The Truth (1)

He couldn't understand why Light would join the people who loathe him and ordered him to be killed when he was a baby. 

Perhaps he was brainwashed?

He had no idea. 

On that day, Aka lost the only thing holding his heart back. 

For over 5 years, Aka roamed all corners of the world trying to find hidden treasures or relics that could make him stronger.

It wasn't until the 6th year that he found the ruins of an ancient civilization. There, he found many truths that, if shown to everyone, would cause global chaos.

In the end, he kept it in his mind and brought the only valuable thing with him. 

[Incomplete Chimera Production Blueprint]

It was a guide on how to create artificial monsters through the use of human bodies. Aka dedicated all of his life to learning. 

He abandoned his friends, his wife, and his 2 year old daughter and followed the path of revenge.

He left them all of his techniques and spells without hesitation. As he learned more and more about experimenting, his strength gradually declined. 

Even then, Aka did not neglect his experiments. He tried it on animals until he was forced to use a genuine human instead. 

From one, two, three… the count increased as his mind plunged into madness until it caused ripples around the world. 

It was said that over 20,000 people have gone missing for over a year and authorities, more specifically, the Temple was alarmed. 

The pope ordered an investigation until they found his laboratory in the mountain of Krat. Aka's hideout was surrounded by the Temple's Knight and Mages. 

With no choice to escape, he was forced to meet them head on. The experimental humans became his source of confidence. 

However, on that day, as if fate was toying with him, Aka met the man he loathed the most. 

Light appeared in front of him and killed all of his lab rats. His skills have definitely improved as he slashed the mountain in half in just one blow. The improvement was massive to the point where Aka felt the difference between Heaven and Earth. 

Aka's creations were destroyed instantly without having the ability to fight back. 

The moment he saw Light, the anger in his heart surged. Seeing the Temple's emblem once again, memories of the past haunted his head. 

Despite Aka's monster-like methods, Light showed no hatred towards him but instead, a hint of longing and pity. 

"Brother."

Light called out to him but he did not respond. For Aka, Light had become the Temple's puppet and not the younger brother he used to call. 

On that day, Aka was detained. He became a fugitive, then became the Temple's slave. Once in a while, he would see Light teaching children on the training grounds while he was being forced to work. 

Light taught them everything, even commoners around the world. 

Thus, the famous Weapon Art was created. 

Even as a prisoner, Aka also learned just by continuously watching them perform. Of course, without them knowing it. 

The anger and jealousy in his heart boiled even more. 

However, even when the whole world learned his techniques, none of them could ever hope to match Light's talent. 

That's how unfair his talent is.

As he learned Light's Weapon Art, Aka managed to escape the Temple's clutches and chose to hide under an undiscovered island. He built the laboratory from scratch and started experimenting once again. 

This time, he already had insights so the production was easier. He wanted to build a Chimera that even Light couldn't beat. 

Thus, he truly abandoned that minuscule humanity inside his heart and embraced evil and darkness. 

Just 10 years after that, Aka created an army that could trample the whole world. 

But it's not enough. 

As long as Light was there, these guys would just be like lamb to be slaughtered. He invested 10 more years in developing a sealing spell that could surely trap Light. 

The promised day came. 

The whole world was visited by clouds of flying beasts and ferocious monsters. 

It swept the world like a storm until the Temple and Kingdom it was protecting was left.

However, with an unwanted twist of fate, Aka's army was defeated. Even the strongest Chimera he had couldn't land a scratch on that bastard. The seal he made only weakened Light. 

Hence, forced into the corner, Aka activated a forbidden spell that sacrificed millions of people to further enhance the power of the seal. 

In the end, the path of destruction he wanted was achieved at the cost of everything. But for Aka, it's not over until Light is alive. 

He didn't know how it happened, but every now and then, people from unknown worlds began appearing one at a time. However, few of them only succeeded in unsealing that bastard. 

Unfortunately, how wrong he was. After a miscalculation, Light appeared in his sight once again. Not only did his strength remain, but it had also even gotten stronger. 

The Chimera he made with the former Pope as a catalyst still couldn't beat him. Nobody, not even his transformation could lay a scratch on that blessed bastard!

He could easily dodge his attacks like nothing. Aka knew that Light only lost his arm not because he's strong but rather, Light has been holding back the entire time. 

What forbidden art shit? That's complete bullshit. 

Light's a man capable of destroying the world. Although it's faint, he could tell that Light has been holding back so much power. 

He hated it. 

He hated that even with all of his painstaking efforts, he still couldn't catch up to Light's shadows. 

There's a saying, 'All those who persevere would be rewarded without a doubt'. 

…but no matter how much work he put into it, it's nothing in front of him. 

Why…? 

Why are all the goods in the world presented to those with talents?

Just die, Light! Just die!!! 

Just seeing his face makes him filled with regret. Hearing his voice makes him want to be deaf. 

Despite living for centuries, Light's face is still vividly imprinted to his memories. He could not even remember the face of his parents, his wife, and his child but Light's was clear as his name. 

He was like the moon in the cold and dark night and the sun in the warm and bright day. 

He's the hope and the justice like the light itself. 

'And as for me…' 

"Mother, why is my name Aka?" 

"Hmm? Hmm… in the ancient language, it means light." 

"Why is my name like that?" 

"Sigh—, so you could be the light who'll save everyone from the darkness. That's your duty so always protect the people and your brother, okay?" 

That's right, he was a light too. 

However, it was weak, not like Light who's overflowing with endless brightness all people yearned for. 

At the end of the day, he's just another victim of fate; the villain for the hero. 

Yes, a villain for the hero. 

He abandoned his home, his friends, his family and then turned into something that very much loathed. 

He swung his arms towards the people he swore to protect. Yet even though he went this far, his goals remained unfulfilled. 

Did all his work become nothing? 

Yes, it's all nothing. 

He didn't achieve anything. 

His light is too strong for such darkness, like him, to exist. 

But… 

It wasn't bad. At the least, he'll be released from all of his obligations. 

........ 

Swooosh—

Stab—

A silent shockwave resounded around the world. The light covering the two gradually vanished, replaced by a view that was clear as the sky. 

"Kuaaah—" 

Drip—, drip—

Aka's previous monster's flesh had been wiped out and his human body was left. However, Light already pierced his heart. 

With the sudden loss of strength, Aka fell onto his knees. The blood on his chest continued to gush out. 

"Cough—"

Light stared at his dying brother and closed his eyes. Although he was injured, he couldn't feel a single spec of pain at all. However, Light grabbed his chest. His heart felt like it was being squeezed. 

For the first time in his life, he felt pain. He raised his head and looked at the damage done by his last attack. 

Not only the mountains and land were flattened, but they also created a crevasse stretching from a seemingly infinite length. 

"You're pitiful, brother."

"Hehe, I don't need your mercy. Kill me now."

Light didn't respond but instead conjured a sword from the air and lifted it above Aka's neck. 

"You killed billions of people, brother. Although it pains me to do this, I must punish evil."

"Tch, did you become a hypocrite too?" 

"The Temple isn't good, I know it. However, I only serve the Heaven King, not the pope."

At that moment, Aka's eyes widened. 

"D-did you become an Envoy!?" 

Light shook his head and replied, "No. He said I'm not suitable."

"Ha, haha, hahahaha!!! So even with your godly talents, he still didn't choose you huh?" Aka lowered his head completely, "What a shame." 

Light shed the moisture from his eyes and swung his blade down. 

Swish—

However, another blade slashed through Aka's neck. 

Slash—

Light raised his eyes towards Hans and narrowed his eyes in confusion. 

Did this guy doubt his ability to kill? 

Meanwhile, Hans breathed a sigh of relief after successfully killing Aka. Hans opened his interface as a system prompt echoed in his head. 

[You have killed the boss monster, 'Aka.'] 

[Do you wish to plunder the skill, 'Trickster (S)'?] 

[Yes / No] 

'An S-rank skill!!' 

Although it wasn't a combat ability, for him who wanted nothing more than a bunch of hiding skills, this is like a dream skill. However, before he could finish reading its description, Light pointed his blade towards his neck and asked. 

"Why did you kill him when I'm already going to?" 

Gulp—

Hans swallowed his saliva and answered. Despite the fear creeping to his skin, Hans maintained a calm demeanor. He's already constructed his perfect alibi after all. 

"Uhm, my quest requires me to kill him. I saw that you're gonna swing your blade so I rushed and cut him before you did." 

Of course, that's a lie. It's all for the skills. 

"Is that so?... I see." After a brief pause, Light crouched towards Aka's body and then looked at Hans. 

"You should be leaving now, right?" 

"Uh, uh, you could say that." Hans scratched his head in embarrassment. 

He couldn't just say, 'I need to kill you first so I can leave', right? 

He might be blasted away even before he could attack. Well, technically, he could leave now but the extra rewards for the extra quests would be wasted. 

At that moment, as Light's words came out, Hans immediately grasped his sword in surprise. 

"There should be a task to kill the 'Light of Justice', right?" 

'H-how did he know?' 

Hans observed Light's movements and didn't seem threatened by such a quest. 

"To be honest, I'm surprised when I found out too but I slowly got used to it."

"H-how did you know?" 

Light raised his head towards the sky and smiled, "You're not the first one to be here Hans. There are already millions of different creatures with the same quests who came before you."

"M-millions?" 

So many? He said creatures so that means there's not only humans. 

'Come to think of it…' 

If this has happened many times already… 

"Does that mean?" 

As the dark clouds parted under the night, Light's soothing voice spoke, "Yes… this is a loop."