monster will kill him eventually. Probably."
"You mean as payment for sharing the information with us?"
"...Gwangil, I get what you’re trying to say, but—"
Gwangil’s straightforward nature made it hard for him to simply ignore someone doomed to die.
"Monk Seungju carries guilt for his past. Offering his life to help us was his way of atoning. He’s already accepted his fate. It’s not our place to intervene—"
"No, Sergeant Shin. That’s not what I mean."
What?
I turned to look at him, puzzled.
"Monk Seungju showed goodwill toward us. And because of that, he’s now in danger."
"For now, yes."
"The problem is, this situation won’t end with him."
"...What do you mean?"
"You’ve been working to build alliances with other Awakened groups, haven’t you, Sergeant?"
"Of course. Other Awakened groups are growing stronger, too. It’s smart to establish allies now before things get tougher."
"The issue is this: if someone who showed us goodwill ends up dead because of it, and we do nothing to help, word will spread. People won’t trust us anymore."
"...!"
His words hit me like a ton of bricks.
"We’ve formed an alliance with this temple, but they’re still wary of us. If we save Monk Seungju
and succeed, we’ll prove that we don’t abandon our allies."
Gwangil...
I’d always thought of him as a simple, straightforward guy.
"If Monk Seungju encountered that being before Awakening, then it might not be as invincible as it seems. After all, from the perspective of ordinary humans, we’re practically superhuman ourselves now."
This was the same Gwangil who rarely spoke during meetings, despite his exceptional combat prowess.
"The being is strong, no doubt, but so are we. Our goal is to get that martial art, and at the same time, protect Monk Seungju from the threat."
"...Impressive."
I hadn’t expected him to think this far ahead.
Why had he been so quiet in previous meetings?
"Haha. I guess I just left all the decision-making to you, Sergeant Shin," he admitted sheepishly.
"?"
"After our last conversation, I realized I’ve been relying on you too much. So I’ve been trying to think for myself."
He scratched his head, embarrassed.
"And honestly, I have a personal reason, too."
"A personal reason?"
"To be frank, everything I said before was just a bonus."
He glanced down at his hands.
"I’m too weak. My strength is overwhelming, but I can’t use it properly. Out of everyone in the corps, I’m probably the biggest idiot when it comes to making the most of my power."
"Hey, that’s because of the madness—"
"Exactly. That’s part of the problem."
I wanted to tell him it wasn’t his fault, but it seemed he didn’t see it that way.
"Remember the monk at the gate? If it weren’t for Monk Seungju and you, I would’ve killed him."
That was the penalty of *Madness*.
It granted incredible power but at the cost of rationality.
"This power got me this far, but I fear it, too."
"Gwangil..."
"Relying on this power, being bound by it... It’s because I’m weak."
He wasn’t wrong. If he were stronger, he wouldn’t need to rely on *Madness*.
"But that’s not your fault—"
Before I could finish, he cut me off.
"That martial art. Didn’t they say it was about controlling the power of the Awakened?"
"Huh?"
"And Monk Seungju mastered it."
His eyes were filled with determination.
"If I could learn it, maybe I wouldn’t have to rely on Madness anymore."
"..."
"Maybe I could be strong enough to stop being a burden to you."
Clenching his fist, he added,
"But this is just my selfish wish. I was trying to find a way to justify it, and that’s how I came up with what I said earlier."
"Haha... You’re something else, Gwangil."
Honestly, I was proud of him.
Though our previous conversation had helped, I’d been worried that I hadn’t done enough to address his problems.
But he’d been working to solve them in his own way.
Looking around, I saw no one objecting to Gwangil’s reasoning.
"It’s a gamble, but..."
"As Corporal Gwangil said, we’re not weak either."
These were the best of the best in our corps. Even against formidable monsters, they were a force to be reckoned with.
"Taking this gamble might be worth it," the first soldier said, nodding.
"Then there’s no point in hesitating."
If it were just about gaining the martial art, it’d still be a risk.
But with the added goal of saving Monk Seungju, the odds of conflict with that being were high.
That meant thorough preparation was a must.
"Actually, that’s why I picked the kitchen as our meeting spot."
I entered the kitchen, turned on the burner, and said,
"Let’s eat first."
---
"You’ve made your decision, then?"
When we informed Monk Seungju that we were going down the cliff, he nodded.
"Yes. The martial art is one thing, but we’ve formed an alliance with this temple. Leaving an ally like Monk Seungju in danger... It wouldn’t sit right."
"You’d even go so far as to worry about me...!"
The monk trembled slightly, moved by our resolve. But he still looked concerned.
"The being I encountered... It exuded an extraordinary presence. It’s likely far beyond an ordinary monster. Are you prepared for that?"
"Well."
I shrugged lightly.
"Not to sound cocky, but we’re not exactly pushovers either."
"..."
"Don’t worry too much. We’ve got our own plans."
"Very well."
With that, Monk Seungju led us down the cliff.
The mysterious being that had taught him the martial art...
Whatever it was, it was clear we were about to face something powerful.
---
"Have you come to kill me?"
"...What?"
As we reached the black veil at the base of the cliff, a mournful voice echoed from within.
"I considered you my disciple, even granting you my martial art... Hah. To think you would betray me like this."
"What are you talking about—"
"Fool. Did you think I wouldn’t notice?"
A shadowy hand emerged from the veil, pointing at us.
"Those ones... Their auras are unusual. Still... manageable. The real issue is..."
The hand moved slowly, pointing toward the soldier at the front.
"That one."
It pointed at me.
"The stench of blood clings to you, so strong it burns my nostrils."
"Sergeant Shin?"
"And the smell of greasy steel... If you came to kill me, I must admit, it’s a decent choice."
The heavy voice carried an ominous weight as the hand trembled slightly.
"Such a presence... You’re no ordinary being..."
At those words, I noticed Monk Seungju and the soldiers staring at me with their mouths agape.
"You thought you could defeat this being?"
Closing my eyes, I tilted my head back, gazing at the sky.
Internally, I muttered,
"What the hell is this nonsense?"
________________
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