Ranker Who Lives Twice

Team: HH, thursdays, Yahiko (10/10)

“Anastasia?”

Had she felt Yeon-woo’s shock? Freesia was surprised by his reaction.

『Do you know Fox….. I mean, Anastasia?』

Fox. It was a perfect name to describe Anastasia.

Victoria’s teacher, Anastasia. When he first looked for Victoria, she had spoken to him harshly, telling him not to return.

He could vividly recall the danger he was in when he confronted her.

『Ah. I remember Victoria’s disciple was once a Sadhu. And so was the Iron Lion’s sadhu. Then is that when…..?』

“Yes.”

Freesia burst into laughter.

『It’s a small world, but no one is as closed off from the world as she is. But you know her. It’s impressive for a player who just entered the 30th floor.』

“I don’t exactly know her.”

『I suppose. She’s extremely wary of others. But she does all kinds of audacious acts behind that facade.』

Freesia narrowed her eyes.

『Anyways, this is it for our deal. Our trade with Anatasia is finished, too, so you have to take care of the rest.』

“Thank you.”

『For what? This was all just give and take.』

Freesia was about to end the hologram session but then remembered something and turned to Yeon-woo.

『Oh, right, and here.』

“Is there something else?”

『Yul misses you. I’ll set up a meeting for you, so meet him then. Of course, you’ll have to return safely from Tartarus.』

Yul. It was a name he was glad to hear.

『No. Before that, there’s something you’ll have to go through…… I hope things work out.』

Freesia left mysterious words before leaving.

Yeon-woo quietly put the jade mirror back.

“I’m not going to be fired, right?”

Atran was concerned about his customer being taken from him after hearing the news that his master’s disciple would come soon.

* * *

Yeon-woo went to the entertainment district in the outer section of the Tower.

‘Although she might not be here anymore.’

Freesia had said even she didn’t know where Anastasia stayed. Anastasia was a free spirit. She moved carefully even when making deals.

Yeon-woo just went to where he had first met Anastasia. Last time, the roof was blown off because of the fight. He thought he might’ve been able to find her if he looked around the building.

“Isn’t that…..?”

“Yeah. That mask….. He looks like the Hoarder.”

Unlike last time, there was almost no one who approached Yeon-woo. There was no one in the Tower who didn’t know about him.

He was the face of the Six New Stars, no, the Five New Stars now.

They said only ruins were left in his wake, so he was treated like a moving disaster.

Yeon-woo ignored the gazes and arrived at his destination.

The building must’ve been restored because prostitutes and those trying to hire them were bustling around.

But the moment Yeon-woo appeared, they disappeared instantly.

When all the customers disappeared, the manager inside the building came running out frantically.

He had just been about to lay with someone he’d been buying small presents for. He had come out in such a rush that his pants weren’t fully pulled up.

When he saw Yeon-woo, he gasped. He remembered the commotion from a long time ago. Thinking of the damage from back then, his hands began to tremble. He hadn’t expected him to come back.

“Is Anastasia here?”

“N-No…..!”

Yeon-woo pulled out the Magic Bayonet and split the air in front of him. Then, the roof was blown away.

The customers and prostitutes on the higher floors who had wanted to make love while looking at the scenery below them all hid in fear.

“So she’s not here.”

Yeon-woo glanced inside and quickly turned his body elsewhere.

The manager, who had been standing there blankly when the roof went flying off again, quickly grabbed Yeon-woo.

From what he knew, Yeon-woo wasn’t someone to let things end like that. He wasn’t called “A Walking Disaster,” “The Coming of the Martial King’s Youth,” or “Split Personality” for nothing.

“W, What will you do?”

Yeon-woo replied with a question.

“What are you going to do?”

“Sorry?”

“Why aren’t you looking for her?”

“……?”

“Business will be hard for you if you don’t.”

Yeon-woo swung his Magic Bayonet at the building next to it.

Kwakwakwang!

Once again, the roof flew off into the distance.

When the building shook like it was going to crumble, customers and prostitutes who barely got their clothes on and staff members quickly ran out.

“She’s not here either.”

「Kya! He acts exactly like his teacher!」

「It truly is better to shake things up if you can’t find what you’re looking for.」

Yeon-woo moved onto the next building.

“Shanon.”

「What?」

“I think you’ve been acting out more frequently these days.”

「Hehe. No way. It’s all in your head.」

Yeon-woo shook his head. He didn’t know why Shanon was becoming more sly as time went on. But at the same time, it meant that they were becoming closer, so he wasn’t completely against it.

Boom!

As each building collapsed, people affiliated with shadowy organizations chased after Yeon-woo, not knowing what to do, and belatedly realized what Yeon-woo was trying to do.

Yeon-woo was bringing down all the buildings in the entertainment district.

Anastasia was a famous VIP among the people who lived here, and she stayed here most of the time when nothing was going on.

He thought that Anastasia would come since he was causing so much ruckus.

At the same time, it was a warning for the people who lived there to go find Anastasia if they didn’t want the district to be ruined.

Kwang!

“Ahhhh!”

“What are you doing?! Look for Ms. Anastasia!”

Anastasia had saved many of their lives, but they had to bow in the face of danger.

As each of the buildings was crushed, the drug addicts came to attention, and the prostitutes ran around busily.

“What is going on?!”

A loud voice echoed from above.

The people who had been running around stopped and bowed their heads.

Yeon-woo stopped swinging his sword and turned around.

Anastasia was standing gracefully on top of the cafe on the 5th floor. Her eyes were half-closed, and the clothes she was wearing only covered her upper body. Her lower body was completely exposed. One beautiful child, who followed her quickly, covered her, and she looked around. Then, she found Yeon-woo.

“Kiddo, did you do this?”

Anastasia looked annoyed.

She hated being woken. Falling asleep while high with beautiful children was the only source of joy in her life.

Of course she was angry.

“Do you know who I am? And yet, you still did this?”

Yeon-woo narrowed his eyes. What was she talking about? She was acting like she didn’t know him. He was about to say something when a beautiful child whispered something in Anastasia’s ear.

She realized who Yeon-woo was and sobered up.

“You’re the one who was looking for Victoria.”

Her face crumpled.

“But why are you here? I thought I told you to never come back.”

“This time, I’m not here to see Victoria.”

“Then?”

『The Adamantine Nova. You have it, right?』

Yeon-woo spoke with Open Speaking so only she could hear.

“How did you….. oh, you must be behind the one who kept on asking for it.”

Anastasia remembered Atran and frowned even more.

“No, aside from that, how did you know I have it? It should be a secret….. that wolf bitch sold me out!”

She was furious after realizing the situation.

“This is why lowly merchants….. They only know how to flatter people.”

Anastasia promised to pick this up with them the next time she met. There was nothing worse than having your information available for everyone to see.

“Leave. I already said this multiple times, but I’ll sell this over my dead body.”

“I need the item.”

“Oh? What are you gonna do with it?’

Yeon-woo looked up at her and pulled out his sword from his pocket.

“What is it? You want to burn everything to the ground if we don’t talk?” A smile grew on her lips.

Hwak!

White smoke surrounded Yeon-woo, and he began to gather energy to himself.

The moment Vigird marked Anastasia as a target, a violent aura whipped around them.

The aura of the two high rankers caused earthquakes.

While the entertainment district was being destroyed.

“I tried to forgive you because you were the friend of my foolish disciple. But if you want to die, I’ll kill you.”

Only

Anastasia flicked her finger. Magic power raced towards Yeon-woo. At the same time, his shadow opened, and souls came out to block her.

Gwoooo—

In the middle of the great fight, boom!

He quickly ran at Anastasia.

If he couldn’t make a deal, he had to steal it.

There was no other way. He needed the Adamantine Nova to make Kynee and unlock clues about his pocket watch.

If he stepped back here, he didn’t know how long he would have to wait.

He swung Vigrid. Smoke rose from where Wave of Fire struck Anastasia.