Chapter 348: End of the Inter-Academy Tournament (6)

We were advancing at full speed.

We were running toward the sun, surpassing even the speed of sound.

Maybe we were nearing the speed of light.

I knew because the edge of my field of vision was slowly being devoured by white.

Sight 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.

I don’t need to quote what Ryozo said to sound more sophisticated.

That would just be pathetic.

‘I think in my own style.’

I gently closed my eyes.

I felt the cold air, the wind flowing like clouds, and separated the physical world from my inner mind.

‘The end has finally come.’

With just that brief exchange of glances with Yu Sein, I understood the situation.

The saint, the sage, even the universe had been sending me clues of the end times.

Even if I looked away, I always carried it in my chest like a knot that wouldn’t go away.

Ready to pull it out and embed it between the folds of my brain at any moment.

‘…But is this end really directed at me?’

A selfish question, now that I think about it. But if I don’t think it now, I won’t have time to later.

‘My race, objectively speaking we are gods.’

The end is usually the exclusive domain of humans. It’s their world that is destroyed.

I’ve never heard of a mythology where the world of the gods ends. Rather, it’s the gods who usually punish humans.

The end.

In reality, I knew it was a necessary concept in this universe.

A purification function that cleans the corrupted parts to preserve its existence.

‘…And I also knew that I was the one who had to fulfill that role.’

A bitter smile formed on its own. The wind gently brushed my lips.

That’s precisely why gods shouldn’t have a will of their own. Gods must be phenomena and functions.

“Action” and “reaction” belong to humans.

But 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.

They warned that, in the long run, I would be a threat to the world.

And that if my personal will aligned with that of humans, the Suppression Will would rise to restore the balance.

“They say even a broken clock is right twice a day…”

Turns out, after all, there are things I agree with them on.

But even so, they were wrong, and I was right.

I am the spirit of In (human), the body of Ma (demon), and the weapon of Shin (god).

A mix of all three.

Simply put, would that make me something like a mongrel street dog?

A mixed-breed dog like me has its own way of surviving.

Sometimes 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.

It’s time to open my eyes.

Observe, act, and respond to the end.

I’m still human.

***

In the sky, with the sun nearly piercing my pupils, I looked back.

The clouds, like a flock of sheep, stretched far behind me.

We were so high up that I couldn’t even estimate the distance to the ground with the naked eye.

We were closer to the heavens than to the earth.

And finally, I could clearly see what that blot covering the sun was.

“Grrrrrrrrng!”

I felt the fur bristle between my fingers.

I was holding it like reins, so I immediately sensed Sköll’s hostility.

“You feel it too, huh? That guy’s dangerous.”

I stroked Sköll’s neck and looked up.

A man riding a white horse watched us from above, the sun at his back like a halo.

‘A knight.’

But he wasn’t a knight out of legend.

His 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.

His hair was a pale, lifeless green, like dried seaweed on his head. And he held a bow as large as a grown man.

— Awoooooooo…!

— Awoooooooo…!

Sköll and Hati let out a long howl.

That cry was a warning to me.

‘He’s dangerous.’

My breathing quickened.

A massive tide crashed against the mental dam I’d built with effort.

White horse or not, that guy looked more like a hunched old man on a donkey painted white.

But the pressure he radiated was unlike anything I’d ever felt.

False gods? They were child’s play in comparison.

That was when I loosened my shirt collar with a finger.

=How can an apostle go against the natural order?=

The old knight’s voice echoed again and again behind my eyes.

=Do you not know the fate of those who defy the heavens?=

I forced my throat open through sheer willpower to respond.

“…Before you speak, shouldn’t you say your name?”

That was just me trying to act tough.

But the old knight answered my bluff with surprising gentleness.

=I too am, like you, one of the apostles of the Power of Suppression. In charge of Conquest and Pestilence=

The word Conquest struck me squarely. So I blurted out at once.

“Ragnarok…?”

=I see you’ve recognized it=

The old man gave a crooked smile with the corner of his lips, so malicious that even the wrinkles on his forehead moved.

It was a sinister and repulsive grin.

The old knight, Ragnarok, continued speaking.

=After all, someone like you couldn’t possibly ignore such an anomalous phenomenon in the world, right?=

Damn. I feared as much.

‘The Apocalypse has manifested.’

I’m a Miracle Blessing M user and I know a thing or two about subculture, so I had some idea.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

The four taboos of the universe.

That meant there were still three more monsters like this one.

They really did intend to destroy this world to its roots.

Damn you, Power of Suppression!

=Apostle, you are incredibly selfish=

“…”

=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?=

“…”

=Of course you do. As a foreigner, you can’t ignore the fact that the ‘narrative’ of this world ended ten years ago=

He was so blunt, it didn’t even hurt anymore.

And on top of that, he openly mentioned the truth that I’m a possessed one.

If he worked for the Power of Suppression, it made sense he’d know.

I shrugged like it was no big deal.

“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?”

=Correct=

“This world isn’t a game where you can reroll.”

=That’s just your opinion. The flow of the world is cyclical. Even water rots if it doesn’t move=

Impressive. An apostle of the Power of Suppression who understands what a reroll is.

An apostle is an apostle, no doubt.

I took a breath and spoke again.

“The flow of the universe doesn’t have to work that way alone. Why cling to such primitive methods?”

=Hahahaha=

Ragnarok let out an old, worn-out laugh.

Sköll and Hati took a step back.

That omen of the end froze the three of us for a moment.

Just for a moment.

Then, as if he had never laughed in his life, he spoke with an icy face.

=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=

“For an old man, you’ve got sharp instincts.”

I moved my wrist.

From under my sleeve sprang Murasame and the unnamed EX-grade sashimi.

=Oh, apostle of the Power of Suppression poor creature incapable of giving up his humanity. Why do you hesitate to accept your true identity?=

“I know exactly who I am. Disciple of Balor Joaquin, Heavenly Sword, and God of the Sword.”

But Ragnarok shook his head. Then narrowed his eyes, now entirely black, without a trace of white.

=You don’t know yourself=

With those abyssal eyes, he looked down on the three of us.

=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=

Ragnarok slowly raised his wooden bow, and just as slowly drew the string.

=I am the knight of Conquest and Pestilence. Ragnarok=

With the string pressing against his mustache without flesh or friction, he declared.

=I have come to this place to exterminate you=

Ting.

The string returned to its original position.

And at that moment, the hollow sound of the bowstring echoed across the sky.

Ruuuumble…

A massive roar, a tremendous pressure.

The whole world seemed to tremble.

Sköll and Hati stopped midair and jerked their heads upward.

Our vision shook as though submerged in water.

Behind the sun, behind Ragnarok, another orb timidly appeared—the moon, no less colossal.

The sun and the moon, aligned in the same sky.

I didn’t even have time to exhale.

Dots began to gather on both celestial bodies.

Arrows.

=These are the arrows of Conquest. Once they hit, they’ll become my property=

From the black moon, gray arrows like starlight flew out.

=And these are the arrows of Pestilence. They’ll burn the soul of all who resist=

From the brilliant sun, oil-colored arrows burst forth.

=Humans, pay the price for defying the Power of Suppression along with this world=

The arrows were fast. My time slowed. I used electric magic to accelerate my thoughts.

I applied the same effect to Sköll and Hati.

And just then.

《Hey, hey, wake up.》

It was Yu Sein.

《Overthinking doesn’t suit your character, Kang Geom-Ma. Let’s keep it simple. Your style. The way you do best.》

In frozen time, the saint’s voice flowed.

《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.》

Something I need to do?

《One minute.》

Yu Sein spoke without the slightest tremble.

《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.》

What?

《One minute. For that minute, do whatever you want. Don’t worry about anything or anyone.》

Decay and disappearance are inevitable in the universe.

We, members of the cycle of possession and reincarnation, are defying a fate that cannot be escaped.

《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.》

Yu Sein tells me.

If we’re going to go crazy, then let’s do it without holding back.

[Do you accept? ☞ (Y/N)]

Pfft.

I chuckled softly.

Old memories flooded my mind one by one.

“Why does it have to appear as a status window, of all things?”

Even as I said that, I nodded without hesitation.

[Y/N]
▲

Beeep—

[Unauthorized external intrusion detected. A defense program will be deployed automatically.]

[In progress…]

[■□□□□□□□■□□□]

[■□□□□■□□□□□]

[……!]

[Error detected! Error detected! Error detected! … (repeated)]

[※※An error has occurred.※※]

[The power of containment will intervene directly, along with its apostle, to readjust the timeline.]

Flash—

[Thank you for your effort.]

— Inter-academy exchange: concluded.

·····,
·····,
·····.

I drew my blade.

Thread / Good Fortune

[■■■■■ / ㅁㅁㅁㅁㅁㅁ]

A thrust, and the sound of air being torn.

I slowly lowered the sashimi that had sliced through the void.

In the next moment, Yu Sein’s voice whispered near my ear with a laugh.

《If you cut, it will split.》

I am human.

《May the blessing of the gods be with you.》

I am a sword that cuts through anything.