894

 [Chapter 222]

[A Handful of Light (4)]

Many people died.

And even more people fell into despair.

Because everything in this country was denied by Baek Seo-jin.

"It was wrong from the start. We only thought about rebuilding the country from destruction, and didn't think things would flow this way."

"""""...."""

Down below.

Players and Slayers are fighting, deciding the fate of the nation.

Im Ga-eul muttered in a bitter tone while looking out the window.

"So we need to correct what's wrong. This fight is for that, and that will be my last duty."

Im Ga-eul spoke as if declaring.

She turned her head to Im Baek-yeon, who was looking down beside her.

"After that, you have to do it." "Me?" "Only you can be the symbol to announce that a country built on the right foundation is truly starting anew. It's impossible for me."

Im Ga-eul gave a bitter smile.

In a few years, even Im Ga-eul's face could no longer hide the passage of time.

<White Silver>'s gift doesn't maintain youth infinitely.

It just slows down aging compared to ordinary people.

Im Baek-yeon saw the fine wrinkles that appeared in her smile and felt the passage of time.

She sensed that the era when she would be inaugurated as the Fairy was approaching.

And now she decided not to reject that time.

She would accept the fate of becoming the Fairy.

It was something she had resolved to do at some point.

"Yes, I'll do it. I'll definitely finish what you couldn't do, Fairy."

Im Baek-yeon spoke in a confident tone.

Im Ga-eul thanked her.

Her gaze turned downward.

"Of course, before that... We need to stop their coup, but..."

"It's okay. Eun-ha oppa will somehow manage it."

Noh Eun-ha and Baek Seo-jin are fighting.

The advantage was with Noh Eun-ha.

Im Baek-yeon prayed for him in her heart.

She wished for Noh Eun-ha's victory.

Frustratingly, being only protected by him, that was all she could do.

It was then.

Myth Manifestation

Root of Darkness

Baek Seo-jin manifested his myth.

As darkness spread, it instantly took control of the area.

People watching from right above held their breath at that sight.

"This is..."

Noh Eun-ha's myth couldn't even be used and was swallowed by Baek Seo-jin's myth.

Impenetrable darkness covered the area around the Mana Management Organization's main entrance.

Both players and Slayers were swallowed by that darkness.

Im Ga-eul couldn't finish her words.

"Hmm... I'm not sure what exactly this situation is, but it's hard to accept it as a good situation."

At that moment, Song Yun-seo stood up from her seat.

She approached the window, making sounds with her heels.

"It doesn't seem like they're dead. Their stars are still shining." """"...."""

"But it's still a dangerous situation. The Pandora Clan Lord's starlight is losing its brightness. Hmm, is it an ability that sucks everything into darkness? Of course, the battle happening inside would be Baek Seo-jin's solo stage." "Then what should we do? Isn't there anything we can do?"

She muttered as if lost in thought.

Im Baek-yeon couldn't be as calm as Song Yun-seo.

She asked Song Yun-seo as if demanding.

Then Song Yun-seo smiled gently and looked at Im Baek-yeon.

"A way to help from outside... It's not that there isn't one. But are you okay with that? It might be dangerous."

"..."

Are you prepared to face death?

Song Yun-seo asked in a serious tone.

There was no need to hesitate.

Im Baek-yeon's answer was already decided.

"Yes. Even when oppa fought Armageddon, I could only watch and cheer. Rather than being helplessly like that, I want to be of help to oppa too."

She wants to be of help to Noh Eun-ha.

Whenever she saw Eun-ha returning injured, her heart would ache for no reason.

She felt powerless, and she really hated just being protected by Eun-ha.

It was the same now.

Isn't she being protected by him?

She didn't want to be like this.

Why should only I be protected?

This time, I want to help oppa too.

I don't care if it's dangerous.

It's not just Noh Eun-ha.

Everyone fighting down there was prepared for danger.

She had no desire to comfortably watch the battle from here alone.

She expressed her feelings.

To this, Song Yun-seo smiled brightly.

"That's the person I decided to serve. That expression suits you better than being intimidated. Well then, shall we jump into danger?"

Song Yun-seo clapped her hands.

She spoke to Hermit.

"Hermit." "Yes, Yun-seo unnie." "Take the young Fairy and jump down there right now."

""""...!!""""

Song Yun-seo giggled.

People were startled by that sound.

Even Im Baek-yeon didn't expect her to say such a thing.

Hermit also seemed not to have expected it, just blinking her eyes.

However, unlike their reactions, Song Yun-seo confidently declared.

"I may not know much about myths, but I know this one thing." """"...."""

"<White Silver> disperses anything made of mana. Now, Hermit! Hurry and jump! The two of you should be able to do it!"

Hermit hesitates.

Song Yun-seo urges.

In the end, Hermit embraced Im Baek-yeon with a face that said 'whatever'.

She ignored people's attempts to stop her and charged towards the window.

Crash!

The window breaks.

The bulletproof glass shatters and a falling sensation overwhelms them.

Reflexively, they close their eyes.

"Kyaaaah!!"

Im Baek-yeon held onto Hermit tightly and screamed.

Nevertheless, she tried to open her eyes.

Song Yun-seo's words were correct.

<White Silver> negates everything.

With my power...

Perhaps I can light a handful of light in that darkness.

She calmly focused her mind and manifested her internal mana.

Gift <White Silver>

The light of white silver illuminates the darkness.

☆

When he stepped into the mental world to absorb Belphegor's inner core.

The unconscious that looked just like Eun-ha gave him one piece of advice.

'The past exists not to regret, but to reflect so that such things don't happen again. Don't misunderstand.'

The unconscious's advice gave Eun-ha quite a deep shock.

Looking back, he had always viewed the past as an object of regret.

He blamed himself for his mistakes, regretted, and wished he could turn back time.

Perhaps that's why I fought in a state where I lost my reason, devoured by <Berserk >.

Because I only thought of the past as an object of regret instead of reflecting on it.

Now I think I can understand.

The effect of his gift varies greatly depending on where his consciousness is focused.

If focused on the future, <Heroic >.

If focused on the present, <Brave >.

If focused on the past, <Berserk >.

And will is added to that, allowing control of the gift.

In other words, will filled with regret and hatred makes one lose control of the gift.

That's probably why my consciousness was devoured by <Berserk > in my previous life.

Before regression, I was full of regret.

But that shouldn't have been the case.

Instead of being buried in regret, I should have used that regret as a foundation to seek a better life.

Eun-ha realized this only after regressing, and belatedly regretted.

And he could resolve to never live like that again.

He decides to live the present and future based on the past.

He reflects on the past.

Therefore─

─Gift <Berserk >

He could now be confident that he wouldn't be devoured by the gift.

That's why he activated <Berserk > for the first time since regressing.

All the senses in his body become heightened.

Sight, hearing, smell.

All senses become sensitive.

It's okay, I can control it.

His mind was clear.

He wasn't devoured by the gift.

Eun-ha confirmed this and focused his consciousness on his senses.

Rain Step

Baek Seo-jin's figure disappears.

Eun-ha didn't panic.

Hearing, the sound of stepping on the ground is heard.

Touch, the wind touches his skin.

Eun-ha immediately avoided the sword.

Sight, Baek Seo-jin's widening eyes enter his field of vision.

Eun-ha quickly moved his feet.

──!

The sound of metal.

Sword clashes with sword.

Eun-ha turned his body just like that.

Using one foot as an axis, he turned his body and swung the Dawn Sword.

Again, sword clashes with sword.

At that moment, <Berserk > learns.

Eun-ha's physical abilities increase dramatically, and it moves his body to prepare for Baek Seo-jin's next move.

Eun-ha didn't resist that sensation, but entrusted his body to it.

Whoosh

A trajectory passing right in front of his eyes.

He leaned his upper body back and swung down the Twilight Sword where the trajectory passed.

The flustered Baek Seo-jin blocks the attack with the sword in his other hand.

To this, Eun-ha responded with the Dawn Sword.

Moving his body as if drawing a circle on the ground, he responds to prevent Baek Seo-jin from moving widely.

Then he jumps up from the ground.

Thunder Axe Kick

It's not magic.

It's martial arts.

Blue lightning sparks.

Eun-ha's kick strikes Baek Seo-jin's abdomen.

As soon as he is pushed back─

─Liger Chain

Eun-ha caught Baek Seo-jin's arm with the iron chains floating around him.

Then he pulled the iron chains, forcibly closing the distance.

Liger Blaster

At that moment, Eun-ha transformed the iron chains and fired an electron cannon at him.

Magic that compresses mana and fires it with Kang's power.

Baek Seo-jin had no choice but to hurriedly take a defensive stance and block it head-on.

"Kuk...!!"

Baek Seo-jin groaned shortly.

He protected himself with a barrier.

Eun-ha didn't miss that moment.

Moon Dance

Eun-ha took one step.

First, he swings the Dawn Sword.

Then he turns his body and swings the Twilight Sword, making him take a defensive stance.

A combo continuing from there.

The trajectories drawn by the Dawn Sword and Twilight Sword drove him back.

"Kuhek...!!"

Eventually, the Twilight Sword's trajectory cut Baek Seo-jin's chest.

A diagonal wound from the shoulder.

The wound opened wide, dripping blood.

Not yet.

I can't be satisfied with this.

Faster, faster, faster.

Eun-ha gritted his teeth.

His physical abilities continue to rise.

This momentum can't be stopped.

Liger Chain

Eun-ha caught him as he tried to escape.

Baek Seo-jin tries to break the chains.

Eun-ha quickly pulled the iron chains.

The same method.

The moment Baek Seo-jin was pulled towards him, he fired hidden weapons concealed in his bosom.

Nevertheless, it didn't matter.

Gift <Berserk >

As long as it's not an attack on vital points, he won't die.

Eun-ha didn't close his eyes even while watching the incoming hidden weapons.

The gift was telling him.

It finds the most efficient path.

He shouldn't dodge.

──!!

The hidden weapons passed over his eyelids.

Eun-ha didn't close his eyes.

He could naturally do so if he could inflict a fatal wound on Baek Seo-jin at the cost of losing one eye.

I can't see in front.

His eye didn't seem to be injured.

But his eyelid was torn and blood flowed.

One side of his vision is stained with blood.

He can't focus.

Nevertheless, he didn't stop the movement of swinging the Twilight Sword.

All his senses were telling him.

Baek Seo-jin is right in front.

"It's futile...!!"

Baek Seo-jin spreads a barrier.

It was within the expected range.

<Berserk > was already sufficiently familiar with Baek Seo-jin.

So Eun-ha swung the Twilight Sword to strike down the barrier.

Twilight Sword

The Twilight Sword absorbs magic.

The barrier is broken.

Confusion appears on Baek Seo-jin's face.

Eun-ha smiled looking at him.

Why don't you take this too?

Eun-ha swung the Dawn Sword with all his might.

<Berserk > increases his strength.

Baek Seo-jin hurriedly raises his sword to block but is pushed back unable to withstand the force.

Dawn Sword

The sword advances and breaks.

Then the Dawn Sword's effect activates, and causality is readjusted.

All attacks Baek Seo-jin had made on Eun-ha with the broken sword are nullified.

As his wounds recover to some extent, strength enters his body.

"...!!"

Dismay.

Such an emotion seemed to spread on Baek Seo-jin's face.

But only for a moment─

──!!

The Dawn Sword that had broken his weapon fell diagonally just like that.

A pure white trajectory is made.

The moment the trajectory flashed, red blood spurted from his body.

☆

"Cough... What on earth happened? To suddenly become a different person. Just what is that movement?"

"Why should I tell you that?"

"Really... You have so many things hidden that even my darkness can't grasp."

Baek Seo-jin bled profusely.

Having retreated after receiving a fatal wound, he couldn't believe the attack he had just received.

That's how unexpected Eun-ha's tactics were, taking bone to gain flesh.

That's not all.

Baek Seo-jin hadn't predicted Eun-ha's state of getting stronger during the battle.

However─

"─Then how about this? Can you respond to this too?"

Baek Seo-jin didn't give up the fight.

He acknowledges Eun-ha is strong, but that's all.

As long as this myth exists, he prided himself that he would never be defeated.

Baek Seo-jin's existence becomes blurry.

He melts into the darkness.

To this, Eun-ha, left alone in the darkness, stopped moving on the spot.

In this darkness.

Can you find me?

Baek Seo-jin's sneer.

The surroundings become even darker than now.

Nothing can be seen.

True darkness.

It can't be illuminated by lightning.

Now Eun-ha can't even visually confirm his own body.

Rain Step

In that.

Baek Seo-jin aimed precisely at Eun-ha.

Eun-ha instinctively blocked the attack coming from behind.

Immediately he sprinted in the direction the attack came from.

He swings his sword in the air.

He didn't feel like he cut anything.

It's useless.

By the time you perceive me, I already exist elsewhere.

A voice is heard from somewhere.

But in the darkness where even an inch ahead can't be seen, it was nearly impossible to find the direction the sound came from.

It felt like even his senses were malfunctioning.

 Then there was only one way.

Eun-ha accepted the attack.

Thud!

"...!!"

Baek Seo-jin's knife stabbed his abdomen.

Eun-ha gritted his teeth in pain.

At the same time, he grabbed Baek Seo-jin's arm that had stabbed his stomach with iron chains.

Crazy bastard...

A sound heard right in front.

His figure couldn't be seen.

Nevertheless, Eun-ha trusted his senses and swung his two swords.

I am darkness itself now.

To think you could cut darkness...

It was right then.

Suddenly, the darkness brightened.

Baek Seo-jin's figure, melted into the darkness, was clearly revealed.

Whoosh!

A single handful of light.

That light brightly illuminates the darkness.

A seemingly insignificant light drives away the darkness that filled this space.

Baek Seo-jin's myth cracks.

What...!! Could it be <White Silver>!?

Baek Seo-jin's voice echoes.

Eun-ha ignored that sound.

There was no need to understand the situation.

<Berserk > was deriving the optimal action for this current situation.

He entrusts his body to the gift.

He proves to Baek Seo-jin with the body he has built up until now.

"Just die already."

The first attack failed.

But he doesn't dwell on it.

He reflects on it and learns.

Once again.

And once more.

One more time.

He swings his sword again and again.

Eun-ha put strength in his feet.

With strength in his lower body, he greatly twisted his waist.

At the same time, he moved the Twilight Sword.

The Twilight Sword pulled back behind his shoulder gains that much power as it comes forward.

──!!

It draws a horizontal trajectory.

That trajectory cuts across the chest of his figure vaguely revealed in the darkness.

Blood bursts from the deeply opened wound, falling on Eun-ha's head.

Eun-ha took another step forward while being covered in that blood.

He couldn't miss this opportunity.

Slash!

He unleashes all the techniques he learned from Baek Seo-jin before regression.

The trajectories are endlessly engraved in the air, not stopping at just one.

13-hit combo.

And by the time that attack was executed, Baek Seo-jin's barrier was finally torn like a rag.

Eun-ha took another step forward, digging into his bosom.

The Dawn Sword was crying.

Eun-ha knew too.

───!!

Blue mana flowing from his body seeped into the pure white blade.

A sword imbued with light, possessing the power to manipulate reality by destroying causality.

The power gathered to its limit made the sword shine brilliantly.

Eventually, Eun-ha activated the magic that had made his current life possible, towards Baek Seo-jin standing in tatters.

Dawn Sword - Platinum Cross

Although the formula and structure contained in the magic were created in Korea.

On the other hand, it was magic completed in Japan.

Not scattered by Baek Seo-jin's myth, the magic imperfectly completed by <White Silver>'s power flashed.

The world changed in an instant.

"Ah..."

A platinum-colored trajectory.

The cross that appeared on Baek Seo-jin's body unconsciously swells, exploding the darkness into pure white light.

Baek Seo-jin, swallowed by the light first, only uttered a dazed sound.

That was the end.

Baek Seo-jin's myth was being torn apart by the light.

"You... have won."

The remaining myth gathers almost instinctively to protect Baek Seo-jin.

Yet it can't block the light.

Finally, Baek Seo-jin had to acknowledge.

His myth is losing rank.

If he had won, he could have barely maintained it.

Having been defeated, he could no longer bear the weight of the myth.

"At the very end... To think that child would intrude."

His physical body perishes.

He can't stop the crisis of annihilation.

Baek Seo-jin gave a bitter smile.