The Academy’s Sashimi Sword Master — Chapter 307: The shape of the end

Chapter 307: The shape of the end

Pyujeok‌ Sashimi: Hey, so‍⁠⁠ what’s your relationship‌‌‌ with the Heavenly⁠ Sword?

Saint_Ryu: Are you jealous,‌‌‌ simple mortal?

Cheongeom‍ Sarang: I’m dying⁠ of envy. Dying.‍⁠ Dying. Dying. Dying.⁠⁠ Dying. Dying. Dying.‌‌ Dying. Dying…

Gijon‌ Geomje: You… why…?‌‌‍

Ddatdatjwi:⁠ Hmm… Is the‌‌‌ Heavenly Sword really that important…?

Cheongeom⁠‌‌ Sarang: You wanna‌‍ die, moron? This idiot doesn’t even⁠‍‍ know who Eunhae‌ is.

Cheongeom‌‍ Sarang: If you‌ start praising the Heavenly Sword, you could filibuster for⁠‌ a whole week⁠‍ non-stop.

Ddatdatjwi:‌⁠ Hey, but why‍ do you praise‍ him so much?‍

Cheongeom‌ Sarang: Because he‌ saved the world.

Ddatdatjwi:‍‍ …

Cheongeom⁠‍ Sarang: No rebuttal,‌ huh?

Ding!‍

Pyujeok‍⁠‌ Sashimi: Dammit!! But that’s not the‍ point, you old⁠ geezers!!

Laiyoung:‌‌⁠ Who are you⁠‌ calling geezers?

Pyujeok‌⁠‍ Sashimi: Everyone who‍ plays this game‍‍ is a fossil.‌

Pyujeok⁠ Sashimi: Anyway!! Saint‍ Ryu, where is‍‌ that bastard?

Pyujeok‍‌ Sashimi: Hey!!!

Ding!‍‍

Saint_Ryu:‌ (carrot emojis ×2)⁠‍

[Saint_Ryu‌‌ has logged out.]‌

Pijeok‌ Sashimi: ?

Ddatdatjwi:‍ ???

Cheongeom Sarang: ???

***‍

The cult that worships⁠ the outer god.‍‍‌ Just as its⁠ name suggests, Welter,‍ bishop of that‌‌⁠ cult (though he‍ was just a priest ten years ago), was currently‌‌ suffering.

And‍‍ it was all⁠‌‌ because of…

“Miss‌‌ Saint.”

…It⁠ was all Yu‌‌ Sein’s fault.

His‌⁠‍ role in the‌‌ church was to‍ assist Yu Sein,‌‍ and that’s why‌ he had been⁠ living with her for a long‍ time in a far-off land—South Korea.‌‍

The‌ days crawled by.‍
It was hell.⁠ Welter was withering‌ away inside.

He‌⁠‌ prayed daily to‌‍ the outer god, hoping to banish‌‍ any doubts creeping‍‍ into his faith.‍⁠

“Oh,‍ outer god. Don’t⁠ you only test‍‍⁠ us with what‌‌‌ we can endure?‍‌⁠ Why are you‍ so cruel to‍‌ me…?”

How‌‌ many nights had‌⁠ he spent crying?

When‌⁠ his patience hit‌⁠ its limit, he‍ finally spoke up.‌⁠

“Could‌ you stop playing video games?”

“After‍‌ this round.”

She‌ wasn’t even listening.⁠‍

‘Lately⁠ she’s so hooked‍‍ on VR games‌‍ she’s abandoned real‌‍ life.’

He‌⁠ was deeply worried.⁠
More than her‌‍ image as a saint, Welter feared‌ for her health.‌

Even if games were‍‍ fun…

Yu⁠‍⁠ Sein had gone‌⁠ overboard. She’d ditched⁠‌⁠ meals and everything‍ else just to‍ keep playing.

“Then‌‍‌ at least eat⁠⁠⁠ while you play,‍ please. Saint, at⁠‍‍ this rate, you‌‍‌ really will ascend⁠‍⁠ to heaven.”

“I‍ ate chicken earlier.”⁠‍

The‌‍ VR goggles she⁠‌‌ wore flashed for‌‌ a moment.

“…But‍‍ there’s no chicken box anywhere.”

“I‍‍ ate it in‌‍‌ Battlegrounds.”

“…”‌‍

“Can‌ you save the⁠‍ lectures for later?‍ A new game‌ just dropped.”

Welter’s‌⁠ sigh sank into⁠‌ the floor.

It‌‍ was better to‌ give up. She‍ wasn’t someone you⁠ could reason with.‍

And‌ he couldn’t stop‍‍⁠ her either. Doing‌ so would violate‍ the tenets of‌ the outer god’s⁠⁠ order. The saint was untouchable.
It was best⁠ to let her‌ be.

A plastic container rolled‍‍‌ to his feet.‍⁠⁠

A moment later, a tear fell.

‘Holy exile…’

Welter⁠⁠ felt deeply desolate.‌⁠⁠ As Yu Sein‍‌ remained absorbed, he⁠ decided to clean⁠‍ up.

“Kyaaa~”‌

“Cheongeom‍ Sarang, if you’re⁠ gonna play like‍ that, just log‌⁠ out already.”

“……”‌

“Ah,‌⁠ right. It’s me,‍‌ bro~”

After‌‍ quite some time,‌ Welter finished cleaning.‌‍ He stepped out with a trash⁠ bag.

“A‍⁠ bishop cleaning up‌‌ after the saint?” he muttered with⁠ a bitter smile‌‍‍ while sorting the⁠ recycling.

Then‍ he sensed an⁠‍ unusual presence.

He‌ turned sharply.

A man approached, waving⁠‌‍ one hand from‍⁠ his pocket.

“You‍ are…”

“Long‍‍ time no see,‍‌‌ Bishop.”

Welter’s⁠ eyes welled up.‍

He crushed the plastic bottle in his⁠ hand.

It⁠⁠‍ felt like meeting⁠ a savior.

“Please,‍ save me!”

And‌ in the Church‌ of the Outer⁠ God… that plea‍ wasn’t out of⁠ place.

***⁠

As soon as he⁠ saw me, Welter‍ burst into tears.⁠‍ A man over⁠ thirty, sobbing like‌ a child.

“Heavenly‍‍ Sword, huu… I…”⁠

“Calm‍‍ down. People are‌‌‍ watching.”

“I‍⁠ can’t take it⁠‍ anymore!”

“Okay,‍‌ okay…”

I barely managed to‍⁠ calm him down.⁠

I asked him to‍‌⁠ wait at a nearby café and⁠ headed straight to Yu Sein’s house.‍

The living room was too spacious and‍ comfortable to be⁠ called a room.⁠⁠

Just‌⁠ looking at the⁠ scenery brought a sense of relief.‌‌ In short, a waste of space.⁠

“That’s‌⁠ not how you‌⁠⁠ play. If you’re‌ bad, quit the⁠ game. Don’t annoy‍‍ others.”

Yu‍ Sein stood right‍ in the middle,‌‍ wearing her VR‍‌ gear, making movements‍ as if dancing.‍⁠

She‌ was so absorbed‌‌‌ she didn’t even⁠‌ notice me.

Not⁠ even when I got really close.‍‍
She kept blurting out phrases like‍⁠‌ nothing was happening.‌ Judging by her⁠‌ actions, it seemed‍ she was playing⁠‍ an FPS.

‘A‍ saint… playing shooters.’‌‌⁠

No‍⁠ wonder Welter is depressed. This can’t‍‌‌ be made public.‍‌

I could already hear⁠‍ her saintly reputation⁠ crumbling.

“Hey.”⁠‌⁠

I gently placed a hand on her⁠‍‌ shoulder. Instantly, Yu⁠‍ Sein reacted sharply⁠ and yanked off‌‌ her goggles in‌ anger.

“I said I’d eat later!”

Yu‌ Sein’s face had gone pale.

Her⁠‍ pupils, black like⁠⁠ mine, reflected my⁠ cracked face like‌ a shattered mirror.‌

A short while later.‌⁠‌

“So⁠⁠ that’s what happened.”‌

Yu‍‍‍ Sein muttered while‌ rubbing the bump‌⁠ on her forehead.‍ A little “gift”‌ I had given‍‌⁠ her to celebrate‍ our family reunion⁠ after such a long time.

Worth‌‌‌ mentioning, we still⁠ kept up the⁠ pretense that we‍ were distant relatives.‌⁠

I’m‍ a possessed.

Yu‍‌‌ Sein is a reincarnate.

Since⁠⁠‍ we couldn’t explain⁠ this clearly to anyone, we just⁠⁠ decided to keep it that way.‍‌ We never had⁠‌ a formal conversation⁠⁠ about it, but‍ we understood each other.

Ryozo⁠‌‍ and Abel never‍ suspected our connection. In fact, they‍ went out of‍‍‌ their way to‌⁠ stay on good‍‌ terms with Yu Sein. They were‍ the ones who‌‌ arranged this house.

Thanks‍ to that, the dynamic between a possessed and a reincarnate was clearly⁠‍ defined. I was the superior, and⁠⁠⁠ Yu Sein the⁠ subordinate.

Without‍ me, Yu Sein⁠ wouldn’t end up⁠‍ on the streets,⁠⁠ but she wouldn’t‌ be living this‍‍ comfortably either.

She’d‌‌ probably be dragged back to the Church of the‌ Outer God.

“You’re‌ saying you came‌⁠ here because of‍⁠‌ a bad dream?”‌

“Don’t‌ reduce it to⁠ just that. You‌⁠ think I’d come just because of a nightmare? It⁠ appeared as a status window, like when the Outer‍ God sent me a message before.‍‌ And this time⁠⁠ there were two!”‌‌

For‌⁠⁠ clarification.

The⁠‌‌ Outer God and⁠ the G.M. are‌‌ the same entity.‌ The God of⁠‍ the Sword was‍ a part of‍⁠ the Outer God,‌‍ separated to destroy⁠‌⁠ the false gods.‌

The‌⁠⁠ blend of those‌ three beings is⁠‌⁠ me.

Confused?‌‍ Me too. Just⁠ think of them‌ as versions of⁠ myself from different⁠ timelines.

“What‌‌‍ exactly did it⁠ say?”

I recited the message‍‍ to Yu Sein⁠ as I remembered it:

[Complete⁠ the world’s perfection.]‌‍

[You⁠ must renounce your‌ humanity.]

[You are an unnecessary‍ impurity for perfection.]⁠

[If‌‌ not fulfilled, the⁠ Suppression Force will‍⁠⁠ intervene directly.]

[This⁠⁠‌ is an inescapable,⁠‌ already established causality.]⁠‍⁠

“Hmm…”⁠‌

“Does⁠‍ it ring a bell?”

“Of‍‌ course. But what⁠‍ stands out most‍ is the word‍⁠ ‘perfection.’”

Since⁠‍ becoming an adult,‍ Yu Sein had‍‌ stopped talking like‍⁠‌ she posted on‍‌ forums. No deep‍ reason, she just⁠ got tired of‌ it.

“Why‍‌ does that word⁠ stand out to‍ you?”

Yu‌‌ Sein frowned slightly⁠‌ and turned the⁠ question back to⁠‌‌ me.

“Geom-Ma,⁠‍ what do you⁠‍‌ think perfection is?”‍

“Total‍ purity? Absence of⁠ flaws? Something like⁠ that.”

Yu⁠‌ Sein nodded solemnly.‌

“An‌ absence of flaws⁠ means not even‍‌‍ a single impurity‌‌ exists. So what’s‌ an impurity? From‌⁠ the universe’s perspective,‌‍ even the Sun‌⁠‍ could be an‍ impurity. Galaxies, star‍⁠ clusters… anything might‌⁠ be considered a blot. And humans?”‍‌

“Don’t⁠‍ tell me… the‌‍ universe wants to‍ completely eliminate humanity?”‍‌⁠

This‌ time, she firmly shook her head.⁠‍

“You‌‌ said the voice‌ told you to‍‌‍ give up your⁠ humanity. So from⁠ the universe’s or⁠ rather the Suppression‌ Force’s perspective, your‌ ‘humanity’ and the⁠ human species are‍ equal in trade‌ value.”

“So⁠ you’re saying I need to stop‌‌ being human?”

Am⁠ I supposed to‌ be some kind⁠‌ of absolute being‍‍ now?

“Geom-Ma,‍ even if you⁠ cease to be⁠ human, that won’t‍ solve everything. I believe…”

Yu‌‍ Sein trailed off⁠ mid-sentence.

It⁠⁠‍ was the first‍ time I’d seen‍‍⁠ her so serious.‌ Even when the⁠ world had nearly ended, she had‌ remained composed.

“They‍⁠‌ want to strip you of your‍ humanity and then‍‌‌ use your power⁠⁠ to rewrite the‍‍‌ universe. Return it‍⁠‌ to its primal⁠ state.”

She‍ added those words‍‌ like a painful⁠‌‍ whisper.

“What…?”‌‌

“Let‍‌‌ me ask you‌‍ something. Lately, you haven’t been able to use the Blessing of the‍⁠ God of the‌ Sword, right?”

“Yeah.”‌‌

It‍‌‌ had been a while since I last felt the⁠ pain from the‍ blessing.

However,⁠ I limited my‍‌‍ abilities to times⁠‍‌ when I could‍‍ activate the Blessing‍‍ of Insensitivity to⁠ Pain.

When‍ I wielded my‌ sashimi, I didn’t‍ get hurt, but‌ the universe did.‍ The universe was‍⁠ too fragile to⁠ endure the impact‌⁠ of my strikes.‍

I had to protect⁠‌ the universe from my attacks with⁠ blessings like Insensitivity⁠ to Pain, Transfer,⁠ Regeneration, and Superhuman‍‍‍ Power.

The‌ process was a hassle, so I resolved things with⁠⁠‌ cerebral attribute magic⁠ whenever I could.

“Imagine‌‍ it. You, swinging your sword without humanity, without thought.‌‌ From the Suppression Force’s view, you’d⁠‍ be the perfect⁠ cleaner, right?”

“Damn⁠⁠ it, this Suppression⁠‌⁠ Force… what the‍ hell is it?”‍‌

I couldn’t help but‌ curse.

After‍⁠ a life spent‍ in kitchens, cursing‌⁠⁠ had become second⁠ nature.

“The‍ Suppression Force is‍‍ exactly what it‌⁠ sounds like—suppression. It‌⁠‌ has no morality‍⁠ or ethics. It just moves toward‍ what it considers‍‌‍ perfection.”

“After‌ hearing this, I’m‌‌ more convinced. Give‌ up my humanity? Screw that.”

Yu Sein shrugged like‍ she’d expected that.⁠‍

“But⁠‍ if I go‌‌‍ against the Suppression⁠ Force’s will, then what? There are‍ no more false gods. The threat of demons is⁠ gone. What else‌ could possibly show‌‌ up now?”

“The⁠ end. Maybe it‍⁠ will come. Perhaps‍ even in physical⁠ form.”

“The‌‌‌ end of the‌⁠⁠ world… in physical‌ form?”

Yu‌‌‍ Sein didn’t answer‌‍ my question.

She‌ merely murmured, as‍‌ if chanting a spell:

“Ragnarokkr,‌‌ may, Frashokereti.”

She⁠ glanced at the‌‍ TV. Since I had interrupted her,‍⁠ her character had‌ died and lay‍⁠ sprawled on the‍ ground.

Over‍ the body, a phrase in red taunted her.

[GAME‍ OVER]

Yu‍‌ Sein’s gaze was⁠ rough like sandpaper.‍⁠ Under that stare,⁠⁠ the letters began‍‍⁠ to dissolve, one‌ by one, from‍‌ the corners.

***‌

At⁠⁠ the Academy, there‍⁠‍ are certain unspoken‍‍ rules that everyone⁠ respects.

For⁠ example, even among‍⁠⁠ nobles, if there⁠⁠‍ is a difference‌⁠ of two or⁠‌ more ranks in⁠⁠‌ hierarchy, the lower-ranked⁠ individual cannot initiate⁠ the conversation.

An⁠ archaic rule, without⁠ a doubt.

Despite‍‌ the great efforts⁠ of both current⁠‍⁠ and past directors,‍‍ uprooting the deeply‍‌⁠ embedded feudal system‌ in this world‌‌ is not something⁠ that can be⁠‍ achieved in just‍ ten years.

And‌ if the person⁠ in question holds‍ an even higher⁠‍ status—then, whether they’re⁠‍ a sage or⁠ a celestial archer,‌ it’s difficult to⁠ interact with them‍‍ casually.

There‍ are only a handful of people‍ in the entire⁠⁠ world whose rank‍ exceeds that of‍‌ the Academy’s director.‍

For‍‍⁠ instance, in the‍ world’s major powers that still maintain‌ monarchies, only members‍ of the royal family would qualify.⁠

And‌⁠ even among them,⁠‍ the circle tightens—they must either be‌ the current monarch⁠ or first in‌⁠ the line of⁠ succession.

It’s‍‌ something that is⁠ theoretically possible, but⁠ in practice so‌‍ unlikely that it‌ barely seems real.⁠⁠‌

And⁠ yet…

“Director.”‍

A student who met‍ all those seemingly‌ impossible requirements appeared before the director⁠ of the Academy,⁠‍‌ Saki Ryozo.

Hair‍ like pure molten‍‌‍ gold, skin smooth⁠‌ as a freshly⁠ boiled egg, and‌⁠ movements brimming with‍⁠ elegance.

However,⁠‌ her eyes—sharp as⁠‌ axes—were so filled with hostility it seemed they might⁠⁠ fall upon Saki‍‍ Ryozo at any‌ moment with deadly‍ precision.

“I‌ heard you personally⁠ sanctioned the Marquis‌⁠ of the British‍ Empire.”

Princess‍ Victoria of the‍ Grand British Empire.‌‍⁠

Nineteen⁠ years old. Final‍ year, third term.‍

“I⁠ need to speak‍ directly with the‍‍⁠ Heavenly Sword.”

She‌ had deigned to‌‌ visit the director’s⁠ office herself.