Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: The Finger
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Everyone was staring at me.
“Huh? It suddenly calmed down…?”
“But what did it just say?”
“Mr. Lansen, did you understand?”
What? Was I the only one who heard it?
The part about the Annihilation Angel?
It seemed the thought was transmitted only to me this time.
The creature called an angel reacted strangely only to me. Was it because of that “Zero Code” thing?
Wary of any surprises, I slowly circled the being that had identified itself as an “Annihilation Angel.”
You never know. It could be feigning obedience, ready to launch a surprise attack.
But even as I traced a wide semicircle around it, the Annihilation Angel remained perfectly still.
Only its gaze followed me, giving it an almost puppy-like air.
It was as if its entire body was demonstrating the word ‘obedience’.
So, I decided to test it.
“Hey.”
[Annihilation Angel A12 Omega. Awaiting orders.]
This thing… it’s even reporting its designation?
“Fix your gaze on the ceiling and wait. Don't move, no matter what.”
[Understood.]
With a smooth motion, the Annihilation Angel truly did shift its gaze to the ceiling. Now, it didn't react at all, even when I moved around it.
“Did it just follow Mr. Lansen's command? It did, right? Right?!”
“Lansen. What's going on? Why is the angel listening to you…?”
The mercenaries whispered among themselves, and Kask voiced his confusion.
“Shh. Stay quiet.”
I ignored them for the time being.
Holding my breath, I slowly approached the Annihilation Angel and swung Vanroah like a bolt of lightning.
Fwoooosh—!
Even as the stormy, dark blue Aura Blade reached the very front of its exposed neck, the creature didn't flinch.
It was as if it had entrusted everything to me.
Just now, if I had wanted to, I could have struck off the angel's head.
At this point, I could no longer doubt it.
‘What? Is this for real? Why?’
I withdrew my sword and swallowed hard.
“Hey.”
[Annihilation Angel A12 O—]
“Enough. What is ‘Zero Code’? Explain.”
[“Zero Code” is the highest authority and the top priority for protection.]
But that's me? A person from Continental Year 1351, sixty thousand years after the Mythic Age, not someone from that era?
“Why am I ‘Zero Code’?”
[That is….]
It paused.
The Annihilation Angel, about to answer, froze as if petrified. A red glint flashed momentarily in its eyes.
Then, it began to speak, its words unrelated to my question.
[You should not have come here.]
“What are you talking about? I asked what Zero Code is.”
[This is a top-level quarantine zone. A tomb where an Apostle was killed and put to rest. The presence of the living is causing the Apostle to awaken from its deathly slumber sooner.]
“Apostle? What's that?”
[An Apostle is….]
It paused!
Again. It stopped again. And then this time,
Wuuuuung—
With a loud noise, it emitted a red glow from its entire body.
The Annihilation Angel suddenly cried out, creating a massive vibration that, like before, pierced everyone's minds.
[Anomaly detected! The Apostle's awakening rate is increasing at an incomprehensible speed!]
Fwaaaah!
It unfurled its neatly folded wings of light, scattering them in all directions.
[The Apostle will awaken from its deathly slumber within ten minutes!]
What in the world is going on…?!
In that very moment, when I couldn't understand the situation at all,
Fwoooong—!
A sort of massive wave passed through us.
The hair on my entire body stood on end.
A shiver ran down my spine, and the air grew sharp.
Wooo- wooo- wooo-
Vanroah was trembling in a way I had never seen before.
Yes.
It was afraid. Vanroah.
A sword whose only will should be to ‘cut’... was ‘afraid’.
[The quickening has begun. Recalculating. Within nine minutes. Correction, seven minutes. Re-correction, the Apostle will emerge within three minutes!]
The Annihilation Angel completely turned its back on me now.
It drew a massive sword of light and aimed it beyond the barrier.
A terrifying power, neither aura nor magic, rose from behind its back.
And…
Chwareureuk!
The Book of Fate burst out of my subspace necklace on its own.
[Luceras Calendar, Year 4681. May 22nd. This history is being forcibly altered by the hand of ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛. The finger of ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛ achieves a complete resurrection, unlike in the original history.]
Words were being carved into the book.
What does this mean?
Some unknown entity is changing history as it pleases?
Does this mean that the Apostle, the 'finger' that's awakening now, will be stronger than it was in the original history? Is that even possible?
A woman's voice echoed in my ears.
It was a voice I'd heard a few times, but its tone was completely different, filled with emotion.
[Due to a knot in the worldline, this mission cannot be repeated. A single failure will be the final defeat.]
Up to this point, it was relatively businesslike, but the words that followed were not.
[…Please, do not lose courage. From now on, our only opportunities will be born from crisis.]
I was at a loss for words.
I couldn't understand it, but I could feel it.
Something absurd was happening.
A cataclysm was unfolding, one that even my own martial prowess—which was close to the highest level of an Expert by ancient standards and beyond a Sword Master by modern ones, making me feel invincible—could not handle.
The chilling sense of dread that periodically swept over me. The Annihilation Angel, radiating overwhelming power yet visibly tense. And on top of that, the warning from the Book of Fate.
Something that should not be happening was happening.
The fear I felt now wasn't just a physical reaction.
My very soul was sounding a clear warning.
[Prioritizing the survival of “Zero Code.” Activating “Final Wedge” to temporarily exhaust the Apostle.]
Final Wedge.
When the Annihilation Angel uttered those words, its body trembling as it scattered a brilliant radiance in all directions, I realized.
‘It was... this strong?’
If I had fought it earlier, I would have lost.
Before even considering skill levels or swordsmanship, its power output was simply overwhelming.
An absurd amount of energy swirled around the Annihilation Angel.
And yet… the ominous feeling piercing my heart did not subside.
Even with such a powerful being on our side, I didn't feel the slightest bit of relief.
[Executing escape protocol for “Zero Code.”]
[Long-range jump impossible. Resetting to the best possible location.]
The moment I heard that, my mind snapped to attention.
This was no time to be standing around dazed.
“Hey! You can't just get me out! Everyone here! Do you understand?! You have to get everyone out!”
[Correction. Resetting escape protocol at the request of “Zero Code.” Please establish physical contact with the individuals to be evacuated.]
Just as I thought. It was planning to send only me.
I was acting almost purely on instinct now.
“Everyone, snap out of it and gather around! Quickly!”
Now, I could feel it clearly.
Something was awakening beyond that barrier.
Something that should never have awakened was about to tear through the barrier.
Something so absurdly powerful that even I couldn't stand against it.
We have to run.
That was the only thought that filled my mind.
The vague sense of dread had already become a tangible presence, dominating the space.
Crack! Crac-crack!
The barrier before our eyes began to crumble, and an energy flowed out from between the cracks.
The mercenaries, who had been trembling, overwhelmed by it,
“Snap out of it!!!”
finally focused at my shout and came toward me.
Only one person.
Just one person. He couldn't come to his senses until the end.
It was Kask.
He was hugging himself with both arms, shivering uncontrollably.
He was muttering something nonstop.
“This is… impossible. Something like this. This can't be possible. The arbitrary definition of mana? This, something like this, existing in this world…”
I grabbed his shoulder and pulled him forcibly.
“Get a grip! You're the leader! What are you doing?!”
“La-Lansen…?”
Only then did Kask look at me. But the trembling from his shoulder, where I held him, was incessant.
“Never mind. Everyone, stick close.”
I could feel it now. This was truly dangerous.
Psssss—
The Annihilation Angel, which I felt I couldn't beat even at full power, was now slowly crumbling away.
The barrier had already fallen.
The ashen energy pouring out from within was destroying the Annihilation Angel that stood guard before us.
There was no time.
“We're all here! Send us now.”
[Escape… protocol… executing.]
The Annihilation Angel answered, its voice slower than before.
Wheeeeing!
A pure white light enveloped us, and through it, I could see the Annihilation Angel drawing its sword.
The last thing I saw was it shooting forward like an exploding wedge, becoming one itself, into the endless torrent of ashen energy.
Fwaaat!
The white light obscured everything.
Pssss—
A moment later, the scene that emerged from the dissipating light was a familiar one.
The entrance to the ruins.
All six of us had returned to the very place we always used to enter for our explorations.
“M-Mr. Lansen? What in the world is going on?!”
For some reason, Lorraine, Eodran, and several researchers were at the entrance.
Then again, with all that commotion down there, it would be stranger if they hadn't come out to check.
The ground must have shaken, and an unknown energy must have radiated out.
Still,
‘I can finally breathe a little easier.’
Compared to the oppressive presence I felt down there, this place was still heaven.
Though that would only be for a moment.
That oppressive feeling, which I felt more clearly and fearfully than others because of my higher skill level…
It would soon sweep over this place as well.
“Mr. Lansen! Say something! And was that a spatial jump just now? Kask can't use spatial magic…!”
Lorraine bombarded me with questions.
But this was no time for a leisurely Q&A.
“Lorraine!”
I called her name sharply, dropping all honorifics.
I pressured her as if she were a soldier.
“Ye-yes?”
“Assume combat positions immediately.”
“Co-combat positions?!”
“No time! Now! If you want to live, prepare for battle first!”
Lorraine's eyes wavered.
Soon, she bit her lip firmly, pulled a rod from her pocket, and twisted it.
Weeeeeeeeng—!
That was the signal.
An emergency alarm blared throughout Lorraine's entire research facility.
An ear-splitting sound and flashing red warning lights.
The researchers, who had been shuffling around like zombies at work just moments ago, must have been dumbfounded.
Lorraine held an artifact she'd taken out to her lips and shouted, her voice booming throughout the facility.
[All hands, prepare for battle! Full mobilization! Every single one of you, run! Run! To your positions! How much money did we spend on combat training for you to act like this?!]
Finally snapping to their senses, the researchers began to move quickly.
After giving her orders, Lorraine looked me straight in the eye with her pale, light-green eyes.
“Now, explain. What in the world is going on?”
“I don't know the details either. Just that… an absurd monster is coming up. Soon.”
Lorraine furrowed her brow.
“Enough to make you this tense? A monster even stronger than you?”
To that…
I couldn't answer truthfully.
“...No. I'm still stronger.”
If I spoke the truth, I felt my spirit would break before the fight even began.
However, it wasn't as if there was no hope.
“What? You're stronger? Then why…”
“I need it.”
“Need what…?”
“The Dragon's Magic Armor.”
I held out my hand to Lorraine.
“Bu-but that hasn't even finished testing…!”
“No time. I need it. To win.”
“Ah…”
Lorraine's strength was her incredibly fast judgment.
She took out a key and placed it on my palm. It was the key to open the seal of the secret vault.
I wondered why the light key felt so heavy.
“Then. I'm counting on you until I get back.”
There wasn't a moment to spare, so I immediately took off.
Right now, all I could do was trust.
Trust Lorraine.
Hope that she could hold out until I returned.
And hope that the ‘dream of her lifetime’ she created would work properly.
* * *
Kwang!
The moment I kicked open the door to the secret vault, I did one thing.
‘Take everything.’
This is the end anyway.
The reason the Book of Fate sent me to this era. It must have been to kill that Apostle, or 'finger', or whatever it is that just resurrected.
So this is it. The final battle.
If I'm going to take things, now is my only chance.
Kwadang! Kudang!
Ignoring the breaking furniture, I shoved all the magic armor and artifacts displayed in the secret vault into my subspace.
They'd all get destroyed fighting that monster anyway. No need to feel any guilt.
I have to take them now.
After grabbing everything in just thirty seconds, I finally stood before the ‘Dragon's Magic Armor’.
‘So I finally get to wear you after all.’
I just didn't think it would be in a situation like this…
My sentimentality lasted only a moment. I threw off the magic armor I was wearing and hurriedly put on the Dragon's Magic Armor.
The moment I finished equipping it and initiated the ‘start-up’,
[Dieeeee!]
The dragon's furious thoughts tore through my mind like sharp blades.