Chapter 221
Nonexistence
| Appearance?
What kind of question is that? |
Arthur took a deep breath, then spoke in a calm, emotionless voice as he removed what remained of the bandages from his body.
"Listen, my friend."
He said it in the tone of a man who had seen enough worlds to have grown indifferent to superficial things.
"Appearance... looks... whatever name humans choose to give it...
is nothing more than a shell that only empty people care about."
"A smooth face,
beautiful eyes,
sharp eyebrows,
a long or straight nose,
soft, tender lips..."
He scoffed lightly.
"All this nonsense
is only cared about by those who possess no real personality."
"Appearance does not define who you are.
Your actions do...
and your personality."
"Appearance is nothing more than a temporary exterior,
one that will disappear and fade away after our deaths."
"Beauty,
appearance,
form...
all these illusory restraints
have imprisoned millions of humans inside cages they cannot see."
He paused for a moment.
"Now..."
Arthur finished speaking after putting his clothes back on,
then moved lightly toward the window.
He jumped to leave—
"Lord Arthur...
Where exactly do you think you're going?"
His body froze.
A calm...
gentle...
voice came from behind him without the slightest warning.
The Worst King of Death.
The Mad Devil.
The King of Demonic Slaughter.
Arthur Narin.
And despite all those numerous titles,
someone was standing only a few steps behind him,
and Arthur had not sensed him at all.
"...Doctor Jin."
Arthur slowly swallowed,
staring into Doctor Jin's closed eyes.
'How...?
How did I not sense anything?
Have my senses become dull because of the last battle?'
But no...
It was deeper than that.
When he looked at him now,
Arthur felt something strange...
mysterious...
something difficult to explain.
He could feel his presence...
and at the same time,
his absence.
Arthur's eyes widened slightly in shock and astonishment.
'...Nonexistence.'
Nonexistence.
A state of enlightenment,
of ascension,
of evolution.
A state a person reaches
when they merge with everything at once.
To become one with the air,
with the atmosphere,
with the surroundings,
with space...
And finally—
and most importantly—
to become one with the universe itself.
That...
was the highest stage of nonexistence.
Despite Arthur's long life,
despite the countless worlds he had traversed,
he had never once been able to become one with anything.
During every assassination,
every mission,
he had forcibly concealed his presence:
by controlling his breathing,
his heartbeat,
and suppressing his energy.
He had heard of nonexistence...
but he had never truly understood it.
Nor had he ever come close to it.
'No... but...'
Arthur's mind became unsettled.
Had Doctor Jin truly mastered nonexistence?
Or had Arthur's senses weakened?
Or did this matter surpass both possibilities?
Arthur pushed those thoughts out of his mind for a few seconds and looked at Doctor Jin.
"Just...
how is it that every time I get injured or wake up...
I always find myself standing before you, Doctor Jin?"
It was a joking question,
but there was genuine concern behind it.
Doctor Jin smiled calmly.
"Perhaps...
it's simply a miracle."
"A miracle, huh?"
Arthur smiled as well,
his expression calm,
but his eyes observing everything.
Doctor Jin calmly looked at him.
"And once again, where exactly do you think you're going?"
"Ahem...
Outside."
"Did you sign yourself out?
And have you even healed yet?"
"Yes, I'm healed.
Look."
Arthur moved lightly and quickly around the room,
as though nothing had ever happened.
He appeared strong and indifferent,
but the truth was completely different.
His ribs were grinding painfully against one another.
His bones were trembling.
His body was still far from fully recovering.
Doctor Jin smiled that gentle smile...
a smile that made Arthur stop,
as though he had fallen under the gaze of something incomprehensible.
"There is someone...
who wants to meet you."
Doctor Jin said it in a low voice,
as though indirectly granting him permission.
Arthur smiled,
then moved forward.
In the dark hospital corridor,
a man stood wearing black clothes
and black glasses.
The Director.
"So...
you're here."
"What is it this time?
Every time I meet you,
I find myself becoming a suspect in the eyes of the entire country.
No offense."
The Director smiled calmly.
"There is someone who wishes to meet you.
Can you spare me some of your time?
He is the Chairman of the Hunters Association...
Go Gun Hee."
Arthur moved forward in silence.
In a quiet side alley—
"Hunter Arthur,
I'm truly glad to meet you.
I am Go Gun Hee."
The old man extended his hand in greeting.
Arthur observed him with one eye.
'...He's strong.'
With a single glance,
Arthur was able to sense the aura surrounding his body.
"I'm Arthur.
I'm glad to meet you as well... old man."
Go Gun Hee smiled.
"First, I would like to congratulate you...
on your promotion to S-Rank."
'Cain...
Did I really reach S-Rank?'
| Yes.
After what happened before,
you unconsciously developed your body again and again. |
| That is why you advanced to S-Rank,
and even your profession as a Spirit Summoner advanced as well. |
| Your physical statistics have increased significantly.
Would you like to inspect them? |
'Yes.'
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