The Second Coming of Gluttony - Chapter 112

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 112. The Gathering Already Begun

– The history of the Gathering begins from the moment an unidentified passenger vessel was discovered in the Mariposa Sea, adjacent to Nur.
Jose Sanchez, the first witness, stated:
‘At dawn, I was looking out at the sea from Nur Harbor when suddenly I felt a massive darkness creeping toward me.’
‘The night mist was thick, so it was difficult to identify with the naked eye, but its size exceeded that of an ordinary cruise ship.’
‘For about two minutes it shimmered like a heat haze, then vanished without a trace.’
That was his testimony.
The mysterious vessel that appeared in the night sea sparked considerable interest, and Earthians gathered at Nur Harbor hoping to uncover the mystery.
But after waiting for days, the ship never appeared, and the Earthians, exhausted from waiting, dismissed it as a common incident and dispersed.
Thus the incident seemed to have been put to rest—until six days later.
Another Earthian appeared claiming to have seen the mysterious vessel in Lake Libera, adjacent to Eva.
Tzu Mei’s testimony was identical to Jose Sanchez’s, but
1) Nur and Eva are cities at opposite ends, so traveling between them by sea in six days was simply impossible.
2) And Mariposa and Libera are not even connected waters.
For these two reasons, Tzu Mei’s testimony received little attention.
Yet five days later,
an event occurred that sent shockwaves through the forgotten case while completely reversing public opinion.
As the saying goes, three men make a tiger—at the Raman River in Haramag….

Seol Jihoo paused, lifting his eyes from the paper and pressing the bridge of his nose. His eyes were fatigued, but he needed time to organize his thoughts.
The record defines the ghost ship’s appearance as a precursor to the Gathering. Given that it appeared erratically across the coastlines of seven nations over approximately one to two months before entrances were generated throughout Paradise, calling it an omen made sense.
But then, where would one be transported upon entering through an entrance? And why do Earthians become so obsessed with the Gathering?
Seol Jihoo’s curiosity spiraled, and he rolled his neck broadly before diving back into the record.

– …The entrances possess several characteristics.
1) They come in various forms.
2) The entrance automatically ceases to function the moment ten people enter.
3) Once generated, an entrance regenerates in the same location on a two-year cycle.
4) Upon entry, one is transported to an unknown location, and this space differs each time.

‘Unknown location?’
The phrase in the record caught his attention, but recalling the Teleportation Magic Circle, Seol Jihoo quickly understood.
‘That’s why they call it unknown.’
Reading the fourth characteristic, the word “uncertain” made perfect sense. And it wasn’t just the location that varied. Even if the overall framework remained the same, locations and specific details changed each time, making any strategy guide practically useless.
The Gathering proceeds across three stages total. Originally, finding the entrance was included as part of the stages, but when the second Gathering was held, multiple factions recognized characteristic 3) and secured eighty percent of the entrances, rendering it largely meaningless.
After being transported to some location, the objectives for participants in Stage 1 and 2 are fundamentally to reach the destination safely.
The only difference is that in Stage 2, one can receive an intermediate reward called the Twisted Wish, and ultimately the objective is to board the ship.
In summary, the characteristics of Stage 1 and 2 can be described as a “psychology game” with the nature of cooperative quests.
If they cooperate, though it takes time, everyone can receive rewards fairly—but in situations designed to provoke human selfishness, expecting unconditional cooperation is unrealistic. It is suspected that a catastrophe occurred in the fourth Gathering precisely because of this problem.
Stage 3, unfortunately, remains shrouded in mystery. The entry criteria and methods vary differently from Stage 1 and 2, and almost nothing is known about the objectives or quests.
This is because Stage 3 survivors uniformly avoided speaking—bound by a pact, they said they had no choice but to keep the details secret.
Only from one survivor’s testimony—’It was not a ghost ship, but a treasure ship’—can we infer that Stage 3’s location is the interior of the vessel that appeared at various coasts, and that one can receive a Matching Wish.
‘Twisted Wish, Matching Wish….’
Seol Jihoo turned the words over in his mind.
The Gathering grants rewards across two separate occasions. What made this fascinating was that the rewards granted wishes—what each person truly desired.
Of course, absurd wishes like “I want to possess everything in the world” were naturally disallowed, but being able to receive what one wanted within set limits felt extraordinarily appealing.
‘No wonder they’re obsessed with it.’
His interest deepening, Seol Jihoo scanned the remaining section quickly. As his gaze descended, his eyes grew more focused, tension gradually settling in them.

– 1. First Gathering
Stage 3 Survivors: 8 / Deserters: 2 / Deaths: 0
Notable: One of the survivors, Phil Canu, claimed to have received a +4 Raging Fierce Longsword as a reward from Stage 3.
2. Second Gathering
Stage 3 Survivors: 5 / Deserters: 4 / Deaths: 1
Notable: One of the survivors, Dambe Nyam, was promoted from Level 4 to Upper Rank immediately after the Gathering.
3. Third Gathering
Stage 3 Survivors: 1 / Deserters: 1 / Deaths: 8
Notable point: Baek Hyejoo, the sole survivor aside from deserters, stated: “All those who did not desert, I killed every one of them. Stage 3 was not a cooperative battle—it was individual combat.”
4. Fourth Round
Stage 3 survivors: 0 / Deserters: 0 / Casualties: 10
Notable point: During Stage 2, indiscriminate killing erupted—a catastrophe where participants slaughtered one another. Stage 3 remains unconfirmed, but given that no one returned….

‘All presumed dead….’
Seol Jihoo fell into deep contemplation.
[There was only one event worthy of being called a catastrophe… but in any case, this is a special gathering.]
[The Haramag Royal Family? If I recall correctly, after that incident they seemed to decree that gatherings themselves would be forbidden.]
[It never came to pass. It appears the recent deaths among the Upper Ranks had some influence.]
[Looking at the participation distribution, Level 4 appears most common, but it seems all the celebrated talents from across the realm have flocked here.]
As the meaning of words he hadn’t understood before became clear, a chill crept across his chest. He hadn’t taken it lightly, but the sharp decline in survival rates since the third round was something he couldn’t simply pass over.
‘Why?’
After long deliberation, Seol Jihoo’s thoughts suddenly converged on the source of his curiosity.
‘This gathering….’
Who, when, where, what, how, why?
Any Earthian who knew of the gathering would have harbored such questions at least once. Yet no one had ever answered them satisfactorily; only countless hypotheses and speculations abounded.
Even Seol Jihoo, who had solved one of Haramag’s mysteries, couldn’t conjure a solution from thin air.
‘I have no idea.’
After organizing the records, Seol Jihoo collapsed onto the bed.

Two days before departure. Kazuki held a brief briefing.
Concrete strategy could only be formed once circumstances unfolded, but it was wise to prepare minimally. They also needed to become familiar with one another.
Thus, the assembled party numbered eight. Of these, seven would participate.
Three from Carpe Diem and Maria, whom Seol Jihoo had invited. From Umitsubame came Ayase Kazuki, and—
“Yo-ssu!”
A man stood before them—around five-foot-seven, with dyed reddish hair puffed up wild like a beast’s mane.
“Sakamoto Jun, at your service!”
He thrust out his hand forcefully, and before the young man could respond, began pumping it vigorously up and down.
Seol Jihoo was taken aback. The semi-transparent black sunglasses were one thing, but the Hawaiian-print shirt, wrinkled shorts, and sandals—there was something about his entire bearing that reeked of a free spirit.
“Great to meet you, great! So you’re one of the three rising stars making waves lately, right? A swordsman who outshone both the mage and the magician—what a feat!”
Before Seol Jihoo could respond, Jun pressed his face close—so near their noses almost touched. In that proximity, his confusion suddenly evaporated. Behind the dark lenses of his sunglasses, Jun’s eyes gleamed with the piercing intensity of a bird of prey.
“Hey, I’m gonna tell you something just in case.”
“What?”
“I absolutely love bulgogi. I buy kimchi pretty regularly too. More importantly, I know most of your country’s famous athletes and actually root for them.”
Jun spoke rapidly, his tone surprisingly earnest. When Seol Jihoo smiled and replied, “I like raw fish,” Jun’s eyes widened and he grinned widely.
“Hoo-yah! I think we’re gonna get along great? Sounds good. Real good. Oh! Wanna smoke?”
He linked arms and sat on the sofa, offering cigarettes. Hugo, who had been watching, called out “Me too, me too!” and joined in.
“Hugo, been a while. Heard you had some trouble?”
“That was ages ago. Hey, you don’t have anything besides mild, do you?”
“Just smoke whatever. Beggars can’t be choosers.”
“Sure.”
Jun and Hugo seemed to know each other well. Given how naturally Jun bonded with people, he and Hugo would likely hit it off perfectly.
Jun took a drag, then suddenly smacked his forehead. “Oh shoot!” He tossed the pack across to the other side.
“Right, I almost forgot—you’re here too, Cho Hong. Want one?”
“Shut it.”
“And our Maria too, long time no see!”
“Shut up.”
“Geez, you meet some famous folks and suddenly you’re all cold? Don’t tell me you’re mad I didn’t make a fuss over you?”
Jun’s machine-gun chatter was getting on Cho Hong’s nerves; she rubbed the back of her neck irritably.
“Enough. Who’s that person over there?”
Where Cho Hong’s chin gestured, a figure in an ash-gray robe sat in the corner, silent as death. The robe was so long and voluminous it concealed the entire body, and the hood pulled down so far that no face was visible. Given the suspicious appearance, it was impossible not to be wary.
“No clue.”
“What? Didn’t you guys invite them?”
“Well, yeah…”
Jun shrugged and turned away. Kazuki, who had been leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, opened them now.
“Personal circumstances.”
Cho Hong’s expression suggested she thought that was nonsense.
“Kazuki. Since when did you like playing games?”
“Their skills are solid. I vouch for it.”
“Skill or whatever—if you’re bringing someone as a colleague, you introduce them first. It’s basic courtesy to at least show their face, isn’t it?”
But when the other person remained silent, Cho Hong let out a hollow laugh.
“You there. Drop the whole dark cult fanatic concept for a second and take off that hood.”
Kazuki’s eyes narrowed.
“Cho Hong. Don’t speak carelessly.”
“What?”
“That’s enough.”
Just as Cho Hong was about to spring from her seat, Jangmaldong held her back. Though he wasn’t a participant, he’d been invited to this gathering in his capacity as an advisor to Carpe Diem.
“Cho Hong. Sit down.”
“What the—this is driving me crazy. Even you’re being stubborn?”
“I said sit. I didn’t say you couldn’t object.”
At that, Cho Hong dropped back into her seat with a plump. Jangmaldong cleared his throat briefly and continued in a low voice.
“Kazuki. If this were an expedition, we could overlook it easily enough, but a gathering is a different matter entirely.”
Kazuki fell silent. Everyone present knew Cho Hong’s point was valid. After a long moment of deliberation, Kazuki sighed quietly.
“This is someone I was introduced to through Seo Yuhee, with some difficulty.”
“What?”
“I will personally vouch for this priest’s identity with my name on the line. They have personal circumstances that are genuinely difficult to disclose, so I ask for your understanding.”
With him saying this much, it was hard for Cho Hong to push further.
“…Fine. I don’t need to see the face then—but let’s at least hear their voice. They can tell us their level, at least, right?”
The priest seemed to hesitate for a moment. Then, bowing respectfully, they carefully spread all five fingers of their white cotton-gloved hand. Cho Hong, staring blankly, let out a noise.
“…Well, well.”
Her face crumpled and she started in.
“Damn. You’ve got to be kidding me? Alright. Me too. I’m at that level too.”
She splayed all five of her own fingers wide open and really started needling them. Kazuki pressed his temples and sent a desperate look for help. Unable to ignore it, Seol Jihoo stood up.
“Cho—”
“Why… what did you just say?”
When Cho Hong questioned him back, Seol Jihoo blithely moved past it.
“It’s someone Kazuki went to great lengths to invite.”
“I know that—no. What did you just say?”
“Look at it this way. Two priests is better, isn’t it?”
“What, you think I don’t know? How am I supposed to trust my back to someone I don’t even know?”
“Alright. Calm down. Just calm down.”
“So how expensive are they that they won’t even—you know what, forget it. Do whatever you want.”
Seol Jihoo’s specialty: verbal misdirection. Cho Hong had a habit of giving up when her thoughts got tangled, so he’d aimed for precisely that.
As Cho Hong clearly grew annoyed, she leaned back into the sofa. Not that she didn’t make it abundantly clear she had no intention of getting along with this person going forward.
Though the first meeting felt awkward, Seol Jihoo smiled and offered a greeting.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Seol.”
“?”
A tilt of the head.
“Yes? Ah. Seol. I’m Seol.”
“?”
Another tilt.
Was it an illusion that the hood tilted back and forth?
‘Can they not understand what I’m saying?’
Seol Jihoo tilted his head in return.
“Well, it seems we’ve finished introductions—”
As the hostile air dissipated somewhat, Kazuki opened his mouth.
“Let’s begin.”
Kazuki turned toward the large map on the wall and picked up a pen. Soon he tapped a single point and continued.
“To get straight to it… here. This location is the entrance that Ha-O Win transferred to us.”
“Question!”
At that, Jun raised his hand and called out.
“Is that entrance confirmed?”
“Is it confirmed?”
“Didn’t the Triad secure two gathering entrances? They decided to use one internally, and lent out the remaining one—or so I heard.”
The question arose because the place it was lent to was neither Umitsubame nor Carpe Diem.
“Going by what’s been publicly revealed, that’s correct.”
Regarding it as a natural question, Kazuki answered readily.
“The officially known number of entrances is twenty-six. Of those, twenty-one are known to be occupied by various factions…”
“Which makes it sound like the Triad has one stashed away.”
“It’s not just the Triad. It’s an open secret. Otherwise, there’s no way last year’s participants exceeded three hundred.”
Jun realized his mistake. It was simple arithmetic—ten slots per entrance.
“The Triad especially tends to keep quiet about new entrances discovered within the faction, since internal conflicts run so deep.”
“Ah. So that’s how it happened.”
Seol Jihoo nodded, settling into his seat, and Kazuki continued the briefing.
“We depart at dawn tomorrow. We’ll travel by carriage for two days along this main road.”
He moved his arm, and the pen traced a fluid curve across the map.
“Our destination is the second oasis in the Salt Desert. It’s not entirely safe, but we’ve judged that our forces pose no significant threat—” He paused. “What is it?”
Kazuki noticed Seol Jihoo had raised his hand.
“What about the Triad?”
“If you mean joining up with them, we’re scheduled to link at Stage 1 at the earliest, Stage 2 at the latest.”
“Stage 2…?”
“There’s nothing difficult about it. We fight alongside them and provide support when needed. Oh, and I heard one more team agreed to help us as well.”
“Hell. So it’s a four-way alliance, not three.”
Cho Hong still looked displeased, but soon her grumbling subsided. For a gathering like this, there was no real loss in having more teams on your side.
“One last thing.”
Kazuki continued slowly, nearly finished.
“Make sure you identify friends and foes clearly.”

The sky was cloudless and serene, yet the Carpe Diem Office bustled with activity from the pre-dawn hours. Kazuki had set the departure time quite early, so everyone had to hurry before they were late.
Seol Jihoo quickly retrieved his equipment and dressed—a short spear at his side, a belt holding an antidote potion obtained from the hideout, and a robe acquired from the Federation. Only then could he step outside.
His appearance after preparation was quite impressive; Hugo gazed at him with envious eyes. His savings weren’t substantial, so he’d had to make significant compromises acquiring weapons and gear.
He was determined to earn a decent sum from this gathering as an opportunity.
Just before departure.
“Take care of yourself.”
“Yes.”
“At your current level, you won’t die easily, but barely. Don’t forget that you must always move as a team.”
“Understood.”
Seol Jihoo took Jangmaldong’s advice to heart and headed toward the meeting point with Cho Hong and Hugo.

The gathering place presented quite a spectacle.
The two carriages Kazuki had rented were just that—two. Yet dozens upon dozens of carriages lined the area around the city gate.
That wasn’t all.
‘…What is this?’
Hundreds of people seemed to be waiting scattered about nearby.
By their clothing, they were definitely Earthians. But the glances they cast felt far from friendly.
“Seol. Don’t make eye contact. Just look straight ahead.”
Cho Hong lowered her voice as she spoke. Seol Jihoo quickened his pace, thinking it a good idea, when—
“Over here! Over here!”
Jun appeared, waving his hand. Umitsubame had already arrived.
“Come on, sorry to rush you right after you got here. Let’s go. You come with me—you and her. Maria and Hugo, you two take the other carriage. We’re splitting the archer and the priest, one to each. Got it?”
Jun, speaking in rapid-fire succession, pushed Seol Jihoo and Cho Hong into the carriage.
There was already a passenger inside. The priest Kazuki had invited—his attire little changed from their first meeting.
“Hello there.”
Upon greeting him across the way, the priest clasped his hands together and bowed politely in return.
‘He doesn’t seem impolite at all.’
“Yes! Confirmed! Let’s depart right away!”
Jun, who had come in shouting into a communication crystal held to his mouth, slammed the door shut.
“Coachman! Let’s go!”
Bang!
The carriage lurched violently. The window frame trembled, and the scenery beyond slowly drifted past.
As the carriage with Maria, Kazuki, and Hugo surged ahead, the coachman cracked his whip with force.
“Say, you look pretty sharp.”
Seol Jihoo, who had been thinking about closing his eyes for a moment, opened them halfway at the sudden compliment. Jun was observing him from every angle, his eyes showing mild surprise. The only thing that seemed odd was that the priest beside him also nodded slightly.
“Thanks for—”
Thud-thud-thud-thud! Thud-thud-thud-thud!
Thud-thud-thud-thud! Thud-thud-thud-thud!
Seol Jihoo, about to say “the compliment,” jumped in shock at the sudden cacophony.
Was this what a fierce cavalry charge sounded like? He poked his head out the window, and sure enough—
Every single carriage he’d seen at the city gate was pursuing them from behind.
“Boy, that carriage sure is riding crooked.”
Sakamoto Jun let the comment drift out with easy amusement.
“Why… are they doing that?”
“Beats me. Should we pull over and ask them directly?”
…….
“I’m joking. Think about it. There are five entrances that no faction has claimed yet. Simple math says that’s fifty slots, right?”
“Right.”
“The problem is that the number of individuals, teams, and factions without an entrance guarantee far exceeds fifty.”
Seol Jihoo finally understood what he was getting at.
“The competition’s already fierce enough. A new entrance gets discovered, and the carrion-eaters catch the scent—you think they’ll sit still? And with only seven of us, we’ve hit the jackpot. Not one slot, not two, but three whole slots wide open.”
“How could those people possibly know that where we’re headed is an entrance?”
“Kazuki would be hurt to hear that. And those people aren’t fools either. Securing an entrance is, in a way, a gamble of odds.”
True enough. With Kazuki’s reputation, it’d be worth the bet. And you lose nothing if you’re already empty-handed anyway…?
“Wait a moment.”
Seol Jihoo, who had been muttering to himself, suddenly arrived at a frightening conclusion.
“Could it be.”
“I know what you’re thinking, but don’t worry.”
Jun smiled and waved a dismissive hand.
“Like I said—the people chasing us aren’t complete idiots either. With only seven of us, I doubt there are fools stupid enough to attack a force like ours.”
That would be a relief, at least.
“We’ve got three Upper Rank members alone. And we’ve got one person from each class, so the balance is flawless.”
Actually, now that he mentioned it, the composition made sense. The team overall had two archers, two priests, three warriors—solid balance all around.
“So you’re saying all those people are competing over merely three slots?”
“Well, they won’t decide it by rock-paper-scissors, that’s for sure.”
Jun seemed satisfied with his own joke and chuckled, but when Seol Jihoo didn’t laugh, he fell silent quickly.
“Now that I think about it—this is your first Gathering, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“Then the shock might hit you pretty hard. Prepare yourself mentally.”
“Jun. Don’t talk nonsense.”
Cho Hong, who had been listening quietly, issued a warning.
“It’s not nonsense at all. All of it’s wisdom that’ll build you up.”
“Cut it out.”
“You’re being harsh.”
Jun’s spirits sagged, but he recovered his energy quickly.
“Look… it’s nothing earth-shattering. You’ve been climbing the ranks smoothly in good teams up until now, haven’t you?”
It wasn’t a lie. The Nine Eyes had allowed him to choose good teams, to seek out good people.
Without this innate ability, no one could say what would have become of him.
“In other words, up until now you’ve lived within the fence of a team—ah, don’t misunderstand. I’m not belittling your achievements. But you’ve always trusted and relied on each other, right?”
“Yes… I suppose so.”
As Seol Jihoo grudgingly admitted this, Jun raised both hands. Cho Hong’s stare had grown increasingly fierce.
“Wow, you’re really soft on him. Anyway, as a senior who first participated two years ago, let me give you one piece of advice….”
He paused for effect, and his smile deepened.
“Don’t expect too much.”
“Expect?”
Seol Jihoo asked immediately.
“Yeah. The greater your expectations, the greater your disappointment. Conversely, if you don’t expect anything from the start, you can avoid being let down.”
What kind of wisdom was this?
“Maybe—you’ll understand soon enough. Once you step through that entrance, you’ll encounter all kinds of people.”
His voice grew lower as it continued.
“Don’t be too disappointed. In humanity.”
Jun smiled thinly and said nothing more.
‘Don’t be disappointed… in humanity?’
It was cryptic, half-understood.
Seol Jihoo exhaled softly and turned his gaze back to the window. Behind them, dozens of carriages continued following at a measured distance, just as before.
The one thing that stood out was that the carriages were keeping significant distances from one another.
…….
Watching quietly, a thought suddenly occurred to him.
Perhaps.
Perhaps for those people, the Gathering had already begun.

(Continued in the next chapter)

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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