Chapter 390: Episode 74 – Great War of Saints and Demons (5)
Du-oong.... Du-oong.... Du-oong.....
The beating war-drums resounded out from the other side of the Gate.
Han Su-Yeong stood before the Gate leading to the 119th regional conflict and looked behind her. “Hey, you ready?”
This battle would be fought alongside Yu Jung-Hyeok. Their personalities were a bad match, but there was no other ally that instilled as much confidence as he did.
Unfortunately, that Yu Jung-Hyeok was displaying a slightly strange behaviour right now.
“Yu Jung-Hyeok?”
Rather than getting ready to enter the 119th Gate, he was staring at the newly-generated the 123rd Gate, instead. Now beset with a certain ominous foreboding, she was about to call out his name, but then, his figure suddenly vanished. And then, a strong repulsive force pushed her back forward.
[You’re entering the 119th Gate.]
“....Uh?”
The last thing she saw was Yu Jung-Hyeok’s hard, emotionless expression.
“You go there alone. I’ve another battlefield to get to.”
“Hey, you! You can’t make that deci.....!”
Even before Han Su-Yeong could shout something in reply to that sudden declaration, the surrounding space tore and swirled about to reveal a brand new battlefield.
“God damn it....”
[Incarnation ‘Han Su-Yeong’ has entered the 119th regional conflict.]
[Incarnation Han Su-Yeong’s affiliated camp is ‘Evil’.]
She had already crossed the Gate and couldn’t go back now. She simply had to end this battle first if she wanted to return.
[Many Constellations have taken notice of you.]
The only person on the wide-open camp of ‘Evil’ was just Han Su-Yeong alone. On the other hand, frightful gazes from Constellations belonging to the opposing camp were raining down on her one after the other.
[Constellation, ‘Master of the Ark’, is looking at you.]
[Constellation, ‘Guardian of Youth and Travel’, is looking at you.]
[Constellation, ‘Morning Star Goddess’, is looking at you.]
[Constellation, ‘the One who faces God’, is looking at you.]
[Constellation, ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’, is looking at you.]
Han Su-Yeong could only moan in horror as she confirmed the owners of those gazes.
Even if she discounted the ‘Master of the Ark’ Noah, there were the ‘Guardian of Youth and Travel’, Archangel Raphael, and Goddess Vakarine of <Guardian Tree>; ‘the One who faces God’ Archangel Camael, and the ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’, Archangel Uriel, too....
And then, the absolute riot of Valkyries standing behind with nary a gap between right behind them.
Just looking at them alone made her nearly soil herself.
She knew this was a trap, but still, to think that they created a battlefield with such a difference in the combat strengths. No, did this even qualify to be called a battlefield in the first place?
“....I wonder if Kim Dok-Ja will take care of my funeral properly.”
[Oh, small ‘Evil’,]
The moment Han Su-Yeong heard the true voice of the ‘Morning Star Goddess’, she realised that this situation was not something to be made fun of.
[Many in the ‘Good’ camp wish to judge you!]
Han Su-Yeong bit her lower lip and just as she unfurled the bandages on her left hand, someone suddenly stepped up to her side.
[Someone has joined the ‘Evil’ camp!]
....Someone entered such a disadvantageous battlefield?
But, who?
[I was originally going to sit back and spectate, but.... You see, I have someone I must settle a score with.]
It was such a uniquely-annoying voice that Han Su-Yeong immediately recognised who it belonged to.
“Asmodeus?”
[It’s been a while, Incarnation of the Black Flame Dragon.]
It was right then, she recalled something Kim Dok-Ja told her some time ago.
– Raphael and Asmodeus have a history together. If these two ever run into each other in the battlefield, try to use that to your advantage.
Asmodeus’s claws extended out and even without Han Su-Yeong doing anything, the Demon King was already brimming full of desire to fight.
[Raphael. Finally, it’s time to pay you back for the previous battle!]
Leaving black afterimages behind, Asmodeus dashed forward; at the same time, two immense magical energies collided in mid-air. The Demon King might be an untrustworthy being in any other situation, but at least, it was better than not having any as an ally right now.
Ku-wahhhh!
Han Su-Yeong avoided the explosion and rose up higher in the air. The view of the battlefield as seen from above stretched on forever. Even if Asmodeus was fighting against Raphael, there were still a lot of other Constellations left.
“Screw it, Kim Dok-Ja! And screw you too, Yu Jung-Heok!!”
In order to fight against that huge army, she had no choice but to unleash the hidden card she’d been saving up, until now.
“I, the master of the Black Flame, Han Su-Yeong, shall awake the Dragon of the ancient seal! Oh, the Constellation darker than darkness itself, oh, the abyss deeper than the flowing night....”
She really didn’t want to mutter out this chant even if she were to die, but with the situation being what it was, her lips began reciting it all by themselves.
Her left arm reacted to her incantation and wiggled around; a Dragon’s roar could be heard coming from a distant somewhere.
“Here in this place, reveal yourself!”
[Constellation, ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’, is getting ready for the ‘Advent of Half-God’.]
*
On the other hand, Yu Jung-Hyeok had entered the 123rd Gate all alone and began searching for someone in this battlefield covered in bushes fluttering in the wind.
‘No mistaking it. It’s her aura.’
The reason why he went against Kim Dok-Ja’s request and entered this particular Gate was standing right before his eyes now.
– Yu Jung-Hyeok, please become my ally.
He had never forgotten the moment of the distant past when he heard those words for the first time.
Her elegantly-shaped nose and neatly arranged blonde hair; her eye with an ominous red glint circling within, as if to ridicule everything in this world.
“Anna Croft.”
She was just as he had remembered.
“You came, Yu Jung-Hyeok.”
[Incarnation, ‘Yu Jung-Hyeok’, has entered the 123rd regional conflict.]
[Incarnation Yu Jung-Hyeok’s affiliated camp is ‘Good’.]
The reason why he entered this battlefield was that he knew Anna Croft would be here. And the Constellation who told him that was....
[Constellation, ‘Secretive Plotter’, forms a bizarre smile.]
Yu Jung-Hyeok gritted his teeth and spoke. “It’s time to settle the score from the second regression turn.”
He quietly unsheathed [Heavenly Dark Demon Sword], and its blade let out a sharp blackened cry.
The moment of vengeance he had been waiting for a long time was here. He pointed his weapon at her as she remained composed in her spot.
“Take out your weapon.”
“I have no desire to fight you.”
“Then, just die.”
He strode forward threateningly, yet she simply shook her head in reply. “Are you really here to get even for the second turn?”
“....”
“Your revenge is meaningless. You should know that I’m not the ‘Anna Croft’ from the second turn.”
“Is the you of yesterday not you anymore?”
“What do you mean?”
“You have inherited the memories and the desires of the second-turn Anna Croft. You possess the exact same ideal and goal as her. Without a doubt, you are that ‘Anna Croft’.”
“.....What determines one’s existence is the Fables in one’s possession. I see that your views are the same whether it’s the second turn or now.”
Even though she was staring at Yu Jung-Hyeok’s approaching sword, she still remained utterly defenceless. Seeing the signs of near-resignation in her eyes, his expression hardened.
“Where are the Zarathustras?”
“They are not here.”
“Don’t make me laugh. It’s not possible that you’d come alone.”
“If it was the ‘Anna Croft’ you knew, then yes, she’d never do that.”
He took another large step forward and her hair fluttered from his Status. Her face, now revealed in full, displayed hints of wounds here and there. What caught his eyes the most was the scar surrounding the [Eye of the Great Demon]. It was as if someone tried to deliberately cut it out.
“....What happened to you?”
“Many things happened.” She shoved his hand away and shot back at him. “It means that the lofty Anna Croft you knew has fallen a long time ago already.”
Just as her words came to an end, some things came rushing in from the other side of the battlefield.
Constellations that had chosen ‘Evil’ were dashing across the field while fully unleashing their Statuses. As if he knew something like this would happen, Yu Jung-Hyeok moved to take Anna Croft as a hostage. However, something felt off.
[A portion of Constellations from the Nebula, <Asgard>, have entered the applicable regional conflict!]
[A portion of Constellations from the Nebula, <Vedas>, have entered the applicable regional conflict!]
[A portion of Constellations from the Nebula, <Papyrus>, have entered the applicable regional conflict!]
Anna Croft was actually smiling as she stared at the sword pointing at her neck. “Please stop with your foolish actions, Yu Jung-Hyeok. We’re on the same side, after all.”
[Incarnation Anna Croft’s affiliated camp is ‘Good’.]
“....I thought Asgard was your Nebula sponsor?”
“I understand your grudge, but can you please postpone it until the next time?”
They might have been talking about two different things, but they still fully understood each other’s situations.
Such a thing was obvious, however – one was a Regressor who understood the past better than anyone, while the other was a prophet who used to face off constantly against such a Regressor.
Yu Jung-Hyeok withdrew his sword and spoke. “A fitting end for you, Prophet.”
“And it seems that I’ll have to share this end with you.”
Ku-gugugugu.....
The great army of <Asgard> marching forward while kicking up dust clouds finally came to a halt.
[Constellation, ‘God of Fairness and Friendliness’, finds this situation regrettable.]
[Constellation, ‘Flames of Muspelheim’, wishes to burn everything within this battlefield.]
[Constellation who likes to change genders is looking at Incarnation ‘Yu Jung-Hyeok’.]
As if to show their final bit of consideration, Selena Kim and Iris stood at the front of the marching army that had stopped advancing.
Yu Jung-Hyeok could read many emotions written on their faces.
“Their final consideration, then.”
Unfortunately, them stopping didn’t mean that other Constellations would do the same.
“Dodge it.”
At the end of Anna Croft’s words, both of their figures vanished from the spot. And then, a massive explosion noise enveloped the entire battlefield. A stupendously large crater could be found caved in on the ground where they used to stand.
Kwa-rurururung!!
Currents of lightning could be seen encroaching the skies above; sounds similar to laughter coming from shady, dark Constellations could be heard.
[Constellation, ‘Black Wolf God of Death’, has chosen ‘Evil’ camp.]
[Constellation, ‘God-King of Thunderbolt’, has chosen ‘Evil’ camp.]
Anna Croft’s complexion paled as she confirmed the Modifiers of the Constellations. The ‘Black Wolf God of Death’ was a powerful Constellation from <Papyrus>, Anubis. As for the ‘God-King of Thunderbolt’....
“Oh my god, it’s ‘Indra’.....”
If <Olympus> had its twelve gods, then Nebula <Vedas> had its eight lokapalas, as well. And one Constellation lorded over those eight lokapalas as their king.
[Constellation, ‘God-King of Thunderbolts’, has summoned the rain of thunderbolts.]
And that was precisely the ‘God-King of Thunderbolts’, Indra.
[Many Constellations are pleading for the case of unfairness at the ‘God-King of Thunderbolts’ involvement.]
It was not difficult to see why some criticised this situation; Indra was not your average Constellation who should be appearing in a measly little regional conflict, after all. It’d not be an exaggeration to call Indra the strongest existence in <Vedas>, if one excluded its three main gods.
[Constellation, ‘God-King of Thunderbolts’, is currently in ‘Advent of Half-God’ state.]
On top of this, he was not in an Incarnation Body but Half-God state, as well.
Anna Croft squeezed her mouth shut as she dodged the falling raindrops of lightning. Even if she was an excellent fighter, and no matter how powerful Yu Jung-Hyeok was, it was impossible to fight against that Constellation right now.
Meanwhile, Yu Jung-Hyeok asked her a question. “Why did you betray me?”
“....Is this the right time for such a conversation?” said Anna Croft, but then, she saw his wordless gaze still locked onto her, and replied with a sigh. “That was the best available way forward at the time. I believed that I’d reach the end I thought of by doing that.”
“So, did you reach that end, then?”
Anna Croft didn’t reply this time.
The ‘Ways of Survival’, or the records from the 1863rd turn, didn’t explain which scenario Anna Croft of the second turn had managed to reach.
So, only she knew what her own result was.
However, she spat out her words in an angry voice, instead. “.....Why do you ask when you know the answer already?”
The ‘Black Wolf God of Death’ made its move, then. Anubis, the Fable-grade Constellation wearing a jet-black jackal mast and wielding a black spear – its weapon accurately stabbed past the falling rain of thunderbolts and took aim at Anna Croft’s heart. But then....
Ku-dudududuk!
“I’ll be the one to kill her,” said Yu Jung-Hyeok in a low, heavy voice as he grabbed the spear with his bare hand.
[Constellation, ‘Black Wolf God of Death’, is stunned.]
An incredible Status began emitting from Yu Jung-Hyeok’s body – the Status of a Transcender. Now bathed in golden rays of light, magical energy boiled within his body; Anubis’s spear began rocking powerfully as if it was having a seizure.
Anubis loudly declared as if it wanted to oppose this power.
[Oh, the one who resists against death, I am the God of Death, Anubis. I shall reap your life in this place.]
“God of Death?” replied Yu Jung-Hyeok. “You are no God of Death.”
At the same time, blue light exploded from his right arm.
Just as Anubis screamed and backed away, the [Heavenly Dark Demon Sword] in his hand roared out once more.
“I’ve already seen the real God of Death.”
This was one of the techniques Yu Jung-Hyeok had been hiding until now.
<Episode 74: Great War of Saints and Demons (5)> Fin.