Ch.31Main Scenario

# 1.

The first sign of the fall was desiccation.

Crackle.

The flesh beast’s body, once slick with blood and oil, began to dry up from the extremities.

The second sign was Ruby’s warning.

Ruby, who noticed the anomaly first, reported with a sigh.

“We’re falling.”

It’s fine.

I already expected this.

“Estimated time until impact?”

“Probably three…”

“Three minutes is plenty.”

“Two… One…”

As soon as the countdown ended, the beast’s body crumbled like autumn leaves, and everyone fell together.

“…!!!”

Wait,

Isn’t the rule to count down to zero?

I was so shocked I couldn’t even scream, but the other members, except Luna, opened their mouths in admiration even as they fell.

“As expected of the Captain…!! You’re not even surprised…!!”

“Kekeke…! Everyone felt it earlier, didn’t they…!! The Captain has already regained that much power, so how could a mere fall be a threat…!!”

“Indeed. Captain—sir! I. Believed—in you!!”

What are they talking about? Please save me.

As I helplessly fell toward the rapidly approaching ground, my awakened survival instinct began to spin into high gear.

‘Can I survive if I hit the ground like this?’

Impossible.

‘What if I ask the members to save me?’

They’d become suspicious.

It might be dangerous, like with Ruby.

‘Won’t the members prepare for this on their own?’

They might.

Or they might not.

‘Damn, do I have any useful skills?’

…I do.

I just got one.

‘Huh?’

Come to think of it, what time is it now?

That question ended my solo question-and-answer game.

“Ground approaching.”

After Ruby’s warning, the members prepared to land.

Ruby prepared a parachute made of flesh, Dallan readied his sword, and Hanryang prepared to crash while tightly embracing Luna.

And Nahan,

‘Oncedailydidn’titmidnightpassalreadyoncedailydidn’titmidnightpassalreadyoncedailydidn’titmidnightpassalreadyoncedailydidn’titmidnightpassalready.’

I mentally spammed the Black Wolf’s second skill – Invincibility – which refused to activate.

1km.

800m.

500m.

What looked like an abandoned village, a wasteland between noble territories, grew closer.

200m.

50m.

5m.

Just as the distance to the ground became less than 5 meters and death seemed imminent.

【Skill 2 – Invincibility is activated.】

【Countdown begins.】

【Time limit: 80 seconds.】

Thud.

As Skill 2 – Invincibility activated, I landed directly on the ground.

‘Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.’

I almost lost my balance and fell, but overcame it with superior athleticism.

The skill effect was definite.

Despite falling from such a height, I was completely fine without even a scratch.

‘Did it just negate the impact entirely? …Well, this is useful.’

It seemed the description of being invincible for 80 seconds wasn’t just for show.

‘…This really works.’

A feeling beyond bewilderment, more like numbness.

It felt unreal, like being in a game with broken physics.

Tap, tap tap.

As I unconsciously dusted off my clothes, the other members approached, each having landed in their own way.

“Captain! Did you just fall straight down? From that height?!”

“Ah, youth is truly wonderful.”

“That’s not about youth!! How much stronger are you trying to become?!”

Ruby approached in shock while Dallan came stroking his chin.

‘I’m still too shocked to speak.’

As I turned my gaze to look at the sky to catch my breath, the two suddenly became serious and asked admiringly.

“So you knew all along, Captain.”

…Huh?

“Indeed. Youth is wonderful. I only just noticed it myself.”

Notice?

Notice what?

Unable to contain my curiosity, I took a few steps toward them and asked.

“What are you—”

Tap.

BOOM!!

After a slight impact to the back of my head, a thunderous noise followed as if a heavy boulder had fallen behind me.

Turning around, I saw a boulder larger than I had expected.

“…?”

As I stood there confused, Ruby and Dallan bowed their heads.

“Thank you, Captain. Thanks to your protection, we weren’t injured.”

“We’ll handle things from here, awaiting your orders.”

“…?”

What are they talking about?

Unlike the confused Nahan, Ruby and Dallan had grasped the situation.

This place was the <Gray Wasteland> located between Count Gardner’s and Viscount Kopel’s territories.

The “something” that had taken control of Luna had lured them here, and succeeded in making them fall by destroying the flesh beast.

Ruby and Dallan, who had been separated from Luna, were able to break free from the influence of that “something” when the beast was destroyed, but Hanryang, who had been protecting Luna the whole time, was still entranced.

That’s why just now.

A massive boulder infused with aura, thrown by Hanryang, had flown toward them, but thanks to the Captain’s intervention, they remained unharmed.

‘As expected of the Captain.’

Ruby’s eyes sparkled like starlight as she looked up at Nahan.

‘I thought he had lost most of his power after that incident. Was this old man’s worry unfounded?’

Relief shone in Dallan’s eyes as he gazed steadily at Nahan.

Nahan looked back at the two without avoiding their gaze and thought seriously.

‘That boulder is seriously huge.’

I’d definitely die if I got hit by that.

Thud.

Nahan leaned against the boulder.

‘It seems Hanryang and Luna are a bit far away.’

After predicting the situation with sharp insight, he asked the two.

“Is it okay if I rest?”

I’ll calm my mind, so please find Hanryang.

He worried briefly that he might seem conscienceless for just giving orders without doing anything, but the two, who had already removed their masks, smiled brightly and answered.

“Of course, Captain.”

“Please rest well.”

With that, the two disappeared.

“They’re fast.”

The leader of the world’s worst shadow organization. Sometimes it doesn’t seem so bad.

‘Well, that worked out.’

Apart from calming his racing heart, there was one more thing to check.

【Main Scenario – <Those Who Could Not Be Saved> has begun.】

【Would you like to accept the basic information?】

【Accept / Decline.】

A system window that appeared when Luna’s corruption rate exceeded 50% as the flesh beast disintegrated.

He could have accepted it immediately, but Nahan chose to wait.

After all,

‘This is a scenario I’ve never seen before.’

The main scenario of <Babylonia> was the story of the <Hero> and his companions.

Although it ended badly, that was the main scenario of this novel.

In other words, the episode called <Those Who Could Not Be Saved> was a story that had never appeared in the original work or the setting book.

‘My head is already pounding from everything else I need to worry about. Should I just decline since there’s probably no penalty like with other quests?’

But information was being offered.

Thanks to his hard work, he had gathered various basic information, but he still hadn’t recovered important memories like the character’s past.

Nahan thought hard.

The content of the main quest was to save the <Emperor> and the <Hero>.

In other words, those two people were not saved.

‘Then wouldn’t this “basic information” also contain details about the Emperor or the Hero?’

Of course, it was given at a rather strange timing,

‘If there’s no penalty for declining and no penalty for accepting, it’s better to take whatever is offered.’

Having finished deliberating, Nahan leaned back against the boulder and pressed the accept button.

Thud!

“Ugh!”

Like miscounting steps and suddenly dropping, he fell backward.

“What? The boulder was definitely…”

He frowned and turned around, but the boulder had already disappeared.

That wasn’t all.

The <Gray Wasteland> that had surrounded him was gone, replaced by darkness that spread out in all directions with Nahan at its center.

“What is this…?”

As his survival instinct awakened once more, he quickly got to his feet.

…Pitter-patter.

A sound came from behind.

The sound of light, rapid footsteps, like a small child running with all their might.

He immediately turned his head to look, but visibility was poor as if thick fog had settled.

‘Three meters? …No. I can see up to five meters.’

After calmly assessing his field of vision, Nahan checked the remaining duration of Invincibility.

【Time limit: 15 seconds.】

Disappointing but not the worst.

It meant he could explore this place without worry for 15 seconds.

…Pitter-patter.

Listening to the approaching footsteps, Nahan considered his options again.

‘If I stand still and wait, the effect of Invincibility will end before I encounter that entity.’

But what if he ran toward it?

‘Within about 15m. I could encounter it before the Invincibility effect ends.’

If he was going to meet it anyway, better to do so when he was still protected.

No sooner had Nahan finished thinking than he turned around.

The speed of the child running.

His own running speed.

’12 seconds… 11 seconds…’

After encountering it before the Invincibility effect ended, if it was an enemy, he would kill it with Flash Slash.

…Swish.

Golden madness mixed into Nahan’s black eyes, flashing sharply.

‘Kill it. Kill it before I die.’

Just as Nahan, his eyes bloodshot, placed his hand on his sword and prepared to draw it.

Whoosh!

The thick darkness parted left and right as something with mixed gold and green colors rushed toward Nahan.

‘Threat. Kill it.’

Click.

As the Black Wolf’s blade was about to be revealed for the first time since the possession.

“Found you! Now big sister is it—eeeek!?”

“A child?”

A small child, not even half his height, tried to jump at him but hesitated and backed away.

“…A demon?”

“I’m human.”

He answered with his hand still on his sword, and the child backed away with a whimper.

“No way. You look like a demon.”

“I said I’m human.”

“Demon King.”

“Ugh.”

As he sighed and frowned, the child grinned as if finding it amusing.

“Just kidding.”

“…”

“Oh! Introductions.”

Rustle rustle.

The startled child wiped her hands vigorously on her oversized, dirty white T-shirt, then smiled with a thumbs up.

“Luna!”

“…What?”

“My name is Luna! And…”

The girl, whose eyes began to glow emerald, scratched her scar-covered face and added.

“I’m not dead yet!”

Well, I might die soon!

# 2.

The girl had nightmares every day.

-Smile brightly, that’s how you survive.

-That’s right, smile a little more.

-Smile more brightly, until your mouth tears.

-That’s how you survive.

Dreams of that terrible circus troupe where she could only survive by smiling.

Yet the girl had never woken up crying or startled.

-Don’t tremble, that’s how you survive.

-When it’s too hard, wear a mask and cry.

-Try and try again.

-Until someday you can smile even with the mask on.

Because that was the only way to survive.

So this time too, she closed her eyes.

Because that was the only way to survive.

…Right? Mother.

.

.

.

“That’s right. You’re doing well, just as you were taught.”

.

.

.

【Corruption rate: …80%.】

【<Mother(S-)> awakens.】

# 3.

Immediately after receiving Black Wolf’s permission, the two who rushed to where the boulder had been thrown from succeeded in finding Hanryang and Luna.

In a corner of the <Gray Wasteland>.

A huge, tattered circus tent standing on a foggy plain.

Ruby, sensing something, grabbed her trembling hand and asked Dallan.

“We have to kill her, right?”

“We must.”

“Is there no other way?”

“None. …Not for us.”

A moment of silence.

“Don’t die, Dallan.”

“You too, Branch Manager.”

Flap.

The two entered the tent.