Ch.82Habit

1.

Dalan had a dream.

A dream of spending the rest of his life with the woman he loved, whom he met at the end of his freedom.

And so Ruby also had a dream.

A brave dream of protecting this village full of people she loved with her own strength.

But dreams are just dreams.

The hopes of the two were trampled before they could properly bloom.

Unfulfilled dreams become lingering attachments, and trampled happiness returns as anger. Now, the regret and anger they had suppressed throughout their lives has finally erupted.

“It’s all because of me…”

“I will… soon… follow you.”

[Warning.]

[The <Seed of Regret> embedded in <Ruby Red(S+)> is blooming.]

[The <Seed of Regret> embedded in <Dalan Esteban(SS+)> is blooming.]

[The regret of <???? ?? ??> manifests in this world through their bodies.]

Similarly, other lingering regrets and anger that had faded away squeezed through the gaps of the blooming seeds and took control of the two bodies.

[Rank is increasing.]

[<Ruby Red(S+)> → <Black Wolf Restriction Released: Ruby Red(SS+)> → <Seed of Regret Blooming: Ruby Red(SSS-)>]

[<Dalan Esteban(SS+)> → <Seed of Regret Blooming: Dalan Esteban(SSS+)>]

The two people, possessed by regret, turned their heads in search of someone to comfort them.

[Warning.]

[Directionless regret and anger strike directly at the <Savior>.]

It was the moment when an almost instinctive, indiscriminate venting began.

[<Ruby Red(SSS-) activates Skill #1 – <Corpse Synthesis(SSS-)>!]

[Enhancement Effect: <Legion of the Dead(SSS-)> is activated.]

Crack, crackle…!!

A legion composed of numerous dead rising up, breaking through the ground, and,

[<Dalan(SSS+)> activates Skill #1 – <Banquet of Dragons(SSS-)>!]

[Enhancement Effect: <Death Dragon General – Death Dragon(SS+)> has been selected.]

Snap.

The death dragon, summoned suddenly and dominating the surroundings, leading everything it touches to death.

A force that would require sacrificing at least an arm to fight against, even if several Black Wolf members were nearby.

That’s what breaking limits through the Black Wolf’s restriction release and the Seed of Regret meant.

But Nahan,

The Black Wolf did not back down.

Because he could see everything.

‘What raises the dead is threads of magic power, what moves the death dragon is Dalan’s aura.’

After understanding the mechanism of the skills with his darkly glowing eyes, Nahan recalled someone.

Long platinum blonde hair,

Reddish lips,

Golden eyes.

The woman who was once the empire’s likely next emperor, the pinnacle of civil and military prowess, had said:

“Born as a ruler, I obtained abilities befitting my immense aura. An ability meant only for me in this world.”

“Therefore, it’s impossible to learn without innate talent.”

“That’s what [Word Command] is.”

“I wish I could teach you, but it would be difficult even for you, Commander.”

A few days ago, Nahan had smiled and replied to the genuinely regretful Lactea:

“It’s fine. I’ve already learned it.”

“…What?”

Word Command.

An absolute ability that forces situations through words, almost like a divine power.

However, after observing Lactea since gaining the Black Wolf’s power, Nahan had precisely understood the activation principle of this skill.

First.

[Activating <Black Curtain>.]

[Output – [30%]]

Absolutely dominate the surrounding space.

‘Like filling a huge tank with water, fill the dominated space completely with aura.’

The rest is easy.

The released aura is like one’s limbs, so it takes form as soon as words are uttered.

For example,

“【Aura restriction, mana restriction.】

With this command, the opponent’s aura and the mana in the air are drawn outside the space he controls.

Just as saltier seawater makes objects float better, the denser and heavier the commander’s aura, the easier it is to remove other impurities.

“…!!”

“……”

Ruby and Dalan, whose skills were instantly canceled, hesitated and retreated again.

But it was useless.

The space currently dominated by Nahan’s ‘Word Command’ extends about 100m.

“【Bind, subdue.】”

Thud!!

“Kagh!!”

“Kuhup…!!”

“Ow…”

Crushed by the vast amount of aura, the two were pinned to the ground without a chance to resist.

Nahan looked down at them and unconsciously smirked in disbelief.

Despite only opening 30% of his power, he was driven to the brink of aura exhaustion after just four commands.

‘How does Lactea use such an overwhelming power so freely?’

Perhaps the final goal isn’t the salvation of the emperor or hero, but Lactea’s salvation…

“I’m… I’m not done yet…!!”

“Rose…!!!”

“…Would you two calm down?”

Deciding to think about that later, Nahan approached the two lying on the ground.

‘Black energy blooming near the heart. Just like what I saw with Cheonmyeong before.’

Currently, Dalan and Ruby are being controlled by that <Seed of Regret>.

‘If I destroy it, they should naturally wake up.’

But,

‘…Then what about salvation?’

With Luna and Hanryang, during the battle, past connections appeared directly due to the opponent’s ability.

After directly comforting Luna and Hanryang, they were given salvation and disappeared.

But now the situation was different.

The past was merely being reenacted, and there was no one who could directly comfort the two.

In this massive nightmare, the only living beings were Ruby, Dalan, and Nahan.

There was no ‘Rose’ who could fully understand and embrace the two people’s ‘regrets’.

Even if he destroyed the ‘black flower’ blooming near their hearts, the two would have to continue living with their guilt as before.

…Clench.

Nahan, with his fist clenched, looked at the area near the two people’s hearts with calm eyes.

“What should I do for you?”

A question uttered without expecting an answer.

“I…!! Because of me, my clan…!!!”

“…Rose.”

The two could only struggle with tears flowing from their empty eyes.

That’s what guilt was like.

Unless you face someone directly and apologize, unless you’re forgiven directly by the person involved, you can never escape it.

Time continues to flow even as he contemplates.

“A forest only the world’s top 10 can enter…”

“In the yellow desert…”

“I love you, Rose.”

“Ah, ahhh…!!”

When they touched despair, they returned to happiness, and from happiness, they flowed back toward despair.

Each time they touched despair, the faint flower scent intensified, and the time to reach despair shortened.

[<Flower of Regret> is growing.]

[<Flower of Regret> is growing.]

[<Flower of Regret> is growing.]

.

.

.

When Dalan and Rose, who had collapsed, gained the strength to resist due to the continuously growing flower.

“…I’m sorry, sister, I’m sorry… everyone.”

Crack!

The woman bearing the lives of her clan reached out toward Nahan with tears of blood.

“I wasn’t ignoring the prophecy.”

Crack!

Tree branches made of corpses’ arms suddenly sprouted from the ground, grabbing his ankles, and,

“I’m sorry, Rose.”

Crunch,

Crack!

Finally standing on the ground, the old general gripped his sword with empty eyes.

“Because I submitted to fate, you, an innocent, became involved and left.”

Snap.

The sword hilt being forcefully gripped.

“After struggling to live, I will soon follow.”

The guilt engraved in the two became the power to resist the Black Wolf and move their bodies.

[Emitting <Regret>.]

[Emitting <Regret>.]

It was a power not of this world, tearing even through the Black Wolf’s <Black Curtain>.

“Because of me!!!”

“…Rose.”

Dalan’s dark-colored sword flew like an arrow toward Nahan, who was completely bound.

A power not of this world, with unknown consequences if not avoided.

But Nahan didn’t move.

He simply embraced Dalan who rushed at him with only his arms free, and Ruby who followed, throwing herself at him.

“Such fools.”

Crack!

Crunch…!!

Even as Dalan’s sword struck his neck directly and Ruby’s branches constricted his body,

[Skill #2 – <Invincibility> is activated.]

Nahan maintained his composure and simply held the two close, whispering:

“Remember but don’t hold on, don’t live being held captive.”

Words his only friend had told him before departing this world first.

Being a man of few words, Nahan had nothing more to say, but,

“……”

“……”

The struggling stopped.

A glimmer of life returned to Ruby’s eyes, which had been shedding tears of blood, and to Dalan’s eyes, which had been dead and opaque, but only for a moment.

[<Flower of Regret> is growing.]

The two were once again being consumed by the regret flower that had grown again.

It was only natural.

No matter how good the consolation, to those experiencing misfortune, it’s just momentary comfort.

[Warning.]

[If the individuals – <Ruby Red>, <Dalan Esteban> – refuse salvation, you will not be able to escape from there either.]

[The exit is beginning to disappear.]

As Nahan bit his lip unconsciously while looking at the exit that had begun to close,

In the time flowing around them, Ruby looked at Dalan and muttered.

“[…What a foolish person.]”

2.

Rose had a peculiar habit.

“…Ro, se……?”

“[Yes, that’s right. So don’t cry.]”

“…Ah…”

A habit of occasionally staring into empty space and uttering incomprehensible words.

“[Thank you for protecting us, Savior. I’ll take it from here.]”

Who on earth was she talking to?

“…Can you see me?”

“[I am the Great Prophet born with the world. I know that the answers I give in the past will surely reach you in the future.]”

What exactly did the Great Prophet, muttering to herself, see in her eyes?

“[So, I’ll take it from here now.]”

“…As you wish.”

“[Thank you, Savior.]”

But curiosity remains just curiosity.

“[…Are you coming to your senses, Dalan?]”

“…Is it… re, ally. You?”

“[…Of course, my love.]”

The moment life returned to Dalan’s empty eyes, Rose embraced him.

“…I look terrible. …Does it disgust you? A man like this.”

“[Not at all. You’re too lovely.]”

“…Rose.”

“[Yes, Dalan.]”

The two loved each other.

“[Listen carefully, Dalan. All those times I muttered to myself before I died were for this very moment.]”

“Ah… so you eventually….”

Therefore, a few strange points were,

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…”

“[……What a foolish person.]”

Nothing to them at all.