The Player Who Can't Level Up

Paimon was resting on a bed, and Gi-Gyu and Lou stood beside him silently.

“...”

Gi-Gyu watched him quietly. He had stated that Lou was one of the two swords God used to wield; then, he collapsed.

Gi-Gyu carefully placed his hand on Paimon’s chest again. He could feel that Paimon was in a terrible condition. It was a surprise that he was still alive at all.

Paimon was on his deathbed. He was physically fit, but his shell was destroyed beyond repair.

Gi-Gyu turned toward Lou, who also seemed unhappy. Gi-Gyu wondered what he must be thinking.

“Lou,” Gi-Gyu called out to him.

“Don’t worry about me,” Lou said coldly. His normal blank look appeared on his face again. “I just need some time to think.”

‘Lou…’ 

Lou had been betrayed and turned into an evil sword. He had just discovered that Paimon had something to do with the betrayal.

‘But he must have had some idea that this is what happened,’ Gi-Gyu guessed. He suspected that Lou already knew this. After all, Lou had known about Paimon’s research and had given him Satan.

And…

‘The fact that he became an evil sword…’ It made perfect sense what happened to Lou had something to do with Paimon.  

But it appeared that Lou had put away his suspicion and worry until now.

‘I still can’t believe that Lou was one of the swords God wielded,’ Gi-Gyu thought in shock. He wondered why Paimon had even told them this shocking information. After Paimon had collapsed, Gi-Gyu studied Lou but failed to see how Paimon had learned the truth.

Gi-Gyu looked at Paimon again. It seemed this high-level demon on his deathbed was the only one who knew the truth.

“But I’m glad we at least got to hear a lot about Andras and his plan,” Gi-Gyu mumbled. Paimon’s death would be a huge loss, but Gi-Gyu took comfort in knowing they had gained a lot of important information.

Unfortunately, it seemed that this wasn’t enough to console Lou.

Suddenly, Lou asked, “What do you think about it?”

“The fact… that I am one of the swords God wielded. To be honest, I don’t remember anything. You must already know that my memory begins when I suddenly appeared in hell.”

“...”

“Even the demons have parents. Whether we were born or made, we all have parents.”

Gi-Gyu listened to Lou quietly.

“I have never been curious about my parents. To demons, parents aren’t important, but…”

Gi-Gyu finished the thought for Lou. “You’re probably just curious about what happened before you arrived in hell.”

“That’s right.” Lou looked at Gi-Gyu. “I want to find those memories. I crave them.”

Lou shook his head and asked, “Do you believe Paimon told the truth?”

“Does it matter?” Gi-Gyu asked in return. “Are your old memories really important? Where you came from, what happened to you before hell… Are these things significant?”

Lou couldn’t answer. Instead, he asked, “So Paimon won’t wake up again?”

“Probably not. I used everything in my arsenal to prolong his life, but… He won’t regain consciousness.”

Lou became quiet again.

Gi-Gyu gave him a reassuring smile and offered, “As long as Paimon is alive, I will try to look through his memories to learn as much as possible. I will look for the answer you’re seeking.”

After a short silence, Lou mumbled, “Thanks.”

After Lou left the room, Gi-Gyu turned toward Paimon again. His memories were jumbled, and Gi-Gyu's job was to search through them and find answers for Lou.

Gi-Gyu closed his eyes and sat down. Lou had tried to act calm, but he couldn’t hide his true emotions from Gi-Gyu.

Lou was desperate for the answer.

‘Paimon…’ Gi-Gyu closed his eyes and began rummaging through Paimon’s memories.

Clang!

The hammering sound once again filled his head. He would hear this sound for as long as Paimon was alive.

‘Or until I find the answer Lou wants.’ 

Gi-Gyu wondered which would come first.

***

Lou had a lot to think about, but he wasn’t the only one. In Eden, someone else also had much to contemplate.

“Unnie,” Yoo-Bin called out and walked up to El. Yoo-Bin started calling El “Unnie” not too long ago. It happened shortly after they had shared a piece of Asmodeus.

“Yes?” El replied dryly.

Yoo-Bin sat down next to El.

“...”

“...”

They didn’t talk for a while and simply watched the scenery in front of them. Eden was busy with the last of its restoration process.

“Unnie,” Yoo-Bin called out to El again. “What do you think I am?”

“Hmm?” El had been deep in thought.

Her face lowered, Yoo-Bin whispered, “Do you think I am human?”

“...”

“Let’s be honest here. I have become something that belongs to Gi-Gyu oppa, and…” Yoo-Bin mumbled. Logically speaking, she wasn’t a human now. She also no longer had a player’s consciousness. She was still a part of the level system, but her player’s mind was disappearing fast.

Yoo-Bin looked up. “I just can’t tell anymore. I don’t know if I’m human or not.”

Yoo-Bin’s tone was serious, but she relaxed as she continued, “But I don’t think this is bad. I should have died. I should have disappeared into oblivion, but I’m still alive, aren’t I? When I was a player, I was in an awkward position. People called me the rookie ranker, but I was honestly lacking in many ways.”

El looked at Yoo-Bin.

Yoo-Bin added, “At the time, I felt such huge limitations. But I am not worried about that now. And most importantly…”

Yoo-Bin smiled and stood up. She whispered, “I hope your problem gets solved too, Unnie.” With that, she walked away.

El watched as Yoo-Bin left after saying her piece. Yoo-Bin seemed truly curious about what she was, but she didn’t wait for El’s answer.

Alone in the room, El smiled because she understood Yoo-Bin’s sentiments. She wanted to console El in any way possible, and El could tell that Yoo-Bin cared about her.

But it was also true that Yoo-Bin agonized over her situation.

No, it wasn’t just Yoo-Bin who had much to think about.

‘Everyone does.’

Indeed, all beings with a conscience agonized over the many things in life.

And then there were those synced with Gi-Gyu. They all had different backgrounds and different abilities.

“Everyone who is synced with the master…” El wondered if they believed they were the same as before they had synced with Gi-Gyu. All of them most likely had their own problems. Perhaps some had even found the answer already.

El used to be one of them, but now…

“Haa…” El sighed deeply. She had her own worry, but it was a different kind now.

“So her name is Ha-Rim, huh?” It was the first time El had seen Ha-Rim, but she had heard about her. Gi-Gyu had explained to her that he met Ha Song-Su and Ha-Rim in the gate he found her.

El contemplated Ha-Rim's identity. Even Paimon didn’t know Ha-Rim’s identity. Paimon had told them about Ha Song-Su, but not Ha-Rim.

Ha-Rim was a mystery even to Paimon.

‘Why…?’ El wondered why she had been the first to discover Ha-Rim’s spear. At first, she thought it was because she had recovered the fastest and had the most power.

“But it doesn’t make sense.” El knew now that this wasn’t the case. She had sensed Ha-Rim’s presence first because it felt familiar to her.

El had a guess about Ha-Rim’s identity, an uncertain one. She wasn’t sure if she should tell her master about it. Gi-Gyu was currently focused on Andras and Lou. Was it the right thing for her to burden him further with this information?

This was what was troubling El lately.

“Haa…” El sighed deeply again. Just then, she sensed two people approaching her. She looked up with a smile.

Old Man Hwang greeted her, “There you are.”

“Noona!” Min-Su yelled excitedly.

Old Man Hwang and Min-Su walked up to her.

El stood up to greet them.

Old Man Hwang asked, “Is Gi-Gyu still with Lord Paimon?”

El nodded.

Old Man Hwang nodded as well and announced, “Eden will be fully restored soon. The preparation outside Eden is also complete, so we must let him know.”

“Ah, I see. I will tell the master then,” El replied.

Gi-Gyu was concentrating only on reading Paimon’s memories. So the best thing would be for El to tell him in person.

“We’ll come with you,” Old Man Hwang offered.

Old Man Hwang’s request wasn’t strange, but there was no need, as she was simply relaying a message. Old Man Hwang could have done it himself, but El would interrupt Gi-Gyu the least.

“Ah…!” Suddenly, El exclaimed as if she had realized something. “You want to be with Paimon in his last moments.”

Old Man Hwang was like Paimon’s descendant, and Min-Su was Paimon’s direct descendant. So it wasn’t strange that Old Man Hwang wanted to be there during Paimon’s last moments.

After all, it was almost time.

“You’re close, but”—Old Man Hwang shook his head—“that’s not it.”

“...?” El looked at the elderly blacksmith in confusion.

Old Man Hwang put his hand on Min-Su’s shoulder and explained, “Min-Su has something he needs to tell Gi-Gyu. We… might be able to save Lord Paimon.”

“...!” El’s eyes widened. Deciding to follow them, El announced, “Let’s go then.”

***

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” Gi-Gyu asked Min-Su.

Gi-Gyu had gone through many of Paimon’s memories, but he didn’t get the answer he sought. Since all he had absorbed was random information, Gi-Gyu was disappointed he couldn’t help Lou.

El, Old Man Hwang, and Min-Su had suddenly shown up to tell him Eden was almost fully restored. Then Min-Su told him something amazing. The boy had stated that he might be able to save Paimon.

Min-Su nodded quietly.

‘He’s growing up fast,’ Gi-Gyu thought proudly. Min-Su had just been a kid when he first saw the boy in Dongdaemun Market. Gi-Gyu still remembered that day clearly.

Min-Su had grown up a lot since then, much faster than an average child would. It appeared that he had grown up incredibly during his short time with Paimon. And it wasn’t just a physical growth spurt the boy had experienced. His mind had also developed.

“I’ll be all right. Please do this, Hyung.” Min-Su sounded mature.

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With a bitter smile, Gi-Gyu turned toward Old Man Hwang.

The blacksmith whispered, “Min-Su chose to do this. I do not see him as a little boy anymore. I want to respect his decision.”

“But what about Hwang Chae-Il…?” Gi-Gyu asked hesitantly.

“He agreed to this as well,” Old Man Hwang replied.

Gi-Gyu nodded.

The boy and his guardians had all agreed, so it would be Gi-Gyu’s decision now. There was only one obvious answer.

Gi-Gyu mumbled, “I’m obviously grateful for this, but…”

He couldn’t help feeling a little guilty because what Min-Su wanted him to do was…

Gi-Gyu placed his hand on Min-Su’s head and whispered, “Sync.”