Translator: Alpha0210
To me, a fight was not a matter of competing with an opponent and claiming victory, but rather a process of gaining certainty. This was because understanding one’s own strength and actually feeling it were two completely different matters.
Even if the opponent was Destruction, my strength did not diminish.
How much Destruction remained, and whether there were any entities among them capable of threatening me.
I could not know it all, but at the very least, among all the Destructions I had faced so far, not one had ever truly overwhelmed me.
Perhaps that fact had caused me to lower my guard. This wasn’t arrogance, but a different kind of carelessness, and even I couldn’t say for certain why my mind had loosened.
One thing was clear: if I were truly a perfect being, a so-called “superorganism” or “perfect form” as those who created me unanimously claimed, I would not have made such a mistake.
I hadn’t anticipated the betrayal of “the one who created me”.
Even while fighting against hundreds of Destructions, with a Void Lord sent to support me.
Even though I knew that Destruction could absorb the appearance, habits, and memories of those they killed, I hadn’t even considered the simple possibility that Destruction had already infiltrated among the Void Lords.
Such carelessness leads to fatal consequences.
Fundamentally, my defense was extremely high. In a previous meeting, even when I allowed the blade of the Everlasting Plum Sword Yang In-hyun to strike me, not a single scratch appeared on my bare flesh.
And until now, I hadn’t encountered a Destruction whose offensive power surpassed that of the Everlasting Plum Sword.
All of this information was known to the traitorous Void Lord that is, Destruction. Since they had fully accessed the memories of the one who created me, in some ways, they may have known me even better than I knew myself.
In other words, the moment the traitor decided to attack must have been the moment they had full confidence they could deal a fatal blow to me.
The Void Lord, the being who had once been the “Exile of the entire universe”, made that decision and swung his arm at me.
When exactly the Exile had become Destruction, I had no way of knowing.
In fact, he was the Void Lord who most frequently traveled to the “Outside” and, due to his abilities, often moved around alone, so there must have been countless moments when he could have been killed by Destruction.
When the Exile charged at me, his hand was enveloped in a light I had never seen before. I knew that it was the Exile’s one and only authority, the “Occult Hand”.
This was because the process of my creation involved referencing the data of countless strong beings.
The existence known as the Half King was a compilation of the strongest beings in the universe.
Naturally, their data had also been stored in my mind, but at that moment, the Occult Hand used by the Exile was far stronger than what I had assessed, and it was surrounded by an unknown energy.
Looking back now, it wasn’t such an unusual thing.
After all, the Exile had acquired that power from the “Outside.” After coming into contact with Destruction, unknown events had overlapped, and it was not strange for the output of that power to have increased dramatically.
[I’m sorry, Your Highness.]
The Exile said those words while shedding tears just before stabbing me.
I couldn’t understand the true meaning behind those words.
Were they just random words uttered by Destruction to shake me?
Or was it proof that the Exile’s ego still remained?
No matter how deeply I thought about it, there was no clear answer, and more than anything, I didn’t even want to.
I had suffered a great emotional wound from the Exile’s betrayal. Just thinking about him made my heart feel as if it were being torn to shreds.
Shock, confusion, disbelief.
Swept away by a wave of sudden emotions, I lost the tension in my entire body, and the Occult Hand easily tore through my unguarded flesh. After that, I remembered nothing. I must have lost consciousness from the fatal injury.
Bubble…
By the time I regained consciousness, I heard the sound of water droplets that was all too familiar.
It was the sound I could only hear in the past when I was inside the capsule.
I almost burst into tears from the longing. When I was trapped inside the capsule, I had at least some sense of anticipation, yearning, and excitement toward the Outside. Whenever I felt pain like my head would split open, all I could think about was how I wanted it all to end quickly and to escape from that place.
But once I actually came out, the Outside was far harsher than I had imagined.
If it was going to be like this, it would’ve been better not to come out at all. Living and dying forever inside that narrow and cozy space, while harboring eternal longing for the Outside, would have been much happier.
Bubble…
However, unlike during the time in the capsule, I could now move my body without much difficulty.
Although I could hear the sound of water droplets, I wasn’t trapped in a closed space like a capsule; rather, I was floating in a spacious and wide-open room.
Futurix must have retrieved me and begun treatment.
I realized that.
Indeed, thanks to this excellent body, both external and internal wounds healed quickly.
Even without creating such an environment, this superior body would have naturally completed its own recovery. What Futurix did merely shortened that process a bit.
However, should I call it a wound of the heart?
The cracks that formed within did not mend so easily.
Even more serious than that was the fact that the fear inside me had grown.
Before, it was only faint enough to sense its presence, and I could forcefully shift my attention to shake it off, but now, it had become difficult.
Fear swelled several times in size and tightened around my neck.
The fear had a definite form and constantly oppressed me.
My chest ached.
I wanted to cry while submerged in the water, but I couldn’t, thinking of Futurix who would be watching me.
What should I do?
What is the right way?
Why does it have to be me?
In the treatment room of the Future City.
Soaked in the culture fluid, lost in a dilemma with no answer in sight.
Suddenly, I became aware of someone reaching a hand out toward me.
***
Residue blinked both eyes, then spoke haltingly.
“You subdued him? And even finished locking him up?”
“Surprised? He was indeed quite the fighter. But…”
Residue suddenly burst into loud laughter.
It was so thunderous that it created faint ripples on the surface of the water, and to Futurix, it felt like thunder was crashing right next to her ear.
But what made her frown wasn’t the volume of the laughter.
This was mockery.
“What do you find amusing?”
“You say you subdued him? You, that guy? I’m not criticizing you, but you’d better check again. He’s the one who subdues, not someone who gets subdued.”
“You seem to have considerable faith in your companion. Or are you trying to provoke me?”
Residue stopped sneering and made an annoyed face.
“I don’t like types like you who think too deeply about unnecessary things. Isn’t there someone else I can talk to? You said four of the Twelve Void Lords were here. I hope at least one of them is capable of a proper conversation.”
Not even asking for the Death Worm, just someone like the Everlasting Plum Sword would do.
When Residue added that with a slight shrug, this time it was Futurix who sneered.
“Pretending to be calm… it’s almost pitiful.”
“I really am calm.”
“Then are you overestimating yourself? Even the former Beginning Wizard, who was once called the strongest, couldn’t take on four Void Lords alone.”
“Then quit flapping your tongue and try it yourself.”
“…”
The sneer on Futurix’s face deepened.
At that very moment.
“No need… to talk any… further.”
A crude voice broke in, stuttering slightly, just as the ceiling collapsed. Splash, splash, chunks of metal fell onto the water’s surface, and among them was the largest mass.
The owner of the voice.
This guy showed no intention of concealing his presence. He landed roughly with both feet spread wide, like a massive rock being dropped into a lake, sending up a loud splash.
Through the scattering water, a familiar face appeared, one that had been seen once during the meeting.
The God’s Envoy of the Twelve Void Lords.
Contrary to his grandiose title, he was just a pitiful guy who used to scavenge the leftovers of a god.
“Playing with water seems to be your hobby. But with that build, you should find something that suits you better.”
When Residue grumbled while shaking off the water, a reply came.
“The God’s Envoy speaks the truth.”
Just as the surface had started to settle, it surged again, and through the flowing water, someone appeared.
“This one will only be a hindrance to us anyway.”
I thought it was a clump of seaweed at first. Looking more closely, it seemed like hair. Either way, the figure was wrapped in something slippery and sticky like bandages, if I had ever seen such a striking appearance before, I would never have forgotten it.
In other words, it was my first time seeing this person, but regardless, the voice was familiar.
It belonged to the Void Lord with the somewhat enigmatic title, “The Sinking One”.
Residue looked around and spoke.
“One, two, three. Including you, that makes three. Where’s the last one? Based on the situation, I assume you called Golden Eye.”
[Here.]
The voice came from behind.
When Residue turned around, a massive eyeball was so close it seemed stuck to his back.
“Whoa, that startled me.”
Anyway, up close, the blood vessels in the eyeball were visible, and it looked like hundreds of thousands of bugs were writhing inside the pupil. Feeling an odd discomfort, Residue instinctively fired off a lightning bolt.
Before it could make contact, the golden eye vanished without a trace, only to reappear some distance away.
As he slowly looked around, Residue realized that he was now surrounded on all four sides.
In short, he was surrounded… but he didn’t feel particularly threatened.
Because the Half King would not be participating in this fight anyway. Residue looked over at the Half King, who remained standing rigidly still.
What is she thinking right now?
Her expression was fully exposed without any mask, yet it was impossible to tell.
He withdrew his gaze and continued speaking.
“Futurix, God’s Envoy, The Sinking One, Golden Eye. That’s four. Such famous figures gathering in one place just for me… it’s enough to swell my chest with pride. But you there, the seaweed blob.”
Residue pointed at The Sinking One.
“Your title is especially annoying to say out loud. If you’ve got another name, speak up. Isn’t it a hassle to call you ‘The Sinking One’ every time?”
At those words, The Sinking One let out a hollow laugh.
“You seem unaware of the situation. Or are you bluffing?”
“I’ve told others before, I don’t bluff. That’s because I’m already strong.”
“That guy… talks too… much,”
the God’s Envoy said, spitting the words out like venom and clenching both fists.
“Isn’t it… simple? If we… tear him to shreds right here… it’s all over. Futurix… wasn’t that why… you summoned us?”
“…That’s right.”
Futurix nodded.
“But don’t let your guard down. That man primarily uses lightning and sometimes employs a technique that lets him move at an extremely fast speed. The qi wave he emits at that time is highly destructive, viewing it as an attack technique rather than a movement technique would be more accurate.”
“Was he strong?”
“If hit directly, even we might not come out unscathed.”
So they’d seen One Step Through Time and Space.
Was it when he tried to confirm the Half King’s identity?
‘Crafty bastard.’
Residue clicked his tongue.
Anyway, fighting as things were wasn’t a bad idea… but there was no need to take unnecessary risks.
Residue took a deep breath and shouted loudly.
“A-tif-!”
At the booming cry, the Void Lords flinched and instead of immediately attacking, began watching Residue carefully.
They seemed to suspect that his shout itself might be some kind of attack.
‘This is why guys who think too much are exhausting.’
“Re-join-me-!”
Only then did Futurix realize that “Atif” was a person’s name, and that Residue had a companion.
“You’re still looking for your companion? It’s beyond disappointing, it’s pathetic.”
“…Ahem.”
Residue cleared his throat and continued.
“This is for your sake. If four Void Lords are the opponent, even I can’t hold back. Which means I might accidentally kill one or two of you.”
Futurix no longer bothered to sneer.
She looked at Residue with a hard expression, then spoke slowly.
“…I’ve changed my mind. Now I simply want to turn that smug face of yours into one full of tears. You said Atif, right? Then let me show you the companion you’ve been so desperately searching for.”
A monitor dropped down from the ceiling.
All the eyes in the room turned toward the screen.
“Here. Take a good look. Your imprisoned-”
Her sentence cut off abruptly. It was because of the scene that appeared on the monitor.
What kind of place was this?
It was a vast space, with most of the visible area dominated by a circular column. It was made of some unknown metallic material, and rather than being a single object, it looked like numerous components with different functions were organically connected.
Around the pillar, hundreds of monitors, electrodes, and wires were messily attached, and something like hot steam was constantly being discharged.
“……”
Futurix’s expression stiffened. She looked as though she had lost her words.
At that moment, Residue spotted a familiar man at the center of the space.
As expected, it was Agolet, and the mask he had been lent was removed. He was holding a drawn sword in one hand, appearing as if he had just finished a battle. While silently observing the pillar, Agolet soon seemed to realize someone was watching and turned his gaze.
“Ah, Your Majesty. You’re there?”
A soft voice came through.
“…White Knight?”
Futurix, coming to her senses belatedly, stammered as she spoke.
“How… why is that person there? Don’t tell me the companion is… How did he manage to bring out the White Knight? He’s not someone who could be persuaded through ordinary means…”
Futurix rambled as if an error had occurred in her system.
Seeing that she didn’t know that Residue and Agolet were companions, it seemed fortunately that Kiel hadn’t leaked the information to her.
Ignoring Futurix, Residue murmured,
“He looks even more relaxed than I expected.”
It was almost more of a mutter to himself, but the monitor must have had a communication function, as a reply came back shortly after.
“As long as I moved carefully, there wasn’t much difficulty. As I said, Futurix is an extremely meticulous being, so exploring the city without drawing her attention was rather enjoyable.”
Was the process really as easy as he claimed?
If anything happened within this city, Futurix likely would have known, even if it were just a limp in a single insect’s leg.
“Why are you there?” asked The Sinking One.
Agolet replied.
“The one standing beside you now is my king.”
“…You say you’ve pledged yourself to this man? You’re saying he’s your White Prince?”
“White Prince… that’s an irreverent title. Since I’ve decided to serve him, he will, without a doubt, become a king, someday.”
That hadn’t been discussed beforehand, had it?
He’d been calling him ‘Your Majesty’ all along instead of ‘Your Highness’. Was that the intention?
Residue let out a hollow laugh.
“So then. You weren’t really just out sightseeing in the city, were you?”
“…The Void Lord Futurix,”
Agolet smiled faintly,
“is composed of a total of thirty-two auxiliary cores and one main core. Unless even one of those is destroyed, she can perfectly regenerate at any time, a true Void Lord.”
That was information he hadn’t known.
If that was true, then Residue might have to prepare for a much longer battle than he originally expected. While not on the level of the Death Worm, Futurix would still be an exceptionally difficult opponent to kill, and subduing such an enemy would require many times more effort.
However, Futurix didn’t look confident rather, her expression was filled with unease. As if her mouth was parched, she looked up at Agolet.
Agolet, without even glancing at Futurix, continued speaking.
“And I have just finished identifying the locations of all the cores. Your Majesty, I am now capable of silencing the Void Lord Futurix at any moment.”
“……!”
Futurix flinched, and Residue couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
“Very well done, Agolet. I commend you. So… does that mean the tides have turned?”
The one who seemed like the toughest opponent, Futurix, could now be taken down easily, and Agolet didn’t appear to be too far away either.
Three of the Twelve Void Lords still remained, and none of them could be called easy opponents, but holding out until Agolet arrived wasn’t going to be difficult.
Even the uncertainty of not knowing their abilities wouldn’t be a big issue if the White Knight joined the fight.
“There’s no need to be too scared. I don’t know if I mentioned this already, but I don’t even need to fight myself. What I want from you all is simple. Attend the upcoming Grand Summit and-”
“Your Majesty,”
Agolet interrupted in a quiet voice and then said something completely unexpected.
“I believe in Your Majesty.”
“What are you suddenly talking about?”
“Your Majesty is a powerful being. And surely, you will face countless crises in the future. Compared to that, isn’t the hardship you now face no more than a small hill in your path?”
“……”
It felt like someone had doused him with cold water, his elevated mood dropped instantly.
From Residue’s perspective, Agolet was wearing an ominously unsettling smile.
“…What are you trying to say?”
“I believe that Your Majesty has already found a way to resolve this crisis.”
He spoke softly with a voice full of confidence, then added with a radiant smile.
“A method to settle the situation without this Agolet’s assistance.”
“……”
For a moment, their gazes locked in the air.
It was only then that Residue realized the intention behind Agolet’s words, something he hadn’t wanted to understand.
So this bastard was saying,
‘Since I have no intention of helping, figure it out yourself’?
“Hey, Agolet. Wait just a-”
Click.
The screen went black.
That damned bastard had cut off the communication unilaterally without even waiting for a response.
“……”
“……”
Residue could feel everyone’s gaze turning toward him, and he slowly spoke.
“…That guy does enjoy jokes now and then. What you just heard, well, how should I put it, it was just a little wordplay, nothing to take too seriously. So, what you all should focus on now is that I still have the upper hand…”
He couldn’t finish his sentence.
The four Void Lords attacked him simultaneously.
*****
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