"Ah."
A sudden chill ran down Yoon Seo's spine, making his body shudder. Kwon Jihan, sensing something was wrong, gripped Yoon Seo's arm even tighter, saying, "Hyung, what's going on?"
And then, it happened.
In the blink of an eye, the scenery changed. The pale moonlight, the smell of damp air, the rustling branches in the wind, and even Kwon Jihan's hand gripping his arm—all vanished, replaced by an eerie stillness and darkness.
[Gaia System Notification!
You have reached the deepest darkness.
Due to the unauthorized entry, the Gaia System is intervening.
You will return to Earth after a set period.
Space retention time: 00:01:59]
The Gaia System message wasn't in front of his eyes as usual; instead, it echoed directly in his mind, and the voice—it was Yoon Seo's own voice. The countdown started from 1 minute and 59 seconds, ticking down with each passing second.
Yoon Seo looked around, but he couldn't even see his own limbs. This space was simultaneously empty yet filled with something.
He felt this because the air brushing against his skin was warm. Even though he had been transported to this unfamiliar, dark place where nothing was visible, he felt no fear. There was a calming presence that seemed to fill the void.
[The Observer is watching you.]
Yoon Seo jerked his head up.
The Observer is watching? Could that warmth he felt be the gaze of the Observer?
In the overwhelming darkness, where even his own existence felt uncertain, Yoon Seo finally managed to open his mouth.
"Where am I—?"
[This place is]
A voice identical to Yoon Seo's answered.
[The Path to Darkness]
[A place forever unseen]
[A realm where nothing can reach]
[The final threshold leading to the Realm of Discrepancy]
"Wait. Hold on… 'Final threshold'? What do you mean by the 'Realm of Discrepancy'?"
[Space retention time: 00:01:05]
Yoon Seo canceled the question he was about to ask after hearing the message ringing in his mind. Instead, he posed a different one.
"Are you… aliens?"
[ . . . ]
There was a moment of silence, as if he could almost hear a bewildered sigh, but maybe it was just his imagination.
[We are]
[Guardians of the universe]
[We protect its boundaries]
[Preserve all creation]
[And select the stars worthy of existence.]
Yoon Seo couldn't fully grasp every word being spoken, but he tried to memorize it all, intending to relay it to the sharp-witted Kwon Jihan later.
"Could you speak a bit faster, please?"
[ . . . ]
"So, you're saying you're aliens? Or gods?"
[We are]
[Gods.]
The short answer sent a chill down Yoon Seo's spine.
"…Then, who exactly are you, the one speaking to me right now?"
[I am]
[The one who brings existence to all things]
[The one who watches and waits]
[The entity that makes the universe possible . . . ]
'The Observer, the one responsible for materializing things into existence after observation, like in quantum physics.'
Recalling the brief explanation he'd heard just before arriving here, Yoon Seo felt another shiver down his spine. This wasn't just one of the many theories humanity had proposed. Was it really this voice's act of observation that brought the universe into existence?
Even as he experienced it, he found it hard to believe.
A heavy silence followed. Yoon Seo glanced at the remaining time.
[Space retention time: 00:00:25]
This is no time to be amazed. Yoon Seo quickly shouted into the darkness.
"All of this. The dungeons, the monsters' awakening. What are they? Why did they suddenly appear on Earth, and what do you… what do you want from us?"
The Observer remained silent for a moment before responding.
[In the universe where light does not reach,]
[distorted beings are born.]
[As the realm of distortion expands,]
[the realm of stars disappears.]
[If there is no power to stop this,]
[the stars' qualification will be revoked, but . . .]
[Do not fear.]
[We will be with you . . .]
[Gaia System Alert!
Space retention time has ended. Returning to Earth.]
"Wait…!"
Yoon Seo shouted urgently, but his voice was futilely dispersed. It felt as if his entire consciousness was being lifted, and the darkness and silence vanished.
The new scenery was one Yoon Seo recognized.
A night sky with a white moon, a birch forest, and the lakeshore.
"Hyung hyung! Damn, are you okay?"
A familiar voice brought Yoon Seo back to his senses. His body was shaking slightly. He blinked. He was in Kwon Jihan's arms, whose face was filled with concern. Do Deungsoo, the members of the Europae guild, and even Grace—who had previously submerged in the lake—were now out, draped in a gown. Water dripped from her wavy blonde hair.
Yoon Seo tried to get out of Kwon Jihan's embrace but staggered. Kwon Jihan held him up with firm strength, his hands on Yoon Seo's shoulders and arms, unwilling to let him go.
Yoon Seo, still dazed, asked in a confused voice.
"What happened?"
"I'm the one who should be asking that. You suddenly collapsed, and I was scared out of my mind."
"Collapsed?"
"Yeah, damn. My heart's still racing. You just suddenly passed out like you lost consciousness. I barely caught you in time. It's been about 10 minutes. Next time, give me a warning before you collapse, okay?"
"..."
"You couldn't refuse, right? Your consciousness went somewhere because you couldn't reject it?"
Yoon Seo stared at his hands without answering. They were trembling slightly. If it weren't for Kwon Jihan's steady support, he would have collapsed long ago. Kwon Jihan's expression grew more serious.
"Hyung."
"...."
Yoon Seo lifted his head. Their eyes met. Kwon Jihan asked with a serious face, devoid of his usual composure.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"…I'm physically fine. But… I saw something."
"What did you see?"
"...."
Yoon Seo thought about what he had seen. It wasn't something he saw but something he heard, and the content… he couldn't speak of it here. No, he didn't even know what conversation he had had.
"I think everyone… needs to gather."
At Yoon Seo's trembling voice, Kwon Jihan nodded. While giving various instructions to Do Deungsoo, he still didn't let go of Yoon Seo. It was only then that Yoon Seo really examined Kwon Jihan.
Now that he looked closely, Kwon Jihan was even sweating profusely. He appeared as if he had faced an extremely terrifying situation. There were veins bulging at his temples. Yoon Seo was the one who had returned from a strange experience, yet Kwon Jihan seemed far more affected.
***
Yoon Seo recounted everything he had experienced to everyone.
"Everyone" included Kwon Jihan, Seokyoung, the vice guild master, and the guild master of the Europae guild.
Those three then relayed what Seo Chaeyoon had experienced to the president and vice president of the Hunter Federation, the leader of the S Guild, the president of the Korean Hunter Association, the presidents of Korea and the United States, and the leaders of various international unions that emerged after the great upheaval.
All meetings were held in extreme secrecy, and nothing was announced to the media, so public interest was focused on the "chosen ones" with special abilities and the new Revenger list.
While the majority of the world was not informed to ensure that they could maintain their ordinary lives, the very few who knew what Seo Chaeyoon had experienced were in a state of panic.
With all theories from science and philosophy to mathematics and the humanities being considered, the interpretations varied widely. However, there was one interpretation that most agreed upon: the "Observer" god was actively helping humanity. The revelation skill was fundamentally a skill intended to assist humanity, and since it was a phenomenon that occurred while using that skill, there was a common belief that there was no intention to trap humanity in a predicament.
Now, what remained was to analyze every word spoken by the Observer to extract information that would be beneficial to humanity.
During this time, Yoon Seo had practically lived in Seokyoung's training room.
He had been racking his brain, pondering over what the Observer had said, but it was filled with things he simply couldn't understand.
Since he didn't feel any sense of fear from the Observer, it must mean that the information was not harmful to humanity.
'Do not be afraid. We will be with you….'
If that was the case, couldn't they just prevent him from facing such terrifying situations in the first place?
Even a god wouldn't be able to wield that level of power?
Given his history of giving up on academics when it came to calculus, Yoon Seo found it easier to train his body and sweat than to overthink and deduce.
So, he dedicated himself to training diligently…
As a result, his skill control had returned to his peak level from when he was active, and now he was focusing on physical training, with Kwon Jihan always by his side.
Since the Perfect team was essentially confirmed to enter the Great Dungeon, they were currently gaining real combat experience by tackling the S-rank Green Dungeon, which meant the Perfect training room was solely theirs.
Beep!
Of course, Riceball was there too.
Sometimes, while working out, Yoon Seo would inadvertently fall into a competitive dynamic with Kwon Jihan, and during those moments, the small bird would flit back and forth between them, seeming to enjoy the situation.
Yoon Seo felt a sense of pride and gratitude knowing that Riceball sometimes sided with Kwon Jihan, as he contemplated releasing Riceball's bond and passing it on to Kwon Jihan.
And as for the competition with Kwon Jihan… he was mostly winning. Yoon Seo had stopped getting worked up about it. Given the difference in their physiques and the saying that age is a bully, it was an unavoidable issue. However, when it came to agility and combat sense, Yoon Seo was definitely at an advantage.
Four days later, he received a call from Yoo Juncheol. Yoon Seo's U-Pad rang when he had just come down to the training room after having lunch with Kwon Jihan in the cafeteria.
"Hello?"
– Yoon Seo, where are you? Are you inside the building?
"I'm in the training room."
– Do you have any free time at one o'clock tomorrow?
"What's going on?"
– There's going to be an assessment for the 'Chosen Ones.' A total of 116 people are coming. Jihan is next to you, right?
"Yes, he's listening in. Please let me know the location so we can go together."
– Oh, and there's one more thing. If it's alright with you, could you come to the conference room now?
"Right now?"
– I have a rather plausible hypothesis regarding the conversation with the Observer, and I would like to share it with you…
"Ah."
A sudden chill ran down Yoon Seo's spine, making his body shudder. Kwon Jihan, sensing something was wrong, gripped Yoon Seo's arm even tighter, saying, "Hyung, what's going on?"
And then, it happened.
In the blink of an eye, the scenery changed. The pale moonlight, the smell of damp air, the rustling branches in the wind, and even Kwon Jihan's hand gripping his arm—all vanished, replaced by an eerie stillness and darkness.
[Gaia System Notification!
You have reached the deepest darkness.
Due to the unauthorized entry, the Gaia System is intervening.
You will return to Earth after a set period.
Space retention time: 00:01:59]
The Gaia System message wasn't in front of his eyes as usual; instead, it echoed directly in his mind, and the voice—it was Yoon Seo's own voice. The countdown started from 1 minute and 59 seconds, ticking down with each passing second.
Yoon Seo looked around, but he couldn't even see his own limbs. This space was simultaneously empty yet filled with something.
He felt this because the air brushing against his skin was warm. Even though he had been transported to this unfamiliar, dark place where nothing was visible, he felt no fear. There was a calming presence that seemed to fill the void.
[The Observer is watching you.]
Yoon Seo jerked his head up.
The Observer is watching? Could that warmth he felt be the gaze of the Observer?
In the overwhelming darkness, where even his own existence felt uncertain, Yoon Seo finally managed to open his mouth.
"Where am I—?"
[This place is]
A voice identical to Yoon Seo's answered.
[The Path to Darkness]
[A place forever unseen]
[A realm where nothing can reach]
[The final threshold leading to the Realm of Discrepancy]
"Wait. Hold on… 'Final threshold'? What do you mean by the 'Realm of Discrepancy'?"
[Space retention time: 00:01:05]
Yoon Seo canceled the question he was about to ask after hearing the message ringing in his mind. Instead, he posed a different one.
"Are you… aliens?"
[ . . . ]
There was a moment of silence, as if he could almost hear a bewildered sigh, but maybe it was just his imagination.
[We are]
[Guardians of the universe]
[We protect its boundaries]
[Preserve all creation]
[And select the stars worthy of existence.]
Yoon Seo couldn't fully grasp every word being spoken, but he tried to memorize it all, intending to relay it to the sharp-witted Kwon Jihan later.
"Could you speak a bit faster, please?"
[ . . . ]
"So, you're saying you're aliens? Or gods?"
[We are]
[Gods.]
The short answer sent a chill down Yoon Seo's spine.
"…Then, who exactly are you, the one speaking to me right now?"
[I am]
[The one who brings existence to all things]
[The one who watches and waits]
[The entity that makes the universe possible . . . ]
'The Observer, the one responsible for materializing things into existence after observation, like in quantum physics.'
Recalling the brief explanation he'd heard just before arriving here, Yoon Seo felt another shiver down his spine. This wasn't just one of the many theories humanity had proposed. Was it really this voice's act of observation that brought the universe into existence?
Even as he experienced it, he found it hard to believe.
A heavy silence followed. Yoon Seo glanced at the remaining time.
[Space retention time: 00:00:25]
This is no time to be amazed. Yoon Seo quickly shouted into the darkness.
"All of this. The dungeons, the monsters' awakening. What are they? Why did they suddenly appear on Earth, and what do you… what do you want from us?"
The Observer remained silent for a moment before responding.
[In the universe where light does not reach,]
[distorted beings are born.]
[As the realm of distortion expands,]
[the realm of stars disappears.]
[If there is no power to stop this,]
[the stars' qualification will be revoked, but . . .]
[Do not fear.]
[We will be with you . . .]
[Gaia System Alert!
Space retention time has ended. Returning to Earth.]
"Wait…!"
Yoon Seo shouted urgently, but his voice was futilely dispersed. It felt as if his entire consciousness was being lifted, and the darkness and silence vanished.
The new scenery was one Yoon Seo recognized.
A night sky with a white moon, a birch forest, and the lakeshore.
"Hyung hyung! Damn, are you okay?"
A familiar voice brought Yoon Seo back to his senses. His body was shaking slightly. He blinked. He was in Kwon Jihan's arms, whose face was filled with concern. Do Deungsoo, the members of the Europae guild, and even Grace—who had previously submerged in the lake—were now out, draped in a gown. Water dripped from her wavy blonde hair.
Yoon Seo tried to get out of Kwon Jihan's embrace but staggered. Kwon Jihan held him up with firm strength, his hands on Yoon Seo's shoulders and arms, unwilling to let him go.
Yoon Seo, still dazed, asked in a confused voice.
"What happened?"
"I'm the one who should be asking that. You suddenly collapsed, and I was scared out of my mind."
"Collapsed?"
"Yeah, damn. My heart's still racing. You just suddenly passed out like you lost consciousness. I barely caught you in time. It's been about 10 minutes. Next time, give me a warning before you collapse, okay?"
"..."
"You couldn't refuse, right? Your consciousness went somewhere because you couldn't reject it?"
Yoon Seo stared at his hands without answering. They were trembling slightly. If it weren't for Kwon Jihan's steady support, he would have collapsed long ago. Kwon Jihan's expression grew more serious.
"Hyung."
"...."
Yoon Seo lifted his head. Their eyes met. Kwon Jihan asked with a serious face, devoid of his usual composure.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"…I'm physically fine. But… I saw something."
"What did you see?"
"...."
Yoon Seo thought about what he had seen. It wasn't something he saw but something he heard, and the content… he couldn't speak of it here. No, he didn't even know what conversation he had had.
"I think everyone… needs to gather."
At Yoon Seo's trembling voice, Kwon Jihan nodded. While giving various instructions to Do Deungsoo, he still didn't let go of Yoon Seo. It was only then that Yoon Seo really examined Kwon Jihan.
Now that he looked closely, Kwon Jihan was even sweating profusely. He appeared as if he had faced an extremely terrifying situation. There were veins bulging at his temples. Yoon Seo was the one who had returned from a strange experience, yet Kwon Jihan seemed far more affected.
***
Yoon Seo recounted everything he had experienced to everyone.
"Everyone" included Kwon Jihan, Seokyoung, the vice guild master, and the guild master of the Europae guild.
Those three then relayed what Seo Chaeyoon had experienced to the president and vice president of the Hunter Federation, the leader of the S Guild, the president of the Korean Hunter Association, the presidents of Korea and the United States, and the leaders of various international unions that emerged after the great upheaval.
All meetings were held in extreme secrecy, and nothing was announced to the media, so public interest was focused on the "chosen ones" with special abilities and the new Revenger list.
While the majority of the world was not informed to ensure that they could maintain their ordinary lives, the very few who knew what Seo Chaeyoon had experienced were in a state of panic.
With all theories from science and philosophy to mathematics and the humanities being considered, the interpretations varied widely. However, there was one interpretation that most agreed upon: the "Observer" god was actively helping humanity. The revelation skill was fundamentally a skill intended to assist humanity, and since it was a phenomenon that occurred while using that skill, there was a common belief that there was no intention to trap humanity in a predicament.
Now, what remained was to analyze every word spoken by the Observer to extract information that would be beneficial to humanity.
During this time, Yoon Seo had practically lived in Seokyoung's training room.
He had been racking his brain, pondering over what the Observer had said, but it was filled with things he simply couldn't understand.
Since he didn't feel any sense of fear from the Observer, it must mean that the information was not harmful to humanity.
'Do not be afraid. We will be with you….'
If that was the case, couldn't they just prevent him from facing such terrifying situations in the first place?
Even a god wouldn't be able to wield that level of power?
Given his history of giving up on academics when it came to calculus, Yoon Seo found it easier to train his body and sweat than to overthink and deduce.
So, he dedicated himself to training diligently…
As a result, his skill control had returned to his peak level from when he was active, and now he was focusing on physical training, with Kwon Jihan always by his side.
Since the Perfect team was essentially confirmed to enter the Great Dungeon, they were currently gaining real combat experience by tackling the S-rank Green Dungeon, which meant the Perfect training room was solely theirs.
Beep!
Of course, Riceball was there too.
Sometimes, while working out, Yoon Seo would inadvertently fall into a competitive dynamic with Kwon Jihan, and during those moments, the small bird would flit back and forth between them, seeming to enjoy the situation.
Yoon Seo felt a sense of pride and gratitude knowing that Riceball sometimes sided with Kwon Jihan, as he contemplated releasing Riceball's bond and passing it on to Kwon Jihan.
And as for the competition with Kwon Jihan… he was mostly winning. Yoon Seo had stopped getting worked up about it. Given the difference in their physiques and the saying that age is a bully, it was an unavoidable issue. However, when it came to agility and combat sense, Yoon Seo was definitely at an advantage.
Four days later, he received a call from Yoo Juncheol. Yoon Seo's U-Pad rang when he had just come down to the training room after having lunch with Kwon Jihan in the cafeteria.
"Hello?"
– Yoon Seo, where are you? Are you inside the building?
"I'm in the training room."
– Do you have any free time at one o'clock tomorrow?
"What's going on?"
– There's going to be an assessment for the 'Chosen Ones.' A total of 116 people are coming. Jihan is next to you, right?
"Yes, he's listening in. Please let me know the location so we can go together."
– Oh, and there's one more thing. If it's alright with you, could you come to the conference room now?
"Right now?"
– I have a rather plausible hypothesis regarding the conversation with the Observer, and I would like to share it with you…