Side Story 6
"Reconciliation Day: List of Survivors and Deceased."
Deva was the oldest Guild in this Tower, along with Asgard.
They attached great importance to records.
Especially Surya, he recorded anything that happened in this Tower, any detail, to be prepared for the future.
That day was no different.
Surya recorded everything, from the fight against Shub-Niggurath to any event related to the Outers.
How much damage each Guild suffered in the war.
What reward was given to the Rankers who excelled in battle, etc, etc.
While reviewing the list, Vishnu asked, "How did you organize this?"
"I organized both contributions and survivors and deceased in order."
"Contributions?"
At first, he was clearly confused.
If it really was organized by contributions, the first name should have been Zeus, Odin, or even himself.
But.
"It's the first time I've seen this name."
In the first entry of those records, the name "Kim YuWon" was written, a name he had never seen in his life.
Normally, he should have felt something strange at that moment.
He should have investigated who Kim YuWon was and found out.
But Vishnu didn't.
No.
Not only Vishnu.
'Not Surya either. Not me. Everyone else didn't either.'
Thinking about it, finding out the name Kim YuWon was not only at that moment. It was endlessly frequent to see the name Kim YuWon in various records related to the Outers.
But each time, everyone ignored who Kim YuWon was.
Now, thinking about it seemed arbitrary and senseless actions.
'What the hell is going on?'
The head began to ache. It was a mystery why Vishnu didn't feel strangeness at that moment, and why now, suddenly, he remembered the situation from that moment.
"So, who the hell is Kim YuWon?"
---------------
Eastern Zodiac Guild. A small Guild composed of twelve Rankers and a hundred Players. (Note: Don't confuse with the Zodiac Guild from Greek astrology. This one is from the Chinese)
The Guild Leader, Branil, was sitting in a mansion on the 15th floor, receiving a visitor.
"...What brings the Envoy here?"
A small child sitting on the other side of the long table.
An Envoy.
Those who acted on behalf of the Administrators, performing tasks in their place.
Originally, Envoys were not supposed to come directly to the Rankers, at least according to what Branil had in mind.
"Why? Does it make you uncomfortable?"
"It's because it rarely happens."
"Sorry for showing up unannounced. Oh, this tea tastes excellent. I'd like to take some on the way back if possible."
The man looked like a child, but his words were those of an elderly person.
Branil tensed up at the Envoy's smile.
The Envoy in front of him was at least equivalent to the Director of an agency under the direct command of the Administrators.
That is, he did not lag behind compared to the High-Rankers.
'Did we do something wrong?'
Eastern Zodiac was a small Guild.
Even if there might be something wrong in managing the Guild, there was no reason for a High-Rank Envoy to personally show up.
Even if they moved, only a few minor Envoys would be enough.
Moreover...
The Envoy in front of him had already been leisurely drinking for thirty minutes without saying a word.
"My name is Nabison, and I am the trial supervisor on the 15th floor. I apologize for the delay in introductions."
Most Envoys didn't have names.
An Envoy with a name meant that he was truly one of the few chosen by the Administrators.
Nabison.
It was a peculiar name to be called by a person.
It was not surprising.
Even the names of some known Envoys were mostly as peculiar as Nabison's.
"I don't need introductions. I suppose you already know anyway."
"Yes. Leader of the Eastern Zodiac Guild, the proud Ranker of the Dragon Tribe. Aren't you Mr. Branil-nim?"
"That's right. Anyway, now that we've introduced ourselves, why don't you tell me what this visit is about?"
He was nervous.
The mere existence of the Envoy called Nabison.
Although he hadn't caused a big problem, the persistent anxiety made Branil tremble.
Eastern Zodiac was not such an impressive Guild, but Branil was a Ranker leading the Guild.
Those who conquered the Tower up to the 100th floor had exceptional skills.
And what put Branil in this place was his ability to sense crisis.
'It's dangerous.'
The time it took for anxiety to turn into certainty was only about thirty minutes.
Nabison didn't respond twice when asked to explain his business.
Sipping his tea in silence. Looking out the window, saying nonsense like the weather was fine.
Drump-.
So, when Branil, suffocated by anxiety, stood up from his seat...
"Please sit."
Thud-.
Someone walked towards the door of the room where the two were.
"Because you came."
"Who came...?"
Branil's eyes widened.
Not only Nabison, whom he didn't even like, was in front of him, but another person had also invaded his space without permission.
"This is the Eastern Zodiac Guild. Even if you are an Envoy, you cannot enter my area..."
[In your area, you say.]
Gwoong-.
A sense of oppression as if the building were collapsing.
[Here is your area, isn't it?]
Kuduk, kudd-.
The firmly closed door dented.
It wasn't just that the door was dented.
The wrinkled plank quickly turned into something that couldn't be seen entirely.
Large enough for someone to enter without opening the door.
Looking up, Branil could finally realize the nature of the anxiety he felt.
[This world is mine.]
"I-I..."
Branil barely managed to speak with a trembling mouth.
"Administrator?"
The irregular flow of Arcane Power from that person's body.
As if a single person had woven everything in this world.
The 15th-floor Administrator appeared before Branil's eyes.
'It's huge.'
Branil looked up at the Administrator in front of him.
"Large" didn't just mean large in size.
In terms of size, it was nothing compared to the giants.
For Branil, who had met many giants while climbing the Tower, this size was not surprising at all.
However, even so.
'Have... have I shrunk?'
Branil couldn't help but feel like an infinitely small and insignificant speck of dust compared to the Administrator in front of him.
Thud-.
Branil knelt, overwhelmed by the Arcane Power emanating from the Administrator's body.
Step, step.
The Administrator approached.
The Envoy named Nabison knelt and bowed his head to him.
Many Envoys fluttered around the Administrator like fairies.
[You're too scared. We can't have a conversation like this.]
The Administrator clicked his tongue softly.
Branil was half-conscious due to the majesty emanating from the Administrator's body.
Of course...
As that was the intention from the beginning, there were no major complaints from the Administrator's perspective about the current situation.
[Get yourself together, Branil.]
"Ah, yes... I'm sorry..."
Branil stammered and quickly served tea.
He was out of his mind.
Fear consumed him, and he couldn't even think clearly.
At this moment, the only thing that mattered was to please the Administrator.
"Here... it is..."
[Branil]
The Administrator's voice softened.
It was kind and calm.
It was a sound that melted the brain.
"Yes, yes?"
Along with Branil's clumsy response, the Administrator took the tea cup offered by Branil, drank, and then asked:
[Won't you come with us?]
---------------
Olympus.
In the castle located at the top of a massive mountain, a man was sitting on the throne with his chin resting on his hand.
Crunch-.
Dressed in golden armor, Zeus muttered something.
Tap, tap-.
As he drummed his fingers on the throne's armrests, the throne room's door opened.
"Your habit of talking to yourself remains the same."
The heavy iron door swung open, and Hades entered from outside.
"Are you so concerned?"
"Have you come, brother?"
"Yes."
Zeus nodded at Hades, who came behind him.
They were brothers, after all.
In public appearances, Zeus could be formal, but privately he used a more familiar tone with Hades.
"Still worried?"
"Yes."
"It's understandable. It's not a trivial matter. That's why we've summoned a meeting of the Grand Guilds."
The last time the Grand Guilds gathered was ten years ago, during the war.
Reconciliation Day. And the war against the Outers that began with the fall of the Wall.
Both events were moments when the Tower faced an unprecedented crisis.
And this matter, in Zeus's judgment, was as serious as those.
However...
"It still seems too early to judge."
"What's the problem with the Administrators mobilizing?"
"Administrators act for the Tower's sake. Their goals are not ours."
Perhaps having lived through a major crisis before, reactions to the Administrators' actions varied.
"It's not easy to see the Administrators as an enemy. Even if they are your words, fighting against them wouldn't be any different from repeating the battle of ten years ago."
"Do you believe them?"
A month before convening the meeting, the Administrator of the floor where Olympus was located visited Zeus.
"What's going on?"
The Administrator had come in person to Olympus.
He was sitting on the throne in the Great Hall, the heart of Olympus, the place reserved only for the Leader of Olympus, waiting for Zeus.
"Don't trust us."
"Us? Do you mean the Administrators?"
"Yes."
Zeus had maintained a fairly close relationship with the Administrators for a long time.
After all, the Administrators were the true rulers of the Tower, and back then, the relationship with the Administrators determined the Guild's influence.
However...
"Administrators don't act for the Tower. We only act for ourselves."
The Administrator's words that day completely changed Zeus's perception of them.
"...What do you mean?"
"I'll just say this. I, too, feel uncomfortable talking more than necessary."
He couldn't hold it back anymore.
The Administrator disappeared from the place along with those words.
Baffling words.
There was no evidence. However, Zeus couldn't easily forget the Administrator's words that day.
"It was a warning."
Zeus was sure.
"They dare, stupidly and shamelessly..."
Crack, crack.
Electricity leaked through the gaps in the armor.
Hades, seeing Zeus smirking scornfully, shook his head.
From the expression on his face, he knew for sure.
"They've shown their teeth."
The battle for Zeus had already begun.
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