Chapter 225: Beneath the Mask (2)

"So? What did you want to talk about that you didn’t want your friend to hear?"

Verso asked with a broad smile, drawing a chuckle from Ethan at how perceptive he was.

"There’s quite a lot I’d like to discuss, but first... let’s find somewhere else."

"Oh! I know exactly where we should go!"

Verso announced enthusiastically, and Ethan went along with it.

"Lead the way, then."

Following Verso’s lead, the two wandered through the streets of Ashvarn beneath the cover of night, passing all manner of establishments along the way.

There were food shops that remained open late into the night, blacksmith workshops where weapons were forged and sharpened, and even clothing stores selling various outfits inspired by medieval and Gothic civilizations.

The two wandered around like old friends enjoying an evening together.

Verso took his time, leading Ethan to various places before finally heading toward their intended destination. Ethan followed quietly, never once urging him to hurry.

The hunter with hair that was both red and black was an energetic fellow. He talked incessantly and laughed at every opportunity, behaving like a complete eccentric.

His boundless energy and cheerful personality seemed utterly out of place in gloomy Ashvarn.

It was almost as though he didn’t belong in the city at all.

That was what Ethan thought as he watched Verso enthusiastically wander from one place to another.

And after an entire hour of aimless wandering...

The two finally reached their destination.

A cold gust of wind struck Ethan’s face as he approached the edge of a lofty vantage point, where the entirety of Ashvarn stretched out before him.

"I had no idea a place like this existed..."

The cursed hunter couldn’t hide his admiration for the view.

He was standing atop an ancient tower that rose several stories into the sky, towering above even the city’s other imposing buildings.

The tower was old and dilapidated, its walls cracked and its colors faded.

Yet it remained standing proudly, refusing to collapse despite having been abandoned by everyone.

"Pretty amazing, isn’t it? I stumbled across this place by accident a few months ago, and I’ve been coming here whenever I get the chance."

"Well, it was worth waiting an hour for."

Ethan spoke as he enjoyed the wind playing through his hair.

Beneath the night sky, with the moon hanging unobstructed above him, he felt a rare sense of peace and tranquility.

"We can spend some time here in peace and talk without worrying about anything. Nobody ever comes to this place."

"I’ll take your word for it, then."

Turning toward Verso, Ethan decided it was time to get straight to the point.

"I’d like to talk about the Ordeal."

"Oh... Ordeal. Come to think of it, I believe you went through your first Ordeal recently."

Ethan nodded.

"That’s right. And since you were cursed before me, I’m assuming you’ve already completed your first Ordeal as well."

"You’re not wrong, but you’ve only got half the story."

Verso smiled and raised two fingers.

"I’ve completed two Ordeals."

"Oh? So the rumors about you weren’t complete nonsense after all."

Ethan teased him, earning a laugh from Verso.

"Of course! I might not look like it, but I’m actually pretty damn strong. Probably the strongest of our generation."

"You’re awfully confident in your abilities."

"Naturally. After all... I’ve reached some pretty impressive heights recently."

Verso extended his hand.

In an instant, his Aura Armor erupted into existence, sending violent ripples through the surrounding air.

His Aura Armor was unique, bearing both red and black hues, much like the contrasting colors of his hair.

But it wasn’t the color that surprised Ethan.

It was the sheer intensity of the aura.

Heavy...

Dense...

Far more so than his own.

"This... Saint-rank?"

Verso’s smile widened, clearly pleased by Ethan’s reaction.

"That’s right. I reached it recently while hunting inside the Cursed Lands."

It was a genuine surprise.

After all, Saint-rank corresponded to Level 50.

A level Ethan had barely been given the opportunity to reach even after defeating Ars, a High King-rank opponent, and Aldrich, who was Saint-rank.

Gustav had only reached that level after many years of hunting, in his late thirties, before his death.

Verso, meanwhile, was exactly one year older than Ethan.

No more, no less.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him the strongest hunter of the current generation, at least when judging by rank alone.

"What kind of Ordeals did you face? And did you manage to kill the Apostle of Gluttony?"

Ethan asked seriously.

Verso took a moment to think before answering.

"Hmmmm... My first Ordeal happened a long time ago, back when I’d only just become a hunter."

"The hunting expedition I joined was completely wiped out after we entered an area that required much higher levels than ours. I had to survive on my own inside the cursed territory for an entire month before I finally found my way back."

Verso recounted the details of his first Ordeal.

And it had been anything but easy.

His former hunting squad had been annihilated while he was still a complete novice.

Forced to flee alone, he’d remained stranded in the Cursed Lands for an entire month.

But in the end, he’d survived.

He had even managed to defeat the boss responsible for destroying his squad before returning alone, long after everyone had given him up for dead.

"What about the second one?"

Ethan asked about the next Ordeal, showing considerably more interest in it than the first.

Perhaps it would give him some indication of what awaited him in the future.

"The second... It was completely different from the first. It wasn’t the kind of Ordeal where you fight monsters or bosses."

Verso frowned as he spoke, as though recalling an unpleasant memory.

"What do you mean?"

Ethan pressed him for more details.

And Verso obliged.

"The second Ordeal is tied to the very concept behind your curse. In my case, that was Gluttony."

"I won’t go into the details of what happened. Even if I told you, it wouldn’t do you much good, since the concepts behind our curses are different."

Verso’s curse originated from Gluttony.

Ethan’s, on the other hand, came from Balance.

Although Verso refused to reveal the specifics, his explanation at least gave Ethan some idea of what kind of Ordeal might await him next.

An Ordeal related to Balance...

"That’s certainly not encouraging..."

Ethan frowned, realizing that predicting his next Ordeal would be practically impossible.

The concept of Balance, which revolved around paying a price equal to what one gained, was still far from clear to him.

He had no idea how an Ordeal could be constructed around such a principle.

’Will I be forced to pay some kind of price?’

Ethan considered the possibility.

It was a terrifying thought, especially considering how much he’d already sacrificed for his Blessings.

"What about the Apostle of Gluttony?"

"Ah... That guy. He’s appeared before me several times, but I’ve never even managed to touch him, let alone kill him..."

Verso sighed before asking a question of his own.

"What about you?"

"Same here. The Apostle of Balance is far too powerful for me to even dream of killing her."

"Hahahaha! Then we’ll just have to keep getting stronger until we surpass them!"

"You talk as though we’re playing some kind of game..."

"Of course we are! Levels, the Player System... It’s practically a game!"

Verso turned around and raised his head toward the sky, gazing up at the moon.

"We’re players whose purpose is to conquer the Night Lords and restore light to this world. That’s our greatest mission!"

"What a noble mission..."

"It is! A magnificent mission that no one has ever managed to complete, and we’re the ones who were chosen to accomplish it."

Verso spoke those final words with genuine passion.

He truly regarded what they were doing as some kind of noble quest.

Ethan continued watching him for a while.

Then, little by little...

His eyes narrowed, an unexpectedly dangerous look emerging within them.

"All that bullshit about some grand mission and everything else..."

"Was Ishizaki the one who told you that?"

"..."

Silence descended the moment Ethan asked the question.

Even the air itself seemed to grow heavier.

Verso continued gazing toward the sky, ignoring the look Ethan was giving him.

But he couldn’t completely conceal his surprise.

His mouth parted slightly, and his eyes trembled.

Small reactions.

Yet none escaped Ethan’s notice as he watched him intently.

Then, all of a sudden...

Verso’s expression changed completely.

It was as though he’d removed one mask and put on another.

When he turned toward Ethan, he was smiling differently than before.

There was no longer any playfulness in that smile.

Only cunning.

"So you noticed."

His voice was cold.

Ethan instinctively took a step backward, but managed to maintain his composure.

"...You’re not denying it."

"Of course not. I’m sure you gathered more than enough evidence before making an accusation like that."

Verso chuckled softly before meeting Ethan’s gaze once more.

"Good to see you again, Moon You."