Episode 12: Final Episode / Chapter 198: That Day (1)

TL: emptycube / ED: Obelisk

“Will it be possible? I think they’ve already changed their minds…”

“It’s possible. I know because I have come in contact with their hearts under the pretext of giving them buffs. Even if they left, they are Berserkers.”

“But… Haa. If you think so, we’ll do it. I believe in you.”

Baek Seoin eventually gave in while scratching his head.

“Don’t worry. They also unconsciously know that this fight will come. Also, they know that they can’t avoid it.”

**

“Living here? You won’t believe me if I described it to you and it won’t be enough just looking at it. You need to experience it to know. It’s so great it’ll shock you!”

Handke seemed many times brighter than when he was a Berserker.

“Ah, have a glass of whiskey.”

Ting!

He opened a whiskey bottle filled with golden liquid and tossed it into the air. Glass plates appeared in the air to catch and serve the whiskey bottles. Not a single drop of alcohol was spilled.

Various alcohols from Earth were already lined up in the air and on the table.

Bae Jinman and Zero raised their glasses in a slightly flustered manner. The whiskey bottle tipped on its own, giving off a pungent scent, and poured well-aged liquor into their glasses.

“Try it. You’ll probably be surprised.”

Handke raised his glass boastfully. Leah smiled subtly beside him.

Although only two years had passed since he had left the Berserkers, even at a glance, they could tell that he had adjusted well to his new life in the monsters’ universe.

Gulp.

When they took a sip, fiery liquid spread throughout their bodies. Their bodies heated up as if they had drunk hot water, and their taut karma relaxed.

“Good, isn’t it? Haaa… There’s no need for drugs like Water Fog now. Apparently, karma engineering has advanced, making it possible to easily suppress or scatter one’s karma. They can also heat your body while making you lose control over your karma. This is the result of that.”

Handke recklessly emptied his glass and exhaled, releasing a fragrant, cool alcoholic scent. With his mind becoming fuzzy, he chuckled happily.

“This is a precious liquor to me. Have you heard of it, Fate’s Salute?! I only brought it out because you are my welcomed guests.”

Handke was magnanimous and childish like an upstart from the countryside who had gotten rich in the city. Looking at him, Bae Jinman sipped his glass.

It was definitely good.

Better than any alcohol he had tasted on Earth.

It also made him slightly tipsy.

“Suppressing karma, you say…?”

Handke quickly continued when he heard Bae Jinman mumble.

“That’s right. Apparently, it was jointly developed by the Armored Soul Tribe and the dragon race. Oh, right, the glass crabs played a part as well? Ahahaha. Well, there’s no way you’d know. Since I’m familiar with the Berserker lifestyle, I know you don’t have time to learn about stuff like this.”

He wasn’t ridiculing him with ill intentions. He simply felt sad that his close friend was still suffering. Unable to directly tell him to take up this lifestyle, he had to go about it in a roundabout way.

Handke was the only Berserker executive who was of similar age to Bae Jinman. His only close friend. Bae Jinman could keep a cool smile on his face only because he knew his friend’s intentions.

However, he looked at Zero sitting awkwardly beside him and chuckled like a villain because he found the situation funny. It seemed even Zero, who was always incredibly formal, also found this funny as he grinned.

Know about karma suppression?

Did he just ask this to Berserkers?

“Of course, we know about karma suppression.”

“You do?”

“Of course, we know it very well.”

“… Damn it, then that’s probably a combat skill.”

Handke turned his head away like he had lost his appetite for the alcohol. Baek Jinman chuckled once more.

“But… This place is the monsters’ universe. Isn’t it the very border of the front lines? I’m surprised that the mood is more casual than I expected.”

Zero stopped grinning and directed his cold gaze towards the alcohol and food lined up in front of him.

Leah replied,

“It’s the princess’s policy. In some ways, it’s nothing new. During the recruit training or when we visited the supply stores while we were low-ranked warriors, it was dreary and warlike wherever we went… But, how was Dark City or Alliance City?”

“… Free and abundant.”

Leah shrugged.

“That’s it. Karma is born from the feelings and will emitted by souls. While you might get stronger quickly if you’re pushed to the extreme… There’s a limit. Souls get exhausted too. That’s why it’s more effective to live casually, experiencing various feelings and experiences that let your soul rest during times of no combat. The princess simply opened this right only granted to the top species to more people. Of course, results are most important on the battlefield, and our results are one of the best in the stronghold.”

“You look happy.”

“Overseer Richard and I solely dreamt of the survival and prosperity of humanity. Here, humanity is polishing their foundations for survival every day and is prospering… Of course, I’m happy.”

“I don’t know about that. Overseer Richard’s will that I remember told us to follow Leader Choi Hyuk.”

The good mood shattered as Zero looked directly at Leah, who had raised her head slightly.

A chilling breeze suddenly flowed between them.

“Hey, you’re ruining the mood. Whatever Overseer Richard’s will was, I’m sure it wasn’t for the two of you to be growling at each other.”

Handke scolded them as he refilled their glasses. Leah and Zero awkwardly looked away.

“Yeah, so what brings you here? There’s no way the leader gave you a break. Isn’t he incredibly busy as the person in charge of Alliance City’s security? Because of Youngjin’s funeral? Well… Even though we aren’t Berserkers anymore, we still ought to do what we should. I have… been thinking about this a great deal.”

As if his vigor and happiness were lies, Handke and even Leah became immersed in a depressing mood. This was unusual in Bae Jinman’s perspective. The executives who stayed beside Choi Hyuk didn’t show such a serious reaction to Chu Youngjin’s death. Even Lee Jinhee, though she was gloomy, didn’t look like she was openly cherishing Chu Youngjin’s memory. This was because a battle like that was awaiting them as well. Chu Youngjin had simply gone slightly ahead of them.

In the end, sorrow and depression were for those who remained.

‘Does that mean such emotions aren’t for those who would accompany him in death?’

Bae Jinman found this clear difference in emotions interesting. Those who were determined to die might actually be more relieved as though they were being released from their prolonged suffering.

‘But… Why am I here? Though it is a dangerous mission…’

Bae Jinman shook his head at his heart, which was becoming more complicated, as he downed a glass of whiskey.

Swoosh.

As he became drunk, he spoke what was on his mind.

“Keeu… You’re right. This isn’t a break. I came because I have work. To be honest, I came for the final battle.”

“Final… Battle?”

Seemingly aware of the unease behind those words, Handke and Leah became rigid.

“You know, right? What the final battle is for our leader.”

There was a moment of silence. Realizing something, Leah shouted,

“Do-do-don’t tell me, Youngjin-!”

Both Dark-Sound and the four monster brothers suffering a defeat was currently the biggest mystery in the alliance. However, this would be possible if Chu Youngjin swung his sword in the other direction!

Handke seemed to sober up instantly.

“What… What the hell? Then don’t tell me Dark-Sound’s funeral is… No, but, is it okay to say something like that to us? What are you going to do if we spill the beans?”

Taken aback, Handke lowered his voice. Bae Jinman shrugged.

“What can we do? We came to ask for your help.”

Handke’s eyes widened.

“This is treason! It’s risking our species’ safety!”

Bae Jinman stood up and moved his face close to Handke’s. Then, as if growling, he said,

“Do you think Choi Hyuk will care about something like that?”

“But… But…!”

Even when Leah hesitated, Bae Jinman coldly cut them off.

“If you don’t want to, don’t. Why don’t you just go tell Exalted Wing Flame-Rain?”

“There’s no way we would!”

Handke shouted in anger.

Bae Jinman smiled.

“You and Ms. Leah. Think about it carefully. What this truly means for humanity? If you slip up, do you think Choi Hyuk will just end things at that? Won’t the alliance encounter a terrorist so outrageous they’d think that the mutts of the universe^{1} were tame in comparison? Also, when that happens, the alliance won’t be able to trust humans again.”

“What the hell…! Also, if the Exalted Wings are gone, what about the war against the monsters…!”

Leah said in a suppressed voice. Bae Jinman shook his head.

“No, once the purge is complete, our leader will head to the monsters’ universe. He will kill the monster queen.”

He said with certainty.

“This war will end a few days from now.”

Handke asked with a confused look,

“Even if it’s our leader… Is that even possible?”

Bae Jinman smiled kindly.

“You know our leader. You won’t believe what you hear, and it’s not enough to look. He’s someone you must personally encounter to know.”

Thump.

“Ha… Haha.”

Handke laughed because he found it funny how he was persuaded by those words. He felt his heart was childish for racing right away.

Flutter.

Zero threw a letter at a dazed Leah.

“This is…?”

Leah knew what it was just by looking at the paper. Her eyes wavered.

“It’s Overseer Richard’s will he left for our leader.”

At his nonchalant words, Leah bemoaned as she buried the letter in her chest.

“… Unfair.”

She mumbled quietly.

Berserkers.

They had no questions for fighting.

They had experienced constant victories by following behind Leader Choi Hyuk.

They were well aware that, even if they quit the Berserkers, they would have to fight at least once as Berserkers again.

Perhaps they had accepted this final battle with no regards for the alliance or humanity the moment they joined the Berserkers.

“Damn it… Bring out the other alcohol. I needlessly gave these damn bastards my good liquor.”

Ignoring the venting Handke, Bae Jinman shamelessly poured himself another glass.

“What’s wrong with that? It’s liquor you might not be able to drink again if we mess up.”

“You old geezer!! Only learning bad stuff from the Berserkers!!”

“Puahaha!”

Bae Jinman burst out laughing. He couldn’t even remember the last time he laughed so hard.

**

The preparations were proceeding smoothly.

The funeral would be held on the first floor of the Tower of Warriors. They secretly hid and installed devices under the pretext that they were setting up the defensive line used during Dragonic’s defense battle around the location the Exalted Wings would gather at.

They also dispatched plenty Berserkers and Kundle Tribe members at the ‘Light of Eternity’, which was the gate leading to the Flame Wing Tribe’s homeland and the main power source sustaining Alliance City, under the guise they were preparing for all circumstances.

“It almost makes me wonder if it’s okay to do this.”

Baek Seoin smacked his lips at their blatant preparations.

However, he also knew that no one would think something would happen in Alliance City where 12 Exalted Wings were gathered. Maybe if the monsters charged in at full force? A conspiracy? They didn’t even consider something so reckless. It was something only a crazy person would attempt.

While the most important element in their plan was the fight that would break out on the first floor of the Tower of Warriors, there were other variables outside of that. First was the ‘Light of Eternity’ from which they would draw the power necessary to power the karma freezing devices. Rather than being part of Alliance City, this place was more like a district directly under the Flame Wing Tribe’s authority. Even if Choi Hyuk, who was in charge of the security, tried, he wouldn’t be able to drive away the prideful Flame Wing Tribe warriors protecting this area. Rather, they ridiculed him by saying, “Why did he dispatch such useless people here? Isn’t Leader Choi Hyuk underestimating us too much?”

Likewise, the security on the first floor of the Tower of Warriors would be filled with the Exalted Wing’s direct guards. Though they might be allowed to escort them on their way to the Tower of Warriors, the Berserkers were not allowed inside.

“So it’s my turn now.”

Lee Jinhee stretched her body.

Her mission was as important, no, in some ways more important than Choi Hyuk’s. This plan wouldn’t work without her.

Another short sword besides ‘Lee Jinhee’s Vow’ also hung from her waist. It was a beautiful short sword with a geometric pattern on it.

“Occupy the Light of Eternity, extract its power source… Pierce through the security at the Tower of Warriors and install this repeater…”

She mumbled while tilting her head to the left and right.

“Saying it’s easy. But it’ll be bustling with transcendent warriors.”

However, her expression was filled with confidence contrary to her words.

As they needed an immense amount of power to silence all the Exalted Wings, they needed to directly install a specially-made repeater in the gathering area of the Exalted Wings.

It was a difficult run where she would have to open and shove her head inside the maw of a tiger.

“Lee Jinhee with 13 years of parkour experience. Beginning the most extreme run of her life!”

Raising her hand up high, Lee Jinhee whistled as her eyes turned serious.

She got in position like an athlete and glared at the Light of Eternity, which rose up like a pillar.

Before they knew it, it was the day of Dark-Sound’s funeral.

^{1} Blue Manes from before