Chapter 130
Chapter 130
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter Title: Crooked Line
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The world has always been crooked to me.
When I was feeling down, everything except me was bright. The sun, the sky, the surroundings.
In response, when I forcibly brightened up, only then would the world make everything except me dark.
Today is the same.
Darkness gradually settles over the shabby slums.
As if mocking my cheerfulness, the sun begins sinking toward the distant west, and the sky darkens as if ready to pour rain at any moment.
Under that gloomy backdrop, this afternoon's standoff facing an old friend turned foe
is a gloomy afternoon.
[...]
The world is gloomy.
Gloomy, melancholic.
The more it is, the more crookedly I veer off course.
As the sun sets, as raindrops increasingly form on the clouds, I become even more cheerful.
-Clang!!
I summoned my bat and swung it with all my might, but Han U-sol quickly deployed a barrier to block it.
Has he gotten stronger as much as I have? I put everything into that swing, but there's not even a crack in the barrier.
This damn thing is insanely tough.
A bit annoyed at how effortlessly he blocked it, I charged with a body slam next.
-Kwaaaang!!
"Ugh...!"
Even after taking one hit, this time he just gets pushed back a little without flying away.
"Hiding behind it again!! Come out and clash with me man to man!!"
"Kuh, wait...! Stop, Anis! Hear me out!"
"No!"
I hate talking.
If I listen to Han U-sol and open the door to conversation,
I'll hesitate again.
Waver again.
Cling to useless illusions of the past again.
Get depressed again.
[Get confused.]
Then the dark clouds will clear from the world again.
The sun will shine, and the darkness will lift.
Yet I'll still be gloomy.
I hate that now.
As Han said, if I just stay like this, the situation will resolve itself.
I'm satisfied just maintaining this stalemate without killing or being killed.
"Anis, please!"
-Kwang! Kwang! Kwang!
I relentlessly hammer down with my fists without giving him a moment's respite. Through the translucent barrier, I can see Han U-sol's face.
A gloomy face.
His deeply furrowed expression, full of sorrow, even feels desperately earnest.
You're different from me.
When the world is dark, you're gloomy too, and when it's bright, you brighten up as well.
Unlike me, who's broken and veering off course somewhere, you stay on track.
Breathing the same air in the same world and space, yet we're on completely different lines.
"It's not too late yet! Just hear me out for a moment!"
We diverged from the starting line, and even our destinations ended up different.
Yet it seems you, too, long for the past and want to go back, just like me.
Why is that?
Even after crossing paths on different lines, why do we look back at the same place?
And in the midst of that, why are you so desperate while I'm skeptical?
Where does that difference in perception come from?
I suddenly grew curious.
[Just hear him out. There's plenty of time anyway.]
"...Fine. Let's hear it."
As if entranced, I stopped my punches at the pull of that hallucinated voice.
Then Han U-sol's dark expression eased a bit, while the cheer slowly faded from mine.
And so, we who are so different faced each other once more.
"Let's talk very slowly."
About why we long for the past.
And why you're so desperate to go back.
Why you're gloomy, and why I'm cheerful.
The heroes stood in the heart of the ruined cityscape.
Han looked down at them from the rooftop.
"...What the hell."
Why did he suddenly bolt out like that? We were supposed to build tension and descend slowly, but this is a different story.
Han muttered in disbelief.
With Han U-sol, their top priority asset, suddenly flying off into the distance, the heroes were thrown into full alert.
Shouts of Han U-sol's name erupted everywhere.
However, their formation didn't completely collapse or lose command. Though shaken briefly by Anis's surprise attack, the heroes quickly regained their positions and reformed ranks.
Anis had swept through once, so recovery would normally take time, but these rookies were surprisingly composed—clearly well-trained.
'...Skilled. Who's commanding them?'
But even well-trained, that speed of recovery is too fast. Han tilted his head and scanned the heroes.
Mostly rookies, but veterans were mixed in here and there. Perhaps one of them was leading.
Not famous heroes, but veterans with multiple battles under their belts. Han's gaze swept over them.
'Gotta kill those guys first.'
No matter how composed, can they stay calm when their commander's head flies off? They'll panic for sure. With that thought, Han descended from the rooftop to face the heroes.
"Nice to see you."
A light greeting at first.
In return, countless weapons aimed at him without a word.
Feeling a twinge of disappointment, Han soon fixed his gaze on one person.
Among the heroes, the oldest and a true veteran among veterans.
Fergus Dee.
The strongest hero here, but fortunately, he wouldn't be able to kill him.
"Long time no see, Fergus."
".........Yeah."
Han expressed his pleasure to the old man.
Not personal fondness, of course, but delight at the situation.
Han was glad that Fergus was the only one who could potentially stand in his way. A few scrapes at his guilt would make it hard for him to fight properly.
"You here to kill me? How vile. You ignored me when I was breaking, but now that I'm broken, you come to smash me?"
"......... "
As Han sneered, Fergus promptly shut his mouth.
And the guilt that slowly welled up and reached him.
The same thick guilt as before.
Three years ago or now, the emotion from Fergus hadn't changed.
This old man still couldn't kill him.
Han nodded in satisfaction.
Most heroes here were rookies not worth his little toe.
There were veterans, but few enough that they couldn't kill him.
The only potential obstacle was Fergus, but he couldn't do it.
The perfect stage to achieve his goal.
Han shifted his gaze from Fergus. It lingered briefly on Reisi and Daniel in the front row, then stopped on Yoon Na-rin behind them.
Yoon Na-rin, Reisi, Daniel, and Han U-sol.
Those with past ties to Anis, the reasons she hesitated.
Han usually called them obstacles.
They shook Anis's resolve and muddled her heart.
Han had read Anis's emotions almost daily, and they flipped 180 degrees every day.
Calm one day, stormy like waves in the rain the next, resolute the day after, then wavering again.
Magic's influence played a part, but Han believed they were the biggest cause. Being able to read others' emotions, he could vaguely tell.
"......... "
Han recalled the past.
The moment he aimed at Yoon Na-rin and pulled the trigger.
Why?
Why hadn't he removed Yoon Na-rin, the obstacle, back then?
[No...! Han!! Stop!!]
Anis's scream piercing his eardrums amid the tearing cries.
That mere plea, a voice he could ignore, had it deflected his aim?
Han still didn't know why he hadn't killed Yoon Na-rin then.
'...Not twice.'
Today, he would definitely remove the obstacles.
What he'd told Anis—that he'd just hold out without killing them—was a lie.
Han planned to swiftly annihilate all the heroes here, then go kill Han U-sol alone with Anis far away.
Anis would surely get angry about the lie, maybe even resent him.
But still, the lesser evil was better than the worst.
"Fergus, if you have any conscience, sit this fight out. Just watch from behind. You've lived your life that way, so spectating should be easy, right?"
Gripping the hilt of the sword Anis had graciously given him earlier, Han spoke.
As expected, even lightly touching a sore spot shook Fergus badly.
"Impressive effort. Must be awkward facing me, huh, Fergus?"
As Han was shaking Fergus, someone interrupted. Han glared at the impertinent woman butting in.
"Why carry two swords at your waist? With only one arm."
"......... "
Black uniform.
The emblem on her chest symbolizing Colton's private soldiers.
And the star above it marked her as a private first class leading them.
Ronel, if he remembered right. A close aide who'd spearheaded Colton's plans.
"...A private soldier interrupting me. Unthinkable in my day."
Having once been in the Association's secret division himself, it irked him deeply that a mere private dared cut him off.
"That was back when you were with the Association. Now you're just a murderer and traitor. Didn't you shoot an innocent child to death just recently?"
"...Yes, well. I did kill one child."
"A murderer who deserves to be beaten to death, criticizing someone for being a bystander. Man, doesn't the world feel upside down to you?"
"...Fair point. But you know, wasn't there someone who first pushed that child into harm's way before I killed her? Who was it that brought that kid to the center?"
Even knowing it was dangerous.
Even knowing a mistake could kill all the refugees.
Under the guise of the plan, who guided them to the center?
"Wasn't it you?"
"Yes, me. I left the refugees be so they wouldn't blow our plan by trying to protect them and stirring them up. And not just that—I gave them weapons. I knew if the plan failed, many would die."
"And in the end, one child died."
"Yes. By your hand."
"You brought her to me. To a ruthless traitor with no hesitation in killing."
"What can I do? You want to say we're both scum, same difference. I know I'm scum. I admit it."
Ronel's sneer deepened. At the same time, the contempt in her eyes grew thicker.
"But even scum have ranks."
".........Hm."
An annoying woman. Especially since she wasn't wrong.
"People these days forget the obvious. Even among scum, assault is lesser than murder, and killing one is lesser than killing two. Sure, Fergus and I are scum, but comparing us to you? The weight of our sins is worlds apart."
"...You speak as if you know me perfectly. My life, my efforts to escape it, how much the Association bears blame for me becoming this. You know nothing."
"I don't care how you got there—the result is what matters. It was still your choice."
"......... "
"A murderer who feels no guilt toward victims has no right to accuse others. In other words, stop poking at people's guilt and shut up. Better yet, slit your throat and die."
Han shut his mouth.
After a brief silence in thought,
"Yes, well. You might be right. Sorry. I apologize."
he slowly drew his sword and spoke.
"But I can't die here. I'll carry this sin until I grow old and die, then face judgment from God."
"Hahaha. Didn't study history? God left long ago."
"Oh, right. Yeah. Still."
Han glanced around with narrowed eyes.
The ruined cityscape, the heroes in its midst, and him.
"Even without God, someone will judge me."
With that, the sword fully left its sheath, baring its blade.
――Now!!
――Kraaaaaa!!
――Krrrrrrrr!!
――Charge!!
The magic beasts and villains hiding nearby burst out from all sides, overwhelming the heroes.