episode_0635

In the midst of fierce combat, having other thoughts meant two things.

Suicidal or leisurely.

The strength of the two people was equal.

But there is a crucial difference.

The fact that one side is already a complete apostle, while the other side is an incomplete apostle who is still 1% lacking.

Although Jake is dying every moment, his breathing is not completely stopped.

That means the transfer of power has not been completely accomplished.

There’s one more thing.

Kim Do-jin has been growing stronger as a full-fledged apostle, but Yeo-po only realized the apostle’s full power today and has grown stronger rapidly.

These two differences ultimately separated the fates of the two people.

Crunch!

“… … !”

Kim Do-jin’s sword, which draws tens or hundreds of lines in just one second, finally cut through not the air, but Lu Bu.

It was the side, just like when I cut down the Red Dragon Armor.

But the depth was quite different.

“Ugh… !”

Lu Bu staggered for a moment, clutching his side.

But that was only for a moment.

Flying again.

Because I realized that the moment I let go of the reins was the moment of my death.

“Not yet… , it’s far-!”

Just a little more.

I want to continue this moment longer.

It feels like the end is not far away.

Defeat your opponent by grasping the clue that is floating around in your head.

In the end, he was unable to catch it and was cut down by his opponent’s sword.

I hate things that are half-hearted.

Once you start something, you have to see it through to the end somehow.

But I hated ending in defeat more than death.

“Kaaaah!”

He lets out a scream, ignoring the wound on his side, and swings his Bangcheonhwageuk.

The wound on his side, unable to withstand this, opens up.

The ribs were clearly visible, not in good condition.

Even though it was a near-death blow, there was no sensation at the tip of the spear.

It never reached the end.

In the end, I couldn’t catch it.

I had always been above others, but I ended up allowing others to dominate me.

Chaenggrang!

The Fangcheonhwageuk held in Lu Bu’s hand, who was standing awkwardly, fell to the ground with a loud noise.

It has been accepted.

His own defeat.

“… I don’t feel so bad.”

Is it because he lost despite demonstrating power beyond his capabilities?

Surprisingly, it wasn’t a bad feeling.

So, on the one hand, I felt regret.

I thought that if I had experienced this defeat earlier, I might not have ended up like this.

Yeo-po immediately shook his head.

He straightened his back, spread his arms out and puffed out his chest as he declared toward Kim Do-jin.

“Your victory.”

There was no room left.

Even just standing there feels amazing.

“Can I ask you a favor?”

“Tell me.”

“Take my weapon.”

Kim Do-jin tilts his head.

“… Are you telling me to write this?”

“If you do, I’d be more than happy to do so. But it’s up to you how you use it. You can melt it down to make a new weapon, or give it to someone else. Just.”

Lu Bu lowered his head with a bitter smile, his eyes slightly open.

A pitiful, squeaky-voiced bird that has fallen to the ground catches the eye.

My beloved soldier, who has fought against enemies without resting for even a moment since it was created.

He continues.

“Just don’t let it rust. I hope it fights by its master’s side and eventually collapses.”

May that be the fate and ending of my beloved soldier.

Kim Do-jin nodded.

“I promise.”

It was a sincere promise, not an empty promise.

A courtesy towards a rival who has risked his life fighting and then resigned himself to defeat.

“Let’s finish it now.”

With those words, Lu Bu closes his eyes again.

He raised his sword to make sure he would cut off his windpipe, but he soon stopped.

Because he was already dying.

Even if the saint came to visit and tried to heal him right away, it would be difficult to change his fate.

dump!

Lu Bu finally collapses with his legs broken and his strength drained.

“That’s too bad.”

At the moment when he was about to run out of breath, with a faint smile on his lips and a voice full of deep regret.

The energy that still remained in his body began to move again.

“… … .”

The destination is none other than where Jaycoop is.

When even the energy that had sustained his life disappeared, Lu Bu finally passed away.

The smile on his lips did not disappear.

Looking at that smile, Kim Do-jin thought.

It must have been a regrettable death, but at the same time, it must have been a relief death.

Let’s take a moment to commemorate his death with a brief moment of silence.

Kim Do-jin took a step forward, adjusting his grip on the sword he had been holding loosely.

The battle is not over yet.

* * *

I blankly watch as the winners and losers are decided through blurred vision.

They won.

To be exact, he.

Jaycoop’s face turned red as he watched this.

It’s because I realized it too late.

He realized that Yeo-po and Kim Do-jin, whom he had underestimated, were actually several levels above him in power, and that he was nothing more than a frog in a well.

If it weren’t for him, he would have died without being able to inspire Lu Bu at all.

“Coolook, coolook… , huuuu… !”

The pain in my heart seemed to be blaming me.

That’s stupid.

Are you dreaming of revenge with just those skills?

‘Fuck….’

It’s miserable.

It’s humiliating.

I feel so pathetic that I can’t even properly struggle with my bitter emotions.

There’s something else that makes me even angrier.

The one who causes these feelings is not the enemy, Lu Bu, but the ally, Kim Do-jin.

‘How can you be so strong?’

Younger than you.

He wasn’t even chosen.

What this means is that the gap was created by a difference in pure talent.

At the same time, I felt even more miserable thinking that no matter how hard I tried, I might not be able to narrow the gap between us.

Once to Lu Bu.

One more time for Kim Do-jin.

At that moment, I was gripping my heart tightly with the feeling of losing again and again.

dump!

Lu Bu’s new form collapsed.

And the energy that was directed at him is now returning to me.

Thump!

My heart is pounding loudly.

But no blood gushed out.

As the red energy began to naturally fill the hole in my heart.

And that’s not all.

Wounds all over the place heal, and torn and broken bones and muscles become stronger and more tenacious.

The helplessness I felt a moment ago is relieved and a sense of joy rises.

‘This much power…!’

With this power, I might be able to surpass Kim Do-jin.

‘It may not be possible right now, but somehow it will be possible later.’

At that time, I was trying to raise my fighting spirit again, looking forward to the future.

-“There is no later!”

A strange voice suddenly came out and scolded him harshly.

It was a familiar voice.

‘Ira… .’

She, who had left him once, returned again.

He felt a slight disappointment at her for leaving him without any regrets, but he did not show it.

The reason it happened was because of my own defeat.

Although the process wasn’t smooth, she ended up becoming her only apostle.

Her words continue.

-“We must kill him right now.”

I couldn’t understand.

Although he was her enemy who killed her apostle Lu Bu, he was my ally.

Killing such an ally?

When he hesitated, Ira stabbed him in the heart with a knife.

-“If not now, you will never get over that kid.”

Jaycoop’s face suddenly crumpled at the goddess’ confident tone.

Then, even more shocking words are delivered.

-“Wake up! That guy is not your ally!”

You’re not my ally.

-“That guy is an apostle of greed, that ravenous bitch!”

Jaycoop’s eyes widen as if they were going to tear apart.

“What is that…?”

Kim Do-jin was the apostle of greed they had been searching for?

The fact that he is an apostle is not such a bad thing.

Because Hexagram is an organization where people of the same seven sins gather together to achieve one goal.

But hiding that fact is a big problem.

The fact that he kept this a secret meant that he was clearly defining them as enemies.

‘No matter how angry she is, she will never fool me with such obvious lies.’

At first glance, the relationship between the apostle and the goddess appears to be vertical, but strictly speaking, it is a horizontal relationship.

Because neither of them can do anything without the other.

There’s no way she would lie to me since she knows that better than anyone else.

‘That disgusting bastard…!’

Sparks fly from his eyes.

Anger wells up in my chest, but I barely manage to suppress it.

-“Calm down. Don’t you know that you have no chance of winning in a head-on confrontation?”

It was her cool words that awakened the sense of reason that was being consumed by anger.

That was correct.

Although he had grown greatly by gaining the power of a full apostle, he still had many shortcomings.

So what should we do then?

-“The guy doesn’t know yet that you’ve figured out his identity. So take advantage of that.”

okay.

That’s it.

No matter what happens later, he and himself are still wearing the masks of allies.

Draw a short scenario in your head.

What if you reach out to the person who came to you and ask for help, and then aim for his heart while he lets his guard down?

‘It is quite possible.’

She waits for him to approach her while hiding her sinister intentions.

At the right time, turn your head and meet his gaze.

Kim Do-jin chuckles.

“Are you okay?”

I answered that heinous question with as much composure as I could muster.

“… It’s a little better, but it’s not quite ready to move yet.”

“Really? That’s a bit difficult.”

Kim Do-jin answers with an embarrassed tone.

He has no choice left.

If you want to get out of the place quickly, you have to support yourself.

“I can’t help it.”

As expected.

He reaches out his hand towards me.

It was at that very moment that I was trying to hold back my laughter and reach out to grab his hand as things were progressing according to the picture I had drawn.

“You just die too.”

With a single word that sends a chill down my entire body, the sword plunges into my heart.

Phew-!

“Ugh… !”

Even though hellish pain was engulfing my entire body, the screams that escaped my mouth were incredibly small.

The doubts were greater than the pain.

“Why, why… ?”

Kim Do-jin answered with a grin.

“You were the one who tried to hit me in the back of the head first.”

“… … !”

He was one step ahead.

From beginning to end.

Even until the moment of death.