Chapter 264: A-Rank Engagement Record – Borealis (1)
Chapter 264: A-Rank Engagement Record – Borealis (1)
Looking at the land visible in the distance, across the way, a certain thought came to mind.
He said he called that land Mother Earth.
I recalled the words of the man who thought he hid his emotions well, even though they were written all over his face.
How did it come to this?
We—no, I—simply wanted to protect this new world.
But the remnants of our homeland, which had latched onto us before we knew it, would not allow it.
That is why the words we have laid out before the world are nothing but lies.
We shouted toward the world.
Why did you drive our kin to their deaths?
Why did you leave her alone in an impossible battle?
She did not die.
We are individuals, yet we are a colony.
Therefore, as long as there is a seed that has returned to The Cycle, it is not death.
And so, even knowing that intent, we pressed on.
Why did you butcher our kin?
If you craved knowledge that much, we would have gladly given it.
We knew it all.
The black malice engraved within humanity.
The fear they harbor as living beings toward other races.
In fact, it was almost endearing.
For those who resembled them across the entire world had been the same.
While we were stagnating within an endless cycle, they reached out toward a place far beyond and grasped the sky.
The small children who once grew under our protection stood up on their own and reached out.
Lovely existences that no longer remain.
That is why.
The sentences we spat at humanity are all mere excuses.
Excuses for this play.
We can embrace humanity’s malice, their selfishness, and the contamination inherent in the world without denying a single part of it.
Nevertheless, we must act this way.
Because this is the stigma branded upon us before we even realized it.
Because these are the remnants of a ruined world that we failed to protect and fled from.
【I [我] loathe distortions on an unplanned stage. Choose. Will you wither away with the World [界], or become The Enemy of the World [界] and devour it?】
We were never free.
The moment our world perished, we were already branded by the cursed conquerors.
As inescapable puppets.
What we thought was freedom was merely because our actions had not yet strayed from the boundaries they set.
The moment their touch reached us, we knew those words were sincere.
And we knew that those words must never be spoken to anyone else.
Truly... they are cruel beings.
I do not know what kind of beings they are or what they want.
But there was no meaning in the choices they offered.
Attacking the children to protect the children.
They did not coerce us.
There were no orders, no restraints.
Instead, they bestowed power.
A cursed, filth-like power.
The mud that defiles the world.
A curse this world does not yet know.
Accepting all of that, I looked toward the land beyond and opened my mouth.
To my kin gathered around me.
"Everyone, I presume you understand the situation."
"Yes, The Queen's experiences and decisions have been conveyed to us all."
The consensus of the representatives.
Everyone knew what they wanted to say, but speaking it aloud held great significance for us.
We are a colony, yet we are individuals.
We can share what is ours, but only what we wish to share.
That which is held deep within the inner self belongs to the individual alone.
Therefore, for us, a voice carries many things.
"Then, you must also know the outcome of this battle."
We would not lose intentionally.
However, I could not envision a future where we won.
That is the kind of battle this is.
Even if we were to overwhelm them with mighty power, the attack would not be of our own will.
The distortion would create an opening.
And they are beings capable of seizing such openings.
Because I believe in them, we launch our attack.
Believing that they will have the strength to protect their home.
Those emotions and thoughts are transmitted. And for a moment, the bodies of my kin flinch.
As if, even though they know, it is difficult to accept.
That is the characteristic we possess as individuals.
The fear of one's existence vanishing.
The fear of total annihilation, where even The Cycle might fail this time.
But overcoming that is—
"We obey The Queen's command."
Countless kin knelt.
Casting aside their selves as a colony.
Under the name of Water Spirits.
Even if it meant their own extinction.
And so, I spoke.
"This is The Queen's command."
Hear me, all of you.
"Those who still harbor lingering attachments to this world... flee."
In the name of The Queen.
"It is enough for those who remain to be the last drops of water left in the world. Ancient water that has lived a long time and failed to protect even its own world."
Those who have already been mixed countless times.
To the point they can no longer find themselves.
Colonies where the individual has blurred are enough.
"Those who came to this world and took on its new colors... flee. Survive. For this world. For yourselves. For the future."
My words spread out like a ripple to all my kin.
Once, their colors were erased, and they became a single color within a puddle.
Various emotions bloomed.
Terror, fear, pleas, hope.
From those who could still separate themselves.
From those who remained as individuals.
"Surviving is not a thing of shame. Rather, you will carry our burden and live on for a long time. If you are prepared for that... stand up and walk away."
At that, several of my kin broke their posture and stood up.
Trembling.
With expressions of unspeakable sadness and pain.
"...I'm... sorry... I don't... want to die yet..."
The plea they offered created another ripple.
A few more stood up.
And they, in turn, created yet another ripple.
How many times was this repeated?
Many had disappeared.
One out of fifty.
This meant that forty-nine out of fifty remained.
Foolish ones.
Among them, too, were countless whose hearts were shaken by the ripples.
And yet, they chose to stay with me.
Foolish people.
To such people, there is only one thing I must do as their Queen.
"Then... go."
"...Yes."
With voices that were orderly yet trembling, they ran forward.
Toward the humanity approaching to stop us.
Left alone, I waited for my guests upon the barren, frozen earth.
Praying that the ones I hoped for would come.
* * *
Countless kin are scattered.
Because it is a battle where lives are on the line.
Countless others are withering away, unable to even return to The Cycle.
Was my heart shaken by that?
Something cold settled on my shoulder.
Pure white snow.
A beautiful sculpture created by the water of this world.
Even though it possesses no life or will.
It leaves behind art.
Yes, it should be fine now.
I won't need to control the weather anymore.
Because there is no one left to rejoice in it.
And so, feeling the work of my mindless kin from another world, I waited for them.
My field of vision narrowed.
After a time that was not very long, two shadows appeared ahead.
A massive existence.
And a tiny existence in contrast.
...How unexpected.
To think that those two would be the ones to reach this place.
With that thought, I brushed the snow from my body to welcome my guests and waved my hand.
Whoosh.
A brief wind blew, and my vision cleared.
A circular space.
And they came into view.
Now, even the blizzard does not interfere with us.
An empty space surrounded by the blizzard, meant only for the three of us.
And so, I raised my voice.
Trusting in the final legacy I would leave.
"Misha. I did not expect you to be the one to come. Lee Ha-ram, the same goes for you."
Those two are the proof-bearers of pure strength.
Pure strength cannot erase water.
In other words, they are beings with poor compatibility to fight me.
It would have been better if the Thunder God or Macbeth had come.
But I did not let my thoughts show.
For this is the role I must play.
As the clown who will melt the frozen earth and sweep the world away with water.
And so, I prepared to unleash my power, but—
"Ah, well. I know the compatibility is bad, but that Misha fellow over there asked me."
The Magical Girl, who was tapping her shoulder with her hammer, spoke up.
"Asked what?"
"To please let him try to persuade you. He said if he fails, he'll finish it himself. Oh, and I just tagged along for the ride. I have some things I'm curious about myself."
"I see. Then, shall I listen?"
I must act.
I must harden my face.
I must be an existence disappointed by the malice of humanity.
And so, pushing down all my emotions, I waited for the blunt man to speak.
"...We were also disappointed by what those bastards did."
That was all.
It was a truly short sentence.
But the emotions contained within it were so intense that it came as a shock, more than any words I had anticipated.
But I endured.
Because I knew what I had to do.
"It would be nice if things could be resolved with the word 'disappointment.' Because of your mistakes, we lost our kin, and many have already died in this war. Do you intend to settle all of that with a single word like 'disappointment'?"
It wasn't true.
You did nothing wrong.
But it has to be this way.
For everyone's sake.
"...We are also looking for a way to stop them. So, even now, stop this and hide somewhere..."
The blunt man's mouth twitched as his words grew longer.
As if he had never explained anything in his life.
But those words—
"Misha, are you going to spill everything?"
The Magical Girl cut him off.
As if it were already enough.
And she stepped forward in place of the man who lacked eloquence.
"Isn't this enough? We've both seen blood. The world will change someday. So just hide. I'm tired of seeing the kids I fought alongside bleeding."
I don't know when that 'someday' will be.
But I could see the inner self of a man who was enduring, endlessly enduring.
Something others, blinded by rage, could not see.
I am sorry.
For not being able to tell you.
For not being able to talk.
We... cannot speak.
Even if we were to reclaim our honor, it would only bring danger to you.
Perhaps those whispering to me desire exactly that.
And so, I opened my mouth.
Not with an answer, but with the words that would change the world.
【Water shall be the beginning of all things】
Now, everything changes.
Kiiiiing.
The world distorted.
All the water within reach of my will became pseudo-spirits, obeying my command.
Simple water, which did not yet even possess intelligence.
Perhaps, just as our ancestors did, by perceiving the world for the first time, they were imbued with my power.
"What... on earth is this..."
"Ugh..."
And the two men who experienced it clutched their heads and shook.
At the words that defined the world, something they were experiencing for the first time.
And I intended to give them an answer.
Hoping that my words would become a single answer in the long fight to follow.
"I have written a new law into the foundation of the world. It is the power held by high-ranking beings of the Otherworld."
I do not know what to call it.
Even for me, it was a power I had only experienced a few times before our world perished.
By the time we experienced it, there wasn't even anyone left to define it.
How ironic.
That I would be the one to use such power.
"With this, the water of your world has become the beginning of all things, and has begun to start all things. Though the speed will be slow."
However, this is the mental image of the world I possess.
I wonder what answer they will give to this sentence.
No, perhaps wishing for that much is asking too much.
This is enough.
Just knowing that beings with such power exist.
The interpretation of the sentence will be left to them as homework.
"...Must we really fight?"
Amidst such talk, Misha looked at me quietly.
As if he knew what it meant to utter those words.
"Yes, absolutely."
I answered him.
I didn't even know what kind of expression I was making.
"I see. Then, I would rather..."
I could tell what his next words would be without hearing them.
By my own hand.
But those words—
"Kuaaaaaaaa!"
They were buried and lost in a roar.
A massive brown bear charged.
A berserk bear, its paws wreathed in flame and lightning.
Among the stories he had told me, he said there were legends of warriors who wore the skins of bears.
And that he was likely the one to realize that legend.
"Are you crazy?"
The Magical Girl caught in the wake of it quickly retreated to avoid the impact.
By my estimation, she would be caught in the shockwave and severely injured.
It can't be helped.
Children, please protect that person.
Quietly, so no one could hear.
To the ones who had just been born.
They understood by sharing a part of my knowledge and provided a small protection.
A barrier of water so thin and small that no one could notice.
That alone would be enough for her to survive.
With all the preparations complete, I witnessed the approaching berserker.
In a place where no warmth existed.
Plowing through the earth covered in frozen snow, lava sprang up in his wake, and igniting volcanoes heated the surroundings.
The numerous upheavals of the earth and the erupting lava rushed toward me as if they had a will of their own.
The dust created gathered in the sky, becoming dark clouds that surrounded us.
His footsteps, as he continued to run, became earthquakes.
The breath exhaled from his ragged lungs became a typhoon, beginning to shatter everything around him.
His physical force was not the pure strength of an individual, like the one holding The Hammer.
It was the pure power of nature.
Just as there were those in our old home who saw our power and actions and worshipped us as gods in the past.
The natural phenomena that were once objects of faith became disasters anew, rushing at me from the hands and feet of the man charging toward me.
But there was no water there.
Surely, a flood is also a disaster.
With a bitter smile at that thought, I drew out the water moving according to my command and struck away the fireballs.
I induced the lightning that flickered in the darkness to strike and channeled it into the earth.
But I did not focus on those.
Each of those was an attack of overwhelming power, reinforced by Misha’s strength, but I could not focus on them.
Because the being causing all of it had reached me.
Wreathed in lightning and fire.
Plowing through the earth.
The being that had reached me swung both arms.
Though his power was said to be the embodiment of natural disasters, his Main Body was not weak.
Rather—
"Kh."
The thick barrier of water I put out to block his attack was torn apart in an instant.
He is stronger than I thought.
In sparring, even Awakened with A-Rank power couldn't easily break through it, but to think it would be pierced so easily.
As I watched the approaching attack, many thoughts passed through my mind.
Would it be better to just take this hit?
Even if it is a physical attack, receiving this much power would shatter my body and cause great damage.
Even if I were hit by this attack, it wouldn't defeat me, but the damage would haunt me until the end of the battle.
Then, I would rather...
Now...
So that no one feels anything strange about this action...
Take the attack...
【That won't do.】
A voice echoed in my ear.
Not the voice that designated the world.
But the voice that had caused all of this.