Chapter 216 – The Last Time She Could Love (2)

Ｒｅａ​ｄ ｏｎ Ｋａｔ​Ｒｅ​ａｄｉｎｇＣ​ａｆｅ​

Until Yoo-seong’s sword struck Bael.
Until a human’s sword reached a demon.
To reach that point—
How much time was needed?
How many sacrifices had to be made?

For seven days and nights, the battle raged on without pause. Bael’s power was terrifying. It became clear why he was the Devil King, why he was considered equal to or even surpassing the “Ancient One”.

He was a transcendent being, one that no human could ever hope to rival. 

An absolute being who created the laws of existence. A being beyond the natural order, deserving to be called a god. 

Even the Heroes, who had reached realms beyond humanity, were helpless before Bael, unable to even touch him.

“Under heaven and earth, I alone am the honored one.”

Yet, crisis often breeds opportunity.

For the first time, Yoo-seong faced an overwhelming sense of powerlessness.
His life hung by a thread, like a candle flickering in the wind.
But in that moment, the missing pieces of the puzzle fell into place.
Yoo-seong awakened to the true nature of his supernatural ability.

The Chosen One.
A sword forged by the Four Seasons to kill Bael.
A sword of strategy capable of opposing Bael’s power.

“Under the heavens, there is nothing more noble than I. In the end, even you are beneath me.”

Arrogant and narrow-minded as it sounded, Yoo-seong’s supernatural ability made it possible.
A power that nullified and interfered with the abilities of all devils, including Bael.
The moment Yoo-seong fully awakened as the Chosen One, the fuse of counterattack was lit.

“Kyrie eleison (Lord, have mercy).”

Lucille’s prayer echoed softly.
The saintess’ blessings infused everyone with strength.
With every word she spoke,
With every touch of her hand,
Wounds were healed,
Strength was restored,
And abilities were enhanced.

“Let there be light.”

Michael’s holy sword shone with brilliance.
A storm raged, bringing with it scorching heat.
It was as if the sun, shining high in the sky, had descended to the earth.
Those who resembled gods consumed even their souls to forge a radiant starlight.

“…I’ve already made a contract with them. Until the contract is fulfilled, even the king’s orders mean nothing to me. Hmph, as if I’d obey!”

“I’ll take the lead. Amon, support me.”

“Fine, there’s no turning back now. This is rebellion I say, rebellion!”

Iris and Amon merged their powers into a single body.
The synergy of human limits and demonic power was beyond imagination.
What one couldn’t achieve alone, two personalities could accomplish together.

And so, the battle continued.
One day passed, then another.
Until the sun rose and set seven times.

The endless-seeming battle finally came to an end when Yoo-seong’s sword struck Bael.
He cut through space, closing the distance in an instant.
He cut through time, delivering an unavoidable strike.
He cut through the natural order, splitting the soul of the Devil King.

“…Impressive. Truly impressive.”

“So, you still won’t die.”

Though Yoo-seong had struck Bael, the Devil King did not die.
Bael had transcended even the concept of death.
For him, there was no death. He would not die. Ever.

Though he did not die, his soul had been severed.
He no longer had the strength to continue the fight.
But unfortunately, that did not mean victory.

Yoo-seong was in the same state. He had no strength left to swing his sword. The shattered blade slipped from his grip and slowly fell to the ground. His right arm, now numb, hung limply at his side.

Yoo-seong wasn’t the only one who had exhausted his strength.
The seven-day battle had drained everyone.
The fight was over. Everyone was incapacitated. It was a draw.

“Amon, I acknowledge your will.”

Bael looked at Amon, who was collapsed and gasping for breath.
Having emerged from Iris’s body, she was fading like a mirage.
She had consumed even the essence of her existence in the battle and was now disappearing.

However, even if she had committed treason, he couldn’t let a fellow devil die.
Bael channeled his remaining strength into Amon’s dissipating soul.

“Take another reprieve.”

Amon, at least until you revive, I will remain a bystander.
As I always have.
I will watch over your choices from above.

Though it meant he would step back, it also meant he would intervene again once Amon revived. 

Yoo-seong realized the full extent of Bael’s power. If this battle had taken place in their world, the world would have been utterly destroyed. The moment Bael stirred again, the world’s destruction would be inevitable.

They had to stop him.

Though they had fought Bael to a draw,
It was only possible because everyone had united.
It was only possible because they had poured everything they had into the fight.
They had spent everything without thinking of the consequences, and they couldn’t do it again.

What was spent would not return.

If they were to fight again, the outcome was clear. If there was any chance to stop Bael, it was now, in this moment. But they had no strength left. The battle had lasted seven full days. Their bodies wouldn’t move. They couldn’t even hold their swords. Yoo-seong gritted his teeth. The only solution he could think of was a temporary measure, not a resolution.

“Hey, Bael.”

“What is it, Chosen One?”

“How about making a contract with me?”

And so, a contract was formed.
The Chosen One would remain silent.
In doing so, Bael would also remain silent.

Though Bael saw through Yoo-seong’s intentions,
Out of respect for him,
Bael willingly played along.

The great battle at the end of the world came to a close.
A battle that could not be remembered, where much was lost and more had to be sacrificed.
With nothing resolved,
The war moved into its next phase.

◈

They returned to their original world.

Seven days. A short yet long journey.

When they returned from their fierce battle with the Devil King, much had changed.

The Heroes had undergone significant changes, and the world they returned to had also changed.

And not for the better.

“What… what happened here…?”

The world was burning.

Not as a metaphor, but literally. Everything was ablaze like kindling.

In the sky, winged monsters of all kinds flew in every direction. On the ground, the demonic armies marched like a raging tide.

Monsters poured out from shattered rifts. The corrupted land rejected humanity. The great World Tree had collapsed.

The stench of decay and piles of corpses filled the air.

Rivers of blood flowed, dyeing the earth red.

Seven days. To them, it was only seven days.

Seventy years. That was how much time had passed in their absence.

The world had reached 150 years since the monster invasion began.

The frequency of dimensional rifts had increased dramatically. It was no longer measured in years, but months. 

Every few months, a gate to another world would open. The flood of monsters slaughtered humans and transformed the land into a demonic realm. Humanity’s territory shrank day by day. Countless nations fell, and refugees were forced to flee without direction.

The aftermath of the battle with Bael was not something even the saint could easily recover from.

Michael had consumed his soul to unleash his radiance, and Iris had paid a heavy price for recklessly using the power of a devil, leaving both her body and soul shattered. 

Yoo-seong, through the contract, had sealed his power as the Chosen One. His strength had weakened significantly compared to before he left for the other world.

The only one relatively unscathed was Lucille, the saintess blessed by the Four Seasons. 

But even she alone couldn’t quell this chaos. The group, still recovering, threw themselves into a world that had turned into hell.

They exterminated monsters.
They defeated the demonic beasts commanding the monsters.
They purified the corrupted land and evacuated people.

But it was endless. 

No matter how many monsters they killed, the world was vast, and there were too many people to protect. 

No matter how extraordinary they were, four people couldn’t protect the entire world. 

Everywhere they went, corpses lay scattered. Once-thriving cities were left in ruins. 

Even the mighty empires had fallen. The religious orders were scattered, barely clinging to survival. 

Step by step. Step by step. Humanity was marching toward its inevitable doom.

“There aren’t enough people to fight.”

This had been a long-standing problem, but it felt even more acute now.

There were too few supernaturals.

Even searching the entire world, there were barely more than 20.

A number far too small to stand against the monsters.

“Why don’t the Four Seasons increase the number of supernaturals?”

Supernatural abilities were a gift from the Four Seasons.

A blessing that granted humans the potential to reach the seasons.

If the Four Seasons willed it, they could mass-produce supernaturals.

“Why do they only grant abilities to a select few?”

Lucille, who was blessed and loved by the Four Seasons, couldn’t understand. 

Of course, she could somewhat rationalize it. Supernaturals were far stronger than ordinary humans. 

If a supernatural with ill intentions emerged, the damage would be unimaginable. That’s why she believed abilities were only granted to those with impeccable character.

But the calamity looming over humanity was too dire.

The shadow of destruction was approaching rapidly.

Yet, the Four Seasons remained silent.

Did the gods not care about humanity’s crisis?

If so, they wouldn’t have granted supernatural abilities in the first place.

Did they expect humanity to overcome this crisis on its own?

It was a cruel expectation, considering ordinary humans couldn’t even face monsters.

“I don’t know. What is your will?”

Though she had never told anyone, Lucille sometimes heard the voices of the Four Seasons.

In her dreams, during prayers, or when bestowing blessings upon others.
Suddenly, the voice of the gods would echo in her ears.

They said they loved her.
The blessed child. The beloved child.
Lucille was a girl loved by the gods.

But do you not give this love to others?
The answer to her question was always silence.

With unresolved doubts in her heart, Lucille continued the war against the monsters.

Fortunately, their efforts weren’t entirely in vain.

There were other supernaturals fighting for humanity.
Together, they repelled the monsters and established a final line of defense.
They created a refuge for the refugees who had lost their nations and homes.

The land where the ley lines flowed was relatively safe.
The land where the World Tree once stood became humanity’s last bastion.
A fragile bastion that would surely crumble before long.

‘…Maybe there’s a way to solve this.’

Lucille thought.

‘What was humanity lacking now?

What could be done to fill that gap?’

A vague idea came to her.
A plan with no guarantee of success.
If it worked, it could be the key to resolving the current crisis…

‘But then, I won’t be able to stay by Yoo-seong’s side anymore.’

That was the fundamental reason for her hesitation. She couldn’t say the plan had a high chance of success, and even if it did, Lucille would no longer be able to fight alongside Yoo-seong. 

Even without her, Michael and Iris would be there, so it would be fine…

Lucille let out a deep sigh.

Worrying alone wouldn’t solve anything.

If she couldn’t decide on her own, it would be better to discuss it with someone she could rely on.

Late at night, Lucille quietly made her way to Yoo-seong.

She passed through the temporary tents and headed toward the wooden barricade. Yoo-seong always stood guard on the barricade at night, ready to rush out at the first sign of monsters. 

No matter how much she begged him to rest, he never listened. His diligence was admirable, but she wished he would take better care of himself.

When she met him, she would first bestow a blessing.
After easing his fatigue, she would slowly discuss her plan.
The plan she had conceived was full of holes and uncertainties.
So, she would fill those gaps by brainstorming with Yoo-seong.

Who knows? They might overcome the worst-case scenario and achieve the best outcome.

‘Come to think of it, we’ve been so busy lately that we hardly had time to see each other…’

Sticking together wasn’t efficient, after all.
Cries for help came from all directions, so splitting up allowed them to save more people.

Though she felt a little excited at the thought of seeing Yoo-seong after so long, Lucille didn’t show it. 

Since the battle with Bael, Yoo-seong had changed. He had lost his usual composure. He was always tense, his nerves on edge. The confident smile that used to grace his lips was now stiff. 

While this serious side of him had its own charm, Lucille missed the old Yoo-seong.

That’s why she deliberately walked quietly, hiding her presence.
She would surprise him from behind, just like he used to do to her.

Haha, she remembered how she had been so startled that she almost fell over.
It felt nostalgic, even though it hadn’t been that long.

The barricade was close. A barricade made of carved wood by the refugees. It wasn’t much of a defense, but it provided psychological comfort. 

Lucille carefully climbed the barricade. Where was Yoo-seong? As she looked around, she spotted a figure at the base of the barricade a short distance away.

There was no mistaking who it was. It was Yoo-seong. Lucille smiled mischievously and crept closer.

‘Huh…?’

But Lucille stopped after just a few steps.

Yoo-seong wasn’t alone.

Beside him was a girl with blue hair.

That wasn’t particularly strange.

Iris was also a close companion.

The reason Lucille’s footsteps halted was something else.

Under the faint moonlight at the base of the barricade,

Even in the dim light, Lucille could see as clearly as if it were broad daylight.

And so, she saw it clearly.

“Ah…?”

Iris leaned slightly into Yoo-seong’s embrace.

And their lips met.

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
I liked him first… -Lucille

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
Nice cliffhanger, (I’m dying too).