Chapter 126: Endless Night (2)

“You want to eat out?” Kwon Oh-Jin surprisedly asked Song Ha-Eun. “Are you finally admitting defeat with your disastrous cooking?” “What did you just say?” “Hehe, I’m joking. But why all of a sudden?” “Uh... well...” She twirled a strand of her hair around her finger, avoiding his gaze. “No particular reason. Just thought it’d be nice to change things up.” “Sounds good,” he replied, having been worried about her lately. If eating out would lift her spirits even a little, he was more than happy to. “Are we going for dinner?” “No, let’s go around lunchtime.” “Then I’ll do some training first and meet you later.” “I’ll text you, so don’t come home. Just head straight to the restaurant.” “Huh? Why?” he asked, confused. Since they lived together, it made more sense to leave together. “Stop with the questions and just do as I say, you brat." She poked him in his side. “Hmmm... fine, whatever." He nodded and turned away. "I’ll see you later, then.” “Hehe, today’s on me." She proudly placed her hands on her hips. "Leave your wallet at home.” “Pfft. Guess I should get some pricey stuff, then.” “Bring it on! That damn Isabella gave me a fat sum for the mission.” “Wait, that’s my money.” “Oh, come on. What’s yours is mine. We share everything.” He sighed. “This is unfair.” Is this how husbands feel when their wives take their bonuses away? “Kyahaha! Relax, dumbass," she said. "I’m paying with my money, so just enjoy.” “I wasn't actually worried or anything,” he clarified. Despite having played along and pretended to be upset, he didn't particularly care about money anymore. “Oh, by the way, what about your prosthetic, Ha-Eun?” “They said it’s finally done. I’m going to drop by the association to pick it up later.” “Want me to come with you?” “No, I’ll go alone.” Hmm. Well, she’ll get there quickly by cab. “I asked them to focus on durability, so it shouldn’t break like before,” he said. She grinned as she nodded. “Okay.” He smiled faintly as he looked at her beaming face. That's a relief. She looked completely down ever since they got back from the dungeon, but she seemed to have sorted out her thoughts already in just a day's time. That’s more like her—confident, strong-willed, and bold. He remembered the little girl who shone brighter than anyone else. She really hasn’t changed at all. Even now, she was dazzlingly beautiful in his eyes. “Alright, text me later,” he said. “I will.” He stepped outside, crossed the street, and entered the mixed-use apartment that Isabella had gifted him. The interior had been modified to serve as training areas for even high-ranking Awakeners, making it as spacious as a soccer field in the process. He infused mana into the pendant around his neck. “Vega.” Bursts of silver light exploded like fireworks behind him as Vega appeared. Pop! Pop! “It is I!”She spun around with her arms spread out. Why is our goddess so energetic today? “Did something good happen?” he asked. “Hehe. You've been summoning me every day lately. It’s for training. I know, but still...” So that’s what it is. “Then, I’ll be counting on you again today.” She pouted. “I do enjoy seeing your face every day... but is there nothing else to do besides training? It’s good to work hard, but you must also take time to rest.” “Pfft. Don’t worry. Today’s session will be short.” “Oh? Until what time?” “Around one?” Vega’s eyes sparkled. “Ooooh. Then, how about going downtown with me after—” “Oh, let’s do that next time.” “Hmm? Do you have something to do?” “Ha-Eun asked me to have lunch with her.” Vega quickly pouted again. “Hmph. And it's just going to be the two of you?” “Yeah, I guess so,” he replied. He wasn’t dense enough to bring Vega along when Song Ha-Eun had gone out of her way to invite him for lunch with her. “Hmmm.” Vega narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. Perched on his shoulder, she restlessly shook her legs. “I see. So, you're meeting Ha-Eun alone... just the two of you..." Crackle! She floated into the air, her golden eyes gleaming. “Let’s begin training.” Crackle! Crackle! A storm of fierce lightning bolts swirled around. “Uh... Vega, ma’am?” This is fucking terrifying. “As usual, do you want me to attack you while you dodge the lasers and try to touch me three times?” “Uh , yeah, that’s right, but—” “Then let’s raise the difficulty a bit. You have to touch me thirty times today.” “... What?” Wait. Can a tenfold increase be considered ‘a bit’? Is this bitcoin? Mom, are we moving to Mars? He tried to reason with her. “Wait, thirty is too much—” “Let us begin!” Vega flipped the switch. Click! Thousands of laser beams scattered from all directions. They wouldn't leave any injuries on him since he hadn’t activated the “delusion” yet. However, Vega’s attacks were a different story. “Hup!” Crackle! Crackle! The Celestial of Lyra possessed extraordinary control over lightning. She could make it hurt like hell even without wounding him. “Aaaaah!” He sprinted for dear life while evading the chaotic barrage of lasers and blue lightning. *** “Phew.” Kwon Oh-Jin stepped out of the training facility’s shower. Drying his hair with a towel, he turned on his phone. “Huh?” There were no new messages in his notification window. He'd assumed Song Ha-Eun would have sent the location of the restaurant by now. Kwon Oh-Jin: Where are you, Ha-Eun? However, no reply came. He even tried calling her a few times, but all he got was the automated message. Is she sleeping? Cocking his head, he decided to head home first. However, when he arrived, there was no sign of anyone inside. Unease slowly welled up inside him as he decided to check the last message he received from her. Song Ha-Eun: OMW to pick up my leg~♬ ε⌯(ง Kwon Oh-Jin: Take a taxi. Song Ha-Eun: Ok, I already called one. The last message was sent at 10:39 AM, which was two hours ago. There had been no other message since. He immediately called Han Jun-Man. —Ah, long time no see, Oh-Jin. I heard you've been focusing on training lately. How’s progress? Kwon Oh-Jin quickly cut him off and asked, “Did Ha-Eun stop by any chance?” —Yeah. She came by around two hours ago. “When did she leave?” —She picked up her prosthetic and left right away... Is something wrong? Kwon Oh-Jin hung up without answering. Beep. “Damn it.” Cold sweat ran down his back, and an ominous feeling spread through him like ink seeping into white paper. I need to go to the association where she was last seen. He didn’t have the time to wait for the elevator. He walked toward the balcony window, which was safely designed to only open halfway, and forcefully yanked it open all the way. Crack! He aimed his shooter at the top of the opposite apartment building and fired a wire. Bang! “Huup!” He kicked off the ground, jumping out. As the stretched wire yanked him upward, he drew an arc in the air. Quickly...! He bit his lip anxiously as he headed toward the association. Whoosh! Wooosh! After only three minutes, he stood before the association building's entrance and took a deep breath. Stigma of Canes Venatici. Woong! A bright light emanated from his chest as his senses heightened drastically, drawing countless scents into his nostrils. “Ghhk!” Suppressing the splitting headache that followed, he searched for Song Ha-Eun’s scent. ... She’s not here. It had already been two hours since she left, and she hadn't stayed long in the first place. There was no reason for her scent to linger. No... I can find her. A high-ranking Awakener of Canes Venatici could supposedly track someone’s scent even hours after they had passed by. Although he wasn’t at that level yet, there was still hope. In that case... He clenched his jaw and closed his eyes, focusing entirely on his sense of smell. An overwhelming flood of scents rushed in. “Gahk... Ugh!” A sharp, splitting pain tore through his skull as if it were about to burst. His mind reeled, overwhelmed by a flood of information he couldn’t keep up with—far more than his brain could process at once. “Kugh...!” Blood gushed from his nose. Then, his eyes turned bloodshot, red tears streaking down his cheeks. Eventually, blood trickled down his ears, staining his neck crimson. It’s still not enough. Even in this maelstrom of sensory information, there was no trace of Song Ha-Eun. More, more, more! Crackle! Blue lightning spread outward in all directions—a weak, static-like discharge technique Vega had once shown him. Ring! [The Stigma of Lyra and the Stigma of Canes Venatici have connected!] [Kwon Oh-Jin has acquired the composite skill Vega’s Hunting Dog Lv MAX!] A staggering wave of limitless and unfathomable information flooded in. “Haa... Haa...!” The odor of exhaust fumes from the parking lot. The stench of a discarded cigarette butt on the street. The scent of half a cup of coffee. The smell of ginkgo leaves lining the street. The stink of a pigeon crushed under a car. The faint fragrance of a passing woman’s shampoo. The rancid stench of sewage water trickling through the drains. The sweet aroma of a child’s melting ice cream. The sour breath of a man sprinting frantically. The decaying insects baking under the sun. The freshly laundered clothes drying on a balcony. The crisp, sterile scent of paper bound in a file folder. The fading ink of a dried-up ballpoint pen. The putrid blockage clogging a pipe. The stale gum stuck to concrete. The dust accumulating inside an AC unit. Among the endless, distinct scents was one that had always been by Kwon Oh-Jin's side—an infinitely precious and familiar one. “I... found her.” A fierce, blue flame ignited in his eyes. Like a cannonball blasting from its chamber, he rocketed forward with a sonic boom.