Kim Jonghyun was not a good person.
Lee Sungmin no longer had any doubts about this and considered Kim Jonghyun no longer a human being. Lee Sungmin knew he was being hypocritical to judge whether or not Kim Jonghyun was a threat merely by asking if he was human or not.
But there was one line Lee Sungmin never crossed even when pursuing his own strength through outside means.That line was simple. He never abandoned his humanity or gave up on being a human despite everything that happened to him.
He knew how dangerous it would be if he turned into a monster completely and gave in to the thing that was hiding inside of his shared consciousness with Heoju. That being known, Lee Sungmin vowed to never forget he was human. If he did, he knew it would be all over and he would probably never have a rational thought again.
Kim Jonghyun was wrong.
Lee Sungmin didn’t even think like him. However, he did not choose to sympathize with Kim Jonghyun either. It was much more fundamental now with his thoughts, and the thought process was now singular. It was just that Lee Sungmin felt and chose that he would rather not help Kim Jonghyun because it just felt wrong.
Kim Jonghyun was not a human being anymore and he, himself, admitted it. His body was halfway between human and a Devil, but Kim Jonghyun, or the very personality inside that body, never truly thought of himself as a human from the start, and Lee Sungmin was even more sure of that now.
Even if Kim Jonghyun’s plan were to succeed in theory, then what would happen after the Apocalypse had passed? No, was it even safe the Apocalypse would have passed? Or would Kim Jonghyun have brought an entirely new Apocalypse to the world of Eria.
In the end of it all, the result would not change in the slightest. In a world that was linked with a plethora of demonic energy and a half-devil, who would be equipped with the most powerful book of dark magic? Who would rule such a world? It was obvious to Lee Sungmin whether Kim Jonghyun did or didn’t want to truly help avert a disaster.
Well, there were some thoughts that still lingered, but what was happening was a result of Kim Jonghyun’s so-called solution that was extremely radical.
“I won’t say that your solution won’t work.”
Lee Sungmin did not know what would truly stop the Apocalypse or whether this was the right choice or not.
“But, I can’t be your colleague or partner in this.”
“How come?”
Kim Jonghyun asked with a quizzical look on his face and continued when he saw Lee Sungmin stay silent.
“I know that you also have the necessary level required to avoid the Apostles of the End. Perhaps it was even you who led this world to the Apocalypse with your twisted fate. Wouldn’t you rather not fight or even avert the entirety of the First Catastrophe with as little strife as possible? That’s what I want too.”
“Right.”
“Hmm.”
Kim Jonghyun caressed his chin. After a brief silence, Kim Jonghyun nodded.
“I don’t intend to force you. It would have been better if I was able to add your strength as a variable. But, life doesn’t always go the way we plan for it I guess.”
It was a rather honest opinion of Kim Jonghyun with no hostility mixed in.
Kim Jonghyun did not learn about the Apocalypse from other human beings like Lee Sungmin. He had heard about it from the other Devils he had contacted from the Demon Realm.
Through him, they also learned of the possibility that his power as a half-devil would be able to bridge the two dimensions together.
If they could do it, why should they not? That was the common consensus between the high-ranking Demons and Devils in the Demon Realm.
“Your existence has always been a question to me.”
Since they had first met. Kim Jonghyun had been able to see through Lee Sungmin’s identity to some extent with his unique eyes. At that time, however, Kim Jonghyun was completely unaware of the Apostles of the End or what their purpose was and why they forbid him from saying anything.
All Kim Jonghyun grasped at that time was there was something, something rather obscure, that was definitely trying to protect Lee Sungmin.
“In your past life, you had never known or heard anything about me. Thanks to your very existence as a regressor, I had always been curious and posed myself introspective questions. I wondered if I was even a wizard in your previous life. If so, why was I not known? Things like that.”
“I didn’t know much as a low level mercenary in my previous life, but I would have known if you had committed the massacre you did in the North. That means you clearly didn’t commit such atrocities back then.”
“Then I wouldn’t have even been the Dark Tower Master in my previous life if that’s true. Well, I could not have been that different. If anything, I was probably the same as I am now, delving into my own research that fascinated me…. In fact, you know what?”
“….?”
“It’s because of meeting you, that I became the man I am right now.”
Kim Jonghyun lowered the hand he had outstretched earlier.
“In your past life, I probably didn’t do anything noteworthy or notorious. Before I met you, I had no desire or interest in life itself. Meeting with you has brought me many changes and opportunities. It was shocking in many ways, since you were just someone I could not forget about or wonder about.”
Kim Jonghyun felt interest for the first time in his life. He didn’t feel such interest even when he initially transmigrated to Eria from his world.
“So I became an independent Dark Wizard, leaving the Tower, and entered Predator. I found even more things, and discovered what it meant to truly be alive. I met Arbeth, and took his power and Grimoire in order to look into more things. I even tried to become a Devil; something so absurd that nobody would have thought I was sane had I told them I was going to try. And while I did fail, I’m here now, and chasing my own interests yet again.”
Kim Jonghyun, who said so, looked happy. He looked like a child who had just aced his last test and gave the score to his parents.
“It was something amazing. I figured that if anything, I could change too. I could be different from the person I once was in that previous life. I had nothing to lose really, so I was able to realize what I wanted to do in the past, and now.”
“Then…. shouldn’t you stop? You’ve clearly changed and become much different than the person you once were.”(T/N : Kimboy is really obsessive over himself… creeeeepyyy and possibly a total narcissist?)
“No, I can’t do that. I was only able to get here due to my own self-will and thoughts. To be honest with you.… all of this was not to stop the Apocalypse. None of it was and none of it is. So….I’m going to ask you again to confirm. Are you going to seriously try and block me?”
“Yes.”
“First of all, my actions can prevent the Apocalypse. You must have a clear understanding of that, right? Although I am doing this out of pure self-interest, my actions can and will stop the Apocalypse if they continue as they are.”
Kim Jonghyun laughed and continued to speak.
“Have you even thought about it much? How do you know the Apocalypse will even stop? I’m sure you know that the End will only be one where everyone is exterminated without a trace. And… didn’t you say that I was the First Catastrophe? Hahahah…! What happens even if you stop me here? There’s going to be even more ‘Catastrophes’ that you will have to prevent in order to stop the Apocalypse….!”
Lee Sungmin shook his head as Kim Jonghyun continued to cackle maniacally.
“My master…”
For some reason, all of the crazy and dark words of Kim Jonghyun, made Lee Sungmin think of his master, Sima Ryunju.
“…He died because of me. If I hadn’t said I wanted to stop the End, my master wouldn’t have died so miserably. Because of me, he died like that.”Kim Jonghyun stopped laughing and frowned slightly.
“….? What, you want to avenge your master or something?”
“I want to take responsibility for what I’ve done.”
Lee Sungmin felt responsible for what he had done. If he had not wanted to stop the Apocalypse, then none of this would have even happened. His master might have still been alive. But… because of him, the strongest man in the entire world, his master… had died. There was no way Lee Sungmin was going to not try and take responsibility for such a thing.
“In two days.”
Kim Jonghyun raised two fingers.
“I’m leaving the city in two days. In order to completely connect the Demon Realm and Eria, the preparation I have done here, is not enough on its own. But what happened in this city will be the first of the several offerings I intend to offer to serve as connections to the two worlds. After that, if enough offerings are gathered, the two realms will be completely connected.”
Lee Sungmin had two days. Kim Jonghyun looked at Lee Sungmin with a smile as if he was curious as to his reaction.Lee Sungmin looked at Kim Jonghyun with a cold set of eyes and spoke.
“If I kill you here, you won’t be able to leave and connect the two realms. What you are trying to do will fail.”
“Lee Sungmin. You are certainly strong. But… Did you think I would talk to you face-to-face without even thinking of some sort of countermeasures in place for such power?”
Lee Sungmin decided to test whether Kim Jonghyun really did have a countermeasure.Lee Sungmin slowly started to grip his spear with more and more strength and roused his internal energy once again. A deep violet hue of energy started to condense around his body while tendrils of black lightning started to crackle violently around his body.
The first time he had shown a bit of his strength earlier, Kim Jonghyun had been able to stop him. But what about if Lee Sungmin decided to reveal a bit more of his large amount of power right now?
[Volander is watching you right now.]
Heoju suddenly warned Lee Sungmin as Heoju had felt a gaze suddenly shift towards him and Lee Sungmin’s location.
Thump. Thump.
Lee Sungmin felt it as well, but waited. Sure enough, as he felt the gaze linger, the sound of several footsteps emerged into the dark room as the presence of several Death Knights started to become clearer. Amongst them, there was a sinister and oppressive aura that showed incredible strength.It was Volander. The Black Star of Predator.
[I think it’s better to just step back for now. Even if you decide to put your life on the line here, there is no guarantee that you will be able to kill Kim Jonghyun with Volander and him together. I can feel, now that we are here, that Kim Jonghyun has incredible amounts of demonic energy and fear-based mana inside of him. Not only that, but Volander is much stronger than I imagined him to be. It will certainly be impossible for you to kill Kim Jonghyun while dealing with Volander side-by-side.]
It was true, but there was one more thing Lee Sungmin wanted to check.“You made an Oath that you would not harm me during this visit. Are you sure you can afford to defend yourself?”
“Yes I know, and I stand by my words when I say I will not harm you.”
[Even if Kim Jonghyun doesn’t come forward, it doesn’t change that you’re at a disadvantage. Do you think the other Death Knights around him will just stand around with Volander being attacked? Volander’s existence itself makes them stronger than their capacity in terms of morale as well. It’s best to pull yourself out of here already.]
It was rather odd to see Heoju become so insistent on something, so Lee Sungmin truly had to pause here and leave.Deciding to stop, Lee Sungmin lowered the spear and stopped rousing his internal energy.
“I don’t hate you.”
Kim Jonghyun spoke as Lee Sungmin turned his back and started to leave.
“Because your existence in itself has been a great opportunity for me. So, I hope you won’t think that the offer is invalid. I will always welcome your help.”
Kim Jonghyun gave way and left those words as Lee Sungmin continued to walk, unabated in his steps.
Lee Sungmin left the mansion without a single reply. As soon as he left the mansion, the ferocious killing intent Lee Sungmin felt from the legion of Death Knights and Volander, disappeared completely.
“Hm….”
Returning to the outskirts where the camp for the resistance was, Lee Sungmin opened the door of the carriage where Abel was inside.
Abel was looking at the Weiss in front of him with his eyes coated in mana.
“You went inside the city? Why?”
“I talked to Kim Jonghyun”.
“What did you two talk about?”
“I was trying to discuss something that relates to that….”
Lee Sungmin glanced at the Weiss that Abel had in his lap and was studying. Abel immediately understood what Lee Sungmin meant and his eyebrows furrowed.
“You’re making me use this so much these days.”
“Aren’t you going to listen to what I talked to him about?”
“….I’ll listen. If it’s an important story.”“What about Frau? I figure she should hear about it as well considering you both know much about the topic. Oh. and Theresa.”
“I can with Frau, but nobody else. That means not even Theresa. She may be nice and warm-hearted, but she is not knowledgeable and I cannot trust the Holy Church as an organization yet.”
Soon after he spoke, Abel left the carriage to bring Frau. Frau sat down in the carriage, pulling at her tangled hair with his hands.
“You won’t let me sleep, you damn bastards.”
“What do you mean sleep? You were just rolling around with a man in your bedroom. In fact, why did your disciple have to sit outside of the carriage and even be forced to listen to such ridiculous behavior?”
“It’s his punishment.”
“If I were him, I would easily leave if you were my master.”
Abel grumbled and raised his hands towards the Weiss, not wasting any time. Frau’s eyes drew attention at the sudden action.
“…… You are using dangerous magic. The only thing waiting at the end of the magic that takes the user’s life as collateral, is terrible ruin.”
“I know.”
After the barrier to deflect the Apostles of the End was erected by the use of the Weiss and Abel’s spellcasting, Lee Sungmin told everyone about the conversation he had with Kim Jonghyun. He also stated that the laws applied to him since he had inherited his master’s level and that he would not need the protection of the Weiss, and neither did Kim Jonghyun, since he had transcended his level.
“Crazy guy.”
At the end of Lee Sungmin’s explanation, Abel smacked his forehead in anguish and frustration.
“He’s stopping the Apocalypse? By connecting this world to the Demon Realm? I’ve never heard of a more ridiculous thing in the entire time I’ve been looking into the End of this world. Sure, he would ‘prevent’ the Apocalypse, but only by giving it a more definitive and decisive one after he averts the other!”
“What happens if this world does indeed get connected to the Demon Realm?””
“The world will fall to ruin.”
It was Frau who answered.
“It’s not just just the fact that the Devils and higher ranking Demon Kings will come over. The Demon Realm is a place where the most wicked and vile of creatures exist. They take souls of living as collateral for borrowing even fragments of their power, and are beyond any kind of human reason. If you really want to see just what kind of hell he would bring forth, then you better be prepared. Those beings are not to be trifled with… ever.”
Lee Sungmin recalled the experience he had when he had raided Frescan’s dungeon. A Devil that Frescan had contracted with, had manifested only slight remnants of his power and Lee Sungmin had been terrified of its power when he encountered it. He was helpless against the fear alone from the killing intent that the Devil had exuded.
“Connecting to the Demon Realm will turn this world into a slaughterhouse, not a ‘breeding ground’ as Kim Jonghyun calls it. The Demons that come across into this world will destroy everything they see as mere entertainment. We won’t be completely exterminated, and some might survive…. But they will be at the mercy of the Demons and the Demons will wait just until there’s more humans to reproduce, only to slaughter again and again in a vicious cycle of their ‘fun’.”
The Apocalypse could even be deemed better when in regards to those words. Lee Sungmin sympathized with Abel’s words as he realized that Frau and Abel had both much more vast knowledge over the Demon Realm and magically tied realms than he did.
“However!”
Abel’s hand slammed on the cover of the Weiss with conviction.
“It’s rather an opportunity for us just as much as it is for him.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s a good thing I brought the Weiss with me.”
Abel murmured, as he looked down at the white book on the table.
“Connecting Eria to the Demon Realm will certainly ruin this one but…. There’s a chance that we don’t even need to connect it to the Demon Realm. Connecting this world to another, is certainly one way to go about preventing the Apocalypse, and that’s why it’s also an opportunity for us. We can stop the connection with the Demon Realm and attach it to a different world”
“Wait… that’s possible?””
“It’s possible.”
Abel spoke in a confident voice.
“Because I’m the one who stands above all Wizards in the field of magic.”