Kim Seon-Hyeok suddenly came back to his senses at the urgent thought that rang through his mind.
Like snakes flicking their tongues, hundreds of black tentacles were writhing right in front of his eyes. Every single one that simply swiped at him corroded his mind and rotted his body. They were the results of a terrible curse.
He didnât have the room or the time to get out.
Instead of trying to forcefully pull himself out, he took a deep breath. In an instant, embers gathered at the War Dragonâs snout, then it became bright red flames, and burnt all the tentacles.
The Warrior ran through the fluttering black ashes.
[The watcher who watched the crouched darkness; the shackles that bound the ferocious beast. The Holy Sword was the seal that safeguarded against the Fragments of Chaos.]
He heard Marekâs words as it flashed through his mind once again.
[What do you think it means when the seal is still intact, yet the imprisoned Fragment of Chaos has been released into the world? The seal wasnât broken. The door was unlocked and then pushed wide open.]
Marek had said the Warrior was the culprit who had released the Fragments of Chaos into the world.
[The Demon King hadnât called Chaos. It was Chaos that had made the Demon King. And before that, the Warrior had picked up the Holy Sword.]
The adversary summoned the adversary, and the Demon King had created the Warrior as his adversary. Those were the truths that Kim Seon-Hyeok knew.
However, Marek had said it was a lie.
It was the Warrior who had awakened first, and it was the Warrior who had made it possible for the Demon King to become complete.
[The decision is yours. Itâs up to you to decide whether your sworn brother knew everything or he didnât know anything or if he had extenuating circumstances. It is up to you to judge and decide.]
The Warriorâs face didnât match the power he possessed.
[However, whichever you choose, keep this in mind.]
There wasnât any pretense to be found anywhere in the Warriorâs foolishly innocent eyes that were expressing concern for him.
[When the battle is over, that is the moment you should be most careful.]
âHyung-nim! Wake up! Focus!â
In an instant, the Warrior pushed him away and swung his Holy Sword. Hundreds of tentacles that had been rushing at Seon-Hyeok melted away with that single stroke.
Considering how in the past, the Warrior had once struggled against the Demon King, this was a remarkable growth.
It was only natural that the Warriorâs power wasnât the same as before since there was no better hunting ground than here for the Holy Sword that fed on darkness and demonic energy and its master.
[I will tell you one more thing. In this world, there canât be anything that feeds on demonic energy and Chaos.]
But now, Marekâs voice, that he thought had been completely cut off, was telling him that even that wasnât true.
[If it seemed like that, it must have been because while the Holy Sword was fulfilling its purpose as a seal, it would connect with the increasingly stabilizing Lord of Divinity, who is outside the boundary. Originally, Divinity and its followers shouldnât exist in this world but the only reason they were able to perform miracles was because of the power granted to only Divinity, the master of the seal.]
Kim Seon-Hyeok couldnât refute Marekâs words.
Perhaps even he himself knew it. If it was really possible to get rid of the demonic energy by eating it, there was no need to leave room for strife under the guise of sealing. All this confusion wouldnât have occurred if he had eaten it in the first place.
From start to finish, everything was a lie.
Nevertheless, Kim Seon-Hyeok couldnât completely abandon his trust in the Warrior. At least, not until he saw the Warrior devour the Fragment of Chaos Edda had extracted at the end of a fierce battle.
Edda tore off a piece of Chaos from within the huge body of Chaos and threw that small Fragment into the air.
Although his brain was clouded with all sorts of other thoughts, at the very least, Kim Seon-Hyeok focused on the battle. He instinctively recognized that right now, they were at an important crossroads that would determine the outcome of the battle.
A dazzling light gathered at the tip of Eddaâs snout and flames flowed between the War Dragonâs teeth. But before Edda and he could release the breath they had gathered, the Warrior moved first.
A movement unlike anything he had seen before; by the time Kim Seon-Hyeok noticed the Warriorâs sudden action, the Holy Sword had already pierced through the Fragment of Chaos.
Beating like a heart, the unsightly lump let out a wail.
The Fragment of Chaos began to abruptly shrink as black energy flowed in streams from the area pierced by the Holy Sword.
Just when that huge mass became smaller than a young childâs fist after shrinking for a long time, a powerful white light erupted from the Warrior.
The Warriorâs face was shockingly unfamiliar as it turned slack and dazed as if drunk in ecstasy.
The whites of his eyes were oddly shiny and there was nothing but incomprehensible longing in his eyes. The corners of his lips curled up; they looked crooked as if sneering at something.
But that small twist of his lips were soon covered by the divine light and couldnât be seen any longer. The pure white light surrounding the Warrior only grew stronger.
And when the light finally disappeared, the Warrior had a completely different appearance from before.
The pure white wings sprouting from his back were like those of an angel, and the Holy light surrounding his entire body was the epitome of celestialness itself.
âHyung-nim, if you and the Dragon will tear apart the Fragments of Chaos, Iâll deal with them!â
After slowly noticing the changes to his body, the Warrior grinned, and then returned back to his usual self and shouting flippantly.
âQuickly! If we donât hurry, itâll disperse and escape!â
The Warrior didnât look any different from usual as he showed an anxious appearance like an impatient child.
âThereâs only four left now!â
The Warrior was constantly whining; at that moment, a telegram he had seen just before he left the Imperial Capital suddenly flashed through Kim Seon-Hyeokâs mind.
âAt first, I thought the Warrior couldnât overcome the expectations of the soldiers and had gone mad. But that wasnât it, sir. The Warrior was so calm and it seemed as though he had overcome his mental crisis through the prophecy.â
It was a message sent by the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Expeditionary Force that had gone to the Holy Kingdom.
âHowever, the change was so dramatic that in my eyes, it was as if the Warrior had become a different person.â
It was only then that Kim Seon-Hyeok realized the identity of the sense of incongruity.
It was a voice so low that no one would have heard it if they didnât pay attention to it. But, it was enough to reach his Companion that shared his soul.
âListen to me very carefully.â
He quickly explained what he had heard from Marek.
[Perhaps, even the repeated deaths and resurrections were all a plan to kill the Warriorâs soul without him realizing it.]
Edda said that the Warrior whose soul had been damaged by repeated death and resurrection was the most suitable person to be incarnated.
Kim Seon-Hyeok wasnât foolish, nor was he soft enough to turn a blind eye until the end when everything pointed to one truth.
[Seems like he has finally gotten rid of the delusion in his heart.]
âIf he forcibly took Joon-Minâs bodyâŚâ
Even if his insides were rotting and bruised, Kim Seon-Hyeok never forgot what he had to do.
âI will do everything I can to prevent him from returning to this world.â
Now was the time to break down everything that stood in his way.
Marek spoke as he watched the battle from afar.
Shortly after Chaos lost one of the five Fragments that made up its body, the entire world tilted perfectly. Chaos could no longer respond properly to its enemies, and as it was torn apart, it lost the Fragments that were no different than its heart, piece by piece.
Finally, the Darkness that had swallowed the Holy Kingdom and threatened the continent completely disappeared.
âAmbiguous. Itâs ambiguous.â
The Central Adjuster clicked his tongue as he saw the last bit of Darkness dissipate.
The Warrior had tried his hardest to take the Fragments of Chaos for himself, but the Dragon and her Companion didnât allow that to happen. As a result, the Warrior had only succeeded in taking one other piece, excluding the first he had taken.
âOf the five pieces, only two were taken by the Lord of Divinity. Itâs not enough to say that heâs achieved his original purpose, but itâs ambiguous to say that he hadnât achieved it,since he took more than the one piece he originally had.â
The Central Adjuster looked at the Transcendentals standing on the battlefield with unfathomable eyes.
âNow, what are you going to do, Lord of Divinity.â
Marek interrupted the Adjuster.
The Adjuster cocked his head at Marekâs abrupt words.
âItâs not the Warrior or the Lord of Divinity who will decide what happens next.â
Marek bared his teeth as he sneered at the Adjuster.
âThe Dragon and her Companion will be the ones deciding everything in the future.â
Just as he said, the Warrior spread out his two pairs of wings, but unlike his splendid appearance, he was hesitant and unable to take any action first.
âThat man is very unlucky. Itâs a pity that itâs this generationâs Dragon and her Companion who stands in front of him.â
Marek clicked his tongue as he spoke. Then, he turned around.
âYou wonât stay and watch till the end?â
When Marek seemed like he would be leaving immediately, the Adjuster stopped him.
âYou really are stupid. You still donât get it?â
Despite the blatant ridicule, the Adjusterâs expression didnât change in the slightest.
âI really donât understand what youâre trying to say.â
Marek clicked his tongue.
âWhether the Lord of Divinity returns to this world or the other Transcendentals remain in this world is no longer under their control.â
The Adjusterâs eyes widened bit by bit until in the end, they were wide open.
âIâm saying that if the Transcendentals who had been pushed out of the borders of this world want to live here again, then they need permission from the Dragon and her Companion.â
âAnd from what Iâm seeing, even if itâs different for the others, the Lord of Divinity will not be able to return to this land.â
As soon as he finished, a pure white light rose from the battlefield where the Darkness had disappeared. However, the white light that was soaring into the sky was overwhelmed by a dazzling streak and disappeared.
From within, a scream of pain erupted.
The appearance of the Warrior still seemed holy and innocent as he flapped his wings, trying to soar into the sky, while slumped on the ground.
âDidnât I tell you that I could handle the Fragments of Chaos? Is it that you canât trust me?!â
The Warrior trembled as if he had been betrayed, but there wasnât any compassion, let alone even the slightest respect in Kim Seon-Hyeokâs eyes as he looked at the absolutely perfect divinity.
âHyung-nim! Why are you doing this to me? Iâm Park Joon-Min! Your younger brother, Park Joon-Min!â
The Warrior desperately tried to get up as he resisted the golden streak holding him down, but in front of the mighty Dragonâs strength, the white light surrounding the Warrior was powerless.
Kim Seon-Hyeok asked coldly as he watched the Warrior shouting furiously.
âWhen did you replace Joon-Min?â
âWhat do you meanâŚâ
The Warrior had a really sad expression on his face as if he was victimized.
âAre you a being from beyond the border? Or are you Balmung?â
âHyung-nim. I think thereâs some kind of misunderstanding. Why donât you listen to meâŚâ
Kim Seon-Hyeok had no intention of listening to the Warrior.
Edda, who had been waiting since the beginning, let out a powerful breath. It was the Dragonâs breath that had annihilated even the Fragments of Chaos.
There was no way a mere human could withstand such a powerful attack. The Warrior called up an armor and shield made of light, but it was all in vain as it melted in the face of the golden breath. In the end, even the Warrior melted.
However, the Warrior was quickly revived as if it had never happened with his power of resurrection.
The Dragonâs breath engulfed the Warriorâs body once again.
âPlease, listen toâŚâ
âJust what is the problemâŚâ
The Warrior came back to life again and again, and Edda killed the Warrior again and again.
âOnce you drop to level 1, whatever will come out, will come out.â