Chapter 220
Chapter 220
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 220
Chapter Title: Soul, and Souls (20)
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The pitch-black sky where not even the moon was visible. The snow that had been falling like dust now turned into thick flakes, pouring down heavily.
“…….”
I quietly held my breath, stalking behind “me” like a predator pursuing prey. I already knew exactly where “I,” Kang Tae-oh from that day, was headed. After all, it was the last day of my life in this world. It would be stranger if I couldn’t remember a day I’d replayed over and over.
After parting with the new recruit Woo Kyung, I would soon board a bus. Even on the way home, my mind would be filled only with thoughts of the game. As I’d told Woo Kyung, that day was the final event of <Eo-en> Season 1. With the ultimate reward just out of reach, I was solely focused on rushing home to clear the last mission.
‘Never imagining I’d end up like this, hit by an isekai truck.’
I watched as “I” boarded the bus, then tried to follow using [Leaf Step]. But while I could feel the flow of mana, I couldn’t activate the skill. It seemed mana didn’t work properly in this world.
‘……No choice, then.’
I raised my hand to hail a taxi. The taxi in front of me started to pull away again upon seeing my pseudo-medieval attire, but I was faster opening the door.
“Hey, I don’t take hitchhikers…….”
“Driver, I’m not a hitchhiker.”
“Uh……!”
“And even if I were, you shouldn’t talk like that. How do you know what my story is?”
“…….”
“Take me to XX intersection.”
At my words, the taxi driver grumbled but started driving again. Sitting in the smooth-riding car on well-paved roads—unlike Storm’s carriage jolting over every bump—felt strangely off. Of course it did. I’d rolled in the dirt for no small amount of time……
‘……It hits me now, but the conveniences of civilization are truly amazing.’
My admiration was short-lived. The taxi arrived at the destination faster than expected. Without stopping at every station, it beat the bus. I rummaged in my pocket, pulled out a single gold coin, and handed it to the driver. He’d extended his hand, but upon seeing the gold, he stared at me dumbfounded before suddenly yelling.
“Hey, you! I give a bum a ride all this way, and you give me a toy?!”
“Driver.”
“You’re nuts, kid! Completely off your rocker!”
“That’s real gold. Go ahead and bite it.”
“I should call the cops right now…….”
“About 3 don, I’d say? More than enough for you to take a week off easy. It’s all I have on me, so take it. Check it at a gold shop.”
“…….”
Stunned by my bold—almost brazen—words, the driver stood there sputtering as I got out and walked the familiar path toward “home.”
‘……The intersection with the convenience store across the street. That’s where the truck hits me on the crosswalk.’
Soon, “I” would get off the bus and reach the crosswalk. Truthfully, this residential road didn’t see much truck traffic at dawn, except for convenience store delivery vans. With an elementary school nearby, no one sped through. Nor had “I” jaywalked or failed to check signals and surroundings. Yet coincidences piled upon coincidences, inevitably leading “me” to be struck by the truck……
“…….”
Standing atop a streetlamp that hadn’t lit for months, I waited for the “Kang Tae-oh” who would be hit. The quiet night street was empty. Except for the “me” arriving soon.
“……Ah!”
Then, a strange impulse sprouted within me.
‘If no accident happens here…….’
Yes.
Going into the villa from my childhood, saving “me” as a middle schooler—those changes had applied to reality. So if I saved “me” from this “accident” now……
‘I won’t have to go to that damned pseudo-medieval land……!’
Realizing this, my heart pounded wildly. I could save “me.” No need to suffer in pseudo-medieval land! Then, of course……
“…….”
Of course……
…….
…….
…….
But if no accident happened here, and I continued my peaceful daily life without waking in pseudo-medieval land……
‘……What happens to all the people I saved?’
Not all were done with grand purpose or pure goodwill from the start. But surely some had better lives because of “Theodore.”
Ayla, who might have died unborn in her mother’s belly, dominated by the Crows.
Elle, fated to become Silver Lion Reinhardt, slaughtering countless lives and dooming the Empire.
Flying death, black flames of vengeance, desert slayer. Legion, who would engulf Roshan in cruel fire.
“…….”
If I saved “Kang Tae-oh” like this, would those “Theodore” saved revert to their tragic fates?
My chest, swelling with hope of reopening my eyes in the original world, now felt crushed by a heavy boulder. So heavy and suffocating it was hard to breathe.
Should I dismiss everything so far as a dream and pretend ignorance? Could I even do that?
No time for idle worries. “Kang Tae-oh” had appeared at the alley’s end. Excited only about gaming, he approached the crosswalk with light steps.
‘……So I’m just supposed to watch myself die?’
The words swirled in my mind, unclear to whom they were directed. Give up my own life when I could easily stop it? This went against the instinct to “live.” The strongest instinct of all—survival.
As “Kang Tae-oh” neared the crosswalk, my heart raced fiercely again. So hard it felt it might burst out. As if screaming “I want to live”……
I want to live.
I want my life back.
An intense desire shook me. Intense enough that I didn’t care what happened to Ayla, Elle, Legion—anyone.
‘I…….’
-Tzzzzzt……!
It happened then.
The center of the snowy black sky split with a bizarre sound.
What the hell is going on?
‘The accident is about to happen……!’
An anomaly at this crucial moment. I bit my lip and looked up. From the cracking sky, a strangely familiar red light poured out. And……
-Roooarrrrr!!!!!
Black flames overwhelming the red light engulfed the night sky. The heavy snowflakes vanished like mist, leaving the sky empty. Then……
-Whoosh!
A massive……
-Fwoosh!
Enormously massive “dragon” appeared.
Wings large enough to blanket the sky flapped, its sleek tail slicing the wind. Beautiful black scales devoured even starlight.
‘Legion!’
Yes.
Emerging from the rift was “Legion.”
Spreading its wings and crossing the sky, Legion soon lowered its head, scanning below with red eyes. Like hunting prey, its fierce gaze swept the world. Despite the vastly different sight from its own world, Legion showed no panic. In that moment, I realized.
Legion had a firm “goal.”
「Theo.」
Legion……
Found “me.”
“Kang Tae-oh.”
Legion spread its wings higher, piercing clouds, reaching the stars. Then, like a diving falcon, it plummeted at breakneck speed toward its prey.
Only one goal filled Legion’s mind.
To take “Theo” back.
The instant Legion streaked down like black lightning, I instinctively turned to the opposite side where that “truck” would appear. Sure enough, headlights blazing, a truck charged from there at speed rivaling Legion’s.
“……!”
At this rate, Legion and the truck would collide.
‘No!’
This world didn’t follow pseudo-medieval land’s laws. That’s why I’d had to take a taxi. But that was trivial. Legion was……
A great dragon. Blessed race standing shoulder-to-shoulder with gods and demons. Yet here……
‘……Who knows what could happen.’
Yes.
No telling what might. A collision could kill Legion. Even if not, severe damage was certain. Heart damage would disrupt mana flow, and then Legion……
Legion……
In that brief moment, horrors flashed through my mind. Legion dying gruesomely, or surviving only to be dragged to government labs for experiments worse than death……
‘Am I okay with Legion suffering that?’
Absolutely not.
Never.
I couldn’t let Legion face that. The mere thought was horrific.
“Hah…….”
I’d been holding my breath without realizing. Gasping like a drowning man, I alternated glances between the truck and Legion. The truck sped closer, oblivious “Kang Tae-oh” stepped toward the changed signal’s crosswalk. And I, “Theodore”……
“……Hah!”
I drew a deep breath. And.
“Legion!!!!!!”
I shouted its name with all my might. Legion, diving toward “Kang Tae-oh,” heard me and snapped open its tucked wings.
-Fwoooosh!
Like a parachute deploying, Legion’s body halted midair.
「Theo!」
A voice glad, angry, joyful, sorrowful.
And.
-Screeeeech!!!!!
-Boom!!!!!
Almost simultaneously, the truck struck “Kang Tae-oh.”