Chapter 1
Chapter 1
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 1
Chapter Title: Prologue
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A profound silence enveloped the surroundings, like the depths of an abyss. Countless soldiers lay strewn across the earth, yet this eerie quietude refused to lift.
It was a time of despair. The last remnants of humanity's army had vanished meaninglessly before the onslaught of annihilation's fury, and the indomitable heroes who cried out in defiance until the bitter end collapsed in screams before the overwhelming tide of destruction. Now, all that remained in sight were the dense ranks of corpses littering the ground and bloodstained banners fluttering in the wind.
And I was dying among them.
I crawled on, pushing through the wreckage of bodies. Blood poured from the gaping wound in my abdomen and filled my mouth, but I didn't stop.
Not until I found my beloved sword, Yojjo, who had been the only one to acknowledge me and stay by my side until the very end.
Yojjo was one of the divine artifacts slumbering in the Hall of Divinity. Though it was merely an unnamed holy sword discarded among junk blades in a bronze rack, it had recognized me as its master and made me a Guardian—my one and only companion in life.
That's why I couldn't abandon Yojjo. Armies of subordinates, friends, and lovers had all turned their backs on me as the era of ruin dawned, but Yojjo stayed with me. So even in the moment of death, it had to be together.
"Yojjo...!"
At my desperate call, a corpse in the distance shuddered. No headless body could move on its own—it had to be Yojjo. Divine artifacts always sought out their masters as long as both were alive.
Gathering my last reserves of strength, I crawled with all my might. It had flown from my grasp under a colossal monster's strike, soaring endlessly into the distance, but Yojjo was unharmed, as always.
Yojjo was the immortal sword. While sacred divine artifacts shattered and broke before the forces of destruction, Yojjo didn't lose a single tooth. No, it didn't even need its dull edge resharpened—its sharpness never faded. Sure, it couldn't channel any holy magic, which relegated it to the status of third-rate junk, but it had survived to the end, becoming humanity's final hope.
Sacred Flame Sword Idrone, Radiant Vice Shield Shaia, Earth God's Chaos Hammer Bermong. I didn't need any of that crap. They were revered as the pinnacle among the Seven Divine Artifacts, but they shattered pathetically without making a dent against the torrent of annihilation. Now, the only divine artifact left to protect humanity was Yojjo, the sword of infinite durability. Of course, the humanity it had to protect was about to vanish entirely.
Finally reaching my goal, I shoved my hand under the headless young soldier's corpse. The razor-sharp edge beneath the cold flesh threatened to slice me open. It was definitely Yojjo. I'd never forget that sensation.
"Yojjo."
With every ounce of strength, I pulled Yojjo free and embraced it in tearful joy. The sword I'd thought lost forever had returned to me in my final moments. Yojjo would never betray me.
Grinning brightly, I lay back, gazing at the sky, and raised Yojjo triumphantly. Even with death approaching, I felt no loneliness or fear. Not with Yojjo by my side.
"Yojjo, this is the end of my tumultuous life. Heh heh heh."
Death crept in like a dream. My vision darkened steadily, and my mind grew so hazy it could snap at any moment. If I'd been a holy knight or true Guardian who could wield healing magic, I might have prolonged my life with spells, but alas, I was only a false Guardian chosen by Yojjo.
Don't underestimate me, though. In this final battle, I'd proudly claimed fourth place among humanity's strongest warriors. Sure, it only happened because all the legendary heroes perished in the days of ruin, but hey, what of it? Fourth out of hundreds of thousands—good enough.
Thanks to that, even I—a lifelong wastrel in everyone's eyes—went out in glory. The soldiers who followed me looked at me with trust and respect, and the last of humanity sent me off to the battlefield with heartfelt cheers laced with hope.
All those who'd despised and shunned me had died off in the chaos, leaving me as humanity's final hope. Not only had I fought well, but I was also the heir to Karl Grand Duke, the Iron-Blooded Chancellor whose fame rang throughout the Holy Yosrahim Empire.
Bloodline? It meant nothing in moments of despair, but it worked wonders when hope was needed. Why else would public opinion swell to crown me emperor of a unified empire if humanity somehow won the final war? Me, the notorious playboy and scoundrel infamous across the continent.
Truly, the end times bring the strangest things.
I'm a pure wastrel through and through. Even facing death, I refuse to change. Now that I've found Yojjo, my mind still drifts to regrets of not spending one last steamy night with a beautiful woman before dying—enough said about my character.
Women, desire... and swordsmanship. That's all I know. Roaming countless battlefields had also turned me into a cold-blooded killer numb to blood, so you could say I'd upgraded a step from my old self.
That's why I regretted it so much. I loathed my past self for living suppressed under my strict father's thumb, never truly enjoying life. Worrying about others' opinions? My father's scornful gaze? The stern rebukes from my uncle, the Holy Yosrahim Emperor? Why had I bound my own freedom over such trivialities? I was fated to suffer through every hardship in this era of ruin before dying anyway.
'I need to live... Damn it...'
I wanted to live. Though I'd been dragged to this battlefield by the era's demands, if there was even a hair's chance of survival, I'd have gladly betrayed everyone's expectations and fled. To me, there was no value in protecting anyone but myself. Humanity's survival? The empire's glory? Others' faith? What use were those? If I died, it was all over.
Hummm~.
Yojjo trembled violently in my weakening grip. Sensing its master's impending death, it grieved. Such a cute thing. But it seemed our time to part had come. I wanted to wish it a bright future with a worthy new master, but with all remaining humanity doomed to perish before the forces of chaos and void, I couldn't offer such empty words.
Yojjo would likely stand guard here alone, from the day my corpse turned to dust until the land itself ceased to exist.
Feeling my heart's fading beats, I exhaled my final breath. This was truly it. Even visions of radiant light appeared before my closing eyes—definitely the end.
And so, I met my end in this life. Damn it. Not just any life—this cursed one. Shit!