The Tone-Deaf Healer Kills with a Song - Chapter 172

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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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Tone-Deaf Healer Kills with Song – Episode 172
Everyone dispersed to their assigned tasks with military precision, leaving only Jung Hwan-jae and me in the room.
Word had it that while we moved about in such chaos, a massive scandal had erupted within Nike.
First, the elders of Nike had been the driving force behind trafficking dungeon fragments.
Second, Rosalind and Dante had personally handed them over to the Hunter Association. Two facts in total.
The arrests were broadcast live, including Shunt among those taken into custody.
They looked as though they’d crawled out of some horrific dungeon—battered and broken.
-I, I was definitely dead, but I woke up. I’m telling you, I was definitely dead!
-What did I do wrong, aaaagh, what did I do wrong?!
Some of them wailed apologies as if haunted by some terrible vision.
-W-well, what I actually did wrong was… the hunter credentials I forged…
Others confessed frantically on camera about their crimes.
Naturally, everyone suspected the Brown siblings orchestrated everything.
The problem was that no evidence ever surfaced.
Even those from Nike, including Shunt, readily admitted to their own crimes but never mentioned the Browns.
Had Dante and Rosalind Brown truly known nothing?
But regardless, public opinion of Nike remained damning.
The mere fact that dungeon fragments were circulating on the black market was shocking enough—but the world’s number one guild had orchestrated it?
Nike’s reputation collapsed in less than a day.
“There was a reason I didn’t respond to the chat.”
“I suppose so.”
Jung Hwan-jae and I could only watch with heavy hearts.
I felt relief that they’d uncovered this themselves rather than through someone else, yet I couldn’t know if this was truly the ending they’d wanted.
Especially for Dante.
The root cause of the incident he’d desperately tried to resolve turned out to be the very guild to which he’d devoted his entire hunter career.
“Will Nike be dissolved?”
“Probably not dissolved, but they’ll never recover their former prestige.”
“I suppose not…”
“Once a stigma attaches itself, it rarely comes off easily. But that too was their choice.”
We watched the siblings on various news broadcasts—they neither bowed their heads nor averted their eyes.
Dante: “We will do our utmost to resolve this situation to the end. We respect the choices of all Nike hunters and will actively support their transfers elsewhere.”
When the Second Calamity begins, Nike will face the flames once more.
If there are casualties, all the worse.
My heart sank deeper.
So many already lost. Who would bear responsibility for them?
The disappeared never return.
“Ye-ah, what are you thinking?”
Jung Hwan-jae carefully extended his hand.
I hadn’t even noticed my nails digging into my palms in my concentration.
I smiled awkwardly and took his hand.
“I know they say we can’t save everyone, but I just can’t give up.”
“Don’t harbor thoughts of saving everyone.”
“Yes, I understand it’s idealistic. I know we need to prepare for the worst-case scenario. But isn’t this exactly the kind of situation where we need optimism?”
Even if it sounds naive and carefree, I don’t care.
I’ve already spent a long time worrying and doubting everything.
Even with such thoughts, I was never able to perfectly prevent danger.
I’ve learned by now that sometimes it only makes things worse.
Don’t let your guard down completely, but don’t dwell on the worst from the start either.
Even if I’m anxious.
“Is it too naive of me to want to save everyone if I can?”
Even though I know better than anyone that it’s impossible.
A green light flickered at my fingertips.
Ambition (???) stands ready to answer your heart.
I stared at the window that suddenly appeared before my eyes.
Until now, my stats had been clearly displayed, but this time it shows ???.
Creative Technique (???) senses signs of change under the influence of Ambition.
Vocal Performance (A) stands alone in its place and feels lonely.
It’s as if my stats have their own consciousness.
A small laugh escaped despite the situation being inappropriate for it.
Well, you’re all part of my soul after all.
“Couldn’t we do it?”
Breaking through the silence came Jung Hwan-jae’s voice. His hand gently wrapped around mine.
His crimson eyes gazed at me intently.
“We could do it?”
“Yes, ultimately preventing catastrophe means ensuring we don’t lose anything. If we just try a little harder.”
“Don’t you think what I’m saying is too idealistic?”
“Not at all.”
The mana hovering over my hand transferred to Jung Hwan-jae’s hand and soon dissipated.
It had become a natural process that occurred without conscious effort now.
I could feel he wasn’t simply taking my side to comfort me. Only then did I truly see his eyes and their light.
I was reflected in those crimson eyes.
I was all he saw.
“You’re saying I’m not chasing a futile dream?”
“For my former self, resolving debuffs was a futile dream.”
“That could be true… I thought the same thing when I received the Labyrinth debuff…”
He lowered his head, closing the distance between us. Soon there was barely a gap, as if our lips might touch.
Without realizing it, my body tensed.
It’s just that he got closer, so why is this such a big deal?
Ye-ah, you’re an idiot. My head is confused.
Whether he knew my reaction or not, Jung Hwan-jae continued speaking in a gentle tone.
“But you made my hollow dream a reality.”
“If we can fulfill someone’s dream with just this much, there’s no reason not to, is there?”
Jung Hwan-jae laughed softly.
The sound of his laughter, close enough to touch, was pleasant to hear.
This wasn’t the time to be thinking such things, yet it seemed my mind had truly scattered.
My heart was beating faster than usual.
When had I become conscious of this person? It didn’t seem like something that started yesterday or today.
“I can’t accomplish this alone, so I can’t promise to make your dream come true by myself.”
“Y-yes, yes, okay.”
Had my face turned red? Was I even speaking properly?
Was I supposed to breathe through my nose? Or through my mouth?
I speak with my mouth, don’t I? What do I do?
“But we can share the same dream. And we can do our best to achieve it.”
“The same dream…”
“Let’s save everyone.”
His words were strange.
Yet his voice became my confidence.
“Yes.”
A sudden thought crossed my mind.
If the number one ranked hunter shared this hollow dream with me, wouldn’t the possibility increase just a little?

* * *
Catastrophe will surely come.
But no one said to surrender to that catastrophe.
Dante was the first to make contact.
Since he had experienced Ragnarok firsthand, he would understand its scale better than we could.
“I’m sorry to bother you when you’re busy. How many people would we need in total to clear this dungeon?”
―Assuming A-rank or higher new dungeon conquest experience or equivalent training, roughly 70 hunters within the top 200?
“Would 70 people be sufficient?”
―Yes, but you know gathering that many people isn’t as easy as it sounds.
Dante wore a troubled expression on the other side of the screen.
Because of the emergency situation, they had postponed him being called to the United States for investigation.
Yet it seemed he couldn’t move freely.
He had to work tirelessly to prove his innocence and restore or compensate for the damage caused by the dungeon fragments.
“Can’t we gather 70 people? If we recruit under the names of Nike and Hanttae.”
―But there won’t be 70 people with A-rank new dungeon conquest experience or equivalent.
“We can train those without experience.”
Jung Hwan-jae replied plainly.
I thought I could hear Kim Hwa-hyun’s screams from somewhere, being worked to exhaustion, but I deliberately erased it from my mind.
The Hunter Association personnel would wait outside to control any monsters or chaos that might emerge from the dungeon.
―Please prepare at least double the number of Hunters entering the Dungeon. There are many civilians outside. A single Monster Wave could sweep through and kill dozens of them.
“Understood.”
―And add my name and Rosalind’s to the strategy team roster. We’re going no matter what happens.
“I’ve already added you both.”
―You don’t even give me a chance to show off.
Dante laughed helplessly and ended the call.
“We’ll need to recruit a strategy team, won’t we?”
“Yes, as quickly as possible.”
As we huddled together examining the roster, my vision crackled with static, and a familiar window materialized before me.
[Liri: Can you include me too?]
She had returned at the perfect moment.
My Assigned Staff Member.

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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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