Chapter 220
Chapter 220
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 220
Chapter Title: Farewell
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KRAKOOOOM!
A flash of light erupted from Ataraxia.
Shirone couldn't control the output. The farther it traveled, the more the light spread, filling the Great World Hall with brilliance.
Baalve flailed its dozens of limbs, crawling on the floor, but was instantly swept away by the torrent of light and vanished without a trace.
Anything in the path of the rushing light was obliterated. It was as if space itself was being pushed away.
BOOOOOOOOM!
The Great World Hall, located at the end of Jevul.
The walls of the massive dome exploded, and two beams of light of unimaginable size tore through the heavens.
“Gasp! Gasp!”
Shirone leaned on his knees, gasping for breath. The scene unfolding before him made his legs go weak.
Half of the Great World Hall was gone. It was a result he couldn't believe, even though he was the one who'd caused it.
What on earth was Ikael thinking, engraving this into his mind?
The only thing left in Shirone's sight was Kariel.
Behind him, the sky was visible, and the ground was gouged into a massive Y-shape.
The halo above Kariel's head was spinning at a tremendous speed.
—Life… Art… progress… 99… percent.
Shirone quickly turned around.
Amy was struggling to tear off the panel attached to her forehead. But no matter how hard she scratched, to the point of drawing blood, it showed no sign of coming off.
Just as despair began to set in, the voice was heard again.
—Transmission canceled. Life… Art… halting.
The panel embedded in Amy's forehead slid out and disintegrated into particles smaller than dust.
Shirone let out a sigh of relief and looked back at Kariel.
The archangel's face was twisted in a grimace. There had been a time lag in the announcement, but it was clear he had regained his power the moment Ataraxia was activated.
Kariel had no other choice.
Even if he had continued the Art of Life, the result would have been the same. Ataraxia's amplification power was not something he could have blocked while his mental energy was being drained by the Art of Life.
Kariel spread his massive golden wings and soared into the air.
“Do you understand now, foolish human? This is the Art of Life. Even I, an archangel, must abandon everything and devote myself completely to create life!”
Kariel looked down at the devastated Great World Hall.
It was just magic cast by a mere boy. And yet, it possessed this level of destructive power.
Why should humans be granted such power?
Humans cannot control themselves. Even the most virtuous person will succumb to the temptation of power.
That boy will try to become a king. He will rule the world with an angel's power and indulge in all sorts of pleasures.
‘That might not be so bad.’
Perhaps it would be better to send him back as he is.
Then the human world would self-destruct without the need for a final war.
But he couldn't do that. Because there was no way Ikael wouldn't know what he was thinking.
Then why? Has she truly gone mad?
How could she, unless she'd lost her mind, even think of passing on an angel's arts to a human?
‘Does she trust him that much? That boy?’
What on earth did Ikael see in that human?
Of course, he acknowledged the boy's talent. After all, no one without talent could possibly accept an angel's arts.
But that alone was not enough of an explanation. There had to be something he didn't know.
In that case, he had to capture him now. If he let him go, a powerful weapon that could threaten Heaven would fall into human hands.
“Do not ask for my mercy any longer.”
Kariel declared war, but Shirone's group, busy planning their escape, had no time to listen.
Arin brought Canis over, and Amy protected Peope.
Tess also ran to get Rian. But Ymir was still standing guard there.
Ymir, who had been staring indifferently at Tess's murderous eyes, shifted his gaze to the kneeling Rian.
Rian's face, tilted up toward the ceiling, was not that of a living person.
His right hand was nothing but bone, yet it still gripped the greatsword.
Such was the horror of the Incarnation Art, where mind and body became one.
“One win, one draw, one loss. Shall we call it a draw for today?”
“…”
“Keke, so weak. When you fight the main body, will even your bones remain?”
Ymir held up the severed right arm. He shoved it into Rian's mouth, where it dissolved into a black liquid and flowed down his throat.
“Take him. And cherish him. If he survives, he might just be able to save humanity. That would make for an interesting war for me, as well.”
As Ymir tossed Rian, sending him sliding across the floor, Tess quickly caught him in her arms.
Tears welled up the moment she saw his bony arm, but they had to get home first to treat him.
A drone flew over and attached itself to Tess's arm as a gauntlet.
She glared at Ymir one last time before turning and running to Arin.
Ymir, melting from the legs up, gave a friendly smile.
He hoped Rian would survive. Humans needed to become stronger. Strong enough to have no choice but to resurrect the King of Giants.
It was his destiny to destroy the strengthened humans.
‘The day we fight again will come. Perhaps I'll sleep until then.’
Ymir dissolved into a black liquid. No more of his ‘parts’ remained in Heaven. He would fall into a long slumber in the eternally frozen ice, awaiting the final war that would one day come.
—Shirone, we're ready!
Arin's voice entered Shirone's mind. He wanted to escape immediately, but the Metagate took thirty seconds to activate. The timing of their escape would determine life or death.
Shirone knew it was impossible for everyone to escape with Kariel back in perfect condition.
The only way was for at least one person to stay behind and buy time for the others to evacuate.
—Arin. Open the Metagate now. And get out, no matter what.
—What about you?
—I'll stop Kariel. If I can delay his approach for just one second, that's enough for you to get out.
—But Shirone! None of us would…!
—Please. Make sure Amy gets home safely.
He was asking her to keep it a secret. Because if Amy knew Shirone was staying behind, she would never leave.
Arin couldn't refuse Shirone's proposal. Someone had to survive, even if it meant someone else's sacrifice.
Just as Canis had, just as Rian had, Shirone was simply making a choice to save the people he cared about.
—Alright, Shirone. Signal me when you're ready.
Shirone prepared himself mentally.
What would happen to him? His friends wouldn't come back to Heaven to rescue someone whose fate was unknown.
If he died right away, it would be fine, but he might be captured by Kariel and subjected to all sorts of experiments.
He was afraid.
Everyone would leave, and he would be left all alone.
‘I'm sorry, Headmaster. You were right.’
A bitter smile formed on Shirone's lips. But soon, he glared at Kariel with fierce eyes.
He had to charge. It took one second to open and enter the Metagate. Somehow, he just needed to draw Kariel's attention for that one second.
By now, had Arin explained the plan to the others? They would never dream that he was staying here.
Shirone took a deep breath.
It was the moment of farewell.
—Arin! Now!
The moment Arin opened the Metagate, Shirone charged at Kariel.
Amy turned around, her eyes wide with shock.
‘Why? Shirone?’
This was different from the plan she'd heard. Hadn't they said the fairest way was to all jump at the same time and leave the rest to fate?
Seeing Arin's sad expression, Amy instantly understood the situation. She burst into tears and reached out her hand.
“No! Shiro…!”
Arin grabbed Amy by the waist and jumped into the Metagate's portal. Tess, holding onto Canis and Rian, also leaped into the portal, squeezing her eyes shut.
‘Shirone, please… I hope we can see each other again.’
Shirone tilted his head back, letting his eyes catch the tears before they could fall. His expression was a mixture of elation and sorrow.
It was a relief that Kariel wasn't paying attention to his friends. Perhaps he had been targeting only him from the start. If so, it was almost a relief.
If he could save his friends, he would gladly be captured.
—Don't do it, Shirone.
At the sudden mental resonance, he glanced to his side. Peope was flying alongside him, her eyes smiling.
—Peope, why are you still here?
Peope's thoughts flowed into his mind at high speed.
—Humans are a strange race. The way you choose your own lives. To do so, you're even willing to embrace death.
—What are you suddenly talking about?
Shirone suddenly felt a surge of anxiety. He had a feeling something was happening that he didn't know about.
It was entirely possible. Perhaps the reason Arin had agreed to the plan was…
‘No, it can't be. It shouldn't be.’
This little fairy had helped them. Even if he were left alone in Heaven, the reason he didn't feel like he'd fallen into an abyss was that Peope would still be by his side.
—Annihilation is a scary thing. But watching you all, I thought… Humans, who can give their lives for those they love. To me, that is truly magnificent.
—Peope, no.
—Go back to your friends. And…
Tears formed in the corners of Peope's eyes.
—I love you, Shirone.
Peope cut off the telepathic link and surged toward Kariel.
Shirone stared blankly as she flew away. A moment later, against his will, his legs stopped, and his body turned toward the Metagate.
“Hk! Sob!”
Shirone ran toward the Metagate. Tears blurred his vision, and he couldn't see anything.
The world looked hazy, as if submerged in water. Faced with this miraculous opportunity, he was utterly weak.
He could go back. Back to his own world, to see everyone again.
‘Mom, Dad, I'm coming. I'll definitely come back and…’
Shirone stopped dead in his tracks. Conflicting emotions warred within him with equal weight, but the thought that rose to his mind was a single promise he had made to Peope.
—If I get caught, will you come save me? I mean… if we're friends.
—Of course.
“Of course… Peope.”
Shirone clenched his fists, choking back a sob. And with his last remaining mental energy, he cast Teleport.
Her words, ‘I love you,’ echoed in his ears like a phantom.
To a one-year-old fairy, love was such a grand concept. It wasn't romantic love, nor was it the love between friends or family; it was simply a singular, all-encompassing love.
Peope was a fairy with a pure and clear soul.
Leaving such a friend behind and returning home was a pain more unbearable than death.
‘Peope! Please! Please wait!’
Facing death, Peope was terrified. Is this annihilation? Everything was frightening and unfamiliar.
With every passing moment, an unknown world unfolded, and her heart swung between extremes.
Was this really the right choice? Were the words she spoke to Arin entirely from the heart?
—It's me, Peope. If someone has to stay behind, then everyone else should leave. I'll stop Kariel.
—But… what about you?
—I can't leave Heaven anyway. Besides, this is my duty as the Regent of the Divine Subjects.
Peope forced a smile.
‘It's okay. I am the Spiral Fairy. No matter how much I waver, I'm still moving straight ahead.’
She would never see Igirin again, who had finally acknowledged her true worth, but she was content, having realized it at the end of her life.
The Art of the Episode was not what was great. What was truly great was the sacrifice of the humans who willingly accepted the Art of the Episode.
She was glad that Shirone could live.
“What an insolent fairy.”
Kariel snorted and held out his hand. With his power, he could annihilate a mere fairy in an instant.
Sensing death, Peope's lips trembled and turned down. She finally burst into tears.
But she didn't back down. She thrust out both hands and unleashed the power of the spiral with all her might.
“Peope! Stop!”
At Shirone's unexpected voice, Peope turned around. In that instant, Kariel shot past her. The angel's slender hand aimed for the nape of Shirone's neck.
‘I won't let you escape. Not you!’
I will study you. No matter how cruel the method, I will dissect the mechanism of Ataraxia and make it my own.
KLAAAAANG!
At that moment, a violet longsword lodged itself between Kariel's fingers. A black-haired man now stood protectively in front of Shirone.
It was Ikael's subordinate, Tri-Mara Ashur.
“Ashur… Are you going to interfere as well?”
“A message from Lady Ikael.”
Rage filled Kariel's eyes.
A mere Tri-Mara, speaking to him so bluntly. Does he still think Ikael commands Heaven?
Of course, there was a time he had respected Ikael. But she had committed an unforgivable act.
“The shame of Heaven dares to send me a message?”
“Watch your words.”
“It's not wrong. A noble angel who rose to the rank of Archangel, bearing the seed of a lowly human…”
“Lord Ka-ri-el!”
Ashur's eyes blazed like a demon's.
“I. Said. Clearly. That this is a message from Lady Ikael.”
Kariel fell silent. It was a message from Ikael.
“She said that if you harm this boy, she will find it impossible to treat you with any goodwill.”
Kariel's nose wrinkled in displeasure. He couldn't comprehend her reasoning at all.
Ikael had become disgraceful. She had fallen.
But he still held a certain reverence for the name Ikael. It was the last lingering regret he had for the angel he once adored.
And yet, she betrayed him like this.
Why would she, who had risen to become the leader of the angels, devote so much effort to a mere human?
Kariel had no choice but to preserve his pride with silence. Then, Ashur turned to Shirone and said.
“Go. Peope will be safe. I swear it on Lady Ikael's name.”
Having exhausted all his mental energy with the teleport, Shirone was in no condition to move. But as Ashur's words reached him, a faint smile spread across his face.
He could trust Ikael. She was the one who had given him everything.
“Goodbye, Shirone.”
Peope, activating the power of the spiral, sent Shirone flying toward the Metagate and said. And those were the last words Shirone heard in Heaven.