Chapter 223 - Episode 29. Fallen Star (3)
Chapter 223: Episode 29. Fallen Star (3)
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The Seventh Site of the 《Abyss》, 〈Epoche〉.
Epoche, where the fierce battle against the Great Lords had taken place, was recovering its former appearance as though nothing had happened.
More than anything, Nameless, who had remained silent for so long, had declared their return.
“Don’t you think we should change the Site’s nickname now? From ‘Where Hope Sets’ to ‘Where Despair Sets.’”
A few gossipmongers who liked jumping to conclusions had already started saying such things. Those who had remained silent began to speak, and hope that had nearly gone out was kindled anew.
At the center of that spark stood one man.
His fame in the 《Abyss》 already rivaled that of the Eight Divine Thrones.
“That brat gets a little famous, and now he won’t even show his face.”
Yu Seolha, who had received Nameless’s permission to reorganize the Seventh Site’s forces, stalked through the fortress of 〈Edmund〉 with a deep frown.
She spotted Cheongheo flirting with passing maenads.
“Master. Have you seen Jaehwan?”
Cheongheo startled with a hiccup when he noticed Yu Seolha, then pretended not to hear. The maenads seized the chance and ran away.
Yu Seolha swallowed the anger boiling inside her and snapped at him.
“Aren’t you letting your guard down too much? We barely won the last battle. That doesn’t mean everything is over. The war has only just begun.”
“Ahem, I know that.”
“Someone who knows that should not be standing here...”
“Still, can we not rest for a while? It has been a long time since we won so overwhelmingly.”
Overwhelming. It was understandable that he would see it that way.
Yu Seolha recalled the battle from two days ago.
The desperate clash between Jaehwan and Jerome.
When did that brat become so strong?
A thousand sword strikes flew toward Jerome, shredding his soul to pieces. Yu Seolha would never forget that scene, vivid as a panorama, for as long as she lived. Remembering it alone made her knees weak.
Cheongheo grinned.
“I didn’t know that bastard Jaehwan had become that strong either.”
Cheongheo was just as thrilled by the memory of that battle. No one who had been there could have avoided that excitement.
Anyone beside Jaehwan became addicted to hope. After experiencing something that sweet, there was no way they could ever return to how they had been before.
“It’s still too soon. That level of strength won’t be enough to stop the Commander.”
“Heh heh, what pride for a little girl. You were the one who came looking for me first, going on about Jaehwan.”
“Will you shut up?”
“By the way, did you apologize to Jaehwan? You must have done plenty of things wrong to him.”
“Forget that. Have you heard anything about Varkant?”
“The Great Lord who ran away that day? Sadly, there has been no word since we lost him at the portal.”
Letting Great Lord Varkant escape had been their only mistake that day.
The Dragon Lord had abandoned the front the moment he sensed Jerome’s death. The Allies had chased him all the way to the portal, but they had failed to catch him in the end.
“What can you do about someone who already got away? Forget it. It’s not like we came away empty-handed.”
“That’s true, but...”
“We killed Jerome, who was called the strongest among the Great Lords, and captured Imai, Rupture’s Third Division Commander. We could not have hoped for a better result.”
Her mind did not accept it, but Cheongheo was right in her heart.
They had been that desperate then.
It had not been a matter of victory or defeat, but a battle for survival. They had won a great victory in that battle. On top of that, they had gained a foothold to fight 「Rupture」 in earnest, with Nameless and the Seventh Site supporting them.
Maybe it was enough that things had turned out well.
Yu Seolha sighed.
“What about Karavan? Did you contact him?”
“Ah, that fellow. They say they can’t reach him.”
“What? Why?”
“How should I know? Jaehwan checked earlier too, but his communication Setting was completely dead.”
“Could something have happened? I heard the war on the Second Site’s side was nearly over too.”
Cheongheo shrugged at her worried voice.
“Well... it’s not like he would have been defeated. If Droyan and Ignis joined forces, no one in the 《Abyss》 would dare fight them.”
“You never know. We need every hand we can get right now. A powerhouse like Karavan would be a huge asset. If something happened to him...”
“Hey.”
“What?”
“You worry about too many useless things. How long has it been since you left 「Rupture」? Why are you already making another mountain of worries and carrying it all by yourself?”
“...”
“Try relaxing for a moment. Nothing gets solved just because you browbeat everyone all day.”
After saying that, Cheongheo started looking around for more maenads.
Yu Seolha bit her lip as she watched him wander through the fortress’s inner corridors with a foolish grin.
She knew Cheongheo was right. There was nothing she could solve by running around alone. Even so, his advice was impossible for her to follow.
Perhaps it was because she had found the answer she wanted too quickly. Knowing her choice had been right only made her more anxious. She feared the answer she had barely found might disappear, or that some small clue she had missed would prove it wrong.
Cheongheo’s voice came from the distance.
“Is that not Jaehwan?”
Outside the corridor, Jaehwan and several members of the Guides of Destruction stood talking quietly.
Yu Seolha tilted her head.
“Why is everyone standing over there?”
“Ahem, come to think of it, today...”
Cheongheo said something after that, but Yu Seolha could not hear him. A flash of lightning went through her mind, briefly paralyzing her thoughts.
“Wh-what the hell is he doing?”
* * *
Outside the fortress of 〈Edmund〉.
“Jaehwan, will this really be all right?”
Runald asked with a worried expression.
In truth, that question was not Runald’s alone. Karlton and Sirwen, standing nearby, wanted to ask Jaehwan the same thing.
Jaehwan nodded.
“It doesn’t matter.”
He looked at the person before him.
“Go.”
Everyone’s eyes turned toward one man.
No one in the fortress failed to recognize him. He was the one who had arrived at the Site two days ago and slaughtered countless Vicegerents.
He was short and held a broken katana.
His dust-covered beard hung crookedly, like pride that had been trampled into the dirt.
Rupture’s Third Division Commander, Imai Kazuki.
That was his name.
A hollow laugh escaped Imai’s lips, now that he had lost his World Force.
The Vicegerents jeered at him. Some threw stones. A wound split open on his forehead, and silver dust trickled down.
“What are you doing? How can you let him go?”
Yu Seolha’s voice came as she rushed over at last.
Imai’s resentful eyes rested briefly on Yu Seolha’s face.
Someone swallowed as their gazes met.
A moment later, Yu Seolha drew her weapon as if she had made up her mind.
“I knew this would happen. I’ll kill him myself.”
“There’s no need.”
“We have to kill him! If he goes back to Maiad, we’ll have another powerful enemy to deal with.”
It was a cold judgment, hard to believe from someone who had once belonged to the same 「Rupture」.
Just as Jaehwan was about to speak, a voice came from behind them.
“That won’t happen. Imai can no longer rise again.”
It was Cheongheo, who had followed Yu Seolha.
“He has lost his world.”
Yu Seolha sharpened her sight and examined Imai. Only a feeble aura remained around him, too weak to call World Force. It was no longer the power she remembered.
“Imai, you...”
Imai avoided her eyes.
That confirmed everything.
He lost 「Mountain of Corpses, Sea of Blood」.
Amazingly, Imai’s entire Unique World had been destroyed. It was probably Jaehwan’s work. With his 「Fall」, it was possible.
So that was it. Imai could no longer...
Cheongheo’s words struck her heart.
He was right. An Awakened One without a Unique World could no longer wield power anywhere.
Then Jaehwan spoke.
“The old man is wrong.”
“Huh? What are you talking about now?”
“He can become strong again.”
“What?”
Yu Seolha asked in surprise this time.
“If he gains another Unique World instead of 「Mountain of Corpses, Sea of Blood」, he can become an Awakened One again.”
In that instant, Yu Seolha understood what Jaehwan meant and what he intended.
A belated shiver ran through her.
Jaehwan was making Imai an offer.
Leave 「Rupture」. Create a new world of his own.
After a moment of silence, Imai muttered in a dazed voice.
“I did what was right. I fought to make a better world. I...”
“That’s why I’m letting you go.”
Imai’s expression became complicated at Jaehwan’s words.
Recognition from the strongest enemy he had ever fought was sending ripples through his heart.
“Leave. Find another world.”
The firm voice shook Imai’s soul.
The small doubts Imai had held toward 「Rupture」 grew stronger. Doubt soon reached Understanding. Streams of information flowing through his mind joined into a single river. Imai lifted his head and looked toward the end of that river.
Perhaps this was an opportunity.
An opportunity to forget who he had been through a new Selflessness, and begin everything again from the start.
Imai’s eyes met Yu Seolha’s once more. In that brief meeting, Yu Seolha understood what choice he would make.
“Find... another world?”
“...”
“What nonsense.”
It was the last pride he had left.
Or perhaps it could be called dignity.
“「Rupture」 was everything to me. Whether it was right or wrong, it was the path I walked and my history. And you’re telling me to betray it? Don’t be ridiculous.”
Imai gripped his broken katana tightly and pointed it at Jaehwan. Though they knew Imai had no World Force left, the Allies beside Jaehwan tensed. His presence gave them no choice.
“Yes, perhaps 「Rupture」 is wrong. Perhaps we have been walking the wrong path. But there’s something you don’t know.”
“...”
“No matter how miserable and sick a world may be, there are people for whom that world is everything.”
With a solemn smile, Imai’s katana drew an arc.
A dazzling beam of light moved.
Someone let out a small groan.
Imai’s katana was buried in his heart.
His body slowly collapsed.
“You’ll be cursed. One day, you’ll receive the fitting punishment for destroying all these worlds... heh heh... You, you too...”
His fading eyes turned toward Yu Seolha one last time.
“I... here, in my world...”
His weakening breath finally stopped.
Silver particles rose softly on a wind that blew from somewhere.
That was how Imai left the 《Abyss》.
“Why did you do this?”
Yu Seolha’s voice shook with emotion.
She did not particularly like Imai. Their natures were too different, and he was someone she could never have become close to.
Even so, Imai Kazuki had been her longtime Companion.
She hated Jaehwan for showing her such a sight. She resented him for driving Imai into making that choice. She knew those feelings were not fair, but Yu Seolha could not hide them.
“I only wanted to see something.”
“What could you possibly...!”
Yet when Yu Seolha saw Jaehwan’s face, she could not continue.
The man who had shattered Master Mulack’s 《Tower of Nightmares》.
The one who had unified 《Chaos》, destroyed the 《Palace of Rebirth》, and earned the recognition of the Ancient God Catastrophe.
The one who had slaughtered Lords, brought down 〈Metaverse〉, surpassed the Seven Stars and Eight Heavens, and finally stood shoulder to shoulder with the Eight Divine Thrones.
The Awakened One who had obtained 「Gestalt’s Eye」 in the Forest of Madness and defeated Jerome, the strongest Great Lord.
Those were achievements no human had ever accomplished. More precisely, they were things a human could not accomplish.
That was why Yu Seolha had quietly believed he could not be human. He had to be the answer she had sought for so long, someone far beyond humanity.
But that answer was not perfect.
He too was human.
She did not understand the heart of a human who had to destroy countless worlds for whatever reason. No matter how many years she lived, she would never understand even a trace of that state of mind.
Absurdly, loneliness welled up inside her. Though she knew it was not her loneliness, Yu Seolha could not endure the rising emotion.
“Then don’t make that face.”
“...”
“Don’t waver.”
Yu Seolha sharply turned and walked toward the interior of the fortress.
Only then did some of the Allies who had frozen in place begin to move.
Sirwen approached Jaehwan.
“Hey, are you okay?”
“Jaehwan. You did nothing wrong.”
Those gathered around him each added a word.
Jaehwan heard none of it. Imai’s final words would not leave his ears.
That was when the color of the sky changed.
It was not a change like storm clouds gathering or night falling. The sky itself was becoming complete darkness, like the background of the universe.
“Huh? What is that?”
Starting with Cheongheo’s startled voice, similar cries rang out one after another.
Something was happening in the sky, and throughout the entire 《Abyss》.
“What? The link has been cut!”
“M-me too!”
An ominous atmosphere spread with the voices of several Vicegerents.
The sudden loss of their links.
There was only one 「Setting」 capable of causing link severance on such a massive scale throughout the 《Abyss》.
Jaehwan knew that Setting well.
Deus Ex Machina’s Innate Setting.
「Plausibility Destruction」.
Kwoooooo!
As waves of World Force spread in an instant, Followers who had become Lost Ones screamed in agony.
The waves covered the entire 《Abyss》.
It was a massive Setting eruption unlike anything they had ever experienced.
Only then did Jaehwan realize this was not limited to the Seventh Site.
He did not know how such a miracle was possible. But he knew someone capable of causing it.
The Rupture Lord, Maiad van Declan.
“G-ghaaaah!”
As time passed, the influence of 「Plausibility Destruction」 grew stronger. Even Awakened Ones clutched their heads.
One by one, the Allies besides Jaehwan fell to their knees.
Then, after a while, the darkness in the sky rippled.
People soon realized it was not simple darkness.
“A Sanctuary?”
At Sirwen’s question, Cheongheo answered with a blank expression.
“Good heavens, brat. This is a Unique World.”
This darkness was someone’s Unique World. Someone’s immense World Force had covered the entire 《Abyss》 with their Unique World.
After the sky, the scenery aboveground began changing as well.
Corpses lay scattered everywhere in the still darkness. Rivers of blood flowed through the 《Abyss》, where blood should have been impossible.
Followers screamed at the sight of such a brutal massacre.
Yu Seolha, who had stopped walking and looked up at the sky, muttered.
“Mountain of Corpses, Sea of Blood...”
This was a kind of 「Mountain of Corpses, Sea of Blood」.
It was different from hers, but it certainly was...
“W-what is that?”
At someone’s voice, the Followers of the 《Abyss》 looked up.
A star shone within the darkness.
One star, brighter and larger than anything else.
The moment every soul in the 《Abyss》 saw the brilliant star shining in the darkness, their bodies trembled like prey animals. They knew what that star meant.
“That, that’s it, right?”
“There’s no doubt.”
“That’s the Big...”
“S-so it really took the form of a star.”
The next moment, something shot toward the star.
A flying object trailed a red tail behind it.
It was a Gigantes.
Kwoaaaaa!
The Gigantes displayed its World Force and swung its sword at the star with all its strength.
A blinding white light covered the sky with a thunderous roar. For an instant, the world became white as day.
Something shattered.
When the light faded, something appeared.
Then everyone there saw it.
The fall of a star.
“Ah, aah!”
“How can this be...?”
An emotion spread beyond confusion and fear.
In that moment, everyone in the 《Abyss》 understood what they were witnessing.
They were witnesses to a revolution.
The fall of one world. The moment another world began.
“It was true, it really was true! 「Rupture」...!”
“They finally did it!”
Every being watched the sight, overcome with emotion. Yet only two souls in the 《Abyss》 could not share that feeling as they looked at the sky.
“Jaehwan?”
Runald’s voice was full of incomprehension.
Jaehwan glanced at Runald, then quietly placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder. Runald looked as though he could not make sense of anything, but he soon relaxed when he felt Jaehwan’s warmth.
Nothing had changed. At least not for me.
That was what Runald thought.
The remains of the exploded star were falling before the crowd’s eyes.
One day, as the world was dyed in darkness and countless souls became nutrients for the 《Tree of Illusion》, 《Big Brother》 at last fell from the sky of the Abyss.
Footnotes:
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