Chapter 75

He was lost.

“Fuck, where the hell am I….”

It wasn't for nothing that the word ‘Land’ was attached to it; even for an Entry Dungeon, the ‘Land of the Deep Sea’ was damnably vast.

And if you asked if the monsters were weak, that wasn't it either.

He had somehow managed to get through Stages 1 and 2, but from the entry into Stage 3, where the form of the temple began to appear, it was hard to even breathe.

“Map, the map is… the map is….”

Unfortunately, this was a new dungeon whose basic structure had not even been figured out yet.

“…….”

All of the hunter's companions, who were now lost, were dead.

“…What do I do….”

What was there to do? Was there any other way but to die?

The hunter mocked himself inwardly and collapsed onto the ground.

The water scales shimmering coldly on the ceiling of the cavern felt like the shadow of a monster, and it was so eerie.

“…I shouldn't have insisted on coming.”

Being left alone, all sorts of thoughts came to mind.

In fact, it was his team leader, not him, who had strongly insisted on coming here, but with all his colleagues dead and him left alone, he couldn't help but blame himself.

The man tried his best to swallow his tears and moved his feet.

“Fuck, is this a temple or a cave… the paths are so complicated….”

Everything looked similar, yet he had never once found the same path.

He was definitely moving, but it felt like he was heading deeper, not towards an exit.

But if he stopped and hid somewhere, there were dangerous monsters and traps everywhere.

“Sheesh….”

He huffed and puffed for no reason, holding back his tears.

‘At least I have to get out alive to file an application for recovery.’

When a hunter belonging to a guild died in a dungeon, the respective guild would mostly step up to recover the remains, but freelance hunters and civilians were not so fortunate.

If a freelance hunter wanted to recover the remains of a colleague, he had to prove his identity and then apply to the Hunter Association.

‘I, I don’t have the ability to recover them….’

The only reason he was still alive was thanks to a stealth skill among the man's skills.

“First, I have to get out alive, right, to get paid too… whatever….”

It was when he was trying to steal his heart by thinking of the benefits after escaping.

“…….”

A single portrait came into the man's view.

“……?”

It was a portrait whose face was not visible, smeared with black paint.

It was eerie.

“…Wh-what is this?”

If it had been any ordinary object, he would have guessed it was one of the dungeon’s decorations, but such a portrait was too out of place against the backdrop of the temple, which until now had seemed to be a repetition of the same picture.

A portrait from which he felt a gaze, for some reason, even though the area around the eyes was covered and completely invisible.

“…….”

He walked right past it.

‘It could be a dangerous item. A monster in the form of a portrait, or something….’

In the first place, its appearance itself was that of a portrait with a chillingly heavy atmosphere.

Unlike the pure white stone of the temple or the cavern, it was in a wooden frame.

It seemed to be gilded, but it exuded a certain warmth that was contrary to the dungeon's atmosphere, and that warmth, ironically, made him want to avoid it even more.

The sense of unease was too great.

“…….”

But when he came to his senses and looked around, the frame was there again.

“…It, it wasn't here….”

It wasn't just once or twice.

“It was in the hallway just now.”

He could still feel the gaze.

It felt as if the portrait was following him.

“…….”

Perhaps that was correct.

His hands and feet were trembling, and his breath hitched, but nevertheless, a glimmer of hope rose in the mind of the hunter who had been pushed to his limit.

He knew it was a strange train of thought, but he couldn't help it.

It was a phenomenon that no one could call a positive situation, but he thought of it in a forced way. It seemed he just wanted to believe it.

‘Could it be… something, an item that’s a crucial key to escape?’

In dungeons where the story was important, a single item like this could exert its power and help in the conquest.

That wouldn't necessarily increase his chances of survival, but the hunter, with his diminished thinking ability, approached the portrait.

“It would have been nice if I had an Appraisal Skill… this is….”

“Greetings.”

“…….”

Flinch.

The hunter backed away.

“…Uh, uh uh…?”

“I am a portrait.”

“Uh…?”

“What might your name be?”

“…….”

“I am curious about your name.”

The lips of the lower face, not covered by the black paint, asked again.

“Will you speak with me?”

“…Right now….”

What is this?

‘The portrait is talking? A portrait?’

Even in a world where supernatural powers were steeped in daily life, a talking portrait was not something one could see often.

At least, the hunter currently trapped in the ‘Land of the Deep Sea’ was seeing such a portrait for the first time in his life.

“Wh-who….”

“I am a portrait.”

The same voice, the same line.

“…….”

He got goosebumps.

The voice, so perfect that it sounded wicked, was incredibly sweet and smooth.

It was to the point where he wondered if this was how a demon would sound if it spoke, but the hunter barely came to his senses and answered.

“Park Yun-shin… it is….”

It wasn't that he didn't know the dangers of speaking his true name, but he was too out of it to care about such things.

The only thought in his head was that he had to be obedient to the being before him.

He felt fear and mercy.

“Yes, th-that’s right, it's Park Yun-shin. Park Yun-shin….”

“A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Park Yun-shin.”

“…You’re… a portrait, you say?”

“That is correct.”

The pale lower face continued to speak.

“I am a portrait.”

“…….”

Only then did the hunter realize that not a single monster was approaching him.

‘…The situation, it’s taking a strange turn….’

He felt as if he was bewitched by something.

The portrait, which was merely a painting, was exuding an atmosphere so heavy it could be considered bizarre.

It was qualitatively different from the atmosphere of the temple. It felt like being invited to the Pope's funeral.

He had such a strange feeling.

“…….”

It was around the time he was spacing out like that.

“Pardon the intrusion.”

“Yes, yes?”

The black-painted part began to protrude as if it were enveloping something.

As the hunter jumped back in fright, a human figure cloaked in a pitch-black cape appeared right in front of the portrait.

The portrait was hanging in the middle of the wall, so the figure descended as if falling, yet not a single sound of it landing on the floor was heard.

“Ah….”

Just a rustle, and.

“…….”

“It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Park Yun-shin.”

He heard footsteps.

It was really like a human.

“…….”

No, the footsteps sound like that, so why do I think it’s human?

‘Am I crazy? Am I under a mental-type skill?’

It was around the time he was experiencing confusion that the hunter remembered something.

“Ah, ah, ah…!”

Black Cape.

“Th-the, Black, Black Ca… Cape.”

“Yes, I am wearing a black cape.”

“…Black Cape….”

It was definitely a monster for which the Association had put up a bounty on information.

‘…This is a monster?’

A question suddenly arose.

‘This…?’

The hunter hesitated and looked at the Black Cape again.

It was wearing a pitch-black cape pulled down low, just like a grim reaper.

The shoulder area of the cape was slightly peeled back, revealing the body inside, which was also wearing a pitch-black suit and shirt, and it was strangely dark.

“…….”

It definitely has a shape, so that’s why its head looks round like that when it wears the cape.

‘…The hands too… They're pale, but I can see skin. That means there’s a human body inside….’

And yet, it didn't feel like there was a face inside.

‘No, just.’

It felt like there was nothing at all.

“…….”

“Mr. Park Yun-shin.”

“…Um, yes, I….”

If this being called my name three times, will I die?

‘They say you die if the grim reaper calls your name three times.’

He didn't particularly think that the Black Cape and a grim reaper were the same being, but it was also true that an atmosphere fatally close to death was wafting from it.

Confused by the sense of awe, as if he were in front of a being he dared not look at, the hunter bowed his head low.

“S-sorry for waking you. I was just….”

“You are a good person.”

It was a kind of declaration, as if bestowing something. It sounded vaguely divine, feeling like a prophecy delivered by a god.

“…….”

“Therefore, I will help you.”

The Black Cape held something out.

“…Th-this is….”

It was a round orb that seemed to be made of gold.

It was quite heavy, and a strong, sweet scent that seemed to enchant the brain wafted from it.

“What is this…?”

“It is an apology for having startled you, and a gift for you who have suffered.”

“A gift…?”

“It is yours.”

“…That….”

“Eat it.”

Eat it?

‘This?’

It didn't look edible at all and yet, an urge to put it in his mouth and make it his own welled up inside him.

The orb was that beautiful in form.

I want to eat it.

“…….”

Enchanted by its scent, the hunter put the orb in his mouth.

‘Ah.’

An ecstatic sweetness gently swept through his entire body.

The sensation of every single cell stabilizing was vivid.

He even felt a sense of bliss, a feeling that resembled the spring breeze of a fading afternoon.

The freshness, as if a fruit brimming with juice had been fully condensed, went very well with the gentle, golden orb.

“…Uh, uh?”

“Has the bleeding stopped?”

“This, this is… yes, how is this? Why.”

“I see.”

“…….”

The Black Cape looked down at the hunter with the inorganic gaze of a researcher who had expected a set value to appear.

He flinched at the sense of unease that was by no means human, but at the same time, for some reason, he felt honored.

He was glad that he seemed to have shown the value it had expected.

It was a feeling he himself couldn't recognize, nor understand.

“Do you wish to leave?”

“…Leave?”

His bowed head lifted on its own.

“C-can I… leave?”

“I can let you out.”

“Ah….”

Only then did he remember the information that had been posted on the Association’s website.

‘The first discoverer also escaped the Land of the Deep Sea with the help of the Black Cape.’

It was when he looked up with a glimmer of hope at the place where a face should be.

“…….”

“…….”

Their eyes met.

Eyes?

Yes, eyes. He saw pupils and irises.

But it was not a sphere. Was it a flat plane?

No, it might be three-dimensional.

But he saw lines. He could see those elegant lines.

It wasn't just one.

Several were intertwined like the roots of a tree, but at the same time, they looked like one.

What color was it? Gold? No, it’s dark. It was so dark it looked bright.

Then is it black? But it’s close to silver. Where did the idea of silver even come from?

It’s so dark. It’s so bright. What in the world am I looking at right now?

‘Is this even something I should be looking at in the first place?’

It was when he was so entranced by the vastness that he couldn't even feel fear.

“Mr. Park Yun-shin.”

“…….”

“I have a question for you.”

“…A question…?”

Ah, right, there was something to ask.

“Yes, yes yes. Yes… anything.”

“May I paint you?”

“…You’ll paint me…?”

He didn't remember much after that.

His mind went far more blank than it had been when he first witnessed the Black Cape.

His awareness of being a living creature disappeared.

His whole body melted away, but there was no fear in it, and he felt a coziness as if he were lying in the middle of a forest where a spring breeze was blowing.

And when he came to his senses, he was in the middle of the city.

“…….”

Only then did he realize that this was a miracle.

***

“…That is all….”

Park Yun-shin continued in front of the researcher.

“That I experienced.”

“He turns people into paint and paints with it.”

“At the time, I rarely thought it was strange.”

Park Yun-shin said in a dazed voice.

“In the first place, the fact that you can even talk to a monster is… a very rare thing, and I know that, but I felt almost no surprise about that. It’s just that it felt like a wise and sagacious being that probably knew everything in the world, including me….”

The researcher asked.

“Do you feel the urge to worship him?”

“…A little. That person showed me a miracle.”

“It was the miracle of turning a person into paint. You said there was no pain.”

“After I came to my senses… I was very confused.”

A human with a proper ego had become paint and a painting, and then returned to being a human.

He had been forced to perceive the perspective of an inanimate object, which was completely unimaginable, so the after-effects could not have been minor.

“…But I don’t have any bad feelings about the Black Cape….”

It was just frightening, vast, and wondrous.

“It was so, so beautiful….”

Even though he had lived a life that couldn't be said to have been close to art, he could tell that this was art and a work of art.

The vast presence that felt sacred and noble and its geometric and brilliant structure were enough to make his heart pound.

“The Black Cape is definitely favorable to humans. No, it was closer to mercy than favor. He bestowed mercy. He didn't receive any compensation.”

“Yes, thank you for agreeing to the interview.”

The researcher nodded.

“Providing information about the Black Cape has been a great help. You can receive your compensation immediately at the Association lobby counter. If you have any more information to share or need to make an inquiry, please contact the counter at any time.”

“Excuse me.”

“Yes, Hunter Park Yun-shin.”

“Is that person really a monster?”

“…….”

The researcher asked.

“Hunter Park Yun-shin, you refer to it as a ‘person’.”

The conversation ended there.

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