103 — Chapter 103

When the Sword Immortal’s blade split the heavens, the first thing to come into view were stars.

Inside the Thirteen Palaces of the Void—a place that drifted in the air but lacked true substance—no stars were visible no matter how high one looked.

Yet, as he sliced through space, the boundary crumbled like a torn veil, revealing the original night sky.

What lay beyond it, however, was staggering.

“That’s…”

『FEAR NOT.』

Hiding within the brilliant starlight, something was looking down at them.

It was a giant eye.

But it was a far cry from the beautiful violet eyes possessed by Mala-nim.

The massive eyeball was bleeding incessantly, as if shedding tears.

On the eyelids stood a cemetery where inverted crosses, pierced with nails, were planted.

Hung upon those countless crosses were figures presumed to be human.

Every time their screams and agony coalesced to drop below the eye, the gathered dead below would cheer as they drank the blood.

The happiness of the many, forged by the sacrifices of a few.

Their joyful gestures looked as though they had truly been saved from hell.

“Ugh!”

“Commander Ha Yeri!?”

“Are you alright?”

As the Outer God revealed itself, a change occurred in several raid members fighting the Royal Guards.

Their muscles tensed involuntarily and their movements slowed, allowing the enemy to land unexpected strikes.

Some were unable to use their supernatural abilities properly, while others struggled to catch their breath.

They were Ha Yeri, Alexei, and those whose abilities were near the entry level of the Upper Level.

“…….”

The gaze turned toward me as well.

For a very brief moment, our eyes met head-on.

I channeled my mana, wondering if it would try something more, but by the time I regained my senses, it was gone.

As if it had never existed in the first place.

“Did you see it clearly?”

“Yes.”

The split night sky closed, and everything returned to normal.

The Sword Immortal, having sheathed his blade, asked a question.

“What are your impressions? To your eyes, does that truly look like a being that deserves to float above our heads?”

“…is.”

“Hmm? What did you say?”

Did he not hear me?

Then that’s fine.

“I’ll tell you later.”

I drew my sword, soothing Mala-nim as she bristled with hostility from inside my sleeve.

It was time to join the fray.

---

With the vanished Outer God of Salvation behind us, the raid proceeded smoothly.

While my Unit 1 drew the Royal Guards’ focus, Units 2 and 3—who had infiltrated through the East and West Gates—secured the route to the King’s audience chamber.

Unit 4, which had been waiting at the North Gate, took charge of confronting the Chinese Awakened.

Even as everything flowed according to plan, only one thought filled my head.

『Mala-nim.』

『Fear not?』

『Yes, I’m afraid. If I had met a different Outer God, I might have spent fifteen years eating nothing but ox-blood hangun¹ instead of tentacles.』

『FEAR NOT!?』

I’m glad I had good luck with the Outer God gacha.

If I had become the Apostle of the Outer God of Salvation, life in the Demon Realm would have been miserable.

Mala-nim was appalled, asking, “Were you only thinking about eating even after seeing such a being for yourself!?” but she only said that because she’d never known true hunger.

For me, having spent most of my childhood in the grip of starvation and famine, a meal was more important than anything.

“On that note, let’s have a feast today. I’ll handle the cooking.”

“Ho ho, for a swordsman, a full stomach is nothing but a luxury.”

“I apologize, Elder. I shall re-educate him.”

“More importantly, you—which master’s disciple are you? I’ve never seen your face in the guild before…”

It was a brief rest period just before entering the King’s audience chamber.

Everyone was preparing meals for basic maintenance and recovery from fatigue.

Since everyone came from different backgrounds, the sight of people gathering in their respective groups to eat was a common scene when multiple raid teams entered a Gate together.

I had no complaints about that itself, but the problem was that I was stuck with the members of The Old Gods’ Wound.

“These are the Byeokgok² energy bars we brought, Elder.”

“We also have Byeokgok Zero Cola here.”

“Look at those Magic Tower bastards. To think they’d light a fire just to eat a single meal; anyone would think they’re having a party.”

“Lighting a fire like that only increases the chance of a surprise attack. Someone could poison the food while they’re away, too.”

“Indeed, indeed. Meals on the battlefield are nothing but a luxury.”

Would you people please just indulge in a little luxury for once?

Watching the mages receive rations from a food truck they’d pulled out of sub-space, I once again realized how primitive these “sword-only” obsessives were.

Even the Union members, who had been stuck to our side during the battle, began to sneak away with their rice balls in hand.

If I had been alone, I would have pulled out a tentacle to eat, but that was impossible while playing the role of Sae Pa-ran.

“Hey, rookie, take one.”

Clang!

A hard, rectangular stick was tossed toward me.

It bounced off the ground once in the middle, and it definitely made the sound of metal clashing.

Is this the legendary “Byeokgok energy bar”?

Ignoring the ominous feeling as best I could, I cautiously peeled back the wrapper and took a trial bite.

Right then, the sound of a sharp crack!—the kind Mala-nim makes when she is absolutely livid—echoed from my own teeth.

“What’s with you? Is it that delicious? You’re practically moved to tears.”

“I was the same way until my fourth year. I heard kids these days skip out on this good stuff to eat things like Choco Pies?”

“Tsk, tsk. They need to get their mindsets straight. Huh? Where are you going?”

“Just… going to the restroom for a moment.”

I stood up, clutching my jaw.

I had to get as far away from those barbarians as possible.

Perhaps it was because we were fundamentally cut from the same cloth, but even after leaving Division 3, the scent of that place felt even more pungent here, making my head spin.

As I was wandering around, I eventually crouched down in front of a portable toilet set up in a corner.

A shadow loomed over me, accompanied by a deep, heavy voice.

“Is there no food?”

“Pardon?”

“I asked if you were hungry.”

I looked up to find Alexei standing before me.

He was holding a lunch box in his hand.

Originally, the Special Unit mostly ate combat rations inside Gates, but recently, a bout of food poisoning in the cafeteria had made it impossible for them to have a proper meal for days.

Thus, at the suggestion of Shim Ha-yul, the Deputy Commander of Division 6, they had hand-packed lunch boxes for the personnel heading out on this raid.

One glance told me it was delicious, featuring meat and various side dishes.

My mouth watered instinctively.

“Really? But why give it to me…?”

“No particular reason. The way you were sitting there looking so pathetic reminded me strangely of my old brother.”

“Did… did I look like that?”

“I have no appetite anyway. It is because I am facing my long-awaited revenge.”

I accepted the lunch box Alexei gave me and listened to his story as I ate.

Most of it was no different from what he’d told me back at the Special Unit.

However, there was one thing.

When it came to what he would do after his revenge was complete, his answer had changed.

“I haven’t told my brother whom I met here yet, but I am actually considering retiring after this mission.”

“What!? Is that true?”

“Mm. Once I deal with Kandu, I will have no more lingering attachments to this life.”

“But Alexei… no, O Butcher of Bishkek. Do you not still have another target for your vengeance?”

Even if the man waiting behind those doors was his enemy, Alexei had one more target for his revenge.

It was the Archduke’s Familiar who had killed his wife and child.

“I have roamed the continent for over ten years chasing them. The reason I came to this country was to find their Gate.”

“You’re almost there. You’ll be able to find them soon.”

“Even if I tear them to death, my wife and child will not return. At the end of revenge, only emptiness remains—I have finally realized that obvious truth now.”

Why had this man, who was practically the incarnation of vengeance, suddenly changed like this?

I couldn’t fathom it.

Did his head go soft from reading all those strange books lately?

“When I first came to this country, I intended to cut off that demon’s head and hang it in my room. But after hearing my brother’s sincere advice, my mind has changed.”

“Pardon?”

“We should live by loving more rather than killing. Rage that one cannot control only eats away at oneself and leads to ruin.”

It was because of me…!

That first night I had used the Tentacle of Suggestion on Alexei.

To reduce his hostility toward me, the conversation we had shared all night had caused him to realize the futility of revenge.

“Since that day, Hayan’s words have remained deep in my heart, stimulating me. Telling me to make the right choice for those who have left, and for those who remain.”

“…….”

“It might not be bad to stay here and run a fried chicken business. While playing with that busy guy’s younger sister in his stead.”

No!

I couldn’t let him be snatched away by Mala-nim like this.

Reverting to the tone of a solemn swordsman, I offered him my counsel.

“I have no intention of opposing the Great Hero’s decision, but if this humble one may add a word to repay the price of this lunch box… that is a mistaken thought.”

“Hm? Why is that?”

“Whether the Great Hero takes his revenge on them or not, your precious loved ones will not return.”

“That is true.”

“Then wouldn’t it be better to just go ahead and get your revenge anyway? At least you’ll feel a bit better.”

Even I thought that was a psychopathic line of reasoning.

However, any of the swordsmen from The Old Gods’ Wound I’d seen so far would have said the exact same thing.

“You still lack enlightenment.”

“Ahem, this humble one only spoke out of a desire to be of help to the Great Hero…”

“The way you cut down the enemy with invisible trajectories in the battle earlier was indeed magnificent. However, you would do well to reflect more on the mindset of a warrior, not just a swordsman.”

The advice of a green young swordsman who wasn’t even a blood brother, but someone who had merely snagged a free lunch, wasn’t taken very seriously by the battle-hardened Alexei.

What should I do?

At this rate, I’d lose him forever and spend my nights soaking my pillow with tears.

I racked my brain for a way to pull Alexei back onto the path of revenge.

After desperately spinning my gears.

A good idea suddenly struck me.

“For revenge, isn’t the opinion of the victim the most important thing of all?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“According to what this humble one knows, I have heard that among those sinister individuals who handle Black Magic, there are beings who can summon the dead to the realm of the living to share a conversation.”

“It is not easy to find someone who has reached such a level.”

“Does the Great Hero’s roommate not happen to be that famous ‘Light Mage, Sae Hayan’? Surely among his acquaintances, there must be someone who uses such secret arts. For instance, one of the Seven Immortals…”

“Hmm….”

He fell into thought for a moment.

It seemed he was drawing a connection between me and the White Immortal.

Back when he had accepted her request for cooperation to move to the Gate leading to the Necropolis.

Alexei had told me to be sure to invite him when I married the White Immortal.

“…I hadn’t thought of that. I should check as soon as I get out of here. Thank you, young man.”

“Not at all. I am merely happy to have been of help to the Great Hero.”

Whew, that was a close one.

With this, as long as I told him that Alexei’s wife and child wanted a blood-soaked revenge, he wouldn’t leave the Special Unit.

『FEAR NOT?』

『What if they actually don’t want revenge, you ask? Why worry about that?』

It was a problem that could be solved by just sending a text to the White Immortal later.

Now all that remained was to avoid the situation where two heads—one demon and one human—ended up hanging side by side in the dormitory.

I was about to take a breather since it wasn’t an immediate emergency, but then, Ha Yeri’s urgent command rang out.

“We are splitting our forces right now! Except for the minimum number of people needed to assassinate the King with the Sword Immortal, everyone else must head to the North Gate!”

“What happened all of a sudden?”

“Unit 4 has been hit. It seems there is someone powerful among those from the outside aiming for the throne.”