Chapter 386: Destiny (5)
L5yJS9“*Hasn’t he gotten over his past*?”gQ8R4Y
AsvDjjIt didn’t seem like it at all. Lycan thought that to himself, but he didn’t say it out loud. Joaquin’s eyes, fixed on the sunset light, looked far too sad.1kl
FlYgwM8“Yes.”MaqU
kYdeJoaquin closed his eyes for a moment.IANIciP
D6zH1Then, slowly, he opened them again. The black sun had already disappeared completely. Night had fallen in Gehenna.Tlf
OR3zNEverything was dark.xWaT
dYc53KSo silent it was almost suffocating.EfF0
LJrvDIf not for the soft rustling of squirrels moving nearby, one might think all senses had gone numb.4EK
pZASiFg“Well? Dark, isn’t it?”k04xc
ts1i0lpThe voice of Joaquin, founding hero, cut through the blackness. Lycan tilted his head at the sudden and strange question.00W4n
DARV“*It’s night, isn’t that normal*?”yJKf6
YjGSDl“Yes. It’s normal for it to be dark at night. But in Geom-Ma’s past, there was no day or night. It was always night. Always winter. Think about it—even here, in the Demon World, there is day and night, and yet an entire person’s life was nothing but absolute blackness.”kf9k
EGhbWithout going insane, no one could endure that. Even for Lycan, a corps commander, Kang Geom-Ma’s way of thinking was damaged.igc
lOlEven so, he lived keeping at least a minimum sense of morality. Or rather, he tried to.5RJuB
X3O“Geom-Ma held himself back. If I had been in his place, I would have destroyed everything and just waited for the day of my execution in prison. I always boast that I made him into a person, but the truth is the credit is his. He suffers the pain of loss and still grew straight.”xff
OB02C2M“*…*”65RY72
L1eh“Human malice… sometimes it can be so atrocious that even a demon couldn’t imagine it.”wFLvS
LcE1pLycan nodded.6W4
txl“*I know. In the human world they have that phrase about people being so bad that even a demon would stand up and applaud.*”exr
seFy6d“And you do know that phrase refers to demons like you, right?”QhxCT4s
IrNuTU“*That’s not the important part!*”lCvge
sbRRLycan’s expression hardened.laNIRK
Ok5p8“*The important part is that Geom-Ma’s past was that terrible. That’s the core point of all this.*”HIb8
FQdJoaquin’s lips twitched slightly. Even if he denied it, Lycan was beginning to understand human feelings.JXf
5fZqASuddenly, Joaquin remembered.G0OxhiD
pMvA demon, in the end, was still part of the larger category of human beings.MpKn
Nhwv7WZOf course, their nature was so different that grouping them together sounded absurd—but from a cosmic point of view, humans and demons were, in the end, “In.”WBYRMec
3bgvdA clear example was the current Lycan—an ex-ruler of Gehenna who now felt empathy for a human.wB4
cSaeaUnless old age had simply made him “softer,” of course.5kcLH
jSrIf he said that, he’d surely get pelted with acorns. Lycan sometimes combined lightning sword with thunder magic just to launch acorns at Joaquin. Using those skills for that… well.4zY36q
qlSiIn any case.hLXmO5n
KN9xk6“Well, since the person in question isn’t here and it’s nighttime, let’s drop the depressing talk.”JoEW
0iJw7T“*Always leaving me with a bitter aftertaste…*”bAwWe
peLobw4Lycan’s tail drooped limply. Sitting on the log, he swung his legs back and forth.4e39Fjt
0WuPWVIf Joaquin was his friend, Kang Geom-Ma was like Lycan’s mirror. Deep down, learning more about him felt good.HTRJ
fF11Around them, the torches hanging from the trees began to light. When night fell, the squirrels lit those torches.9A7yT2e
tsW6YhThey were Lycan’s subordinates, and by their contract, they could also use thunder magic.30tNT
d8keD7lThe night in the Demon World filled with a warm glow. In the middle of that atmosphere, Lycan suddenly changed the subject.nIsm
3eT“*Hey, if by any chance… he managed to overcome the pain of loss, what do you think would happen?*”z12W8P
Mw9wI6“He’d be stronger.”xL1dv
KB6MYhThe answer was immediate. Lycan turned sharply to look at him. The torchlight briefly lit up Joaquin’s profile.tFQU8r
xcnC“*…Could he get even stronger?*”RXe
vKn“Yes.”Dh28COk
ZGhZO3This time it was an emphatic affirmation. On what basis? Joaquin hadn’t even seen all of Geom-Ma’s power.H2LqW0
h6H9Well, he had seen the Parsy disaster on video—but that wasn’t enough to measure his strength. That was only a fragment.oWb5
6pI9In truth, Geom-Ma no longer showed all his strength. He kept his power sealed so as not to harm this world.17kW2fY
lWHK22Did Joaquin not know that? Of course he knew. He knew Geom-Ma better than Lycan did. After all, he was like his father, even if they didn’t share blood.WOc
YZoR“I know what you’re thinking.”hHkX1
ESd“*Fine, so you know.*”P9N
6xyO“But that guy always breaks expectations. Lycan, you don’t get it—Geom-Ma didn’t have a shred of talent with a sword.”R65Zw
CJ29ZJoaquin pointed a finger straight at Lycan’s crotch. Right where his life force was concentrated, with a small pair of sacks no bigger than beans.KC0to
uCtpLycan’s brain short-circuited. This bastard…?DUMkH
VEHQMBefore he could explode, Joaquin continued.sfz33
E7YKl“At first he couldn’t even cut a cucumber. Who would have thought that, after ten years with a sword, he’d dominate the entire country? His real talent is stubbornness. He’s hard-headed. When he faces an obstacle, he slams his head right into it. For how long? Until he succeeds.”8GSO
eaes2ngFwooosh.7BNHD
jANvLycan barely managed to calm down.KvNQu4
CUyzqk“*So he’s always been that stubborn.*”8tj
FQP“Stubbornness is his true gift.”RE9
Cadb“*Wow… in that he really is just like his father.*”x6LUb68
ULGNJoaquin as well—his talent in swordsmanship, being generous, was third-rate.c2T
1rmXZnbIf it weren’t for his “Infinite Regression,” humanity would have fallen and been enslaved by the demons long ago.KBLl
lC254For Lycan, that was a small bit of revenge—but Joaquin, far from being upset, let out a hearty laugh. He looked happier than he had in a long time.jsgZ
3M0g“Lycan, you’ve gotten better at giving compliments.”bnpQRA
8WBhLy“…?”cqw3r
xS8bPWSCompliment? He didn’t think he had.SFc3Az
fgrMaybe Kang Geom-Ma’s madness really did run in the family.OvEO
doQe8y***YwLz6j
krq“Ten years ago, the Villain Union that was believed to have been eradicated has reappeared in the world. Back then, they were individuals who used magic in exchange for giving their souls to a corps commander. Given the seriousness of the situation, we’re going to speak directly with a specialist on the matter.”Ul07Ixp
nChCb5QThe screen changed from the always-serious anchorwoman to the image of a woman in a rabbit mask, sitting cross-legged.gMDN
1yTwyHEThe camera zoomed in on her, focusing first on her hands clasped over her knees and then on the mask.saT
a7AiIt was easy to guess the cameraman’s tastes.ywgnsKP
QrSnb“Hello, you asked me to call you Rabbit, right?”JTpF1
S4HJQ“Yes, hello.”LUyK4q
KI1ZgHer voice was distorted, but from her manner of speaking, her height, and her ease, it was impossible not to recognize her—it was Choi Seol-Ah.XoS
9htZuj“May we know where you’re currently working? In the pre-interview, you said that was something you could mention.”MsHR3C
Z1z“I currently work at the Joaquin Graduate School.”llE0
h4e“Ah, so you’re a graduate student.”Egn
v1I“Sir, don’t insult me like that.”2k9eqHW
aXqhL“…Excuse me?”wdHi
EGwF8Surprise showed in the anchorwoman’s eyes, while the murmur of the audience leaked into the broadcast. Realizing this, Choi Seol-Ah coughed a couple of times and corrected herself.LyWQ
my6T“Sorry, I didn’t mean it… I’m staff at the graduate school. I can’t give details, but I work there.”auwVd
DGIBPq“Ah… alright. Then, back to the main topic—Rabbit, why do you think the villains, who were thought to be extinct, have returned? And in a different form than before?”4GIi7v
EJNwHWChoi Seol-Ah uncrossed her legs and crossed them again the other way. The camera moved urgently to follow her, revealing far too obviously the nervousness behind it. In the middle of that restless movement, she replied.9IRKg
Uqk“There will be various reasons, but I think the main one is the current state of the human world. Even on this channel, I believe you’ve covered it before. Right now, in the human world, a faint current of mana is flowing. For villains who have been living in hiding, this is an opportunity. Like bees that detect the smell of honey.”w3VaMn
U65“Could you explain that connection in more detail?”JgzjuCY
hyT“No, not that. That’s a matter we’re currently investigating at the Joaquin Graduate School.”TfsLD
yKmChoi Seol-Ah lifted her chin arrogantly. The audience reacted with mixed expressions, and some looked at her with sharp eyes.04QSakE
wbEJ“The reason I came here is to reassure everyone. Don’t worry. The Joaquin Graduate School is working to understand the unknown phenomena happening in the human world.”6r2
9vBbxaZ“There were many concerned voices at its founding, weren’t there?”H6k
MSHZS“Ah, seriously, sir… are you going to keep derailing the topic?”qFRbf7b
rp3a“Rabbit, if you keep answering so rudely, some viewers might feel uncomfortable…”b8ROdLZ
ZOicChoi Seol-Ah suddenly stood up. With her long legs, she stepped right up to the camera, abruptly turning a cultural program into a fashion show.A96
Yzls“I came here to say this. Both those here and those watching the broadcast—what you mean to say is this, right? That the villains have started acting again because Mr. Heavenly Sword isn’t doing his job properly. Isn’t that right? Well, listen to me—if you can be lying in bed watching this, it’s thanks to him.”2spg
kqm1GoI instinctively straightened my back. That sounded like it was directed at me.Zqwo
umsz0XX“Sir…”Ushl
LKFnEChoi Seol-Ah spun sharply on her heels, like a professional model.1pX5
3WTVOy“You really are malicious. Everyone here is a member of groups that hold resentment toward Heavenly Sword. And you brought me here so I could throw stones alongside them. But you chose the wrong person.”nVsXmIS
byMuGHer words, firing like a barrage, paused for a moment. The audience’s faces tensed; their lips moved as if they wanted to hurl back the humiliation.hC2y
wPc0aXn“I’m not a particularly just person. I’ve done more bad things than good, and I’ll keep doing them. My priority will always be survival. But even so, I have to say this—stop nitpicking Heavenly Sword and the Graduate School. Because the day he turns his gaze away, you and I will be dead, understand? Stop stirring up trouble for no reason! Honestly, you only know half of it…”uOjUBFo
hoenKw“We’ll be right back after a commercial break.”VrNx
ARSsu0LThe image abruptly changed. Now it was a public service ad, with a family laughing in a field. I watched it absently, then turned off the television.RXy2iv
t1eP8r“I went to sleep and, when I woke up, the whole world knew.”bLXjl
A0vWd2I clutched my head with both hands. It had been a while since I’d seen a hospital ceiling. It was the hospital affiliated with Joaquin Hospital.mUo
Tzr4n‘Well, of course… I was unconscious for three days.’Hqgeu5
kBWdThe doctor said I’d slept for three days and three nights straight.5TaI
S3oRUz0I remembered collapsing, but three whole days? Even though it sounded impossible, when I looked at the calendar, I confirmed it was true.IJW6c2l
oXqJjWhile I was asleep, Ryozo mobilized all the medical staff to put my body through a thorough examination. It seemed she’d been waiting for the chance.DSABj6
Gt49F5In any case, there were no significant abnormalities in my health.l7bmbol
Y6BzRgiThe collapse was also due to accumulated exhaustion. Even so, both Ryozo and Abel had somber expressions.B4TLVN
I32Pdj0After that, my two wives took turns coming to see me in the hospital. Though to varying degrees, both were busy without a moment’s rest. And yet, whenever they could, they stayed by my side. Fearing they’d end up sick themselves, I insisted they take a break.LCx
uy3nfThe opposition was fierce. Both women were strong-willed. There were even shouts so loud I was embarrassed for the patients in the next room. And, to my shame, I, who hold the title of “Heavenly Sword,” couldn’t do anything against them.8kANlx
6I2RIn the midst of my discomfort, a mediator appeared who broke the deadlock.NMnY
NDqPWhen that person intervened, neither Ryozo nor Abel could do anything but step back.olZOaX
dBOqZlClack.VkFX
aw4M“My, what a racket.”5XmIR
OE8qAh, speak of the tiger and she appears. Arriving at just the right moment.w6buPNb
MjnuFzI tried to sit up clumsily, but she took her hand out of her doctor’s coat pocket and gently pushed me back down.9dMDWs
s8K“Son-in-law. I don’t want Ryozo holding a grudge against me. That girl’s very vindictive. So stay put, alright?”HJ5
zEEXb5A youthful face that made it hard to believe she was past forty. This was Saki Cynthia, my mother-in-law.cv9a
Tr6GzShe’s the one who regularly checks on my health. Both my body and mind could be safely entrusted to Cynthia. That’s why, before her, I always took a humble attitude.xsRAPo
GMHt9“…Sorry for worrying you.”WTmT
LlwK“Worry me? Not at all. If you want to make it up to me, give me a shoulder massage instead. At my age, the smell of medicine is already killing me.”4j7V
wBoWhile massaging her trapezius muscles, I replied.ONH0Fz1
RTKXJ0o“You seem as healthy as ever.”gTWizQ
t5d9nIq“Well… who else can boast of hearing that from Kang, my son-in-law? I really lucked out with my daughter. Thanks to you, I feel like living.”Ch3RMq
sXb“I’ll work harder.”sx9E
l1tP4“Hmm.”2u2Gotf
LMZVc8TShe let out an ambiguous sound. Then she placed her hands behind her back and rested them lightly on my fist. That posture was unsettling somehow.2P3iW
Fa5H“I’d actually prefer if Kang didn’t work so hard.”vU3axDr
eSiw7hc“…Pardon?”7PIjU5K
w7X267She squeezed my hand and looked me in the eyes. The blue light entering through the narrow window shone on us.bxqIa
4Uj“Everyone knows you work hard. Imagine how my daughter and Abel must feel. The anger they’ve had these days wasn’t toward you. It was toward themselves.”HiFJM
zAWp7A“They…”G83Q4
hWZ6“So don’t try to shoulder everything alone. I’m not telling you to depend on others, but if it’s difficult, talk to someone. You’re too far ahead. That doesn’t bring peace of mind—it makes others feel useless.”zPWduOu
eaoJnMy gaze shifted to the water in the flower vase. The excuse stuck in my throat. She patted the back of my trembling hand.cdSxl8Y
EdJRCA brief comfort. Then she rolled her neck in a full rotation and, as if relieved, stretched.OjsFO
ZPiOv“Ah, that’s refreshing.”KDTo
TWrnnAShe stood up and started walking. Just as I leaned forward to say goodbye, she stopped at the door and turned around.4tYBfK
JshZShe took her time before speaking, her eyes slightly moist.g4bvV
mA7“In truth, these words were meant for him.”3CYgO7Q
1vxsr4Him.Rhdre
bwa1qxJSaki Kojima, Absolute Archer.V1K0en
euk0qbf“But I’m saying them to you, Kang. Maybe I’m just getting sentimental with age. Anyway, take good care of yourself. And if you feel any pain, even a little, tell the nurse.”ps7vb
Qk5“Mother-in-law.”01y3jP
I74“Yes?”Rk5
Yu6G2“I love you.”OHSIg
unIdyBHHer lips moved as if in surprise, then she smiled broadly.SEy
WGMHg“I really lucked out with my daughter.”dt9Y1cy
What did you think of this chapter?
Report comment
Please select the reason for reporting this comment. False reports may result in account suspension.
Shadow Monarch
MortalWhat did I even read here ,did geomma just say I love you to saki’s mom ,i know geomma said it in a respectful way but saki mother who is widow will get this matter in another way🤫🤫