Ch.227For Everyone, One

# 227. One for All

Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, there were only six of them. I’m not sure if it’s also fortunate that no family members, coworkers, or other friends came to visit, but those six came every day. Sometimes they would visit for several consecutive days, and sometimes multiple people would come together.

It seemed like they had a basic rotation of one person at a time, with others dropping by whenever they had free time.

Probably day 14. Today, two of them were peeling fruit by my bedside. Ayuri and Seon Seyeon.

The two appeared incredibly close. As soon as they met, they hugged each other tightly and started chatting.

“If only we had rings, or at least photos together…”

“Sigh. True. We never went out together here, and we weren’t lovers. Without evidence, it’s natural to think we’re just making excuses to reject them. Most couples make it obvious with their profile pictures.”

“Even considering that, he’s too persistent.”

“Exactly. Even if I didn’t have a lover, there wasn’t even a single person I was interested in.”

“Confessing is appreciated, but that doesn’t excuse rudeness, right?”

“Yeah. You and I should have been just moderately pretty.”

“Pfft.”

So this was the famous “girls talk” I’d heard about. Some of it might sound a bit conceited if you just heard the content, but looking at those two, you couldn’t help but agree.

“What are your family saying these days?”

“Well… same as always. They say I’ve changed a bit, but could anyone go through an experience like that and not change at all?”

“I haven’t.”

“Right. Fundamentally, we haven’t changed. Not you, not me. Not us.”

After chatting for a while, they turned their attention to me. As I felt the gaze of the two women, I had a ridiculous thought—I was somewhat grateful for my immobile body. If I had been in my normal state, I might have stuttered, avoided eye contact, or had certain parts of my body become embarrassingly “healthy” on their own.

“But oppa has changed. Both his body and his mind.”

“…Since his brain is fine, he might be thinking, ‘Why do these women keep visiting and saying these things when they can hear me?'”

“Considering oppa’s personality, he’s probably wondering, ‘How did I become friends with these women? And not just one, but several?'”

“Well… even with amnesia, after six months of regular visits and conversations, wouldn’t some sense of closeness develop?”

“I suppose so.”

She was right. Although I only remembered the past 14 days, I had been lying here for six months. Judging by these women’s behavior, they had likely been visiting regularly during those six months… and before that, they must have been connected to me through the game.

It made me a little sad.

Because they were looking at the person I was before losing my memories, not who I am now.

And it scared me.

If my brain wasn’t injured, why did I only have 14 days’ worth of memories? Could amnesia happen twice? What if my memories had already been erased once and then painted over?

What if my memories were being reset every 14 days?

Then… that’s it! Could I write a diary? Even if I lost my memories, written records would remain unchanged unless someone deliberately erased them.

Ah. It’s frustrating. I feel like I’m going to burst.

And then I imagined it.

Me repeating the process of becoming friends with these women “again” from the beginning.

And them projecting their memories of the old me onto the current me, gradually becoming tired and hurt.

Memory is such a mysterious thing—sometimes I can’t even recall what I ate half a day ago, yet I can vividly remember being spanked by my mother 20 years ago… I tried desperately to recall those old memories that had been so meticulously edited that I couldn’t even tell they were missing.

Because this was all I could do.

Game, raid, Veritas, raid party, perfect clear, kill Kut, new axe, etiquette path… I kept repeating the keywords from everything they had mentioned so far.

And the next day.

“Suhyeok, I’m here.”

A beautiful woman I’d never seen before was brushing my bangs away.

‘Why… I’ve never seen this woman before, but why does she seem familiar?’

Why does she look like she’s crying even though she’s smiling brightly?

**

Stories about being annoyed by confessions.

Stories about a game called Veritas, its raid party, raids, and perfect clear records.

Stories about the relationship between the six raid members and me.

Stories about everyone’s recent situations, and so on…

The stories from the six women were new and interesting, but something felt strange.

Is this what they call déjà vu?

If I, who had lost my memories, was experiencing déjà vu from these stories… doesn’t that mean these stories were events from my lost memories?

Regardless, my emotions were in turmoil every time I heard their stories.

When I heard about the confessions, I felt annoyed yet somehow pleased.

When I heard about the game, I was intrigued but also impatient, wondering if such an amazing game really existed.

When I heard about my relationships with the raid members, I felt bewildered yet happy, wondering how I had become friends with such beautiful women.

When I heard about their recent situations, I listened attentively as if they were my own affairs.

It was unfamiliar yet familiar, and the women’s stories settled deep in my heart. Well, technically in my brain, but anyway, I absolutely didn’t want to forget them.

And on day 14, I vaguely realized an immense sense of loss.

The moment I realized that loss, a single word clearly came to mind.

‘Futri.’

Somehow, it made me feel incredibly disgusted.

**

The ominous noise that had been faintly audible when I concentrated was now clearly audible.

My heart raced, but I had reached my limit.

No, actually, I had already exceeded my limit and was just forcing myself to endure. And now, trying to carry an unconscious teammate on top of that—one wrong step on a small pebble, and it would truly be the end.

A body that grew weaker with each step down.

Collapsing stairs that allowed no rest.

A precious teammate I absolutely couldn’t abandon.

Some might call them foolish women. Some might say nothing is more important than your own life, while others might argue that it’s better for some to survive than for everyone to die.

But the Veritas raid members didn’t think that way. Such options simply didn’t exist in their minds from the beginning.

Love, friendship, bond.

The six raid members loved their raid leader.

The seven raid members, including the leader, considered each other close friends.

The seven raid members united under the name Veritas and achieved many great feats together.

Of course, before falling into the tower, they were just good gaming friends.

But after falling into the tower, they quickly bonded and became a family closer than blood. They didn’t hesitate to protect each other and never shied away from hardship.

They occasionally argued and went through cold periods, but it would be stranger for people to never fight at all, and they knew how to reconcile well.

For them, this time, these people were the most precious. They absolutely didn’t want to break apart. That’s why, even amid Futri’s schemes, not a single one of them chose to abandon another raid member.

“Ah.”

“Yuri!”

“Shit… No! Don’t come!”

However, that also implied they would readily sacrifice themselves for the sake of everyone else.

When Yuri, who was carrying Suhyeok at the back, fell, the others quickly tried to turn toward her, but Yuri instead tried to hand over Suhyeok.

Because she knew she couldn’t move anymore, even though she hadn’t lost consciousness. Because one person couldn’t take care of two people in their current state, unlike if she were in good condition.

Yuri, who hadn’t fainted, had abandoned herself.

That was naturally a choice the others couldn’t easily accept, but…

The stairs collapsing in real-time forced them to make a decision.

Finally, Subin made the call. She, the only one with an empty back, turned around to carry Suhyeok. The other two bit their lips seeing this action but couldn’t stop her anymore.

Would the journey of the seven toward a happy ending end here?

That’s when it happened.

“Ugh, uugh…”

“Huh?”

“Suhyeok…?”

“O-oppa?”

Suhyeok, who had been unconscious since before they started descending the stairs, groaned. Despite the urgent situation, all the raid members stopped in their tracks.

Their mental pillar, the raid leader, had awakened!

Indeed.

If what that bastard Futri said about taking memories was true, how would Suhyeok react upon regaining consciousness?

“Uugh… what is this…?”

“Suhyeok, Suhyeok!”

“Oppa! Wake up! No, I mean, do you recognize me?”

“Ah, this isn’t the time, but…!”

“Aaaaargh-! Fuck, just go! Let’s go!”

Yuri, who had told them to leave her behind, screamed and got up. Subin, adjusting Suhyeok on her back, started moving.

KUUUNG-!

The collapsing stairs now within sight.

It was at that moment the raid members felt despair.

[Skill ‘One for All’ has been activated.]