Chapter 317: The Transfer Student is a Singularity (5)
46nDGA modest seafood restaurant exuded a simple and warm atmosphere.q3hr
bjNdEoA regular customer, a middle-aged man with a prominent belly, came to the place after a hard day at the office, looking to unwind with a drink before heading home.OGYvf
f6z6bXy“Boss, I’m here.”qcZF9n
GVA“Welcome. What’ll you have?”PCwChX
VYkK“Haha, are you seriously asking me that?”mIn
2KKZKZ“It’s just courtesy. Have a seat.”2PP6X
7Q7aX6As always, he left the menu entirely in the owner’s hands.aphuB
httuIFor the past three years, the ritual had been the same while the owner prepared the fish, the customer sat at the counter and they chatted leisurely.6Un4lHo
lChOw9sIt had become a solid weekly routine.8c5VGH2
6hEwThe man watched, mesmerized, as the owner handled the fish. Suddenly, he brought up a long-standing question.JqXPdYV
W414k8p“Boss, why are you really in such a remote place like this?”Qoye
gbRBo“They say country folks aren’t very friendly, but that’s a bit harsh for someone who just managed to get a business going.”GOJSOM
iQOoFor a moment, a dark eye reflected on the sashimi knife’s blade before disappearing.2CElaB
uV7rCThe man quickly waved his hand.lLWU
rWNO5Wq“No, that’s not what I meant… It’s just a shame to see your talent go to waste here! With your skill, if you’d opened in Seoul, you’d own a couple of buildings by now.”3yyQRs
XPP“I appreciate your words, but my skills aren’t for show. They’re just enough to make a living.”G0Iu
ZRNr2za“I may not have a fish’s eye, but even I can see your skill is exceptional.”h4l
jGf2BQ“…Are you calling me a fish now?”ZnQz9H8
eln“It was a joke.”hCFzQsQ
IXHThe owner chuckled lightly while slicing the fish’s belly. The knife’s path was fluid—almost elegant.uXxszdj
FK2“Hey boss… don’t tell me you were a gangster in your youth?”iRsBo
CNBoxLV“And if I were, would you stop coming?”UDL
A5Y“Of course not! I’m already hooked on your food. I tried sashimi elsewhere the other day and couldn’t even finish it. Sashimi isn’t seasoned much, right? But the fish you serve is totally different. Especially…”ppls
kz0The man stopped mid-sentence, looking past the owner’s hand holding the knife.AIu
O6ySeeing him swallow hard, the owner spoke casually.QpUB
Od9SU“Having only one hand doesn’t stop me from living.”tG0i
XB8l“…That’s not exactly what I meant.”ktv
j3dHd6V“It’s only annoying when I’m in the bathroom looking for toilet paper.”1XDoK5g
aXqoAw“A guy who lives off food shouldn’t say things like that.”UDe
Xfr13o7The awkward moment faded naturally. The owner went back to his task while the customer sipped his drink.exZ
jgwjZThen—fzfDlCP
AwML2Dg“Hmm?”7JkMcz9
CyTThe customer’s gaze shifted to the side of the counter.NqNt3w0
WwxPYZThere was a photo.MYy
IZaLooking closely, it was a picture of the owner in his youth with a boy.BMrEjwV
6b1MD“I’ve never seen that photo before. Has it always been there?”Xsb
YnoQYo0“That guy who looks like a gangster… was he married?!”Rbrj
ozzcMaybe the owner sensed the surprise because he also glanced at the photo and smiled faintly.7cK
xYivIt was the first time he had smiled like that since the customer had known him.m14
aEjIY“That’s my disciple. The last one.”rT4CKyX
YkL5Y“You had a disciple? Must’ve been tough to teach with that stern face of yours.”3YhaNo
TP77BT“It wasn’t easy. I thought raising a wild animal would’ve been simpler. But…”Tc6oil
RDoaThe owner’s lips curved with pride.tVO
HRlUyG“At least with a knife, he was simply incredible.”ghZ0M
wa8v“And compared to you? Did he surpass you?”Oinm
8puThe owner served a dish. The shiny surface of the sashimi reflected the customer’s face—skill bordering on divine.wmWm4ZW
OvJj9sG“Comparing him to me would be disrespectful.”L1OsNW
KjwxiB“That bad, huh? Well, I don’t know what brought you to this corner of the country, but seriously, your skill is among the best in Korea.”DzaG6
GdIThe owner shook his head while wiping the knife with a towel.i8n
PxV“It wouldn’t be disrespect to me. It’d be to him.”nqNk6
HXj“…What?”RaZLG
1ju“That kid was the best in the country. The most skilled swordsman in the land. If you like fish, you’ve probably heard of him.”j25uY
orJV“The best in the country… the legendary swordsman…”FIT21
ZgUNdA spark lit up in the customer’s mind.2oX
RywAiWHe recalled hearing about someone.m6U
XhcaT1mA man known as the “God of the Sword,” the finest bladesman in the country.mgf6P
Y9RqA title that sounded over-the-top, like something from a martial arts novel, but anyone who had tried his sashimi agreed—it was incomparable.KFY
jYrexLAnd he never stayed in one place.4W1nyW
AFS0FsoWhen the time came, he left a resignation letter and vanished. He changed restaurants just as his fame peaked. The story spread across the country.2cN
kLFoy3bA swordsman in the most literal sense.q6m2iwZ
tTZZBut he had disappeared about ten years ago and was only spoken of in hushed tones since.vb13IOH
2OzzO“Quite the disciple you had…”HDf8Nl
vjiUfw“The hardest steel makes the best blade once forged. He was a lot of work, but he had real talent.”41DO6Z
p08“You didn’t take on more disciples after that?”hxd
x3V0“He was the last. So no.”DkZpq
n6dThe customer nodded, as if understanding.Mvc
eBUG“Makes sense. If your disciple was the God of the Sword, no one else would’ve measured up.”v36Kv
zWMHNeWith that, he took a bite. Ah, that taste made his jaw tingle. Every time he ate it, his mouth watered until it hurt.xnrmUP
JpQ“Before him, I had seven other disciples.”CrRZ
7lW0pCW“Whoa, you had a culinary empire!”vhf
iWH0PlThe owner just smiled without replying.Aum2
2JQV7TU“By the way, where is the God of the Sword now? Last I heard of him was about ten years ago.”BlG
ium5O“That kid’s studying abroad.”KjZf
MSM“…Studying abroad? What kind of studies?”E8Qh0
UEoes“He’s only ever held knives his whole life… he needs some moral education…”ye4j
Q2eSX1tHe staggered.N1r7Zq
EYxTThe owner’s vision warped. Like he was wearing 3D glasses, the background split into multiple layers. Objects crashed to the floor.v45NOLn
WHXLHC3Clang!38rgx
CR9LHHe clutched his forehead and slid slowly down the wall until he sat. The middle-aged man rushed over in panic, shaking him.lrA
doS5i“Boss! Boss!”awO
fObckDamn it. Had his time run out?8dB
lLXThis blue planet he’d come to—even with the help of the —his liver was finally punishing him for how well he’d taken to Earth’s liquor.588O
pGboQ‘That kid never stopped nagging me about drinking less. How shameless, trying to teach his own father…’EL2IqEi
5R0qmThe owner, Ho Ah-Hyun, reached forward with his only hand. His desperate gesture pointed to the photo frame. The one with him and that kid…bVcWO
BrKYryj“…Ah…”2gG
0cj5And thus, the curtain fell on his life.oCO2WOQ
VGuO8***Mc3dLu
EYWIYEEverything was white.aSg
OLqsjrfSo white he couldn’t tell if his eyes were open or shut. In that foggy, milk-colored space, the man slowly sat up. Staring blankly, he muttered.PVUoa
SjY“…Is it finally over?”Qm7
C1OIjThe founding hero, Balor Joaquin. A man bound to an eternal cycle. That was him.bOon25
GuqoD3He opened his eyes again and again after each life ended. A cruel fate never let him rest in peace.0AVNN
sh8vIHe couldn’t even remember how many unfamiliar ceilings he had woken up to. He had counted up to life number 666, then gave up. Including accidental deaths, he had surely passed the triple digits long ago.d1WvO
vmpJx“This is the first time something like this has happened…”MIOBG7
0xxPerhaps this white space was the final end he had long hoped for. Ever since that dream ten years ago, he was sure deep down that the boy had saved the world.mbBdB
Osn8rMaybe because of that, the chains of endless regression—meant to turn him into a tool to save the world—had finally been broken.2dwu
cZ9w“He really became a legend in the end.” Such a praiseworthy son.8B6JX7M
hh7AThough, in part, he was also worried. He feared the boy might drift too far from humanity… He hadn’t been very human to begin with. Left unchecked, he could become a monster using the name of god.vQyBrY
mfxgC“Am I overthinking it with all this fatherly worry?”zoZ2lP
6x4RxPJust as that concern surfaced, footsteps echoed nearby. Who else could possibly be in a place like this?lGvM
BRMjErmTurning his suspicious gaze, his eyes widened.yzi
6mpS“You’re… the one from that time…?”r5l3Fm7
9TDJ“It’s been ten years.”73v
JWLNz9dA figure outlined only in contours flashed a brilliant smile. Though it was a space of absolute nothingness, the dimension around him warped as if it were collapsing.vqixx
Fu1“Father.”7Sc
FZUI4eHe—the God of the Sword—sat before him.f6WR
eY5nIng“What… is this…?”ZFVw
4Y9rHHe was both a piece of the god and a fragment of its consciousness.GX3GE97
poqSrSimply put a piece of an outer god who ruled a universe.l1bdj0z
8BB1CFX“I wanted to give you time to reflect. And for this reunion. But there isn’t much time. This space was only created by opening a small tear in the Domain of Suppression. It won’t last long, so I’ll do the talking. Just listen and remember.”d2nw
0ISy7Q“I’ll listen… No, it’s fine…”rUpidt7
al2sam5The God of the Sword smiled calmly.jXQh6A
rJWkY“For now, that world ended with a ‘happy ending,’ just as you wanted. It couldn’t have been better.”fHmeAdw
v3wzOP“I see…”TpYn
pcg0Gd“But there’s a problem. The Suppression does not tolerate finished universes. When a story concludes, it tries to erase it from the world line and replace it with a new universe. To use a metaphor the world line has a maximum capacity, and the stories that take up space but no longer generate content are deleted.”tQ4Qqe
GKoDIIAs Balor Joaquin’s face grew tense, the God of the Sword continued in a cold tone.CeZIth7
Cj7YQk“As you know, the Suppression doesn’t distinguish between good and evil. It simply acts. It has no will or judgment. Yet, the world you prepared—and that ‘boy’ brought to a close—was not deleted from the world line. Everyone still lives happily there.”KNYaioi
5LE“…”MsD
8voKgR2“That kid, who insists on remaining human despite transcending divinity, is holding back the collapse.”1DlRU
fCBD“…I understand…”m8YypC
6WaNgpIn short, the world line had reached its full limit. Yet somehow, his son was containing it all on his own.OCT1
BztUAs a result, the very structure of the world line was on the brink of bursting.hMWcnBe
0F2uWBalor Joaquin went silent.728Yiwu
lniHe had lived through countless eras, believing he had neared the truth.pNEU89h
JxsGUwY‘I was reckless.’FrK
VvNvZ2HEverything that exists must come to an end.cmH4
qgt27TPEven those with absolute power cannot escape that principle. It’s absurd.qVdFNb
V6xrQOBut even so…zCv34
0fmPnFor something to begin, there must be an end. Like when the First Great Human-Demon War ended and the Joaquin Academy was founded.Mao4rO
Z8RCrack.KL4E
GfNsCThe white space began to fracture. Cracks and chaotic breaks appeared everywhere.FRrjY
yhCgOzF“What do you wish to do, Father?” asked the God of the Sword.mq0
KlNNID“Will you let your world vanish as it was meant to?”GyX
dUo“I…”H0j4
FsWaHis lips trembled.NdWeJ
xo1wDW5Through infinite regressions, he had come to understand Suppression always acts for the greater good of the universe.yUn
WjiDAnd if someone interferes, consequences follow—no matter when.gkl
dfBrStill.YqR
FXmb“…I…”w6pn1
hrrTXThey say no father can defeat his son.p51xKT
UAWxrm“I will honor my son’s will.”70BfXjv
bqskBalor Joaquin rose against the Suppression.RYJ
txnVg“Ha ha ha ha! I knew you would!”1VK
UCBThe God of the Sword burst into laughter, clutching his belly. Much of the shared space between the two began to crumble into dust.QaCI0z8
pfipzYj“You’re going to try to stop the end of the world?”ec7C
afzo“But what can I possibly do…?”GjUhxJS
7JIdAJL“What is your title, Father?”8wM
RXudThe Founding Hero.nBiPRgT
txUjThe Hero of the Beginning.jQTTZe0
1INZ“There were many heroes before you. But they call you specifically the ‘Founding Hero.’ You know, at least vaguely, why that is—don’t you?”nmkDIKh
mBBAT“Winning the First Great Human-Demon War was huge, yes… But not enough to earn that title.”ApqMc
FfnWith each regression, his past memories had grown dim. The further back a life was, the more fragmented the recollections.8zxT4YQ
8dzL“Because there is a beginning, there can be an end.”Da9z
syYsaOcThe God of the Sword embraced Balor Joaquin.HKMkhjb
MhGThe smooth, egg-like surface of his body broke apart, revealing black hair.Ilt4
4DB1hS“Begin again.”rIZH
0wF7nBalor Joaquin felt a lump in his throat. Part of that emotion was because the space held by the God of the Sword had collapsed, and the ground beneath them was falling away.3bkM
QpptBut more than that—Vay
WqotJ“Please, go and save me.”raH6
728NAMxHe understood immediately. The God of the Sword was transferring all his divine power to Balor Joaquin.exfy
GS30DCBSince Kang had saved the universe and stopped the cycle of infinite returns from Suppression, the God of the Sword was sacrificing himself to seal it one final time.YGv3n
69uLNvThat meant Balor Joaquin would never see him again.OqMct
WaO83XThe being who had walked beside him since he took the name Balor Joaquin would vanish forever.WXzay
669“Father…”k7n
mPWqThe God of the Sword pulled back a little, smiled, and said.k5S
zaA6“May the blessing of the gods go with you.”zp1b
IRV01oLight shimmered in Balor Joaquin’s eyes.6Ov0rgp
U9VEf***4Cd
scCzWcO[Suppression has detected an anomaly.]1Ef
xXl9[※ Interference from impure element detected! ※]fnS
C2OA[Suppression will begin identification of the cause…]QFB9k
8MbjfG[Loading ■ロロロ］nlNZ3h4
RkUrQ[Complete!]dibLN0E
EBdD[Identifying the true nature of the “impure element??”]xNSEwh
WtKhZニニニニM0nF
cvBA2Name: Balor JoaquinJfkR
zFGGAge: –To7uL
pB0Abilities: Blessing of 00, Demonic Eye of the Ring7fY
6gjTitles: Founding Hero, One-Armed Swordsman, He Who Knew the Truth, Master of the Heavenly Eye SwordP7T
CRlHgHAchievements: Founder of Valhalla, Trainer of the Einherjar, Creator of DDvSm
W1MpUnique Traits: Human trapped in karma, Mortal blade that shatters immortality, Father of all thingsMghS
WpGf7rPTrue Name (Special): In process of identifying the name of the first iteration (···)SWE4j
Mly[Individual classified as level GX, shrouded in a veil.]Jnpv
ySqBob[Time required for full identification pending.]kA9l
2sc67jO[…]3y82IH
1rur7[Identification of True Name (Special) completed.]HT70O2
PP8u–Flash!–ayyWCBP
vbjGMJ[He who lost an eye by abandoning the Vision of Balor.]8Z3
mYFzIJ[He who heralded the beginning of the Bilskirnir saga and became the Founder.]8Kno2
9Sbw[He who enabled the gathering of the Ravens of the Inverted Sky.]Xk9Tw
TzXKb[He who will interrupt the Apocalypse, act of Suppression.]1HVAE
JYUwVMK[His true name is Odin (PONPAPY).]WPULSg
1lw***uiAPSXx
jnN8C『Proceeding with Ragnarøk』1aZEAF8
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