Chapter 324: One of the Two Will Die (5)

Leon received an emergency call from Choi Seol-Ah.

He was in the middle of selecting the first-year representative but was struggling to find a cadet who stood out, so he was already quite stressed.

However, on the other end of the smartphone, Choi Seol-Ah’s voice sounded choppy and frantic.

— There’s no time to explain, just hurry…

Choi Seol-Ah didn’t even finish her sentence before hanging up. Her relationship of devotion to Kang Geom-Ma was still very much alive.

Moreover, after ten years, her gaslighting had been perfected.

Only the two involved knew the full details, and it was a secret they intended to take to the grave.

That’s why Choi Seol-Ah warned the strongest hero she knew that her “lord’s” life was in danger.

If things went wrong, her lord might become another star in the sky tonight.

‘At the hands of his two wives, Ryozo and Abel…’

Of course, Speedweapon might die in the process too, but she didn’t care.

After all, if anyone was to blame for endangering her lord, it was Speedweapon. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if he ended up a wandering spirit.

With that twisted villain mindset, Choi Seol-Ah conveyed the urgency of the situation to Leon.

— You have to get here as soon as possible.

Sensing something was terribly wrong, Leon dropped everything he was doing and headed straight for the director’s office.

‘My whole body is trembling.’

That was Leon’s first thought as he grabbed the doorknob. Even from the outside, the atmosphere in the director’s office was unnerving.

That needle-sharp aura was unmistakably killing intent.

And who could exude such intense murderous intent that even a hero-in-training would feel nervous?

‘Abel and Ryozo.’

What the hell was going on in there? Leon hardened his expression and opened the door.

“Kh…!”

Involuntarily, he raised a hand to shield his eyes. The concentrated killing intent hit him like a wave.

Squinting, he scanned the room. Four people were seated on the sofas.

The first person he saw was Ryozo in the main seat.

She had dark circles under her eyes, and her gaze burned like ghostly flames.

Abel’s face was no better.

Her eyes were filled with hostility as she stared ahead.

Goooooo…

Apparently, Leon’s entrance didn’t matter to them in the slightest.

All their attention was fixed on the sofa across from them.

Leon turned his head as well.

Speedweapon’s face was completely pale, as if he were about to die.

His fists, resting on his thighs, trembled so violently that it was pitiful to watch.

‘What the hell did you do, Speedweapon…? Uh, huh?’

Leon blinked, then his eyes widened.

It was because of a girl.

A face he was seeing for the first time—but at the same time, it felt oddly familiar, as if he’d seen her that very morning.

Isn’t she identical to Kang Geom-Ma?

The girl gave off a sharp, metallic scent. It was the distinctive smell of Gehenna.

Leon, who had been born and raised in the demon realm and had only recently returned from there, recognized it immediately. And then all the pieces of the situation started to fall into place.

A girl who looked like Kang Geom-Ma. That thick scent of Gehenna. And his two wives, unable to hide their fury.

Judging by all of that…

‘You brought this on yourself, Kang Geom-Ma.’

***

Run. Not just to Gehenna.

Flee far, to the moon where we fought a bloody war ten years ago.

‘Otherwise, Speedweapon will die.’

At least one must survive. For the sake of humanity, Leon considered it reasonable for Speedweapon to be the one to make the sacrifice.

Slide.

His eyes met those of the black-haired girl who was nibbling on a red bean paste snack atop the stone table.

Leon was overcome with a strange sensation.

It was because when he looked into those unrealistically beautiful eyes, it felt like his soul was being dragged into an unfathomable abyss.

Deep, serene black eyes. As if hell itself had been condensed into two orbs—it was impossible to gauge their depth.

He had seen countless outstanding students that day.

Yet he was certain—none had eyes as profound as hers. There was an extraordinary potential radiating from her.

Ryozo and Abel also turned their gazes toward Leon.

Even Speedweapon, who until then had kept his head down like a condemned man, lifted it slightly.

A moment of silence.

“Bal… du… re?”

Finally, the girl spoke.

***

Even though I hadn’t heard all the details from Speedweapon, I could sense the gravity of the situation.

It was that kind of sixth sense only married men have, coupled with the blaring alarms of my inner divinity.

As a first hideout, I chose Volundr’s smithy.

I know it sounds crazy, but I wanted to see with my own eyes the item Speedweapon had brought from the Demon Realm.

It was the material I had waited for so long. I couldn’t miss the birth of my new gear. I’d regret it forever.

What could I do? I’m Korean. Even if I wear rags, my in-game weapon can’t look shabby.

With that warrior DNA etched into my brain, even I couldn’t resist.

‘The most obvious spot is the one most overlooked. Even if Ryozo releases the instructors, they’ll probably ignore Volundr’s workshop.’

I walked toward the workshop with a mix of tension and excitement. Were my feelings being returned?

Volundr opened the door only partially. But he didn’t let me in.

“Sorry, but I can’t take you in today.”

“…Huh? Is something wrong with your body?”

“…The director gave me an order. If you came, I was to inform her immediately.”

“Wow…”

I thought I’d taken her by surprise, but it seemed her claws had already reached this place. What the hell had happened for Ryozo to act so quickly?

At the very least, I decided I wouldn’t return home today.

“Thanks, ahjussi.”

I thanked Volundr. Even though he rejected me, he did it for my sake.

“Sorry, Heavenly Sword.”

“…Huh?”

From behind came footsteps that shook the ground.

Thud, thud, thud, thud.

When I turned, I saw a group of instructors running toward me through a cloud of dust. They shouted desperately.

“Heavenly Sword! The director requests your presence!”

“Please, we beg you to come with us!”

Their faces were filled with discomfort and fear. And of course, they knew, just like I did, that even as a group, they couldn’t catch me.

They were just following the director’s orders. They had no choice.

‘She sent instructors because she knew I wouldn’t hurt them.’

She was counting on my nature not to harm innocents. That was Ryozo. She knew her husband’s psychology perfectly. The number of pursuers would gradually increase, and the net would tighten. “Surrounded on all sides” was a perfect fit.

On top of that, the shouting and stomping in the air made everything feel even more real.

In this situation, the only person I could trust was—

“Eh?”

When I looked forward again, the “CLOSE” sign was swinging like a broken pendulum on the workshop door.

“Ahjussi?”

“Sorry.”

Volundr apologized through the door. His voice was as dry as rusted metal.

“I’m just a small-time merchant. I have no choice but to follow the director’s orders. It’s unfortunate, but if you made a mistake, you must fix it yourself.”

Not only did he not help hide me—he betrayed me! I didn’t know this old man was so selfish.

‘You’re not Volundr…’

Welcome back, Burundr.

Burundr tried to soothe my anger. He was probably sweating more now than when forging weapons.

“I promise I’ll craft your weapon with everything I’ve got. So survive!”

“Damn it! If you wreck it like you did Murasame, I’ll never forgive you!”

“…You’re still hung up on that…?”

I didn’t respond. That was my way of leaving a thorn in Volundr’s heart, so he’d pour his soul into crafting the gear. Not like either of us could keep secrets from the other anyway.

Clack.

I snapped my fingers and summoned lightning magic, then leapt lightly. In an instant, I was high above the ground.

From a height brushing the clouds, I watched the instructors look up with their necks bent at impossible angles. But me? Worry about someone?

I murmured bitterly and snapped my fingers again.

Bzzzzzz!

I turned into a streak of lightning that pierced the endless sky. My movement triggered a shockwave that split the clouds and tore through the air like thunder.

The scenery beneath my feet changed so fast it felt unreal. Cadets who saw me passing could only mumble.

“Isn’t that Heavenly Sword?!”

“Waaah! Heavenly Sword, we love you!”

I didn’t have time for affectionate greetings. I sped up even more. Though I’d already broken the sound barrier, my brain was working even faster.

‘I have to survive.’

Not even Gehenna was enough to escape the perfect net woven by Ryozo and Abel.

“I guess only by leaving the atmosphere will I be safe.”

But that would be going too far.

‘That might raise unnecessary suspicions.’

I didn’t even know why Ryozo and Abel wanted to see me. Earlier, I ran away like a thief purely by instinct, but I planned to explain everything tomorrow. Running too far would be the worst choice.

‘In that case…’

There was only one possible second hideout.

Ruuuuum.

I raised my internal pressure.

Changing direction mid-flight at near-light speed tore my muscles. But that was more bearable than being scolded by my wives.

Remember, this is the reality of a married man.

So I split the clouds in two and made a U-turn toward the destination that popped into my mind.

They say when a woman holds a grudge, it can snow even in midsummer.

And sure enough, snowfall covered my face.

Of course, that was just a metaphor. The destination I had in mind was a place where it was winter all year round.

***

At the Antarctic research base, studies were in full swing.

Victor Poison and Media Poison, for once, had joined forces to discuss. If one had to name the three brightest minds of humanity, it would be Victor, Media, and Ryozo. Of them, two had been immersed for days analyzing the cause of a certain phenomenon. The research topic was an enigma beyond the grasp of ordinary minds.

The Antarctic was so remote they didn’t even know about the exchange program between Joaquin and Parsy. In fact, that was the least of their concerns. The Poisons, father and daughter, hadn’t eaten for a week.

And so, after dedicating themselves completely without concern for food or drink—

“At last.”

“At last, yes.”

The two former sages had reached a conclusion. But it didn’t sound hopeful.

“This…”

Victor Poison murmured darkly as he looked at the monitors lining the walls. His daughter, beside him, also wore a grim expression.

“The reason for the increase in human longevity.”

Media violently ruffled her topknot.

It had all started with the youthful appearance of Sword Master and Changseong.

Even considering that heroes lived longer, their friends were becoming visibly younger. Sensing something was wrong, Media had come to the Antarctic base to borrow Victor’s intellect and experience, and they’d researched intensely for a week.

And the result?

“The reason aged heroes are growing younger… is because they’re stealing the world’s life force for themselves?”

“…”

— Yes.

The margin of error was thinner than a hair. It was Vixbig, the AI created by Ryozo, that had reached this conclusion.

“The world is deteriorating…”

— It may not be my place to say this, but…

Vixbig interjected.

— This world, due to humans—or more precisely, heroes—is heading toward its most certain demise.

“Then this really is an unavoidable fate?”

— Based on current calculations, yes. But if you wish, I can keep calculating until I find another outcome.

“We’ve already exceeded the number of scenarios measurable with numbers. Vixbig, you’ve done your best.” Victor shook his head.

“This… in other words, is an inevitable ending.”

…

— But what if ‘He’ were involved? Couldn’t He change things?

“If it were him… if it were that hero of the past…”

At those words, Media reacted. For a moment, light returned to her dull eyes.

“No matter how amazing he is, that must be impossible.”

A foolish father rushed to extinguish all hope. Media, irritable from sleep deprivation, shouted.

“Why are you always so pessimistic?! Just like in the past! Is it because you’ve lived enough already?! Even if it’s me, Sieg, or Richard—do the cadets of the academy also have to perish with this world?!”

“…Media.”

“We have to try everything we can! Beg anyone who might help! If there’s someone who even remotely seems capable, we must cling to him, even if only by his coat!”

Media’s eyes began to fill with tears. Ever since her lackluster role in the Second Human-Demon War, she had carried that weight in her heart.

She’d spent nearly ten years convincing herself it was fine because the world was at peace. She’d occasionally visited the Joaquin Academy and found joy in the laughter of its students.

But even that would soon come to an end.

This damned world, this rotten world, wouldn’t give humanity a break. Even in peace, it forced crises upon them, pushing them to the brink.

“At least we could fight demons! But this apocalypse—this is something humans can’t stop! Then we must turn to someone beyond human! We must ask a god of this era for help…!”

— Apologies for interrupting…

“If you’re going to apologize, then wait a bit!”

— There’s been an external breach.

“What…?”

— An unregistered biological entity has been detected.

And at that exact moment…

Boom!

With a thunderous crash, a blast of snow burst into the Antarctic base.

Media’s overheated brain froze instantly.

Step, step.

Through the white haze, footsteps echoed, carrying a frigid air.

“Sorry for the sudden visit.”

The figure that stepped through the blizzard was the very name Media had been calling out so desperately.

A man who was essentially no different from a god in this era.

“I’ll only be staying here one day.”

Heavenly Sword.

“I can’t go home today.”

The current identity of Kang Geom-Ma was that of a fugitive.