Hoarding In Hell [EN]: Chapter 327

LIFE 0 (2)

“She is right, Kang Hyun-woo.”

Isaiah Ren leaned in and spoke to Hyun-woo.

“The appearance of a Turned Star is the result of a tremendous series of coincidences, or the triumph of human will. If either is lacking, it’s impossible. Besides, now…”

[The people who united with the hope of humanity’s future are all dead. All that’s left are crazy bastards burning with the desire to devour each other.]

Isaiah Ren smiled bitterly and leaned back in his chair.

Hyun-woo patted his chest, feeling strangely empty. He felt odd when the familiar clinking sensation that was always there disappeared.

After a moment of thought, Hyun-woo spoke.

“But you’re not saying it’s impossible, are you?”

Isaiah Ren and Maria looked at Hyun-woo simultaneously.

Isaiah Ren wore a slightly apologetic expression, while Maria busied herself with the crystals.

“If anyone could create and use a Turned Star, the Agents would have already moved to a parallel world. They might have even tried to steal the Return Stone from you.”

But no one did. No one even cared.

“Because the Return Stone was created with numerous wills as one, with strict limitations.”

Isaiah Ren leaned forward, his face serious.

“But, yes. It is not impossible.”

[Don’t give him false hope like that, Isaiah.]

“He needs to know there’s a possibility, Maria.”

Maria turned her head, making a displeased noise.

“Kang Hyun-woo, Turned Stars appear so rarely because all sorts of conditions must be met: fragments of numerous stars, the will of powerful beings, the consent of the stars, the approval of a Priest, and the assistance of a being with special powers. In this case, it would be the Shattering Star.”

Hyun-woo carefully considered the conditions Isaiah Ren had listed.

Indeed, the conditions seemed not only difficult but nearly impossible.

With those conditions, it would feel easier to conquer and unify the stars.

“That’s why the Priests don’t know why ‘Turned Stars’ appear. Because it’s something they would never agree to. But how would they in the past know what happens in the future?”

“Difficulty: Hell’s Priests must have agreed, right?”

Isaiah Ren smiled at Hyun-woo’s words. Maria turned back to Hyun-woo and said,

[Difficulty: Hell only has one Priest, Isaiah Ren. The rest are all dead.]

“It wasn’t easy. It was also unavoidable. To create a Turned Star, you need the approval of the Priests, but I was the only one who agreed. So, you don’t have to worry about the Priests’ approval.”

Indeed.

Hyun-woo felt like he knew why Maria was partial to Isaiah Ren.

He was clearly a helpful yet alien being. Whether it was due to self-loathing or self-destructive tendencies, he couldn’t tell.

“Let’s say the Shattering Star’s help and the Priests’ approval are taken care of. Then we’ve solved the two most difficult conditions. Then the rest are fragments of stars, the will of powerful beings, and the consent of the stars… Honestly, with what Kang Hyun-woo has, it looks quite difficult.”

The number of star fragments Hyun-woo had was barely enough to meet the standard of a star compared to other Agent-level beings.

Difficulty: He acquired fragments by defeating some Agents and Apostles in Normal, but it was still woefully insufficient.

“Powerful beings… That means at least five Agent-level beings must gather their will. But right now, all the stars are trying to devour each other, so there’s no possibility of that happening.”

Isaiah folded his second finger and continued.

“And the consent of many stars. Similarly, Kang Hyun-woo is in an antagonistic relationship with a significant number of stars. This will also be difficult.”

“What if I just kill them all and gather the star fragments?”

“That would be easier.”

Isaiah Ren answered calmly, but Maria scoffed.

[It would be a miracle if you could kill even one Agent. Let’s say that’s possible. Do you know how long this stalemate has been going on? It would take you decades alone.]

Difficulty: Time in Hell flows the same as time in reality. Now, resurrection is impossible, and the Great War is about to begin.

It would be a miracle to even stay alive, let alone gather star fragments.

Decades, huh.

Hyun-woo tried to imagine what his world would look like in decades.

He couldn’t even grasp it.

How would the Difficulty increase, and how would the world situation change in the future?

He doubted whether the Almighty Union would even still exist by then.

Then Isaiah Ren spoke.

“It’s not entirely impossible. There was someone who started with nothing and returned to their original world in five years.”

“Five years?”

“That person’s situation was even more barren than Kang Hyun-woo’s. They started with a body no different from a child, without any items, resurrection abilities, or subordinates.”

Hyun-woo made a dumbfounded expression.

“What is that?”

“They had nothing, but they had so many enemies. It took them five years to kill all those enemies, but it could have been faster. It was only possible because they were such an extraordinary person. It’s a memorable memory.”

“What is that? A monster?”

“It was an unprecedented anomaly. The Priests at that time agreed to it because they wanted to get rid of him quickly. Still, Kang Hyun-woo is quite talented, so if you work hard for about 10 years…”

Then Hyun-woo got some inspiration from Isaiah Ren’s words. Hyun-woo, with a smirk, replied.

“Five years.”

“Yes?”

“I’m going back in five years too. Prepare the approval vote. Priest.”

***

On the way back to the shelter,

Hyun-woo was thinking about what Isaiah Ren had said.

There was no great significance in him choosing five years. It was just that someone had returned in five years, so he was burning with a desire to challenge himself.

Hyun-woo liked to set his goals a little tight.

Even if he doesn’t achieve it, who would question him? He would just be a little embarrassed.

‘No, I’m still going back in five years.’

Hyun-woo strengthened his nearly certain determination.

It would be troublesome if it took longer than that.

Difficulty: He was also thinking about Yoo-min and the Almighty Union members waiting in Normal, and other things.

More than anything, he might go crazy if he had to endure more than five years in this desolate and terrible landscape.

Above all, the most important reason for setting a five-year deadline.

Difficulty: In the world of Hell, according to the original flow of history, the time it took to escalate from Difficulty: Normal to Nightmare, and then to the brink of Hell, was five years.

In other words, the Teacher obtained the Return Stone around five years after starting in Difficulty: Normal.

‘I can’t stay longer than that bastard.’

It would be a boring time, but Hyun-woo decided to think of it as doing his military service in place of what he couldn’t do.

A five-year military life without seniors or juniors. But to digest this schedule, he would definitely be busy.

“Let’s see, where do I start…”

Then Hyun-woo suddenly stopped.

The scenery in front of him was just a normal ruined street. But the survival instinct that stimulated Hyun-woo did not see it as normal at all.

Hyun-woo sighed deeply. He had been talking like a normal person in the cafe until just now, so he had forgotten that this was Difficulty: Hell.

“If you have something to say, just come out normally and call my name. Don’t just stand in the middle of the street with your mouth wide open.”

As soon as Hyun-woo’s words fell, the surrounding scenery began to ripple. At the same time, a space filled with unpleasant slime and made of red entrails appeared.

It wasn’t dark thanks to the blood-red color seeping in from somewhere.

“An anglerfish. A Starving Star?”

As if responding to those words, something slowly emerged from the slime.

Frankly, it looked more like a tumor or acne growing on flesh than a living creature.

“Kang Hyun-woo.”

“Wow, you still haven’t fixed that annoying way of speaking? Does the Starving Star break your jaw every time it tries to make you pronounce it properly?”

“It’s time to repay the debt.”

The Starving Star’s Agent. In Difficulty: Normal, Helen was the Agent, but here he wasn’t sure.

Because its appearance was so messed up, it wasn’t even clear whether it was female or male. Hyun-woo slowly walked and looked around instead of answering.

The inside of the anglerfish was narrow, smelly, and had no visible exit. The illusion must be working perfectly on the insider.

“You haven’t forgotten the debt, have you?”

“Ah, I know. I know.”

When Hyun-woo was simultaneously attacked by the Apostles, the Apostles of the Starving Star, the Wailing Star, and the Conquering Star had invaded Hyun-woo’s shelter.

Hyun-woo barely reached a compromise at the end and obtained the help of the Starving Star to become a Star. In the process, he owed star fragments, so it could be said that he owed a considerable debt.

The Starving Star’s Agent bared its teeth and smiled, as if satisfied.

“The Starving Star’s interest is never cheap.”

“I knew you were quiet for a reason. Were you trying to play the interest game?”

It was a common tactic used by loan sharks.

Avoiding contact so that the other party cannot easily repay, and then pressuring them when they can no longer afford the interest.

It would be common sense in a normal world, but he wondered if it was necessary to go that far in Difficulty: Hell.

‘Usually, they just try to take everything.’

But on the other hand, it might be the Starving Star’s own rules.

“So, what do you want me to do to repay you?”

“Clean up what you’ve done.”

“What I’ve done?”

The Starving Star’s Agent looked at Hyun-woo with an unpleasant expression. It was an expression that he was playing a ridiculous trick.

But Hyun-woo really didn’t know what he was talking about.

“My subordinates are in chaos because of you. What kind of delusions did you plant in them?”

“Delusions? Ah…”

Revolution.

The seeds of the ‘die-rich’ revolution that Hyun-woo had sown through his subordinates were just beginning to sprout.

And it seemed to be standing out the fastest among the subordinates of the most greedy and possessive Star in this Difficulty: Hell.

Those who are greedy are also jealous.

The Starving Star doesn’t know how to share, and its subordinates are always struggling with desire, so it was natural.

In the meantime, Hyun-woo came out with a ‘equal’ relationship between Stars, Agents, Apostles, and subordinates, which was like pouring oil on the fire.

“Hell has its own methods.”

“Clean it up immediately.”

The Starving Star’s Agent commanded forcefully.

“I’m going crazy because of your ridiculous demands. Lazy bastards. They don’t know how to earn it by working fairly, and they ridiculously demand fair distribution and holidays.”

“Isn’t that pretty mild?”

The Starving Star’s Agent looked at Hyun-woo with an expression as if he was seeing something strange.

“This is Hell. What are you expecting?”

That’s right. This is Difficulty: Hell.

Then there must be a method suitable for Hell.

Since the Starving Star agreed to that fact, Hyun-woo had nothing to hold back. Hyun-woo raised his hand and thumped his chest.

As the Starving Star’s Agent watched as if asking what he was doing, Hyun-woo spoke.

“Lenian, I need a fast and powerful die-rich [die wealthy] here. Let’s have a clean end-of-days revolution.”

At the same time as those words ended, a black ink-like figure began to spread from Hyun-woo’s entire body.

It was a dark, lumpy abyss.

***

A little later.

The void in the middle of an ordinary street cracked open, and blood splattered everywhere. And through the gap, a black beast of the end-of-days came out with something like a lump of flesh skewered.

The beast of the end-of-days had melted in places and had serious wounds, but it was nothing compared to its opponent.

The wriggling lump of flesh was bleeding with the beast’s claws piercing through it in places.

“How in the meantime.”

“Looks like you let your guard down. You still thought I was at that level back then?”

The Starving Star’s Agent seemed to remember Kang Hyun-woo at the level when he had just become a Star.

At that time, Hyun-woo was only slightly better than an Apostle, so it must have believed that it could easily play with him alone.

But Hyun-woo had grown so strong through his battle with the Teacher that even Hyun-woo himself couldn’t have predicted it.

“You owe me a debt.”

“Interest is just a means created by the propertied class to control the propertyless class.”

“I see. I understand what you mean.”

The Starving Star’s Agent answered calmly. It was as if to say, kill me if you want.

It wasn’t that it was calm in the face of death. It was because this lump of flesh itself was just a clone, just like when Kawaro tore through its jaw.

“Then I’ll crush you like an earthworm.”

“No, no, no. We don’t have to do that. Yogulem.”

Hyun-woo tapped the lump of flesh with his claws.

“And I intend to repay the debt. I’m a symbol of trust and sincerity.”

“What nonsense do you want to say?”

Hyun-woo put down the lump of flesh and released the beast of the end-of-days.

Amidst the wreckage of the crumbling crystal moss, Hyun-woo approached the Starving Star’s Agent with a friendly look.

“Let’s collaborate, Yogulem. I’ll crush the ridiculous people’s revolt of your underlings. Cleanly.”

“What.”

“How dare the underlings demand fair distribution and holidays in Difficulty: Hell? If we leave them alone, they’ll try to form a union?”

The Starving Star’s Agent was flustered by Hyun-woo’s sudden change in attitude.

If it was going to accept it from the beginning, why did it rush in to kill him?

But before it could ask, Hyun-woo continued.

“Instead, you should cooperate with me a little. Just for five years. Not in a superior-subordinate relationship, but in an equal relationship where we can win-win. We don’t know how the future situation will change, but it would be very convenient to have a partner who can use the beast of the end-of-days, right? Do you understand?”