The Protagonist's Resolve

Chapter 97

Streams of light rushed past me.

They were trying to drag me somewhere.

But.

CRACK!

I resisted the current by driving the Holy Sword ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠deep into it.

Tirpe's heart—which she had desperately returned to me—felt like it was being scorched.

I couldn't return like this.

"Fuck..."

This was never the kind of ending I wanted.

"Holy Sword... take all my stats! My abilities and skills... take everything... Just open the damn gate ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to bring Tirpe back!"

The Holy Sword murmured in a sorrowful voice.

<The unobservable phenomenon that occurred to you has scraped away everything you had. There's nothing left for you to offer now...>

It was hopeless.

The image of Tirpe hiding her tears from me—her final moments—wouldn't leave my mind. The more I remembered, the deeper the injustice in my chest grew.

"...I did my best. I did all I could. Then shouldn't people at least get to keep breathing? So why... do the ones who've suffered all along have to keep suffering like this?"

My teeth clenched. The more they ground together, the more my stubbornness surged.

I never wanted to return to Earth with this fucking shitty ending.

"I have to go back with Tirpe."

I drove the Holy Sword even deeper into the light.

"I promised. That we'd visit the cathedral together."

Even if this was nothing but meaningless resistance, I refused to loosen my grip on the sword. Then, as if vomiting out my frustration, I screamed.

"...She said she'd go back with me!!"

The light rushing past me accelerated. The force pulling at my body grew stronger. My breath caught, and my mind blurred.

It felt like I'd lose consciousness any second now.

The Holy Sword urgently tried to stop me.

<Pull me out now and return to Earth! If you stay like this, you'll become lost between dimensions!!>

"I can't go..."

As the pressure of the light intensified, my entire body was torn apart sharply. Blood gushed out.

But I couldn't let go.

"...This is so fucked up that I can't go back like this. Turn it around. Turn it back, you fucking bastards!! You goddamn sons of bitches!!"

All I could do was cry tears of blood. Even my screams scattered hopelessly in the torrent of light.

But I never let go of the Holy Sword. No matter how violently the light surged, I clung to it stubbornly.

Even if I went, there was nothing I could do—but my rationality had long since flown from my mind.

I just couldn't accept Tirpe meeting such a tragic end.

<You...>

Even the Holy Sword fell silent as the light accelerated.

Then.

A voice spoke from the light that was pulling me away.

—Go back. To where you belong.

Unable to even open my eyes properly, I twisted my lips.

"Can't fucking go anymore..."

I didn't know whose voice this was.

But I raised my head and spat out the rest of my words.

"No, I won't go... you bastard."

—You've already performed one miracle. There won't be a second.

The light, now even more violent, pressed down on me as it spoke.

—And that girl is an unnecessary existence in this story.

—Her exit from the stage won't affect the narrative.

—She isn't the protagonist. She isn't important enough for you to care about.

It sounded like multiple people speaking. And I couldn't just listen quietly to that.

More than anything, I couldn't stand Tirpe being treated like that.

"Shut up...! Who the hell are you? Who the fuck do you think you are, treating people like that...?!"

The light was resolute in response to my outcry.

—Every being has a predetermined worth. That girl holds no value worth the protagonist's concern.

—You are the protagonist. It would be better for you to care about those who fit your role.

—That girl isn't essential to the progression of the story.

Strangely, the words struck my mind like undeniable truths, as if hammered directly into my skull.

I couldn't say anything.

—Did you ever truly love her in the first place?

"......"

I couldn't even deny that.

I simply couldn't put it into words—these emotions rising within me defied clear definition.

When I first saved Tirpe, it was purely for my own benefit.

I won't deny that.

But the more I got to know her, the more I realized she was just a woman who was clumsy at everything she did, yet fiercely pure-hearted.

She was such a fool that she stubbornly endured even when walking a thorny path alone.

All because she wanted to achieve, through Regression, a near-impossible way to save everyone.

Even as her hands were stained with blood, she sought a breakthrough.

And so, for the sake of a future salvation that might one day come, she was willing to temporarily sacrifice people.

Though she nearly ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠committed many sins in the process, I only wished for her to live long enough to atone for them.

I wanted her to live out whatever remained of her life—even if just a little—happily, simply.

She was someone who deserved at least that much happiness.

Because she had endured painful times without anyone knowing.

If you asked me whether I truly loved her—

"..."

I couldn't give a definitive answer.

My feelings for Tirpe were different from those I had for Kang So-eun. Different from Hayase, too. The very foundation of affection was different with them.

But even when I closed my eyes, Tirpe's final moments wouldn't fade. The way she laughed brightly at my stupid jokes, the way she timidly tried to hold my hand—those images surfaced in my mind.

Right.

I just didn't want her to be unhappy.

Truth be told, I wanted her to find happiness—even if it was because of someone as insignificant as me.

At the very least, I wanted her to die like a human being, surrounded by family.

And so, I spoke.

"I just don't want to see Tirpe die alone and forgotten. I wanted her to be repaid for all her suffering, even now. It just weighs on my mind, and when I get depressed, it pisses me off like it's my own problem."

—......

"Love? I don't know anything about that vague shit. I just like pretty women. Honestly, what kind of red-blooded bastard wouldn't love a bombshell beauty? I like her because she's pretty, that's all. If there's a guy out there who hates beautiful women, let him step forward."

—...

"Does that make me shallow? Yeah. You're right. I just like pretty things. That's why I like Tirpe. In the end, I want to save her because she's beautiful. So if you're not gonna open the damn door, then shut the hell up and stop wasting my time."

—Even so, you are the protagonist. In contrast, she has no role. No importance whatsoever.

A hollow laugh burst out of me. It immediately boiled over into seething rage.

"Ha, are your ears clogged? Go fuck yourself, you piece of shit!! You don't even care how she lived, do you? Ah, of course you don't! She was always someone who barely wanted to live! And just because she has no value, you're telling me to abandon her? Because it doesn't affect this damn story, it's fine? But guess what—the so-called protagonist of this shitty plot is me! Hah. Fuck you."

I couldn't stop the curses from pouring out.

"If that's how it is, I never wanted to be the protagonist in the first place!"

I raised my bowed head.

"If that's all being the protagonist means, then I'll throw it away and save people anyway. If you try to stop me, I'll never—no, I can't—be the protagonist! Not like this!"

My frustration swelled, my voice growing louder.

"The protagonist has to be the narrator of tragedy? Then I'll never be the protagonist you want. ...I'll be the protagonist of my own comedy. Because that's the only story where I'm truly the protagonist!! In my story, there's no such thing as a bad ending. And I'll make damn sure of it as the protagonist. Do you hear me!? Do you fucking hear me, you godforsaken bastard?!"

The light remained silent. As I gasped for breath, consumed by fury, it finally spoke again.

—Your vessel was just emptied by the 'Sword.' All that remains to you is the role of the protagonist. Even if you go, nothing will change. The world is full of things that cannot be solved by will alone.

"Ha, why so many words? If it's a no, then it's a no. If it's a yes, then it's a yes. Stop wasting time and give me a clear answer! If you won't listen, then shut the hell up and disappear! I don't have time to deal with you!"

The light shuddered in response to my words. Gripping my sword, I endured its pressure. My consciousness was fading fast. But then—

—Will you not regret this? If you return, you will surely die. Are you truly willing to ruin everything over mere emotions?

There wasn't a shred of hesitation in my answer.

"Yeah. Because that's my responsibility."

Then, with a bitter laugh, I added:

"I don't want to be the kind of trash who abandons a pregnant woman. I haven't thrown away my conscience to that extent yet."

Lifting my increasingly heavy gaze, I stared into the light.

"So I'm asking you. Open the door for me to bring Tirpe back."

I squeezed out the last of my strength to plead. But the light only pressed down on me, as if enraged.

—You cannot be called the protagonist of this story.

I lowered my head and let out a hollow laugh.

Then, the light murmured:

—But perhaps it is precisely because you are like this that it is possible.

For a moment, I lifted my head in stunned silence.

—Rise.

At those words, strength returned to my legs.

—And change it yourself.

The Holy Sword of Sacrifice shrank back into a pendant.

—The things you find unjust.

Something emerged from the vivid light.

"!"

A figure stood tall amidst the flowing radiance.

A knight, woven from translucent light, flickered into clarity.

Countless—no, hundreds of thousands—of semi-transparent armors overlapped upon its form.

『Lost Child of the Boundary — Defeated King』

The Turbid Throne, which had bestowed upon Tirpe the 「Outer Dimension Circuit」.

A knight, rendered semi-transparent by the countless armors layered upon a single coordinate, extended a sword that burned like flame.

—With this blade, take action yourself.

What he offered could hardly be called a sword.

—Save that child.

Thousands, tens of thousands—perhaps even an infinite number—of swords overlapped into a single form.

A paradoxical weapon that should not physically exist, yet undeniably did, flashed before my eyes.

The undulating sword drew closer to me.

As if entranced, I reached out toward it.

The moment my hand touched the blade—

Light flooded my vision, dyed red with blood.

A transparent wave of radiance upheaved the world around me, igniting a flash of brilliance in my eyes.

『Protagonist Synchronization Rate — 175%』

『The originally intended reward, 「One Who Never Gives Up」, begins to transform.』

『The 「Ring of ■■」 reveals itself to you.』

By the time I regained my senses, the emptiness inside me had already been filled with something scorching.

Gooo—

Holding a sword that bled transparent light.

Daggers, bastard swords, sabers, greatswords—countless silhouettes of blades infinitely overlapped in my grasp.

Feeling the weight of the sword in my hand, I closed my eyes.

A deeply familiar sensation. With it, I half-opened my eyes and fixed my gaze ahead.

—Your empty vessel has been filled.

The knight, who seemed both present and absent in that space, spoke.

From within the grotesque, infinitely layered helmet, a distinct gleam of eyes flickered.

—But do you have time to hesitate?

—Will you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠stand by and let tragedy unfold?

The moment I heard those words—

I raised my head sharply, piercing through the flowing light with my gaze.

No more wandering. No more wavering.

I simply raised my sword high.

Guwoong.

A single resolve—to save Tirpe.

『「Censored Ability」 smiles.』

And with it, my abilities burst into flame.

Chijijik—

Interconnected powers roared in unison for a single purpose.

The swelling force within me erupted from my eyes.

I channeled all of it into my arm.

And then—I simply swung down.

『「Read」 opens its eyes.』

『「Seize」 bares its fangs.』

『「Amplify」 spreads its hands.』

A trajectory that did not waver, cutting straight through.

『Your 「Tower」 shines.』

Through the chaotic light, a single dazzling aurora carved its path.

And beyond it—

『Protagonist Synchronization Rate — 179%』

The miracle I had wished for came to pass.