My plan is composed of two elements.

One is that Park Gyu, also known as Professor and Skelton, a mythical name both in reality and on the internet, disappears.

The other is to secretly go to a safe place and settle down.

From a broad perspective the two might look like one and the same, but from the standpoint of carrying them out, they are entirely different, even opposing elements.

To disappear inevitably presupposes others.

If there’s no one watching, using the expression “disappear” would be something only a lunatic would say.

Oh Hee-tae and his cheerful friends served as quite decent spectators.

They were all without exception discovered as corpses.

If that cult leader of Manryu Gwijeonggyo had experienced just how dangerous monsters become when they perceive humans as enemies and begin extermination, then zealots would never have appeared in this world.

Well, even if zealots hadn’t appeared, China’s downfall couldn’t have been avoided.

There were simply too many people to begin with.

Thanks to Oh Hee-tae’s gang, Park Gyu became a dead man.

According to Defender, with nothing left for them to hide, they even broadcasted openly with unencrypted comms to their friends in Seoul, not to mention transmitting footage they’d filmed of me.

Maybe Jeon Si-hoon saw me.

But that wouldn’t be what matters.

For now, this Park Gyu is a dead man.

Someone swept away by the storm called monster, who will never return.

But for that dead man to move houses is an entirely different problem.

“...Do you think you can succeed?”

Consulting with a teammate is essential. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

“Yeah. I have to succeed. If I can’t, then a second, a third Knight will come. They won’t stop until I’m dead. And then you’ll be in danger too, won’t you? After all, your name is already on the kill list.”

I brought it up to Kim Daram before meeting Oh Hee-tae and being put on public display in front of the camera.

For all the talk around her, Kim Daram is the second-in-command in our group.

She doesn’t have popularity, but her skills are certain, and her political sense isn’t that poor either.

Just the fact that she’s survived this long dragging a family with a kid shows that Kim Daram’s ability is extraordinary enough.

“What you say makes sense, senior.”

Like I’ve changed, Kim Daram has changed a lot too.

She’s shed some of that pointless stubbornness and pride, that endless comparison habit, and most of all, she can actually talk sense now.

“So. If you succeed, where will you go?”

Even right now she’s like that.

“Where I need to go.”

“Ah, there? The toilet?”

Kim Daram let out a bitter smile.

I’m not so dull that I can’t see that most of what’s in her eyes is worry.

Some of it is worry for me, but the larger share is worry for her family.

“Once I settle there.”

I set the tone.

My junior looked at me.

“I know the boss of Sejong. I’ll arrange something that way.”

“Sejong, huh. Maybe going there now wouldn’t be a bad move either.”

“Not now. There’s still that kill team Jeon Si-hoon sent ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ in front of Sejong, remember?”

“True.”

“For now, stay put here until things quiet down. Survival comes first.”

“Got it.”

Kim Daram tapped my shoulder.

It hurt quite a bit.

This woman.

Her whole body is solid bone.

She’s the kind of person who’s strong by nature.

If Dongtak had inherited even half his mother, he’d have grown up bulkier than Oh Hee-tae.

“I’ll handle it when the time comes.”

Yes.

Leaving is a different dimension from disappearing.

The ones left behind need convincing.

I debated whether to tell Cheon Young-jae about this.

That friend is a good guy, sure, but only to me. He still has scars when it comes to others, and he has an unexpectedly cold side too.

He’s with our group because I’m here, but now he has Yoo Jeong-min as his partner.

After much thought I told Cheon Young-jae about the work I was preparing.

“What?!”

As expected, he pulled a startled expression.

“Hey, I’m here because of you.”

The words I expected.

“Now you have one more, don’t you?”

I countered with the answer I expected.

The look of surprise on Cheon Young-jae’s face smoothed over.

That hunter’s cold reason of ours rose up in his eyes.

“...So if you go. What will you do? That internet. You gonna open it?”

“Yeah. But there’s another reason too. You can guess without me saying, right?”

Cheon Young-jae let out a sigh.

“I know. I know. Honestly, leaving is the right move.”

The reason Oh Hee-tae came here may have been Dies_Irae’s clean cutoff, but the biggest background was Jeon Si-hoon.

That guy doesn’t like me one bit.

His beast-like, uncontrollable Knights will keep coming.

As long as I’m alive.

To them I’m nothing but something that must vanish, or at best an amusing toy.

It’s terrible, but it’s reality.

Sometimes you have to accept reality.

“For now I have to stay hidden. What worries me is actually you all.”

They’re still inside Dies_Irae’s territory.

If I vanish, who knows what Dies_Irae will do.

For now they won’t touch them since they’re considered mine, but they’re not the type to watch people freeload.

One way or another, they’ll demand something.

“I told Daram. When the weather warms, I’ll set something up over at Sejong.”

“I’ll wait.”

Cheon Young-jae lifted a fist.

I knew what it meant.

Once I would have refused, but now it was different.

We bumped fists in midair.

“But what about the Colonel’s daughter?”

Cheon Young-jae brought up an issue I hadn’t considered.

“Woo Min-hee’s daughter? Ah. Mark Two?”

There was Mark Two.

I’d completely forgotten.

What to do with that kid?

Leaving her here is one option.

But what would she think?

And what about Woo Min-hee, who entrusted her to me?

Here it seemed best to consult with M9, my boardmate.

For some time now M9, wearing a layer of ease I can’t quite grasp, laughed it off and answered right away.

“Take her with you.”

“What?”

“She’s got no one she follows but you. She even seems actually interested in you.”

“Really?”

“I’ve only ever seen her speak twice. Once was to ask for motion sickness medicine, the other was to ask what kind of person Skelton is.”

“...Really?”

“If nothing else, Awakened kids. They’re interested in you. That big one you took down. Among the Awakened, that was a figure of terror, right? Since you brought it down, naturally they’re intrigued.”

M9 patted my shoulder.

“Given your personality, she’ll be a hassle and a handful, but what choice do you have. In a way, she’s someone you brought in, isn’t she?”

“You could see it that way.”

Yes.

Mark Two is no different from someone I brought in.

When I pulled all my forum connections to bring in Woo Min-hee, she came as a set with Woo Min-hee.

“The way I see it, Colonel Woo didn’t send her to you for no reason.”

“What do you mean?”

To my question, M9 smiled meaningfully and pointed to his head.

Think for yourself.

“One thing’s for sure, without you, she won’t last long. Correction: no one but you will care for her. Not me, anyway.”

“Yeah. That’s true.”

Not the answer I wanted, but he hit the mark.

I couldn’t go alone.

But what matters is her heart.

I spoke with Mark Two.

Even if she’s Woo Min-hee’s clone, she’s still a child, so instead of stating the facts bluntly I put it obliquely.

“What if.”

“Yes.”

“If I were to leave here.”

“I’ll follow you.”

Before I even finished, Mark Two answered.

And she looked at me with eyes just like Woo Min-hee’s.

“I don’t like anyone here. Those kids, the ones who all look the same, I don’t like them either, but at least they’re better for me than these people.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Then nothing more needed to be said.

And so I prepared to leave.

All that remained was execution.

Chzzzt—

Through encrypted comms I contacted Hong Da-jeong.

“Everyone’s returning to their own territory.”

“Yeah? Think I could get that on video later?”

“Why? Find it fascinating?”

“No. I thought it would be like that, but hearing it actually is makes me want to see it myself.”

“See, Skelton’s impossible.”

As darkness fell I went outside.

Cold wind, ruined buildings, corpses scattered before my eyes.

Scrape—scrape—

I dragged a body.

A man about my size.

Stripping corpses isn’t a hobby of mine, but I took off his coat and put my jacket on him instead.

Then I dragged him underground.

Past the sight of a corpse impaled by a blade, eyes wide open staring at me, I laid the new corpse beside Oh Hee-tae’s and shoved a grenade into its mouth.

“...”

Boom!

As a finishing touch I set a fire and followed the underground passage left behind by the dead dungeon-type back outside again.

Nearby came the faint hum of an engine.

A vehicle stood on the ridge.

Defender’s.

“Hello, Skelton?”

Inside were Hong Da-jeong and Mark Two.

I shot Defender a grateful look, then asked.

“The luggage?”

“Yeah. It’s in a makeshift storehouse. What you need right away is packed in a survival pack. Once things calm down, I’ll deliver the rest.”

“Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me.”

Defender grinned.

“My sister and I owe you our lives more than once.”

“That’s right. Without you, Skelton, we’d be dead already. Or living lives worse than death.”

Hong Da-jeong smiled at Mark Two.

“Cute kid. Though she doesn’t look a thing like you.”

“Can you look after her a bit?”

“No.”

The Defender siblings took us to a familiar sight.

Next to the U.S. military base.

Now abandoned, empty, surrounded by silent snowfields.

“Thanks.”

“For this much? I’ll call you later.”

Their vehicle drove off.

Left were only me and Mark Two.

Our luggage was light.

I had a hand-sled with short-term supplies and a rifle, Mark Two just a small handbag.

She’s the right age to like dolls, but she hates them.

She says she despises things not alive pretending to be alive.

Maybe that odd perspective is why the world keeps her at arm’s length.

Anyway, she’s the kid I brought.

“Let’s go.”

Mark Two silently followed me.

We walked slowly across the silent wilderness.

The journey wasn’t far.

Defender hadn’t dropped us right at the bunker in case of a tail.

No drone signals were detected, but still — a Knight was dead.

One way or another, an investigation might come.

Though it was snow-white all around, the air was mild.

They say this year’s mildness is what caused the war, but what’s wrong with a little warmth?

The bad ones are humans.

I looked up at the sky.

Whether we perish or annihilate ourselves, the stars remain there, sending us immeasurable light from the past.

Crunch—crunch—

As expected, Mark Two said nothing.

She’s truly as quiet as a ghost.

“Almost there.”

At my words she only gave a faint nod.

“Hoo.”

I breathed winter deep into my lungs.

The slight anxiety, worry, and the expectation of soon seeing something familiar stirred a faint warmth in my chest.

Breathing winter air won’t cool such feelings, but it helps sort things out.

First tidy the surroundings, then get the new board up and running.

Connect people.

“Look.”

Suddenly Mark Two spoke.

I followed her softly glowing gaze.

A meteor.

Or maybe one of the satellites of Viva! Apocalypse! that connected us.

Either way, it was a lucky omen for me.

I prayed silently.

May we survive what’s ahead.

At least may we die without regret.

As the slope began, Mark Two lagged behind.

Either my stride was too fast, or her stamina was poor.

“Want a ride?”

Turns out this kid doesn’t refuse much.

She climbed on the sled like it was natural.

“Hold tight. It’s downhill.”

“This’ll be fun.”

She smiled faintly as our hill drew closer.

There it was.

A low rise.

I could find this path even with eyes shut.

The place I built, the place I entrusted the future to.

“Let’s see. About here.”

The position had shifted a bit.

Thunk!

Found it.

I gripped the hidden hatch and turned hard.

Creak—

The door opened.

Past air heavy with cold and earth, the familiar concrete space and the darkness of my long-time friend, the bunker, greeted me.

“...”

I’d come back.

To my beloved home.

There was much to do.

But.

“Huh? Why is the toilet in a place like that?”

For now, I should prioritize accommodating a new housemate.

“Well. That is...”

I wondered for a moment.

If I’d married at her age, would I have had a kid like this?

“Excessive pursuit of rationality?”

“What’s that?”

It was uncomfortable, sure.

“It’s a thing. Let’s get the sleeping arrangements sorted first.”

But humans live enduring discomfort.

Our ancestors did, and so did my parents whose voices I can no longer recall.

Whether the next generation of humanity will carry on, even I’m unsure. But for now I’ll endure discomfort.

I looked around my bunker once more.

Said to the kid:

“Long time no see.”

Let’s start a new history.

Before death embraces me.

Doesn’t seem like much time is left.

That’s how it feels.