Chapter 415: Tactical Nuke(2)
Chapter 415: Tactical Nuke(2)
Volume 30 of Xenon's Chronicle was the literary equivalent of a tactical nuclear weapon. Its contents were more than enough to inflict shock and horror—and eventually, utter despair—upon its readers.
As mentioned before, Volume 30 primarily focused on the battle between Xenon and Jin, who had been driven mad after directly 'consuming' Diabolus's soul.
Jin, having lost all human reason and rampaging like a feral beast, was both an easy and difficult opponent for Xenon. He could no longer use the martial arts and magic that were once his greatest strengths, but his physical abilities had been drastically enhanced by Diabolus's soul.
In other words, while his attacks were easy to dodge, a single clean hit could send Xenon to death's door.
Even his weapon was in shambles. Having been unable to properly repair it during his long journey, Jin’s blade was worn and broken. Rather than a sword, he swung it wildly like an iron club. Yet, the sheer power behind every strike was so terrifying that even Xenon couldn't afford to take him lightly.
The biggest issue, however, was that Xenon couldn't bring himself to attack Jin. It would be one thing if Jin regained his senses and begged to be killed, but he was currently completely lost to madness.
'To bring back his reason, well...'
The only way was to give him a good, hard rattle. Currently, Jin was fighting an internal battle for control against Diabolus's soul.
This struggle was depicted intermittently during the fight with Xenon. Jin would mutter to himself, and Xenon would catch those moments to offer as much help as possible. For instance, he would shout at Jin to think of Lily, or urge him not to give in so he could see her again.
The turning point came when the necklace Lily had given him fell off during the battle. The moment it entered Jin's field of vision, his reason fully returned.
'It’s a bit of a cliché, but...'
Clichés like that didn't exist in this world yet. Besides, this wasn't a happy ending; it was a tragedy.
Regardless, Jin regained his senses through Lily's necklace. This meant he had won the battle for control and successfully absorbed Diabolus's soul.
Xenon was overjoyed to see this, but his joy was short-lived. Diabolus's soul hadn't truly vanished. It had merely been absorbed and become one with Jin, its energy still lingering. And to save Lily, Diabolus's soul had to be completely obliterated.
With that single realization, the atmosphere, which had briefly turned hopeful, plunged back into despair.
'And that’s not all.'
To make matters worse, Lily, who had the stake driven into her heart, regained consciousness. As Diabolus's soul was absorbed by Jin, the corruption vanished along with it.
After hearing the full story from Mary, she begged to be taken to where Jin was.
As everyone knew, Mary was an Elf. She could easily catch up using Teleport, and even without her, there were plenty of others willing to help. Knowing this, Mary tried to dissuade her, claiming she only knew Xenon's general location and that Lily still needed rest, but...
'In the end, they both go together.'
Unlike Jin, who had rushed off blindly, Xenon had left messages along the way. Thanks to that, they knew immediately that he had headed for the Grey Desert.
This choice would become the greatest source of sorrow for Lily and the rest of the party—so much so that it would have been better if they hadn't gone at all.
'One thing leads to another, and Jin and Xenon enter their final clash...'
Jin, now sane, and Xenon, fighting seriously to grant his friend's final request.
Just as when Sacran sacrificed himself, Xenon fought Jin desperately, his heart heavy with grief and despair.
But it wasn't easy. Jin's own prowess was formidable enough, and now he had absorbed Diabolus's soul. Furthermore, Diabolus wasn't just any demon; he was an Archdemon. One had to remember that a specific 'vessel' had been crafted just to contain his capacity.
Jin, unable to handle Diabolus's soul, went berserk once more. He began discharging the mana that had accumulated in his body.
The overcast sky grew even darker, and lightning—traditionally seen as a divine authority—began to strike the earth.
'I'll have him spread his demon wings and perform a diving attack. I need to make it look spectacular.'
While the Fake Final Boss, Diabolus, had a somewhat plain attack pattern, Jin would be the complete opposite. Since he was modeled after a final boss from a game I used to play frequently in my past life, I planned to give him a flashy moveset.
Those in the know would recognize the game as the one synonymous with 'difficult games.' The patterns were so incredible that I often found myself admiring them even as I died repeatedly.
And finally, the background music. The music, reminiscent of a battle between gods, was truly captivating.
'But now that I've written it, he's way too overpowered.'
Jin had already completely toyed with Gluttony, and now that he was merged with Diabolus's soul, there seemed to be no way to win. In fact, Xenon focused more on evasion than direct confrontation. A single direct hit would mean an immediate trip to the afterlife.
However, Xenon's greatest strength wasn't his martial power, but his observation skills. While he enjoyed direct combat, his mind worked incredibly fast.
Thus, he devised a way to defeat Jin: a war of attrition. In reality, Jin's body was slowly collapsing under the weight of a power it couldn't contain.
'The occasional mana discharges are part of that process.'
The only tactic Xenon could choose was guerrilla warfare. It was a somewhat ungraceful strategy, but it was highly effective against a Jin who had become nearly transcendent.
And so, a battle where every minute felt like an hour continued, with Xenon pouring all his concentration into the fight.
'That’s when Lily and Mary arrive.'
Lily and Mary watched from a distance. They didn't know why Xenon and Jin were fighting to the death, but they couldn't easily approach. Lightning rained down from the blackened sky like water, and a massive sandstorm raged around them.
Lily tried to push forward regardless, but Mary held her back, warning her of the danger.
'After that, Jin's body finally gives out, and the fight ends.'
The dark clouds and sandstorm receded, and brilliant sunlight bathed the earth. The sun shone more radiantly than ever before.
Jin, having exhausted all his strength, looked up at that sun and reunited with his other sun, Lily.
In contrast to Lily, who looked healthier than ever, Jin's entire body was covered in cracks like parched earth. The two embraced to reaffirm their love one last time, but in the end, Jin crumbled into dust, parting from her forever.
Leaving behind his final words—a thank you for loving him—Jin's body turned to ash and scattered in the wind.
"Hnnngh... there."
The work was finished. I stretched as soon as I placed the final period at the end of Volume 30.
The volume felt longer than expected, but it didn't matter. I had successfully highlighted Jin's spectacular patterns and Xenon's intellect. Most importantly, the final scene wouldn't just tug at people's heartstrings; it would snap them.
'I still have to write the epilogue, but...'
Epilogues are usually short by nature. I was debating whether to release it with Volume 30 or perhaps lower the price.
Regardless, the long journey had reached its conclusion, and all that remained was rest. If the journey so far had been like traveling on foot, from now on, I planned to drift along on a sailboat with a following wind.
Conveniently, winter break was only a few days away, making it the perfect time for a rest.
'Not that I'll be doing absolutely nothing.'
Besides the epilogue, there were side stories to consider. I neatly organized the thick stack of manuscripts and placed them in an envelope.
The envelope contained nothing but paper, yet for some reason, it felt like I was holding a nuclear bomb.
'In terms of impact, it basically is a nuke.'
I couldn't help but smile, imagining the readers who would be weeping buckets. I had done similar things often in my previous life, and it made my heart race.
If you're going to stab someone in the back, do it with probability. That way, even if their head is spinning, they won't be angry. Instead, they'll just be consumed by sorrow. Probability might seem easy to grasp, but it's never a pushover. Making fictional characters act like real, living people is incredibly difficult.
I sealed the envelope completely and walked to the foyer to send it. I could use the teleportation device in the foyer to send the mail directly to the mansion.
'Father is at the mansion right now, so it should be fine.'
I had one request for my father: please don't let Mother read the manuscript. I was especially insistent this time. Since the ending was the equivalent of a tactical nuke, I had no choice.
'The transmission is done. Now...'
I'll just write the beginning of the epilogue and then slack off.
*
The mail sent from Isaac's dormitory arrived at the Maishal mansion. Usually, such mail was first received by the master of the house—the head of the family.
Currently, Hawk was handling business at the Maishal mansion. This meant the mail Isaac had just sent was now in his hands.
Hawk looked at the mail sent by his proud son, his expression grave with contemplation.
'Should I really deliver this...?'
Normally, he would have sent the mail straight to the publisher as Isaac had repeatedly requested. However, today he was deeply conflicted. It was all because of a request from his lovely wife, Anna.
She had asked him—pleaded with him—to let her see the manuscript for Volume 30 first. It was a request that put him in a difficult position for many reasons.
Under normal circumstances, he would have firmly refused, but she had begged so piteously that he couldn't help but agonize over it.
'What should I do...?'
The request of his proud son versus the request of his lovely wife. Hawk scratched his furrowed brow, weighing his options over and over. No matter which he chose, someone would end up hurt. He had never experienced such a dilemma in his life.
It would have been easier to go to the border region and subjugate barbarians. He let out a long sigh.
'...I'll have to ask her not to make it obvious.'
In the end, Hawk chose his beloved wife. As time passed, his affection for Anna had not cooled; if anything, it had only grown richer. Their newborn youngest daughter, Lily, was proof of that. If they hadn't used contraception, they probably would have had at least ten children by now.
Hawk gave a small chuckle at the stray thought and stood up. He planned to give Anna a firm warning first.
'Son, I'm sorry.'
After offering a sincere internal apology to Isaac, Hawk took the mail and walked toward the bedroom where Anna was staying. On the way, several knights greeted him boisterously, but he gave them only a cursory response.
It was good that the Imperial Palace had provided extra security, but the mansion was already somewhat small, making the added presence feel a bit hectic.
'Not that I can just expand the mansion, either.'
Hawk briefly fretted over his ever-increasing workload before clearing his throat in front of the bedroom door. He then quietly turned the handle and stepped inside.
"Are you here?"
As soon as he entered, his lovely wife came into view. Even as she aged, she didn't seem to grow old at all, instead maturing like a fine wine. Hawk smiled warmly at Anna's ever-present beauty before showing her the envelope in his hand.
"Isaac just sent some mail. It looks like a manuscript."
"Really? Thank you, dear, for granting my request."
"Don't mention it. Just don't let Isaac know. I'd hate to be resented by my own son."
Anna clasped her hands together, looking moved that Hawk had prioritized her request over Isaac's. It was a sign of how much he loved her. Feeling her affection for Hawk deepen, she carefully took the envelope.
The conclusion of everything was inside this mail. At that thought, Anna took a long, nervous breath.
"...What will you do if Jin really dies?"
Hawk asked tentatively, his voice laced with concern. He also read Xenon's Chronicle regularly and knew very well how fervently Anna supported the Jin-Lily couple. Even though his nature as a warrior meant he viewed the series as mere entertainment, his consideration for Anna's feelings shone through.
Anna gave a bright smile and replied in her characteristic, melodic voice.
"It's okay. I have my own ways."
"...You're not going to kick him out of the family, are you?"
"Oh, please. Our family would be the only ones losing out if we did that. Though, if I really did kick him out, I'm sure the readers would say I did the right thing."
Hawk looked stunned by her pointed words. Just as she said, Jin's death had sparked shock and horror. In fact, someone had even thrown a rock through the publisher's window recently. That was how bad public opinion had become.
"Anyway, please stay by my side until I've finished reading. You can do that, right?"
"Of course. I have to take it to the publisher afterward anyway."
"Alright. Then..."
Rip—
As soon as she got Hawk's answer, Anna tore the envelope open. The manuscript inside was slowly pulled out by her hands. As if to show that Isaac had written it with great excitement, the manuscript was much thicker than expected.
It was a length truly befitting a finale. Everything would be decided within these pages.
"Whew..."
"..."
Anna stared at the first page of the manuscript with a racing heart. Hawk waited quietly by her side.
And a short while later...
"Ugh... hic..."
"..."
"That brat! He really killed him! He actually killed him! Waaaaah!"
Hawk patted the back of the wailing Anna. Her tears soaked his broad chest. Although he had expected this, he found himself in a predicament, not knowing whether to laugh or offer sympathy.
"He could have just let them be happy...! Why did he have to kill him...! Ugh..."
"..."
"Fine... let's see about this. Hic! This mother... hic! ...has a plan of her own...!"
She must have cried for quite a while, as Anna's large eyes had become swollen in that short span of time. The sight was slightly comical, but Hawk exercised the utmost patience to suppress his laughter. The priority right now was comforting Anna.
Of course, there was something he had to clarify first. What Anna had muttered through her sobs weighed on his mind.
"Dear. Surely you're not planning on some kind of retaliation?"
"Hic. It's not exactly retaliation... it's more like an event..."
"Well, that's a relief then."
If that was the case, he could let it slide. Since she had a playful streak to begin with, Hawk was inclined to be indulgent.
"Hic. Dear..."
"Go on."
"Could you... grant me one request? It's not about Isaac... hic! It's about the territory..."
"What is it?"
If it was something like that, he was more than willing to listen. At Hawk's permission, Anna sniffled and spoke quietly.
"In the near future... a funeral procession will be coming..."
"...A funeral procession?"
"Yes... please welcome them."
It was a request that was difficult to understand.
"Can you do that?"
"...As long as it doesn't harm the territory."
"It's not harm, it's tourism... hic! The tourism effect will only increase. I can guarantee that."
It was a request he found impossible to refuse.