How inspiring. This made me change my outlook on this genre, it invokes such emotions out of the readers (me). Normally, when I read a series that I really like.. I just consume it at light-speed, binging it but I was not anxious at all while reading this. I wanted to savour it and sometime halt my reading so that I could ponder on the things that is being conveyed to us by the author through the characters. The MC is such a good and kind person (upto where I read). He started from the bottom and worked tirelessly to where he is now, a trait that is common. Yet what separates him from other MCs that fall into this category is his dedication to stay true, to be humble, to not end up emotionless, numb and apathetic to the plight of others. He goes through such lengths for others and when they show gratitude toward him, that is enough to give him happiness and make him think that is the reason he died a hundred times for.
The characters and their interaction with Gong-ja is unique in their own ways, some of my favorites are - the Sword Emperor and him : the former constantly hounding him, training him, advising him and being impressed by his will power and kindness while being dumbfounded by his tricks and bluff. The latter being tired of him yet listening to him but rebutting him as well. I also admire him telling off the Heavenly Demon on teaching him the sorrows of the world while he hasn't experienced the joy this world could offer, that time is too short even to experience joy. That he hasn't yet experienced love and has not even dated anyone yet. It showed me how much he cared for Gong-ja. He said it was too early for him to act like he was carrying the burden of the world when he hasn't experienced happiness. The Sword Saint and him : I still mourn the first timeline where Gong-ja expresses his true feelings about how he feels not worthy and being embarrassed to act like the bigger person in front of him and the Sword Saint being shocked and trying to match him up with his granddaughter (then getting angry when he seemed to be opposed to the idea), telling him where he should get his suit and being so warm towards him. Then that disappeared with Gong-ja dying and since he couldn't repeat the same actions (if he did, it would lose it's meaning and seem insincere, also Marcus would be able to see through his act). But their relationship has gotten better with him gaining his recognition although Gong-ja lied to him about being a prophet. The Witch and Gong-ja : I won't be mad if she were the love interest, I assumed her to be a bad person because of her introduction, with the Flame Emperor asking the Saint if she made her poison him, to old man Marcus doubting her as well. But she cares so deeply for the lives of people, the reason she was so lifeless and seemed apathetic was because of the hundreds of lives lost on the 12th floor, as the number of casualties changed.. So did her expressions. From beaming with happiness with only hundreds of lives lost, to being speechless with only fifty, then her eyes crinkling and tears flowing with ten then her holding Gong-ja's hand and praying while thanking him repeatedly when there were no lives lost. I love her, also her speech amping up the Aegim Empire soldiers then her failing to convince Gong-ja that it was her copying the politicians in Ukraine. Gong-ja also seem quite taken with her. And lastly, the Heavenly Demon and her disciple : This must be the most I have seen Gong-ja care for an individual, not to mention the lengths he went through to become her disciple from starving to death, dying from thirst etc seeing the trauma of those he killed to experiencing it himself, eating mud-cookies dried in the sun, to drinking contaminated water and so on. Him being sad when he couldn't fathom the duel between the Sword Emperor and her to her patiently teaching him. Him crying when she died, all of it moved me.
Aaah! The 10th floor was brutal. The children dying unfairly, being burned to death, being trafficked.. I saw the scene on a YouTube short and being creeped out by the dolls and not understanding him playing hide-and-seek with them until I came across a comment explaining. That was when I saw Gong-ja in a different light. I also think that was when the Sword Emperor truly acknowledged him. I dropped this on seeing the first chapter not knowing that it was the story I saw on that short but seeing his envy and continuously saying the same shit 'I want to be like the Flame Emperor' was annoying me and made me feel a way that I didn't like. With him having his room be filled with newspapers about him, watching interviews of him.. He seemed so real and so miserable that I couldn't take it. This is why I need to practice how to see things through because this is a gem. I like him committing to kill himself 409 (?) times just to kill him, to eradicate the threat that his existence would bring. I am also looking forward to how this story progresses. Who are the six pillars? Who made the tower?
SSS-Class Suicide Hunter