Chapter 228
Chapter 228
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 228
Chapter Title: Part 2 Epilogue 01 - Sword Saint of the Ruined World (3)
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4.
“Please forgive Jeong Cheol, the soul of my poor friend.”
Forgiveness...
A bitter, metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.
Had I bitten my lip until it bled? My tightly clenched fists trembled faintly.
“Baek-jun.”
“...Yes.”
“I’ll ask again. Do you trust me and forgive me once more?”
My eyes burned unbearably hot. I wiped away the tears and barely managed to open my mouth.
“You know I have no right to forgive you or not... don’t you...?”
“Then forgive Jeong Cheol, that man as well.”
For some reason I couldn’t fathom.
The [Master of the Broken Dawn] gently yet persistently coaxed me.
“If you can’t possibly trust him... then trust me, who forgave and believed in him, and forgive me as well.”
The reason was unknown.
Even if I couldn’t understand the reason.
Even if I could only learn it far in the distant future.
“He will surely pay for his sins. But that judgment will be passed by Gel dharia herself.”
“...”
“And someday, when you read my memories, you’ll come to know Jeong Cheol’s life and the truth behind this incident.”
“............”
“But right now, forgive him while knowing nothing.”
“..................”
“The sentiment I hope you’ll hold from this, my final teaching to you, is... a mindset that first forgives the weaknesses of others.”
I bowed my head.
I had never once compromised with criminals. Never forgiven them after hearing their long, drawn-out stories.
Damn it...
Criminals were subjects of judgment, not forgiveness. The greater the sin, the farther forgiveness was from the virtues of my life.
“...I’ll trust you.”
But at that moment, I did.
I abandoned my own will.
And decided to embrace the will of the [Master of the Broken Dawn]. To become like him, my predecessor as Beacon Keeper.
“And... I forgive him.”
“I’m glad. So you’ll believe in me, who trusted him?”
“No... I mean I forgive that bastard Jeong Cheol.”
The [Master of the Broken Dawn] seemed slightly taken aback by my immediate reply.
“Why the sudden change?”
“Because... only then... will the stars and this world finally know...”
This was it.
The only repayment I could give him was pathetically just this much.
“What... are you talking about?”
A confession of my life.
A testimony to the path I had walked.
I lifted my bowed head and forced a smile.
“That I, Kim Baek-jun, was your disciple...”
No.
I couldn’t hold the smile.
In the end, I broke down sobbing quietly and prostrated myself at Park Hyun-su’s feet.
“All this time... truly... thank you... and... I’m so sorry... Master...”
Park Hyun-su gazed at me for a long while, then looked up at the sunset and let out a sigh laced with a smile.
“Truly... Baek-jun, you’ve never once disappointed me...”
Then he extended his large, sturdy hand and helped me to my feet.
“Now I can leave everything to you, Baek-jun. Here, Yuya.”
When had she arrived?
The girl of light, the messenger of Yurvel, stood beside Park Hyun-su.
“Now you can trust Baek-jun too, right?”
Yuya nodded and toddled over to me.
Holding something carefully in both hands.
What’s that...?
To dare describe the artwork, it was a massive odachi with mechanical mysticism embedded in its scabbard and hilt.
“This sword’s name is <Yurvelmung>.”
A fantastical dark blade scabbard.
Engravings where brilliant blue light flickered long along the sheath that seemed at least 100cm in length.
“One of the two divine swords forged by the Genesis Gods. But it’s on a whole different level from Berkenxia.”
Unbelievable.
Even just the scabbard and hilt.
A majestic, beautiful form that could steal a person’s soul.
“While Gel dharia forged Berkenxia from the final fragment of her holy spirit.”
If.
Not an ancient craftsman.
But a craftsman from the future had forged the blade, would it look like this?
“Yurvel is said to have split her holy spirit in half to create this sword.”
Yuya reverently offered <Yurvelmung> to me. I took the sword as if entranced.
It was heavy.
And... warm yet cool.
“Draw it.”
Shring.
With a clear, resonant chime of light.
The blade imbued with the transcendence of a Genesis God poured radiance out from the scabbard.
Huh...?
It was a mysteriously beautiful sword.
Not a blade... but like a hundred glowing fragments pieced together.
“The sword that cleaves outer space, <Yurvelmung>, is also famed as a Godslayer Sword.”
Each fragment emitted its own glow—the blue of the heavenly expanse.
Different from Berkenxia’s twilight.
Just gazing at it cleared and refreshed the heart... the azure-white of the ancient heavens.
“Each of those 108 fragments holds its own godslaying power.”
“...?!”
“Pretty amazing, right? The holy spirit within the sword will teach you how to use it.”
I came to my senses and sheathed <Yurvelmung> back into its scabbard.
And then.
I had to look back and forth between Park Hyun-su and Yuya.
“Can I... really accept this...?”
Park Hyun-su and Yuya nodded in unison.
“You must accept it. <Yurvelmung> chooses its own master.”
“...?”
“The first sword lord fell to corruption, so its standards are high.”
Fell to corruption...?
A being like a Beacon Keeper...?
Was that even possible? No, I almost ended up that way because of Song Chan-un.
“So until now, not a single person has been chosen by <Yurvelmung>... but now Baek-jun, you’ve been selected.”
“Why... why me...?”
“Do you know that forgiveness is the emotion of the Genesis Gods?”
God’s emotion...?
What is he trying to say?
“Who could embrace someone who curses them, bless someone who strikes them?”
“...”
“If Gel dharia governs justice, then Yurvel governs grace.”
“............!”
“Forgiveness is born from grace. Learning forgiveness means growing to resemble Yurvel’s nature.”
No way.
Does that mean.
“Since Baek-jun confessed forgiveness with words and achieved it in heart... the sword has chosen you.”
“...!”
“Yurvel was the type who, at the moment of her death, forgave the woman who betrayed and killed her.”
When Park Hyun-su finished speaking.
I realized hot tears were streaming from my eyes.
“Now... I understand...”
“...”
“The reason you kept persuading me to forgive Jeong Cheol... was to give me this──”
It was then.
Park Hyun-su’s form turned semi-transparent, beginning to flicker weakly like a heat haze.
“It’s... time for me to go now.”
Park Hyun-su approached me with laborious steps.
“Could you hold out your hand, Baek-jun?”
I raised my right hand.
And he placed a hot, cross-shaped key into my palm.
What is this...?
A key radiant and hot like sunlight. As I looked down at it, Park Hyun-su said.
“The key to this mixed world, the Beacon Keeper’s graveyard.”
“...!”
“Now, you are the graveyard keeper of this mixed world... Mai-basel-mu-on.”
Mai-basel-mu-on...?
Come to think of it, the 99 predecessors had bid me farewell with those words too. Was it a prayer?
“Your baptismal name, Baek-jun. Given in the language of the Genesis Gods.”
Baptismal name...?
I have a baptismal name now? Suddenly, my heart pounded wildly.
“What... does it mean?”
It was then.
The halo that always covered Park Hyun-su’s face lifted, revealing his face for the first time.
“To paraphrase.”
Truly... a gentle face.
“If a boy grew only in size while remaining a boy, it might feel like this. Just looking makes you smile involuntarily...”
“To translate literally.”
As he smiled faintly.
The cross key swirled in dazzling radiance, its form shifting within the glow.
“Sword Saint.”
When the storm of light ended.
What rested on my right hand... was a gauntlet.
“...[Sword Saint of the Ruined World].”
Perhaps due to missing fragments.
It was broken and rusted in places... but that only gave it an antique beauty, with twilight rippling in damascus patterns... a gauntlet.
“[Sword Saint of the Ruined World]...?”
The gauntlet dissolved into mist, then wrapped around both my hands... and reformed as a gauntlet the next instant.
Equipped...?
I clenched and opened my hand.
Sturdy yet comfortable. As if it had always been part of my hand.
“Do you know swords are called the lord of myriad weapons?”
“...?”
“A title more fitting for Baek-jun than Sword Saint, able to wield all the armaments of the 100 Holy Flame Keepers?”
Wield all armaments...?
I slashed at empty air with my right hand.
Twilight brilliance trailed the arc... and instantly formed into the Dawn Sword.
Berkenxia... form manifestation?
Again, I tried once more.
Then Twilight Bow, White Staff, Moonlight Scythe, Divine Glory Ten Crimson Mirror formed from the light.
“Belated congratulations, Baek-jun.”
A choked laugh of emotion burst out.
“You’ve earned the title you desired, through your life.”
Unbelievable...
This is... my Berkenxia.
The unique form of my Berkenxia...
A power modeled after the might of the *Journey to the West Sutra*.
In that elated state, I kept testing the power, when Park Hyun-su warned softly.
“You’ve awakened two powers... but the path ahead for you is still arduous.”
“It will be... but it’s fine. Yes, it’ll be fine.”
I declared firmly, thumping my gauntleted fist against my chest.
“Because I’m the 101st Holy Flame Keeper. Disciple of the 100th Holy Flame Keeper, Park Hyun-su.”
Park Hyun-su suddenly looked straight at me... and the next moment, tears welled in his eyes.
“Ha... haha... Balerin, the 99th, said this when choosing me as successor.”
“The master of the [White Staff]...?”
“Yes. I return those words to you now, Baek-jun.”
A final smile formed on Park Hyun-su’s lips.
“Perhaps... I guarded this twilight graveyard through eons just to meet you, Baek-jun.”
“Yes...?”
“Not by chance, but predestined from the beginning.”
His voice.
Park Hyun-su’s voice, fading away... why did it touch my heart like a father’s encouragement?
“To pass this dawn to you, Baek-jun...”
“...!”
“To the unqualified me... who became the greatest Holy Flame Keeper... our meeting prepared by Gel dharia... my prayer of thanks...”
Those were his last words.
In an instant, whoosh—his body scattered into countless motes of light, melting into the twilight.
“Ah... no...!”
A cracked cry escaped my throat. I lunged to grab the light motes desperately.
“When you meet Jeong Cheol at the end of the nightmare, will you pass this on for us?”
Yuya tugged at my mourning clothes’ sleeve and said. Her form likewise... fading away.
“We’ll go ahead. But not leaving you behind—we’ll be waiting... okay?”
When I couldn’t reply.
Yuya urged with a gentle smile.
“Promise me.”
Was that smile tinged only with weariness? Perhaps Yuya’s holy spirit had reached its limit like Park Hyun-su.
Ha...
Passing on words wouldn’t be hard. In the end, I nodded.
“I promise.”
“You mean it?”
“Absolutely. I swear on these two divine swords.”
The moment my answer reached her was Yuya’s last.
The instant she heard the promise.
Yuya seemed to smile in relief, then her small body scattered into motes of heavenly light.
“Ah..............”
Twilight motes and heavenly motes mingled chaotically, flying toward the distant horizon.
I reached out toward them.
But soon... I withdrew my arm, wiped my falling tears, and bowed deeply.
“You’ve worked hard...”
No more crying now.
No crumbling, breaking, or bending.
“Rest in peace now...”
Not because I’m Lead Hunter or Founding Association Chairman.
I’m Yurvel’s Second Apostle.
And.
Gel dharia’s chosen 101st Holy Flame Keeper, direct disciple of the [Master of the Broken Dawn].
Precisely, Mai-basel-mu-on.
Yes, precisely... [Sword Saint of the Ruined World].
[Holy Flame Succession: Succession Task Complete.]
The succession task is complete, but I’m still in the nightmare.
*Holy Flame Succession*
[Regular (100 / 100)]
* Achievement exceeds threshold
1. First Successor, Apostle of Grace
2. Second Successor, Knight of the Mirror
......
......
42. 42nd Successor, Sorcerer of Tears
......
......
98. 98th Successor, Artist of Radiance
99. 99th Successor, Pray-er of Anguish
100. 101st Successor, Sword Saint of the Ruined World
The mission my predecessors couldn’t finish... now I must complete it.
No.
I will end it in my generation.
That will be the only repayment I can give them.