Chapter 208 – Choice and Surrender
k2C7G[The causal deviation caused by the use of the ‘Ring’s Eye’ has concluded.]A5ePs
zWOL[Due to the resonance, a part of the past has been slightly readjusted.]rjoEcb
hJ9[In addition, the ‘location’ of the fifth fragment has been discovered.]vM1
dsaNx[The location of the fifth fragment of 【???】 is…]1nR6v2R
DPu04[…]vjvY
fn35dx[…]ugPQoG
Q1gGl[…The area near the Gate of the Demon Realm, Gehenna.]mOVgXz
5L9BfXI[Sync rate and the three levels of ‘Rank’ have increased significantly.]zYhmd
SB3nELf[Furthermore, the competition for the ‘Secondary Power Blessing’ has also risen.]7gULVtI
iBguK[※ A new ability under the Secondary Power Blessing has been unlocked.]WfSFAmM
APS4***4Wo
MF0The moment I opened my eyes—without even time to react—the status window appeared, flashing new notifications.DhoNQ6
07XP7l“Shit, can’t they give me even a moment to clear my head?”FuI2
buiGcdTRubbing my throbbing forehead in frustration, I closed the status window reluctantly.KYp0CO8
NiOXnEA low sigh escaped through clenched teeth as the headache lingered for several minutes.IbSAM
p8x0Thanks to my spiritual level, I’m usually able to handle these mental jolts pretty well.Onw
BpArtCyBut this time was too much. The sheer amount of information that had been injected into me left me completely drained.bJ0i8
Zxw“Haven’t had proper sleep in four days, I’m a wreck…”9esVN
uztJ7jThe curses came out on their own. My body was already on the verge of collapse.X1n
meXqAnd yet, I was forced to witness—no, to experience—a scene straight out of an age of savage war.vQoJ
2lNI had entered the body of the First Corps Commander, Lycan, and fought using his senses.kU8Q1s
htKnd5AMy fingers were still trembling from the sensation.Zl0cZYD
L9T4RHI stared blankly at my palm. I felt like if I recited a spell now, lightning would burst forth on the spot.4i6x
B1YPSfThat’s how vivid the connection to Lycan was. An uncomfortably vivid fusion.Hg6
wS7Cufs“It’s like we were always… ‘one and the same’…”K64
A7syO5I went to the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face. Then I looked up into the mirror.C3V
3OdcQBlack hair. Black eyes. The reflection of Kang Geom-Ma—those traits I had believed to be unique in this world.Fao
OwWOut of curiosity, I once asked Speedweapon. He said he’d never seen anyone with black hair and eyes before me.HVJf
rRFUXThat the first time he saw me, I scared him. Something like cosmic horror. That confirmed it—these features didn’t belong to this world.E3ghM
uZGQ2“No wonder everyone believed I was Yu Sein’s cousin without a doubt.”YA98M9
lclYQh0Yu Sein, the black-eyed saint, is also an exceptional figure.44J52hc
V5bXM7CShe’s closely tied to the system and claims to be a channel of communication with an “external deity.”fTM
FQYQ9I deduce that, in this world, dark physical traits signify a connection to that deity.zRNvQsL
fhllXAt first, I thought it was a dumb theory. But this mission just gave it some weight.G2U
AM2Jn7I wiped the fog off the mirror and muttered, recalling that face so similar to mine.7aY2u
FobhQy“Balor Joaquin.”2LlGcPl
mWXDUuKMy first teacher turned out to be the Founding Hero. The headache? From that revelation.xBpOS
sB0And it wasn’t just that. The power he used by sacrificing his left arm—WMAezoe
isKRwdIt was, without a doubt, the ‘Blessing of the Sword God.’71u
rrRjhSAnd now, I’m its bearer.K3s4lBK
IK5That overwhelming speed and the ability to cut even magic—no doubt about it. It’s the same blessing.7jH4Jw
h1mWzThe dizziness tightened around my skull again.bH9
HGnBV“Shit… how the hell did all this get so tangled up?”QXkuT
ZDtQl5UThe former bearer of my blessing came to Earth using the Ring’s Eye. Later, his disciple—me—ended up falling into this world.p9RMvrE
NMyQSToo many coincidences to be accidental. Yet it would be strange if this was all part of a plan.NIN94
XH1SAUWhen we first met, my master tried to kick me out. If he had been looking for me, he would’ve welcomed me with open arms.
Not with that cold, detached attitude.k0qaKup
jHwfbAnd then there was the time gap between our meeting and my arrival in this world. Twenty years had passed. During that time, I wasn’t with him. I just wandered around aimlessly.0SmFFG
LVmbEven Miracle Blessing M—4U4r
Ezs1z6That was something I started almost by accident.t3hl
GKPD4YqTwenty years of planning? If that were true, then that guy’s a god.APxEzZJ
7mkBut the master I knew was not someone so calculating.uaEcUl
JLZhI lived with him for five years. I know him well. That guy couldn’t even decide what to eat for dinner.qXs
0rLAnd now I’m supposed to believe he orchestrated all this? Not a chance. He only knew how to teach and wield a knife.M0JU9P
osk‘But if, by some one-in-a-million chance, he really did plan it all—then that raises even more questions.’hf036
3eB8Could it be that the “Lord” Lycan wanted me to find…?tKaG
s02AGjuIn that moment—d9rp2
HyN“Agh.”k3dEh
8ajA stabbing pain ripped through my head, as if my skull were being twisted from within.oWjlw
4KiYIt was the same pain I felt when manifesting the Blessing of the Sword God without the Blessing of Insensitivity to Pain.nHM4XNr
jnFBGXAs if warning me not to delve any deeper.6do0mMn
FbGEwqCA foreign force blocked the flow of my thoughts like a dam.J5Cd5Ey
tDl“Damn it, seriously.”CXUO
uQu0H9eI cursed while rubbing my face vigorously.zLj
kGdThen, dragging my exhausted body, I staggered over to the window ledge and sat down.1RaC2GE
YUiUABOutside, the noisy bustle could still be heard. Echoes of the succession ceremony. Thanks to that, Joaquin Academy was basking in unexpected celebration.lPaXN3
DMNs“And me—the star of the show—sitting here with my head in a mess while everyone else looks so relaxed.”GSS
RkorURDespite the complaint, a wry smile slipped from my lips. I suddenly recalled what my master used to say.2gt0H
cMwo‘You—go to school. Do it, no matter what.’WGP
fueHe said it every chance he got. And I didn’t need to ask to know it came from the heart.MNB0VM
l0ZpUrNow, I carry his legacy. And that legacy is full of people, full of intense bonds.Deoi
AqLEMaybe what he meant by “school life” was exactly this.FPDr
pUhlAs I gazed absentmindedly at the scenery outside, the window glass fogged up with moisture.
The night air was cold.j9O
c3b“Looks like it’s starting to get chilly…”EBbbT
Sedn6OEFrom now on, as a new member of the Seven Stars, hectic days await me.FfDt27
JQbtFAnd I still have to visit the Gate of Gehenna to search for the fifth fragment.veF
VS84spSo until then, there’s one thing I must do first—get some proper rest.MbVZ
lVSlI climbed down from the windowsill and collapsed straight into bed, determined to make up for the sleep I’d been missing.T7cnHy
kGUa3L***EgN
IspMxJOn one of the paths inside the Joaquin Academy campus, far from the noisy center, someone walked along a deserted stretch.dHvntqw
cECJN7W“Huff… places full of people really drain me.”TWGhF
akZfAbel wiped the sweat beading on her forehead.1kqP8T3
N6MAt least the cool night breeze helped ease the heat.OmYq6Lg
AowvY8FShe looked around to get her bearings.3lrNoMW
6JV“This place…”RpAf
EJOScattered lampposts and a bench.sfOx59n
ukyyIt was the spot where she first met Kang Geom-Ma.qdaY
pB5pIt seemed that in trying to avoid the crowd, she had wandered here without realizing.
Abel let out a nervous little laugh.Aqx
1mmEHShe had walked without thinking and ended up right at the place where she first saw him. Considering what day it was, it was a curious coincidence.wII
3i1Or maybe it wasn’t a coincidence—maybe her subconscious had led her here.Gmvp
sQsIaHer face suddenly flushed.rrwK7hv
9X1She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts, and attempted to calm her pounding chest. Then she sat down on the bench—not in the center, but to the side.KTGdX4R
T4H‘Just in case…’6Sc
XlwxThis was a place few people passed by. At most, it would be just her—or Kang Geom-Ma.iarb44
K6obShe exhaled deeply.kWGosI
fdOVCShe had spent hours since the afternoon being jostled by crowds. She was exhausted.AIgGnI8
mYKOShe could swing a sword all day without tiring, but mingling with people somehow drained her energy like magic.xuFAtpX
Q5tE9XkAnd yet, the cool night air was beginning to recharge her body and mind. It was then that Abel finally started to sort through her thoughts.o2mdmS
E7kx2h“Kang Geom-Ma became a new Seven Stars hero.”1fN6X3
QWUpaThough half a day had passed, she still hadn’t fully processed it. At the start of the semester, that absent-minded-looking guy turned out to be first in the class.wEK
DMtv5XAnd soon after, he became a rising star in the world of heroes.JSdnu
Y9uAt first, she tried to catch up to him.
But at some point, she simply accepted his ability as something natural.9xV
nKSAEiSIt was also during that time that she began to feel deeply indebted and grateful to him.50T
sZDmcHe saved her father, Orion Nibelung. And hunted the S-class monster, the Draugr.l0AP
pX6That story had been revealed earlier today by her grandfather, the Swordmaster, during the announcement. The reporters, stunned by such revelations, couldn’t stop furiously typing.mBuIj
Ki1HZThey used every trick in the book to glorify Kang Geom-Ma’s accomplishments.TmK3
KCGoWFM『Heavenly Sword, Kang Geom-Ma. Is he a god?』fnPm8Sz
BejAnd so, within hours, the internet was filled with the name ‘Kang Geom-Ma’.0P2fD
o42KdsWhat people talked about most was his new title.Svm
NdRkHeavenly Sword.W46NuX
ii6c6The Sword of Heaven.IMN4
a8riThe Sword that Cuts the Sky.4YY
DdRigaThe Sword that Reigns over the Skies.FVwaGT
rb8A name open to many interpretations.n0w6W
YAkTcAnd precisely for that reason, it was perfect for sparking excitement.B4Y0
uqdSome said things like, “Who does this guy think he is?” or “Sword of Heaven? Then my kitchen knife must be the Sword of the Universe,” but—egkc73
ubOLIMMost were completely captivated by the name.As8T
ps2J48For one simple reason it sounded cool.bU8ot5W
r9wERmIt was easy to remember, impressive, and left an immediate impact.4LCh9
hO2RRWAnd because it had multiple meanings, it was versatile too. A name that created expectations on its own.uFy
9dnu‘It’s way better than my grandpa’s.’QvoP
FVT0rFrom Abel’s perspective, as Siegfried’s granddaughter, the title ‘Heavenly Sword’ far surpassed ‘Swordmaster’.IDORA
ICrSwordmaster?4fh9
hLaIt reeked of bureaucracy and sounded outdated.5JR3S
QWAWLRBut Heavenly Sword… The first time she heard it, she actually got chills.dwLdA
cRzcAs a swordswoman, it stirred a pang of jealousy.lCCn
AtfbBut more than that, she knew—there was no one that title suited better than Kang Geom-Ma.wo9sLI
YUHTJg“If you wander off that far, what’s the person following you supposed to do?”FXZtsjK
9TlqwThough she grumbled quietly, a smile crept onto Abel’s lips. She was no longer the same girl who only knew envy. She didn’t even resent him for surpassing her grandfather.Jdfiqio
aZxJust as she felt that pure sense of satisfaction, footsteps approached from the side.LEx9V16
ksV6a4Instinctively, she turned her head. The first thing she saw was a pair of black eyes. Realizing who it was, her face turned a soft pink, like a puppy seeing its owner return. But it didn’t take even two seconds for the color to fade.ukknwhW
2K4O“Oh… it’s you…”fle
gZFdpAbel’s words faded. It was as if her wagging tail had suddenly curled up. The disappointment in her voice was unmistakable.RmJBI
GIbvThe one who had arrived smiled wryly. It was Yu Sein.yjefI
UgfYrz“Isn’t your disappointment a little too obvious?”EWu
wCbA line that didn’t just hit the mark—it drove it in. Abel’s eyes twitched slightly.GyIKu
cMQSeeing her flustered reaction clearly, Yu Sein narrowed her eyes playfully and added with a teasing tone.8yFP8J
MLXRG“Just kidding.”IMXR
COI32“….”ICLgIn
ZKeVIUWithout another word, she casually took the seat beside her. And as if she were a fortune-teller, added.pEeU2
bzFOU“You need to work on your reactions. If you’re that transparent, people will swindle you easily in this world. Especially with that innocent face.”4ppz
IMbAbel felt a strong sense of déjà vu. She could swear she’d lived this moment before.ZmVBYEB
GcDb‘Come to think of it… how did Sein know I was here?’jvlP
t1u3KsrShe had let it slide back at the training field, but the more she thought about it, the stranger it seemed. Every time she thought about Kang Geom-Ma, Sein showed up like a ghost. As if she could read her mind.nX3uN
yhdVIx2As her suspicions grew, Sein interrupted her train of thought—as if she were reading that too.ML1vB
r4qG“Can I ask you something?”RzY
fVw“So suddenly? What is it…?”Zbx9Z
hJxAZ09“It’s nothing big. I’m just curious about what you think of my cousin—I mean, Kang Geom-Ma. Do you have feelings for him or something?”L4y
tEQhHAbel bit her lower lip. Then, in a small voice, nodded and said.s3Y6rS
49PHz1“Yes.”nUX
MIewhBvSein was a distant relative of Kang Geom-Ma. If Abel couldn’t be honest with her, then who could she be honest with? Since it had come to this, she decided to speak frankly, at least to Sein.NRKIOxb
3XP32M5“Hmm. I’m a bit surprised… you were more direct than I expected.”KHNF
CGvzxSein looked at her with a deep expression. It felt like the gaze of a mother-in-law judging her future daughter-in-law.GLG
GMX“…But if you go too far off-script, this world might become very dangerous.”QPP
n14CAbel instinctively swallowed hard.meNE
P1dYu Sein smiled softly and continued.A2BPrHf
0uIa“Do you know the ‘choice game’?”4U7Jo
Lzl0zkb“You mean where you choose between two options, right?”wsl5tgu
BtK“Let’s play a round.”jlSQ
OHzf“……?”59fYz
JNJSo sudden again? Abel looked more bewildered than ever.d1C8kp
Nf3lDespite how abrupt the suggestion was, she nodded without knowing why. When she saw those intense black eyes, her head moved on its own.rlWRlNf
bOaKriP“Then let’s begin right away.”zsG
ZjF“Ah, y-yes…”tuk
JLNAbel agreed without realizing it.Wca
3ZNKwYu Sein didn’t hesitate and asked.XGXW3
AJrWSH“If you and Kang Geom-Ma end up together, but the world gets destroyed because of it—what would you do?”Oh5o3fW
AjT6ZTsAbel’s expression changed completely. Sein, unfazed, pressed on seriously.QP7fSS
mlBZ“Do you stay with him, or do you give him up for good? Choose.”HnOY
1Wf9nH ZqgaTtf
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Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaIs she telling a future or what?
Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaOho she’s being honest.