Chapter 407
Chapter 407
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 407
Chapter Title: Final Decision (7)
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The group left Miro's dimension and gathered in Alpheas's secret room.
Gauld sat cross-legged, his hands resting on his knees, lost in thought.
The fact that he couldn't see Miro was disappointing, but that wasn't the most important thing right now.
“The final war may come sooner than expected. That means we have to move faster. Kangnan should be on his way to Galliandro. He might bring someone with him, he might not, but now is the time to make a choice.”
Gauld said to Shirone.
“When the final war breaks out, those who fight the enemy will be hailed as heroes. But if you follow us now, you'll be a traitor who hastened that war.”
Hero or traitor, it didn't matter to Shirone.
On a mission that someone of Gauld's caliber was risking his life for, Shirone's chances of survival were less than one percent.
“If you can give me time, how long do I have?”
“We leave for Galliandro tonight. We'll wait for Kangnan, of course, but no longer than two days at most. If you decide to go to Heaven, come to Galliandro. The old man will take care of things at the academy for you. Not that it matters when you're walking to your death.”
Gauld had no qualms about revealing the danger.
They needed Shirone's abilities, but if he was going to join with half-hearted resolve, it was better to not have him on the team at all.
Bringing along a terrified brat would only get them all killed without achieving anything.
Armin took a step toward Gauld.
The reason he had followed them, even after confirming Miro's dimension, was to enforce his contract.
“Shina is not going to Heaven.”
“Ah, that was the deal. Fine. Shina, you can't go to Heaven. As of now, you're off the team.”
Shina shook her head.
If that was why Armin had come, and if that was the only reason Gauld had recruited her, it was an insult to her pride as a Grade 5 certified mage.
“Why should I follow the opinion of someone who isn't on the team? I'm going to Heaven.”
“You heard her. I suppose that settles the contract.”
Light emanated from within Armin's bandages.
Keira swallowed hard at the murderous intent that felt like a whirlwind of blades.
“I'm not in the mood for games. You'd be wise to honor the contract. If you want to go to Heaven in one piece.”
He knew Shina would be hurt, but the only reason he had revealed his identity was to stop her from going to Heaven.
Rescuing Miro? What a load of nonsense.
As a member of the Human Safety Enforcement Bureau, Armin knew Heaven's military power better than anyone.
Gauld was an anomaly, a Red Line Grade 1 mage who specialized solely in combat, but even if he went all out, it was doubtful he could take down a single regular angel, let alone an archangel.
Of course, it wasn't impossible.
Nothing was absolute in battle, and if even the slightest variable could be snowballed, it might be possible to win with strategy and tactics.
But the enemies in Heaven were unlike anything in the human world.
If they clashed with insufficient information, the victor would be decided by the simple logic of power.
That was why both the Ivory Tower and the Holy Kingdom were focused on postponing the final war until they could gather as much intelligence as possible.
Gauld replied indifferently.
“What do you want me to do? I don't do favors. I'm not some pretty boy like you. Even if I don't take her, Shina will find her own way to Heaven.”
A vein bulged on Armin's temple.
“That's enough, Gauld. If you want to die, go die alone. Your madness is nothing but a nuisance to the world.”
“Oh, sorry for being a nuisance. But you know what really pisses me off? How is it that when you say that, you conveniently forget the nuisance the world has been to me? I took it all alone, but you lot get to share the burden with all of humanity, so don't whine so much. It's disgusting to listen to.”
Armin scoffed.
“The nuisance the world has been to you? No, you're just a madman possessed by your own vile desires. Can you really say Miro had no choice? On the Day of the 20 Judgments...”
“What do you know?”
Gauld's face turned pale.
Flames blazed in his wide-open eyes.
“What... do you know about Miro?”
“Hiek!”
Plu squeezed her eyes shut.
Without fail, a scorching hell began to consume the edges of the space, and the screams of hungry ghosts erupted.
As the pain Gauld had experienced spread beyond his body, even the instructors shuddered in agony.
It was a level of torment that would drive an ordinary person mad.
The bridge of Armin's nose wrinkled fiercely.
As his Mad Eyes eerily lit up, a phenomenon that stopped the flames in their tracks surged from behind Armin toward Gauld.
Centered on the point between them, the two worlds of flame and eternity collided.
“Stop this pathetic display. Don't think you're the only one who has experienced hell. This is your final warning. Promise me you won't take Shina.”
“Kukuku, now I see. You're just a fledgling who knows nothing. The Contemplator of Eternity? You, who did nothing but hide and snivel in a world where nothing ever changes...”
Gauld's Spirit Zone unfurled.
“Who are you to speak of hell?”
BOOM!
The shockwave from the clash of their Spirit Zones spread out in a sphere, caving in the walls of the room in a concave shape.
“Kugh...”
As the full force of the impact hit him, Shirone felt like he was dying.
The only consolation was that he wasn't the only one struggling to endure it.
The worlds of scorching heat and eternity tangled into a chaotic mess, and an unbearable pressure squeezed everyone's hearts.
Just then, two golden gears pierced through the curtain of hell and began to rotate, interlocked.
The landscape was sucked in and ground to pieces. As if pulling the center of a rug, the original world began to reveal itself from the edges of the scene.
As the hellscape vanished, everyone stared blankly at the gears.
Before they knew it, the gears had transformed into Sein's amber irises, which glowed like halos as they spun rapidly.
Iron Wheel Eyes—Equilibrium.
This was Sein's specialty: calming all phenomena with two gears that calculated the coefficients of reason and emotion.
Gauld was satisfied to see that his old classmate's skills hadn't rusted, especially with their trip to Heaven looming.
However, he was displeased at being treated the same as Armin, especially since they were allies with the same goal.
“What's this? We should be ganging up on him. Are you trying to make this a three-way fight?”
“We're in front of our master. Any other time, perhaps, but for now, control yourself.”
Sein's feelings toward Alpheas were no different from Gauld's.
When the entire world had abandoned the Paranormal Research Society, he was the only one who had stood by their side.
For once, even Gauld had no choice but to clam up.
Of course, Alpheas wasn't the type to be swayed by such torment, but if there was one person in the world he didn't want to be a nuisance to, it was him.
Sein turned to Armin.
“I won't apologize for using your emotions. But we need every skilled person we can get. If you knew that from the start, why don't you try persuading Shina yourself? As I said, if she gives up, we have no intention of forcing her. This isn't a mission that can be accomplished through coercion.”
Shina stepped forward herself.
Honestly, she didn't even want to look at Armin's face, but she couldn't stand watching everyone else bicker over her.
“Just answer me one thing, Armin.”
Armin, who hadn't even been able to turn his head until now, spoke in a desperate voice as Shina broke the silence.
“Shina, I'm sorry for hiding it. But I...”
“Is Keira your wife?”
Keira's face brightened as if this was her moment, and she stepped forward, but she quickly retreated, her face pale.
She had felt a terrifying killing intent from behind Armin, who had only slightly turned his head.
Armin turned back to Shina.
The killing intent vanished as if it had never been there, and he was once again a gentle lamb.
“No, Keira is my monitor. There were circumstances. It was a sham marriage for a mission. Shina, everything was for you. Please, give me a chance to explain.”
A cold breath escaped Shina's lips.
A sham marriage? A monitor?
Was he really saying this right now?
*‘I... I struggled so much...’*
Every night, she had vowed to forget him. Shuddering with loneliness, desperately suppressing her desire to steal him away, she had prayed for him to live happily with Keira.
And now he says it was a lie?
After deceiving her all this time, after acting like a loving couple right in front of her eyes, he claims it was all for her?
“Shina, if you want to be angry, you can. But...”
“No, let me speak.”
Shina held up a hand, cutting him off.
He must have had his reasons. No, even if he didn't, she had no right to be angry with Armin.
She could well imagine the kind of life he had lived after losing both his eyes to save her.
“You're the one who saved my life. No matter why you deceived me, the fact that you gave me a new life doesn't change.”
Armin pressed his lips together, his eyebrows raised.
She didn't have to thank him.
If she wanted, he would rip out his own heart for her right now.
If only Shina would ask.
Shina went to Armin and wrapped her arms around his waist.
Even though she was in the arms of the man she had so desperately longed for, her heart just felt numb, as if it had been lashed with a whip.
“Thank you, Armin. I'll never forget it. I'll live my life always grateful for the life you gave me. But we're adults now. We can't treat each other based on childhood feelings anymore. So please, leave me be. That's the last thing I'll ever ask of you.”
“Shina...”
Armin wept with his soul.
His own state was wretched, unable to even shed tears without eyes.
He had to leave. He could do anything Shina wanted.
And he would wait. On the off chance she had a small change of heart and missed him.
Even if she never did, he would wait for the rest of his life.
“Alright, I'll do as you say. I can do anything you want.”
Armin reached out as if to caress Shina's cheek, but then regretfully clenched his fist and turned away.
“Let's go.”
“Armin, you don't mean...”
Keira, with a grave expression, tried to shout something to Shina, but Armin's Flicker magic was faster.
With a crackle of electricity, the two of them vanished.
The Flicker magic, which transcended space even in a sealed room, was another reminder that he was an Unlocker.
Gauld continued, looking relieved.
“Let's finalize the roster. I can't guarantee Kangnan succeeded in his recruitment, but if he brings someone back, we'll be set for utility. If Shirone joins, our strategic options will expand. Shina and I are enough for DPS. Sein will handle crowd control, and we have one for manipulation, one for scouting.”
Plu felt an infinite sense of pride at the mention of her position.
Normally, a Grade 8 certified mage would have no place in a project like this. But on the other hand, it also meant the team was severely lacking in strength.
As expected, Gauld looked dissatisfied.
He wasn't expecting to form a cage-class team, but they still needed to have the basic lineup to get the job done, didn't they?
“It seems... we need a hitman. If we had someone who could guarantee taking out one target, our tactical flexibility would increase immensely. Know any decent swordsmen? I mean someone who really knows how to cut.”
Sein said.
“Where are we supposed to find someone like that on short notice? Didn't you have a magic swordsman in your royal guard or whatever?”
“Lost contact. Probably dead. Anyway, think about it. Someone who can guarantee a kill on a single target, even if they die doing it. Someone who won't leave a mess behind when they're gone. In short, someone who's dying to die.”
“That's a lot of requirements.”
“If even one isn't met, I won't recruit them. We're a suicide squad. Anyone who joins looking for a reward will only be a liability to the team.”
Etella said.
“What about looking among the certified knights? A renowned swordsman would certainly have the skills.”
“No way. Those types who go on about conviction get fired up over nothing. We're not going to war. For a mission focused on retrieving Miro, a hitman is the perfect fit.”
Sein checked the time and said.
“Let's head to Galliandro for now. There might be someone who wields a blade in the Kergo Autonomous Zone.”
Just then, Shina raised her hand.
“Um, what about a knight with no conviction?”
All eyes turned to Shina.
Gauld frowned as if asking what she meant, then asked.
“A knight with no conviction? Can you even call that a knight? Well, whatever, it doesn't matter. But why do you ask?”
“I know someone. Someone who knows how to cut properly.”