THE END OF THE CHURCH [3]

Regressor's instructions Manual Episode 993

The End of the Church(4)

'Why is this guy here?'

It feels like my thoughts came to a halt due to the sudden situation. I blinked to make sure I hadn't misread anything and looked at the guy again, but nothing had changed.

Kim Hyunsung was looking in this direction with teary eyes, but was it because of the pitiful sight of the Sacrificial Angel who had become a wreck?

I was trying to figure out what to say, but suddenly, my mind went blank with the appearance of a drunk intruder barging into the scene.

'Who are you... if I were to say that...'

It doesn't seem like the atmosphere would improve much by saying that. It might be a card I could use sometime, but it's not appropriate now.

This is...

'This wasn't part of the plan.'

Among the various variables we had considered, Kim Hyun-seong's intrusion was the least likely one to happen.

'Did he have an extra invitation?'

How did he find it? No, wait...

What was it that got disconnected in the middle? How did he regain his memory? How could he be here?

The future had changed once. Of course, since it was an uncertain future that hadn't been confirmed yet, there was a possibility of a rupture in the system.

But even so, it was an undeniable fact that the future had changed once. If that hadn't happened, my eyes wouldn't have changed.

'Did he use the invitation that Messenger Gerk has?'

In the altered future, Lee Ki-young doesn't exist. Therefore, there's a high chance that the invitation I used was still in the bag carried by Herald Gerk.

I planned to work with Gerk after entering the Iron Maiden, so there are likely parts I haven't fully grasped.

Once one thing becomes suspicious, everything becomes suspicious.

It bothers me that the future changed more quickly than I had thought.

The future had changed even before entering the Iron Maiden. There was only a few hours of difference in the error...

'Frankly, it's hard to believe that Kim Hyun-seong would forget about me so quickly. '

Without fully understanding what happened in the future, I can't present a well-founded hypothesis, but I can try to propose a plausible one.

'If he intentionally forgot...'

When Lee Ki-young's memories were slowly fading away, what if the expedition team had also made a decision?

I can't tell how, but there's a possibility that the expedition team intentionally chose the path where the future changes.

I mentally organize a possible timeline of events.

1. The expedition team realizes that the Light Saint is gradually disappearing from memory and becomes confused.

Of course, most people would have been trying not to forget.

There's a high chance that Kim Hyun-seong or Jung Ha-yan brought disaster to the expedition team, literally. Probably around this time, the prelude to the transformation was affecting reality.

The moment when Jin Cheong sent me the Morse code.

2. I accept the transformation a little earlier than what was planned using numbers I can't understand.

Currently, I can't know the method. Maybe I'd find out if I asked... The answer would likely be held by the Shadow Hero. The expedition team that wished for the Blue Guild probably never agreed to accept the changed future...

This is likely an idea that came from General Jin's mind. Instead of waiting for the wave while resisting and waiting for the wave to come, General Jin chose to approach the wave first.

Why?

Because that way, he could synchronize the time of his arrival here using Gerk's invitation?

If I had become Altanus after that, I might not have been able to synchronize the time. That's not the only reason. It's possible that I might have judged resisting the already completely changed future as impossible.

However, if there's a possibility of a future with a potential for transformation, there might have been a chance to resist. Besides...

'Only inside the dungeon... So, it might be a measure to have only the members who were part of the expedition team at that time accept the transformation first.'

The future inside the dungeon changed, but the future outside the dungeon didn't.

The fact that the Shadow Hero allowed all the members of the expedition team to accept the transformation a bit faster might have been to rely on those outside the dungeon.

I sometimes forget things too... Ji-hye deals noona with the succubus. [[remember tha Jihye has a demon.]]

It's a suitable method to remind the Blue Guild of Lee Ki-young.

3. Lee Ji-hye entered Kim Hyun-seong's dream, woke him up, and used Herald Gelk's invitation to come. That's the hypothesis that immediately comes to mind.

'These guys...'

"..."

'They might have gone crazy.'

There was no guarantee of success. Experiencing a phenomenon where the present changes due to the past was unprecedented, and we lacked time, personnel, and resources.

If we had used Dummy World for virtual experiments, we might have been able to shorten the time, but there was no guarantee that Dummy World would show the same results as reality.

If there had been a small variable in the middle... trapped in the dimension of wandering around in a space where the present is changed by the past for a lifetime, they might have become lost.

'Crazy bastards.'

Jin Cheong, who proposed this, might have lost his sense, but those who accepted it weren't in their right minds either.

Jung Ha-yan, who should have practically progressed the work based on Jin Cheong's hypothesis... her body could have been torn apart and she might have died.

"Kim Hyun-seong. You..."

"I... I want to be a Regressor."

"...."

"I want to be a Regressor. I don't like a future where I'm not a Regressor."

"..."

"I have to be a Regressor."

'Oh, really? Then I should just add regressing to the plan.'

"Everyone is waiting. They're waiting for Ki-young to come."

I can now understand how the message arrived from the future. It wasn't from the future; it was after being invited here that the messages kept coming.

"Ki-young, you don't need to do this anymore."

'I agree too.'

It does make me wonder if it's really necessary. If it wasn't for the vision seen through Kasugano Yuno, honestly, I might not have come.

'If I go back now, are all the preparations in place?'

Is there a guarantee that we won't face the same future?

While I admire the Blue's determination to retrieve the Light's Saint, if that future vision was not seen through Kasugano Yuno, I probably wouldn't have come.

'Now that I think about it, are all the preparations in place for me to go back?'

Are all the things I need as a prophet in place?

Honestly, I'm anxious. The reason I planned Altanus was to get rid of this anxiety.

There was only one way to meticulously control everything from beginning to end.

If I wasn't a control freak who'd gone insane, I probably wouldn't have needed to come this far.

But what could I have done?

I tried to shift my footsteps subtly, but of course, I didn't even move.

'Belial?'

[...]

'What are you doing?'

[I remembered I'm busy.]

'What nonsense is this? You bastard.'

[It really is busy work.]

"You..."

The slightly strange scene caught my eye right then.

'What is this? What is this...'

I'm the only one feeling comfort and ease.

Elsewhere, there are sounds of bustling and commotion. Kim Hyun-seong's magic is consuming the entire space, and even the black virtual graphics are being suppressed.

Belial, who hadn't been fully summoned yet, was already preparing to withdraw, and Bahaumut, who suddenly returned to the third-party position, was looking at this side under the pressure that was pressing down on his body.

His growth is a story from a distant future.

At best, Bahaumut, presumed to be a 4-star, wouldn't be able to beat our complete 7-star Kim Hyun-seong. He might even feel an instinctual fear.

"Who are you..."

His reaction was intense enough to make the 4D graphic battle that happened a moment ago pale in comparison. His entire body is quickly drenched in sweat.

It's different from the fear he had for the seed of the devil. Right now, he's purely afraid of Kim Hyun-seong.

The pressure covering the entire space, the crushing pressure on his body. The terror that his neck might be snapped if his body moved even a little.

He, who had always been in the position of the predator, is now in the position of the prey.

The demon of the sunset.

At least Bahaumut might be seeing Kim Hyun-seong like that.

"Who are you..."

"..."

"What on earth...!"

"….."

"Yes... let the priest... let go... the demon of the sunset..."

"Ki-young..."

"Monster... monster's child..."

I need to say something quickly.

"You mustn't kill him."

We mustn't kill Bahaumut. He's the hero of this era, and he must protect the continent until this era safely declines.

[I'll withdraw now.]

'No, Belial. Then...'

[You're the one who's violating the contract first. That... that... isn't part of the contract. Anyway... it was enjoyable.]

'You...'

[As a final gift, I'll leave that ominous black smoke behind. It'll disappear soon anyway.]

"The future... the future will change if we kill him..."

"..."

"I can't let go of the priest!"

In the end, Bahaumut rises to his feet. With a clashing sound, his body is slammed against the wall.

'Damn it. How do we handle this?'

A situation where there's not much we can do.

"Let's go back."

I'm sorry, I changed from Kim Hyun-seong to let's go back, the bot. [[[????]]]

"Who... What on earth... is this, you monster's child?"

With dust and dirt, Bahaumut rises to his feet and glares at Kim Hyun-seong.

[What will happen now?]

The Demon of Deceit that have fallen into a mere spectator.

"He's not an enemy. Templar... Bahaumut."

Taking a step back, Altanus mumbles incomprehensible words.

"...?"

At the unexpected voice...

Slowly, I looked up at Kim Hyun-seong.

The face of the one who entered here, strangely at ease, catches my eye.

All anxiety has vanished.

It feels like something is being wiped away from his chest.

Instinctively, I could sense it.

Shit...

'They've... met. Before coming here... Kim Hyun-seong met Altanus first.'

I realized that since Kim Hyun-seong came here, I has no choice.

"For everything you've done for coming to this humble place... and for everything you've tried to do, I want to express my gratitude."

The atmosphere has changed.

"Especially, I want to express even more gratitude to the priest. You don't know how... how deeply moved I was. I can't explain everything in a few words, but..."

The composed voice sounds oddly loud and clear in his ears.

"But this underground temple is a place I should be... a place I must take responsibility for... a place I must protect. Withstanding the continent's downfall is not the duty of an outsider; it's a task I must endure. Sacrificing for the continent is also my duty."

"Benigore?"

I met eyes with Benigore.

It was a brief moment, but I felt an emotion I can't quite describe.

"...."

"..."

"The short gathering is over. So..."

"..."

"Haa…."

"..."

"Please go with caution..."

She places her hand on her abdomen and slowly lowers her head.

I wanted to extend my hand, but her appearance was like the sublime and sacred deity I had always envisioned in my mind... I could only stare at her blankly, as if entranced.

"In the distant future, let's meet again, Priest."

I closed my eyes.

——-

Ok… we are nearing 1000. I told myself that I'll stop translating this book at chapter 1000 until I receive permission from the author… but we'll see what'll happen after chapter 1000