92. Days of Mortality
“At last the dead came out.”
What Akan was looking at was a collapsed building in the aftermath of the crash of the giant’s head, and the corpses of the people who were crushed inside.
No, is that bastard trying to argue with that again? In a fit of rage, I fired a sharp mind wave at him.
[Is it someone else’s fault again? The hero may be strong, but he is not a god?]
Even God, the cosmic phenomenon itself, has limitations. However, despite my reaction, Akan remained silent. It’s like he throws a stone into a calm lake and it only makes small ripples.
Cream quietly approached Akan and opened her mouth.
“Now, am I a warrior?”
“Yes?”
“Without using force, nonsense. Save people.”
That’s right, just as Akan had uttered, Cream from a while ago acted very like a warrior. For free, without any cost, they fought against huge monsters and protected people.
Now, Cream wants to return to the warrior and discuss the hero again. Of course, everyone knew that one act of heroism would not change anything.
“hahahaha.”
However, the words without any sarcasm or ridicule, just pure questions, finally made Arkan burst into laughter.
Even though it was as dry as the fallen leaves in late autumn, it was a laugh. It’s definitely not ridiculous. Now I’m dumbfounded too.
Akan criticized Cream and other warriors who behaved uncharacteristically like a hero in the story, to be more precise.
“·······No. I am not blaming you.”
And Cream showed it through action to Akan, who said he couldn’t be a warrior. Of course, this doesn’t rationalize the destruction and mayhem that Cream has done elsewhere.
At least, Arkhan, who couldn’t help in this situation, had no justification to criticize Cream anymore. Calculating all this Cream, a scary child.
······Looking at that fierce expression, it may have been that she had just recklessly defeated the enemy at the word that she acted like a hero without thinking. I want to believe that it is not.
[Then?]
“I just knew. Yes, as you said, the hero is not a god.”
After saying that, Akan pointed at Cream’s forearm. There wasn’t any bleeding or bruising, just a few scratches on the skin.
Actually, it’s nothing if it’s a wound. It was to the point that neither I nor Cream had noticed. I couldn’t even get a scratch, let alone an injury, but the traces seemed to have a completely different meaning to that brave soldier.
“Even if you are infinitely close to perfection, you are still an imperfect being… Are you saying?”
[Yes. No matter how brave he is, not everything will come true as he wishes.]
Of course, Cream seems to achieve 99% of what she wants. Well, in the first place, I didn’t even think that the brave man would be cured with just these words and incidents.
Although Arkhan must have known that the hero he worshiped closely was a mortal who was no different from him after all, there was not a single ripple in his calm like a lake.
No, maybe his faith was broken a long time ago. On the day he broke through the information concealment of the Great War and witnessed the ugly truth of the hero. However, the gnome was still following the hero.
That’s probably why he called himself a hero. The desire to attract the attention of a real warrior. And the desire to become a warrior himself.
[Akan, why did you want to become a hero?]
At that time, I heard a mental wave that was kinder than usual but still brusque. The muffin hanging from Choco’s waist, which had returned to its human form, was humming and expressing its will.
“I am…”
[Did you envy the divinity of the warrior who is loved by the three gods? Or, the power that the hero has that transcends humans? Otherwise, the absolute position of a hero that no one on earth can touch?]
“・・・・・・No, no.”
Akan’s face was as quiet as a lake at Muffin’s rude remark, and displeasure passed. Distorting his handsome face, the bastard vomited.
“I just had a question. He possessed such great divinity, wielded such mighty arms, wielded such great power.”
He didn’t even hide his ugly desire anymore. No, why didn’t he kill him sooner and listen to the story? Is this an advisory of hope or something?
But the mood of the others was too serious for me to joke about. Even the Holy Sword, who insisted on killing Akan like me, was listening to Akan at this moment.
“Why don’t they want to change the world? Knowing that everyone in the world is struggling in pain, why do the warriors do more to drive the world into pain instead of saving them?”
[Mmm.]
[As I said before, the hero is not a god.]
Somehow uncomfortable moans of the holy sword as if there was a corner to be stabbed. And, in contrast to Akan, who is close to screaming but still harbors a dark passion, Muffin’s hoarse voice, as if completely exhausted from the world.
[A hero is not a god. Even if chosen by the gods, a hero has no obligation to save everyone else. Also, since he is not a god, he is easily swayed by his desires like a mortal who burns his short life.]
“But, if I had that much power…!”
[I told you, there is no such thing as a hero’s duty to save everyone. There is only one responsibility given to the hero, but only to give birth to the demon king.]
Hearing that subdued voice, Arkhan closed his mouth, then asked a question in a cautious tone.
“Who are you? Who are you to say this?”
Of course, Arkan knew that this mental wave was flowing from the dagger hanging from Choko’s waist with his excellent intellect, but he did not know whose soul it belonged to.
[I am Murphy Lowe. Hmm, yes. For now, let’s leave it at the hero’s third companion.]
“The Battle Saint…?”
[Yes. And this child wearing me is also a saint.]
Perhaps because of his interest in the hero, Akan immediately recognized his opponent’s identity just by hearing his name. Besides, the meaning of the saintess.
“The demon king of this generation probably hasn’t even appeared yet.”
[But isn’t it that difficult to read the fate of the heavenly gods?]
Akan couldn’t refute Muffin’s words and swallowed. Taking advantage of his silence, Muffin continued the conversation in a husky voice.
[It may not be the type of salvation you desire, but the hero saves this world by defeating the demon king. Perhaps that’s why you first started worshiping the hero.]
“·······Yes. It’s embarrassing and childish, but it is.”
[Then why did you pursue the hero? Is it because you defeated the Demon King, or…]
Akan’s momentum was still as calm as a lake. However, it seemed that he was already broken. When he opened his mouth again, his voice was getting wet with waves little by little.
“I don’t know.”
Hey, our new faces are not easy either. How could you capture the warrior so easily? No matter what, Seonggeom needs to put in some effort to maintain his position as King Seondong.
Well, although individual persuasion and group agitation are a bit different areas. Moreover, even though it was clear that they had met for the first time, Muffin’s attitude somehow seemed to know about Akan.
“Maybe I’m still stuck in my childhood dreams. As a child, I naturally assumed that I would become a hero.”
I snorted. Yes, everyone is like that when they are young. Even when I was in high school, I thought I would go to Seoul National University.
However, when people become adults, they become aware of reality. Just as I realized that saying that I go to college and get a girlfriend when I go to college is a lie.
A person cannot grow if he is buried in childhood dreams.
[Then, in the end, the reason you followed the hero was because that was your future? Because these are the things you will have anyway, and they are the things you will hold on to?]
“No, no.”
[Yes, the reason you followed the hero is after all.]
Akan said quietly.
“Because he was a savior. Because I, like the hero, wanted to save someone else.”
The warriors in the story were truly heroes. ‘Diligence’, ‘Exemplar’, ‘Goodness’, ‘Peace’. As if given such a nickname, the record of the hero was full of strange praise and deceit.
Of course, the followers of the brave who grew up watching such records will go crazy if they find out the truth in any way. A madman who loves heroes, hates heroes, and dreams of becoming one. Warrior soldier.
However, if there is one fact that does not change.
[Many parts of the record about the hero are lies, but the only truth is that the world will not perish because there are heroes.]
Without a hero, there is no demon king. And without the Demon King, the world would perish.
“Such……. If so, I am.”
[Isn’t that the direction of salvation you want?]
I am amazed to see how he treats a seriously ill soldier who is immune to logical persuasion or forceful threats. Akan was quietly listening to Muffin like a docile sheep.
[Even if you’re not a hero, don’t you have power? Go on like you’ve always done. As you will, save people and change the world.]
“Saintess…”
The tone was very friendly, but the voice was so hoarse that it didn’t feel very moving. However, Akan even bowed to Choko with tears in his eyes as if he had received some kind of revelation.
Either way, Choco, who was once exhorted by the priests of the stars in the Great War, retreated in fright. Of course, the object Arkan bowed to was not chocolate, but the muffin hanging from her waist.
[Don’t ask for help from the gods in the heavens. The only thing that can save a mortal being is the same mortal being. Just like the station.]
She didn’t shed any tears, but Akan nodded her head with deep eyes. Her momentum, which was like a lake, also deepened, and it seemed that she had definitely attained enlightenment.
But looking at the situation, I was seized with a bad feeling. Muffin, why did you look at me while you said your last words?
*
Alarcus, the 4th cult of the Dark Church, was walking in the Holy Land of the Dark Church.
The place where his steps were headed was the hall located in the deepest part of the Holy Land. The place where the Great Bridge of the Dark Church is located.
“Where are you going?”
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However, before he reached the hall, a voice interrupted him. Alacus looked back at him with a slight annoyance.
Even in the Holy Land of the Dark Church, there are very few people who can enter this depth. Alarcus frowned at the blonde young man with glowing red eyes.
“The No. 1 Social Society.”
“Nice to meet you. The Fourth Cult.”
At first glance, it seems ordinary, but the opponent was a tricky guy in many ways to deal with, even as Alarcus. Even though it looks like a young man, what sits inside is an old monster that has been around for hundreds of years.
“So I ask again, where are you going?”
“I’m going to the ambassador. I have something to report.”
“This is such a coincidence. Coincidentally, I also have work and am on my way to the ambassador.”
Alarcus frowned, his eight eyes flashing viciously, but in the end he had no choice but to allow him to accompany him. Except for the Great Bridge, the ranks of other cults are in principle equal.
The first cult was a monster that did not belong to that category. Other cults have been replaced several times, but over the years, the head of the first cult has never changed hands.
“For what?”
Rumors circulated that he had been with the Dark Church since the first time the Dark Church was founded, even before the Great Sect was created. The seat of the leader is always vacant after the first leader left.
In a sense, it was no exaggeration to say that he was the eldest member of the Dark Church, having lived longer than the Archbishop.
“It’s no fun if I just tell you. That’s right, shall we risk something to match our goals?”
“······Enough. Like a silly bet.”
Although Alacus took the form of a clown, he was unable to overcome his opponent’s smirk. As he turned his head coldly, the 1st cult, still smiling, spoke.
“Let me guess first. Is it because of the incident that happened this time in the Sunset Mountains?”
“·······! How!”
“hahahaha, my clan is everywhere.”
Alarcus was startled. Even within the Dark Church, he must be the only one who has connections with the high-ranking demon contractors, so how could this nobility know that?
“The tribe of the Sunset Mountains, which was managed by the 5th cult, was annihilated, and the elder lich, who was a collaborator, was also suspected of betrayal. Well, you should know about this.”
Alarcus was startled and horrified to see secrets pouring out of his opponent. All of them are members of the same Dark Church, but Alarcus, who is from a different background, is being rejected.
In fact, it is nonsense that someone without a fallen stigma is a cult. Rather, that is why he has been hiding more information to strengthen his position, but all of that has been exposed at this moment.
“Yes. Do you know that the beast is the hero?”
“What? Really!”
Alakus almost grabbed the 1st cult’s collar for an instant, but soon regained consciousness. Even though he had hate hair, he couldn’t have acted in such a rash way.
However, even if I endured it, I couldn’t help but feel the desire to hit the opponent. As Alarcus shuddered, the First Cult smiled and beckoned.
“You can listen to the detailed story together.”
“What?”
“He is waiting for you. Let’s go.”
As his presence grew little by little, Alarcus gritted his teeth and followed the 1st cult. As the 1st cult that had gone ahead put his hand on the doorknob of the hall, a gloomy mental wave reverberated.
[Is it Melgerd and Alarcus?]
The de facto leader who governs the Dark Church by representing the vacant seat of the leader. The crystallization of the blood and sacrifices shed by the followers of the Evil God.
[Come in.]
The Great Bridge of the Dark Church, which is embedded in the deepest part of the Holy Land, is calling them.