By Zephyria 328
The smiling face disappeared, and the point of view shifted. The ceiling with its sparse rafters filled the space where Cha Eui-jae’s face had been. A familiar voice grumbled.
―It’s not like I’m some kind of all-purpose tool that can do anything you ask. How am I supposed to create a Dungeon that stores memories…? I saved your life, and now you want me to hand over my whole bag of tricks.
It was Hong Ye-seong’s voice.
―Well, of course, I can make it!
Clatter, clatter, something rummaged around wildly. Along with it, the point of view shook and flipped. Surrounding him were Mana Stones of different sizes and colors. Hong Ye-seong hummed a tune as he muttered.
―While I’m at it, should I make a recording device for myself too…?
‘Could it be… the Mana Stone’s point of view?’
As if answering Eui-jae’s question, a hand with small burn marks grabbed the owner of the vision and turned it this way and that.
―Ah, found it!
Hong Ye-seong’s face, wearing a magnifying glass, repeatedly came closer and moved away. His golden Emotional Eye seemed to spread out in a dizzying manner. He tilted his head.
―Oh ho? Look at this one. This Mana Stone still has an ego. You, you’re looking at me, aren’t you? Haha!
Hong Ye-seong laughed cheerfully.
―I almost let a guy like this rot. Let’s see…. A Monster’s Mana Stone that steals memories.
The hand placed the Mana Stone on a flat surface with a thud. A bright light filled the field of vision. It was like the view of a patient on a surgical table.
―If you think about it the other way around… that means there’s also a place to store the stolen memories, right? And there’ll be a function to return them too?
Hong Ye-seong’s face suddenly popped out through the bright light. His golden eyes sparkled.
―As expected… yes, that’s right! This body is a genius. If I twist it well, I can use it as a storage device.
After that, the point of view changed wildly. It went dark, then bright red as if it were in a fire. Hong Ye-seong’s voice cut in every time the screen changed.
―If I melt it down and make it into a tool, and it breaks, and the fragments disappear…. Then the memories in that part can’t be recovered. So, it’s better to use the Mana Stone as a whole as the core and use it as a recording medium….
―Speaking of the main body to put the core in, it’s better to have some ego, right? It should have at least the instinct to protect the core…. Hmm, survival instincts too. Should I add attack functions?
―If the body is big, it consumes a lot of energy, so let’s make the body small. Gotta be cost-effective. If possible, it would be nice if it could fly…. Ah, I want to eat chicken.
―Even if the body changes, the ego and memories should be maintained as long as the core is the same….
Hong Ye-seong’s voice faded, and the screen turned completely black. How much time had passed? A light voice said.
―…I think I succeeded this time, so…. Wanna open your eyes?
The black screen slowly cleared. Blink, blink. Each time it blinked, Hong Ye-seong’s face, smiling brightly, appeared and disappeared repeatedly.
―It’s done! I succeeded! It’s this body’s victory!
He rummaged around busily and brought a small hand mirror to show. A pure white porcelain chicken was reflected in the mirror. Its black bean-like eyes blinked. Beyond the hand mirror, Hong Ye-seong smiled.
―Cluck! Your name is Cluck.
Cluck tilted its head. Hong Ye-seong pointed to himself.
―I’m Hong Ye-seong. Your Master.
―Cluck?
―You little rascal, did you answer? How admirable. Let’s see, the vocal cords are working well too.
Two hands carefully lifted Cluck. Cluck looked down at Hong Ye-seong from head height, and the place where he was standing. Hong Ye-seong, with his messy brown hair tied up in one bunch, was very thin. The workshop was also a mess. Beyond the workshop window, white ash could be seen swirling like a blizzard.
―Thank goodness…. I made it in time.
He hugged Cluck tightly.
―Cluck.
―Cluck.
―I’m going to run away. While my friend buys time.
―Cluck?
―But you’re going to go to my friend. Got it? Even if he pretends he’s not, he’s a guy who gets lonely a lot. Stay by his side.
―Cluck.
―That’s your first order. Watch everything. …And remember everything.
Hong Ye-seong carefully placed Cluck, who he had been holding, on the desk, and bent down to match his eye level with Cluck sitting on the desk.
―And, when the time comes… return it to Master.
Hong Ye-seong stared straight at the screen. He must be looking into Cluck’s eyes, but surely….
It felt like he was making eye contact with Eui-jae beyond the screen.
His bloodless, parched lips twitched.
Remember.
His voice spread like a wave. Goosebumps ran all over his body. His fingers tightened. The memories engraved in his body and Soul were awakening. Eui-jae gasped, taking a deep breath. His vision shook….
Tuh, the blood spat out between his teeth scattered on the white floor. He roughly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Long red bloodstains remained on the back of his hand, which was full of scars.
Cha Eui-jae knelt and raised his head.
Blood came up every time he breathed.
The end was approaching.
He could be sure because he had experienced countless battles. He could no longer fight with this body. He had drawn on it to the limit of its limits. He had lost his left arm, and his body was gradually tilting to the right. Blood dripped onto the pure white floor. His vision shook dizzily.
He groped his left side. Even if he applied an Elixir, the recovery was slow. The side of his body, which had been blown away along with his arm, was recovering very slowly.
‘It’s a relief my internal organs didn’t fly away.’
It was a narrow escape. If his reaction had been even a little slower, he wouldn’t have been able to stand. He would have died without even turning back time. More than anything, that fact made him shudder. The fact that he almost died a dog’s death without even using the Clock.
Was it arrogance? For just one human to stand against Doomsday.
At that moment, something leaned against Eui-jae’s thigh. It was a porcelain chicken with cracks all over it. Its name was Cluck, Hong Ye-seong had forced it on him before leaving.
‘If you were going to give me something, you should have given me something helpful. Why give me a chicken like this, that bastard.’
It would be a lie if he said he didn’t think this way.
But strangely, the small porcelain chicken was comforting.
The feeling that he was not alone. A psychological bulwark that there was something to protect.
‘Even something as incomplete as this is life….’
Eui-jae burst into a hollow laugh. Cough, cough, laughter and coughing mixed together. He swallowed the blood. He pressed down hard on the head of the porcelain chicken with his palm.
“Chicken. Keep a good watch.”
He gritted his teeth and stood up, using the broken spear as a support. ‘It’ was watching everything with interest. He took a breath and aimed the broken spear shaft with his right hand.
Towards the two huge eyes.
White ash swirled around the vortex. He could feel the gaze. ‘It’ was staring at Cha Eui-jae. Instead of avoiding the gaze, Eui-jae looked straight back. He had come too far to be afraid of Doomsday and death. He steadied his trembling hand.
“…Have you ever failed?”
No answer came back. ‘It’, Doomsday, was just observing. A human being who was all alone at the end of destruction, after everyone had died and perished.
“I’ve done it a lot…. I’ve done it as many times as the number of worlds you’ve destroyed.”
Thud, he took a step forward. Footprints were imprinted on the wasteland mixed with ash and blood.
“Even if I fail this time, nothing much will change. It’ll be destroyed.”
Footprints increased with each step he took. The blood-stained footprints were not covered even by the swirling white ash.
“So….”
Black hair fluttered. The corners of his lips, stained red with blood, twisted.
The hero smiled. A flash of blue light flickered in his eyes.
“I’m going to run away.”
[Trait Strength Enhancement (S+) is activated.]
[Unique Trait, Hand of the Skilled (S+) is activated.]
[Unique Trait, The One Who Pierces All Things (S+) is activated.]
Strength returned to his exhausted body. He knew. This was a last-ditch effort. In the end, this would also be a failure. He was running away without protecting the world.
But, humans learn from failure.
Cha Eui-jae had learned from countless failures.
He was sure that he could do better next time.
He pulled back the arm holding the spear shaft with all his might. Becoming a bow from head to toe, he aimed at the target.
“I’m going to run away in an ugly way, you son of a bitch!”
Kwaaaang―!!
The flying spear shaft was embedded in the center of the left vortex of the two vortexes. For a moment, the rotation stopped. And,
Kugugung…!!
The surroundings began to shake. The white ashes now scattered violently like blades. The fragments scattered around began to float into the air.
Cha Eui-jae did not stop. He raised his right arm.
“Remember….”
Pure white light burst from his wrist. Just before the light swallowed him, a flash of blue light flickered.
“This is your first failure!”
And then,
Light swallowed everything.