Chapter 39: The Angel Who Makes It Rain (9)

Episode 39

While the professors were busy slaughtering monsters, spouting nonsense, Leffrey headed towards the center of Naiad’s Forest with all his might.

Why? Naturally, because that’s where most of the Reflection Flowers were gathered.

‘I need to neutralize that place to end this mess…’

Leffrey dodged the attacks of the illusory monsters, sprinting towards the center of Naiad’s Forest. Towards where the magic is rampaging.

He occasionally looked up at the sky.

There was an advice he needed to give Yumari, and he also had to assess the overall situation.

‘The professors are being pushed back…’

The closer he got to the center, the stronger the monsters became. Of course, the monsters collapsed when struck by Leffriel’s sword, manifested as illusions, but… there were also many monsters that fled.

And those fleeing monsters were all left to the professors to deal with.

‘Look at that. The golden aura…’

Sensing that the monsters’ illusions were getting stronger, the professors slowly began to unleash their full power.

One of those powers was the golden aura.

The highest realm of superhuman power, said to be attainable only by those approaching level 100, the absolute limit.

Park Jin-ho, Lusa, Klein, and Rebecca were all clad in a golden aura as they faced the monsters. This meant they were all over level 90.

“Radiance.”

Naiad muttered as she witnessed the scene.

“Radiance?”

“Yes, that light that cloaks the strongest humans is called radiance. I don’t know what you angels call it.”

Then, shaking her head as if in disbelief,

“But Leffriel, why is your expression like that?”

“Like what?”

“To make a face of surprise, of longing, as if you’re amazed… your radiance is on a completely different level compared to theirs. Are you mocking them?”

What was she talking about? He hadn’t even reached level 10 yet, how could he use an aura? Besides, to say that his aura was incomparable to theirs…

Could it be that Leffriel, being an angel, had surpassed human limitations and also reached level 100?

That was absurd.

Leffrey, annoyed, asked Naiad,

“Naiad, have you gathered enough Reflection Flowers?”

“W-Wait a moment. I can gather twenty more in just a few minutes.”

“Good.”

“And stop for a moment! It’s dangerous to move right now.”

What was she talking about again? Leffrey glared at Naiad, about to give her an earful.

‘I know it’s dangerous. But shouldn’t we be trying to stop this mess?’ ‘And you’re telling me it’s better to just stand around while doing nothing?’ and so on.

However, Leffrey couldn’t say those words. Because he felt that Naiad was right.

“Humanity’s ‘Ultimate Skill’.”

Ultimate Skill – The most important factor that separated professor-level superhumans from others. It referred to a skill honed to the extreme. Without an Ultimate Skill, one would inevitably be defeated by someone who possessed one. It was an essential element for victory in any battle.

‘Beautiful…’

Leffrey gazed at the professors’ Ultimate Skills.

The first to be unleashed was the Ultimate Skill of Lusa, the martial arts professor, ‘Full Bloom’, the pinnacle of Fairy Martial Arts. Countless flower buds, made of magic, began to form around Lusa, and…

Wherever she walked, wherever she flew, a splendid flower garden, worthy of a royal palace, began to appear.

It was a truly magnificent sight.

But this was just a preparation move.

“Ultimate Skill.”

The true Full Bloom began with Lusa’s clasped hands.

The fact that the highest technique of Fairy Martial Arts, honed by elves for ten thousand years to kill other races, began with such a peaceful gesture of clasped hands…

Leffrey found it ironic.

With a peaceful expression, Lusa muttered,

“Full Bloom.”

And the flowers bloomed.

They bloomed so brilliantly, they practically exploded.

Ghastly flowers made of flesh and blood.

It didn’t matter how tough the monster was, how high its regeneration ability was.

Flowers bloomed when spring arrived.

And no one could stop spring.

Hundreds of monsters, straight out of myths, were slaughtered at once, and the remaining monsters fled in terror.

Such an overwhelming violence.

Leffrey, speechless, looked up at the sky.

Naiad looked at Leffrey with a resigned expression.

“Don’t be too surprised.”

“…About what?”

“Don’t be too surprised that such a thing is called an Ultimate Skill. It’s considered quite a powerful Ultimate Skill on Earth.”

Then, she murmured softly, as if casually mentioning it,

“Of course, that’s… Leffriel, compared to your Ultimate Skill, that’s just a single flower…”

Leffriel also had an Ultimate Skill? And that Ultimate Skill was much stronger than ‘Full Bloom’? Leffrey was starting to get curious about what kind of being Leffriel actually was.

‘The strongest being on Earth, no, the strongest being in Heaven, something like that?’

…There was always a twisted truth hidden within jests.

Leffrey and Naiad continued their journey.

Since a single Ultimate Skill, Full Bloom, had created a path like a cleared highway… there was no reason for the other professors to unleash their Ultimate Skills.

‘Besides, Professor Park Jin-ho can’t use his Ultimate Skill at all. If he does, the other professors next to him might…’

Leffrey gulped.

The power of Park Jin-ho’s Ultimate Skill…

‘They’ll die.’

The boy shook off his distracting thoughts and continued telling Yumari about the monsters’ weaknesses. Yumari, utilizing the weaknesses and habits she had learned from Leffrey, displayed her exceptional combat sense, which was hailed as one of the best among future heroes, unleashed a magnificent hunt.

[You helped a future hero defeat monsters that harm humans!]

[You have gained Angelic Power.]

[You helped a future hero defeat monsters that harm humans!]

[You have gained Angelic Power.]

‘Auto-hunting works so well…’

Besides, it was only natural that cameras from all over the world would capture the elegant hunt of this beautiful girl.

And so,

[Helping a future hero is an angelic act!]

[You have gained Angelic Power.]

[Guiding a future hero to walk the right path is an angelic act!]

[You have gained Angelic Power.]

[Elevating the fame of a future hero is truly an angelic act!]

[You have gained a large amount of Angelic Power.]

While enjoying the overflowing Angelic Power,

[Yumari starts to gain attention from the public + The girl who distrusted everyone starts to trust one person.]

[The potential of a future hero increases by one level!]

[Yumari gets closer to becoming a hero!]

[Title Acquired: Guardian Angel of the Young Half-Dragon]

He even acquired a title.

===

[Title: Guardian Angel of the Young Half-Dragon]

You have guided the young half-dragon to the right path, bringing her one step closer to becoming a hero. This is only natural for a guardian angel.

Title Effect:

Once a day, for ten minutes, you can borrow 10% of the young half-dragon’s [Yumari] combat sense.

===

‘Yumari was known for having exceptional combat sense. Even Park Jin-ho in the future acknowledged it. He said in an interview that although she was weaker than him in terms of stats, the odds were probably even…’

To be able to borrow 10% of such an exceptional combat sense… it was truly an incredible ability.

Thus, Leffrey arrived at the field of Reflection Flowers in the center of Naiad’s Forest.

“Good.”

Now all that was left was to reflect the memories of others and end this mess. Leffrey looked at Naiad.

“Let’s begin. Distribute these flowers to everyone nearby. Except for those who might have dark memories.”

“…Alright.”

Leffrey smiled.

How much Angelic Power would he gain by resolving this incident? Surely, since it was something he had been warned about as an angel’s duty, he would gain a tremendous amount of Angelic Power.

How much would he get?

Perhaps as much as when he drew the holy sword… Leffrey couldn’t help but smile at the thought of the incoming Angelic Power.

Naiad was a little surprised to see him like that.

‘The emotionless judge of Earth, Leffriel, is smiling? So brightly?’

Why was Leffriel smiling so brightly? Naturally, because he was about to resolve this incident. Was he happy that this incident was being resolved? What was good for him if this was resolved?

‘I see. He’s happy that he saved the other students and that masked half-dragon.’ (TL Note: Masked. Since Yumari always wears a mask/facade in front of others)

Happy to have saved others.

Especially people who were practically his enemies.

So very angel-like for someone like him.

That’s why Naiad couldn’t help but ask,

“Leffriel, the memories you showed…”

“Yes?”

“The memories you showed, were they all real?”

Leffrey looked at Naiad.

He sensed the sharp scent of Angelic Power farming, the kind he could smell from Professor Rebecca.

In the end, Leffrey opened his mouth.

“Yes, they were all real. Things that happened to me, a human.”

“Human? You’re saying you truly became human? That you really abandoned all your power and authority for the sake of one person?”

Of course, it wasn’t the boy who abandoned it, it was Leffriel, but… the boy decided to let Naiad continue her misunderstanding and nodded.

“…If it wasn’t true, I wouldn’t have those memories.”

Even though the boy had been reborn as Leffrey, that tragedy hadn’t disappeared. It still existed in this reality.

‘However, I didn’t exist at this point in time. All that was left was the apartment where I lived with my mother, the bloodstains… and those bastards from the conglomerate family.’

Where had the boy of this point in time gone?

Perhaps he was still trapped in his nightmare, having become one with Leffrey.

Leffrey had felt it ever since he entered Klein’s white room.

Naiad muttered in disbelief,

“But why…”

The spirit king continued her question in a trembling voice.

Even after becoming human, even after experiencing such immense pain while living as a human…

“Why didn’t you lose faith in humanity?”

“That’s…”

Leffrey hesitated for a moment before answering.

The boy was smiling.

“Because I’m an angel.”

Angelic Power slowly flowed in.

“Just like you’re a spirit king.”

Leffrey had said those words to gain Angelic Power, turning “Because I want to gain Angelic Power” into “Because I’m an angel.”

But Naiad couldn’t help but interpret those words differently.

‘He’s saying that although he has lost his angelic power, he will still bear the heavy duty of an angel?’

She felt ashamed of herself for abandoning her duty as a spirit king. And this angel, protecting humans with only the mere body of a boy, seemed so remarkable.

‘Now I can believe it. Leffriel, you truly sacrificed everything for the sake of one girl. Leffriel wasn’t a cruel judge. Nor was he an emotionless heavenly puppet.’

She couldn’t help but admire Leffrey. And she felt both bitter and apologetic.

‘What have I done? And what have I said? To an angel who sacrificed everything for humanity…’

‘And what am I doing? Even Leffriel abandoned all his power and authority to protect humanity… and I, a spirit king, am drunk by the power of the human world…’

[Making a powerful being realize their mistakes is truly an angelic act!]

[You have gained a large amount of Angelic Power.]

‘Realize their mistakes? Why?’

Leffrey felt curious,

but he decided to dismiss it since he had gained Angelic Power.

Neutralization was taking place throughout the forest. This was the effect of the water spirits diligently delivering Reflection Flowers to everyone.

Illusions of amusement parks, cartoon movies, and even lewd illusions, the memories of countless students are neutralizing Leffriel’s illusions.

Watching these illusions, the boy couldn’t help but feel a sense of sadness.

‘Human memories are so diverse… but Leffriel’s memories only contain monsters. No friends, no acquaintances, not even anyone to talk to…’

An angel who only knew slaughter.

A heavenly puppet.

That was Leffriel.

‘That’s too sad of a life…’

It was time to finish this.

He had to reflect Naiad’s memories to completely neutralize Leffriel’s memories. Since this was the center of the chaos, he needed a spirit king like Naiad to match Leffriel’s level, at least that was the boy’s judgment.

Leffrey looked at Naiad.

Even though Naiad was trying to hide her emotions behind a blank expression, Leffrey could roughly understand her feelings through the status window messages.

‘I don’t know why… but it said she realized her mistakes earlier.’

Good.

Leffrey, holding a Reflection Flower, said,

“Naiad, it’s your turn.”

Naiad, with respect,

bowed her head to Leffrey.

“…I see. No, I understand. Leffrey.”

Naiad’s memories gushed out, pushing away and erasing Leffriel’s memories. Days of emotionless slaughter, memories where the only visible beings were monsters.

The faint memories disappeared first.

Therefore, the weaker monsters disappeared first, and…

The more intense memories lingered longer. Therefore, the strongest monster would remain until the very end.

Leffrey was nervous.

What kind of monster would remain?

What kind of monstrous being occupied the deepest part of Leffriel’s heart?

“…Huh?”

However, contrary to Leffrey’s expectations, a monster didn’t appear.

Instead, the boy saw a woman. The woman’s hair was the color of the vast sky, and she held a cute child with black hair in her arms.

The child had a small horn on her forehead.

“Angel, she finally fell asleep.”

The child was sound asleep in its mother’s arms. The woman couldn’t stop smiling, as if she found the child too adorable.

“Look at this. Sleeping children are…”

Unable to finish her sentence, Leffriel’s final memory disappeared like that.