In the Name of God - Chapter 52.2
He narrows his eyes as he says that. I think I know exactly what he’s getting at.
“Fine. I’ll come find you every day until it’s completely healed. Satisfied?”
Only then did the tension in Lee Sunho’s eyes relax. A small curve even appeared at the corners of his mouth.
‘They say the quiet lunatics are the scariest.’
I wonder if that saying was coined specifically for Lee Sunho.
I felt a secret shiver run down my spine as I recalled the Lee Sunho of a few moments ago—the one who looked genuinely ready to snap my ankle.
After the pain in my ankle had significantly subsided.
It was only after I gave Lee Sunho a firm promise not to overdo it that we were able to continue through the dungeon.
Not that I walked the whole way on my own two feet, though.
“…I’m just glad it’s only us here.”
Being carried along in Lee Sunho’s arms, I let out a long sigh and covered my face with both hands. Even if it was to avoid putting strain on my ankle, I felt like I could never show my face in public again if anyone saw me being carried like this.
For some reason, Lee Sunho seemed to be in a very good mood.
I’m the only one suffering here, apparently.
After traveling for a while longer, we finally reached the location of the Boss Room.
The moment we stood before it, an ominous energy pierced through to my very marrow.
There was no foul odor, yet it felt as if my breath was being choked out of me. A cold sensation followed, one that felt like it was scraping against my soul rather than my flesh.
Curiously, the scan Echo had sent just moments before hadn’t picked up the Boss.
– It’s clearly the structure of a Boss Room, but no matter how much I scan, the Boss isn’t showing up. Could it be that there isn’t one?
Echo sent a voice message, sounding repeatedly confused.
‘No, the Boss is here.’
If it was a Boss whose form hadn’t fully materialized, or a magic-type monster using illusion-based spells, it could easily hide its presence. I had vivid memories of my Apostle encountering those types of bosses several times back when I played the game.
I stepped down from Lee Sunho’s arms and pulled out my revolver. My ankle felt a bit stiff.
‘But I can walk well enough like this.’
Since the pain was much duller than before Lee Sunho caught me, I figured a bit of light running wouldn’t be a problem.
Lee Sunho and I stood side-by-side in front of the Boss Room.
Perhaps because the dungeon had formed as ruins collapsed, the door to the Boss Room was a grand double door reminiscent of a church or cathedral—though it was damaged in various places, with much of its old paint peeling away.
After a brief exchange of glances with Lee Sunho, I opened the door. We crossed the threshold almost simultaneously.
At that moment—
Whoosh!
An unidentified black energy swallowed my entire body.
I couldn’t see a thing.
I couldn’t tell how large the Boss Room was, or even which way was forward.
I held up my phone to light the way, but the beam seemed to reach nowhere. It was a space of “nothingness” itself, swallowing even the light of the phone. The density of the energy seemed to literally eat the light.
Then, Echo’s voice pierced through my head.
– Mas…! Something is wrong here…! …ter?! Ma…!
Echo’s urgent shouting crackled with static before cutting out completely.
Sensing that something was terribly wrong, I quickly turned back toward Lee Sunho.
“Lee Sunho, this place is…”
But no one was standing where Lee Sunho had been.
His figure, his silhouette, even his presence and the sound of his breathing had vanished.
“Lee Sunho? Lee Sunho!”
I called out loudly, but there was no response.
‘What happened?’
Just as I was beginning to panic—
“Master.”
I heard someone’s voice.
It was a voice so heavy with static that it was difficult to discern its pitch. I couldn’t tell if it was a child or an adult. It was unclear if it was a woman or a man.
However, it sounded incredibly close, as if whispering directly into my ear.
“I missed you, Master.”
I felt my entire body freeze instantly.
I quickly whipped my head toward the sound, but no one was there.
“Now we can finally be together.”
The voice remained difficult to make out.
“Ah…!”
Besides Echo, there was only one person in this world who would call me “Master,” and a flood of thoughts filled my head.
I opened my mouth to call out a name.
But nothing but a gasp escaped.
Because, as I am now, I couldn’t even remember ‘that child’s’ name.
“You’ll keep your promise, won’t you?”
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