Chapter 327: Rebound.
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 327: Rebound.
When I first saw that Dragon Armor—a form Seo Tae-ho himself calls “Dragon-kin”—the only emotion I felt was pure despair.
It took a human shape, used human techniques, and possessed every human advantage.
However, because its foundation was built upon the power of a dragon rather than a human, the results it produced were naturally on a different scale.
Facing a creature that could shatter heaven and earth with a fist and trigger earthquakes with a stomp, I had wondered how on earth anyone was supposed to fight such a thing.
And at this very moment, I could feel the Calamities experiencing that exact same despair I had felt that day.
“What the hell is that…! That thing…!”
He caught lightning in his bare hands and crushed it; he moved as if gravity fields were mere suggestions.
It was as if he were asserting that despite his human shape, he was the apex of all species, the strongest living creature.
Clad in his azure Dragon Armor, Seo Tae-ho boasted overwhelming power.
What more needed to be said when a single punch to the jaw had already retired the Zeus-wannabe?
…Well, of course, such immense power comes with a few restrictions, but I’ll explain those later.
The villains’ faces were pale with tension as they faced the monster.
“So, who am I supposed to save?”
Perhaps because he had appeared at such a perfect moment, even Seo Tae-ho’s voice sounded a bit cool. He scanned the surroundings and nodded as if he had the gist of it.
“The one who looks like your friend, and that woman over there shrouded in an ominous aura.”
…Wait, what? I didn’t say a word. How did he know?
“Since those two seem to be the only women here.”
Just what kind of image does he have of me in his head?
[…I am also technically a woman at the moment.]
The Red Butler, who was standing some distance away, muttered something under her breath, but her voice was so quiet that no one seemed to hear.
Regardless, the situation had taken a turn for the better.
Thanks to Seo Tae-ho taking down the Zeus-pretender the moment he arrived, Sun Wukong had some breathing room. The Giant also seemed to have taken significant damage from his head-on clash with Sun Wukong, so he wouldn’t be a major obstacle.
As for the Red Butler, who could have been a wild card, she clearly had no intention of participating in this operation from the start. It was safe to say we were at least out of the “hopeless” stage.
“Hmm.”
And the fact that things were starting to look up for me meant that the situation wasn’t particularly pleasant for the Evil God occupying Seo-ha’s body.
She reached out with her Authority to attack Lee Yu-na, but with Sun Wukong now free to act, it was a futile attempt.
Watching her plan get overturned by a single variable, the Evil God nodded calmly.
“Impressive.”
Contrary to my expectation that she would be angry, she actually looked somewhat pleased.
“You really are the protagonist. Escaping a crisis like this as if it were nothing and showing a new glimmer of hope… Isn’t that exactly what befits the role of a protagonist?”
She even clapped, smiling as if she were genuinely impressed.
“What are you playing at? I thought you said you were going to make me the protagonist of a tragedy.”
“That’s right. But who says the protagonist of a tragedy can’t be hopeful?”
I wondered what kind of nonsense she was spouting, but then I realized her words were something I had heard from Seo-ha in the past.
“It’s because they struggle that they are beautiful. It’s because they never give up, no matter the situation, that they are worth crushing. It’s because they survive so tenaciously that I become curious about what kind of face they’ll make when they finally break.”
It was the strangely twisted theory of tragedy that Seo-ha held.
“It’s the same logic as how no one bothers to pluck a flower unless it’s bloomed beautifully. How could someone who gives up easily, falls into despair, and fails ever be worthy of being the protagonist of a tragedy?”
For a fleeting moment, her smile looked so much like the hollow Seo-ha of ‘that day’ that it irritated me.
“Since you’ve shown such wonderful resistance, shall we call it a day?”
“Who says you can? Are you trying to run away now that the tables are turning?”
“Oh, don’t be like that. You know that if I put my mind to it, I could take a hostage far more precious than that Lee Yu-na over there.”
The hand of Authority slowly stroked the neck of the Evil God—no, Seo-ha.
Was she threatening to snap it if I resisted?
“You think I won’t?”
“Dammit.”
She could. Even if she did, Seo-ha probably wouldn’t die, but that monster would truly break her just to inflict psychological trauma on me.
Breaking her would be the merciful option; she might even blow her away or make her explode.
“I didn’t originally plan to leave so simply, but shall we consider this a light greeting between us?”
“One more greeting like that and we’ll have a full-scale war on our hands.”
“That wouldn’t be so bad either. I’d love a war filled with a despair so vast you couldn’t possibly endure it.”
“You crazy bitch.”
“Is it really okay to speak so recklessly? Your precious friend’s life is in my hands.”
She was smiling familiarly, as if she were just joking around.
The act was so natural that the version of her that had been trying to kill and break me just moments ago felt like a lie. What more was there to say?
A bizarre standoff ensued. Both Seo Tae-ho and Sun Wukong were watching me, waiting for my cue.
They were asking me to choose: go all the way, or stop here.
“Since choosing seems difficult, shall I give you a little help? One of the Calamities I didn’t bring today might be keeping an eye on your friends.”
“…What?”
“But I promise that if you let us leave peacefully, nothing will happen. Why don’t you consider that possibility?”
I really didn’t know what she was playing at.
I knew better than anyone that she was lying.
While I was here, my clone was currently enjoying a rib feast with the others at a restaurant.
And yet, she was claiming there was a Calamity lurking nearby that could bypass my Fiery Eyes and Golden Pupils, even if it was just a clone?
“If that’s not enough, then fine.”
Immediately after she smirked, her expression slowly crumbled, and she began to exude a presence that was much more familiar to me.
“Uh…?”
‘Seo-ha’ looked around as if she couldn’t grasp the situation. Her face paled rapidly, and she shook her head.
“N-No. Ha-neul. What I wanted to do… what I hoped for… it wasn’t this. Truly…!”
“Hey…! You…!”
“I…! I just…!”
Seo-ha’s movements came to a sudden halt, and her expression returned to a gentle, kindly smiling face.
“If you agree to let us go, I could be kind enough to erase our poor lady’s memories of today, just like usual.”
In other words, if I didn’t let them go, Seo-ha would retain every single memory of today’s events.
“How hurt would the poor lady be if she remembered today? Would she want to endure even one more day in a world she no longer has any attachment to? I guarantee she wouldn’t.”
“…So, if I let you go and you erase her memories, what happens then?”
“It’s simple. Instead of a suicidal volunteer who lost the will to destroy the world and just wants to die after playing the villain, she’ll return to being a terminally ill girl holding on with the resolve to destroy the world again just to get you back.”
“Then she won’t remember anything that happened at the festival today either?”
“No, as a courtesy, I’ll leave her the happy memories of her time with you. I’ll only excise parts of the emotions she felt and parts of the sights she saw. Isn’t that kind enough?”
Yeah, it was damn kind.
It was also a truly horrific choice.
“I’ll take that as an agreement, then.”
The Red Butler retrieved the fallen Calamities, and the Lee Yu-na from the 1st Timeline also approached them.
“Oh, in case you’re worried, I won’t harm this girl either. I don’t know when she might become useful again, so I won’t kill her just to vent my frustration.”
…That’s incredibly reassuring.
The hands of Authority gathered to open a massive portal. I could do nothing but watch as the Calamities disappeared through it one by one.
With a hostage involved, what could I possibly do?
Still.
I felt like I had to say at least one thing to the Evil God, who was about to vanish with a triumphant, pleased expression as if she had won.
“I told Seo-ha this too, but bad endings aren’t popular.”
“…What?”
“So no matter what you say, no matter what bullshit you pull, I’m going to force this story back into a happy ending, by any means necessary.”
Upon hearing my words, she laughed delightfully and asked mockingly.
“How? While your most precious person is held hostage? Right now, I’m still just a part of this girl, but soon, this child who has lost both hope and purpose will gradually lose everything to me.”
Yes, it was a desperate situation.
A hostage, a time limit, and on top of all that, I had to worry about my own physical condition.
“It’s not even that hard.”
“…Hmm?”
That’s right, it wasn’t hard.
“Is Seo-ha going crazy with guilt? Does she think she doesn’t deserve to be happy? Is she barely holding on with the resolve to bring me back, but now wants to give up on everything because I seem happy even without her?”
It looked complicated and difficult, but that was exactly why I had to approach it more simply and directly.
The very first thing I had to do to fix this twisted relationship.
“Then in the end, all I have to do is make Seo-ha want to be greedy, right? It’s not hard at all. I’ll make her so happy, so unwilling to give up, that she’ll want to watch over this world just a little longer. I’ll make it so she can dream of a future where she apologizes and is forgiven.”
Just like I did.
I naturally clenched my fists tight.
“I look happy even without Seo-ha? Then I’ll have to show her what total nonsense that is. I’ll show her that I don’t even want to think about a life without her.”
“…How passionate. You sound quite greedy.”
“Yeah, I’m greedy. So what are you going to do about it? I’m happy now, but I want to be even happier. And for the happiness I want, Seo-ha absolutely has to be by my side.”
“And what if this girl decides she can’t stand it unless she monopolizes you?”
“I’ll put my head to the ground and beg. If that doesn’t work, hell, I’ll lick her boots if I have to.”
“How pathetic.”
“So what if it’s pathetic? I’ll ask and ask again, and if she still won’t change her mind, I’ll act cute, I’ll use aegyo, whatever it takes. I’ll make sure she’s happy, no matter what.”
“Yes, that’s it. That’s the proper attitude a protagonist should show. Giving up or compromising is a role for someone other than you. Please, continue to remain an arrogant, noble, and greed-filled protagonist.”
“I will never be broken.”
“That’s what will make the sight of you breaking all the more beautiful, don’t you think?”
Was it my imagination that the Evil God’s face looked slightly flushed as she chuckled and passed through the gate?
“Please, keep dreaming. Unlike this girl.”
With those final words, she vanished beyond the gate. I stared at the spot for a long time.
“…Are you alright, kid?”
“Ah, Seo Tae-ho. Thank you for the help. It would have been a disaster without you.”
“No, well, I had a debt to pay, and I was ordered to protect you, so it doesn’t matter, but…”
“I’m fine. No, actually, I feel a bit relieved.”
“…Huh? Didn’t you want to catch them?”
“I did. But even if I tried, I didn’t know how. I didn’t even know what I was supposed to do, so honestly, I was getting a bit annoyed. But now, my task has become clear.”
Yeah, this was actually better. I hadn’t had a clue how to approach her, but now I was certain.
I would make Seo-ha so happy, make her love this place so much, that she wouldn’t be able to stand it without apologizing.
I’d make her so happy that thoughts of wanting to disappear or feelings of guilt wouldn’t even cross her mind.
Until she truly wanted to be forgiven.
“…Just what is your relationship with those things?”
“Friends.”
“Huh?”
“The kind of friends who are incredibly twisted and fierce, but have supported each other since we were kids.”
“…I don’t think so? The way you look at that girl is less like a friend and more like—”
Seo Tae-ho tried to say something, but Sun Wukong, who had approached unnoticed, silenced him by shoving the Ruyi into his mouth before turning to me.
Then, he flicked me on the forehead.
“That hurts…?”
“Don’t exaggerate. I didn’t even hit you that hard.”
…Well, obviously, if you had hit me hard, I wouldn’t be standing upright right now.
“That is your punishment for not trusting me earlier and trying to overexert yourself.”
“Ah, were you still dwelling on that?”
“You brat. Don’t you realize that even if you get back the person you cherish so much, it means nothing if you are broken?”
“Ah, that’s because you didn’t explain anything earlier. If I had known reinforcements were coming, why would I have done that~”
“No, you would have. Seeing you today, you’re exactly the type to do it again. I’ll only be at peace once I’ve made it so your body physically can’t overexert itself.”
“Pardon?”
Sun Wukong sighed and pointed to her own head.
“I’ll have to go get it soon. The Golden Hoop.”
She said she would have to go retrieve her third relic.
“…By the way, do you have nothing to say about this form? I think it’s the first time I’ve shown you?”
Finally, Seo Tae-ho asked a fairly reasonable question, but I had seen it plenty of times in the 1st Timeline so I wasn’t particularly impressed, and Sun Wukong simply ignored him, asking what was so special about a dragon.