Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Humanity Reduction Scenario (7)
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Suddenly, Han Cheong-ah appeared. The moment she did, a massive rift tore open in the sky.
The rift was a gigantic mass of darkness. It felt like staring into a terrifying black hole that could swallow even light with ease.
The rift devoured the moon and stars visible to the naked eye. It warped the entire night sky, emitting an eerie glow.
"Remnant melody. No, it's too grand in scale to call it that..."
Zero One growled lowly as he glared at Han Cheong-ah.
The fight came to a temporary halt.
Zero One began wary of me, the rift, and Han Cheong-ah all at once.
He had once dreamed of enacting the humanity reduction scenario using her.
Zero One knew full well just how dangerous the power of the Queen was.
"Han Cheong-ah!"
I called out her name urgently, snapping out of my daze for a moment after the rift appeared.
I knew Han Cheong-ah had grown stronger.
But the superhuman ability inherent in the Queen's power to wield psychic forces and the ability to summon rifts weren't exactly compatible in the end.
If she went berserk like during the previous raid, it would be a disaster.
Unlike before, Zero One was right there in front of us now. And I didn't have the sedative to stop Han Cheong-ah's rampage either.
"Snap out of it!"
Even at my call, Han Cheong-ah stared vacantly at the rift.
"Snap out of it, I said!"
What the hell were Lee Gyeo-ul and Aria doing? The situation should have been over by now.
I had to stop Han Cheong-ah's rampage right away, no matter what it took.
As I frantically scanned around for Lee Gyeo-ul and Aria...
A voice leaked from Han Cheong-ah's mouth.
It wasn't the melody that controlled Dimensional Beasts.
"I've never lost my mind. Do-hyun."
Life returned to Han Cheong-ah's eyes as she gazed emptily up at the sky.
"Who do you think I am?"
She flashed a V-sign with a bright smile that made my worry from moments ago seem foolish.
"I'm a genius. Don't worry."
Han Cheong-ah closed her eyes, exuding confidence that even Zero One and I, a progenitor, would have to yield a step.
"I've come to help you, Do-hyun. I have no intention of being dead weight."
"Baek Do-hyun."
Zero One glared at me.
"You're not trying to ruin this enjoyable fight in such a lame way, are you? Leaving everything else aside, didn't we agree to settle it with a fight between just the two of us at the end?"
No need to answer.
Zero One had the Truth-Seeing Demonic Eye that could pierce through a person's innermost thoughts, after all.
I flashed a cool smile, like ocean waves crashing on a midsummer beach.
Zero One's face twisted in an instant. What can you do?
Sure, beating each other senseless and subduing a worthy opponent would be fun.
But I couldn't ignore the girl who had run here until her feet blistered, all to help me.
"─────────♬"
Woooong...
As the Queen's melody resonated, an indescribably mystical sound emanated from the rift.
The rift gaped wide like a massive serpent about to swallow its prey.
A downpour of Dimensional Beasts rained from the rift.
It was too enormous in scale to call it mere rain.
Dozens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands—humanity's enemies began pouring from the rift's massive maw.
The sky turned pitch black with countless shadows and Dimensional Beasts.
I gazed at the overwhelming sight.
"Baek Do-hyun! If you're not going to end it with a fight between us, then I..."
Zero One raged.
But his fury wasn't captivating or overwhelming enough to seize my attention.
The Dimensional Beasts pouring from the rift crushed the ground, sending up countless vibrations.
The ground shook, and the barely standing buildings finally collapsed.
A grotesque horde of Dimensional Beasts writhed on the ground where they had fallen.
As if gravity and the impact of the fall meant nothing, they began rising one by one.
To obey the new Queen's command, the horde of Dimensional Beasts turned toward Han Cheong-ah at the center.
"Whoa... This is seriously creepy."
Han Cheong-ah shuddered, hugging her shoulders as if goosebumps covered her skin.
What am I supposed to do about that?
At Han Cheong-ah's disdainful remark, the spider-like Dimensional Beasts with their striking compound eyes looked especially dejected.
"But, yeah. Even if they're gross, they're the only means to break through this situation. I finally understand the feelings of a semi-basement exam prep student using cockroaches to catch cockroaches."
With that bizarre analogy, Han Cheong-ah's aria resounded once more.
A cool breeze blew through the ruins.
The lyrical melody continued. The Dimensional Beasts began getting sucked into a single point created by Han Cheong-ah.
The point grew larger the more Dimensional Beasts it swallowed.
When it devoured the last one, the point had become a massive sphere hundreds of meters across.
"They say when fighting the strong, one powerful foe is deadlier than a horde of weaklings."
The identity of the sphere that had swallowed the Dimensional Beasts was an egg. Cracks began forming on its surface.
"......"
Zero One unleashed a barrage of magic to check the birth of this new existence that could turn the tide of battle, but it was futile.
I withdrew my steaming right hand and gazed at the being that broke free from the egg.
The three-headed dragon spread its juice-covered wings and let out a roar.
Its entire body was covered in golden scales so sturdy that no firearm in existence could scratch it, even if fired all at once.
Three long necks like a qilin's extended from it, each topped with a massive dragon head.
The three-headed dragon bowed its heads to the Queen who birthed it, swearing fierce loyalty.
"Now this is getting interesting. Whew, good. Your job is simple. Go take down Zero One, who's threatening Do-hyun."
At Han Cheong-ah's command, the massive three-headed dragon began to move.
Even I could only stand there dumbfounded at its overwhelming presence.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Zero One was powerful. He withstood hundreds of exchanges against the three-headed dragon, Han Cheong-ah, and me in a pincer attack.
But no matter how strong he was, he couldn't withstand the three-headed dragon's blue flames that burned everything or my progenitor strikes alone.
Zero One began to wear down rapidly. As I pressed the one-sided battle, I felt a pang of regret.
It felt disappointing for the fight with Zero One to end so anticlimactically like this, but the water was already spilled.
I had envisioned a fair fight with him and resolved to battle to the death.
But the fight had flowed this way.
Han Cheong-ah was an unpredictable variable for both Zero One and me. That was all.
I looked down at Zero One's cold corpse.
The great and wicked archmage who had tried to build an ark and guide humanity had met his end.
I burned his body endlessly. It wasn't for mourning.
I simply sensed the possibility that the corpse could rise at any moment and cast magic.
Zero One turned to ashes and scattered with the wind.
"It's over."
Han Cheong-ah looked indifferently at the ground where Zero One had been.
"It's over."
Unlike Han Cheong-ah, my gaze was still fixed on the sky.
"No more crazy stuff like the humanity reduction scenario will happen now, right?"
"Probably."
The Society hadn't completely crumbled yet.
But from this moment, having lost its central pillar in Zero One, it would slowly disintegrate.
Catastrophes like the humanity reduction scenario would no longer arise from the monsters' hands.
"Do-hyun."
"Yeah?"
"Why the long face?"
Han Cheong-ah's hand fumbled over my face. She prodded carefully, like a doctor examining a patient.
"You're not about to say something stupid like regretting not fighting fair, are you? Winter unnie said it: Winning is what matters... The loser is the fool. And I was only here because of your power in the first place."
"No, it's not that."
The battle fervor that had heated up died down the moment Han Cheong-ah appeared.
I had the discernment to judge what was truly important.
The unsatisfying fight with Zero One wasn't the main reason my face was stiff.
"I still have something I need to do."
The rift in the night sky gradually faded.
The creator who made this world awaited me inside the rift.
The creator had sent me a special invitation.
I had questions I wanted to ask her.
"I see."
"Yeah."
"You have a lot to do outside the picture too, Do-hyun. Unlike me."
Han Cheong-ah let out a sigh.
"Cheong-ah."
"Yes."
"If I come back alive, there's something I want to tell you."
I murmured softly while watching the shrinking rift.
"You're not thinking of going to some dangerous place alone... Haah, no helping it. I'll come with you."
"It's fine."
"You just saw it. I'm ridiculously strong. Even if it's Zero One, with me..."
"It's not about that. Someone's waiting for me alone. I have to go by myself."
"Even so..."
I stroked Han Cheong-ah's hair. That should convince her.
"Don't worry. What I said earlier was a slip. I'll be back."
Han Cheong-ah straightened her tousled hair and finally nodded.
I slowly walked toward the sky.
To enter the rift that seemed about to vanish any second.
Step by step, I crushed the icy platforms and pressed onward.