Chapter 501
After securing Gold’s lost memories, a thought came across her mind.
There cannot be anything good in this world.
All the people and creatures she had encountered so far had somehow been evil. There were individuals who were called kind in the Stage of Advent, but upon closer examination, it was only a part of their survival strategy. They could also be intoxicated by their good deeds or they could also be simply obsessed with the compulsion to act kindly.
The weak and the strong could be distinguished. However, the lesson she learned from the Stage of Advent was that there was no distinct standard between good and evil.
Gold was not an exception to this. The reason why it left records was largely due to the consideration of its own life.
‘It was definitely not for the creatures of this world.’
Gold had succeeded in diverting Old One’s attention, and thus he was able to escape. Therefore, the pain it had suffered after being caught by Arukuda was self-inflicted.
Then, the barrier disappeared.
Tat!
Woo Yeon-Hee jumped out of the window. There was no sign of Gold, which had the ultimate defense body.
“We were lucky that it was just an illusion,” Woo Yeon-Hee said as she checked Seon-Hu’s face because the scene left around them resembled a moment of his past era that he greatly disliked. It was a world after a nuclear bomb exploded. He said the world was like this in the early days of the Stage of Advent back then.
“Are you sure?”
“It was not a waste of time. Here, take it.”
Woo Yeon-Hee handed the documents to Seon-Hu. Each page was filled with Gold’s lost memories. While Seon-Hu was reading them, Woo Yeon-Hee carefully watched his face.
Seon-Hu’s unconsciousness had chosen this stage as the moment of greatest despair for him. It was the point where he, a Wall Street financier, had collapsed due to bankruptcy. However, Seon-Hu was a man who had survived until just before the destruction of the mainland.
Yet his unconsciousness had chosen this scene as the worst time of his life, not the early past era when a nuclear bomb exploded or the end of the past when the incarnation of Doom Kaos descended. This fact indicated that a significant part of Seon-Hu’s unconsciousness was still constituted by the perspective of a financier.
Also, that was why he had been referring to himself as a villain all along.
“...”
The mainland was destined for destruction anyway, so it was not a big deal for him to monopolize some money. Even if it was not Seon-Hu, the past economic crises of the mainland were bound to happen, and the capitalists of the world would have determined the fate of countless families with a single signature.
Seon-Hu was the greatest hero in human history who saved the mainland. Thus, he did not need to feel guilty and refer to himself as a villain. His guilt was pressing down on him because he had been carrying a burden so heavy that he could not even afford to have leisure time.
If the day came when Seon-Hu could truly let go of his burdens after the war ended… Perhaps then, the guilt that inhabited his unconsciousness might stretch out.
What worried Woo Yeon-Hee the most was not something like Doom Kaos or Old One, but the fact that he firmly believed in Osiris. That was her biggest concern. It had not happened yet, but Seon-Hu would undoubtedly push himself again to correct whatever he thought he had done wrong.
“By the way…”
Woo Yeon-Hee opened her mouth.
“There are useful things other than the locations of Old One and Red. Doom Kaos did not just invite the two lords into the curtain for nothing.”
Even then, Seon-Hu’s gaze was only on the lost memories of Gold.
“Doom Kaos made the two guard the light pillars, fuck.”
“...”
“Entegasto and Arukuda. Both knew the exact locations of the light pillars. The pillars are the source of Doom Kaos’s power, which is his weakness at the same time.”
“...”
“Even if we try to reincarnate Arukuda, we may not be able to preserve its soul entirely because the limit was to shatter into mana stone. Yes, it must be hard to understand just by saying this. I will elaborate on it, so listen carefully. When I was fighting with Arukuda…”
Woo Yeon-Hee could not stop Seon-Hu from talking as he was too passionate. His eyes also flashed every time he recalled those moments. She opened her mouth again when his explanation ended and his excitement subsided.
“Do not trust anyone. If you see such signs, eliminate them.”
The corners of Seon-Hu’s eyes twitched slightly.
“What are you talking about?”
“And you need to know how to control yourself. If you grasp where your current emotions are coming from, you can use them as a weapon. This was your lesson to me. You know, I thought this stage would be a particularly cruel time in the past, but your unconscious led you right here, where you had failed as a financier.”
“It had to be because the first experience tends to last the longest.” Seon-Hu then added, “But even if we turn back time, I don’t think we can preserve Arukuda’s soul. Even if we do, its mental world would be far more grotesque and strong compared to Gold. We have to find another way.”
Woo Yeon-Hee felt that the conversation was going astray. It was the same when they were talking about Osiris’s betrayal. Unlike what she actually wanted to discuss, Seon-Hu was focusing on the light pillars of Doom Kaos.
Well… Your strong obsession must have brought you here. I respect that.
She thought about how to rephrase it. She almost directly asked, “Do you still think you are the villain?” but stopped herself. Instead, she decided to ask this, “What are you going to do after the fight? What is your life going to be like? Tell me about the thoughts you have sincerely held on to.”
“I think I have told you before.”
Seon-Hu responded with a puzzled look, and Woo Yeon-Hee felt nervous.
“I will bring your life back, then mine as well. We will live as very ordinary civilians.”
Seon-Hu nodded as if he understood when Woo Yeon-Hee was about to answer. At that time, his eyes were not filled with emotion. Rather, his distinctive glance seemed determined, as if he was facing a final showdown.
“I know. It will be tough. So let’s give it all we have got.”
Woo Yeon-Hee felt something indescribable.
“Do you get it, Yeon-Hee?”
It was an immense relief…
Woo Yeon-Hee suddenly got an overwhelming desire to throw herself into his arms. However, Seon-Hu’s gaze was again shifted to Gold’s lost memories.
“I am strong both inside and out.”
Seon-Hu’s serious comment was not just a joke. He was a man stronger than she thought. She couldn’t help but laugh as she realized she had been worrying for no reason. It was such a smile that could only be made in front of one man in the world.
***
The two left the Great Gold’s mental world. Woo Yeon-Hee checked Gold’s condition first. It was lethargic as it had been subjected to another powerful shock in its mental world. All it did was blink its big eyes even in front of Seon-Hu, who held the spear of slaughter. Gold had become a pitiful beast waiting for rest.
Shortly after, Woo Yeon-Hee did not see how it started. Seon-Hu’s spear was suddenly embedded in Gold’s forehead, and an indescribable flow of Mana was taking place. Although it was dead and had been gnawed on for a while, it was still a god-like figure.
Mana flowed in from various branches, and each one of them overwhelmed the power of three Spirit Kings, Sylphid, Elaim, and Noah’s combined. Such streams were focused on Seon-Hu, filling with light.
Once the red colors that had descended into the World of Souls were being eroded by the light, all Woo Yeon-Hee could see was Seon-Hu’s eyes flashing in the bright light. Of course, it was not over yet.
The two great evils, the Old One and Doom Kaos remained, but that did not mean the spectacle before their eyes was meaningless. Woo Yeon-Hee felt goosebumps all over her body. She could not believe that she was witnessing the birth of another divinity. She was so fascinated that she even forgot that it was Seon-Hu.
Then, she gazed endlessly at the two eyes twinkling in brilliance after she came to her senses. Her eyes met Seon-Hu’s.
“I will bring your life back, then mine as well. We will live as very ordinary civilians. I know. It will be tough. So let’s give it all we have got.”
It seemed like he was saying that again with his eyes. Seon-Hu had been the same all along. He looked at the world and himself with such unshaken eyes and determination.
This is enough. I really do not want to worry anymore. I believe everything you believe in.
She could even acknowledge Seon-Hu’s faith in Osiris. It was her mistake in missing something when she was certain that Osiris had betrayed them.
Her glance naturally fell down. The scars Osiris left were still clearly visible, even in the light Seon-Hu was emitting.
This is another step to deceive Doom Kaos and get through this…
However, she wondered if it was necessary to go this far. Osiris had exerted his Power when he whipped her, which was why her scars had not healed yet.
Woo Yeon-Hee pondered on what she had missed while waiting for Seon-Hu’s divinity to become complete. She wanted to tell him that she was wrong as a celebration gift for him completing his god-like authority.
Then, the light of divinity stretched out from Seon-Hu’s body.
“Ah!”
An exclamation of joy and self-blame burst out of her mouth. Among the layers of scars, a part was shining brightly. She was sure when she looked at it again. She saw a pattern that were lines created by connecting them.
‘his is…
As the light that had blown out from Seon-Hu all concentrated and disappeared into his body, her scars, which had been conspicuous for a moment, also returned to their original state. She waited for Seon-Hu to catch his breath, then spoke.
“Osiris…”
Just mentioning the name put strength into Seon-Hu’s voice, “We already talked about this. Stop. Stop, Woo Yeon-Hee.”
“I was wrong.”
While she was happy to admit she was wrong, she also felt as if something in her solid world was collapsing. There was another person in the world who did not change.
That must be Osiris.
Otherwise, there was no reason for Osiris to secretly plant such a thing in her body, hiding it in her scars from the gaze of Doom Kaos. That was why Osiris’s whip had been so harsh.
“Osiris did not betray us.”
Her words that started joyfully turned gloomy towards the end because of an ominous feeling. Even at this moment, Osiris could have been volunteering to walk into danger. She hurried, recalling the situation in outer space where unusual signs had begun.
“There is something we need to check first.”
She said, shifting her gaze to her scars.
“This is a message from Osiris to you.”