Chapter 393
Chapter 393
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 393
Chapter Title: 2-15. Great Counterattack (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
It had been just a fortnight since I brought Abel here.
The day I realized the Seed Storage Facility existed and came to the Sea of Ghosts for a preliminary survey.
I spotted some sparkling mana nearby, checked it out, and found this bastard trapped inside a house-sized pillar of ice.
'What a pathetic sight.'
He looked more like a dog chew toy than a person, but surprisingly, he was still alive.
Ler Tansie had said he died fighting a giant, but it seemed he'd somehow managed to escape.
After some deliberation, I decided to save Abel.
I figured cutting him out with a sword might accidentally kill him, so I asked Navardoje to melt the ice instead.
'It would've been nice if Elsia were still alive.'
I suddenly missed Elsia.
Thanks to the manual that elf left behind, the resistance had established a proper base, and we were even able to keep a dying Abel alive.
Even after losing Cain, who was her lifelong benefactor and reason for living, she had worked for those who remained.
Unlike the mutt in front of me.
Abel was still silent.
"······."
His amber eyes darted left and right, scanning the surroundings.
His relatively intact face was the spitting image of Father's.
What an absurd situation.
The glass tank in front of me was originally the place where Father had been sealed in that other world.
'No need to copy this too.'
However, Abel's condition was far worse than Father's had been when I found him.
Everything below his neck was covered in horrific scars.
His left arm had been messily torn off, and the flesh below his right leg was necrotic and ragged.
Various tubes, each serving to sustain his life, were connected all over his body.
"This is... the cult leader of Nebula Klazie."
Navardoje murmured.
Her crimson hair flickered like dying embers.
I could tell she was desperately holding back her rage.
In truth, even asking her to melt the ice had filled me with immense guilt.
Abel was the culprit who had taken all her children from her.
He was someone she probably wanted to tear apart on the spot for the agony of total annihilation he'd inflicted.
I stepped closer and took her hand.
"······Thank you."
Navardoje gripped my hand in return.
It was soft but scorching hot.
Her ragged breathing gradually steadied.
Abel's gaze, which had been sweeping the room, finally fixed on me.
"You look just like that idiot. You're Cain's kid, aren't you?"
"Yeah. That's right."
"So it was true... I suspected he had a hidden child, but I never imagined you'd still be alive."
Abel let out a disbelieving chuckle.
In this world, it seemed Father's intentions had held—my sister and I remained unknown to the very end.
No wonder, with ten such curses embedded in him.
Abel continued.
"Why didn't you kill me? You know who I am. What's your angle?"
"You're quick. There's something you need to do before you die."
"What?"
"We're going to kill the giants' king. And while we're at it, destroy their origin. Cooperate."
I laid it out bluntly.
Abel froze like a wax doll.
How many seconds passed?
"···Heh."
"Laughing?"
"Heh heh heh... Kill the king?"
Suddenly, Abel started chuckling.
It wasn't surprising; I'd expected as much.
Emitting a sinister low tone, he soon threw his head back in狂 laughter.
"Kuhahaha! Hahaha! You, kill the king?!"
A villainous, hearty laugh.
With each convulsion, blood spurted grotesquely from his wounds.
I waited silently for the laughter to subside.
"···Ah, that was too much. Still, I'll give you credit for your intel. How did you figure that out?"
"I came from a parallel world. For reference, you actually succeeded there. Not perfectly, but somewhat."
"What nonsense... How pitiful. You think trash like you can succeed where even I failed?"
"Yes."
"Kuhuhu, so you woke me up just to make me laugh before dying. That's why you're clinging to life so pathetically—clutching at empty hopes. What a shitty comedy."
Abel laughed again.
I couldn't understand what was so funny about being reduced to a lab specimen.
I was about to make him grasp his place when—
"Navardoje. How are the kids?"
"···What?"
"Your clan held out remarkably well. I didn't expect you'd wipe them out. Failed at breeding, but you lived long enough to earn your years."
Abel turned to Navardoje and prattled on.
The corners of his scab-crusted mouth curled up.
A chill ran down my spine.
Before I could intervene—
【How dare you!】
Navardoje roared.
Her hair, barely settled, flared up like flames again.
The hand not holding mine shot toward Abel.
I reflexively threw myself at her and hugged her tight.
【Ronan···!】
"Sorry."
【Let go. I have to kill him. That bastard dared to insult my children···】
"I know he did. I get it. I want to grind him up and drink him down right now too, but we have to hold back."
I whispered without loosening my grip.
Navardoje's hand was already engulfed in flames by then.
A moment later, and Abel would've melted along with the glass tank.
【Child, it's... hard to...】
Breathing was difficult.
Not just from her crushing my lungs.
Her rage-filled body felt like a red-hot iron ingot.
'My mistake. Shouldn't have brought her.'
It hurt, but it didn't.
She was suffering far more.
Navardoje's arm slowly lowered.
"Sorry."
"I... I'm..."
Tears streamed down Navardoje's cheeks.
My heart felt like it was tearing apart, so I averted my gaze.
She buried her face in my chest and mumbled in her main voice.
"Sorry, I'm sorry. I shouldn't be like this···."
"No. Don't apologize."
"I couldn't keep my composure. I don't know why I'm like this lately... The tears just won't stop."
"It's a natural reaction. Just let it flow. Bottling it up turns into sickness. Let it out naturally."
I gently stroked Navardoje's back.
No words could describe the misery she felt now.
Not only helping save her children's killer, but having to keep him alive after he insulted them.
My mood had been in the gutter for a while too.
Abel, watching us, spat out.
"Melodrama over?"
His voice dripped with mockery.
I released Navardoje and faced the glass tank.
In front of it was a machine console covered in buttons and gauges.
Without hesitation, I pressed the black button.
Several tubes connected to Abel lit up.
Suddenly, his body jerked violently.
"Kuhak!"
"Hey. Abel."
"Kugh···Ughhh···!"
Abel didn't respond.
Couldn't was more accurate.
His face, stripped of leisure, flushed red like it might burst.
His curled toes spoke of the agony he felt.
"What are you... doing···!"
"Get a grip. You fucking mutt."
"Gaaak!"
I pressed the buttons repeatedly.
Each click made Abel's body flop like a shrimp fresh from boiling water.
I felt grateful to Elsia once more.
To think she'd even translated these minor details.
According to the manual, it was a "[Method to Interrogate Subjects of Use Value]", perfect for this situation.
Making every cell burn without killing—future tech was impressive.
"I'm the kind of guy who wants to rip your body to shreds right now. You got gang-raped by the bald legion, ran away, and turned yourself into self-serve ice cream because you were too scared to die—what the hell do you have to say?"
"Krugh···Ugh···!!"
"Face reality. You achieved nothing. Even after betraying the subordinates who truly believed in and followed Father and you, you still failed."
"You···Kuhk, know about me···"
"Shut up. Don't jerk off consoling yourself that it was the intended outcome or fitting end for inferior races. I know your real goal too. You planned to steal the baldies' origin and forcibly evolve this planet's people."
"How do you...! Gaaak!!"
Abel jerked his head up.
Of course, he couldn't hold it for seconds before twisting again.
Navardoje watched me with wide eyes.
Her tears had stopped.
I hoped this eased her mood a bit.
I kept pressing the button as I continued.
"Your way was flawed, Abel. People may destroy themselves, but they rise again. Father and you should've just watched over them."
"You...! What does a brat like you know···!!"
"I know everything. Enough pointless talk—back to the point."
With Abel awake, time was precious.
If Adeshan were here, mind control would've solved it in one go, but sadly, she didn't exist in this world.
I released the button.
Abel gasped for air, barely escaping the pain.
"Hah···Hah···!"
"I'll say it again. We're killing the bald emperor and destroying the origin. For that, you need to open the path there."
"Ridiculous···."
"Refuse, and I'll beat you senseless. But instead, I'll leave this on stone and never come back until you die."
I tapped the button with my index finger.
Abel's face twisted.
Even he flinched, so it must be truly excruciating.
"And you're dying soon anyway. You need kin's blood for a cure, but Father's already gone. If you're dying regardless, do some good and head to a slightly less scorching hell."
Considering his deeds, heaven was out of reach.
Having cornered him this far, it was time for the highlight.
I winked at Navardoje.
She snapped her fingers, getting the signal.
Snap!
A pitch-black dimensional gate opened in the ceiling.
Enormous, round masses tumbled out.
Each human-sized lump had full facial features.
She'd collected a lot.
"This is."
"My collection."
Abel's eyes widened.
Piled high were giants' heads.
The resistance, including me, had been stacking the heads from the ones we encountered while destroying roots and rifts.
"By the way, these aren't fakes. We can fight them on equal terms now."
"How... this is."
Abel stammered.
He clearly couldn't believe the sight before him.
If he knew we had far more but the space was limited, he'd faint.
"You're just the brother resentful of his sibling. Admit and accept your failure. And···"
The glass tank was now completely surrounded by giants' heads.
Dozens of smooth, pale scalps reflected Abel's stunned face.
As always, I told him one more fact I knew.
"Father thought of you as his little brother to the end."
"······!"
With that, I turned away.
The heavy door closed with a thud.
I walked back the way Navardoje and I had come, hand in hand.
She didn't speak until we neared the surface.
"···You did well. Child."
"You too, sis."
"Sorry. It was hot, wasn't it?"
Navardoje stroked my chest, noticing the fabric damaged by heat only now.
I shook my head.
"It was warm."
"Hehe, you... Now I see why Adeshan chose you."
"How about you? You okay?"
"I'm fine now. But will that villain really change his mind and help us? I'm not so sure."
"We can only hope. We could reclaim the world like this, but without uprooting it, history will just repeat."
We'd done everything we could.
Since torture wouldn't work on him, the only option was changing his heart.
If Abel cooperated, things would be much easier.
No telling if it would work, though.
"Want to head up and rest? Let's take a nap together."
"I'd love to, but... not today. I have plans."
I was truly regretful, but I couldn't delay any longer.
Clear days like this were rare in the notoriously shitty weather of the Sea of Ghosts.
Navardoje tilted her head.
"Something to do?"
"Yes."
I paused briefly before speaking.
"I'll be right back. With Father."