Chapter. 14. One Empire, Three Legends (33)
****
Crackle!
The sword is swung. Embracing the golden light that brightens the dark winter sky. Head towards the enemy’s neck, crushing the falling flower petals. Soon Black Claw meets it. An encounter between strength and power. That huge repulsive force moves through the arms and shoulders. Toe-to-toe and into spidery cracks in the solid flagstones.
Quang!
In a split-second, the professor succeeded in pushing back the knife with the strength of his lower body, using the repulsion as propulsion, and stretched out his fist like a sword on his open chest. The professor didn’t think it would be possible to inflict such fatal injury on the other person.
‘The opponent is the 1st prince. Because he is the legitimate son of that empire.’
1st prince. Gainax Agdan. Among those who worship him, he is already said to be born with the image of a supreme king.
True to his reputation, his huge curved sword was fierce as if it symbolized what a sword is, and he was easily dealing with the professor who had defeated several Master Knights without the help of the knights wearing the customary lion head helmets.
That golden auror. A golden armor with golden energy forming the weft and warp that spreads out like an explosion centered around the imperial palace where the emperor is located. That was the biggest problem.
‘If you just look at power… I’m behind.’
The will of the whole of this great empire. It was no exaggeration to say that Gainax’s armor, which contained a significant portion of it, was a walking fortress.
A war of attrition and a short-term decisive battle. A situation where no one seems to be in an advantage. The joints and cartilage that had endured the terrible load of moving and stopping at high speeds were being torn apart, my knees were hot as if they were on fire, and my entire body was already creaking from the sword wielding a huge auror like a charger.
‘If it hits you properly, it won’t cut you but will crush it.’
Truly a huge wall. And the feeling I have now after facing that is-
“….Hehehehehe.”
It was so good that it was strangely difficult to understand.
The joy of battle. A different kind of pleasure than the reaction caused by adrenaline. What kind of liberation? Uplifting?
Combat is a fleeting art. It is an act of squeezing out all the possibilities that my body has in front of the person who is trying to kill me, and at the same time, using cool-headed reason to guide the movements made in the realm of instinct.
Spirit and body. The moment when those two conflicting concepts face each other most fiercely.
I thought maybe that was why it was like that.
A memory that is not in my memory. It is the memory of a monster sleeping in reality, and the memory of the moment I lost leaked out little by little.
Kurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
!
The scream of a spire collapsing after being torn apart by auras. Barricades collapsing from artillery fire and strange mutants rushing out.
“Kaaaaak!”
“For a true empire!”
Knights dying after following their ideals and oaths. Dome’s soldiers gathered under the banner of justice and were torn apart by the hands of mutants after their determination.
and.
“I commend you, saint, for fighting against me, who is no different from an empire as an individual.”
Gainax holds a sword filled with a huge aura that seems to pierce the night sky. The power of the enemy before our eyes is beyond irrationality and almost incomprehensible. The confirmed death that appears to overlap with that. Orpheus, Weapon of War.
Memories are emotions. The two things are mixed together to form a single decision that cannot be expressed in words, and it seeps into his mind.
‘It’s not something as base as mental pollution.’
I’ve already overcome that stage a long time ago. What is now… recovery? absorption? It would probably be most similar to call it that way.
[Recovery?]
‘Yes, recovery. life and death. A monster created by both reason and emotion converging into one point. These are Professor Park’s memories as a Type 3 variant. A black box stored inside my brain, which was closed outside my vegetative body.’
Memories and emotions are all tangled together and tightly packed together like diamonds that I can’t even figure out how to express.
The feeling that permeated from it was close to the sense of liberation of someone who has found an answer to a long-standing problem.
Quack!
The broken leg of the monster trapped in the collapsed spire kicked away the debris and rose.
[Kyo…. Can you hear… Me! Ottoman….three! Damn magic-disrupting techniques… everywhere! -listen! Not the Empress of Flowers! There is no princess…. I met the empress…! It’s a civilian! Aldrich himself-]
[Front…. Guard knight…. Not moving a single step…! Additional confirmation is impossible at this time!]
“…I gave you the easy option, and you finished it quickly.”
Otman’s voice is heard along with noise caused by magical interference. News that the wizard team that went to the other side was successful and that they were not witches.
The professor stood up and faced Gainax, who was slowly walking forward with a curved sword overflowing with golden aura. The golden energy that enveloped his body was fluttering in front of him, as if it had become one with him and was leading him forward.
A strength that I still can’t find an answer to in this body that is exhausted and has run out of regenerative power. The relief that comes with facing it.
Yes, this feeling. This is a memory. An enemy that cannot be resisted. A variant memory of joy in facing an impossible situation.
No, maybe it’s not because it’s a variant. It could have been a person’s way of thinking that was twisted from the beginning.
A young child soldier who lay awake at night worrying about why there was war and why he had to kill people became a survivor of the wasteland, a thief, and a robber. I grew up to be a person who understands well enough that when someone asks me the reason for the war, I can explain it with just a small complaint.
There were so many things in the world that were out of his reach, and as the things that slipped out of his arms disappeared from the world one by one, he became more accustomed to them. I moved hard and distinguished between things I could reach and things I couldn’t. I also learned how to look away from what is out of my hands. Succeeded in surviving as a single wasteland survivor.
.
.
.
.
but. Just one piece. In the process of Orpheus’ light dismantling and reassembling life piece by piece. At the bottom of his innermost self, there remained a small piece of stubbornness that even the professor himself did not know about.
That’s childish whining.
‘There is no problem without an answer. There shouldn’t be any.’
The foolishness of not acknowledging that there is no answer to all those questions. The reason I can’t find the answer is because my perspective is still narrow and my abilities are lacking.
Because I have no doubt that there is a correct answer somewhere, I lament my lack of ability, blame myself for my mistakes, and try to get back up again.
People get angry when war breaks out, but they don’t think it’s their fault. Because that’s the story of those who have the authority to put their finger on the missile button over there.
Even if a volcano erupts or an earthquake occurs, people do not blame themselves when they see the cracking ground and gushing lava.
However, the person named Professor Park had a breakdown in that regard. From the moment I saw my father dying and vomiting blood in the thick smoke of the chemical bomb. Ever since I was caught up in fear without thinking and acted stupidly as someone told me to do, and I ended up having to pay the consequences through someone else.
He had become a person who endlessly repeated his thoughts, recalling and remembering the parts of the world that he had no involvement in, in everything that happened in the world.
His ability to think was the result of endless self-reproach and misconceptions stemming from such a distorted unconsciousness.
Kwaaaaang!
The giant golden sword and the monster’s claws clashed, lighting up the night sky like daylight. At the intersection of the two powers, the ground split apart and the black arm began to crumble from the power that separated the world.
Crackle!
At the same time, the nail digs into the materialized aura. Burning the golden crystal-like aura, he was gradually moving towards the blade.
“….this. Your arrogance is sky-high! How dare you think that the will of a single officer is equal to the will of the entire empire! How dare you truly believe that an individual can defeat this vast eternal empire!”
-Quwaaaaaa!
The power of the golden wave empire that was flowing around was sucked into Gainax’s sword and began to create a clear shape of the sword rather than simply an auror.
A curved sword whose size is close to that of a great sword. A golden sword whose guard is decorated with golden fur like a mane, and whose handle is embossed with a vivid lion’s head that looks as if it will come to life at any moment.
“Oh, I will raise the banner high and punish that foolishness with the great sword that opened the sky of the empire!”
Lion Sword Lagrande.
A legendary greatsword that is said to have pledged its destiny with the first emperor, Lionel Agdan, who conquered dozens of small nations after endless wars in the distant past.
Gainax’s auror, who created that image, falls as if splitting the sky on the head of an ignorant person who does not give up.
Along with the sound of teeth breaking and clenching, a scream that squeezes the entire body, exploding all compressed muscles. The monster’s black fist rushed towards the golden giant sword.
Hyde sleep of that consciousness. I looked at the small, insignificant lump floating out of the deep, dark, hard water.
[….It’s worth a look.]
A hard, messy, distorted lump. Although it was unsightly at first glance, Hyde, who was born from the inside of a human being, was able to read the meaning contained in its form.
To the extent that they are good on the inside, they easily sympathize with other tragedies. The guy who was complaining about not being able to sleep comfortably lay down on a pile of firewood that evening and turned into smoke. engraved on my heart. In the heated gun barrel and lying bushes. As I faced the lifeless eyes, I also reflected on that. What did I do wrong and what should I change? We regret, think, and act.
Traces of lying grass even when you step on a piece of grass. A form of slightly different pressure. Footprints. his military boots. Even the type of grass and the scent of crushed plants. All possibilities of intervening in the situation appear and fade away in an instant, and then slowly take a step back.
In the midst of endless agony, he became a genius in strategy and tactics, and at the end of it all, his soft and good inner self became hardened, covered in ugly scars and broken-off wounds.
I wouldn’t say I’m a positive person. No, rather, it would be more accurate to describe it as an ego full of negative emotions.
aversion. Aversion to inaction. An uncompromising stubbornness and a straight face that borders on psychosis, refusing to turn a blind eye to anything.
If the type 3 variant embodies trauma, it would be better to express its inner self as a human resolve carved out by the sharp cross-section of the broken ego.
The last moment of that life. A consciousness that was melting at the border between life and death came to mind.
『With all that impossibility. If only I could become something that I could reach at least with my fingertips. At least if you are given the right to wander around looking for the right answer.』
Jeok.
“I am. Reach out for the answer.』
Blah blah blah –
『I will grab it. That’s how I will live.』
That’s why I move forward, rejoicing in the face of the huge wall. I am thankful that it is right there face to face with him, not far out of reach. rush in
….Pagak!
At that moment, the inner essence that resembles that scarred body is broken. Something shiny inside. What could be called the essence of life seeped into the dark inner night sky.
If memories were stars, their appearance was like the Milky Way.
At the tip of the dark red monster’s claws, a white flame resembling the Milky Way was pushing away the golden aura. Not in the form of a solid auror, as if expressing an established will, but a flame that endlessly shakes, distorts, and burns.
Auror. The power of an independent world built within to assert itself over another world.
What can push out what started in that microcosm is a fragment of another completed world. It was just another Auror.
Kkeuddeudeudeuk! Kkagak kagagak!
Prince Gainax had to deny the facts before his eyes.
It is a power that combines the will of all the subjects of the empire, and its shape resembles the lion sword, the great sword of the first emperor that opened the sky of the empire.
His attack should not be pushed aside by such a hideous looking creature.
It is impossible for the power of an empire that extends beyond every corner of this continent and into unknown lands untouched by gods and demons to be defeated by anyone.
Since the Empire is not defeated, this is Prince Gainax’s personal defeat, and it means that he and the Empire are not one. Because it means that he was not given the qualifications to be a perfect emperor.
The prince seemed unable to acknowledge the situation happening in front of him, so he put more force on the sword, with the incontinence spreading along with the shape of the sword.
“I am the one who will become the legitimate emperor of the empire! I am the empire! “It is impossible to defeat me!!”
A world defined within him. The auror’s halo rose behind the prince, who identified himself with the empire, and it seemed as if the entire empire had risen up and struck down the blade of a spear.
And compared to that huge energy, it is infinitely small.
“The answer prepared for that ‘impossible’ is me, you bastard!!!”
White flames broke out.
-Okay.
.
.
.
.
Kwaaaaaaaaaa!
Finally. The professor’s fist pierced through the golden aura and became lodged in the prince’s lion headgear.
****
Prince Gainax’s body flew like a doll with its strings cut across the ground that had been torn apart by a fierce battle that was enough to cause the ground to shift.
“Protect His Highness Prince Hua!”
“You are seriously injured! “Protect the 1st Prince from this treacherous traitorous cabal!”
Clap!
Gainax’s body flew out and broke the door of the empress’ palace that he was blocking. The lion-headed knights, confused by the prince’s defeat, which they thought could never happen, left the battlefield that was being cleared and were flocking this way.
The knights were shouting to protect the prince with their mouths, but the direction their bodies were heading was not where the fallen prince was, but where I was standing just before falling.
This is something they cannot and should not admit. The power of the emperor, which is close to the essence of the empire itself. Joining the battle of the prince wielding it was in itself distrust and disloyalty to the empire, so he did not even think about participating in the battle.
The fact that such a prince was defeated was the same as having his foundation as a knight of the empire ignored.
“Damn it… If you catch the boss, you should be given some time to rest. “You guys have absolutely no manners.”
Facing the ferocious force, the professor swept his eyes over his body, which had transformed into a mixture of the muscular game body that was close to a humanoid and the body in reality that was closer to a monster.
[how is it? My own…. True body and body benefit? How do you feel about facing an unreasonable inner decision? It was literally like ‘Professor Park compressed into practice.’]
‘It’s a shock. It’s okay to package it well, but in the end, [I can’t admit it! I can’t admit it!!] Don’t you think I’m the type of person who yells and hits people like that? Damn it. Personally, I thought of myself as a cold, sharp and rational type.’
[Oh my. I guess I was being too harsh on my feelings. When I see that my conscience is so worn out that there is no trace of it.]
Patter-patter.
The broken and cracked body could not be regenerated and was crumbling. This means that the regenerative power has reached its limit. The tips of his fingernails were broken and dull, and he had little strength in his arms and legs. The knights who came flocking towards him were all of the highest rank among master knights.
Hwareuk.
The professor, who saw a small wave of power, described as the essence of destruction, at the tip of his blunt fingers, gathered his last remaining strength and kicked the ground with a confident smile.
Not in the direction where the lion-headed knights were running, but in the opposite direction. To the place where the fallen 1st prince is.
Slap!
The professor, who held the fallen Gainax’s head to his side, aimed the flickering flame of the Auror at the prince’s head without a moment’s hesitation.
“Don’t come any closer! “If you come even one step closer, I will fry the prince’s head to a crisp with the flame that consumed the great golden auror!”
Grumble!
‘…Ugh.’
I felt like I was going to vomit at any moment as I shouted loudly while exerting all the strength in my body, but I immediately felt better when I saw the knights frozen in the same position as they were running.
[Wow. Just a moment ago, ‘I am the answer to the impossible problem!’ While saying the same thing. The ending is a hostage situation.]
‘There is no reason to solve a simple problem in a difficult way. Simple-is-best. Since we fought to the death and won, we can at least take the loot, right? ‘This is like an all-purpose shield.’
[To say that the entire fallen person is a trophy. A guy like an ancient Aztec warrior.]
Dragging –
With the knights just staring at the entrance to the empress’ palace like empty stones.
The professor walked into the empress’ palace, holding the fallen Gainax’s head by his side and dragging him like a corpse.
****
Tick. Tick. Tick…..
Tiring-
[Player log. check. ‘professor’. Accessing core data.]
[Player log. check. ‘professor’. Accessing core data.]
[access denied. access denied. Access not allowed. Limited access.]
Tak. Hit angle. Crack. Hit angle.
[….check. Check administrator ID. Biometric information… check. Master ‘Giedroy?’ Access allowed.]
[Fatal error ^%#&’/// judgment? On hold]
[Check log. OK.]
[§///*^^32?- d(#@^%)?-8]
[Line 3. Differentiation. Line 5. Line 12. Line 25. Line 9. Case end. Line 142. Line 78. Line 14. Case end. line….]
.
.
.
.
“It’s the right answer to the incomprehensible…. Yes. You’ve finally arrived. “The third one.”
A room where old computers and the latest artificial intelligence data center. CRT TVs and reality holograms are randomly mixed together.
An old man with a white beard was staring intently at a large, old screen.
His white, dirty beard was shaking as if it was touching the keyboard.
The old man’s dry fingers were dancing across the yellowed plastic keyboard.
****
