Chapter 116
Chapter 116
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: Illuminate the Dawn on This Land, Final Battle Against the 'Exalted One' (9)
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22.
[Secret Achievement: Fragment of Dawn (1 / 7)]
This is…… no way……
[The duration of your unique skill, 《First Liberation: Dawnlight Yeomyeong Sword》 is increased by 14.3%.]
[The power of your unique skill, 《Second Liberation: Holy Dawn Sword》 is increased by 14.3%.]
The fragments of the Dawn Sword that the [Owner of the Broken Dawn] mentioned……?
The proof was right before my eyes.
The blade had grown slightly longer than before.
Perhaps because its power had returned, the cracks covering the sword's body seemed to have diminished a bit.
It gleamed with an even more dazzling radiance.
The sword emanated a warmer heat.
Even without the information window, I could tell that the Dawn Sword, restored to its former glory, had grown even stronger.
- Gather the fragments. If you wish to restore your world, the entire world.
A cold shiver.
Swept hotly through my entire body.
Yes…… I see…… so this is it.
It wasn't that I'd "finally" gathered one. I'd already taken the "first" step.
“Kim Baek-jun!”
“Uncle!”
Voices called out then.
Turning around, I saw Jeong Ha-kyeong and Do Ye-jin running across the clock tower roof.
And just like that.
They threw themselves at me, and I dropped the Dawn Sword as I fell back onto my butt. Do Ye-jin sniffled through tears.
“We…… we won, right? It's…… over now? Everything…….”
“Yeah…… we won…….”
Jeong Ha-kyeong silently wrapped her trembling arms around me, squeezing so tight it hurt. I said.
“It was thanks to Im Yong-gon…… that we could win…….”
A searing pain stabbed at my heart, and hot tears streamed down my cheeks. Jeong Ha-kyeong said.
“Yeah…… that's why you're still alive…….”
In the heart of this nightmare.
“You…… me…… Do Ye-jin…… we're all still alive…….”
The resonance of life we each held.
Body scent, heartbeat, voice…… in that moment, sharing and feeling once more that harsh, fleeting, and heartbreaking warmth…… we…… clung to each other tightly and began to sob quietly.
[Notice: 'New Jongno-gu' is incorporated into 'New Seodaemun-gu.']
If only.
Really, if only.
The world hadn't ended.
I could have been close brothers with Im Yong-gon.
How would we have met again?
How would we have exchanged numbers?
How would our bond have deepened until we shared drinks together?
- He'd be truly proud of you.
Joking about pay differences between firefighters and police. Sharing memories of our parents and crying.
- Unlike this worthless junior of yours.
At a convenience store outdoor table.
Sitting face-to-face like brothers, laughing over trivial stories…… I dreamed of it.
[Notice: 'Purification and Recovery Operations' begin in the relevant area.]
A dream that began with the sweet words "if only."
But in this world.
There was no place for "if only" dreams.
Knowing that.
Knowing it better than anyone.
I, holding Jeong Ha-kyeong and Do Ye-jin, finally broke into loud sobs.
I'm still in the nightmare.
23.
Intelligence Aid AI.
Caduel Online.
Outputs combat support messages advised to ■■■ during the Apostle Wars conducted 1189 years ago (基準時 - 'World Axis: Altenjier').
“Indeed…….”
The First Successor said.
Her voice clear and brilliant, like moonlight scattering ripples across a lake.
“■■■, your choice was not wrong.”
The failed successor, the [Owner of the Broken Dawn], could only manage a bitter smile.
“No. You all know it already.”
The graveyard of the Beacon Keepers.
98 previous successors, each seated in their own pose atop the graves.
“What was achieved this time was not by my power.”
The failed successor bowed deeply to them all.
“It was entirely thanks to the 101st…… and all of you.”
The 98 previous successors.
Those who were not the First Successor had weak Holy Spirit power and could not originally produce voices.
Yet they had.
Produced voices.
Lent their power to the 101st.
“I did nothing this time.”
It meant the Holy Spirit power had diminished that much.
Because it was so faint, on the verge of vanishing.
The 101st Successor, who had not yet truly awakened, couldn't see them when he visited the graveyard.
“I lent no power to the 101st.”
He was a failed successor.
In other words, his Holy Spirit was far weaker than any Beacon Keeper.
Even a single intervention would make him vanish now. Then.
“You had no choice, did you?”
The First Successor.
She, who had thought her Holy Spirit completely gone but reappeared with the 101st's arrival.
“You, ■■■…… still have the mission to lead the 101st once more.”
She gave a radiant smile.
“A mission, you say…….”
The failed successor replied with a wry smile, then looked up at Paradise's sky.
Yes…… a mission.
What was that gaze fixed on?
What emotion welled in those eyes?
It could not be put into words.
But the prayer he uttered then, in a sigh he could not voice, was this.
Now…… just a little longer…….
24.
That day was called the day of the apocalypse.
I temporarily formed a comprehensive Seodaemun-gu recovery committee to swiftly handle the aftermath.
I couldn't convene the executive meeting.
The leadership vacuum was too severe.
Scout Unit Leader Eom Jae-beom.
Hunting Unit Leader Yoo Seong-deok.
The deaths of those two heavyweights, plus the severe injuries to Seo Hwa-yoon and Shin Tae-yeop.
Even if I issued a summons.
The only executives who could attend were Choi Uk, Lee Seong-mi, and Do Su-jin.
“The recovery committee has a total of 12 members. Just as you said, we've selected leader-level figures.”
Leader-level figures meant the rear Hunters who had come to support in the Nightmare Zone.
Park Ji-yeon was among them.
She'd been in some subtle rivalry with Jeong Ha-kyeong since arriving, but I didn't know why.
“Please pay attention. The top priority agenda is identifying casualties and treatment.”
“………….”
“You all probably expected that much. But the very next item is soul stone distribution.”
Silence fell instantly.
I could see the rear Hunters flinch. I gave them a gentle smile.
“I plan to divide it equally with all of you who came to help. Is that alright?”
I looked at the <Association> executives. Contrary to the rear Hunters' concerns, Choi Uk and Lee Seong-mi nodded readily.
“I agree.”
“It's spoils from fighting together. Of course.”
But the rear Hunters seemed uneasy for some reason.
What's this about?
As I wondered, puzzled.
“No. That seems like too much for us.”
The calm voice belonged to Park Ji-yeon. I asked.
“Too much how?”
“We need to look at the situation objectively.”
“Go ahead.”
“We did fight together, but our contribution was minimal…….”
“No.”
“Exactly. And this might sound shameless, but…… how many of us rear Hunters will head to the Nightmare Zone afterward?”
The rear Hunters sighed in agreement.
“Of course, for those joining the <Association>, that distribution would be fine…….”
But?
“For those who aren't?”
“Us? Giving us even 1/50…… no, 1/100 would be more than enough.”
One percent?
What is this woman……
I could only shake my head vigorously.
“That won't do. It's not equal.”
“It is equal. Compared to the efforts the <Association> has put in so far.”
“……?”
“Why the face? Honestly, as fellow Hunters, we're just ashamed.”
“No, we're all the same.”
I first turned my gaze to Park Ji-yeon and Baek Hyeon-jong seated at the head.
“Ji-yeon, you've devoted yourself to the outskirts folk, haven't you? Same with Hyeon-jong beside you.”
And then.
To the Hunters from the south and north who had devoted themselves to the citizens.
“There is no difference in what we hunted or where we fought.”
I saw them.
The outskirts knights who devoted themselves to the outskirts folk.
“Because all of you, all of us, have fought with one heart and mind until now.”
And I saw more.
Even when the world seemed swallowed by darkness, those who protected the light within it.
“That's how we could reach today, this very day.”
It had been that way even before the world ended. Special forces police charging battlefields and patrol officers aiding and protecting citizens. The work seemed different but was the same.
If the heart truly wished to help people.
There was no difference in who was better or worse.
“That's what I think.”
Then Park Ji-yeon sighed and scratched her head furiously with both hands.
“Argh, Baek-jun! Why do you have to embarrass people like that!”
“…………?!”
“Honestly!”
“W-what…… are you talking about?”
I carefully held back a bristling Jeong Ha-kyeong and asked again.
“I'd rather take nothing at all!”
The one who interjected in our not-quite-rivalry…… was a familiar old man.
“That's right, Lead Hunter…….”
One of the western district managers, wasn't he?
“Seeing this incident, I lost my courage. Fighting those Nightmare existences…….”
“…….”
“You and the <Association> have been battling such things in such places all this time?”
[Population Limit]
Paradise Name: New Seodaemun-gu
- District 'Muak-dong' incorporated. (+500)
- District 'Gyonam-dong' incorporated. (+500)
- District 'Buam-dong' incorporated. (+500)
- District 'Sajik-dong' incorporated. (+500)
- District 'Pyeongchang-dong' incorporated. (+500)
- District 'Cheongunhyoja-dong' incorporated. (+700)
- District 'Samcheong-dong' incorporated. (+500)
- District 'Gahoe-dong' incorporated. (+500)
- District 'Hyehwa-dong' incorporated. (+500)
- District 'Iwha-dong' incorporated. (+500)
- Districts 'Jongno 1, 2, 3, 4-ga-dong' incorporated. (+1200)
- Districts 'Jongno 5, 6-ga-dong' incorporated. (+500)
- District 'Changsin 1-dong' incorporated. (+500)
- District 'Changsin 2-dong' incorporated. (+500)
- District 'Changsin 3-dong' incorporated. (+500)
- District 'Sungin 1-dong' incorporated. (+500)
- District 'Sungin 2-dong' incorporated. (+500)
[Current / Limit]
- [Paradise Main District]: 2,117 / 3,000
- [Paradise Subdistrict - 1]: 186 / 500
- [Paradise Subdistrict - 2]: 179 / 500
- [Paradise Subdistrict - 3]: 127 / 500
- [Paradise Subdistrict - 4]: 142 / 500
- [Paradise Subdistrict - 5]: 161 / 500
- [Paradise Subdistrict - 6]: 63 / 700
- [Paradise Subdistrict - 7]: 0 / 500
- [Paradise Subdistrict - 8]: 0 / 500
- [Paradise Subdistrict - 9]: 0 / 500
- [Paradise Subdistrict - 10]: 0 / 500
- [Paradise Subdistrict - 11]: 0 / 1200
- [Paradise Subdistrict - 12]: 0 / 500
- [Paradise Subdistrict - 13]: 0 / 500
- [Paradise Subdistrict - 14]: 0 / 500
- [Paradise Subdistrict - 15]: 0 / 500
- [Paradise Subdistrict - 16]: 0 / 500
- [Paradise Subdistrict - 17]: 0 / 500
[……Berkensia.]
[……The Second Successor, Liam, called it the blade of light. It became established in that meaning from then.]
[……But to accurately interpret the gods' language, it should be called the wave of purification.]
[……The only force capable of completely annihilating the outer cosmos.]
[……The probability that this power, the power of genesis that restores all, would reappear…… by my calculations, didn't even reach 1%.]