Chapter 399: The Origin of Kang Geom-Ma (3)
kKi4jfThe blades of their swords clashed high above.H8ivb
5AweILThe resounding crash produced a gigantic shockwave. The trees still standing were shattered to pieces.lxJb8D
oGxBaLRachel turned her neck and watched the confrontation between Abel and Kang Geom-Ma.zDxOh
8jKSShe murmured softly.DiwR
GFPMjPG“…Abel. You’ve become incredible.”Kxn6
s61Kang Geom-Ma had not yet fully lost consciousness. To Rachel’s eyes, it was visible. Though his figure seemed almost like a mass of darkness, a tiny spark burned faintly in his chest.AiOGH6
xo4VThat was his humanity.o1Sap
gkHEven submerged in unconscious fury, Kang Geom-Ma had not been able to discard his identity as a human being.PEBVt
kwbZAThanks to that, no ally was harmed. Without doubt, he had restrained his strength.7YMh
tDu“…If Geom-Ma had truly wanted to end this, this wouldn’t have been all.”ZMq5zi
35IlRachel looked around.6PwA6X
wVILOFwooooosh…!FiWQ5
ihMGolden waves approached from every direction. The scene was overwhelming, but her mind gave off no alarm.B8szlo
LejI1XHad he not restrained his powers, if Kang Geom-Ma had been in “serious mode,” the island would have vanished completely with a single slash.DmXMYr
H9Z13ryA single slash.JxKi
HfO6One alone would have sufficed.ZL7
PbWWith her unique ability, Rachel estimated Kang Geom-Ma’s power by sight. Her calculation was quite precise.YC2V
J8OyVmV‘The Changseong family always chooses partners based on rivals… Maybe that’s why they’re so specialized in this sort of thing.’2VQfl
RVL9MeEAnyway.cF5UL4
zO17rKang Geom-Ma had used his full strength on very few occasions.OvZC8Q
PfcPerhaps never in front of his friends, so as not to drag them along with him.tEjfq
iDeh“Abel.”Or4at
I8BwrFShe was facing someone like that. A demigod.P2xLF6
QosVEven if he still showed mercy, neither dragons, nor angel, nor even the nephilim could approach Kang Geom-Ma.C8ohNlm
1VIAnd yet, Abel maintained an even confrontation against him.86WMI
S2kcvpC“This… somehow feels like I’m losing.”bBT2Qh
ajkcRachel curved the corner of her lips.vkqB
2ItSKv“The original of the we cannot lose was our lineage, young lady.”nw54vo
gfIKThough Abel’s competitiveness and the Sword Master’s diluted that fame, originally the pride of never losing belonged to the Mura family.vHGT
xsPVwooom!fXi9q74
y2xA0rRachel spun her halberd at head height. It spun. And spun. Faster and faster. In mere seconds, its form became imperceptible.R5CUn
bp9kWJust as a silver disk formed above Rachel’s head, her thigh muscles visibly tensed.JmH9sA4
ZZrBOOM!8iZ
5ncrHer leg released an explosion. The power of the leap, added to the spin of her weapon, catapulted her.GHbGWX
PQ6The brute force of the Changseong.WNmwWJ
eZG21oNRachel, niece of Richard of Mura, became a true human helicopter and took off.07e
tLfsIn an instant, she reached the same height as Kang Geom-Ma. Everything looked tiny.E0fd3
z9bPThe world seemed like a toy.tgYc
d8w4This was…SBqY
xZR‘The perspective of Kang Geom-Ma.’np8zAZz
BWRx775Rachel lifted her gaze. Kang Geom-Ma turned his head halfway. A gray film covered his eyes.qd8Mjt
qVdr9XA pressure pressed down on her chest.VtOF
K2GRachel forced herself not to be intimidated.7aqm
dKjWith all her strength, she moved her lips.MXtx
MSwHU“Geom-Ma…”wezf5n
2bqThis was the world you saw.MyKu
bJevoEven from this height, you strove to look at the same scenery as us.9QcvmOi
D39Truly.DkLvNFX
EWdnoTruly, you gave it your all.zJE
3ZDXC“Kh… ugh…”eWuF7n6
ZAWvqWThe groan was Abel’s. She was already at her limit.dWN1cPV
fHeShe was so focused on giving her all, she didn’t even notice Rachel’s arrival.e9uDaln
rjF0“Ah, damn it!”kpcn
8CJ8xxmRachel’s shout snapped Abel out of her concentration.OUCXZtz
hPDI“Rachel?!”Xjp07
SCnEi“Sorry!”LaSU9da
irx5Huh? So suddenly?VbJ
hMOsAnd why are you apologizing?9ZmcQT2
EkIV“Anyway, sorry!”5IHzXI3
z27“Why the hell—?”TBCIZ
4o6reAbel’s eyes flew wide open. Those about to resume their attacks also froze in shock.l1RhE
Gr1IMSCGolden waves arrived from every direction. The sky screamed.asGAY
Dj5RxyAnd yet, everyone fell silent.Sctg
WNgOQIt was only natural.gL5Nr
UIvNBecause…YSEU
0ADjSfCrack.rtf
6AtSuddenly, Rachel embraced Kang Geom-Ma from behind.n6Prtp
XfABGCIf it had been to restrain him, it would have made sense. But…m1w
tipi6RGroooooan…JgJJlOO
ZJkIt was a hug. A gesture completely devoid of combat intent.KE88lST
Fl5sAhiAnd the apology she had shouted earlier erased any possibility of it being an attack.UCOUSdO
CI77MIn truth, it was something else.B2q
m0U3jdARachel trusted in that spark of humanity that still burned like a matchstick inside Kang Geom-Ma.bjkW
dqNd3xuShe had already done enough physically. What remained was to trust him.8dZ
8GUUcThe faint vibration in the president’s clouded eyes was thanks to those who had come before her.W3JS
VArEven if it was just a small push, it had been his limit. His last courage.My1LMQJ
76Q9MxLBut he lacked a final blow.YEI
qmvAnd by chance, it seemed that role had been reserved for Rachel.G6TDw4O
WxTUkBecause only she could see Kang Geom-Ma’s weakness.87gv8
NngqqmTHis humanity.Ei2g
fGFBesides, having come this far, she couldn’t leave without doing anything.XUQlfhM
EOefBRZIt would be a disgrace to the Mura family.IJe9Xkl
yDJqeThat was why she embraced him. Because if their hearts touched, maybe she could reach him.DNUb
4Z2HVYA very simple idea.cNBz
Reke9But perhaps precisely because of that, powerful.C2SsVB
sJT“Wow…”Bvnh
7eoLeon let out a sigh of amazement.X9rYRM
ta0vaThen, a huge hand covered his field of vision. Metatron, his father, spoke beside his ear.Ev5xAyz
RsJLa8“Don’t look at that.”uZ7
UtCC1q“Eh?”txBRD
4CL3fL“It’s indecent.”0Qx
yAZ46rA“Dad, I’ve been an adult for a long time…”7bHSzfd
RwG6t“Even so, no!”cGug
dkcloAMetatron was an angel. With absurdly high moral standards.OTcm
onqCLeon was about to make a face, but then.Qm6vNan
X0i3qEShaaaa…FBZ02s
hkRAs if it were a lie, the surging waves began to calm.yeUY
P6eoAnd the suffocating heat of the sky started to dissipate.1Rmg
CijjhgIt was ghostly.cuaF
5Wc53iThe timing was too perfect to be coincidence.u5SV
0gjy“…”97YQPK
CbePAbel, still holding her sword high, changed expression.wk8D9g
0KAFk3She froze.TOXuXMk
wAg5aV“Geom-Ma…”XpCI
Xin6“…”xEJp
dolh“Geom-Ma?”IYJ
lrjUub“…”FIswH
d5jZAbel forced a stiff smile. And slowly lowered her weapon.IXiP
9skVZSA moment later.YiZpJ
tblKAbel plummeted. Her time in the air had ended.sbCp
lRGIDlT“Geom-Ma!”Ui6i
nUlAbel’s sharp cry resounded just beneath the feet of Kang Geom-Ma and Rachel.MRLb9
4suv***dFYZ5HP
ixmAFiIBetween dream and reality there existed a temporal difference. What is called a discrepancy or dissonance.nkKOrOg
8ZT4o7Generally, the time that passed in reality was absurdly short compared to what was experienced in the dream.FE7YEcV
BqENmcIt had already been three hours since Ryozo started talking with Mesther. But in reality, not even five minutes had passed.1AbVIXW
Dsm“Sorry, but how on earth does it make sense that you’re Kang Geom-Ma’s first love?”MhTCXA
HFV4z6“But it’s true! I was the first to meet him! A million years before you were even born!”2c8pd4r
5uWWhat shamelessness.8D5lm
3dhf4jdAlthough, in truth, it really had been roughly a million years ago, so there was no way to refute it.DLU
41ePe0q“That only applies if we follow the timeline. Ha… Forget it. You can’t apply modern logic to a cavewoman.”a2i
GMDwgX“So, do I get to stay with Kang Geom-Ma then?”GrgLvC1
H1TU“That’s not what I said, hey!”94n
LPcooeVFive minutes in real time.lE2tS0
vnRHtOIn that short span, they were already arguing like old acquaintances. During that time, Ryozo had listened to Mesther’s story.7cnP5L8
YxiVNpThrough the Monolith, Kang Geom-Ma had crossed the timeline, traveled to the past, and rescued Mesther from the hands of the angels.J3noT
lFaSmThe way he annihilated the angels was, of course, very much Kang Geom-Ma’s style.zmPuFN
TDTzAnd that vulnerable side he showed toward a woman in trouble—no, toward a person in trouble—was also very characteristic of him.dRAMQ
qbgOThat’s why people fell for him again and again. Though, please, stop making everyone fall for you already.RKUcbtF
AciKang Geom-Ma, you truly enchant too much.qwFoH
vNYj‘I have no right to criticize Abel.’aXXzb
OAKAfter meeting Kang Geom-Ma’s self-proclaimed first love, Ryozo couldn’t help but sympathize with Abel’s grief. Mesther, proud, lifted her chin.K2VuGq
LGEv“You know, right? Men never forget their first love.”Fkrh
PcepS“……”17hL4
IYC5dYA deep weariness overtook her. Ryozo rubbed her face with both hands.Gnr8GnG
hzgOSwsIt made no sense to take seriously someone who didn’t understand what she was being told.ECLjZ
uAfyX‘Even so.’ZxUjn
veskShe felt like she had to say something.vMQBNuV
znChkv“But your first love was Kang Geom-Ma, wasn’t it?”wi3S
wWro“We were each other’s first loves!”Q5OMED
Z4yU1lx“Yeah, yeah. Let’s leave it at that.”maxt
PjJwEMesther smiled in satisfaction.Q0ko5
Vj8Z9And to think this woman was considered an ancient.SJnqBeF
OijHow could a line of ancients, giants of strength, and the first president of the Association have come from someone like her?IAPB
C6EfhaWait a moment.pRf
M8JRTbe“They look alike.”g967nRq
mhhjg“Alike? What do you mean?”tmN
f6FIYf“Your descendants. They look a lot like you.”tV1TNVh
rp0FESB“Eh?”x68
c7t“What do you mean, eh? And besides, if you have descendants, that means you got married. Then with what face do you come talking about first love and all that?”45Ho
MMhFrMesther was left speechless. She clutched her chest and breathed heavily.5bFJ
UOOmm“Cold-blooded!”xPKL5
Nadw0HL“I’m just rational.”qjaixsI
clV“Lack of empathy!”wTNyYX
eXS“Let’s call it logic.”3R4
2ti“And what right do you have to keep him?”WrEAAyJ
sLVxkIC“But you did get married, didn’t you?”tBjJZ
k9aHcfe“Ugh!”5xT6
kB1xcGot you!DfvxiVP
4yJRyozo curved a victorious smile. This was fun. She crossed her arms and lifted her chin.IAD9f
WmJ“And now, miss defeated. When are you going to tell me why you brought me here?”7n62SKA
Q2g6“Ugh… You really don’t know how to appreciate favors.”xMlxE
B9Rgb“Favor? You almost drugged me with that weird thing!”v2ly
9nC6“Hey! I didn’t even say anything! But if it weren’t for me and my ID, you’d already be dead. I was the one who saved you!”Gi74
Xqz7lx“Aha. I suspected it.”LuAyol
dzV“Suspected?”nsZFqB
wHNkIHVRyozo nodded calmly.RAUZwsP
iOEUtV“While you were telling me the story, I was deducing it.”Sm7S
uDVDriven by impulsive emotion, she had launched herself alone into the villains’ base. Even though she had help from Horntail, the enemies were formidable opponents.cokGj
6qU5I6Villains, generally, were much more resilient and powerful than humans. And from among them, the twelve strongest were chosen—the Twelve Villains.7UN
67DrqThough Ryozo was recognized as a preemptive strike heroine, facing all twelve at once was unrealistic.hT5H
etnThat was why she ended up wounded. Horntail protected her in the end, allowing her to survive.mh8p
QV9The fact that she was still alive and had that dream—Ryozo pieced everything together and reached a conclusion.zTk
fOK9D2‘Something supernatural saved me.’sj6El
9xoAnd that something was Mesther.hS9fV3
f1PThrough the dream, the ancient wisdom and the Yggdrasil had manifested. Everything fit too well to call it coincidence. This world is riddled with causalities disguised as coincidences. Ryozo firmly believed it.u47ZPXz
ho3IwY“Then, let’s get to the point.”aBbaASe
BnOlMesther removed her flower crown and stepped forward. Ryozo stepped back slightly.dP3JYU
EiWZNb0“Scared, granny?”HcWf
CodxBu“…Stay back. You’re dangerous.”ERQM
rXr“Pff. If I wanted to hurt you, I already would have. Come on, put this on.”769
mu58GRyozo looked alternately at Mesther and the flower crown. Finally, she tilted her head.W8bq3f
L4ZJXEZMesther placed the crown on her head.dxUA
CB7jTap.BFzm
v8ctRIn that instant.Mf3
4TugRyozo trembled as if struck by lightning.SmG0mxb
xR0tg8Her breathing faltered. She felt her heart leap into her throat.vsDf
sgbh621Thump.zQc3RhT
HapiqShe heard it.oOZ
NPK7EQThump.cIf
oIigFShe could feel even the tiniest movement of the cells rushing through her veins.nK2UFT8
GmNrgdeThump.lsiBc
IYVq8Her vision, which could see down to the atoms, pulled away so far that now she saw the Milky Way as a mere dot.PXnugwk
R3svInformation?7Fd
a33pCNo.zxvdfkg
66VDWBThis was experience.7j5
4kvBAll the knowledge accumulated over countless eras by the ancient wisdom—the logic of the world, the circuits, the nostalgia, the longing, the hope, and the despair. All of it was injected into Ryozo.3zB5TmH
iLnA true inception.USR
DeNGvK6Memories compressed in dream-time, soaking into her mind.elH7k
seOdhh“You saw it, right?”wt7Lt
qi5A9The resolution of the world returned to normal. Ryozo almost vomited.gtkF
Rf2“…So that’s why you made the Yggdrasil grow.”tgq2Uk9
9in“Yes.”ptzH
UqlGJMesther adjusted the crown on her head as she answered.7UBkpT9
KyVg“He saved me once. So I also wanted to save him, even just once.”Rub23RV
7Y7tV“And that’s why you waited… ten thousand years?”Rv5T3
uJGDnTETen thousand years.iua
CbBSBNWAn eternity no human being could endure.7hx
i3uMesther endured with pure will, watching the Yggdrasil grow.tTr4Z
9ZWtlBIt was impressive. Incredible. If she hadn’t seen her memories, she wouldn’t have believed it.BNtqRy2
S7a2M“You understand, don’t you?”OZBAJw5
UvD“…Yes…”jzT
EUmZbQMesther held herself back.DyoUBbO
441She wanted to return the favor she had received from Kang Geom-Ma.mBcbV
8DLZVRyozo watched her.KRYw5UI
yKa3WXThat radiant smile felt, for some reason, sadder than any dull expression.4kCxU9
fKPr31“…Why did you heal me, bring me here, and then show me all your memories?”sa1B
l9H9With a much more formal tone, Ryozo asked the question.62Y
zbPH4HXMesther smiled with an enigmatic nuance. Then she wrapped her arms around Ryozo’s neck and whispered.KiTO
FFv“During these ten thousand years watching petals fall, I was able to glimpse, no—rather, feel the truths of the universe.”kjXoW
brVuK“……”v5gggY
eOGoVdb“I suppose it’s called empathy. I saw another girl like you, who also has to endure a long wait for him.”CdQ62
UtmKMesther patted her back. As Ryozo received it, she sensed a sweet floral fragrance.L0VP
ft5x“Be strong.”OAXEoCO
ptklMesther stepped back.Er7UYF
V3V“Saki Ryozo.”6QdRI
UIwOG0The scenery around her, the Yggdrasil, Mesther’s face, her smile—all darkened.RenK3
oZRR42“Please, find him.”asA3
PPKBEsX***7Auj
wRSuXzvAnd so, Ryozo awoke in the real world. She had not yet fully left the dream.GxeD
zTHoM6eWith her mind still hazy, she struggled to sit up.VOSDR
JTx0uByThen she saw it, in her blurred field of vision.21piuO
Hu2“……?”VeFg
CJeKang Geom-Ma and Rachel.q2PZpA
qOSeAt the very moment they were joined.Sptj6mK
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