Chapter 7 – 07. No Way Home (7)

-Media Cathedral Underground Prison-

“…Marcus, this is your last chance.”

Beyond the prison, a middle-aged man appears with his limbs restrained by a magic circuit control tool. And Dick speaks to him in front of the prison.

And Marcus Dunn Bringer looking at Dick.

The head of the Dawn Bringer family. And a former consul, and a current prisoner. Heretic.

And the sin of giving birth to the heretic Clark.

For that crime, he was imprisoned in the religious prison.

Although he was already over 70 years old, as if to prove his strength, he still looked younger than any other wizard, and even he was not much older than Clark.

If his skin were black, it would be safe to assume he was Clark.

His blond hair and haggard-looking golden eyes were still full of life, proving that he could run away from here if he wanted to. Of course, to restrain a powerful wizard with such a low-level restraint tool,

This sounds like a no-brainer.

Nevertheless, he is here.

Here, he awaits the ‘divine punishment’ that will be meted out to him.

“…Obviously, the Solias Church has crossed a line. This is a vassal state of the Uruk Empire, and as you know, Uruk has an emperor who denies God, ‘Gilgamesh’. And yet, you are going to die?”

Gilgamesh.

Emperor of the Uruk Empire, 1/3 human and 2/3 divine blood. Below is the Holy Empire, the Holy Empire where all denominations and complex denominations are gathered, the Holy Empire wielding the power of God Even though the Byzantines were powerful, the army of Uruk, and the powerful power of Gilgamesh, the emperor of Uruk.

And even that ‘friend’ Enkidu.

If those two knew about what was happening in Magia, their vassal country, it was clear that they would be extremely displeased with the arrogance and tyranny of the gods.

And ‘Medea’, who carried out this modification, is scheduled to be beaten to death with her own hands.

And even though I explained that it was possible to get out that way, Marcus only smiled bitterly.

It’s pathetic, pathetic to see a ‘friend’ trying to save himself.

But what should I do about this?

My death is a ‘contract’.

“What can a contract do like that?”

“…Hey.”

“Dick Johnson, no…Shall I tell you your real name? Or a second name? Or, shall I tell you your ‘position’?”

“…”

He once said that if he brought it up one more time, he would kill him. And he swore to himself about it, and of course he had a record of beating this damned human, even though he had no magic.

It didn’t hurt, but it literally felt bad.

To use an analogy, surrender with a slap in the face! It’s like an obvious case.

As soon as I saw it, I sang Dick Johnson’s ‘True Name’.

No, Clark’s mother.

And I also know Mira’s mother’s true name.

Despite this, he is a powerful wizard who did not go crazy even after hearing Starlight’s ‘true name’.

Because he was such a powerful wizard, he was chosen by the star, and that is why Dick was able to come here.

Although Dick is now around the same age as his son and was once younger, no one knows Dick’s age. What is certain is that although he has human appearance, he is no longer human, and was once a human being.

He was one of the few human-turned-monsters who retained human reason for tens of thousands or hundreds of millions of years or more, and who retained some humanity.

I was interested in it and became ‘friends’ with him, and Dick also became ‘friends’ with his own son.

“Even if I’m not there, Dick, you’ll still be there, so why worry about me?”

“Hey.”

“…That’s it. I’ve lived too long. And through that, the ‘contract’ is completed.”

“You can break that contract if you don’t want to. I have the right to adjust that much.”

“…Rules and regulations must be fair to everyone, and must be strict even to oneself.”

“…!”

Did you still remember that?

You damn old man.

“Tsk tsk tsk, I can see you swearing at me and calling me an old man. Thank you for taking care of Clark since he was young. I was worried that he would turn into a spoiled child because he was different from others.”

“You should only do that in front of your children, you son of a bitch.”

“허허허, 개새끼는 네가 아닌가? ‘사냥개’.”

“…”

“Is the black sheep awake?”

“…A long time ago.”

“Yes, then it is true that the time has come for me to die. And, I die with this. The ‘magic circuit hijacking’ developed by Clark. That will have to kill me.”

“Are you saying that because you know what they’ll do to your body?”

“…Ah, of course you know. Don’t worry. I also prepared a message to leave for my son.”

“…You were a good father, Marcus.”

“…Is that so? I raised the children on my own, unable to have their mother by my side due to a contract, but does Clark still respect me?”

Nod your head. And, at that, Marcus was finally able to laugh.

“I see, then that’s enough.”

Just like that, Marcus chuckles.

“It was a really good life.”

And- finally, Marcus uses magic.

Draws something on his own body.

“…You!”

And Dick gets away with it.

“Tsk, it would be better to step back. Children grow by eating the flesh of their parents. A rotten tree has to fall to the ground to provide nutrients for the plants that will grow after it.”

“This crazy wizard is real.”

“…Now, go ahead. And if you don’t want to kill me with your own hands, you’d better not get involved.”

“…I promise you this one thing. If, as you expected, Clark, that guy goes astray as you planned, or turns out to be one of the world’s most psychotic bastards…I will kill him with my own hands. I will.”

“…That won’t happen. That child is a child who understands people’s hearts.”

That is why we need to be more vigilant.

One unlucky bitch said that ‘humans’ are the embodiment of chaos. It could be anything.

You can be better than any saint, and you can be more like a devil than any devil.

“…Then let’s make a bet, Dick. It’s the last bet you make right before you die. Do you want to try it?”

“What?”

“…I will stay by Clark’s side and watch his movements. Will he become a ‘monster’ or…A ‘transcendent’? “

“…When you die, you become a monster, you bastard.”

“Are you talking about your own case? Do you think that’s what happened to you for driving a piece of iron into your father’s head without hesitation?”

“Hey.”

“What?”

This fucking guy.

Of course, there was not much time left.

From across the hallway, you can hear the sounds of people walking.

“Now, if that child doesn’t become a monster and becomes a transcendent… You will continue to be an equal ‘friend’ with him so that he doesn’t go astray. Do you understand?”

“What if I become a monster? There is no benefit to me in killing him.”

“…The ‘slush funds’ that I didn’t tell Clark about are in the Uruk Imperial Bank. Whether you lose or win, you take them. The password is something you often use.”

“Will you make me an asshole?”

“I know.”

“…”

“I take it you accepted, I’ll just take a break.”

Saying that, Marcus closes his eyes.

And Dick looks up at the sky, looking at Marcus.

“…May the goddamn stars bless you.”

“…You also.”

And opens up space.

I feel something blocking the space in the middle.

It’s the same.

Clink-!

Then he cuts it off, and Dick goes inside.

That’s how Dick disappears.

Soon after, the archbishop and priests of the Solias Church appear and are puzzled and puzzled as they see Marcus still imprisoned.

“…I think there was a reaction, but this is-“

“…Leave it alone. We couldn’t even get Marcus to escape anyway.”

Words from the Archbishop, and Marcus Dunn Bringer.

A living human transcendent.

And of course, he was also subject to elimination…

He was too strong.

But, I never thought he would be caught so easily.

Outside, Clark, Anna, and even an unknown ‘dragon’ were struggling against the paladins, inquisitors, and priests, and of course the goal was to save Marcus.

Paladins and priests are neutralized by extremely monstrous tools, and in the explosions, the sacrifices become ever greater.

Even if it rots, does this mean that a tiger’s cub is also a tiger? If Marcus had decided to go on a rampage, at least all the wizards, priests, paladins, and inquisitors in this city would have died.

Because he was a man with the power, magic, and skills to do so.

“Rejoice, Marcus Dawn Bringer. You have been chosen by the Goddess.”

“…Tsk tsk tsk-“

“…What’s so funny? An unholy wizard-“

“…Even if you die and wake up, you won’t know what woke you up. And not even your gods and your superiors.”

And soon after, Marcus’ golden magic shines. Priests and paladins defended it with shields and shields, but unfortunately no explosion occurred. And then, Marcus’s consciousness was cut off, and soon after, his body lost consciousness.

The Archbishop, completely shriveled and wiping away cold sweat, may or may not know that Marcus’s consciousness is being dragged into the depths of the abyss.

And the priest asks him:

“…It looks like you committed suicide?”

“It doesn’t matter. The body is alive.”

“…Is that so.”

“Drag it.”

With those words, the prison door opens, and the paladins pull out Marcus. Marcus’ body, which was just breathing and hanging limp like a doll with its strings cut, was heading deeper underground.