Salvation Descends from the Black Sky
Back when he was just a kid, Cheolsu thought the world was trash. How else could he explain his parents dying like that?
The sight of them dying right in front of him at the hands of some monster had scarred him for life. His little sister's screams still rang clear in his ears. Out of them all, only he had survived. Why me, of all people? If his parents had lived instead, or his even younger sister... If I had died in their place... His family could have gone on to live happy lives.
I'll die. That was his resolution as he prepared to kill himself. He saw no reason to keep living. He didn't want to live in a world without a single precious person. At least, it was a small mercy that a young kid like him didn't know many ways to off himself.
Cheolsu threw himself into the river.
"Ack!"
The moment his body hit the water, a sharp cry pierced the air.
-Splash!
Someone had jumped in after him. He knew it was to save him.
What a pointless thing to do. He had no desire to live in the first place. Even if they saved him, he'd just jump right back in.
Thinking that, Cheolsu closed his eyes and went limp, hoping for death to come quick.
"Glub! Glub! Right! I can't swim!"
"......"
But the person who'd jumped in started flailing around instead. Cheolsu cracked his eyes open in disbelief and stared at the girl. She was splashing like an idiot, desperately trying to reach him. Her outstretched hand looked even smaller than his.
"Glub! Glub! It's okay! I'll save you real quick! Ack! Water up my nose...!"
"Haa."
Cheolsu sighed. Truth be told, he knew how to swim. He'd planned to just die, but watching someone drown because of him? No thanks.
"Don't move. I'm pulling you up right now."
"Hic. M-my eyes... won't open. Am I gonna die now?"
"It's 'cause of the water!"
Hauling out a girl his size was tough. Cheolsu panted heavily once they finally scrambled onto the bank. That's when he noticed her staring at him.
"No thanks needed—"
-Slap!
She suddenly reached out and smacked his cheek. Huh? He hadn't expected his lifesaver to do that. Cheolsu forgot to get mad and just gawked at her.
"You idiot! You can't just throw your life away like that!"
"You jumped in too."
"Th-that's 'cause you fell in first!"
Her face flushed red, but she crossed her arms and puffed up proudly, like she was totally in the right. Cheolsu stared blankly for a moment—
Pfft!
"Puhahaha! Hahahaha!"
Laughter burst out of him. He had no idea why. But once it started, he couldn't stop. It had been so long since he'd laughed like this. Tears streamed from his eyes, and he rolled on the ground before he finally calmed down. Somehow, he felt a little lighter.
After laughing his head off, Cheolsu looked up at the sky.
Ah, I get it now. My family... they wanted me to live. It was such an obvious truth, but only now did it sink in.
He stood up and looked at the girl.
"What's your name?"
"Younghee!"
"Wanna be friends?"
Younghee's face lit up with a smile. It was pure, brimming with all the joy in the world. Maybe that's when it started—his desire to keep seeing that smile. His vow to protect her.
"Yeah! Looking forward to it!!"
The girl's laughter etched itself deep into Cheolsu's heart.
...
A pitch-black sky, not even lit by moonlight. The lights from the battle had gone out, leaving the area in total darkness. But everyone there could see the black mana.
'Wh-what the hell is that...'
Even the pro heroes couldn't make sense of it. They'd just responded to a report. Some hideous monster spewing black mana. Students holding it off. It sounded ridiculous, but the report was real. No—it felt like an understatement now.
'What the hell's even in there?'
The storm of mana prickled their skin. The shockwaves alone made it hard to stand. No idea where a monster like that came from. This was beyond them. They'd need at least a B-rank hunter.
'But how's that guy standing in the middle of it?'
At the center of the black storm stood a man, desperately holding his ground. Like he was protecting something.
'The monster's not neutralized?'
They'd definitely hit its side. Their attacks had even pierced it clean through. Red blood had sprayed. Yet it was unleashing power like this? What kind of monster had that much strength?
One hero couldn't take it anymore and yelled at Cheolsu.
"What are you doing?! Get away from it! If you stay that close...!"
"Get lost!"
Cheolsu swung his mana blade. A massive surge of sword energy slashed the ground, forming a barrier. The heroes who'd been about to rush in froze, eyes wide.
'Wh-what? Is that kid a B-rank hunter or something?'
Shocked by the power, none of the heroes dared approach. Even without that, no one wanted to step into that black mana. It meant certain death.
'I can do this! I can save her! I can save her!'
Inside it all, Cheolsu poured every ounce of mana into his body. He pressed down on Younghee's wounds like he was stemming the bleeding. The black mana was eating away at him, but he ignored it. Somehow, he had to hold on.
"You're okay. You can make it! There's no way you'd die like this!"
"Haha, Cheolsu... it hurts... I hate pain... but it keeps hurting..."
Blood trickled from her mouth. Every minute, every second was precious. And still, the black mana kept pouring out—more than he could fathom from Younghee.
!.......！.. ...
"Hang on, Younghee! I'll save you for sure."
Cheolsu racked his brain desperately. What now? How do I save her? What stops this damn mana? But no matter how hard he thought, he had no answers.
Think, please. There has to be some way!
All the knowledge from the academy. The martial arts he'd drilled to the death. Even the mana he'd carefully nurtured. None of it mattered. He'd gained the power he'd always wanted. The power to protect someone. And now, at the critical moment, he couldn't save the most precious person.
"Ch-Cheolsu..."
"Don't talk, Younghee! I'll figure something out!"
Younghee slowly turned her head. Even in agony, her gentle expression was the same as ever. That face still wore a smile. The most beautiful in the world. She smiled with those eyes more precious than anything.
"Will you... kill me?"
"What?"
Cheolsu looked at Younghee again. She was beautiful. Even now, damn it, she was beautiful. But blood still poured from her. Blood you couldn't laugh off. Trembling, she opened her mouth.
"I... can't take it anymore..."
"You'll be fine, Younghee."
"I don't want... to hurt you anymore... Cough!"
"It'll be okay! Everything will be fine! I'm totally okay! Doesn't hurt at all!"
Something shattered inside him. It wasn't just his body. The part of his heart holding him up started crumbling. A world without Younghee? Unthinkable. He didn't want to see it. Why had he fought so hard? What had he powered up for?! He couldn't accept this. He hadn't lived in this shitty world just for this ending.
"Younghee, I messed up. I'll get stronger! I'll do better at everything...!"
Even knowing it was pointless. Even as the black mana threatened to blow him away.
"Let's... go home now."
Those were the only words he could muster. Younghee smiled at that. Brightly. Like she was truly happy. Like the happiness was too much to bear.
"Thank... you."
-Boom!!
A deafening roar unleashed a mana storm beyond compare. No willpower could control it now. The force hurled Cheolsu dozens of meters, slamming him into the ground. He twitched, sprawled out.
Get... up...!
-Get up? And what can you do?
"Ha!"
Laughter leaked through his gritted teeth. Some genius, huh? Top of the academy in swordsmanship? Meaningless if he couldn't save the one he loved.
Cheolsu ground his teeth. No—before he knew it, he was screaming with all his might.
'What Heavenly Sky Sword?! What S-rank hero material?!'
He poured out every emotion. At this unchangeable reality. This despair. What the hell am I supposed to do?! I'm just a weak, ordinary punk. He could only grow strong because of Younghee. He could push himself for her sake. So what the hell am I doing?! Why won't this body move when Younghee's dying right in front of me?!
"Save her..."
Cheolsu's voice slipped out. Ah, if only he were stronger. If he could smash whatever was in front of him. If he had power like that guy, the one he wanted to beat more than anyone. Would things be different? Younghee, could I have protected you?
"Anyone... please... just save Younghee."
Looking back, it had been a shitty life. Lost his parents, shoved into an orphanage, suffered all kinds of discrimination. The only people he could truly trust were two: Younghee and himself. He'd lived desperately. He wouldn't let some bastard toy with that life lightly. So please—if there's a god in this world. Help me, just this once.
-Step.
The footsteps came then. Cheolsu slowly turned his head. Amid the raging black mana storm, few could pierce it. Fewer could stand calmly inside. Fewer still had reason to.
"Ha..."
Why of all people, why him here and now? What brought him all the way here? The man stared straight ahead with his signature cold eyes. The rival Cheolsu wanted to crush more than anyone. The enemy he had to beat. The unbreakable wall of strength.
"Kim Yujin."
Ah, pathetic. Pitiful. Handing the person he wanted to protect to another man. But at the same time, relief washed over him. Heukcheon's heir. This guy could definitely save Younghee. He was that strong.
"Save... Younghee."
The raspy plea crawled from his battered body. Yujin nodded quietly.
"Yeah."
That was all he said. He clenched his iron fist and strode into the black storm.