26. Azhi Dahāka

* * *

Outside, Si-wou clutched Eun-ha’s blackening body. She might go berserk – or already be dead. With her heart replaced by the core, there was no telling.

“Eun-ha?”
[Snap out of it, Si-woo! Focus on the enemy!]
“She’s…she’s dead again!”
[You wanted to be a girl, now you’re emotional over your crush? Think straight! If you fall, this world ends!]

After regressing, he couldn’t fail now. The Divine Sword Constellation wanted to intervene, but full synchronization was impossible in this state.

“Fucking bitch. Jin-seok’s sister making such a reckless choice? Fine. She’ll berserk soon – let me kill the second Divine Sword wielder myself.”

As Jae-su raised his spear-

[Si-woo!]

CLANG!

Flame Spear Han Suji intercepted the strike.

“Master!”
“My precious disciple! Raised you so well, yet you can’t even defeat Jin-seok’s brat.”

Suji recoiled at her mentor’s monstrous form. The legendary spearman turned monster – what would Eun-ha think of her now?

“You didn’t need to become this!”
“Power rules this world. Who can stop me now?”
“Says the coward fleeing before Jin-seok arrives!”

Jae-su’s trauma showed. Even enhanced, he doubted he could beat Jin-seok.

“You insolent brat! I’ll discipline that pathetic body properly!”
“Ever heard ‘the student surpasses the master’?”

Suji ignited her spear. Jae-su clicked his tongue – he shouldn’t have gifted her that weapon. Though his dragon-scale spear was equally potent.

WHOOSH-BOOM!

An explosive arrow interrupted them. Reina aimed at Jae-su, barely glancing at Si-woo’s torn uniform revealing…unexpected developments.

“You monster! How dare you hurt Eun-ha and Si-woo…uh…person!”

“More pests? Fine! I’ll exterminate Hanseong’s entire talent pool today!”

The S-class villain faced Eun-ha’s heroines.

* * *

Memories flooded in – not the hundreds of loops, but far older. My life as the calamity dragon. Manipulating humans into slaughter for amusement. Taking maiden forms to spread chaos. A beast reveling in carnage and sexual gratification from violence.

“Ugh!”
“Remembering your deeds?”
“Fuck no.”

More bile rose.

“Even pleasuring yourself while watching massacres as a nun-”
“Stop! No more!”

I can’t accept that was me. Ten billion deaths? Impossible.

The author watched emotionlessly.

“Don’t blame yourself. I created Azhi Dahāka. The deaths are my fault. The cataclysm too.”

That doesn’t erase the memories.

“Why restore these?”
“You feel it too – you’re different now. Just Eun-ha inheriting Azhi’s power. Should every reborn killer agonize over past lives?”

The scale differs – burning millions with dragon breath, orchestrating genocides.

“Still…”
“Since you’ve come this far, have another ability. Was saving it to torment you longer.”
“You can just hand out powers?”
“I’m not omnipotent. This drains my energy, you ungrateful dragon.”

Dragon? Like some pet?

[Quest Complete: Speak with Author]
[Reward: “Composure”]

The ability to remain rational amidst chaos. Already helping.

“Must everything be game mechanics? Makes reality hard to distinguish.”
“Gets lonely here. My only entertainment.”

This white void was her mental space. I’d rather not occupy someone else’s body.

“The original owner’s here. I’m unnecessary.”
“Not exactly…”

Ah. Guilt over creating me.

“Responsibility?”

Ten billion deaths. The cataclysm. Too ashamed to face the world. I was just following instincts – she created me for fun.

“The dead reincarnate, but you were just my plaything. That body’s practically immortal now. As an author, I can’t inhabit a monster’s form. Pride, you see.”
“You’re insufferable.”

Calling me a monster! Though technically correct – I manipulate miasma better than mana.

“I’m not all-powerful. Creating worlds drains me. The final battle may differ from the original story now.”
“Greed’s in China.”

One Sin lurked there, growing stronger.

“Jae-su’s rampage will cripple the Association. The rest is up to you.”
“You’re Eun-ha. Should I call you ‘Author-nim’? Too pretentious for a goddess.”
“Use my real name privately then.”

One last question.

“What’s with these tattoos and piercings? Looks like lewd markings.”
“Those are your doing! As a nun, you branded yourself with those ‘artifacts’. The abdominal tattoo is Azhi’s crest – stop seeing everything as erotic!”

Definitely not my fault.

“My girls…”
“Still fighting Jae-su, thinking you’re dead.”

Si-woo should’ve awakened by now.

“I’m going.”
My girls need me.
“Don’t overexert your dissolving bones.”
“…I’ll try.”

They wouldn’t let me die. And bones don’t dissolve that easily. Probably.