Episode 177
“War does not determine who is right. Only who is left.”
War does not decide who is right, but only who remains.
– Bertrand Russell
5 years since the season of The Endless Labyrinth.
Eleven years have already passed since the world became a game.
And this game could no longer threaten the human world.
Countless players still die and fall in the process of conquering the tower. The game becomes more harsh with each new season.
Despite this, no one anymore thinks that this game will threaten the survival of the world.
As always, the ‘King of Heroes’ will protect the world from any threat, and that has already become a very natural thing.
Even if several players die while attacking the tower for a mission, even if several heroes are sacrificed in the process, the world will still not be destroyed.
Even if this game becomes more cruel and harsh than humans can bear with each passing year, the world will not be destroyed.
Therefore, the player’s mission to protect the world soon becomes a fleeting and empty echo.
It was a natural right for humans for players to protect the world.
Protecting the world is no longer important. Therefore, players who gained ‘power’ to protect the world also began to use their power in different ways.
For what each person believes is right.
“No, I have been protecting the world for 11 years already.”
That’s why Yoosung left behind the underground armed organizations in the Middle East and opened his mouth.
“How is it that this damn world is getting more and more messed up day by day?”
Players are also human.
“Are you thinking about swinging it at a random person just to get some fire out of your hand? In fact, if we had had the conscience to think about such things in the first place, the war would not have occurred.”
At the same time, one human being functions as a ‘decisive weapon’ that can change the course of the war.
The player’s special forces were secretly deployed in Black Ops by the terrorist powers. Their only interest was power.
They were all full of ideas about how to use the player’s powers.
No one takes the player’s mission to protect the world seriously anymore.
Therefore, the King of Heroes was already defeating the ‘humans’ of this planet more often than he was defeating the monsters in the tower.
And the King of Heroes stretched out his arms, and as soon as they saw the movement, the members of the armed group instinctively stretched out their arms.
A gunshot rang out.
Even though I knew that the act would have no meaning, it was a resistance born of instinct and fear felt in the deepest part of my consciousness.
bang! bang!
It was the 7.62mm Kalashnikov automatic rifle UK)-47, the Soviet Army’s standard rifle and a true weapon of mass destruction.
At the same time, flames swirled among the scattered bullets.
Napalm burned as if engulfing the entire area, burning oxygen in the sealed room and beginning to release carbon monoxide.
The screams of the humans there rang out, and the blazing flames did not stop and burned even hotter.
The ‘player’ hiding among the armed organizations also had no time to resist as his brain function stopped due to lack of oxygen and he began to go through the process of non-regenerative destruction of brain cells.
And when the swirling flames finally subsided, the King of Heroes was still there.
In a place where oxygen has evaporated and reduced to ashes, he remains motionless despite hundreds of 7.62 x 39mm rifle bullets piercing his body.
Five years ago, he experienced immeasurable despair and decided to become a hero in the face of broken heroes and saints.
And after that day’s resolution, Yoosung, who had been mocking the world, decided for the first time to change the world together with Maria.
It’s easy to mock the world.
However, when faced with the intention to change the world seriously rather than ridiculed, it was a completely different story.
I wanted to change it.
The player’s power is too dangerous. So was the promise not to use that power for anything other than ‘saving the world’ such a difficult promise to keep?
Yoosung became unable to understand.
And then I finally realized.
Players are weapons.
And ultimately, humans are the ones who use weapons.
On that day, the Lord of Heroes defeated the ‘Lord of Men’ with his own hands.
I thought I knocked it down.
However, just because a few powerful people pointed a pistol at their own head and pulled the trigger… can it really be said that they defeated the ‘Lord of Humans’?
“You don’t look good.”
A room in the International Players’ Union.
When the meteor appeared there through the portal, there was a silhouette greeting him.
It was Mistress Lydia.
“Oh, I was just throwing away some combustible trash.”
Yoosung answered calmly, and Mistress smiled without saying a word.
“Humans always yearn for heroes… but
they also want the hero’s life to be just for them.”
Yoosung did not respond to those words.
“It was better before.”
After silence, Yoosung opened his mouth.
“A time when the people of the world were worried about the survival of the world in the face of the horrors of the Tower, and players were willing to carry out their missions for the world.”
“It was easy to understand back then.”
Defeat the monster in the tower and protect the world. Is there any other story as simple and easy to understand as that? Even if you were to experience a human conflict at the tower, it was just a choice you had to make in the game.
“But now no one is worrying about whether or not they can get through the season.”
People still care about what goes on in the tower. However, it is not much different from reading a news article in a sports newspaper.
“Because you are.”
Mistress spoke and Yoosung’s expression hardened.
Lord of heroes. A man-made god born of human desire.
“Okay, whatever. “It’s all my fault for being too proud.”
And he answered, shrugging his shoulders as if it were no one else’s business. However, it was something that could never be passed off as a joke.
For five years after the Endless Labyrinth, Yoosung protected the world as always. And in the world protected by the King of Heroes, the survival of the world was no longer such an important issue.
Paradoxically, the reason he gives humans space and allows them to turn a blind eye is because he protects the world so perfectly.
“It’s already been 10 years since the King of Heroes appeared, so it’s time to get used to it.”
“That’s right.”
Yoosung smiled bitterly at Mistress’s words.
“No one seems to worry about what happens after I disappear.”
“There are even people who worship you as a demigod or the second coming of the Messiah.”
Yoosung burst out laughing again at Mistress’s words. However, Mistress’s expression was serious. Yoosung also knew.
But that wasn’t entirely wrong.
“As the pinnacle of players and the King of Heroes, they believe that you will never grow old or die and will protect them forever.”
“Do you think so too?”
Yoosung asked back, and Mistress answered with the same meaningful expression as usual.
“I just pray that God doesn’t get tired of this entertainment.”
An elementary school that afternoon.
“Wow, it’s the King of Heroes!”
When Yoosung appeared there, some kids at the school gate raised their voices as soon as they saw him.
“It’s the King of Heroes!”
“Hyung, give me his autograph!”
Among the dogs, there were even children wearing T-shirts with the King of Heroes on them.
Even though quite a few media outlets still express discomfort and concerns about the ‘King of Heroes’ and even though those in power in powerful countries are fearful and frightened of the existence of Yoosung, in the end, that is only part of the story.
“Hyung’s autograph is expensive.”
Before we knew it, even the few adults there could not hide their astonishment, leaving behind the children flocking from all directions.
It’s as if a god has descended there and they just don’t know what to do.
Those who admire him admire him even more, and those who fear him fear him even more.
One thing was certain: either way, the distance between themselves and them was increasing.
Man and hero Man and savior.
No one there considered Yoosung to be ‘a human being like themselves.’
Yoosung continued walking while stroking the head of a child there.
It was a public elementary school in downtown Seoul.
“Go, Kang Yu-seong…!”
“No, I told you to call it easier.”
“What are you all doing! “Don’t disturb me and go back quickly!”
The school, led by the principal and vice principal, was greeting Yoosung in a place that had become a place of chaos as if the president had suddenly appeared.
“Wo, what’s going on here…
“Oh, it’s nothing special,
my daughter’s face came to see me.”
And as soon as Yoosung spoke as if it was really no big deal, the expressions on the principal and vice principal’s faces turned pale. As if a secret that should never be revealed was revealed.
The same was true for the teachers there.
At least the adults understand how ‘fearful’ the being in front of him is.
“Why are you looking like that?”
“That thing over there…
That’s why the principal continued speaking, trembling as if he was facing a monster from a horror movie.
“Well, actually, Lily today…
“Oh, Mistress. Please excuse me while I am busy. “If you can, please send me a ticket to where my daughter is.”
As soon as Yoosung finished speaking through his smartphone, the space in front of him split apart and a crack opened.
It was a portal.
Yoosung walked beyond the portal without any hesitation, and what was there was not an easy-to-understand landscape of reality.
It was a different world.
A world inside a tower and a territory ruled by a single monarch.
[The Lord of Witches bows before the Lord of Heroes!]
At the same time, the owner of the world appeared in front of the shooting star.
“It’s been a while, warrior.”
Illysia, the ‘Lord of Witches’, was there, her eyes covered with dark-colored bandages.
“…Saint.”
And Yooseong called her familiar names as usual:
Hero and Saint.
The two people exchanged the titles they used to call each other before they were reborn into what they are now.
“Is Lily here?”
“Please come in, hero.”]
In response to Yoosung’s question, Illisia smiled silently and turned her head.
The landscape beyond distorted and a house appeared.
It was literally a house made of cookies, like something out of a fairy tale.
