Ch.158Side Story – (If) Farewell at the Ending Divergence Point (Complete)

# <Side Story – (If) Farewell at the Ending Divergence Point>

*This chapter was written at a reader’s request as an “if” scenario and has no connection to the main work.

## 1.

A conversation with the Goddess.

Everything seemed to be coming to an end, but a problem arose when Hallorand swallowed a fragment of the Abyss—specifically, its core.

“『My power… isn’t returning.』”

“What?”

“『Those who weren’t saved…! They’re being absorbed by Hallorand!!』”

The Goddess panicked.

She desperately tried to guide the souls, but—

-『I can’t be the only one to suffer unfairly!!!!』

Hallorand’s obsession with mutual destruction was something a good person couldn’t comprehend.

“…Let me out.”

“『But if you do that, you’ll—!!!』”

“I said let me out.”

Faced with Nahan’s fierce gaze, the Goddess held onto him with tears in her eyes.

“『Please…!! There must be…!! There must be another way for everyone to be happy!!!』”

Even as Aria said this, she knew.

That in reality, there was no such thing.

“『I’ll try to buy some time somehow, so please wait a moment…!!!』”

She knew her actions were no different from a child’s tantrum—wasting time by turning away from reality without any clear alternative.

It was an inevitable reaction.

Thanks to the savior before her, they had nearly reached a happy ending, but to lose it so futilely now—wasn’t that too cruel?

But Nahan knew this fact as well.

“…I understand. This must be hard for you too.”

Despite his unfortunate ending approaching, Nahan thought of Aria’s feelings and quietly raised both hands.

“Aria, you know that the wish I made wasn’t granted.”

“『That’s…!! Just a moment….!!』”

“No. There’s no need. I’m going to revise the wish I made.”

As his previous wish was nullified, the golden light that had spread in all directions returned to his hands.

The gathered light formed a rectangular shape, transforming into the form of a wish ticket he had seen before.

Nahan tore the ticket while muttering in a small voice.

“Right now… even if just for a moment, send me out with enough power to stop Hallorand.”

Rip.

The wish ticket tore before anyone could stop it.

【Your wish will be granted.】

Amidst the golden light rising brilliantly in the gloomy situation,

Nahan gave a faint smile toward Aria, who was reaching out to him with a wail.

“Thank you, Aria.”

“『Ah…!! Ahhh…!!!!』”

A desperate, disheveled cry that seemed impossible for a goddess.

Nahan avoided her hand that reached for him and added:

“Even if I disappear… protect them.”

It was a farewell.

## 2.

Divine Punishment.

The punishment heaven bestows upon the wicked.

Originally one of Aria’s main powers, this ability that had been restricted due to her loss of power,

“Move aside.”

“…This voice, could it be?”

“I said move.”

【<Divine Punishment(???)> is activated.】

Was once again manifested in the world by Nahan who had reappeared.

—!!!

A massive noise overwhelming the space and a brilliant flash threatening to take everything away.

“『Wait—!!!』”

Hallorand, struck like a lightning rod, barely managed to avoid it and looked up at Nahan.

“『Why…!!! Why only me!!!!!』”

A terrible appearance and fierce gaze revealing malice worse than the Abyss.

“『I deserve to be happy too!!!!!』”

Before Nahan could dodge, Hallorand extended his black hand like an awl.

Thwack.

The savage, terrible sound of something sharp penetrating flesh.

“…Cough.”

“『Got, got you…!! I got you, you bastard!!!!』”

Slip.

Nahan, struck directly in the heart, was lifted up while impaled by the Abyss and brought face to face.

“『It’s all because of you. My misfortune, my ultimate unhappiness—it’s all because of you, you damn bastard!!!!』”

The Abyss spewed foul, dark red saliva while frantically pressing Nahan.

Despite the pain from his pierced heart, Nahan endured without losing consciousness and met the Abyss’s eyes.

“Yes… I suppose you have your grievances too.”

The wager due to the Abyss’s scheme.

Strictly speaking, Hallorand was also a victim who suffered because of it.

Endless regression.

He had struggled to save everyone but always failed.

After giving up everything, he began cooperating with the Abyss, and in the end, what he sought was not salvation but rest.

But he must have grown greedy.

Unlike the countless other cycles, this time was leading toward salvation.

As the saying goes, human greed knows no bounds and people repeat the same mistakes.

As salvation drew closer, his desire for rest likely transformed into wanting to live happily in a saved world.

Knowing he had committed too many evil deeds to achieve that,

-『I can’t… be the only one… to suffer unfairly…right?』

He must have chosen this path in desperation after taking in the Abyss.

“So… of course… you’d feel… wronged.”

Although he had now become a complete villain by swallowing the Abyss, there must have been countless cycles where he struggled to save everyone.

“You just… acquiesced to… unavoidable misfortune… like others.”

However,

“But countless others… endured without… giving in.”

Nahan turned his gaze from the Abyss to look at those running toward him.

“Hallorand!!!!!”

Asha, charging forward in rage,

“No…!! We need to save Nahan first, you idiots!!!”

Laktea, running with an anxious face he’d never seen before,

“Nahan!!!! Damn it, we need healing right now!!!!”

“I’ve been trying!!!”

Reina, burning even her own life force as she rushed forward calling his name.

Beyond them, the Black Wolf, the Light, Gardner’s warriors, and gathered mercenaries were all rushing to save him alone.

“See, you… stupid… bastard.”

What ultimately distinguishes good from evil is that final moment, that one choice.

“If you wanted salvation… even if you did terrible things in previous cycles, you should have remained good in this one.”

Thanks to the holy power Yuria was sending, his brief life was extended momentarily.

So Nahan reached out his hand.

“『Shut up, shut up, shut up!!!! What do you know about me to talk like that!!!!!』”

Toward the persistently writhing villain,

“『I was a hero a savior an unwavering great tree an unbreakable shield a pioneer guiding everyone a saint for all a sky bestowing endless blessings—!!!』”

Toward the clear villain who was wailing with resentment, dwelling only on the cycles where he was good—cycles no one would ever know about now.

Tap.

Carefully extending his hand to gather aura, he placed it on Hallorand’s forehead and whispered:

“Do you really need to know?”

Villains always cried out.

They would constantly make excuses for their evil deeds, blaming the world or something else for making them this way.

But what was certain was,

“No matter how good you might have been, right now you’re a villain who needs to be eliminated.”

Nahan’s aura rose.

【Passive – <Black Wolf> contract is proposed to <Hallorand(??)>.】

【This is an entity with whom a contract has already been established.】

【<Black Wolf> contract is forcibly established without separate consent.】

【Warning.】

【As the Abyss’s power flows in, holy power – <Super Recovery(SSS)> and <Goddess’s Gift Replica – Iaso’s Ring(Ex+)> cease functioning.】

Like a brand marked on a criminal, the Black Wolf’s mark was engraved on Hallorand’s forehead.

Having witnessed how the Abyss was defeated, Hallorand twisted his body and screamed.

“『Aah…!! No, no!!!! I too!!! I too deserve some salvation—!!!!』”

Thunk, thunk, thunk!

Numerous tendrils of the Abyss stabbed into Nahan’s body.

He even lost his eyes.

But grinding his teeth to endure the pain, he managed to speak with his last strength.

“That’s… how, the world… is.”

This cursed world that persistently pushes some people into anxiety,

“It’s never… fair, even… in empty words.”

After a self-deprecating laugh.

Nahan pulled out a silver dagger from the Black Wolf’s embrace.

“So… stop this meaningless struggle, and let’s go together, fellow unfortunates.”

As blood flowing from his mouth twisted grotesquely along his smile.

Thunk.

The silver dagger’s blade disappeared deep into Nahan’s neck.

【Unrecoverable injury.】

【<Death> approaches.】

【According to the <Black Wolf> contract, both party A <Nahan> and party B <Hallorand> will die.】

The gushing blood made it impossible to speak.

“『No…!! No…!!! Yes, light!!! If I could at least see light before I die!!!!!』”

Hallorand desperately looked up at the sky.

A glimpse of silver at the edge of his vision.

-…I want to be a hero like you, Duke.

-Thank you, Asha.

A conversation from a cycle so distant he could barely remember it,

From when he was a hero,

With a child who had now become his enemy.

“『Ah… come to think of it….』”

Back then, nothing was more precious to me than that child—

“Guh…”

Just before that happy memory could surface.

Nahan smeared his blood thickly over Hallorand’s eyes.

“『No, don’t!!!』”

If he could see the light just a little longer, he might recall those happy memories.

If he could, it might provide some comfort in this miserable death.

“『Just a little…!! If I could see just a little more, I feel like I could truly be saved—!!!』”

Just as Hallorand was struggling to wipe his eyes and about to blink,

【Holy Sword – <Judgment(Ex+)> activates.】

The briefly brightened vision disappeared in an instant as his severed head rolled on the ground.

“『Ah… want… to be… saved…』”

Hallorand died with a thud.

He died in darkness after all.

“Is it… over…?”

Asha’s empty murmur, indicating complete victory, sounded hollow.

But only for a moment.

“Nahan…!!!”

She immediately turned toward Nahan, throwing aside her holy sword and rushing to him.

“Aah…!! Someone, someone heal him!!!!”

“Gurk, gu….”

He couldn’t make any sound.

Moving his hand,

Blinking his eyes,

Even breathing.

Everything had become burdensome, and Nahan faced the approaching death.

Unable to see anything,

Unable to hear anything,

Unable to feel anything.

“—!!”

“—?!”

“—!!!”

Complete isolation again, just like when he had leaned on someone and passed on his misfortune.

Nahan unconsciously reached out his hand.

“Gu, gurk…!!”

Because darkness was too frightening.

Hoping that someone would take his hand, as had always happened before.

As he wished, many of those he had saved grabbed his hand.

“Please….!!!”

“Aah…. Nahan, Nahan….!!”

“No… why only you…”

Without anyone taking the lead, they all grabbed his hand, doing their best to save him.

But Nahan didn’t know.

With death so close, he couldn’t feel any sensation, not even the faint warmth flowing through the skin that touched his.

So Nahan thought:

‘If I had invested in my own happiness…’

No,

Even if just a fraction of what I invested in saving my precious people…

In this moment facing death,

Would I have been… a little…

…less… lonely…?

There was no answer to his question.

Just as there had been no reason for the misfortune that had befallen him.

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Side Story – (If) Farewell at the Ending Divergence Point (End)