Academy's Silver Gatekeeper-Chapter 86

"..."

Hyun Sujin looked at the men and women gathered in the dark space. At a glance, they might seem ordinary, but they were all Elders.

The exact number of Elders isn't precisely known. Even fellow Elders don't know how many like them exist.

At most, they only know the number of those with whom they can communicate. They're incredibly closed off and dislike being touched, so this kind of full gathering of Elders was extremely rare.

'Everyone who can be contacted, or whose name has been known at least once, is here.'

Being an Elder herself, she knew them well. They're all people who despise anyone interfering with their lives. It's said that even the relationship between Elders and S-ranks is better than among Elders themselves.

Their races were diverse and their personalities varied. If anything was similar, it's their age range. Most are in their 20s to 30s. Of course, exceptions exist everywhere.

"Um, hello."

A perfect example being this girl who approached from the side to greet her. A girl who looks utterly terrified.

She seems to be in her late teens at most. Even generously, around that age. In Korea, she would have just entered high school.

But her identity is that of an Elder, just like Hyun Sujin. A monster no less terrible than herself.

"You came too?"

"Y-yes. They've g-gathered everyone who can be c-contacted."

Saying "It appears so," Hyun Sujin turned her head again.

What would people think if they saw this scene? They'd probably faint, foam at the mouth, and collapse. The sight of calamities gathering and chatting in groups.

"What the fuck did you just say?"

[I said shut your whore mouth. You smell like shit.]

"With your level not even worthy to come here and talking through a screen, what are you playing at?"

Of course, the conversation is far from pleasant. As always, when they meet, they growl at each other as if ready to kill. It's as if they suffer from extreme xenophobia. They're all crazy anyway.

At times like this, simultaneous interpretation seems like a pointless invention. Even if they curse in their own language, it's heard in the other person's language.

"I wish you'd quickly tell us why we're gathered. I don't want to stay in this stinking place any longer."

[I agree. Not like these are faces I enjoy seeing.]

[Understood. Then, Shadow.]

At those words from beyond the screen, Hyun Sujin slightly raised her head.

"What."

[Some explanation seems necessary.]

"What explanation?"

[Haven't you broken the minimal rules we set among ourselves? You need to explain that.]

They ignore, curse, provoke, and even fight to kill each other. The relationship among Elders is different from the concept of being colleagues when they were ability users. They can't even be called business partners. They're just garbage who somehow ended up together.

TN: Isn't that just a normal communication in DOTA SEA Server?

But even Elders have some minimum principles. Don't harm another Elder by cooperating with ability users. It means don't betray again after having already betrayed once.

[Why did you show such behavior in front of the S-rank ability user from Korea, identification code 'Road' Han Jiyoon?]

"What behavior are you referring to?"

"Don't play dumb, yellow monkey. You didn't say it out loud, but in the end, you were willing to watch that woman kill Ghost, weren't you?"

The black woman who had been opposing Hyun Sujin earlier sneers.

"I told you, didn't I? I was maintaining our honor. He should know to be ashamed of being defeated by a mere examiner. What would be gained by going all out there? It would only invite mockery."

[I agree. I think Shadow was right to step in?]

[You shut up. You just want to find fault with everything I do.]

[Wow, correct. You knew? Then I should interfere even more.]

[I'll kill you. You bitch.]

[Sure. Go ahead~. You coward.]

Signs of division and conflict are already appearing. But Hyun Sujin and the other Elders just seemed to accept it as usual.

This is how it is. An Elder, in the end, is solely about themselves. They're not people who have been villains since they first awakened their abilities.

They are those who betrayed their duties as ability users. S-ranks who abandoned their responsibilities and clutched their desires. The code name "Elder" was actually given to them by villains.

"Ah. So it ends up like this again."

"Should I just leave? I just finished playing wet and messy with men and feel gross."

[Control your body a bit. You're not a whore.]

"Why should I? That's why you're the idiot who keeps losing women."

[That pervert is why men have abused you.]

"...Watch your language. Before I tear off your thing and stuff it in your mouth."

[I don't understand why you're getting so upset about the truth?]

It seems the topic of responsibility that had come up has completely dissipated. Now they're just fighting among themselves.

There are various reasons. Simply because they don't get along. Or because they strongly dislike the other person, or because they have different intentions. freewёbnoνel.com

One might question the idea of "different intentions." Elders are ultimately villains, and if so, they all oppose the world similarly. So why would there be talk of intentions matching or not matching?

But a closer look reveals that's not the case. It explains why Elders monitor and fight each other so much.

While one betrayed for revenge, another for greater power, Yet another because they didn't want to be bound by society's stifling norms. If not that, then out of fear, or wanting to be king in their own world. A tiny minority even dream of global annihilation.

They became traitors, villains, and Elders for various reasons. Naturally, as they pursue their desires, they clash.

If one wants revenge by destroying an entire place and massacring everyone, To another who just wants to rule as king of the underworld and expand to the mainstream, That bloody revenge appears only as an action that interferes with their own desires.

If one wants to establish the law of the strong and become the absolute ruler of that world, but nearby, there's someone shouting for global destruction and mutual annihilation. Naturally, the one who wants to be an absolute ruler views the destroyer unfavorably.

Hyun Sujin and the black female Elder are similar.

She has some reason to antagonize ability users affiliated with South Korea. Later on, she plans to throw South Korea itself into chaos and overthrow it.

In contrast, the black woman is making huge profits as the queen of her region through black market trades. And her main customers are various villain organizations in South Korea. For her business to continue, the tense confrontation needs to persist. So she's irritated that Hyun Sujin keeps interfering.

The one seeking revenge and the one who wants to reign as king in her world. The friction between these two explained why Elders have the worst relationships among themselves.

"Ah, shit. Idiots. Come on."

Seemingly fed up with listening, a man spits out a curse.

"Just tell us why we're gathered, what you're planning to do. Just that."

[...Well, the reason we gathered is because of Shadow's...]

"Cut the bullshit. That's not the main point, is it?"

At those words, all the Elders almost simultaneously fell silent. Everyone vaguely suspected that there was another reason they were gathered. And sensing something was happening, they all showed up despite their complaints.

[....]

After a moment of silence, someone beyond the screen slowly began to speak.

[The truth is, these days, because we've been tearing at each other too much, they seem to be misunderstanding. That Elders are actually nothing special. Just kids who got tired of their duties and quit.]

"That's not wrong. We did quit, didn't we?"

[I agree. Self-reflection.]

"Shut up a bit. I'm just pissed off."

Although it seemed the topic had shifted to personal responsibility, The Elder who had started speaking continued.

[I've heard some interesting news recently. It seems changes are occurring. Gates, monsters, and dungeons. The governments of each country are in close communication with each other.]

"So?"

[I'm suggesting that we also need to change. For instance, organizationally, hunt someone, tear them apart, and hang them in public.]

Then suddenly, one Elder bursts into laughter.

"Be honest. That's just an excuse, and in this opportunity, you want to kill Bernard, right?"

Bernard. The highest-ranked S-class ability user in England. And worldwide, one of the strongest among the strong, within the top ten.

"Trying to involve us in your personal revenge? I said it, didn't I? If we do that and a real war breaks out, how many of us will actually lose out?"

Those who desire world annihilation are not common among Elders. Rather, many hope for this world to continue, with themselves as absolute monsters within it, Or as kings whom no one can control.

So, to rush in as a group and kill an S-rank, a country's ultimate power? That would break the unspoken rule that existed between the world and villains, between S-ranks and Elders. It would collapse a kind of Maginot Line. What follows is simply a war of annihilation.

[I'm in favor.]

"Are you crazy?"

[Some change is needed. Look at the world these days. They're taking us too lightly, aren't they?]

"Thanks to Ghost and Shadow, those two yellow monkeys, even more so. How could they have been pushed back by an unknown ability user, not even an S-rank?"

[The point is this. Even we Elders need change.]

At those words, those gathered in the dark space, and those beyond the screens, expressed agreement.

Change. For some, it's a good excuse to achieve what they want. Others might increase the value of fear to gain greater profits. And for some, it could be a step closer to the annihilation they so desperately desire.

"Tell me more. If I like it, I'll do it."

[I'm not interested, so I'm leaving. Do as you please.]

Despite starting differently, the meeting ends somewhat ambiguously. But they didn't leave empty-handed. In fact, this much is quite significant.

Those monsters agreeing to move together. For the people of the world, just imagining it would be the worst nightmare.

'Not bad, but I have no interest in those island chinks.'

Hyun Sujin, transformed into a shadow, left the dark space.

'Come to think of it, it's absurd.'

The sudden gathering of Elders. And the reason was none other than that 'examiner.'

'Baek Seojin.'

If it weren't for him, Kwak Hyuk wouldn't have been injured, and she wouldn't have stepped in. And those monsters wouldn't have mentioned change and brought it up.

*

"Hmm."

"Examiner? What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Suhyeon."

Is someone talking about me?