Episode 12: Final Episode / Chapter 197: Ripped Wings (3)

TL: emptycube / ED: Obelisk

Light-Maze collected Dark-Sound and his guards’ corpses.

The three besides Chu Youngjin, at a glance, looked like they had died instantly, and Chu Youngjin was the only one who looked wholly intact. His body was still releasing hot steam. This was evidence that his karma still maintained its characteristics unlike the karma of the other three, which had lost all its characteristics, but it was melting away at a noticeable rate. If they were to assess him based on the alliance’s judgment, he would be considered dead.

“Exalted Wing Dark-Sound… Exalted Wing Dark-Sound! Youngjin! Youngjin!!!!!”

Light-Maze had known Shiro for a long time, but this was his first time seeing her in such despair.

She couldn’t even control her karma at a basic level. Having lost control in the monsters’ universe, where gravity and space distorted at their whim, she couldn’t even move forward, flailing in place. She desperately stretched her hand out, but she couldn’t get their attention.

‘Well… Exalted Wing Dark-Sound is dead.’

Light-Maze thought that he could understand her feelings.

Hadn’t their long-time dream just disappeared like that? In an unexpected place, so fruitlessly.

On top of that, since Shiro was learning about the feelings of love for the first time, the hell she had fallen into was likely deeper and more painful than Light-Maze’s own.

Light-Maze felt the many speckled lights that made up his body lose their motivation and slump down. They didn’t want to do anything. They simply wanted to slump down and sleep. Maybe it would a dream when they woke up?

Light-Maze bit his lips.

‘Keep it together.’

As Dark-Sound and his guards had died, he was currently the highest commanding officer. If they simply drifted in the monsters’ universe, all that would remain for them was annihilation. As the commanding officer responsible for everyone’s lives, he had to make a decision.

He desperately tried to think of a plan with his uncooperating brain.

‘It’ll be difficult to return to our universe right away. We currently don’t have the strength to open up a gate large enough to transfer an army of this size because everyone’s exhausted. Also… We don’t know when the monsters will chase us down.’

In the end, they had rest and reorganize in the monsters’ universe before attempting to return. They needed support if they were to return safely. When he thought this far, there was only one answer.

Light-Maze forced himself to make a decision as he shouted,

“We’ll head to Exalted Wing Flame-Rain’s stronghold! We’ll rest there and then return!”

The subjugation force was made up of elites among elites.

While they suffered a great shock, they returning to formation when they heard an order.

Shiro, whose eyes were completely hollow, followed the order and slowly joined the ranks. It seemed that, while it was impossible for her to act on her emotions, it was possible for her to take familiar actions such as following orders.

Light-Maze knew what he had to do.

“We’ll implement a karma concealment cover. Follow my pattern.”

He analyzed the surrounding energy pattern and created and released a karma pattern similar to it. Soldiers who comprehended his pattern would copy it. Their karma patterns would change accordingly to their surroundings like a chameleon.

When Light-Maze emitted his karma, the soldiers would copy it. This continued like an endlessly repeating camp song.

While this was a technique normally used to camouflage themselves from enemies, it currently wasn’t used for that. They couldn’t hide the karmalings’ difference in nature in the monsters’ universe with a simple karma concealment cloak.

His tactic was to have them focus on something familiar and repetitive so that they could momentarily forget their despair and sorrow. Fortunately, this seemed to have an effect as their slow-moving advance picked up speed.

That was how the subjugation force walked their path of return while carrying the four corpses: by continuing this song of suppressed karma. They looked like a funeral procession rather than the figures of soldiers returning from the battlefield.

**

{…}

{…}

14 of the stone plates on the ‘Brain’ were lit up.

No, as one of them didn’t light up until the end, only 13 stone plates were lit up.

{…}

Though quite a bit of time had passed since the start of the meeting, no one talked. It was a rare situation considering how the Exalted Wings always quickly made decisions.

It was as shocking as Flame-Rain’s report, who had hastily called for this meeting.

{Exalted Wing Dark-Sound has died in battle. While the members of the subjugation force believe that the battle against the four monster brothers ended with both sides facing defeat, no one witnessed this first-hand. I am personally investigating the specifics using the results from their autopsies. However, as the majority of their karma is already absent… It’ll take likely some time to analyze the situation.}

A long silence hung in the air after her report.

Leviathan finally managed to speak. Flame-Hell, who had the duty to lead the meeting as the chairman, seemed to be shocked from losing his right-hand man, Dark-Sound, and was unable to speak a word.

{… Though we’re taken aback as Dark-Sound’s death was unprecedented… I think holding a funeral is right. I heard that you are investigating the situation… When will you be able to send his body?}

{… I already ordered the production of an identical copy. As we should be able to investigate through the copy, it should be possible to send the body once it’s complete.}

{…}

The copy would be identical in both matter and karma. Obviously, this was impossible to do with living warriors as the fate of their soul was engraved in the universe and the karma created from it would be impossible to copy.

That was why creating a complete copy meant that Dark-Sound had died, his soul and fate completely scattered and the karma left in his body having lost its characteristics.

He had degenerated into an inanimate object that could be copied.

The ‘Brain’ became silent at this realization.

The one who broke the silence this time was Flame-Hell, whose voice was unstable. He seemed to have opened his mouth to uphold his duty as the chairman.

{To show proper respect for him, I think it’s best if we all gather even momentarily and attend his funeral. As… the monsters’ spirits have been broken, I think it’ll be fine if we took the time to do this.}

While everyone was agreeing to his suggestion with their silence, Armor-Desert added a condition.

{However, we cannot predict the amount of strength the monsters have in reserve. Didn’t no one expect Exalted Wing Dark-Sound to fall in battle in this expedition?}

All the Exalted Wings knew about Dark-Sound’s powerful restraining skill. They had also believed that they completely understood the four monster brothers from past battles. This was why they had assumed an easy victory. Yet, the result was Dark-Sound’s death. There was a likely chance they had made an error in their understanding of the monsters’ strength.

Perhaps this was why Armor-Desert’s voice contained a hint of fear.

{Then… Let’s have Exalted Wing Flame-Rain remain in the monsters’ universe to keep an eye on the monsters’ movements. If we do that, then it wouldn’t be too much for the rest of us to gather for half an hour. Every Exalted Wing needs to make an appearance to comfort alliance members.}

Flame-Rain said in a firm tone though accommodating a part of Armor-Desert’s suggestion. Each Exalted Wing was a hero and leader representing the key species of the alliance. Having them gather and speak words of harmony and weathering this crisis could greatly soothe the alliance’s agitation.

{…}

This time, all the Exalted Wings expressed their agreement. Though this was the same agreement of silence as before, it felt heavier considering the situation.

Flame-Hell sighed as he said,

{Haaa… The monsters may be much stronger than we thought. I will annul the future subjugation plans, including my own, for now.}

The Exalted Wings who had prepared for the grand scheme alongside Dark-Sound felt a sense of futility at Flame-Hell’s declaration. How hard had Dark-Sound worked for this expedition, for Flame-Hell’s assassination? Yet, everything had instantly gone up in smoke. Nonetheless, they soon shook their heads to erase this sensation. They currently couldn’t imagine the monsters’ strength. Now wasn’t the time to confront Flame-Hell.

{We’ll assign Choi Hyuk, who is first in the warrior rankings, to be in charge of Alliance City’s security until the funeral.}

It was only obvious that Choi Hyuk, who held the highest position besides the Exalted Wings and was considered possibly stronger than the Exalted Wings after killing a demise-ranked monster, would be in charge of the security for such an important event.

No one opposed this.

This was the moment Choi Hyuk took command over Alliance City.

**

“Haack… Haaaa…”

Sweat dripped from Choi Hyuk’s jaw.

His hair kept shaking due to his trembling legs, and whenever they did, beads of sweat scattered in the air.

‘How many are left…?’

He couldn’t tell. He couldn’t even remember how many he had taken down. His karma had turned stiff, and thanks to this, his head felt heavy.

‘One more.’

He avoided a wooden spear as he stabbed with his wooden sword.

“Keahak!”

A Berserker team leader, who was struck in the neck, let out a frustrated groan as he collapsed.

“Haa… Haaa…”

His palms ached. His wooden sword almost slipped from his hand due to the lack of power in his grip.

‘One more.’

He had long since passed his limits. It would be nice if the only thought that filled his mind was taking down one more person, but a distracting thought couldn’t be erased from his mind.

Choi Hyuk had decided on special training when he discovered this thought.

Even though he was past the point of return as Chu Youngjin had died together with Dark-Sound, a hesitation still hid somewhere in his heart. Though it was very faint, it wouldn’t disappear, a whisper tugging on his mind. A lingering thought that hid itself when he cornered it but would stick its head out the moment he became soft-hearted.

‘Do I really have to end everything and does it all have to end?’

‘What about Flame-Rain?’

A wooden sword stabbed at him.

“Hup!”

Choi Hyuk avoided the stab aimed at his chest by twisting his body. His actions were needlessly big due to his bottomed-out stamina and wavering focus. Still, he succeeded in countering by slashing his sword as he turned around.

Pak!

Violently hit on his forehead, Baek Seoin tumbled on the ground.

Yet, that wasn’t the end of the attack. As if he had been waiting for this, Alexei, Lee Jinhee’s right-hand man, charged at him with three other team leaders. The team leader charging from behind aimed for his right ankle, the one on the left aimed for his knee, and the one of the right targeted his elbow. Alexei raised his sword and swung down vertically.

There was no way to dodge.

This was checkmate as his karma had been exhausted long ago.

Choi Hyuk still didn’t give up.

“Kuah!”

Baang!

Choi Hyuk stomped his left foot and leaped forward. He narrowly avoided the sword targeting his right ankle. He slammed his forehead against the bridge of Alexei’s nose and stabbed the team leader aiming for his elbow before he could by extending his right arm. However, he couldn’t avoid the sword targeting his left knee.

Crunch!

Choi Hyuk’s knee bent at a weird angle. While falling, Choi Hyuk twirled his body and slammed his sword into the culprit’s knee.

Crunch!

“Kuak!”

But anymore was impossible.

“It’s 10 victories out of 10 matches, huh? Though it hurts my pride a little that it’s one against so many… A win’s a win, right?”

Lee Jinhee chuckled as she made an appearance.

Choi Hyuk menacingly swung his wooden sword even though his leg was broken, but he couldn’t hit Lee Jinhee, who moved like the wind, with that. Lee Jinhee avoided his attack as though she was dancing before coming close and pushing him onto the floor.

Thud!

He felt dizzy. The ground felt like it was rolling. Writhing on the floor, Choi Hyuk said,

“Your actions… felt like they held a grudge?”

“Of course they do. Do you know how many times I was beaten up by you…? Also, you’re a bastard who won’t even listen to a word I say.”

Lee Jinhee grabbed him by his collar and pulled him up. Choi Hyuk’s neck was pulled up.

Lee Jinhee seemed to be angrier than usual for some reason.

“So… You damn leader. If you’re not going to listen to a word I say… At least do it properly. If you’re going to die, kill them all before you do. Don’t die so clumsily like you are now!”

Crack!

Lee Jinhee’s wooden sword shattered and penetrated Choi Hyuk’s chest. Even though they were all suppressed at the no-star level, she displayed an amazing burst of strength to stab into his chest.

“Ah…”

It was so painful. Because it was so unexpectedly painful, Choi Hyuk fainted while thinking he might actually die. A face appeared in his mind when he thought that he might die.

…….

…

.

“Are you awake, leader?”

Baek Seoin woke him up.

‘…’

He felt like he had had a dream, but it evaporated as soon as he opened his eyes. For some reason, tears were dried up near his eyes.

Choi Hyuk raised his body. His wounds were already healed, and his sealed karma had returned. He felt calm. His resolve was pure without a single speck of doubt.

“Wouldn’t it be fine if the goal of your training wasn’t victory? Since the difference in level disappears once karma freezes… It’s impossible for you to take down 200 of the top elites, including the executives, in that state. Though… It’s great training for us.”

Choi Hyuk shook his head.

“I already told you that we can’t rashly assume the Exalted Wings’ strength. Even if we seal their karma, they are still Exalted Wings.”

“While that’s true… I’m only saying this in hopes that you won’t be so disappointed if you fail. One’s spirit is important in a fight, but I’m worried our leader’s spirit might be broken before the fight even begins.”

While he said this jokingly, Choi Hyuk felt a hint of sincere worry in those words. He smiled bitterly.

“Baek hyung.”

“Yes.”

“Flame-Rain. She’s the only variable. She can’t be allowed to attend the funeral under any circumstances.”

Baek Seoin’s eyes widened at the sudden change in topic, but he quickly replied in a serious manner,

“Understood. I’ll set up additional measures.”

“Okay.”

Choi Hyuk brushed away his lingering thoughts with this.

‘It’s fine with this.’

It was now completely settled. No one could stop him. If Flame-Rain tried to stop him, he would kill her too.

He felt the thought that stubbornly lingered in his mind be plucked out. He understood that he had changed.

Whatever the result, he would soon die. In return, he would be able to kill everyone.

He stood up and said,

“Then let’s begin the 11th mock battle.”