Chapter 412: Fool for Love (1)
DTnA silver trail crossed the sky of Seoul. The citizens stood dumbfounded, as if watching a comet.jVQ212k
U0uY5Despite having witnessed the strange phenomenon in the Eye of Jamsil Tower—a phenomenon later nicknamed the Eye of Sauron—the citizens of Seoul felt awe at dozens and hundreds of silver comets.MdYw6HO
ant=…..=fsW
ctLYstKali Yuga turned its neck to look unconsciously toward the sky.RZ9S
LWvoaP=…!=yIK
sNEIt was startled.XVmMF
29pnTfThe human barrier it had formed with mages had collapsed. The mages had regained their senses.nVo4Q
16hThey had escaped the pleasure that Kali Yuga had made them experience. The human wall, once so densely packed, began to scatter as if kernels had been stripped from a cob of corn.0QD
WmU“Save me…!”aX5v
jF6w“Because of that bast—…!”jAolP5T
BTFOvDThey fell screaming.9wGvXP
KamWfKali Yuga looked down in bewilderment at those who had been its servants. Not only had the wall collapsed, but how was it possible that they had freed themselves from him?Lk1BmrM
1gTmOThe doubt lasted only an instant.UF2k
QYow────────!BtUZd
zrPMKyQThe igi-eogeom lunged again! Kali Yuga darted quickly behind a building to evade.8hdNUkA
pzFIThe sashimi sliced the building as if it were tofu.8i8Rk
LcfIH6YIt barely felt a prickling danger above its crown when it saw the building it used as cover split into slices. The upper part of the building crumbled, and the sashimi offensive came again.RnbQM
AQcsKali Yuga felt a chill down its back. But there was no time for astonishment.SMNY5c
03pThe sashimi pecked at it relentlessly.54FzF
oh6R0“…Ha.”Yt98Gw2
JsZwcntBalor Joaquin let out an incredulous laugh.0ASk
fjxls“He sure knows how to make a dramatic entrance.”81uIB
a41dBHe couldn’t see his disciple clearly.54kGc
1Q3It was because the sun was behind him. Balor Joaquin had to raise his hand to his brow to shield his eyes.BhkRj
SFmQIt was such an overwhelming sight that one could mistake him for a god. Yet his clumsy disciple still didn’t seem to have noticed him.bPX
hRg0RsI“Good. You’re doing well.”p1oJii
iR7o9l0After all, you can’t let yourself get distracted with the enemy right in front of you. He never taught that.0sfngC
8tVt4KyEven if the place of instruction had been a fish market, he still taught that.9Sbx
nl4Anyway.5KoZMql
IGL91“It’s been a long time since I saw your skills, show them to me.”ozz
p1G9nhThat boy, who had taken up the sword some twenty years ago, had been called the best swordsman in the country.u8axTuG
LKszw1And then another ten years passed.np5v
QltuEvaluating how astonishing Kang Geom-Ma’s mastery was, that was his duty as a true master. Balor Joaquin, hiding a smile, signaled to the Sword Master.MCPd
78ux“If we interfere now, we’ll just get in the way.”InC
NVgO“I agree.”1CJY
ocD“If we’re not going to help, it’s best not to hinder. That’s a teacher’s virtue. But still, as decent people in combat, it’s not like we’ll just sit discarded in a corner.”5VRNeZs
n2MP“Uwaaaaah!”2UE6N8i
05RThe bodies of the mages were about to be torn apart. Balor Joaquin and the Sword Master floated in the air, observing the situation.IgT
SkCBalor Joaquin sighed.F4BcrN
qi9qEHZ“…Let’s deal with them first.”pnM
kcOe“I agree as well.”aheS37
OG1Even if they were responsible for their own actions, the mages hadn’t even had time to enjoy anything before being discarded by Kali Yuga.MS2FF
XpWxFA“That aside…”SgnPn2
l5EoefThe Sword Master crouched slightly and murmured.QxraOV
jn2“…I humbly apologize, but…”Ah1zBb
oCeA0He insisted.e9YAGzT
Tw6“…The Heavenly Sword is my disciple.”htAIBEl
mxLphHe pressed even harder.MyY
vSiE“What?”gR3
kCbqWxBalor Joaquin, who was about to jump in, was left speechless.eY7
1GBvThe Sword Master added.uuOQKK
Kl7fxA“I don’t know exactly how, but the last person who taught the Heavenly Sword was me.”LgGqJ
Y5cI“And what does that matter now?”nA8IcG
fvq“It matters. A lot.”xSo7wvt
vwRIn the Sword Master’s golden eyes, a spark gleamed. It was the greed of an old man.x06NDnb
nsoThat grandson-in-law had been his pride for ten years. At first, he nearly hated him for taking his granddaughter, but in the end.JgzaOBV
MhQUVPD“Even if you’re the founding hero. On this, I won’t yield.”JosQ
mZLsThe Sword Master was completely blinded by his grandson-in-law.w9CvA
vwtUpSo much so that his granddaughter was already sick of him.qaER
cKrbt***Bskeg7R
6ZTUutt“Ahhhhh!”nEm6bK
fZjIA falling mage closed her eyes. But feeling a weight on her back, she opened them slowly.8tOZyt
pYUIA black-haired man was holding the mage like a princess.UeX
YYOq44HIt was Balor Joaquin.P5b
1QrMMR“Oh…”xOLf
q2tfWA handsome man.Viq
XjSZPCQHe spoke with a serious expression.nwUkyju
KeBOqm“Hold on tight. This will get fast.”jwO
Za7zhEven if his tone was that of an old man, she didn’t notice. As soon as the mage clung to his neck, Balor Joaquin sped up.GUqWL
q6ZnH“Uaaaagh!”0CMr
gxSHe moved between the buildings like lightning. He rescued the mages in midair at a speed barely perceptible.k2cq
KFEAnd soon, he had a mountain of mages piled up in his arms.IJyeUi0
HCqyHe set them down in a solitary park. The survivors staggered and vomited.BSCxlTi
2DhPol“Bueehhh.”YqRiwA
1qajIt was from dizziness and from the forced activation of their mana.6JK
zdDm1Balor Joaquin frowned. He was used to dealing with drunks because of his work at the tavern, but having a bunch of mages doing that—what an image.dFV33
NnjoJust as he was leaving, a mage stopped him while wiping her mouth.DBCtY1d
sUK“Uh, hey.”JYvH
xt0YBqV“……”5G5
h2X8D8“Can I have your number? Or at least your name?”0lC8bYJ
4hkFrom someone who just threw up?398d
UGU“If you can’t give me your contact, then at least your name!”2h4
qqNftX“No.”ybmv8
l2d4tVHe was going to leave without looking back.ciBlRj
W8xSKbj‘Mmm.’rxjA
TQBnHe thought about it for a moment and stopped. He turned toward the mage, who trembled as if her arms were fly legs, and said.M0xKYv
kIS“Balor Joaquin.”uv4
tgYK“……”12h0dZc
lImDfSilence.b765TN
OaEooMv“Believe it or not, it doesn’t matter.”X9CMS5g
SNaC6“Balor…”jdVx
2Z82“Yes.”H2nIX
Q5XqbX“Balor Joaquin… then!”gk0X
uczAsCIt was such a mythical name that her brain went into dissonance. The man who had introduced himself as Balor Joaquin pointed at the sky with his index finger.u6fo
bR3P“You see that boy.”PxssvUK
Z08kLMThe Heavenly Sword, Kang Geom-Ma.51OFKV
5Dum6C9“I am his master and his father.”VXC
el1JHe emphasized it, even if it seemed strange.07FZ
qSbV“Remember. That boy’s master and father is not the Sword Master or anything like that. It’s me.”nClH
G1x“Y-yes.”T3mcty
sPtUhPEven he regretted saying it as soon as he did. But still, he added in embarrassment.NClJM
ngt“Me, I said me!”OdID
m9JiwxThe mage nodded awkwardly.8Kf
KFO***eI9Ayv
Hz4ZAt the same time.aI1Px
u6PgsES=Shit…=nqXNHYd
tWhxtKali Yuga thought as it felt the sea wind on its face. Something had started to go wrong at some point. But in truth, there was no mistake.qf1zltL
dt04D80It was just that the being called Kang Geom-Ma was an unknowable existence that surpassed all foresight.7KOT2M
koGSlash.OyPH
hWNThe sashimi finally struck its heel. Kali Yuga flailed at the air as blood poured from its seven orifices.3BsgGN
zdm9It was the end. Physical pain meant nothing. It was the mental pressure that was strangling its existence.XA1
t4lfdunThe Apocalypse.PVkQy
iB08kKali Yuga was an entity that embodied vague fear made tangible. In other words, he himself was fear.VOrO
5k2And yet.oOmH
UudaWCESlash, slash!A2BU7z
xUJIxxMEvery time the sashimi rose to stab him, Kali Yuga held its breath.lGGJotb
5swJust by looking into that man’s eyes, its hips shrank. An apostle of the Force of Suppression.ofKA
7bMThe sum total of fear. Humanity’s taboo.XAj9ZI
LDTH5C6It feared that black-eyed human.t1PY
ogG2=Are you… really thinking of rebelling against the Force of Suppression…?=ffTig
AtEs1R“What are you talking about?”HRL
4pR7KKang Geom-Ma spat the words as he stomped on the clouds.so0A
SYnetIt wasn’t as fast as the speed of light earlier, but fortunately, Kali Yuga gained a brief instant to react.VfLVH
QNhzKOBut then.uLD9oM
9fCpj0ASlash—!jH2dO5z
E0iJ8With a single cut, the Mapo Bridge collapsed. Kali Yuga fled at full speed. A second strike followed.4Hz0exd
XMyESKhKali Yuga ran, shoving cars with its body.LeoOkXC
a8xIt was going to die. Each of those cuts represented death.3tl8Yh
keHMvIn truth, an apostle of the Force of Suppression cannot die as such. But it can reach its “end.”qcyL7cz
K5zlK1rIf the concept that the apostle represents vanishes, the end disappears from the universe.3mVeZx
wAQThe conditions were demanding, and eliminating a taboo was practically impossible. Or so it thought—until facing Kang Geom-Ma’s sword.JDT9T
gGDSEKk=If he cuts me, I’ll be extinguished=ArWRx
pdB8If that sashimi cut its throat, it would disappear. That’s why it had to avoid it at all costs.SnYSL
a6y3bVbKali Yuga, manifestation of the Apocalypse, writhed to survive. It ripped a building from the ground as if it were a radish and hurled it.H50
sTHSKang Geom-Ma, running, swung his sword.EKeVj
Z3otpSlash!QLQlhX
VrqCiEvery time Murasame flashed, the hurled objects were chopped into pieces.Ldln
ABzmCThe cuts had yellowish edges. Proof that the friction with the air had cooked them.70p
F1fSF0OCould one even call that a “cut”?CTiw
fk5DwxAnd on top of that, he wasn’t even using magic. It seemed he was deliberately avoiding it. And yet, he had grown stronger.oRAsPi
ZOXuMaybe that was why.XOF7Lwh
kPFKang Geom-Ma, now using only the sashimi, was sharper than ever, incomparable to before when he combined it with magic.AAv4M
JxMMd5NHe cut and sliced no matter what it was.Qrn2
2f3arusLegal consequences? Screw them. Property damage? In the middle of the Apocalypse, if someone complained, he’d gladly give them CPR.HKwLFgO
ukBPtB“I am…”ecC
LW8U8UfKang Geom-Ma.GersT
HXxA“I only need to cut.”BQxuwq5
dWzjdlEverything around him urged him to do just that.awz9
eYzFAbel had told him:NvR
h2sXQF0“Your sword is my ideal.”3obof
ypkupRachel had also said.WzDd
0h9WTjh“Your strength is not only physical, but also mental.”I5w
FqVlcAnd Ryozo always told him.Q10a
FAqZ83“Don’t think about anything else.”rmbiKP
xlSiejTSo he did.043sj
8nfJclHe swept through Seoul, slicing everything in his path. Kali Yuga hurled massive chunks of debris.M0h
MDDvNsAnd he answered with his sword.q3qIjYF
S97YhsHe cut everything.Mn6K
BOBzAfter that, all he had to do was get closer to him.dtH9
4M4“Don’t think about anything else, Kang Geom-Ma.”i3DOJaE
2acOza“I’m going to…”StoNFy
BFPCut.gfT
zdmIcIf he did, he would slice him apart.llaTeq
TurQlThe gravity binding his limbs lost its strength. In a lighter atmosphere, he advanced unhindered.s5uuru
Rb2fZl=Dammit!=8B9SB
lvdKKali Yuga turned pale.GuIHe
pA5UUh6=I must at least buy time to escape!=X4k1
uVhvgOnce again, the sword exploded. This time, while crossing Yanghwa Bridge, Kali Yuga ducked down completely.8Vcdbwn
VsQezU2Ting ting ting!1am
zNpujSThe steel cables connecting the bridge towers snapped with a roar.tFml2
Wt0ak5It barely managed to dodge. But its pride as the Apocalypse was also cut.ntaqOb
8PBKuIt couldn’t go on like this. If it kept fleeing this way, it would die.RGs
hzc9yKfEven if it had no honor as the Apocalypse, it had to survive. So it decided.YKq1
ENxLkjBeeeeep…!E5444Vv
vA8lmHeadlights blinded it. It was the subway train crossing Yanghwa Bridge.dm7
ZZDy79Kali Yuga planted a hand. And hurled with all its might the train, its head already crushed.FrO
iRUSThe passengers rolled inside like trapped insects.kCh6vEq
4X6JYThe train rose diagonally.3IS8qfp
oS6Kang Geom-Ma advanced.CCUno
nTRMurasame crossed with the train.Jupr9
4478q=That’s it!=Csz
trufuzBefore it could shout for joy, Kali Yuga, already pale, turned even bluer.pWFRL
foQuSwoosh…EtnkW2
7k1HsThe train was split cleanly in two. But the sashimi didn’t touch a single passenger.o7jc
FCFcIt only sliced the metal. In sudden weightlessness, the citizens barely managed to utter an “ah,” and Kang Geom-Ma flung the train into the Han River.DOi
PCSThey fell into the water from a safe height.f8AWpF1
Gp71GZNo one died.bcB
nnMXThe river’s temperature rose in a good way.RCu
K91tTm=I-is this even possible…?=XKrtnr4
fF5oViPKang Geom-Ma passed by Kali Yuga.Xhh2FJI
fyPFA blue arm fell from its side. Kali Yuga stared at the arm that rolled to its feet.HPHt
Iz28VDgIs that… my arm?U4abK
5jfA9yd=U-ugh=PU6l
57ZUflyIt moved its lips.F0uP
fI4fS9fNo one heard. Kang Geom-Ma spread his spiritual perception.JnhlUy
cF2CHA wave expanded from him and formed a semi-transparent barrier. Its radius— all of Seoul.CWv118L
prgNot enough.PEncTH
BUO5bHe expanded it further.r3ytYlD
WdN3OyWith the Blessing of the God of Transition, his perception encompassed all of South Korea.ZitNg
6mKK1a“You.”QPU
MX1Suddenly, he spoke.WXwMuf
FXYSlU“Do you know how many Daiso stores there are in South Korea?”CyP4YIU
bYLHn=What… the fuck…?=EWynsLh
76mqghHe ignored it. He didn’t expect an answer.TsCX
D2qTe“In total, there are 1,519.”aQ8r8u
ks1tA5Click.AvGb
5XWHe snapped his fingers.9vSr
YmwAk4The rubble on the ground vibrated.P6B
Kykx“How many sashimi knives do you think are in all those stores?”zMcCnt
MaPauAnd then…cCxy
BfeNPm=…!=QX7i
2IdIStars began to sprout in the sky. How many?RyeSL
wF8w“I don’t know.”7P8w6h
3CCsSUm“Me neither.”qaRIg
KqEs“Let’s count them together.”W0V3fV
S0UzR=You son of a biiiiiiitch!=4P7u9f
z9Ci9TKali Yuga shot forward like an arrow.TmXlG
MA8EocJ“Die.”8hL
sQDBut he couldn’t reach me.VQacwuH
uT5zfSHe couldn’t reach us.oCM
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