Chapter 111: Savior (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 111: Savior (2)
It was cold.
Coldness surrounded him on all sides.
‘...Ah.’
He parted his lips slightly. Instead of a voice, a long trail of bubbles drifted out from between his teeth.
His bluish vision soon turned pitch-black, as if painted over with ink. A state of absolute nothingness. He couldn't tell if he was falling or floating upward.
Right.
I am sinking.
To the deepest depths of the ocean.
He couldn't twitch a single finger, as though under general anesthesia. Even his blinks slowed until they came to a complete halt.
It was still cold.
His body began to tremble violently.
Not from the cold. But because it felt good. The blood and hormones rushing through his veins toyed with his brain, drowning him in pleasure.
He tried to endure through sheer willpower.
Damn it. It's not easy. Who could instantly shake off such a thrilling sensation? With that self-justification, he closed his eyes.
A sense of warmth wrapped around his whole body. There was no way the ocean water was getting warm—something must have gone wrong with his nervous system.
Ha... haha.
Pleasure and self-loathing surged alternately into his mind.
‘How did things end up like this?’
All because a flesh fragment of Kali Yuga had brushed against his cheek. Unable to win through brute force, the creature had resorted to some trickery... Honestly, he had let his guard down. That was all.
Kali Yuga had manifested in a hurry, so it couldn't exert 100 percent of its true power. That line of thinking had been his undoing.
‘It couldn't fully recharge its power before coming, so of course it had a trump card up its sleeve, you dumbass.’
Currently, with a single swing of his blade, he could split the sea and alter the terrain. And that was even while holding back. If he swung his sword in earnest, this planet wouldn't be able to withstand it.
Ryozo, Abel, Yoo Se-in, and the others. His family and friends always told him to trust them and go all out. Encouraged by them, he had gradually raised the output of the Blessing of the Sword God.
However, he hadn't been able to draw out every last bit.
He was afraid.
Ragnarok? Kali Yuga? They were push-overs. They might be tricky, but together with the kids, he could definitely take care of them. Even the Counterforce would find it hard to fathom the potential of his friends and family.
‘What I’m truly afraid of is...’
To put it plainly:
He was afraid of himself.
He was terrified to his very core of Kang Geomma, a walking time bomb.
Afraid that he might flip out at any moment and hurt the people around him.
The heavier their trust grew, the larger the lump of lead in his chest became.
Wasn't the weight of his heart the reason he was currently sinking so rapidly to twenty thousand leagues under the sea?
Swoosh.
His eyes opened on their own.
The scenery hadn't changed—
Wait, it had.
‘That's...’
An indigo light shimmered in the darkness. It didn't look like the sun glistening on the water's surface. At this depth, light from the outside world couldn't possibly reach.
The lights flickered. There were several. Thinking it might be an afterimage, he blinked several times. With each blink, the number of lights only increased.
Fireflies?
Cutting through the currents, they approached him. Their size didn't differ much whether distant or close. In short, every single one of them was a tiny spark of light.
Bzzt, bzzzt!
As they approached, trailing flashes of light, he could hear them talking. Because the seawater acted as the medium, their voices buzzed in his ears like tinnitus.
"(My Lord! I see him over there, squeak!)"
They were squirrels.
"(Good job! You recognized him quickly!)"
"(Hehe. The whole world is pitch-black, but there was a white mane sitting all by itself, so I knew right away, squeak.)"
At Lycan's praise, the squirrel puffed its chest. A chipmunk scolded the squirrel.
"(Every second counts right now, squeak! Speed up instead of chatting! Let's hurry up and pull Lord Geomma up, squeak!)"
"(...Someday, I will usurp that position, squeak.)"
"(W-What did you say?!)"
"(If you're scared, you lose, squeak!)"
Even while bickering, the swarm of squirrels sped up at a single glance from Lycan. Here, closer to the ocean floor than the surface, they reached him while resisting the crushing water pressure.
"(Kang Geomma.)"
Lycan stood on his philtrum with arms crossed, looking down at him. The distinct stench of rodents stung his nose, bothering his frontal lobe.
"(...Entrusting my body and magic to you was my mistake.)"
‘...?’
Meanwhile, the swarm of squirrels clung to his back. Harnessing lightning magic, they pushed. The force pulled back his cheeks. Outfitted with squirrel boosters, he overcame the water pressure and headed up toward the surface.
Lycan shook his head with his arms firmly crossed. A barrage of dry nagging followed.
"(To think your mental state is this pathetic. I handed over all my body and magic believing it was the 'fate of a hero' who would save this world, yet all you do is stand before the enemy worrying endlessly about whether you'll fail to control your strength!)"
Lycan fumed in exasperation.
It felt like ice water poured over his floating mind. His body ascended.
"(What use is having higher combat prowess! Kang Geomma, far from growing since ten years ago, your mental state has become even weaker!)"
‘That's because unlike back then, there are people around me to protect...’
"(You idiot!!)"
A tiny fist struck the bridge of his nose like a punching bag. As the tip of his nose stung, Lycan shouted.
"(You, who gave up being a god to choose being human! How can you understand the human heart even less than I do! Think about it, Kang Geomma. Has anyone around you EVER asked you to protect them, even once?)"
‘That's...’
There were none.
It was the opposite.
They told him not to fight alone, but to walk alongside them.
Knowing full well he would stop them if they spoke, they seized every chance to keep pace with him.
Weapon, Rachel, Leon, Medang, Abel.
And Ryozo.
Indeed, not once had they ever asked him to protect or save them. In fact, he might have been reaching out to them without even realizing it.
"(Those kids are heroes. They have the strength to protect themselves! Who are you to judge them as you please?! Are you afraid they'll die fighting?)"
He rose in silence.
"(You bastard!! Nothing hurts their hearts more than those petty thoughts of yours. Who would feel good knowing the person most precious to them considers them a burden?)"
Upward.
"(You might hide it for now, but it'll come to light someday. Have you ever thought about the feeling of helplessness they will experience then, Kang Geomma?!)"
Higher upward.
"(Get a grip, please.)"
‘Lycan.’
"(Everyone knows that at some point, you started using my magic more than your own true power, the Blessing of the Sword God. Knowing your personality, you probably thought, 'That Apocalypse bastard used a shortcut like a mobile game.')"
The sparkling surface of the sea burned into his retinas.
"(You arrogant brat!)"
Lycan bore that afterglow over his head like a halo.
"(Kang Geomma, to you, my power is nothing more than a fluke and a trick.)"
‘Ah.’
"(Magic blessing? Sure, maybe you'll master that eventually. But why the hell should you care? Keep this in mind: You are a swordsman. A natural-born one. You are built differently from a magic user like me.)"
Breaking through the ocean surface happened simultaneously. Has air always been this sweet? The seawater that had clung to him stickily shot up like reaching hands trying to pull him back down.
"(I was born a magic user and longed for the sword. So I forged blades, but ultimately hit a wall. Was it a matter of natural talent? No, it wasn't.)"
He drew closer to the clouds.
"(No matter how much I trained with the sword, I subconsciously relied on magic—like an insurance policy. That's why I lost to a man who walked only a single path.)"
Balor Joaquin.
1st Corps Commander Lycan admitted his defeat in a calm tone, despite how bitter it must feel given his competitive nature.
"(I ask you, Kang Geomma. Do you not want to become stronger?)"
He nodded.
"(Then why stray into unorthodox paths when the grand path lies right before you? You are a swordsman. Cutting and slicing everything in your way is your calling. Sword principles need no convoluted theories! Don't you know that best of all?)"
Sword principle.
The pinnacle of the sword.
Once, he had thought of it as something complicated.
In truth, it was far simpler and clearer.
And it had continuously asserted itself all along.
* * *
[Blessing of the Sword God]
If you cut, it will be severed.
* * *
This single sentence.
Even amid repeating hardships, it had served as a beacon illuminating his path quietly.
The Blade (刀).
In his past life or his present life. In any lifetime, it was his master and the path (道) that guided him.
He reached into his breast.
Thump, thump.
The two sashimi knives pulsed with energy. The cold metal possessed far more vitality than his own chilled heart. Watching him, Lycan wiped away the fleeting smile on his lips.
"(I'm confiscating lightning magic for the time being.)"
"Fine."
He smirked faintly. Lycan also wore a relaxed smile.
"(The enemy went to Korea. We will take you there.)"
"Korea, huh... Why Korea of all places, and not Hawaii Island?"
"(I don't know the reason.)"
"That's fine then."
Lying sideways in the air, he stood upright. Lycan moved from his philtrum to his shoulder.
"Without overthinking like that, just swinging my sashimi knife—that's who I am."
"(That's right.)"
Demonic Sword Lycan.
"(That is Kang Geomma.)"
The Demonic Sword had awakened the Sword Demon.
* * *
=Kegh, hk...!=
Kali Yuga crashed into a building in Gangnam. It swung its arm, clearing away the rubble and dust.
Two humans. The Hero of the Origin and the Sword Emperor floated in the air. They were riding swords like drones. It was the Sword Emperor's Sword-Control Technique.
“Wow. To think that guy who did nothing but ignorant training can use the Sword-Control Technique! And controlling it with such precision, too. Impressive.”
Balor Joaquin patted the Sword Emperor on the shoulder.
“You praise me too much.”
“It's not overpraise. Even Aaron couldn't do this.”
The Sword Emperor didn't know how to react.
“Does that mean... I've surpassed the First Sword Saint...?”
“Hmm. Not quite. You two just specialize in different areas. Aaron was specialized in aura. If it were her, instead of slamming that Smurf guy with that strike just now, she would've sliced through the whole building along with him using her aura.”
“I still have a long way to go.”
“Because there is no end to the way of the sword. Siegfried, was it?”
“Please call me Zieg.”
=...=
“Catchy name. Anyway, Zieg, listen closely. The way of the sword—an abstract realm like sword principles is ultimately reached faster through the main road than shortcuts. Slowly, but steadily.”
“Yes...”
Zieg hesitated before nodding. It was because he was currently using Blessing Awakening. Balor Joaquin ruffled Zieg's white hair.
“Kid. For a wrinkly old guy, you've got a cute side.”
“Ha... haha.”
The two men chatted casually even with the apocalypse right before their eyes. The eyeballs covering Kali Yuga's entire body grew bloodshot red.
=Th-These vermin...!=
Kali Yuga had arrived in Korea in a single burst right after fleeing from Kang Geomma. It sensed the aura of Hell, Chae Lina, nearby. However, it couldn't pinpoint the exact location.
It didn't matter. Seoul's population was roughly estimated at 15 million, corresponding to a quarter of Korea's population. Once it slaughtered the bugs here, sifting out Hell would become easier. Its plan to devour this world had been struck out.
It had gifted the bugs a sweet dream. Yet those fools kicked away an undeserved blessing with their own feet. It had no need for such creatures. It would simply carry out the Counterforce's will.
With that intention, it had arrived in Seoul.
Yet two human scum stood in its path. Heroes. But to Kali Yuga, who had just fought Kang Geomma, they looked like rolling trash.
“Vermin?”
Balor Joaquin tilted his head sharply. No sooner had his form vanished than a sword strike bore down on Kali Yuga.
BOOOOOOM!
Kali Yuga barely dodged by twisting its head. Blood trickled down its cheek. Glancing slightly to the side, holes had been punched through every building in the direction pointed by the sword strike. Losing their center of gravity, the buildings collapsed one after another.
Kali Yuga swung its chakrams to fend off Balor Joaquin and took flight. The Sword Emperor and Balor Joaquin pursued Kali Yuga, riding their swords as if surfing.
=Damn it!=
To be chased by rolling trash!
It had overlooked one thing.
Having just fought Kang Geomma, Kali Yuga itself was not in top condition. Credit where credit was due: those two would be troublesome opponents even at full strength.
=I must recover somehow.=
Moving at high speed, Kali Yuga looked toward the sky—and met its own gaze. The eye sitting atop Jamsil Tower, which it hadn't gathered back yet, was staring at its owner.
=Ha, ha, haha. Hahahahaha!=
Fate smiles upon me.
Striding sideways through the forest of skyscrapers, Kali Yuga shot upward. Buildings shattered to pieces at its kicks. The two heroes also redirected their trajectory vertically.
Kali Yuga closed in on the eye atop Jamsil Tower in an instant. Reaching out its hand, it shouted:
=Grant me the pleasure of this city!=
At its master's command, the eye closed its eyelid. It then sprayed tentacle-like substances.
The Sword Emperor intuitively judged that those two must not make contact. It was purely gut feeling.
He threw the sword he was riding. With a slicing sound, Kali Yuga's arm flew off—severed by the blade flying at near-subsonic speed.
=Struggling to the end.=
Kali Yuga sneered. Even if its arms had been sliced off by Kang Geomma and the Sword Emperor, it still had four remaining arms. It could just grab the tentacles with another arm.
“Not so fast.”
Balor Joaquin lunged forward. The sword held in both his hands bore a resolve sharp enough to split Kali Yuga in two like a twin popsicle.
=...You are no ordinary hero. I feel a faint trace of the Counterforce in you.=
Kali Yuga would guard against carelessness no longer.
=Yet in the end, you are still human.=
Kali Yuga slashed its hand down.
“W-What?!”
“Wh-What is this!”
“Aaargh!”
An anomaly occurred immediately after. The people on the ground suddenly floated up into the air. Facing this sudden appearance of human targets, Balor Joaquin was taken aback.
=Humans feel aversion toward harming their own kind. A few exceptions exist, but they are a minority anyway. Judging by your expression, despite your martial prowess, your heart seems to be that of an ordinary human.=
They were magicians. Any human who had used magic even once under Kali Yuga's influence belonged to it. Until the host vanished, they were doomed to live as slaves forever.
The people floating in the air gathered in a circle. A human wall formed as if to protect Kali Yuga. It was right before colliding with the aura fired by Balor Joaquin—a hair-trigger situation.
Slash!
Something dropped right between Kali Yuga and the human wall. Occurring in a split second, it was as if a wall made of light had been cast down.
=What is this...?=
Kali Yuga raised its chin. It was daytime.
=How... how did you...?=
Yet stars were floating in the sky. High above, even higher than a giant's eyes, stars twinkled.
=How could you make it in that time?!=
Do you know?
Since ancient times, stars shining like jewels in the darkness have been symbols of hope. At the treacherous shoals of a history filled with hardships, the stars served as humanity's compass.
Citizens smudged with soot tilted their heads back. Their eyes, too, sparkled like stars.
They were tears of hope.
[Blessing of the Sword God — Heart manifests.]
That feeling was conveyed.
The hope of the people rang out, taking the form of voices.
"Sword Control."
— Savior. [End]