Chapter 348: End of the Inter-Academy Tournament (6)
cg6HWe were advancing at full speed.jh1a
AGqJWe were running toward the sun, surpassing even the speed of sound.R8L
IYqNMaybe we were nearing the speed of light.IEGsbax
KqkI knew because the edge of my field of vision was slowly being devoured by white.BnHa
b74crrSight is the phenomenon where light bounces off objects and hits my retinas bah, let’s set aside those complicated explanations that aren’t my thing.LHx0
O9TcntI don’t need to quote what Ryozo said to sound more sophisticated.PcgcL
TkZ4lThat would just be pathetic.4onT
5Zzhk‘I think in my own style.’CzYjjg
1H8POXI gently closed my eyes.9hDG7V
bDtQH2I felt the cold air, the wind flowing like clouds, and separated the physical world from my inner mind.fTvUI
QnO‘The end has finally come.’ez7P3Sp
KmHkiWith just that brief exchange of glances with Yu Sein, I understood the situation.cwsWn
UtKPWThe saint, the sage, even the universe had been sending me clues of the end times.ooKk
uEYuHpTEven if I looked away, I always carried it in my chest like a knot that wouldn’t go away.0EJ
EQn5D8OReady to pull it out and embed it between the folds of my brain at any moment.j2IWa
5LJoSk‘…But is this end really directed at me?’E36Q
kvWzsWA selfish question, now that I think about it. But if I don’t think it now, I won’t have time to later.w2v2
H0Im2is‘My race, objectively speaking we are gods.’Brss
P0S8RhThe end is usually the exclusive domain of humans. It’s their world that is destroyed.ealETZu
tydAjI’ve never heard of a mythology where the world of the gods ends. Rather, it’s the gods who usually punish humans.yeJi
f0qsThe end.ry6oyb
xyG0rIn reality, I knew it was a necessary concept in this universe.Z3yuM
t4BR9A purification function that cleans the corrupted parts to preserve its existence.I6e
z1rG9‘…And I also knew that I was the one who had to fulfill that role.’wweN
JeZFA bitter smile formed on its own. The wind gently brushed my lips.dClH
VnB1dThat’s precisely why gods shouldn’t have a will of their own. Gods must be phenomena and functions.45G8pNy
Q0b“Action” and “reaction” belong to humans.LKurjKW
8pzbBut I, being the God of the Sword, was trying to act and react, not just exist. And every time I did, those words the false gods hurled at me ten years ago came to mind.M3cw8
onh1FThey warned that, in the long run, I would be a threat to the world.OdScvp
eY0JkAnd that if my personal will aligned with that of humans, the Suppression Will would rise to restore the balance.2eKYaU
a0oWV“They say even a broken clock is right twice a day…”P5th
HqmPYQdTurns out, after all, there are things I agree with them on.xgikUL
v8NSsAOBut even so, they were wrong, and I was right.Y3emG
BxD5mfI am the spirit of In (human), the body of Ma (demon), and the weapon of Shin (god).ZQp
hPAAA mix of all three.98rw0De
hnVejSimply put, would that make me something like a mongrel street dog?L8FhD5M
bvzhCzA mixed-breed dog like me has its own way of surviving.0Zak7P6
JvhLSometimes gently, sometimes cruelly, and sometimes with no mercy at all. That’s how I’ve lived, and that’s how I’ll keep living until I die.77vtY
1KZhIt’s time to open my eyes.VAdrO
QGaLBWBObserve, act, and respond to the end.Nfpny
00917YI’m still human.LFO
Q22ImRs***AlXSXW
NrWgIn the sky, with the sun nearly piercing my pupils, I looked back.eDk5jbb
rnFMThe clouds, like a flock of sheep, stretched far behind me.e0GASK3
KKCXWe were so high up that I couldn’t even estimate the distance to the ground with the naked eye.XX8nO9
KSDzGrWe were closer to the heavens than to the earth.JRip
aHhdiAnd finally, I could clearly see what that blot covering the sun was.Grfp6Kg
JMtNHL“Grrrrrrrrng!”UO7XP
moqI7I felt the fur bristle between my fingers.Nlsljc
V1vQDI was holding it like reins, so I immediately sensed Sköll’s hostility.Eirlpc
EPTe6“You feel it too, huh? That guy’s dangerous.”2hOV
34BQfR6I stroked Sköll’s neck and looked up.GWlYZf
krgCzA man riding a white horse watched us from above, the sun at his back like a halo.WCFD7XU
zHsAw‘A knight.’dsy
Q9RU2EBut he wasn’t a knight out of legend.vMzYH
naGCrHis back was hunched like a hunchback’s, his face drooped like a bulldog’s, and his eyelids hung so low he looked like a human-shaped sponge.lBt
ZCYLHis hair was a pale, lifeless green, like dried seaweed on his head. And he held a bow as large as a grown man.ibdYM8A
lwsjK3— Awoooooooo…!rXLX7cV
GBw— Awoooooooo…!aNdjmA
TnCSköll and Hati let out a long howl.OcM7
tDwThat cry was a warning to me.BTKQM
r9zeEJ‘He’s dangerous.’rqzJwWI
fPkMy breathing quickened.jPe
2kgHNA massive tide crashed against the mental dam I’d built with effort.1zUDxYt
YsW25iRWhite horse or not, that guy looked more like a hunched old man on a donkey painted white.SlcgzI
yC7yBut the pressure he radiated was unlike anything I’d ever felt.ycCPb
F5ISFalse gods? They were child’s play in comparison.nhiDn
MO7b90PThat was when I loosened my shirt collar with a finger.7SI8
QR0D=How can an apostle go against the natural order?=Nng
FgAIUThe old knight’s voice echoed again and again behind my eyes.X4q1
KskoRR=Do you not know the fate of those who defy the heavens?=i7gl
dOtJmsEI forced my throat open through sheer willpower to respond.9qt
Cmh“…Before you speak, shouldn’t you say your name?”WWX
0bUOiJWThat was just me trying to act tough.bVN
W8BGBut the old knight answered my bluff with surprising gentleness.qOwvFO
qyqLXZ=I too am, like you, one of the apostles of the Power of Suppression. In charge of Conquest and Pestilence=sou
Z0L0V9WThe word Conquest struck me squarely. So I blurted out at once.pMQSo7N
YhwdLpv“Ragnarok…?”ailx4y
3I3=I see you’ve recognized it=uc9vjr
NFYThe old man gave a crooked smile with the corner of his lips, so malicious that even the wrinkles on his forehead moved.v78
XanIt was a sinister and repulsive grin.e9qvmik
FNuIwThe old knight, Ragnarok, continued speaking.uUpw
RQZ9yj=After all, someone like you couldn’t possibly ignore such an anomalous phenomenon in the world, right?=gM399
EzDDamn. I feared as much.opzu
fn3ja‘The Apocalypse has manifested.’ulI
h0iOCEfI’m a Miracle Blessing M user and I know a thing or two about subculture, so I had some idea.Gop9f
Hf26zRThe Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.10m3E
FjGJThe four taboos of the universe.dAYYzh
TxhThat meant there were still three more monsters like this one.BgD
zhIThey really did intend to destroy this world to its roots.2mSuJt
fou9L4wDamn you, Power of Suppression!UJRi
fXztsk=Apostle, you are incredibly selfish=uFoW
Q8KnQs6“…”0kLEu
ZhRWUWm=The world should be left to be as it is. But you want to lock it in a frame so it looks pretty to your eyes. Is that really for the universe’s sake? I don’t think so. The universe needs a natural purification process. Only when the old disappears can new life emerge. Don’t you already know that?=Q3v
XkYSEu“…”Q9Y47uj
Sm2hN0O=Of course you do. As a foreigner, you can’t ignore the fact that the ‘narrative’ of this world ended ten years ago=NHlgU
8xOHe was so blunt, it didn’t even hurt anymore.sSNMMG5
0uQ8uAnd on top of that, he openly mentioned the truth that I’m a possessed one.PjRPMY
fzVIf he worked for the Power of Suppression, it made sense he’d know.JurZ
2ngr6rzI shrugged like it was no big deal.WW8Rf
KOK“Like you said, I’m pretty selfish. And that purification process you talk about it’s nothing more than a complete reset of the world, right?”r7ycPWA
UNBb=Correct=D20q
fllL1“This world isn’t a game where you can reroll.”EDoCmvF
rSH30=That’s just your opinion. The flow of the world is cyclical. Even water rots if it doesn’t move=r2M
HtMijYImpressive. An apostle of the Power of Suppression who understands what a reroll is.IF1A
OpmxAn apostle is an apostle, no doubt.Z8dSK
yEhI took a breath and spoke again.nOO9P6c
f80WtO“The flow of the universe doesn’t have to work that way alone. Why cling to such primitive methods?”beC3k
pKSs=Hahahaha=yluGi5b
PojRagnarok let out an old, worn-out laugh.vnp
HhgZbFSköll and Hati took a step back.LHdlzvB
K02DmxThat omen of the end froze the three of us for a moment.PsdyGL
5hdndJust for a moment.K10MC
xDZJ3OThen, as if he had never laughed in his life, he spoke with an icy face.2kgaaR
YJjF=And you, who say that—why have you drawn your sword in secret? As an apostle of the Power of Suppression, you know full well the only way to fix the world is through the most primitive method=jzF5LZ
4VQHK“For an old man, you’ve got sharp instincts.”Wzj6
6iLBXI moved my wrist.pcUGU2
BtpPgQdFrom under my sleeve sprang Murasame and the unnamed EX-grade sashimi.8Gg2D
qooox3=Oh, apostle of the Power of Suppression poor creature incapable of giving up his humanity. Why do you hesitate to accept your true identity?=4dzkyi
Dycd“I know exactly who I am. Disciple of Balor Joaquin, Heavenly Sword, and God of the Sword.”fSvWf
tvzeKw5But Ragnarok shook his head. Then narrowed his eyes, now entirely black, without a trace of white.bBy2GiY
t8Ai=You don’t know yourself=GMbB
8EfmiUWith those abyssal eyes, he looked down on the three of us.Ykpuu
fvSYM=I’d like to tell you the truth, but that would also go against the law of the Power of Suppression. Carry that curiosity with you beyond this world=C93W
YIziB7Ragnarok slowly raised his wooden bow, and just as slowly drew the string.rogfb
JrkP=I am the knight of Conquest and Pestilence. Ragnarok=Vqwzic
Ok9CWith the string pressing against his mustache without flesh or friction, he declared.0bxrIsp
Z5q=I have come to this place to exterminate you=uBPEy
IINTing.O8gwxzL
VseyLlThe string returned to its original position.6Omk
JbMAnd at that moment, the hollow sound of the bowstring echoed across the sky.A2iLqXE
PM51JSRuuuumble…RqN
j9fA massive roar, a tremendous pressure.860Y1GA
SmLEThe whole world seemed to tremble.jbs
b8OH1Sköll and Hati stopped midair and jerked their heads upward.20nIq
GfE8Our vision shook as though submerged in water.LqKcrT
0c9Behind the sun, behind Ragnarok, another orb timidly appeared—the moon, no less colossal.HDMK
mJRThe sun and the moon, aligned in the same sky.0E5
Y6Z7I didn’t even have time to exhale.O1VVyj
P9ewrdODots began to gather on both celestial bodies.MZqB
oMTbArrows.HuV
M0R=These are the arrows of Conquest. Once they hit, they’ll become my property=KToVH
f1WOThFrom the black moon, gray arrows like starlight flew out.Y6G
TX7CwD=And these are the arrows of Pestilence. They’ll burn the soul of all who resist=O39FYRS
Cx0From the brilliant sun, oil-colored arrows burst forth.RU0dvi
7DF=Humans, pay the price for defying the Power of Suppression along with this world=JFentf
eLg8EeeThe arrows were fast. My time slowed. I used electric magic to accelerate my thoughts.fNG8syX
gO2UEluI applied the same effect to Sköll and Hati.n9f
5OBAnd just then.ODOSUVn
tlX《Hey, hey, wake up.》sAU
ThznIt was Yu Sein.ml2Uot
sTplQNF《Overthinking doesn’t suit your character, Kang Geom-Ma. Let’s keep it simple. Your style. The way you do best.》AJr
YAKrIn frozen time, the saint’s voice flowed.80QVMRi
d14《This academy gathering was my own preparation for the end. I couldn’t tell you directly for the sake of coherence, so I wrapped it in riddles. But before the main game begins, there’s something you need to do.》Smh
krmGSomething I need to do?j7ySF
skFzS4《One minute.》8JWVirE
M8zYu Sein spoke without the slightest tremble.uOG
pPmPXb《Just stop those arrows from hitting anyone for exactly one minute. After that, I’ll handle whatever comes next. I’ll take care of the setup—as the reincarnated one. But you’re the protagonist, the possessed one.》qveCBY
yE76kWhat?LRRf
gvZO《One minute. For that minute, do whatever you want. Don’t worry about anything or anyone.》4bSWAJt
3WA4GDecay and disappearance are inevitable in the universe.bpZuh
3ApmWe, members of the cycle of possession and reincarnation, are defying a fate that cannot be escaped.Te0UW
M3U93w《Hasn’t it been a while since you gave your all because you were always worrying about others? For that one minute, give it everything you’ve got.》oSVZm
izJZ9O7Yu Sein tells me.Naj
M2sIf we’re going to go crazy, then let’s do it without holding back.lrZva
ZkIoFVy[Do you accept? ☞ (Y/N)]ps5E
LN9Pfft.skF
OjB2aBI chuckled softly.8nAIp
68cXX35Old memories flooded my mind one by one.Wqs
pUSVMU“Why does it have to appear as a status window, of all things?”4N6D3sT
l5ctc2Even as I said that, I nodded without hesitation.oYD23y
5pls0X[Y/N]
▲CNMU
wndBeeep—XsQ
9cg8[Unauthorized external intrusion detected. A defense program will be deployed automatically.]KU0NS3G
jYcxL[In progress…]1zcz
I1hm[■□□□□□□□■□□□]0a0
6Gp[■□□□□■□□□□□]70S6hwx
qMICy[……!]MtYu7
txzJJz[Error detected! Error detected! Error detected! … (repeated)]Y0U
0RI3L[※※An error has occurred.※※]xxRG
8s9p[The power of containment will intervene directly, along with its apostle, to readjust the timeline.]55hEU
llkFlash—JRkT
Mx1W[Thank you for your effort.]HGy
4eR— Inter-academy exchange: concluded.LRB
KmN·····,
·····,
·····.fqiFhf
9Q4wZV4I drew my blade.AWSxX4h
dVSLZcKThread / Good Fortunen9Pru
ymVM[■■■■■ / ㅁㅁㅁㅁㅁㅁ]FgH48
gQpA thrust, and the sound of air being torn.X7JfM
GVrPfUSI slowly lowered the sashimi that had sliced through the void.dOMEbAZ
yrrgLIn the next moment, Yu Sein’s voice whispered near my ear with a laugh.jQi
k0uw《If you cut, it will split.》68xQ
CNAI am human.Sdhem
jZH6《May the blessing of the gods be with you.》K34y
qsUgIBI am a sword that cuts through anything.uo6g3lD
What did you think of this chapter?
Report comment
Please select the reason for reporting this comment. False reports may result in account suspension.
0 Comments
There are no comments yet. Be the first!