Ch.127127. The Choice Given After the Battle

# “Extinction… you say?”

Red Dragon couldn’t believe his ears.

‘Is this the Max Performance skill of the Apocalypse? I didn’t know he had skills beyond the Four Knights. Whatever it is, I can’t let him use it.’

The anxious Red Dragon charged toward Gerogius.

“Blue, White, Black, Triple Release!”

A massive bow, at least 20 meters long, appeared in his hands. The price of using Triple Release in succession was severe—his blood vessels and muscles burst. Blood flowed from every opening—eyes, nose, ears.

“Ugh, uwooo—!!”

He drew back the enormous arrow. Gerogius’s switch was still rotating, charging power. If he acted now, he might be able to block the skill and send his opponent into the void.

And Red Dragon’s final hope, along with the arrow that left his hand—

Crack!

—crumbled to ash and vanished.

“What—”

Gerogius stretched his arms horizontally and opened his clenched fists. That was the signal.

The next thing Red Dragon could see was everything in his field of vision being annihilated.

‘Well, I suppose that makes sense.’

In his final moment, he accepted it.

‘After the Four Knights of the Apocalypse arrive, only the end remains.’

He glanced down to see his fingertips turning to ash and disappearing.

What had he done wrong? Why had he walked a different path? Why had he grown weaker and failed?

Until the very end, there were, of course, no answers.

***

It truly was the Red Dragon of extinction that had annihilated everything.

The materialized Apocalypse seemed satisfied with its feast. If it hadn’t been, it would have devoured me too—its amber pupils had strongly suggested as much.

Red Dragon must have accumulated quite a sin count, making him good prey.

I won’t need to use this skill again anyway. The thought of transforming into a hero now gives me a visceral aversion.

Come back now.

Sensing my gaze, the red dragon was sucked back toward my heart. I roughly pulled the switch from the transformation device and destroyed it without hesitation. The transformation was canceled.

I returned to my dragon form.

This form feels more natural to me now.

“Geo!”

Led by Lu-a, all the Vengeance members approached. It seems their battle had ended too.

“What about the Dragon King Sentai?”

“They’re finished. All of them.”

“Good work, everyone.”

“Boksil hungry. Boksil itchy all over.”

Boksil came over and snuggled against me, and I scratched her head. Somi and Lena also relaxed their guard.

“What about Sulphur?”

“He left first. Seems like he couldn’t stand the sight of us anymore.”

I can understand that.

“Ui-seok, it’s appeared,” Somi called out.

I looked up to see a glowing form materializing.

It was the symbol.

“The final one.”

“Shall we grab it together?”

“It looks like a trophy.”

“Looks tasty!”

The symbol descended slowly.

We exchanged quick glances before reaching our arms upward.

Light burst forth, filling our vision with brilliant white.

And then.

A message appeared on the system window.

———

Notification: You have cleared the scenario “One for All, All for Victory.”

Congratulations! You have cleared all scenarios!

Special features will be unlocked.

Would you like to return to your original world?

Yes / No

———

***

After finishing the third round and leaving the battlefield, we were greeted by the loudest cheers yet.

The whole world celebrated as I casually announced our victory. Everyone chanted the names of Vengeance and Gerogius.

The barrier had disappeared. Citizens who had been trapped beyond it could move freely again.

The rescue team that had entered the other world completed their mission and returned safely. I received reports that the rescued children were fine as well. Since there’s no way to cross over to that world anymore, I don’t know if it truly disappeared.

All Vengeance branches seem to be celebrating today. Many had apparently predicted our victory and prepared large festivities.

I found large gatherings tiresome, so I decided to enjoy a modest celebration at the hideout with my inner circle.

“Deep Dive, please date me with marriage in mind!”

“Huh? I-impossible. I’m… I’m a lesbian…”

During the drinking party, Wrap Paper got rejected by Deep Dive and fell into despair.

“That guy messed up!”

“The top-ranked female villains in Vengeance are an untouchable zone!”

“They’re either the Lord’s girlfriend, lesbian, actually men, or if you date them, you’ll either be drained to death within a week, they’ll kill you, or… well, they’ll just kill you.”

“Or they just kill you.”

“Exactly.”

The other villains consoled Wrap Paper as he swam in the sea of rejection.

The atmosphere was quite entertaining.

I stepped out onto the balcony for some fresh air. The city’s skyscrapers were brilliantly illuminated.

“Phew.”

I felt the alcohol’s effects subsiding slightly.

Click, click.

Hearing high heels, I turned to see Lena.

“You look happy, Ui-seok.”

“How could I not be? Everything’s finally over.”

“I feel a bit deflated,” Lena said, leaning against the balcony.

“After all that preparation, weren’t the heroes disappointingly pathetic? Nothing really deviated from our expectations.”

“That was only possible because we prepared so thoroughly. In reality, the gap between us and the Dragon King Sentai wasn’t overwhelmingly large. If we had only leveled up conventionally, our specs would have been comparable.”

“I feel like we tapped the stone bridge a thousand times for safety, but ended up flying over it. I thought your life would be in danger at least once.”

“Did you want that?”

“A little. Then I would have had the chance to save you.”

“You have a wicked personality.”

I answered jokingly, but Lena wasn’t joking.

She’s still sadistic.

“So there won’t be any more threats to our world?”

“Nothing on the scale we’ve faced. Small problems will continue as they always have.”

After all, quests are generated by people, not the system.

“At least we won’t need Red Dragon or Armaggedon anymore.”

“…I see.”

Lena looked somewhat disappointed.

“Do you want to fight more?”

“Ui-seok, I don’t enjoy fighting directly. It’s just…”

“Just?”

Lena hesitated before answering.

“E.lena handles the outside affairs, so I, as a villain, will get bored.”

“That’s true.”

“I’m realizing anew that life after achieving your goal is quite dull.”

“You lived for quite a long time just for Yoo Cha-mi.”

“It wasn’t that long.”

“You’re older than me.”

“‘Forget about it.'”

“Haha.”

I guess I’m at an age where numbers start to matter.

“You’ve lost your goal too, Ui-seok.”

“Well, yes.”

“Are you planning to disappear now?”

I felt like Lena’s eyes were piercing through me.

She might not know about the system or scenarios, but she had probably predicted something.

She is E.lena, after all. If it weren’t for me, she would have been the villain at the top.

I opened the system window.

[Would you like to return to your original world?]

[Yes / No]

With no other text, only that question glowed.

“Lena.”

“Yes, Ui-seok.”

I faced Lena. The gentle night breeze made her thin hair flutter. It was somehow a fantastical image.

“I had something I needed to do in this world. In a way, it was a duty forced upon me. Normally, I wouldn’t have welcomed it. World peace and such matters don’t really concern individuals.”

But the reason I gladly accepted this duty was…

“I quite liked this world. That direction was established as the concept of justice. Without Somi, I would have gone down the wrong path. The other world proved that. But even that justice wasn’t the right answer.”

Being a hero wasn’t my path.

“And as a villain, I accomplished everything. Today my wish came true—the wish to bring peace to the world I love. Everyone in Vengeance was necessary for that process.”

But the most important person was…

“Lena, it would have been impossible without you. Thank you for everything until now.”

I conveyed my sincere feelings.

“You asked me to let you stand by my side. That request was based on a misunderstanding. Lena, you’ve been standing by my side since the day you joined Vengeance.”

“…Does that mean…”

Lena slowly opened her mouth.

“That there’s no place for me to stand anymore?”

“Haha.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at Lena’s expression.

I never thought this person would make a face like a lost kitten.

I looked at the buildings densely packed throughout the city.

“This world is too grand. It would be a waste to just stand and watch.”

With that answer, I touched the system window.

[No]

Well, of course.

At this point, I have no intention of returning to my original world.

This is the world I’ve created and will rule.

I should witness its end clearly.

“Oh.”

The system window cracked and began to sparkle. Soon it scattered like powder and disappeared.

No more text appeared or was displayed. The system had vanished.

It felt like a definitive end had been declared.

I felt unburdened.

“Hmm.”

Reading something in my expression, Lena raised an eyebrow. Then she extended her right hand toward me.

“Take it.”

This surprised me a bit.

She had approached me pretending to be Yoo Cha-mi before, but this was the first time Lena had allowed me to touch her while sober.

“Are you sure?”

“You said you didn’t want to stand. So let’s start by flying lightly.”

I gently placed my hand over Lena’s.

It felt pleasantly cool.

“…From now on, whether standing, flying, sitting, or lying down, at any time…”

Lena murmured, gazing into my eyes.

“‘Let’s be together.'”

Now that the system is gone, I’d have to stay with her to find out if I’m affected by her command.

So I decided to answer of my own will.

“Alright.”

Lena’s lips curled up slightly.

We enjoyed our stroll, freely gliding through the night sky.