Chapter 381: The Apostle (2)
EWu“Ha, hahaha.”Xhj
pGmCgQMy throat burns.qBCvl
XFGMy stomach churns.ThkMt7L
Woy3VjIt was rare for me to find myself in a situation like this as All Mute. The last time must’ve been during the fight against Kang Geom-Ma. I rushed in without thinking, drunk on national pride, and ended up getting a real lesson.bB5
Owk8‘It was like being slapped awake by reality.’yxBv
A3hBut I never held a grudge against Kang Geom-Ma. On the contrary, he was the one who woke up the neurons dulled by patriotic euphoria. Though his methods could seem harsh, his results were always right. And the reason was simple.xohA
MSBLKang Geom-Ma was no villain.Yiadqbv
SRIK0Y“Impressive.”jVDH
6wrThe man in the tracksuit stepped forward and spoke. Even though his zipper was pulled all the way up, the crooked corner of his mouth couldn’t be hidden. He seemed to be the leader of this group.XB8
Ti5zJAll Mute took in the surroundings broadly. People standing in lines, dressed with no uniformity at all, all kinds of faces. Literally men, women, elderly, young. No age or gender predominated. It was hard to find a single common thread.LBzXCzG
iG51ZO5The air was heavy. The columns leading to the end of the corridor were smashed down. Like the freshly pulled teeth of an old man. A fierce battle must have taken place here.1RWtJ1N
tLe‘Humans fighting against mages.’VNnpuL
dCWTVillains.MyYKde
AUTl6eiIt had been over ten years since I’d heard that word. A group that Kang Geom-Ma eradicated during his student years. Though there were signs they tried to rise again, their presence was suppressed by Kang Geom-Ma’s very existence. They never dared to show themselves.JS1agzU
PJOAnd yet now, they’d raised their heads. That meant they had some kind of backing. Who was behind this?SMzIT
Vie76KIt wasn’t demons. Among them, dragons were close to heroes. And they had good relations with Kang Geom-Ma. There was no reason for them to ally with such hostile humans.ZpftxN
Ox2Pain.3a1
z01aqKI held my hand to my temple. The muscles were muscles, but it felt like my brain was going to burst.lByow
3keL4a‘This is getting complicated.’U79cBcH
R2uiZRThink simply. Simply.YtRGH
Tk3HSR‘…Like Kang Geom-Ma…’9Gm5rv
wmj7E8What would he do in this situation?8U8z
dkBPeople misunderstand easily. They think Kang Geom-Ma just draws his sashimi sword without thinking.iC2
ggdsjPBut those around him think differently. Kang Geom-Ma doesn’t act rashly. Despite his overwhelming strength, he never lets his guard down.Xrab87
uR9uHe watches his opponent to the end before acting. It was during my duel with him that I learned that caution. And that was the reason I came to respect that guy deeply.RVzC
Okzxy“Pff.”baS3k
9F7pDAll Mute spat on the ground. There was blood. She wiped her lips with her thumb and muttered.pcjh9ri
LMPruCd“Never thought villain scum still crawled around. Honestly, you’re like cockroaches with superpowers…”Vb8Zad
N2vkz6“Huff, huff… I agree, senior.”lXyWS
ZzyDRachel’s chest rose and fell. She was visibly exhausted. If not for the situation, All Mute would’ve been surprised. Rachel, the adrenaline junkie, panting from fatigue?CGXW
2WupPY“Hey!”n6D
ap21nCatching her breath, Rachel lashed out coldly.yhq4UY
aWRhI“Don’t you villains ever learn? Or do you think you’ve got more guts than us heroes? Didn’t you get the message when that guy one-shotted you?”Trmb37G
vhbvEo“……”xldoEt
V5xpv4That guy.ADPF
DUMAThe man’s smug smile twisted. He shrank his neck into his tracksuit like a turtle and muttered.2vM3d
Lx7PHwJ“There are a few things you need to correct.”hKKDL4
8kp9“Don’t start lecturing, villain. Just because you pulled off a few combos doesn’t mean you’re our buddy. Keep talking and you’ll get smacked.”dpDfD1V
3Dg“Hahaha!”W2bFNZ
yTz“And what the hell are you laughing at?”lncPcr
hvYSVThe man’s eyes glinted with a pale green, toxic light. He lowered the zipper that covered his mouth just a bit.jqHnZE
slmBMiq“Rachel Mura. Direct heiress of the Changseong family. Currently active as a hero in Lancelot Company.”tEmyTWp
Ujh“You can find that out just by looking at her Stargram profile…”hWt9OF1
I164“Before that.”MAUd9
hSuWZThe tracksuit man interrupted.FiWFqNF
2bf“She’s a hero.”5Ol
Oh8Y“…What?”387wJ2
hIw9QSORachel looked puzzled by his strange way of speaking. He stated the obvious like it was a shocking revelation. Was it some magic effect?r82q
BA6as9j“And who does a hero fight for?”8kbVW
nsPrb“What kind of nonsense is that?”EmL
1PaBut the man didn’t care.6QPcAW6
2FPB“For me.”kH4or
C0rYbbaHe pointed his thumb at himself and added.uyg7eI
9CSs“We fight for humans with bodies like this.”I5mjWko
7kOBHis words stabbed sharply at the soul. “Bodies like this.” The discomfort in that phrase was disturbing. Rachel and All Mute began to pale.c457
39MyX“No matter how many rotten nobles there are, no hero has ever broken that unspoken rule.”lAoZZMP
YCeqrc“No, that can’t be…”1Jt
6rvwps“Thinking we were villains just because we used magic… that was narrow-minded, Mura. You too, All Mute.”4iq2vdA
WpxXaThe enemies surrounding Rachel and All Mute raised their hands at the same time.xpn
tF9wWith thumbs holding back their middle fingers, as if aiming to flick them in the forehead.v7LP
jWU7The tracksuit man spoke on their behalf.mop
b6fU“You’re the ones who don’t understand the real end of this world. Mages? Heroes? Those black-and-white labels were made up by you.”zF5P
X5OHis pupils filled with madness.ocnN
eSp9wmD“We are the carriers of a will beyond causality. As long as truth exists, as long as the end exists, we won’t vanish. Rip us apart as many times as you want—we’ll grow back.”U4oWR
9FfGxaC“That’s a fancy way to say you’re stubborn.”WY5Ms
pSpRachel frowned.deaw6R
OROY“Mura, you don’t get it. To break this cycle of evil, a choice has to be made. A choice your dear friend must take.”SNxmk
PEPXjb“You all are…”L169zg
EOVAll Mute’s fists weakened. She exhaled painfully.ueP
SIfYiFe“Those bodies… they’re civilians, aren’t they?”FsRYNr
RALgeThe tracksuit guy smirked mockingly.GEB
LfOSmFm“Correct. You’re definitely future Seven Stars material.”rAOJwke
shk7j“What are you talking about, senior?!”dKH
q739L5PRachel’s eyes widened. All Mute sighed deeply.Q23
uchpixC“He’s right. Those guys have no bodies of their own. They’ve abandoned their flesh and incarnated as spirits in civilian bodies.”eu3M
rhtTatYPossession.2pF2W
bpNA technique where consciousness inhabits another’s body. In the past, it was how body-commanders descended into the human world.EFk1yx
uIn‘How the hell did some petty villains pull off possession…?’xwEe
qP7NjxShe didn’t know. But it didn’t matter now. What mattered was something else.XEAm37
2lTFOmThose preparing to attack were civilians. That idea dominated All Mute’s mind. Rachel asked, trembling:lbWpJD
BcvN“S-So…”5Ad8
q87dRVR“If we hurt those bodies, only the humans will suffer. Not even a physical attack will scratch those souls.”01UgYO
AG7A“Correct again!”xdzC
rtbUThe tracksuit guy looked ready to applaud. He sneered with his gums showing.UTyhAJ
r1bW“You know, the current human world is the best possible environment for us. Which means it’s the worst possible for you heroes. There’s a mana flow now in the human world. Perfect to give the starting signal, right?”uRY
rl1“Ha…”xhEtOiA
vfUzCUAll Mute let out a powerless laugh.MGWEiAT
SItvA5w“The advantage or disadvantage of the environment… sure…”jy8
OIVThen she lowered her gaze, savoring each word. But when she raised her eyes, her gaze, clear as water, pierced through the enemies.TgYCR6z
WtiM“There’s someone unaffected by that advantage.”YICvl83
DZhnoGP“What…?”Hp5A
Fxs91“Heavenly Sword.”eOhh8f
57BuKm“……”5EPRMM
x8qfF“Don’t you think your defense is too flimsy? Of course you’re scared. Physical attacks may not work, you’re possessing bodies—but there’s one person—no, one existence that can reduce all of that to dust.”6DtjPM7
7v1JAs she spoke, All Mute lowered her arms. She had no intention of continuing the fight.ndCCww
EaZmOEven if they tried with all their power, civilian casualties were inevitable.m0XA87
qGq5The enemies were hostages in themselves. If they showed the slightest resistance, the villains would slit their own throats. Or set themselves on fire with magic. Either way, civilians would die.05Lq
imjbrje‘I can’t allow that just to save myself.’LyM
XTUZyShe couldn’t hurt them. Not even a scratch. Because before she was a hero, she was human, with a moral responsibility.N4etlYS
gfPAi“I won’t force you, Rachel.”cAQe
iU26nAll Mute bit her lip, staring at the enemies.07s
BCGz490“I won’t blame you or hold it against you. Do whatever you want, like you always have. That’s the beauty of my dear junior.”nRE3
ao6i6“…”c3e
68YRachel fell silent for a moment.YioB1
4BgiQKClang.9drzw
PBj26XXA metallic sound echoed in the emptiness. Then she let go of her halberd. All Mute glanced at her as she walked. Rachel shrugged.ssz
khQg“If I kill the homeless, Majira’s gonna be pissed.”eTa
7EZef“You’ll die.”JRF5tV
iXF“What’s the point of being a hero if I’m scared of dying? That’s what they pay me hundreds of millions for. Senior, you’re seriously underestimating me.”BI1AB
fBQM7WAll Mute smiled faintly.8xs
No2bRxiThe villains started to get restless. That nonchalant attitude wasn’t what they expected.cQMP
5KNSo the tracksuit guy tried to provoke them, but Rachel beat him to it.dAHSjW
GesxeA“The one who’ll take care of our revenge… is him.”zkgw
p4GvKqHer voice was pure. In her eyes, there wasn’t a hint of darkness.6hg
0Mzd“Heavenly Sword will avenge us until that idiot begs to be killed. When we’re in hell, we’ll torture him together.”xbfQE8
ED8tjkd“You’ve grown well, Rachel.”Zno7cd
KusZVyRachel puffed out her chest.iNO
el7y“Of course!”kMYf
0RD“I didn’t mean it that way…”CZ97p
AUTw5Gk“You’ve had enough time for your final words in life.”ra3
vTZThe air pressure changed. Mana began to flow. A purple energy curled up their legs like wild thistle. It was an immense power.W3N2
VvSmRj“Goodbye, heroes.”IkFL0zv
Y1Bu“You too, throw your final tantrum with all your strength.”fE1ylXM
PhmZ4“To the very end…!”DSR9WH
9gRWOne of the women couldn’t take it anymore and snapped her fingers.acgtJo
HPhSnap.9ooW
i2PX4CpA flame burst at the point of contact. The fire spread immediately. All Mute took a deep breath and closed her eyes.6AlXa
k7t0Z‘It’s going to hurt.’BhPsmj
F8fYes, it would hurt.ygN2
B9Sht8They say burn pain is the worst a human can feel. But All Mute thought differently.B00GM
Qqca3I9After losing her humanity, the pain of conscience was far worse.WsX0
ZsnBEh‘Humans die.’Vha
6CwJXAnd they do so leaving behind nothing but a small black-and-white photograph. That’s why people try so hard to live a life that leaves a mark.yWeKYY
oK3JUYAll Mute reflected. How had her life been?R8cN
3MWFairly dignified.kIXMg
oV1She lived for her country.MRA
Yj0Fought as a heroine.jp2E4i
wEsPAnd now, she would die as a human.4ikcGgf
bY0R‘I regret nothing.’uwpPc5
xILAThe air in front of her was burning. A hot gust pushed her hair back. The enemy’s fire must have been very close.mqK5JB
HE8‘I’m going to die…’ow1MWeK
KzrFWWWWWEEEHH!7Uq
WHaA piercing sound tore through the atmosphere. Shlack! At that very instant, All Mute even felt cold as the surrounding fire was suddenly extinguished. Before she could even open her eyes, Rachel moved her lips.3Xrc
7a8“This is…”QdyyV
luEzhq6A sword. With a 30% off tag hanging from it.8jGy
FK3“How is this possible…?”rAEiQ
q8hSMaybe because of the fire’s light, the sword’s glow shimmered with dark flashes. And in that transparent blade… she saw something reflected.uMsbBUS
e5VahmnBlack eyes.eB966
Nx7fMy■■■■■■—!!Cs2a
n56SsAll Mute’s hair whipped forward violently. A wind generated by lightning. The flash of light traced a razor-sharp path through the ceiling, floor, and walls, leaving no safe space.nH5
OryUPS6The enemies, panicked, began casting spells. But it wasn’t enough to stop the high speed. The elemental magic they conjured was sliced like strips of soft candy.1s4Vf
BTodU8CRACKLE!m7EywJ
6Z9RSThe man in the tracksuit slowly turned his gaze. A light behind him— the exit had been blocked by someone’s silhouette. He managed to read the two characters written on that person’s back.bQWifgE
IWbos0P“Sword… Heav…”hMkxcl
pGEK‘That’bPYsT8
bVFcfigure walked forward, bringing darkness with him.ZhpUWr
eOJ“Y-You? How the hell… are you here?”chNAqv
dGR0BCHe had manipulated everything to keep him away using Choi Ah-a, his infiltrated ally.eSYWJA
4eaKclHe had even prepared a believable enough trap to distract him.G3ouGcF
IKSy9WB“You said the timing was perfect!”Acq4es
vxOfNFA“S-S-Shut up—!!” he suddenly screamed, voice stained with panic.ChAi
ZGwsiR“Do you know how many times light can circle the Earth in a second?”9B1oFy
FVKzIG“W-What are you talking about…?”wxso
81TCm2“Seven and a half times.”OYE
ffrCChills.uDvhit
f3VJ“A second ago, I finished dealing with the stragglers on the other front.”MDPoq
anUKang Geom-Ma slightly turned his wrist.1PFH4
xKk“Don’t worry.”zaUC
Y9iThe Murasame’s cord slipped along the blade.X0zq
VIJakv“With you, I won’t even need a full second.”I8mJT8
Jm0Kang Geom-Ma could see it clearly.yJM7
m0MlbThe red threads sprouting from the crowns of his enemies.xiwl22
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Shadow Monarch
MortalBro travelled earth in second with electric power