Chapter 361: You’re All Dead (3)
Chapter 361: You’re All Dead (3)
He’s lost it. He’s definitely lost it.
No matter how much I think about it, I can’t come up with any other hypothesis.
I’m certain of it—this friend of mine has completely lost his mind.
It wasn’t as if Patrick didn’t have crazy people in his life.
For some reason, despite being a perfectly sensible, healthy-minded individual who lived a life that served as a model for others, he seemed to attract lunatics like a magnet.
There was Riman, the logic-obsessed freak.
His father, the greatest pushover in history.
Tutan, his sworn brother, whose vocabulary consisted entirely of "Uwoooooh!"
Even his wives could be a bit terrifying at times.
And at the very top of the rankings was Oliver, Knight A, who needed no further explanation.
How bad was he?
[To think there was a living creature my fists couldn't correct...]
Honestly, it was surprising.
Patrick was certain that in both his past and present lives, he had never met anyone more hopeless than Knight A.
But today, the rankings for the biggest lunatic had been updated.
"You... you... crazy stew-brained bastard..."
At the sound of Patrick’s voice as he struggled to force himself up, Matthew spoke through gritted teeth.
"Leave the rest to me."
"...Cough."
You crazy son of a bitch...
Leave what to you?
Stop talking such utter nonsense.
Why didn't I realize sooner that this guy was such a nutcase?
Patrick tried his best to stand, but his body simply wouldn't obey.
The Heavenly Demon gazed down at Matthew and spoke.
"You have courage."
Then, he immediately followed up with:
"But you are far too ignorant of your own place."
Thump!
Matthew was sent flying backward before he even realized what had hit him.
"Splat..."
Matthew coughed up a mouthful of blood.
The Heavenly Demon looked down at him with an air of haughty superiority.
"I am in an exceptionally good mood right now. Consider your life a reward for that."
For the Heavenly Demon, this was an act of immense generosity.
It was the first time he had ever let someone go without killing or subjugating them after they had dared to point a sword at him.
But just as he was about to turn his gaze back to Patrick...
"How absurd."
Even as the Heavenly Demon spoke with a scoff, Matthew’s strike came flying toward his neck.
Boom!
The Heavenly Demon didn't even lift a hand; he blocked Matthew’s desperate blow using only his Qi.
The violet Aura Sphere, condensed like a small droplet of water, was far too strong for Matthew to pierce.
Matthew tried to push through with all his might, but the barrier didn't budge an inch. The Heavenly Demon stared at him coldly.
"Do you truly wish to die that badly?"
He was serious.
Matthew had been through many real battles.
But in this moment, he felt the vivid chill of death more clearly than ever before.
Bang!
Matthew was sent flying once again.
"Gah... cough!"
The impact was so intense it felt as if his internal organs were being shredded. Matthew couldn't even stand on his own two feet. And yet...
"Come on."
Even then, he didn't let go of his sword, glaring at the Heavenly Demon.
Seeing this, the Heavenly Demon...
"Fine. If your wish is to die as a warrior, I shall grant it."
He reached out toward Matthew.
"Heavenly Demon! Aren't you ashamed to pick on someone so far below your level?" Patrick shouted from the ground.
The Heavenly Demon replied calmly.
"Regardless of skill, if one shows such will, it is only right to treat them as a warrior."
"You bastard..."
"You, wait your turn. I must deal with your friend first."
The Heavenly Demon personally began to walk toward Matthew. Patrick screamed from where he lay.
"Run! Run, you idiot!"
Matthew gritted his teeth and spat back.
"Losers should just shut up."
"Wh-what?"
"You're being noisy."
"..."
'That... that little bastard's mouth...'
Patrick’s jaw dropped.
Matthew gripped his sword tight and said, "Come. I am your opponent."
"I said run, you hopeless moron!"
"..."
"You only pull crazy stunts against someone you can actually hurt! What you're doing right now is just suicide—"
"You think I don't know that, you dumbass?!" Matthew roared.
Patrick fell silent, and even the Heavenly Demon paused his steps for a moment.
Matthew continued passionately.
"Suicide or not, so what? Run? And be happy that I lived while you died?"
"..."
"Do I look like that kind of piece of trash to you?"
Ah... damn it. This isn't going to work.
Patrick realized it. This was that. It was exactly like them... those frustrating people.
[Shut up, you dimwit! This genius advisor is thinking!]
[I'll handle this. You walking corpse, get to the back.]
[Just pass out already. Seriously, what do I have to feed you to make you shut up, husband?]
[Brother, are you safe?]
Ah... no.
Logic won't work here.
Matthew overlapped with those people—the ones who were on the verge of death themselves but were desperate to die before him. And...
"Master!"
"Darling!"
"Young Master!"
"Brother!"
To make matters worse, his comrades were rushing toward them, having burst through the ruins of the Heavenly Demon Palace in the distance.
The elders of the Demonic Cult moved to block them, and a fierce battle broke out, but they were fighting desperately to reach him and save his life.
It was no use.
They would never give up.
They would fight until they died.
There was only one way left to stop this.
'I... I have to be the one to blow that bastard away.'
Patrick forced himself up.
"Ugh... grrr..."
Even just bracing his hands against the ground to lift himself caused a wave of agonizing pain that felt like his entire body was shattering, but he moved nonetheless.
Why? Just a moment ago, he couldn't even wiggle a finger. Why could he move now?
What was the difference?
[A true warrior is not one who draws their sword for themselves. A true warrior draws their sword for their beliefs and for the weak. Only then can one surpass their limits.]
Master?
When you told me that back then, I said "Yes," but inside, I thought it was total bullshit. But...
'I guess you were right after all.'
Steadying his trembling legs, Patrick stood and gripped the Black and White Twin Dragon Swords once more.
The Heavenly Demon watched him with surprise. Patrick spoke.
"Let's finish this, Heavenly Demon."
"Do you have any strength left for that?"
"I'll have to find out."
Patrick checked his Dantian.
It was empty.
He was in a state of total exhaustion. But...
'So what?'
"Hmph!"
Thud! Thud!
Patrick shattered his own Dantian.
The Heavenly Demon was momentarily stunned as he watched Patrick destroy both his Lower and Middle Dantians.
"You..."
"This is really everything now."
Patrick crushed his Dantians and used the vessels themselves as fuel, burning them to draw out every last drop of energy.
By destroying his very foundation as a martial artist, Patrick managed to recover a tiny sliver of power.
And with this, he had to settle the score.
'Let's do this.'
Patrick took his stance.
He let his arms hang loose and relaxed his entire body.
He bent his knees slightly and leaned his center of gravity forward. That posture was...
"Flash Dragon Strike. Have you chosen your most trusted technique for the end?"
"Well, something like that."
In truth, he no longer had enough energy to manifest an Intent-based technique.
But his opponent wasn't someone who would fall for petty tricks. Therefore...
"Here I come!"
"Come."
Violet Demonic Energy erupted from the Heavenly Demon’s body, reaching toward the sky.
He was showing that he would not be careless.
In the next instant, Patrick became a flash of light.
Radiant Dragon Twelve Sword Styles.
Third Form.
Flash Dragon Strike.
The technique Patrick had used most in his life.
The signature move of the Radiant Dragon Hero.
Betting everything on this single strike, Patrick lunged for the Heavenly Demon’s throat. And in the next moment...
'Kh...'
Patrick saw it.
He saw the Heavenly Demon’s palm-blade thrusting toward his heart, poised to strike before his own attack could land.
It was no good. At this rate, he would lose.
In that split second, Patrick saw the future—a future where his heart was pierced while his sword remained an inch away from the Heavenly Demon’s neck.
No. This was a fight he could not lose.
His sword had to reach the Heavenly Demon’s neck first. To do that, he needed more speed.
No, something beyond speed.
Something that could transcend the Heavenly Demon’s perception.
My sword must reach his neck first.
If my sword must surpass its limits to create this result...
'I'll gladly blow past any limit.'
In that moment, Patrick’s sword vanished.
Patrick himself vanished.
The Heavenly Demon’s eyes widened.
Patrick, who had been rushing toward him as a flash of light, had disappeared from his sight.
And in the next instant...
BOOM!
With a thunderous roar that seemed to crack space itself, Patrick appeared behind the Heavenly Demon.
A speed beyond perception.
No, it wasn't speed. This was...
"You've inverted causality."
"..."
Patrick didn't answer.
But the Heavenly Demon continued in a quiet voice.
"The Intent Realm of the Transcendent Realm, where one projects their will."
"..."
"The Mind-Body Manifestation of the Profound Realm, where one materializes their mental image."
"..."
"And what you just performed is the Divine Realm, where one can twist causality and transcend the laws of the world. I call this the Transcendent State."
"..."
"Because one can twist the very providence of the world through the power of martial arts, one who reaches this realm can slay a being of Divine Rank, regardless of whether they possess divine power."
"..."
The Heavenly Demon spoke with a hint of regret.
"To think even I could not reach it..."
It happened then.
A thin red line appeared on the Heavenly Demon’s neck. And then...
"Truly magnificent."
With those words, the Heavenly Demon’s head separated from his body and fell to the ground.
Thud.
With that small sound...
"Waaaaaaaah!"
"Oooooh!"
The world had won the war against the Outer God.
The cheers of the victors who had protected the world echoed through the air.
*
July 1, 1535.
Three years had passed since the war against the Outer God.
Through the voices of the survivors, Patrick’s achievements were praised across the entire continent.
The great hero who slew the Outer God and saved the world.
[Every soul in this world owes a debt to Patrick Schneider.]
This single statement, released simultaneously by the Emperor of the Empire and the Pope of the Holy Church State, perfectly illustrated Patrick’s status.
However, Patrick’s personal situation wasn't exactly great.
Having shattered his Dantian and exhausted even his Primordial Energy for that final strike, it wouldn't have been strange if he had died on the spot. However...
[Move! Get out of the way!]
Riman Sierra had rushed over and hung an artifact around Patrick’s neck.
[Sephiroth.]
It was the recovery item Patrick had seized during the war with the Caesar Kingdom.
He had originally given it to Riman, but it had gone unused and remained preserved.
By using it on Patrick, his life was saved.
However, only his life was saved.
[It's a miracle he's alive. But as for the sword, in the future...]
It was a tragic prognosis.
The strongest man on the continent, the absolute master who had beheaded an Outer God, had to give up everything he had built.
And so, now...
"Go back to hell, you demon!"
WHAM!
Oliver, who had been charging in, was punched squarely and sent flying into the distance.
And Patrick, who had just swatted Oliver away...
Gulp, gulp, gulp.
"Ahhh... the booze tastes great."
Yeah, he was doing this.
Littered around him were the members of the Double Dragon Knights, known as the strongest knight order on the continent.
An order that boasted over thirty 7-Star knights, with their captain, Sanson, nearing the 8-Star realm.
They had been decimated by a single man.
Patrick grinned and said, "Tsk, tsk, tsk. To think you guys got thrashed by me, and I only started training again three years ago. And you call yourselves the strongest on the continent?"
"..."
"..."
"I've watched your egos get so puffed up over the last three years that my blood pressure almost gave me Qi Deviation fifteen times! You bastards!"
"..."
"..."
Simply put.
Patrick had become strong again.
He had lost everything and broken his Dantian, but the recovery power of the Sephiroth was a cheat.
Even Patrick hadn't known it would restore the vessel of his Dantian.
Of course, he had consumed all the energy he had built up and had to start from scratch, but...
"Ahhh... the feeling of hitting something after three years is so crisp and nostalgic. I missed this."
This was the result.
The knights looked at each other with tears streaming down their faces.
'Who was it? Who was the psychopath who said it was sad to see this man looking so weak?'
'Wasn't me.'
'Wasn't it the Captain?'
'Why is he like this?'
Three years of peace had been far too short.
Patrick finished his bottle and spoke to the fallen knights.
"You're all so weak. What are you going to do without me?"
"Ugh... we've been fine for the last three years without you, Young Master."
Oliver was asking for a beating by talking back...
"Is that so? Well... fine then."
"...?"
Huh? That's strange.
Why didn't I get hit?
Oliver, who had instinctively taken a defensive stance against a flying bottle, was shocked.
Patrick said, "Then keep doing a good job. Got it?"
And with that, Patrick strolled out of the training ground.
*
The office of Grand Duke Schneider.
For the record, he was still a Grand Duke.
Given the current power of the Schneider Duchy, it wouldn't be strange if he declared it an Empire, but he still referred to himself as the Grand Duke of a Duchy.
The vassals of the Grand Ducal house had told him countless times that it was only natural to declare it a Kingdom now, but he refused.
And today was no different.
"Your Grace. You cannot delay this any longer."
"Marquis Krupa."
"We must transition the national framework into a Kingdom and introduce a system that fits. Only then..."
"Yes. I suppose the time has come."
"Oh... Your Grace."
Marquis Krupa, moved that his opinion was finally being accepted, listened as the Grand Duke continued.
"I hear my son has fully recovered."
"That means..."
"The reason I hesitated to take the throne was because the position of the first King of the Schneider Kingdom was too much for me."
"Then..."
"I shall pass the position to my son. At the same time, he shall be known as the founder of the Schneider Royal Family."
"That is a truly wise decision!"
Marquis Krupa welcomed the idea enthusiastically.
Yes. This made sense.
He had wondered why the Grand Duke hesitated to call himself King, but if this was the reason, everything clicked into place.
"The Young Lord will be overjoyed."
Would he, though?
"I doooooon't waaaaaant toooooo!"
Of course not.
Seeing Patrick’s incredibly annoying display, the Grand Duke’s veins popped on his forehead.
"What do you mean you don't want to?"
"I said I don't want to! I have everything I need right now, why would I do something as troublesome as being a King?"
"You... you brat! If you don't do it, who will?"
"You keep doing it, Father."
"What did you say?"
"Anyway, I'm not doing it. This country needs to learn how to run without me. Why dump it all on me? Why? Why? Give me one good reason."
"Because you're my son."
"..."
Ah, for a second there, I almost thought, 'Is that so?'
"Anyway, I'm not doing it. Goodbye."
"You brat! Get back here! Where are you going?"
"Goodbye, Father. I am casting off all the shackles and constraints of this world and—Whoa!"
"Get over here, you little shit!"
"Father, that's expensive—No!"
Crash!
Every piece of furniture in the office flew through the air like a Rain of Ten Thousand Flowers.
"His aim is getting better and better."
I guess people really do improve if they never stop putting in the effort.
"No, but seriously. How can they dump it all on me? Huh? This house—no, this country—needs to learn how to roll without me."
Grumbling, Patrick moved to a certain location. Waiting for him there were...
The Blue Dragon, White Tiger, and Vermilion Bird—once known as the Three Calamities—were waiting for him.
"Yeah. It'll manage to run well enough without me now."
"Yeah, I'm all set."
Saying so, Patrick took out a backpack and a sword he had prepared in advance. But in the next moment...
"Prepared for what?"
His heart felt like it had dropped into his stomach.
Patrick’s neck made a creaking sound as he turned around. Standing there were...
"Hello, my dear wives."
"..."
"..."
"You look beautiful today. Have you lost weight recently?"
His wives were there.
April, Isabella, and Elione.
They were glaring at Patrick with icy gazes. And beside them...
"I'm sorry, Master."
"You unfilial disciple!"
"I had no choice under interrogation."
Patrick’s disciple, the Dragon Lord Persona, was there. Isabella spoke in a chilling voice.
"Say it with your own mouth."
"Well..."
"Tell us that you were going to abandon us and go to another world!"
Seeing her shouting shrilly, Patrick let out a sigh.
He said, "I had no choice. This was the original promise..."
*
Back when he met Yupinel and Kalaron to fight the Outer God.
They had set a condition for Patrick.
If he defeated the Outer God, then afterward...
"You want me to go to the Martial World?"
"To be precise, we want you to catch the Blood Demon there."
"Why me?"
"If you don't, we cannot repay the debt of causality."
To put it simply:
Yupinel and Kalaron had borrowed causality from another world and were currently burdened with massive debt.
They had tried their best to repay it by taking on jobs from other worlds, but they were barely covering the interest.
Even without the Heavenly Demon, ruin awaited these two if things continued.
In such a situation, to gain causality...
"We must solve problems in other worlds and receive the appropriate compensation."
"But why me?"
"If you go to your original world and deal with the Blood Demon, we've agreed to receive the proper causality from the Heavenly Realm of that side."
"..."
"Please, we're begging you."
"No, I mean, why should I..."
Work as unpaid forced labor to pay off someone else's debt? Only pushovers like his Master or his father would accept that so easily.
Patrick was about to protest. But...
"You don't want to leave the crisis of that world alone either, do you?"
"..."
"The Blood Demon will soon be resurrected. And if he is resurrected this time, what awaits that world is a hell worse than destruction."
"Whew... seriously..."
Patrick had let out a deep sigh.
And now...
"What can I do? They say everything will go to ruin without me."
"You pushover."
"How can you say something so harsh?"
"If you're going to leave, kill me first."
"Hey, April, that's scary, so could you not? When you say it, it sounds like you mean it."
"..."
Wait, does she really mean it?
Then, beside him, Elione summoned a spirit with madness in her eyes and said, "I'll never let you go. I won't let you go even if you die. I won't let you go no matter what. Even if I have to cut off all your limbs, I'll keep you here."
"..."
That’s some heavy love.
Or should I call it terrifying love?
Patrick looked at them with a serious face and said, "I'll definitely come back."
"..."
"I'm going because there's work to do in that world, but my home is here. You are my family."
"..."
"So I promise. I will definitely return."
At Patrick’s words, they were on the verge of tears but couldn't hold him back.
Patrick comforted them, and Persona spoke.
"Do not worry. I will be going with him."
"Lady Persona?"
"Yes. And depending on the circumstances, I might see you all there as well."
"Huh? What does that mean?"
Even Patrick didn't seem to know what Persona meant. Persona just gave a small smirk.
"Who knows? I wonder what it means."
"..."
What? This feels ominous and unsettling.
Then the White Tiger spoke.
At their urging, Patrick walked into the center of the magic circle and thought to himself.
'Eh, whatever. What's the worst that could happen?'
Patrick and Persona took their places at the center of the magic circle. Using the divine power they had received from Yupinel and Kalaron, the Four Divine Beasts prepared for the dimensional shift.
Now, they too would cast aside the title of the Four Calamities and return to their original world to reclaim their true essence. And...
"Just you wait. I'm coming."
To the Martial World of the Central Plains, the Radiant Dragon Hero, Jincheon, was finally returning.
"You're all dead meat."
Whether his return was actually a good thing for that world, however, remained to be seen.
<End of Part 1>