Ch.138138. Succession

‘Again…’

Elin looked around with a dazed expression. Once more, she had fallen asleep without realizing it. The intervals between these sudden bouts of drowsiness were growing shorter. Now, the time she spent asleep far exceeded her waking hours. If she fell asleep again, would she ever wake up? Would she ultimately fall into an eternal dream and become one with the World Tree?

‘Like that person.’

Elin turned her head with a bitter smile. The place where she was confined—”cage” was truly the appropriate word. The summit of the World Tree, where no one except King Elturas was permitted to enter. The cage, touching the high sky, was isolated from the outside world by rounded iron bars.

She could see a woman embedded in the World Tree. The woman had her eyes closed, her face expressionless. Elin knew her identity.

Elisis.

The High Elf princess who existed before Elin. Though this was her first time seeing her in person, she had heard about her from Elandir. Elisis was Elandir’s sister, and though Elin rarely heard about her, whenever Elandir spoke of her, he showed guilt and anguish.

‘I’m sorry, Rex.’

In truth, Elin had told Rex one lie. When she saw Kaiserion’s portrait in the imperial palace, the subject of the painting next to it was Elisis. Though she had never seen her before, she instinctively recognized her. However, Elin didn’t tell Rex the truth, instead saying she didn’t know.

She didn’t want to reveal her duty to him. She didn’t want to worry Rex. Looking back, it was a pointless act.

‘I wanted to see you smile.’

She had wanted to protect that smile, but things had turned out this way. When she regained consciousness at the top of the World Tree after losing consciousness to Elandir, Elturas had said with a cold face:

—Are you worried about that young man?

He hadn’t killed him. Though Rex had broken Alvheim’s rules and attacked Elandir, Elturas had shown mercy. Rex was Elin’s last lingering attachment, and if he died, Elin would despair. A sacrifice with lingering attachments cannot perform the ritual.

—Forget him. He can never return to Alvheim. I have shown the utmost mercy for your sake. He has accepted reality and left Alvheim, so he will not return. Do not be swayed by delusions. Fulfill your given duty.

Elin hadn’t felt regret at those words. She was simply relieved that Rex was alive. She had been prepared for their separation for a long time.

Though her heart ached when she recalled Rex’s face from their last meeting… she endured it. Unlike elves who live for ages, human lives are short. Elin would remember Rex forever and cherish those memories. But Rex wouldn’t. He was young, with many days still ahead of him. Elin didn’t want Rex to be bound by these memories and suffer. She wanted him to move past this separation and live the rest of his life happily.

‘That’s enough.’

Is that really enough…? Elin bit her lower lip, her shoulders trembling slightly. Even if I disappear, Rex still has Chloe. And Charlotte. Chloe has always had feelings for Rex. And Charlotte, despite her blunt manner, is actually a kind woman. They will be Rex’s strength, as they’ve always been. They’ll comfort the dejected Rex and embrace him until he emerges from his sorrow. Rex will surely continue to be with those two.

Only I won’t be there.

“…I don’t want that.”

Elin murmured without realizing it. Though the summit of the World Tree was filled with warm energy, she felt strangely cold. Elin curled up her body. Still, the chill crawling over her skin wouldn’t go away. Instead, she felt her solitude even more acutely.

“…I want to be with them too.”

No answer came. Elturas was at the base of the World Tree, coordinating the ritual. Elandir was also absent. There were no maids attending to her. Even if there had been, this piercing loneliness would remain. What Elin needed now wasn’t distant strangers.

Why am I. I thought I had made my decision. It’s already irreversible. Why now, Rex.

I want to see him.

I want to share warmth with Rex. Rex’s smile, Rex’s voice,

I can’t see them. I can’t hear them. Rex has left. He won’t come back. Rex’s smile, his voice, our meetings that I took for granted—they’re all over. Elin wrapped her arms around her shoulders, trembling.

“I’m cold…”

Elin stared at the World Tree with empty eyes. The woman, half-absorbed by the World Tree, remained as she had first seen her—eyes closed, her face expressionless.

“…Were you cold like me too?”

The woman didn’t respond to Elin’s casually thrown question.

***

“Elturas is trying to steal the divinity of the Life God to claim godhood.”

That plan is nearing completion.

“The time remaining is two weeks. He has already absorbed most of the Life God’s divinity. After two weeks, the fusion of Elin and the World Tree will be complete. When that happens, the salvation of Elin you desire will become impossible, and the ritual cannot be interrupted midway.”

“I know.”

“You must reach the level of an Apostle or higher within two weeks. Even with your exceptional talent, even if Kaiserion himself were to return from the dead… it’s realistically impossible.”

However. Elnebra approached Rex with a slight smile.

“If it’s impossible through ordinary means, we have no choice but to use unconventional methods. Are you prepared?”

Rex nodded.

I will kill you now. He understood the meaning of those words. Elnebra wasn’t actually going to kill Rex. She would merely make him experience ‘death.’

In the mental realm—countless stars shone in the night sky above the snowy field. Just as one cannot know the names of all those stars, many people in the world disappear into the shadows of history without being remembered.

Even at this moment, someone is dying. From disease, from hunger, in the arms of family, or alone in desolation. That’s how they die. Return to ashes. Hundreds of years ago, the world was in chaos. The Great War brought pain, and pain gives birth to heroes.

Whether they are famous stars whose names are widely known through long narration, or stars whose names no one remembers—they all shine brilliantly in the night sky just the same. Forgotten heroes. Those remembered as losers in history. That doesn’t mean their lives had no value. Every life has value simply by being born. Each life carries its own light.

“Spirits.”

Alnebra summoned the light.

“I shall borrow your deaths for a moment.”

Long years have passed. Humans have forgotten their heroes. The history of the Great War has now become an antiquated past, merely a record. The gods have not forgotten. Looking down at the earth from the heavens, they remember how those numerous heroes once commanded the world.

To protect their homeland, to spread their ambitions, to uphold justice against injustice, with the desire to end the Great War and restore peace.

Because they wanted to save the woman they loved.

Spirits with different beliefs rose up. Kaordix looked down at the snowy field with sunken eyes. Shimryeontu recreates the heroes of the past that he remembers as spiritual bodies. Rex had been training by repeatedly battling these spiritual bodies. But he had never summoned all the spiritual bodies at once.

Now.

All those heroes were summoned in one place. Countless warriors covered the vast snowy field.

“I will inject into you one life, one death, and that process.”

What Rex currently lacks is power and experience. Building these would normally require a very long time. That time will be shortened. By accepting the experiences of heroes who walked the path before Rex. By experiencing the same processes of their struggles, being trampled, and broken, he aims for dramatic growth. To melt and digest it all.

Whether it’s possible is unknown. What they’re attempting now is something neither Kaordix nor even Elnebra has tried before. No one can predict the outcome. Rex’s mind might be crushed under the tidal wave of lives. He might forget who he is and become a spirit just like them.

Nevertheless, this is the only way to defeat Elturas within the two-week deadline. Rex silently gazed at the spirits. A flame gradually kindled in his usually empty pupils. A soul that was led to death hundreds of years ago has now returned to this place, answering the call of death once more.

“Please, do not break.”

Elnebra murmured softly.

Darkness descended. The snowy field with its blizzard disappeared. Neither Elnebra nor Kaordix could be seen. Rex looked up. The Milky Way flowed long across the dark blue night sky.

A starlight reached out its hand to Rex.

Rex grasped that hand.

[Behold.]

A majestic voice was heard. It was neither Kaordix nor Elnebra. The starlight gathered to form a man clad in full armor. Though he had never heard the voice before, Rex could guess the identity of the other party.

[I am the Apostle of Iron Spirit.]

Gustav, the Apostle of Iron Spirit. When awakening Shimryeontu, Kaordix had promised to reveal his secret if Rex could defeat a certain Apostle. That bet became pointless as Rex discovered the secret himself.

But Rex had never defeated the Apostle of Iron Spirit. Although he may have been defeated by Kaiserion, that didn’t mean the Apostle of Iron Spirit was inferior to Kaiserion. The Apostle of Iron Spirit had his own special qualities and abilities.

[This is the life of the Iron Spirit.]

Rex’s breath stopped.

Beyond his pupils reflecting the Milky Way, numerous visions flashed by. The life of a man who, despite being cut, falling, and stumbling, always rose again to move forward. The scenery he had seen and the ancient sunset of the battlefield he had finally overcome rushed into Rex’s inner self, compressed into one. The anger of being betrayed by trusted friends, the pain of blades piercing skin, a man witnessed at the end of frustration. Indomitable, Gustav’s eyes saw Kaiserion. The despair of all warriors. Not breaking but advancing again, watching the descending flames.

[The Iron Spirit will be with you.]

Gustav’s life ended. The starlight scattered, and a new hero took his place.

[I am the Apostle of Change.]

Can you change your fate? I could not. The moment the voice reached him, blood spurted from Rex’s mouth. Though the time that passed was merely a fraction, during that time, Rex experienced one person’s entire life. It doesn’t end. No rest was given. No consideration. He couldn’t turn away from what he was seeing. The forced vision dug into Rex’s eyeballs. He sees. The wishes of the spirits, the resentment and lingering attachments of those who died without fulfilling their wishes, the long footprints of the lives they walked, each engraved on his soul.

[Is it painful?]

I. Why am I here.

[This is the path you chose.]

There was one born a commoner. He became a soldier to protect his homeland. There was one born a slave. He went to the battlefield to gain a new status. There was one born a noble. He betrayed his family and joined the enemy.

[I am the Apostle of Rage.]

There was a man.

Despite having everything in the world in his grasp, there was just one thing he couldn’t have. His beloved. What he wanted wasn’t a crown but the embrace of the woman he loved. Even offering all the wealth and power in the world couldn’t save his lover’s life.

[Accept my rage.]

Rex opened his eyes.

As if waking from a deep sleep. His head felt hazy. The dark blue Milky Way was looking down at him. The starlight no longer whispered but remained silent. Because there were no more stars to speak to him. All starlight had been transmitted. Rex blinked slowly, feeling the flow of the long ages.

The starlight.

Rex placed his hand on his chest. He could feel the pulsation of the stars, the spirits, that had seeped into the pattern. I was. A soldier, a noble, a slave, and at the same time, a man who loved a woman. And now I am Rex again.

Rex moved his steps slowly. The night sky followed, drawn by his movement. No. He was standing on the night sky. Ripples spread across the sky where his feet touched. Thus, Rex walked across the night sky.

The heroes of the past close their eyes. The spirits returned from death enter into rest after completing their duty. At the edge of the night sky where the starlight was fading, Rex stopped.

[I told you that you could run away.]

A middle-aged man was waiting for him.

After a long silence, Rex answered.

“Yes. But I cannot run away now.”

[Then win. Protect the people you love. Claim your life for yourself.]

“That was my intention from the beginning.”

[You even know how to talk back now. You’ve grown a lot.]

“…”

[You’ve grown very well.]

A chuckling laugh echoed. Rex opened and closed his mouth several times, but ultimately couldn’t say anything and closed it.

[You’ve grown… very well.]

Rex didn’t cry. Instead, he swallowed and replied.

“Whose son am I?”

[Yes, that’s my son.]

The spiritual body gradually faded. Rex walked forward.

[Go.]

“Yes.”

He doesn’t look back.

“See you later.”

Rex whispered softly in front of the massive door.

“Father.”

[Take your time coming.]

Gert smiled.

Rex pushed open the door. Bright light illuminated the dark night sky.