In the Name of God - Chapter 74.2
I briefly scanned the man’s attire with my eyes.
The reason I could tell immediately that he belonged to the Association was that he was wearing a white uniform embossed with the Association logo. I had heard that, fundamentally, all combat-class Awakeners affiliated with the Association wear that uniform, but perhaps because of his blond hair, he seemed to stand out exceptionally well.
Honestly, it was a bit surprising that a man like him had joined the Association.
He was a man with such natural combat talent that he passed the exam and achieved a two-rank promotion without using any particular skills. A cold and arrogant impression, as if he were well aware of that fact, remained in my memory.
A person like that would naturally prefer a place that places a high value on their skills.
It was only natural to aim for a clan where one could receive a high down payment and annual salary based on ability—specifically, a large-scale clan among the top tiers.
While the Association was stable, its structure did not immediately translate individual skill into financial reward. There is no down payment, the annual salary is limited, and there are no performance-based incentives. At most, one might receive a small bonus at the end of the year.
Surely, the moment his two-rank promotion was confirmed, mid-to-large scale clans must have sent him “love calls” while carrying piles of money. Was there a reason he had to specifically choose the Association?
‘…It’s not my concern.’
Whether a man whose name I didn’t even know belonged to the Association or not, that wasn’t what was important to me right now.
‘A D- rank dungeon…’
I recalled the subtle text that had been added to the title of the quest directive sent to me, which only I could recognize.
<☆ Lifespan Extension: 30 Days ☆>
It had those bothersome asterisks attached, but I liked the content quite a bit.
Currently, my remaining lifespan is about 4 months.
This was the result of the 35 days earned from the Daejeon Holy Land collapse incident, and working hard for several days clearing E-rank dungeons as a 3rd-tier member of Black Tail.
Thanks to that, my body doesn’t creak as severely as it used to, and the frequency of headaches, anemia, and dizziness has decreased significantly. Even so, I couldn’t help the fact that my temperature would inevitably rise after overexerting my body, but still, I could say that life was worth living now.
To add one more thing, I’ve put on a bit of flesh. Others might still describe me as corpse-pale and skin-and-bones, but at least I personally felt that I wasn’t in a state where I might break just from the wind brushing against me anymore.
Lee Sunho, who took exceptionally good care of every meal, was a huge help in gaining this much weight. He was so good at cooking such a variety of things that even I, who used to think eating was enough if it just filled an empty stomach, reached a point where I was curious about the next menu.
I looked at Lee Sunho beside me with fresh eyes. As soon as he felt my gaze while staring forward, he met my eyes without hesitation. He, who used to wear an uninspired smile with the same expression every time like a designed machine, curved his distinctive eyes beautifully.
“……Then, that concludes the precautions, and we will now divide into teams. As mentioned previously, please understand that those who have registered as a pair beforehand will be mandatorily separated and deployed.”
Even though it was something announced in advance, a brief silence fell over the scene.
Those who had been active as a pair for a long time, in particular, did not look very pleased.
While it might be rare for Awakeners working as freelancers to have a fixed partner, it was a very basic operational method within clans. To the majority of Awakeners who had achieved efficient combat by coordinating their breathing as if they were a single body, feeling uncomfortable about being forcibly torn away from their partner was inevitable.
I also felt awkward already, since I had always fought alongside Lee Sunho ever since meeting him.
Beside me, Lee Sunho lightly tapped my hand.
“I don’t want to be apart. Right?”
A lonely look was already flowing from Lee Sunho’s eyes.
We’re just separated for a short while after being stuck together all the time, and we’ll be swarming around in teams of ten people each, so there’s no need to be lonely.
“Are we kids?”
Feeling like I was looking at a young child who didn’t want to be separated from his mother, I also gave his hand a tap. Then, as if he had been waiting for it, he pulled my hand toward him and whispered in my ear.
“I’ll join up with you depending on the situation.”
“We’re moving separately until we meet in front of the Boss Room. Where would there be a gap to join up?”
“You never know. Something big might happen, and I might have to join up out of necessity.”
As Lee Sunho muttered with a small laugh, for some reason, I got an ominous feeling that such a thing really might happen.
It’s just my imagination, right?
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