LTTH C77

Chapter 77

The main entrance to the Magic Tower. Amidst the surging tide of people, Hansol and his group secured their position. A single step back would take them straight into the Tower—this proximity was entirely the Tower Master’s idea. And as if that weren’t enough, he repeated the same nagging reminders over and over.

“It’s unlikely, but if anything goes wrong, don’t look back. Go straight inside.”

“…That’s the tenth time you’ve said that.”

“…Damn it, of all things, why did I have to lose rock-paper-scissors.”

For some reason, Hansol could see traces of Kassie in the Tower Master—perhaps nagging was contagious among mages. Feeling oddly proud, Hansol glanced at Kassie standing beside him. Kassie beamed brightly.

“What is it, Hansol?”

“…Nothing.”

After repeating the same words another five times, the Tower Master finally left—reluctantly—to guard the defensive line with James.

The blue barrier surrounding the Magic Tower shimmered faintly. Those guarding its perimeter were not just the Tower Master and James. Hunters who knew the Tower was far safer than the Association had gathered from all directions, each taking their positions and beating down the monsters that approached. Everyone was doing their utmost—and Hansol was no exception.

Unlike the hunters at the frontline, civilians and ranged dealers stayed closer to the Tower. No monster dared penetrate the barrier, so the area was relatively safe; however, many people had sustained injuries on the way here—from shallow cuts to gruesome wounds where flesh dangled loose. Hansol was responsible for all of them.

“Thank you. Thank you so much.”

With every wave of Healing Light and Prayer of Healing, countless words of gratitude reached him. Bowing back briefly, Hansol moved on to search for other injured. Surprisingly, the hunters were largely unharmed. Was the road here not as perilous as expected? Or had some died before even reaching the Tower? Hansol hoped it was the former.

“Heal!”

“Thank you!”

A hunter, freshly healed, wiped away the remaining bloodstains and offered a bright smile. It was just a single cast of Heal, but unlike ordinary healers, Hansol’s healing carried a distinctly different power—divine energy. Not that the hunters could have known. To them, it simply meant: “Messiah really is on another level.” With renewed vigor, they returned to the frontline.

“Hansol, I think things are mostly under control.”

“Seems so. There aren’t as many injured as I thought.”

Perhaps everyone had been too scared by the word cataclysm. Even though Hansol was positioned in the rear, his work was minimal—Healing Light, Prayer of Healing, and the occasional Heal. Nothing dangerous or complicated. His experience bar rose slowly but steadily. Everything felt like it was unfolding as it should.

Though, leveling up is still far away…

Hansol sighed and closed his status window. Surviving was important—but with higher levels, he could save even more people. It wasn’t easy.

If he could, he would cover all of Korea in Sanctuary so that monsters would never dare raise their heads again—but that was a mere dream. Enhancement stones couldn’t strengthen Sanctuary. And even if they could, Hansol doubted it would expand enough to encompass the nation.

The advancement stone. Was that the answer? Hansol looked at the stone resting in his inventory. He could gamble on it, but… would it open a path forward? What if his class changed—not to a healer, but into a dealer or mage? That would be disastrous.

“…?”

Experience points? Now?

While his mind was tangled with thoughts of the future, a sudden system notification made Hansol tilt his head. Normally, healers did not get XP notifications from their healing skills—if they did, his vision would be flooded every time he used Healing Light. It was a small courtesy from the system. So what was causing this notification?

He stopped using his healing skills, but the message still appeared. It wasn’t coming from him. It wasn’t an illusion. And the XP bar truly was rising—barely, but steadily.

Wait. Hang on…

Something felt familiar. Suspicion sparked, and Hansol quickly recalled a memory—the knight he met at the new gate filled with undead, the one outside the Association. Could it be…?

“Hansol, is something wrong?”

“Just—just a moment!”

Hansol pushed forward, examining each hunter at the frontline. No one resembled him. And with the increased number of people, he couldn’t check everyone thoroughly. But he was certain the person was near—system alerts this persistent never lied.

He needed to get closer. The Tower Master and James were stationed at the boundary line, where hunters clashed directly with monsters. That was where he needed to go.

“Kassie. Let’s move forward a little more.”

“Must we? I think this spot is safe enough…”

Annoyance flickered in Kassie’s eyes as he grabbed Hansol’s arm. It was already stressful having Hansol merely stand in a “safe” area—yet now he wanted to move closer to monsters? Kassie couldn’t comprehend it. But Hansol didn’t care for conventional logic at the moment.

“I’m searching for someone. I can’t see them from here, so I need to move up.”

“Someone? Who?”

“Someone… I’m responsible for.”

“Hansol… is responsible?”

Kassie’s expression shifted in a strange, unreadable direction. Hansol merely nodded. It was the truth.

Sehyeon had lived an ordinary life—until Hansol’s involvement turned him into a hunter, forcing him to brush against death. Hansol owed him.

“…Fine. Let’s go.”

Kassie stared at Hansol for a long moment, then slowly turned forward, his gaze stiff.

“Since he’s someone you’re responsible for… I should get a good look at his face.”

Hansol paused at the oddly sharp tone, but Kassie was already clearing a path toward the frontline. With no choice, Hansol followed close behind.

It was harder to move through the dense crowd than expected, but because people noticed he was a healer, they readily cleared a path. Before long, Hansol and Kassie reached the very edge of the barrier—the frontline. Unlike the rear, the atmosphere here was brutally tense.

“Hold on—someone pull back for a moment!”

“No! If you fall back now, our line will collapse!”

“I just need one tank over here!!”

“Damn it—just hold on! We’re already short!”

In the rear, the cataclysm had felt strangely manageable. Dangerous, yes, but there had been no immediate deaths. But that small comfort was entirely thanks to those fighting here.

“Argh!! My arm—my arm!!”

“Ranged dealer in the back! Get him to the healer—now!!”

Screams mingled with frantic shouts. Tanks and melee dealers sustained injuries in seconds—not simple cuts, but deep gashes where blood sprayed, limbs half-severed. Some collapsed unconscious before reaching Hansol. Only those barely conscious managed to stagger toward him. Damn it—the ones who needed him most were here, not in the rear.

“Regeneration!”

Without worrying about prioritizing targets, Hansol cast Regeneration on everyone in sight. He’d learned the skill ages ago, but never had much cause to use it. Now, the spell pulled hunters back from death’s doorstep.

Pink radiance bloomed across the carnage, but Hansol had no time to check its effectiveness. More hunters stumbled back every moment. He tore through the crowd, casting regeneration, heal, and occasionally Healing Light as needed.

“Healer…?”

A hunter, grimacing in agony, suddenly relaxed. Instinctively scanning for a healer—since regeneration shouldn’t have been able to reach him from the rear—he locked eyes with Hansol.

“Messiah…?”

Hansol flinched at the sudden shift in title, bowing his head briefly. The hunter jolted in shock and bowed deeply in response. If Hansol lingered, the man would probably run toward him, so Hansol quickly turned away.

After circling the entire frontline with Kassie and returning toward where the Tower Master and James were fighting, Hansol continued scanning desperately. Brown, black, green—monsters of all kinds ravaged the area, and hunters fought against them. But nowhere, nowhere could he see Sehyeon.

Yet his experience bar kept rising.

“Where are you?!”

Fear tightened around his chest. What if Sehyeon was struck down before he reached him? Hansol’s frantic gaze stretched beyond the barrier—desperate, searching.