Ch.189Chapter 189. I’m the Only Totem in Another World (8) [END]

Chapter 189. I’m the Only Totem in Another World (8)

With those words, my soul was thrown out of True Malak’s body. It happened in an instant.

True Malak, who had fully taken over the manifested body, took a direct hit from Charon’s spell “Soul Annihilation.”

Whoosh-!

True Malak shook violently and soared upward. It was his final flight.

Whaaaa…

Moments later, True Malak, who had risen high into the sky, scattered blue light and disappeared. To an uninformed observer, it would have looked like a beautiful ascension to heaven.

Perhaps he flew up to prevent collateral damage, to reassure his followers.

Shhhh-!

As if mourning True Malak’s sacrifice, the sky began to rain. A rainbow appeared.

Though I wasn’t getting wet from the raindrops, my body felt heavy as if soaked.

A being born too perfect who lived in solitude, sacrificing himself until the end for his beloved followers.

Among all the gods I’ve seen here, only True Malak was truly worthy of worship.

“…!”

But wait, I wasn’t getting wet in the rain? What state was I in?

I checked my body. I was floating in the air, taking the human form I had seen in the spirit realm.

A solid man wearing a convenience store vest. In other words, I was in soul form.

“What’s going on?”

My voice worked too. Looking down, I could see the evil god falling with his head severed, and Lakye riding on his body.

“Lakye!”

I shouted loudly, but she couldn’t hear me. She only stared with empty eyes at the place where True Malak had disappeared.

I roughly understood my current state. My soul was just floating around.

Lakye couldn’t see me.

…So I was basically a ghost? How was this different from being hit by Soul Annihilation? While I was confused—

“You…! This is impossible! Roa was a vessel?!”

A man’s soul was floating, surrounded by bizarre souls whose forms were unrecognizable.

“You bastard!”

Of course, it was Charon.

[Your identity has been exposed!]

[One of your final objectives, ‘Do not reveal your identity,’ has failed!]

[As stated in the final objectives, you will receive a ‘consequence’!]

[Cannot recognize ‘Malak’ who should receive the ‘consequence’!]

[Target recognition failed! System will postpone the ‘consequence’ until the target is recognized!]

Messages appeared one after another as my status window fluctuated.

That’s not important right now. Ignoring everything, I approached Charon. Though I had no physical form, I could move by exerting my will.

“Got you!”

I didn’t care what was happening. There was only one thing I needed to do now: beat the crap out of this bastard.

“Because of you! How many! People have! Ugh!”

“Ugh!”

Just like in the spirit realm, souls could fight and hit each other.

I beat him like a dog on a hot summer day. Charon took the beating without much resistance.

Crack!

Finally, a hit to his vital point.

“Hurgh!”

Charon clutched his groin and collapsed. It must have been his first time experiencing such pain.

“Haa, haa, haa.”

They say hitting someone is more tiring than being hit. After venting my anger, I felt fatigue.

“I see… so that’s how it was…”

Charon, now in the form of a man with his head bowed, muttered something.

“What are you saying? Stay right there. Let me rest a bit and… huh?”

I hadn’t noticed while beating him, but Charon’s body was slowly disappearing from his feet up. The souls surrounding him were also melting away like snow.

Perhaps this was the price for using Soul Annihilation by sacrificing his own soul.

“You only chose to do evil things, serves you right.”

“Evil things… yes…”

With a somewhat dejected expression, Charon nodded. After the souls attached to him disappeared with silent screams.

“What’s with you suddenly?”

Did getting hit in the groin bring him to his senses? It’s too late now. You’ve already done terrible things.

He refused my attempt at reconciliation before the battle in the capital.

“I can’t face the children.”

He continued with a face full of regret.

“Though I’ll never see them again…”

With those final words, Charon’s body crumbled.

Unlike True Malak who disappeared with rainbows and rain, Charon’s soul vanished pathetically, like something crumbling.

I thought I heard him quietly say “please take care of the world,” but I ignored it.

“Hmph.”

I might have listened if it were True Malak, but I didn’t want to grant this guy’s request. How dare a villain ask.

Maybe it was because the tension eased after watching Charon disappear, but suddenly drowsiness overcame me.

I’d used too much mental energy. Since I wasn’t hit by Soul Annihilation, I should be fine somehow.

There’s no use racking my brain over this now. I confirmed Charon’s death, so maybe I should get some rest.

I closed my eyes.

***

“Ah, cold.”

I opened my eyes feeling a chill. I could feel the cold marble floor.

This place seemed familiar.

Ah, it’s the lord’s chamber in Symphonia that we converted into a shrine. I can even see Totem #1.

“What?”

What the hell? I rubbed my eyes and quickly got up, heading toward a mirror near the shrine.

“Ack!”

Oh, it’s been so long that walking isn’t easy. I tripped and fell. Walking in a physical body feels very different from walking as a soul.

Looking in the mirror, I saw an Asian man in a convenience store vest standing with a surprised expression.

“Huh?”

In disbelief, I touched my face while staring at the mirror.

It really is my body. Not a soul state, but a living human body.

Joy and confusion hit me simultaneously. Should I be happy about this or not?

It’s good to be free from being a totem. But sending my Earth body here intact?

This means I’m neither a totem, nor Roa, nor True Malak’s successor.

“R-right. Status window!”

Let me check this first.

[Name: Malak]

– Available Blessings: Healing Totem (Superior), Divine Possession, Binding Totem, Zombie Control (High), Confusion Totem, Storm God’s Power, Malak’s Domain (High), Enhancement Tattoo (High), Transport Totem, Follower Summoning (High), Manifestation

– Used Blessings: Berserker’s Soul (Kanto), Skilled Spirit Master (Paya), Storm God’s Guardian (Lakye), Potential Reached (Lakye), Imperfect Manifestation, Spirit Caller (Paya)

– Available Points: 2,300

– Followers: Paya, Lakye, Muri, Nix, Bojak, Sola… (See more)

– Enter Community

“Phew.”

The status window function is still there. My name is correctly displayed as Malak.

But with this body, can I use blessings?

“…!”

With trembling heart, I pressed the ‘Healing Totem’ blessing. Totem #1 vibrated slightly with a woong sound, then emitted a blue light.

“It works…!”

I can use blessings.

Then would ‘Binding Totem’ work too?

I used Binding Totem targeting Totem #1.

– Oh.

It works! It was a bit awkward and uncomfortable, but I could transfer my consciousness to the totem.

Ah, this isn’t the time. I need to check how the battle at the capital is going.

I returned to my original body and accessed the community.

[MeleeSpy: Found George raid team’s bodies. Recovery complete]

[MeleeSpy: Closed the dimensional gate]

[PetiteNoa: We did it! The demons are panicking!]

[ITrustedMonkeyUncle: But where did Lord Malak go?]

They’re winning smoothly. The battle doesn’t seem to be completely over yet.

So I passed out at the capital and came directly to the lord’s chamber?

“Hmm.”

Fortunately or unfortunately, no one was in the lord’s chamber. What should I do?

Using ‘Binding Totem’ right now to go support allies doesn’t seem right. I’ve used mental energy beyond my limits today.

Though I didn’t receive the manifestation penalty (like being dragged into the mental world) because my soul separated from True Malak, I still feel tired.

I was thinking about getting more sleep when—

Woong!

Lakye appeared before me with a blue light. This was the ‘Follower Summoning’ effect.

She must have succeeded in practicing self-teleportation as she mentioned before.

Ah, I need to come up with an excuse quickly. Should I say I’m Sans, Malak’s messenger?

“Um, well, I’m San…”

“Lord Malak!”

Before I could finish, Lakye hugged me tightly. Being as tall as me, our faces almost touched.

“Uh…”

My brain froze momentarily at the warmth of human contact after so long.

“You’re alive… thank goodness…”

Lakye sniffled.

Lakye was the only one who saw True Malak get hit by Soul Annihilation. She must have been suffering.

“…I want to feel the sunlight.”

Whatever. Let’s go outside for now.

***

On the streets of the Tribal Federation, where barbarians and civilized people coexisted harmoniously.

I opened my mouth while watching Lakye’s reaction.

“Since when did you know?”

It seemed certain that Lakye knew I was a vessel. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have hugged a man in convenience store clothes on sight.

What she wanted to ask after the battle must have been about my identity.

“Mole. That’s when I became certain.”

Lakye continued.

“Though you’re a messenger, Lord Malak wouldn’t have told a lowly mortal my nickname.”

“…”

Lowly mortal? I was wondering what to say.

“I’m joking. To me, you are the only Lord Malak. That hasn’t changed.”

Lakye smiled brightly. A joke… right?

“I see.”

I could have asked why she deduced my identity from just that, but I didn’t. I wasn’t even curious.

After walking for a while, I stopped and looked around the Tribal Federation.

Barbarian children and civilized children played together. Farmers harvested vegetables grown in the castle, and young couples whispered words of love.

Their lives seemed to have found stability.

I leaned against a tree and slowly sat down.

“Lord Malak?”

Lakye, who was walking beside me, exclaimed in surprise.

“Just a moment.”

Honestly, I thought my life would amount to nothing. I thought I’d end up just doing day labor jobs or living a life of just getting by.

I was wrong.

“I’ll stay like this for a bit.”

Feeling the hot sunlight and cool breeze, I looked at those I had saved and protected.

Satisfaction welled up from deep within my chest. Is this what protagonists of hero stories feel?

Cliché or not, I don’t care.

“This is the best ending.”

Unable to resist the drowsiness washing over me, I closed my eyes.