The World After the Fall
chapter-14

"Jaehwan! You lost your memory!"

Jaehwan looked at Mino's face more closely.

She sure was a beauty. However, this beautiful face was forcing Jaehwan to agree that he had lost his memory.

"Didn't I say I didn't?"

Mino grinned and answered, "I see… then can I ask you something? You must know these if you did not."

"…Go ahead."

"The region we are in. What is it called?"

Jaehwan couldn't answer. He had heard from various sources until now, but he did not know the correct words to describe it. As he became silent, the other party members eyed him weirdly. The attention was something he didn't like.

Then Jaehwan suddenly heard Mino whisper the answer.

[The answer is 'Chaos'.]

Jaehwan decided to go with the answer for now.

"…Chaos."

"Oh. You know."

Mino smiled. It seemed she was more interesting than expected, considering that she was the type to walk around showing off her size measurements.

[But you really didn't know.]

Mino sent a message as she looked at Jaehwan with a grin.

"That's weird… I thought you really did lose your memory."

[That's weird… how come you don't know?]

The two voices came at once. As far as Jaehwan knew, the skill [Whisper] did not work while speaking. It seemed the woman was using a different skill to send the message.

"Let me ask you one more thing then."

"…Go on."

"Do you know where [Chaos] is located?"

He had no idea. As he fell silent, Mino's voice came again.

[The answer is the Tree of Imagery. Chaos is the tree trunk portion of the Tree of Imagery.]

Jaehwan looked at Mino for a second and answered, "Chaos is the trunk of the Tree of Imagery."

As he answered the second question correctly, the members seemed to lose interest. Kanghun stepped up to solve the situation.

"Haha, I guess Mino must have misunderstood. Isn't that right, Jaehwan?"

Jaehwan nodded and Mino spoke.

"I'm sorry, I guess I misunderstood. Sorry, Jaehwan."

But the voice that came into Jaehwan's head was different.

[I don't know who you are and why you don't know this basic stuff, but I know two things. One is that you don't want attention and two is that you're pretty strong.]

Jaehwan listened without answering.

[I think we can make a good deal. What do you think?]

She had complete control now.

Jaehwan was able to gain some pieces of information from Mino.

First, these members were evil criminals.

Second, Mino needed to kill these party members killed for a certain reason.

Third, Mino could not reveal her identity for another reason.

Fourth, if those party members are not killed, Mino and Jaehwan were the ones who would die tonight.

After hearing all the information, Jaehwan was able to understand what she wanted.

'So she wants me to kill these guys.'

But he did not have the intention to do it yet. He knew these guys seemed like bad people, but it wasn't right to judge them through the first impression. In fact, Blacksmith Jay looked like a gangster at first but he was a good man at heart.

[You'll see soon enough. They will try to kill you too.]

And the night came.

The one who offered to camp out was the leader Kanghun. The village wasn't far, but Kanghun reasoned that it might be dangerous to move at night as more monsters might come out.

Jaehwan feigned sleep and used [Suspicion] to listen to the conversation between the parties with [Whisper].

[Leader, is that really?]

[Yeah. It's a Spirit Weapon for sure.]

[Spirit Weapon?]

[It's a weapon that eats up other items to continue growing. It's a valuable weapon used only by the Lords of the [Great Lands].]

[OH! Weapons used by the Lords!]

[Yeah. I don't think his weapon would be that powerful, but it's still an opportunity.]

It was as the woman had thought.

'So… I think they are talking about my sword.'

It was unexpected. According to Beastlain's information, items that dropped from the Tower of Nightmares was trash compared to items from the [Great Lands]. Jaehwan did not think his sword would draw attention because of that.

'I guess it was one of a kind.'

He was fascinated as the sword ate up all types of equipment, but he never thought it would hold any value. He just kept it because he didn't have anything else on him.

The men continued discussing.

[But leader, isn't he strong?]

[Yes.]

[He killed a bihorn with one strike. How can we defeat him?]

[You fool.]

Kanghun scoffed and continued.

[Did you see how he killed the monster?]

[Uh… something kind of flashed and…]

[He killed it with a stab.]

[Huh?]

Man seemed dumbfounded.

[How is that possible?]

[It's not possible. I bet my life that there's are very few people who can kill bihorn with a stab throughout the entire [Chaos] region.]

[S-so he's that strong?]

[Ugh, you fool. Hey, don't fool around and use the measuring device and check his Spirit Power.]

[Yes, sir!]

After a while...

[H-huh? Leader, his Spirit Power rating is the same as a Non-Adapter. It's lower than mine!]

[Isn't it? I knew it.]

Kanghun cackled.

[Then how did he kill the bihorn?]

[Hey, did you forget what we started talking about?]

[Uh… spirit… wait.]

[You're right.]

[Is that Spirit Weapon that strong?]

[As far as I know, all Spirit Weapons come from the [Depth]. You know about that place, right?]

[Yeah, the branches of the Tree of Imagery, right?]

[Right. That's the place.]

[Oh… so it's the weapon from the branch!]

Jaehwan could not help but laugh.

'I wonder what they would think if I brought this from the roots.'

The conversation allowed Jaehwan to acquire the much-needed information. He was able to know the basic regions of the Tree of Imagery.

Tower of Nightmares, the roots.

Chaos, the trunk.

Depth, the branches.

So the tree was divided up into three big regions.

'So the Tower of Nightmares was only one of the countless roots.'

He broke free from the roots to the trunk. That was this place, Chaos.

Men continued to speak to each other.

[But Leader, how did he get the weapon? If he's from the Depth…]

[No way. Do you think Depth is some kind of a children's playground?]

[What if he's from a renowned family? There's a chance if he has such a weapon.]

[No, all members of renowned families send a message before visiting Chaos. The most recent family that sent a message to visit here was the Greens, but what part of him looks like them?]

[I heard they have these antennae stuff on their head.]

Kanghun nodded.

[And there's another piece of evidence that proves he's not from any of the renowned families.]

[What is it?]

[It's the smell.]

[A smell?]

[Doesn't he smell of something?]

[Hmm… huh? Is this…?]

Kanghun grinned.

[Yes… it's the dream smell.]

[Dream smell only comes from the roots or the branches… then he's either of two. A Strong from the Depth or a rookie.]

Jaehwan groaned. He did not know he would bear such a scent.

[He can't be the Strong of the Depth. He's a Non-Adapter. Doesn't make sense.]

[Then, is he a rookie?]

Nobody answered but it seemed that they had come to a conclusion. They began to be filled with greed and lust.

[…what about the woman?]

[You guys take care of her. He's more important.]

[Hehe… sure. We'll take good care of her then.]

The men began to make their move.

'Ugh… so it did come to this.'

Mino was right. These guys were criminals. Jaehwan did expect it, but it was a shame that his expectation did not betray him.

At that moment, something rolled and bumped into him.

"Oops!"

A soft feeling came from Jaehwan's right elbow. It was unmistakably a 65D sized breast.

"I didn't know you were here!"

[What are you doing! They're on the move!]

"Oh, Jaehwan, they're holding swords!"

[Come on! Do it as we planned!]

"EEEEK! Jaehwan! Help!"

[Whoa, are you not going to live up to the promise?]

The plan was to have Jaehwan speak the promised words and start fighting. This was what he was supposed to say.

'HAHA! Red Fox, I was waiting for you. I am the Strong of the Depth who has come to punish you!'

But he did not want to do that. He did not know what the Strong of the Depth was, but doing such thing just because he was taught about the region's name didn't seem fair.

[Come on! They're running in!]

Mino shouted but Jaehwan shrugged. Technically speaking, Jaehwan never even made a promise. It was Mino who just ordered him what to do.

Swords flew in.

"Kill them!"

Mino hugged Jaehwan and rolled to the side. Swords struck down on where they were lying and Mino shouted, "Come on! Use your sword! The black one! Get'em with it!"

"I don't have it."

"WHAT?!"

"I don't have it."

Jaehwan pointed at Kanghun and Mino's eye opened in shock. The Spirit Weapon was in Kanghun's hand.

"I let him borrow it."

"WHAT?! WHY!"

"He wanted to have a look while he stood guard."

"You let him take the weapon for that stupid reason?!"

Of course he did not lend his weapon because of such reason. Jaehwan actually had a different purpose.

'I'll see how strong she is now.'

Jaehwan grinned as he watched the swords flying in.