307 – The Name You Call Me -2-

Yung, who was sitting on a stone, looked at me with a fishy smile.

“At first, I didn’t recognize who you were.”

“…”

“Because you’ve changed so much.”

Yung’s gaze was directed at Tyrving on my waist.

“You’ve grown so tall that I couldn’t recognize you.”

“…”

“You’ve become so strong that I wonder if you’re even the same species….”

“…”

“It’s funny. The same amount of time has passed, but you’ve become a monster, and I’ve become an old man in the back room.”

Clicking his tongue, Yung looked straight into my eyes.

“Whenever I see you, I wonder if life is this unfair.”

“…”

“I used to be a pretty successful mercenary. My parents died…. My comrades died in front of my eyes…. The woman I loved ran away…. So I tried to erase my memories with alcohol, but it wasn’t as easy as I thought….”

“Don’t play the sympathy card.”

“Heartless b*stard.”

Yung clicked his tongue and sighed.

“I’ve thought about it carefully, and it seems like the obvious way wouldn’t be fun.”

“…”

“I’ve suffered a lot because of you. Both physically and mentally.”

“Since you deserved it, accepting it humbly is also a good way.”

—

—

“Haha…! It’s easier said than done.”

Yung burst into laughter at the light retort and nodded.

“Interesting.”

“…”

“Really interesting.”

“…”

“I’ll tell you in advance since you might be curious.”

“…”

“Today, I have no intention of returning alive.”

“That’s the best news I’ve heard today.”

“You heartless b*stard.”

“I am quite talented, indeed.”

Yung clicked his tongue and looked at me.

“For the record, I have no intention of dying by your hand today.”

“What should I do? I’ve been wondering when would be a good time to kill you.”

“Then go ahead and try.”

“…”

Yung looked at me, unable to move easily, with a vile smile. Appearing so openly meant he had insurance.

“Can’t kill me, can you?”

“That’s right.”

“Well done, kid. If you had killed me now, that kid over there would have died, even if you didn’t.”

“…Is it black magic?”

“No, I don’t include tragic choices in my play. I’ve prepared something much more intuitive and certain.”

Yung took out a small box from his bosom and showed it to me. When I saw what was inside the box, I clenched my fist.

An orb.

The black orb, shaped like a sphere, was an artifact I was well acquainted with.

That artifact.

“Is it an artifact made by the cult leader?”

It was an artifact capable of causing a massive explosion.

At my indifferent words, Yung burst into laughter and nodded confidently.

—

—

“Yes, you’re right. It’s an artifact imbued with the cult leader’s magic. So, you must know what this is.”

“A massive explosion.”

“You really don’t miss a thing, do you? Like someone from the future….”

“…The cult leader wouldn’t have given it to you lightly.”

“Of course not. Even for the cult leader, it’s hard to make something like this…. I stole it secretly.”

“…”

“I’m planning to die anyway, so what is there to be afraid of? Isn’t that right, kid?”

I clenched my fist at Jung’s murderous gaze. He didn’t seem to be lying.

“I’ve hidden orbs imbued with the cult leader’s magic all over the basement.”

“That’s cowardly.”

“If you want to watch an interesting play, you have to pay this much of an admission fee.”

“…”

“Even if you had taken that kid outside, it would have exploded. I’ve hidden them above ground too.”

“Can you tell me where you hid them?”

“Would I tell you?”

“That’s unfortunate.”

Jung’s eyes gradually began to harbor a cold emotion.

“The activation condition is…”

Jung pointed to his neck with his finger.

“My breath.”

“…”

“The way to deactivate it is also my life.”

I frowned at the complicated riddle. I wondered what he meant by that. Even the Sphinx’s riddle had an answer, but Jung’s question, where the correct and incorrect answers were the same, was extremely perplexing.

Seeing my complicated expression, Jung told me the answer to the riddle in a reassuring tone.

“Don’t worry, as long as you don’t kill me, it’s fine.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“That.”

Jung gestured with his eyes towards Mikhail, who was tightly hugging an illusion.

“That kid is the key.”

“The key…?”

—

—

“If that kid cuts my throat with his hand, it’s your victory. On the other hand, if you kill me because you can’t bear to see the kid get hurt anymore, it’s my victory.”

“Damn it.”

“Are you angry?”

“Wouldn’t you be?”

Yung exhaled a breath from deep within his core and spoke in a calm voice.

“That’s why I’m showing you.”

“…”

“The sight of your precious thing being destroyed.”

“…”

“That silver-haired kid is precious to you, isn’t he?”

“…”

Yung smirked and twitched his eyebrows.

“If he wasn’t precious, you wouldn’t have come here. Every time I try to do something to him, you show up and interfere…”

“…”

“It’s too obvious. Like saying, ‘This is my weakness.'”

“You’re spot on.”

“That’s why emotions are scary. No matter how strong a person is, if you touch their reverse scale, they crumble.”

Yung boasted as he stared straight into my eyes.

“The script I’ve prepared won’t be boring.”

It will be sorrowful, yet entertaining.

It will make you cry, yet angry.

I nodded at Yung’s words, realizing he was more cunning than I thought.

“I’ve been thinking about what the best revenge an old man like me can take…”

– Haaa!!!

Yung spoke as he watched Mikhail lose his sanity and charge forward.

“This is it.”

– I’ll kill you!!!

“Seeing this guy get destroyed.”

“…”

“I thought the best revenge would be to see the one you cherish fall apart right in front of your eyes.”

—

—

Yung, who was smiling cruelly, looked at me and said.

“I told you. I can’t beat you.”

Mikhail, who had drawn his sword from his waist, was running towards the air.

“Youuu!!!”

Even though Yung was right next to him.

Yung let out a hollow laugh as he watched Mikhail’s sword slice through the air. It must have been really funny, as Yung, gritting his teeth, burst into laughter, causing me to frown.

“Even if it’s cowardly, there’s no other way.”

“…”

“Endure it. Kid.”

-Swooosh!

Mikhail swung his sword meaninglessly.

As if there was an enemy where he swung.

Yung, watching Mikhail, spoke to me.

“Look closely.”

“It’s been a while since you’ve seen this scene, hasn’t it?”

“…”

“You have to watch closely.”

“You really enjoy playing nasty pranks.”

“That’s right.”

Yung, who was awkwardly smiling at me, coldly spat out his thoughts.

“What do you think would happen if that sword was aimed at you?”

“Are you saying you’ll change the target?”

“I have to show the script I’ve prepared properly. You must have been expecting something too.”

I had one question.

“But…”

“Hmm?”

“Why do you think I can’t kill you?”

“What?”

“If I kill you and break the spell, wouldn’t it be easily resolved?”

—

—

“Didn’t you hear me say I hid the orb…? Do you want to be buried alive?”

“Didn’t I say I came to die?”

“…”

“Even if Mikhail defeats you, it’s over if he blows it up.”

“…”

“I think it would be better to relieve stress and save my friend.”

I looked at Mikhail, who was swinging his sword in the air, and said quietly.

“I admit it. The person you call a kid is someone precious to me. It’s true that he’s my weakness and my reverse scale.”

“…”

“Still, I think it’s better to bet on a place where there’s some hope rather than a 0% chance.”

“You’re crazy.”

I slowly drew my sword and walked towards him. At the same time, Mikhail’s eyes began to gleam as he looked at me.

As Mikhail’s sword, filled with anger, pointed at me like a blind man, I let out a deep sigh.

“You killed him.”

“…That’s troublesome.”

“You… You killed him!”

“Sigh…”

Yung looked at us without erasing his bewildered expression. He seemed quite surprised by the situation that was unfolding differently from what he had expected.

He wanted to watch.

He had to run away.

He even thought about mutual destruction.

For the first time, he seemed to feel fear towards me, who said I would destroy the script he had prepared with difficulty.

“If you don’t follow my words, that kid will definitely die.”

“Indeed.”

“Do you think that kid can handle the cult leader’s power?”

“Impossible.”

“…Then!”

“I can do it. If I take the shock instead, it’s definitely possible.”

I looked at Mikhail and Yung, who were breathing heavily, and spoke in a cold voice.

“The picture isn’t as pretty as you thought, is it?”

—

—

-Kang…!

“You spoke so meaningfully that I got a bit scared, but honestly, it’s a bit anticlimactic. Archbishop of Oblivion.”

Yung gritted his teeth and said.

“Let’s see how long you can keep that expression.”

-Tak!

Yung snapped his fingers while glaring at me.

And then.

“Uh…”

Mikhail, whose eyes had regained their light, was standing in front of me.

Mikhail was steadfastly swinging his sword. But his bewildered eyes were dancing as if they didn’t know where to settle.

“How is this…”

I smiled as I looked into Mikhail’s trembling eyes.

“Have you woken up?”

“Where is this…? I was definitely with that man….”

“Shh.”

A sparkling red flash scattered towards Yung. Yung exhaled deeply as he looked at the wall that had been shattered as if it had been torn apart, muttering that even monsters couldn’t be this monstrous.

“Don’t think about it.”

“No… no.”

“It’s just a dream. Don’t think deeply about it and don’t keep it in your memory.”

Mikhail looked at me with trembling eyes, as if seeking an answer to what was happening.

I lightly parried Mikhail’s sword and smiled faintly. Sometimes, a smile whose meaning is unknown is easier to understand than complicated words.

“I don’t want to…”

“…”

“I don’t want to do this anymore..”

I spoke Mikhail’s name with weight, as if to remind her to fulfill her role.

“Misa.”

“Uh…?”

“Yes, Misa.”

-Kang!

Once again, the sound of the sword strike echoed through the space, making my ears ring. As the tingling pain rose from her hand, Mikhail’s expression began to change rapidly.

—

—

“Stop…”

-Kang!

“I said stop…!”

-Kagagak!

“Please, just stop!!”

Despairing over a body that wouldn’t move as he wished.

“My body won’t listen to me…!”

“I know.”

“I want to stop…! My body!”

“I know.”

Mikhail was now.

“Please…!”

Trembling with fear.