Chapter 280: Emotion (1)
n8uEt2N[“A de facto declaration of war” Changseong announces full mobilization.]EHE4SDm
A7xxDN[〈Breaking News〉 Humanity and demons head toward the “Second Human-Demon War”.]To1om9
25V[〈Breaking News〉 Kojima expresses his will to join the war.]9y4
XmAv[〈Breaking News〉 “The United States will also participate”… Statement from All Mute.]yIfub
0ylLU·
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·wLI27EQ
DMF4y77The entire world was turned upside down. True chaos. Journalists published articles more aggressively than ever, with views reaching tens of thousands in under a minute. Under normal circumstances, the media would’ve celebrated.uu9Ngqs
ZpZBut this time, they couldn’t.lC7
1NmquwBoth media outlets and journalists reported without exaggeration on a blood-stained future.WWsX1
4pM6Only during times like this did they manage to write with sobriety. Ironic, isn’t it?8VMa
HGMjYPMaybe because of that, even the internet users—usually eager to attack one another—were silent today. Though a few still tried to stir conflict, deny reality, or spread false theories, they were quickly ignored.QBJ4lq
JAAPeople aren’t stupid. The Joaquin disaster, the attack in Joaquin, the invasion by Corps Commander Fermush. It was only a matter of time. Just reviewing these events made it clear the “Second Human-Demon War” was inevitable.jvqKT
8RvoThe comments that once flew like blind arrows now offered encouragement and support to the heroes who would go to war. Because while heroes were warriors who fought in the people’s stead, if they fell, humanity would perish.bBJ
bA8In other words, if the heroes die, I die too. That was the underlying logic.IEZn8uy
vuro9“…….”YUMRj
KpWESaki Ryozo slowly slid her finger across the screen, absorbing each word. When she finally finished reading, she asked.6xHfj2U
Igu“Vixbig, are these articles real?”oUdik
byaxdu[Yes. Aside from some sensationalist videos on Nutube and unreliable rumors, everything else is accurate.]UtSCo
W6b3JvS“……”84iU
YOVwmRyozo put the phone face-down. She didn’t have the strength to respond.wSv
PMjaKfSFeeling drained, she leaned her head back against the chair and covered her eyes from the fluorescent glare with her wrist.Jj8pmn
JVM‘Geom-Ma…’X1O
BdoFor hours, she had scoured countless news reports to confirm whether Kang Geom-Ma would join the war. But apparently, that information was still confidential, so there was little to be found.6aDFIa
jfbu6What little was mentioned was mere speculation—would the young Heavenly Sword, just eighteen, really go to war? Wouldn’t it be better to keep him as a last resort?z7X
L0htYuStill, Ryozo was already convinced. Kang Geom-Ma wasn’t the type to turn away from the shadows looming over humanity. On the contrary, he’d be the first to face them. That’s who he was.2em
oU0TG2And that tore her apart.yKNl
IQmIdm‘Kang Geom-Ma… in this war…’hw5X
7LZi3She didn’t even want to imagine it. Yet, her rational mind calculated survival probabilities with near-mathematical precision.upq6
3QKYThe faster her thoughts raced, the deeper her brows furrowed. Her back was drenched in cold sweat. That’s when she sensed a presence.VbdPHz5
Ujpu0tFRyozo’s eyes shot open.aejM5a
VuICrIn her inverted field of vision, she saw her mother, Cynthia, watching her silently with her head tilted.WZwo
nLdD1“Sweetheart.”iB3BA
i5WbCynthia wiped her daughter’s forehead with a sleeve.guS
HA9V“Let’s eat. If you’re going to overthink things, at least eat something first.”N4O
9WwK“……”Vzm4P0J
QdaibRyozo nodded silently and stood up. Cynthia smiled faintly as she brushed off her apron.w5MbPH
LDGwRyozo sat at the table. Kimchi, stir-fried anchovies, fish cakes, pickled radish—a typical Korean meal. In the center, an empty space.oJed
Sbgyme“Tada!”foBmb7N
PgzxxkCynthia placed a stone pot in the center. With enthusiasm, she opened the lid using oven mitts. Through the steam, a bubbling red stew revealed itself.HySaRV6
8dHjqw“It’s my special kimchi jjigae. Since I know you like Japanese flavors, I made it milder. But I added a touch of sweetness.”HOT
0MWShe was about to serve it in a bowl. While sharing from the pot is common in Korea, it was still unusual for Ryozo.WLEXPH
N0g“No need to separate it for me.”BEo
hj4lTo Cynthia’s surprise, it was Ryozo who declined.ujybLp
9ix“Fewer dishes to wash this way. Let’s eat from the pot. Sit down, Mom.”auB
AHG“Ah, hmm. Really? Alright. I’d love to eat with you even if we share spoons.”PKDd
gRUr“Don’t say stuff like that while eating. It kills my appetite.”anze8b
KEd6bhRyozo clicked her tongue lightly and picked up a spoon. At the first bite, the spicy kick of garlic and chili jolted her palate.Lcj
kAaou6Her eyes and nose burned. She’d said it wasn’t spicy, but that was clearly a lie. Between sniffles, Ryozo glanced reproachfully at Cynthia.ZW3sniy
RstWB“It’s better to say you cried because of the spice than to cry alone in your room.”vglrn3
i8sUJOCynthia said it offhandedly while sipping her soup.EnbJkXd
vWH7i“It’s okay to cry when you need to. And if it’s out of worry for someone, you can cry even harder. But since you were born Japanese, it’s hard for you to be honest. And by the way…”COMVgs
JpyXcQSoft tears slid down Cynthia’s cheek. Ryozo widened her eyes in surprise. Then she remembered an article she’d seen recently. The headline read. “Kojima expresses his will to join the war.”UJ8
wscKojima had resigned as Prime Minister before the war. He promised democratic elections after the conflict.fa0B
v64mPNThough buried under war coverage, it was an impactful announcement—especially for those who knew Kojima. Like Ryozo… and Cynthia.u4mQ
ankN“Mom… don’t tell me…”8vJjBUk
51g“Yes. That’s right.”hMMt7
HjFCUCynthia put down her spoon. The kimchi jjigae still bubbled in the stone pot.NKvzEQ
OwZ3zT“I hate him enough to kill him, but sometimes, Saki Kojima shows up in my dreams.”CGin
BS7S“…….”5OKnZn
QDCEUZS“One day, the doorbell rings. I think it’s a delivery man and open the door and there’s your father. That kind of dream.”DNZNu
EMFZDing-dong—RWF1
kLA94At that moment, the doorbell rang in a long tone. Mother and daughter blinked, puzzled. The chime echoed into silence.z1H
Fq2L6r7Then, as if on cue, their expressions turned serious.hJen
VdkWXIt couldn’t be a delivery man. They were on DEFCON 1, at war.BfM44MX
J8LrVServices like convenience and delivery had already stopped a week ago.p954EGZ
99RFortunately, Cynthia—ever cautious—had stocked up on food, so they could still eat three meals a day.8yKoFTQ
yV2JVZBut not everyone was like them. In fact, most lived in dire conditions. So the visitor was likely a begging neighbor—or maybe a thief.g53
xhQIsh“I’ll get it.”Ric
FvAokWx“You? I think I’d better.”BgHhC
8Zg69“Are you underestimating me?”izrIq
DGVCynthia rummaged through the living room drawer, pulled out a scalpel, and tossed it into the air.vQC0Li
TaQThen she caught it mid-spin like a rotor blade. Her skill was obvious.7g0
SY2XTb“Did you forget my nickname? Cynthia, the Divine Hands.”EQLQt
gV6Plf3“And that means what, exactly?”y52ur2
UA1FqpM“Those best at saving lives are best at taking them.”EXf
gO4“Should a doctor really be saying that…?”N6d
FLvFkD“It’s just a saying. Anyway, keep eating.”RPXg
QOYECynthia hid the scalpel in her sleeve near her wrist, like a dagger. She felt the cold metal against her skin. Then she turned the knob with her free hand.Emrede
SL3As soon as she opened the door, she froze. Standing before her was an unexpected face.7ZFHq
vDM1lL“Who is it?”nT9X
mv0sqpRyozo peeked over her mother’s shoulder. Her jaw dropped too.lx6jnL
l1oKang Geom-Ma.TcYIC
PV7sf“May I come in for a moment?”CuZR
rMsDespite being perhaps the busiest person in the world right now, he had suddenly come all the way to Busan.6fgEu4K
Mxtp***8Tvo8
HDVWhile the whole world was in a panic, I remained relatively calm. Maybe it was because of the blessing of the God of the Sword, but also because ever since I arrived in this world, I had always considered this possibility.6ySlj
nR1Perhaps that’s why, now that the moment had come, my mind was cold. As if it were saying, “it’s about time.” Thanks to that, I calmly began to review if there was anything I was forgetting. Because if I went into this war without thinking, I’d surely regret it.aq9ZK
lgBTZ‘This time, I might really die.’23n3KbV
pv4cWViKuarne was undoubtedly a formidable enemy. But not someone I couldn’t fight. I had unleashed all the blessings of the Final Judgment and learned both the Demonic Eye and Lycan’s magic. In a one-on-one, close-quarters battle, I could face him.ZwZSn
iHU56xO‘My real enemies are the ones behind him—the false gods.’TOFJCC
NQCZgThat’s what the God of the Sword and Lycan told me. Though they never mentioned Kuarne by name, they always spoke of the false gods.ds66ZJ
hUZMNot because Kuarne was weak, but because the real threat lay elsewhere. In short, my enemies are the gods. And apparently, they would reveal themselves in this war. That’s why I had to be ready to die.tt0sR
sSqFa‘Come to think of it, it’s kind of funny.’cjQSs
WfqFxCI, who always fought to survive—when did I start being driven by duty? Life is unpredictable, that’s for sure.VFpINE
I6dAnyway.ofoYpB
yq2PEobOnly now, facing the final battle, did I start thinking about what was most important to me.oJtl4FP
EGxUwThe first thing that came to mind were the parents of this life. Two people who vanished without a trace. And whose existence had started to fade even from my memory—so I held onto it consciously.HMADA
a8PhWhat would they say if they saw me now? Just by entering Joaquin Academy, they already called me the pride of the Kang clan from Seori.olfzKh0
cfpMx3‘If they knew I’m now one of the Seven Stars, they’d lose their minds.’vxmB
4bsB84sBut since I could no longer see them, my thoughts shifted to what mattered next. After them, who was most important to me? Many faces passed through my mind. The principal, the Sword Master, Changseong—everyone who supported me.o8kI
MGPzXI’m deeply grateful to them. But to Kang Geom-Ma—to “me”—there’s someone even more important. The deepest corner of my heart, where only traces of emotion remain, was shouting it.7vgsBI
XLMHtHMy steps, guided by the heart, chose their direction. I went straight to Busan.K411LBi
5KYNY“…….”5i650SH
drW3K“…….”J2sxh
WV3mvsThat’s how I ended up sitting across from Ryozo, with the table between us. Neither of us spoke—a bubbling pot of kimchi jjigae was the only sound breaking the silence.zHju
An2‘How did it come to this?’ATJkR
oqxeA3vCynthia had been stunned by my sudden visit but soon excused herself, saying she had to step out.nnkR
pDiMaybe she wanted to give us space, but her absence was lethal. Because now, in this wide and warm apartment, only the two of us remained.KgUr
hd7Bh2“You must be really busy… why are you here?”VVJHAZD
lTPAdARyozo was the first to speak. She fidgeted with her fingers and cast furtive glances at me. The faint blush on her cheeks made her feelings obvious—embarrassment, discomfort, and happiness.VV8Nict
HcAP‘The Ryozo I first met was very reserved.’3VZ6Cc
i9chShe had changed a lot. So much that she seemed like a different person.Kixzt
dW1The one who used to cling to sweets no longer touched them. The one who cared more about appearance than substance now worried about others’ well-being.1IOZ
vz7Be03The one who couldn’t be honest now wore everything on her face. Of course, she only showed that kind of expression to me.20cvYX
GRk8yzAnd I also decided to be honest. I’d use the excuse of this final battle to open up. Even if they called me a coward, it didn’t matter.IkhAL
syXV1“You.”Dl3
qIih“M-me? What about me?”9mS
YFrI moved my lips. Even though I had made up my mind, I couldn’t get the words out. I had never said anything so embarrassing in my life.JDg
pgQ1‘Now I understand how Ryozo felt when she told me this multiple times.’W0RqL1
W6NTLq9It’s incredibly hard from this side.MQoha
c1q“Ryozo.”ciJ
ZYLWHd“…Why are you calling me like that so much? You’re making me nervous.”gjFkCNZ
7GqGbI took a deep breath and let it out all at once. I lowered my gaze as far as I could. You couldn’t expect more from someone who’s never been in a relationship.1A6r3Qm
PZyC“I came because I wanted to see you.”o16ZaXa
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BlackLotus
Qi RefinementBeen waiting for this soo loong