1. New Comrades
Add made Eve go back for now.
Eve looked quite upset from being called then sent back for no reason but she still ordered Ophelia
to treat Add’s arms she left.
During that process, Nasod called Oberon got badly scolded by Eve for knocking all the books off
the shelves, dropping the anesthetic and scattering the bandages on the floor.
After sending Eve back, Add dropped down to sit on the floor then sighed.
“……..Haah.”
He tried to laugh but couldn’t. Anesthetic and potion’s effects were kicking in so he could somewhat
move his arms now.
But the situation a.n.a.lysis in his head wasn’t showing any progress.
“Did I travel back in time too many times? Or did those 20 million failures bring about some sort of
unknown variable?”
Well, it was already strange how D, Add from the future and Add from the present could coexist.
Was it even possible for him from the present and him from the future to exist inside the same time?
“…..Time paradox.”
Looking back now, Add jumped through time many times but had never thought too deeply about
this concept. Add’s very first time travel was coming from the far past to the present. This wasn’t
something that would cause a time paradox.
He didn’t have any leisure time to think about such concept during his first time travel in Elder
(although it was not first according to Eun) in order to save Eve. And there weren’t many troubles
during his following time travels so he stopped thinking about it.
“I’m going to go crazy. No, it seems I’m already crazy…… hahaha.”
Add shook his head after recalling his self from the future. You couldn’t call that anything else but
an insane devil.
Becoming that guy was his future? Just why? He couldn’t deny that form was his future but he
wasn’t able to understand what kind of process would turn him into such a being.
11
This unknown time he is seeing for the first time.
Coexistence of present and future and ignoring time paradox.
Him from the future that’s caught up in lunacy.
This whole situation was all tangled up complicatedly but there wasn’t even a single clue that would
help him solve it. His head felt like it would explode.
Add was organizing his thoughts one more time…. When a sound of someone yawning was heard
from behind him.
“Yaaaawn, I don’t know why boy is making such a gloomy face.”
“…..”
Add turned around to see a small fox stretching her arms. She wagged her white tails then smiled
with her eyes.
“Shouldn’t you be glad that you survived from D?”
“Just explain what’s going on.”
Add urged while suppressing the rage surging up from within him. But Eun lay down forwards on
the floor leaning her chin on her hands. Then she looked up at Add while only letting out long
yawns.
“If you won’t explain…..”
“I’ll explain. But before that, shall we look around this city first?”
Eun shrugged.
“Now that you know about D, it’s now time to solve the questions. I’d like to explain while looking
at how the situation has changed.”
“I said……”
“Would you believe me so easily even if I told you? It would be better to show you the proof rather
than giving you just words. Also, it’s not like this offer right now has no meaning.”
Eun held out her cute little hands. Eun pouted when Add only continued to look at her with angry
eyes.
“Boy has quite a talent for putting girls to shame. What I’m saying is, let’s talk while getting some
fresh air.”
12
Add clenched his fists then stood up.
Dynamos were broken and couldn’t be used right now.
Add wasn’t too keen on walking around the city because Dynamo which gave him multiple features
including transport and defense couldn’t be used right now. It felt like walking in the streets without
wearing an underwear.
“Don’t worry too much boy. I’ll help if it becomes dangerous.”
Eun sitting on Add’s shoulder poked his cheek with her tail as if she read his thoughts. He would
have normally pushed her off his shoulder but she was difficult to dealt with because she was so
small right now.
When Add ignored, Eun smiled as she looked forwards.
“This is quite a lively city.”
Streets of Lanox were quite busy. Add asked while being frustrated from having to move through
crowds of busily moving people.
“Why did you become so small?”
“Isn’t s.p.a.ce-time wormhole a 1 seater? I became like this because I went out of my way to make
various arrangements.”
“……It would have been better if you just disappeared.”
Eun sighed when Add snapped.
“Cursing and telling me to die, boy must have been quite upset at me.”
“Don’t joke with me! I…..!”
It was no different from Eun’s usual mockeries but Add raised his voice while clenching his fists.
His voice was so loud to the point where people pa.s.sing by were stopping to look at Add and Eun
on his shoulder.
Suddenly becoming the center of attention, Add closed his lips tightly then turned around. This was
a city that he had no clue about, it didn’t matter if anyone saw them or not but this wasn’t a topic to
talk about while there were people listening.
After entering an empty alley without other presences, Add glared at Eun on his shoulder. Eun
sighed then jumped down.
Eun turned to look back after landing on top of pile of boxes.
13
“You’ll get sick if you hold back things you want to say for so long. Go ahead.”
“You knew everything. About who was standing in my way, how the cause of this entire situation
was that thing…..”
He could have just said D, him from the future but he couldn’t bring himself to. So he spoke
vaguely instead. Small Eun sitting with her legs crossed nodded.
“That’s right. I knew that the one standing in the way of everything was Prince of Time.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“What would have changed even if I told you?”
Eun smiled coldly but Add didn’t intend to be patient this time. He would have instantly attacked
Eun if his Dynamos were still functioning. He was putting in quite an effort to think calmly as
possible in this situation and he was somewhat managing to converse with Eun rationally right now.
But he couldn’t withstand each moment of this conversation because something surged up from his
heart every time words went back and forth.
He left everyone to be killed.
Not just killed by anyone, but by himself from the future.
He tried to withstand and suppress this thought but it couldn’t help but to burst up.
“Don’t make me laugh! You should have still told me! You at least shouldn’t have hidden this
information!”
“Seeing boy this riled up…… make me happy.”
Add unconsciously clenched his fist thinking that Eun was mocking him. But Eun’s smile was
coming from the bottom of her heart. Eun closed her eyes as if she was really satisfied. But she then
shook her head as if she was feeling pity then opened her eyes.
Her red eyes had a cold gleam.
“But joy is joy, and things I have to say don’t change. If resenting me will help boy pull himself
together then go ahead. If boy will feel better by taking my life, and if everything can be solved from
that, I’ll gladly accept it.”
“What I’m saying is…..”
14
“I’ll speak more honestly now that you know about D. Listen up.”
Eun spoke sharply to cut Add’s question off.
“Boy must think I concealed this from him because I was plotting something, but it’s different.
There was plotting of course, but this isn’t what I thought of.”
“Then just who…..”
Add shut his mouth after seeing Eun point her finger. Eun’s adorably tiny finger was pointing at
Add’s chest.
“This is something boy made me pledge in the past.”
“I did…….?”
Add shivered after realizing everything from Eun’s words.
Over 20 million times. Was he really in the dark about D’s ident.i.ty through such a long battle? Elesis,
Raven, Ran, Karis and Helputt knew very well about D’s ident.i.ty and his fearsome abilities.
It didn’t make sense for Add who should have been through countless battles to not know about
this information at all.
“Then I……”
“I was asked to hide D’s ident.i.ty until boy met him personally. Because knowing beforehand might
break boy’s resolve.”
“……..”
“And isn’t boy actually despairing and breaking down after meeting D? You didn’t even try to call
me to escape using time travel and instead tried to die with everyone else.”
“…..Are you saying that’s wrong?”
Add’s eyes went beyond rage and even showed murderous intent. But Eun glared back ferociously at
Add with an unusually icy expression.
“Boy, don’t take life lightly. Even if you saw your comrades die countless times, even if you are in a
heartbreaking pain, you can never abandon everything and give up from witnessing the truth!”
“That’s…..”
15
“Boy has to take responsibility for disrupting time!”
Add froze from Eun’s severe scolding that he had never heard before.
“Boy knows who and what D is now. Boy has responsibility and duty to stop D! Since boy is the
only one who possesses the possibility of defeating D!”
“I do……?”
Wasn’t D him from the future? No, even putting that aside, he was a devil that wielded seriously
terrifying powers. It was to the point where Elesis and Raven changing sides was understandable.
There was no way Add could beat him in a fight. Wasn’t that why he gave up and tried to die
fighting with everyone else?
“How can I…..”
“Believe. That’s what I believed as I fought beside you all this time. Times that boy doesn’t
remember, fights that boy won’t remember, I was together with boy through endless flow of time in
order to end everything once and for all.”
“……”
“Believing that boy will defeat the King of Time, destroy that broken world and return everything
back to their right places!”
Add was at a loss for words from hearing Eun’s shout. It was difficult to trust all the words of
someone who had hidden information all this time, but there was still a truth in what Eun said right
now.
Only one who could defeat D was Add.
Eun had believed in this and continued together with him all this time. No, it wasn’t just Eun,
Elsword had believed too. Eve, Chung and Ara also believed and willingly stood in D’s way.
Everyone believed in him.
“Do you really think I can control boy’s Dynamos? No. All I did was activate a code that was
already made.”
“……”
Everyone believed that only him from the present could defeat him from the future.
Add closed his lips tightly then collected his mind. Life started returning to his battered body and
mind.
16
He didn’t exactly know what these feelings were, but there was a strong feeling that he couldn’t just
give up like this.
“…..So just what timeline is this?”
“Hmm, that’s….”
Eun seemed to drag her words then suddenly started dozing off. It seemed she was trying to keep
her eyes open but couldn’t.
“What’s going on?”
“It’s jetlag……”
Eun spoke this as her body seemed to lean forwards then she fell off the box. It looked like she was
going to hit the ground so Add quickly reached out to catch her. She was already sound asleep.
“……”
Her condition must not be very good and her body becoming smaller must have something to do
with it.
Well, they time traveled while Dynamos were all broken. It wasn’t strange for some kind of
abnormally to happen to Eun who traveled together.
“Only….. I can defeat him.”
Add looked down at Eun while talking to himself. Just like Eun said, soon as Add found out D’s
ident.i.ty, he despaired and basically gave up fighting. Remaining there would have resulted in same
ending again.
That’s why Eun used the hidden feature in the Dynamo to evacuate the current Add. Her goal was
to enflame his will to fight then have him defeat D.
In the end, all the fights up till now was to make Add defeat D.
“I don’t get it….”
He now understood why Eun kept D’s ident.i.ty a secret. But there were still many questions that
weren’t answered.
How did D overcome the time paradox? Why did Add forget numerous fights from before? Just
what did he go through to turn into a devil called D? And finally, is there even a way to defeat D?
There were so many unsolvable questions.
He didn’t even know where this place was.
“Lanox……”
17
Well, he could gradually figure things out. He should first return to his house(?) then repair the
Dynamos. Dynamos were a necessary tool, time travel or regardless.
Add closed his thoughts and was turning around but stopped. Unfamiliar faces were approaching.
They were three men with rugged faces.
This was a back alley without any other people. Behind Add was a dead end.
Add realized his situation and scoffed. It seems there were these kinds of distasteful people
regardless of any age or city.
Men stopped their steps when Add gave a mocking smile at them. They must have interpreted Add’s
smile wrong because the man in front held out his hand.
“Kid, can I take a look at that fox?”
“Bunch of idiots…….”
So because Add shouted in the streets, he and Eun got unwanted attention from these idiots?
Well, it was true that Eun right now had the form of a very cute but elegant small fox girl.
Add didn’t have much interest in pets but he could guess from a single glance that she’d sell very
expensively.
“Haha, you’re a funny kid…..”
“They never understand with just words.”
When the men smiled while cracking their necks and fingers, Add smiled back at them while
preparing to attack. His head was so complicated anyways. Maybe he’ll feel better after blowing away
these idiots that don’t know their place…..
There were no Dynamos.
“…..”
Add realized the situation and froze. He had forgotten that he didn’t have his Dynamos. It wasn’t
just that they weren’t here, they were destroyed and in need of repairs.
Add without his Dynamos had zero battle capabilities.
These were small fries he normally wouldn’t even give a glance at, but Add right now was powerless.
Add hid his turmoil as he slowly backed up. He would get Eun to take care of this if she was normal
but she just had to fall asleep right now.
He couldn’t let them take Eun. He wasn’t fond of her but she was like a road sign for him in this
timeline. She will tell him what he has to do from now on.
18
As Add stepped back, three men slowly approached him. Their eyes were filled with greed. They
must be imagining making a big money after selling Eun.
“Hehehe……”
“We’ll give her back to you after taking a look.”
“You won’t even be able to steal a candy from a baby with those words. Can’t you disguise your
words better? You guys must be quite stupid.”
Add mocked while hiding Eun inside his jacket. But three men looked at each other then made a
sinister smile. It seemed they were treating Add’s words as a bluff.
But he’ll escape.
Add measured the three’s positions and distances then waited for the right moment. These guys had
their guards down as if they had already achieved their goals. This was because while Add was
speaking tough, he was still backing out. They must have interpreted this as Add bluffing.
All of this was in Add’s calculations.
He couldn’t fight back but he could escape. On the presumption that he wouldn’t get knocked out
from getting hit once……
“You guys look stupid when you smile. So quit it and come at me.”
“……”
Three men’s expressions got distorted. Even though they were filled with greed, getting insulted
continuously would make them angry.
Alright, let’s start………
“Stop right there.”
Three men winced then looked back from hearing a clear but chilling voice. Add who was about to
escape also followed their gazes to look. There was a silhouette walking towards them at the end of
the alleyway.
Dark long hair, melancholically sunken gold eyes.
It was Ara.
“Hahaha.”
Ara was carrying her spear but three men realized that she was a girl then let out a mocking laugh.
Ara sighed thinly after getting taken lightly.
19
“I won’t arrest all of you if you turn back now. But if you are going to continue…..”
One of the guys stepped towards Ara even before she finished speaking.
Bam!!
In that moment, Ara seemed to hold out her palm then the man’s body went flying into the pile of
boxes. Gold orb had flown out from Ara’s palm and knocked him out.
Seeing their comrade get done in, other two widened their eyes and tried to move but Ara was
already running in swinging her spear widely. It was a swift movement as if a hawk looking for its
chance was diving to ruthlessly s.n.a.t.c.h up a rabbit on the ground. Two men didn’t even get to react
as they got hit by the shaft of Ara’s spear.
Baam!! Two men also went flying crashing into the remaining boxes.
Ara shook her head regrettably after taking down three men in an instant.
“People should be uniting their strengths when the world is caught up in disorder…… It seems
there are foolish people anywhere you go.”
“……”
Add was so surprised that he couldn’t speak. Ara could easily defeat three men with her martial art
skills. She could probably dispatch even 30 as a warm-up.
But her icy tone and ruthless movements just now was quite different from Ara that he knew. Add
looked again wondering if this was someone else, but this was certainly Ara.
“Mr.Add, are you alright?”
Ara approached calmly and gracefully. Her face looked somehow more mature. While Add was at a
loss for words at Ara’s different image, Ara made a confused face then approached even faster.
“Could it be you’re hurt…….?”
Tap. Tip of Ara’s feet got caught on a jagged stone. She got surprised and was about to fall over
while flailing but Add unknowingly caught her in his arms.
Ara got fl.u.s.tered and apologized while leaning on Add as if she was being embraced by him.
“Thank you for catching me, Mr.Add.”
“Kugh…..”
He caught her for now but it felt like his arms were being shattered. Eve had treated his arms but
Add was still injured.
20
Seeing Add continue to groan, Ara tilted her head then quickly backed out with a surprised
expression.
“C, could it be that it was difficult for you to catch me because I was too heavy?”
“…..Wait a moment.”
Add ignored Ara’s wild misunderstanding then felt around his jacket to confirm Eun’s location.
He wasn’t sure if time paradox was only a theory or actual truth so he wasn’t sure if he should let
Ara meet Eun. There were no instances of them time traveling together before after all.
“There’s no problem.”
“……I, I had been diligently training every day and night. Could it be because of the meat I ate
yesterday……?”
Add ignored Ara’s seriously concerned voice as he examined Ara’s appearance again. She wasn’t
wearing her usual white clothes and was instead wearing clothes with generally black tones. But
looking at her face, this was indeed Ara.
“Maybe I should cut down on the meat…….”
Tripping over nothing was like Ara too.
‘…..But she still seems a bit different. Am I just being too sensitive?’
Eve from before was strangely unfamiliar, but to sense the same thing from Ara as well?
Well, delving into detail right now wouldn’t get him any answers.
Add clicked his tongue then started walking forwards.
“You know where everyone else is right? Follow me.”
“Yes, are you going to fight somewhere?”
Add scratched his head for a bit when Ara asked while scurrying to follow him. It would be fastest
to ask Eun for what was going on but she was asleep. Ara and Eve seemed slightly different but this
wasn’t something to judge right now.
The thing that bothered him the most right now was that Elesis became their ally.
“I’ll first go back to my house to get the Dynamos. Then we’ll go to the lodge where everyone is
staying.”
He had to confirm what was going on with his own eyes.
21
After retrieving the Dynamos for repairs, Add arrived at the Lanox central inn where the El Search
Party was supposed to be staying. The way to the inn was complicated so Add didn’t expect much
from Ara but she didn’t get lost.
Add asked because he was marveled by this. Ara told him the reason.
“Don’t you remember Mr.Add? I was getting lost so much so you taught me how to memorize.”
“……Did I?”
He of course didn’t have any recollections of this. But this wasn’t the first time things like this had
happened. During Add’s multiple failures in Elder, he returned to the past to find out that Elsword
had grown up and that details of some past events had changed.
Fight where they had struggled against Nasod miners had changed into a fight that they won easily.
‘Although the changes right now is bit difficult to digest…..’
It seems Add was indeed the one who called Eve to his house and taught Ara how to find the inn.
Add followed Ara into the inn then saw familiar faces immediately.
They were Elsword and Chung sitting on the lounge sofa.
“It’s Big Brother Add.”
“Mr.Add is here.”
Add let out a sigh of relief when Elsword waved his hand. Ara and Eve had changed strangely so he
had been worried. But Elsword and Chung were same as ever.
Not only that, Elsword was in his grown up form that awakened to the Memory of Time and s.p.a.ce.
“…..That’s great.”
“Did you meet with Ms.Eve?”
Add nodded to answer Chung’s question then sat in front of Elsword. He first needed information
to figure out how the situation was turning out, what and when this timeline was and how things
have changed.
Add ordered lemonade from the counter then slowly looked around the inn’s interior. It was an inn
he had never seen. This was an unfamiliar time but he felt more at ease after seeing Elsword’s
familiar face.
Add started the process of gathering information after he got his lemonade.
22
“So what’s the situation right now?”
He purposely asked vaguely like this. Asking like this would at least grantee him some information.
Then he could use that to figure out their current situation.
“Big Sis and Big Sister Rena went to scout together. They’ll be back soon.”
“I’ll go and tell Ms.Eve that I finished patrolling the town.”
Ara said this then went upstairs. So Eve was upstairs…. And Elesis was their ally as if it was natural.
Add frowned then asked.
“Elsword, who’s the enemy we must defeat?”
“Demons of course. Why would you ask something like that, Big Brother?”
“…….”
So demons were their enemies after all. But the culprit controlling everything behind the demons
was D, the future Add.
Chung who was listening added gravely.
“That’s not all. Dragons that colluded with the demons cannot be taken lightly as well.”
Cough! Elsword and Chung widened their eyes in confusion when Add who was drinking his
lemonade suddenly started coughing and beating his chest.
“Big Brother?”
“Mr.Add?”
Elsword stood up and tried to pat Add’s back but Add forcefully pushed his hand away.
“……Dra-, what?”
“Dragons. Mr.Add should know about them as well.”
“That’s right, those guys are persistent…… Although they don’t seem to be in Lanox right now.”
Elsword and Chung were conversing casually but Add’s mind went numb as he listened. He knew
what dragons were but he didn’t get how they popped up in this conversation so naturally.
Did they join D because they are Dragons?
Add was so shocked to the point where he unconsciously got these stupid thoughts. Seeing that
Add had a blank expression with his mouth opened, Elsword who was conversing idly with Chung
looked at Add strangely.
23
“Big Brother, what’s going on? Are you hurt somewhere?”
“…..Wait. So not just demons……but dragons are our enemy too?”
Seeing Add groan while pressing his hand down on his forehead, Elsword raised his sword as if it
was obvious.
“That’s right, we have to fight and protect Elrios.”
“…..”
This was strange. Add bit down on his lips then shook his head.
The starting point when Add became reluctant about time traveling was……after witnessing
Elsword’s drastic growth.
He was afraid that time traveling would bring about a huge change that couldn’t be managed. But he
stopped thinking about such things around the time when he started turning back time to save the
lives of the Search Party members.
Fear that he had long forgotten became a reality.
Eve and Ara’s subtle changes and this unfamiliar place called Lanox was one thing. But dragons?
Scale of the changes had changed immensely.
Add’s was sighing heavily from a headache when footsteps coming downstairs were heard. Add
unknowingly turned around to look towards the direction thinking that it was Eve, but he froze up.
Heavy looking Nasod arm.
It was Raven.
“Ah, Big Brother Raven. Are you alright?”
“I had a good rest.”
Raven spoke composedly as he approached the sofa then sat beside Add. Raven noticed Add staring
at him blankly so he turned to look back.
“What’s wrong, Add?”
“…….Kukukuk.”
Well, Elesis became their ally. So Raven becoming their ally wasn’t strange at all! Raven was recently
their enemy in Add’s impression. But judging by the way he acted, he was totally their ally right now.
24
This was an obvious conclusion judging by how Elsword and Chung were accepting Raven being
here naturally.
“It’s nothing. I was just thinking that time is fair after all……”
Raven didn’t say anything in response to Add’s incomprehensible words then went into a deep
contemplation while drinking his tea. Add summed up their current situation in his mind then
clenched his fists.
This was an unexpected gain. Elesis and now even Raven became their ally. They lost two enemies
and gained two allies. The difference in strength between allies and foes had narrowed drastically.
Well, things called dragons were added to their list of foes. But…..who cares?
Elesis, Rena and Raven were all together. Not only that, they had Ara, Elsword, Chung and Eve as
well.
This was literally a party straight out of a dream, dream team.
“I’ll ask just in case….. Aisha isn’t here right?”
“Big Sister Aisha went to discuss things with Ms.Edel.”
From Chung’s answer, Add suppressed the urge of wanting to stand up straight and cheer. He was
about to go crazy. He was going to die because he was so happy.
He had asked just out of curiosity, but Aisha was here too!!
“S, so everyone is gathered……”
Other three didn’t seem to understand what Add was saying but it didn’t matter. He was so happy
that he was about to go crazy.
Add looked down at his knees while grinding his teeth.
“Kukukuk, that’s right. As to be expected from me. Perfect, this is a perfect plan. Kahahahaha!!”
He almost gave up everything because of D’s overwhelming power. But the story was different like
this. Gap in strength between allies and foes had narrowed drastically.
They could win.
Elsword, Aisha, Rena, Raven, Eve, Chung, Ara, Elesis and Add.
With these 9 together, they even had a chance against D. Best members were all gathered!
25
Add was shivering with joy when Raven suddenly stretched out his right arm to touch Add’s head.
Even while caught up in joy, Add wondered what Raven was up to and tried to push his arm away.
But Raven asked seriously.
“You became shorter, Add.”
“What?”
Add unknowingly frowned after getting the topic he was sensitive about touched upon. He never
cared too much about his own appearance but he should be at least above average. He had never
heard from anyone that he was short.
Add was about to leap into rage but Raven stared seriously.
“Was there some kind of problem?”
“Come to think of it, Big Brother Add. You look……a bit younger.”
“What?”
Add blankly stroked his own face from Elsword’s words. His cheeks felt a bit smooth but he
couldn’t tell if this was anything different than usual.
No, of course. How many guys were out there that cared about smoothness and bounciness of their
cheek?
But Raven silently stroked Add’s head, shoulder and arms then asked gravely.
“You’re injured. Did you do some kind of dangerous experiment?”
“……..Well, you could say that.”
At Add’s words, Raven nodded then backed up while withdrawing his hand.
“Be careful.”
“Kukuk, you don’t have to worry.”
Add couldn’t think of any better answer so he answered appropriately then put the Dynamos on the
table and started the repairs. They were completely destroyed but this could be covered with the
spare parts he had.
Add normally did this kind of repairs alone in his room but this time was an exception. He wanted
to listen in on other members’ conversation and gather information.
Seeing Add focus on repairs and Raven silently drink tea, Elsword spoke up.
26
“So Big Brother Raven, Big Brother Add, how are we going to fight from now on?”
“I’m planning to listen to what Rena and Elesis has to say. Their judgements should be accurate.”
“Maybe I should have followed Big Sis too.”
“Only Ara could possibly keep up with those two. It’s better for us to stay behind.”
Raven answered sincerely. Add stopped his repairs and stole a glance at Raven. Judging by how
Raven spoke, he could tell that Raven was a sincere and thoughtful man.
And he didn’t even need to confirm his skills.
‘……Why did Elesis and Raven join D?’
Because they couldn’t win against D? Because they wanted to be on the winning side? Add was sure
they weren’t people that would act according to such materialistic desires. There was D who broke
the world and judging how Eun’s plan was to destroy that broken world, two of them must have
had thoughts of their own regarding this matter.
Elesis’s decision seemed to be related to Elsword, but Add didn’t understand Raven’s decision.
Add asked abruptly after recalling the last scene before he time traveled, Raven raising his blade
while carrying unconscious Rena.
“I got something to ask you, Raven.”
When Raven stared back, Add asked seriously.
“What will you do if Rena was in danger?”
“I’ll fight and save her.”
Raven answered first then asked.
“Why are you confirming this?”
“…..What if an overwhelming enemy stands in the way and she couldn’t be saved?”
At Add’s question, Elsword suddenly made fake coughs. After getting everyone’s attention, Elsword
reprimanded calmly.
“Big Brother Add, I don’t know what you’re thinking….. But why are you asking such a thing to Big
Brother Raven?”
“It’s fine, Elsword.”
Raven shook his head then answered composedly.
27
“You asking this must be related to our plan. If I’m not able to save her…..I’ll fight together with
her till the end.”
“……”
Add nodded silently from the weight of Raven’s answer. Raven wasn’t joking when he said those
words which meant he’d rather die together with her if he’s not able to save her.
“…….I’ll keep that in mind for the plan.”
He could somewhat guess why Raven stood on D’s side. Rena was the most powerful amongst the
previous 5 El Search Party members. But even she had moments where she almost lost her life.
Fighting against D will result in certain defeat. So he’ll go far as to join the demons if it was for
saving Rena.
That must have been Raven’s decision at the time. Considering Add’s values of doing anything
possible in order to save his precious person, Raven’s decision was totally understandable.
Add was organizing his thoughts when Raven hesitated for a moment then added.
“I meant that I want to support her much as possible since she’s overworking herself due to the Elf
race being at the brink of extinction.”
“…..What?”
It seems I’m getting surprised a lot today. Add thought this to himself but could hide his shock.
Dragons and now crisis of the Elf race. Another strange information had come up.
“I’ll obviously fight to save you too if you are in danger, Add.”
“Whatever. So wait, Elves are in danger?”
“What’s wrong, Mr.Add?”
Judging by how Chung was making a strange expression, this must be an obvious information as
well. Add shook his head while sighing.
“…….Seriously, what is going on?”
Dragons come out of nowhere and now Elves are at a brink of extinction? Too many things had
changed from this time travel. More he found out, more things got complicated. But Add focused
his thoughts on one point.
These trivial changes didn’t matter. Important point was that 9 of them, the full power El Search
Party were a.s.sembled.
28
It wasn’t like there was a concrete plan yet but he could see the hopes of defeating D now. Add was
letting off a delightful smile…..when a loud noise came from outside the door.
Craaash!!
Then a man broke through the door and rolled inside. All of the El Search Party members’ eyes
focused on the unconscious man who came rolling all the way near the sofa.
“What’s going on……?”
Elsword was about to quickly stand up when a furious voice rang out from outside.
“Punks!!”
“…….Ah, it’s Big Sister Rena.”
Add asked again when Elsword who was about to stand up sat back down. Add knew all he’s been
doing was asking questions but he couldn’t help but to ask again.
“Wait? Who?”
“That was Big Sister Rena’s voice.”
Add’s face turned blank when Elsword waved his hand as if he wasn’t interested. Of course, there
was no need to doubt Rena’s skill. No one probably needs to go outside to help her.
You could tell from a single glance that this guy who rolled inside the inn was a small fry. Add didn’t
even need to get his hands dirty.
“……That was Rena?”
Well, the voice did sound a bit familiar. Seeing that Raven had already gotten up and was heading
towards the door, Add also stood up and followed him. Recalling the voice again, it was indeed
Rena’s voice but Add somehow wanted to deny this.
Add followed Raven and came out to the streets. He then groaned with a blank expression.
“……That’s Rena?”
Beauty that one couldn’t avert their gaze from was fighting a group of men by herself. Looking at
her face, it was indeed Rena…. But how she was waving her sword and weaving through bunch of
heavily built men felt strange.
Sword? Rena?
Why was someone so skilled with a bow to the point where she could be praised as a G.o.ddess of
archery carrying a sword and fighting in close quarters?
29
Of course, Rena was Rena so those men went flying and crashing into a wall or fell each time her
sword flashed. She looked ferocious like lion that jumped into a herd of sheep. It looked as if she
was going destroy everything that stood in her way.
Those men will cower in fear from just seeing Rena’s shadow from now on.
Looking closely, the sword was only for threatening. She was using a clever technique of swinging
her sword to lure out enemy’s weak points then finishing up with physical strikes. Those men
dodged Rena’s sword only to go flying from her kick or get knocked out from getting hit by her
elbow. It was a 1 vs many fight with weapons involved but not only was Rena threatening her
opponents, she was taking them all down while not letting even a strand of her hair be harmed.
Although she was fighting up close with a sword rather than a bow, the fact that Rena was an
outstandingly skilled individual didn’t change.
“How dare you make mockery of Elves in front of me!”
From Rena’s furious shout, Add unconsciously looked at Raven standing beside him. But Raven was
just staring at Rena quietly. At how Raven was accepting this situation as if it was natural, Add asked
slowly.
“……That’s Rena?”
That woman who was throwing those men around and knocking them out like an enraged lion? Not
just that, but her expression was so cold to the point where ice would be jealous. Never mind
smiling, her mouth was stiff and her eyes were sharp.
She was still extremely beautiful…. But her atmosphere was totally different.
Raven must have interpreted Add’s question differently because he answered calmly.
“People that just arrived in Lanox must have messed with an Elf.”
“……”
That wasn’t the answer Add was looking for so he just continued to stare forwards with a blank
expression. The fight was almost over. 1 vs 25, but one was overpowering 25. She wasn’t stopping
her storm of attacks which completely crushed her opponents to the point of leaving them with
traumas.
She was still beautiful and strong. But…..
“……..That’s not Rena.”
He didn’t know what to say.
30
Although she was fighting up close with a sword, the fact that Rena
was an outstandingly skilled individual didn’t change.
31
Dozens of men were sprawled out on the ground thanks to Rena who fought with elegant
movements as if she was dancing. People who were observing were all surprised and were making a
face pondering if they should clap or not. But Rena didn’t care about their reactions and put her
sword back in its sheath.
Not even a single drop of blood got on her sword from the fight just now. Add who was watching
was filled with feelings of not knowing what to say. She did hold back, but this Rena who struck
strongly like an angry horse was way off from Rena that he had known.
Rena was wiping the dust off her hands after finishing the situation when she noticed Raven and
Add and approached them.
“You were watching?”
Cold and stiff voice, it was to the point of suspecting if she was mimicking Eve. Add had a blank
face but Rena didn’t care and spoke to Raven.
“I’ll go explain this to Edel. Stay here until then, Raven.”
“No, I’ll go to Edel. You must have just returned from scouting the Ashen Land. Get some rest,
Rena.”
“They were just small fries. Also, it was a problem related to Elves so I’ll…..”
“All of us were asked by Edel to keep public order of Lanox. So it’s not just your problem.”
Raven ended their conversation like that then approached the unconscious men. Rena looked for a
moment at Raven’s back as he determined who to arrest. She then turned around towards Add.
“Add, who’s in the inn right now?”
“…..Everyone who should be.”
Add was reluctant but answered. How she beat down those men mercilessly, cold low-pitch voice
coming from that stiff face…. This Rena was very different from Rena that Add had known.
Eve and Ara were slightly different too but Rena had changed drastically. The difference was clear as
spring breeze and winter gale.
“Then I’ll report the results of my scouting mission. Tell everyone to gather.”
“I’ll do that…..”
Add nodded hesitantly. Unfamiliar events were occurring continuously but he had no choice but to
follow along for now.
32
Rena’s return from her scouting mission.
Elsword, Eve, Chung, Ara and Add gathered to listen to Rena’s short explanation.
“We finished dealing with Ash Covered Village. We were originally only going to scout it out.
But…..we got found out so Elesis and I took care of everything.”
“Weren’t there lots of enemies?”
Rena shook her head at Ara’s question.
“No, enemies were acting strangely. It was like they weren’t fighting out of their own will so we took
them down easily.”
Rena continued after confidently revealing that she and Elesis took care of all the enemies on their
own.
“I discussed about this with Elesis too and we determined that there was no strategic value in Ash
Covered Village. But Demons were occupying that place despite this. Scar, he must be provoking us
to draw us in.”
“……Is it okay to respond to their provocation?”
Scar? It sounded like he’s a leader of demons. Is he a general? Add asked anyways because he didn’t
like how they went out of their way to liberate a village despite knowing it was a bait. Rena replied
coldly.
“We need to secure a foothold in the middle anyways in order to advance to the Grand Cavern.
Even if that’s what Scar wants us to do.”
“Securing a forward base with only two of you, impressive.”
“Now we can head to the Temple of Fire.”
“Yes, and Scar will be…..waiting for us in the Grand Cavern. It’s time for the final confrontation.”
It was a grave atmosphere where everyone was resolving themselves for the final fight. But only Add
listened with a blank expression. He somewhat had a guess by now…. But it still felt like he was left
out of the conversation.
“Wait, wait.”
Add raised his hand and everyone’s gazes gathered on him. He didn’t want to say something like this
when everyone was enflaming their fighting spirits……
33
“I’m sorry but I have no idea what you guys are talking about. So explain it in a way I can
understand easily.”
“Talk nonsense when you are alone, Add.”
Eve warned coldly but Add didn’t back out. Well, it was true that Eve’s reaction was very cold but it
was understandable.
This would look like Add was spoiling the mood when everyone was seriously preparing for the final
battle.
“I’m sorry….. But I seriously don’t understand what everyone is talking about. Well, let’s say my
recent memories disappeared due to the effects of accident during my experiment. So explain what’s
going on to me.”
“Are you okay, Mr.Add?”
“You can rest if you are tired, Big Brother Add.”
Add shook his head at Chung and Elsword’s kind words.
“I can tell by the atmosphere that this is not a time to rest. So explain in detail how the situation is
turning out.”
“So we were……trying to stop Scar who’s plotting to destroy Elrios right?”
Ara trailed her words unconfidently. Rena nodded.
“That’s right. Elrios will be complete destroyed if Scar resurrects the demon G.o.d. We must stop him.”
“……So who’s Scar?”
“He’s a demon general.”
It wasn’t a name he had heard before. Add groaned as he organized his thoughts. New locations like
Lanox, Temple of Fire and Grand Cavern were coming up one after another.
Not just that, but the name of their enemy was different.
“I’m going to ask just in case…… You all know about D right?”
When Add asked after a hesitation, El Search Party members all looked confused.
“No, who’s that?”
“Is it a new enemy?”
“I’ve never heard about this.”
34
“Is it a new demon?”
Rena coldly concluded.
“Add, we’re in middle of a strategy meeting. Drop the idle talk.”
“…….No one heard about him?”
Add’s heart sunk. Elsword and Ara not knowing could be understandable but not even Rena had
heard about him? Everyone was acting like they just heard the name for the first time.
Raven and Aisha weren’t here but it felt like they’d give the same answer. Add sighed while pressing
down on his complicated head.
“I see, so a new demon appeared, and we joined together to stop him. ……So what’s our plan from
now on?”
“Elesis is waiting for us in the Ash Covered Village. We’ll go join up with her.”
“And after we join up with her?”
Add was asking about their long term plan. Rena gave an additional explanation.
“We have to join up with Fire Priestess who’s supposed to be at the Temple of Fire soon as possible.
Then we’ll also find out about movements of Scar and the other demons.”
“……Priestess?”
This was something he had never heard before as well. But everyone looked as if they knew about it
already. Add bit his lowered lips as he shook his head widely. This timeline, this world was too
different.
This time travel had changed too many things.
Well, 9 El Search Party members joining together wasn’t something that had happened in the
previous time travels in the first place.
“Fine, I roughly understood our situation. So when are we heading towards Ash Covered Village?”
“We’ll head out right away when Raven and Aisha comes back. We can’t leave Elesis by herself for
too long after all. Everyone, get ready to depart.”
At Rena’s word, the El Search Party members all nodded then got up from their seats. Add waved
his hand while sighing.
“……I’ll be repairing the Dynamos while everyone gets ready.”
35
When everyone went up to the 2nd floor, Add started numbly repairing his Dynamos. Dynamos were
basically equivalent to his hands and feet. He had repaired them so many times that he could even
repair them with his eyes closed.
“Just….what’s going on around here?”
New town, Search Party members’ changed personalities…… Well, these could be understandable.
Elsword’s personality had changed from growing up too.
But it was strange that no one knew about D.
“Could it be that D had a hand in this too?”
He was someone who disrupted the world saying he’ll rule over time and s.p.a.ce. He certainly was
capable of creating this strange situation.
“I still don’t get it.”
So many new situations were coming up that he even had thoughts about honestly revealing about
time travel and discussing with everyone after.
“Everyone is busy preparing to depart so why is boy the only one lazing around?”
Add lifted his clothes from the voice that came from inside his jacket. Eun jumped out of the inner
pocket then landed on the table lightly.
“It’s troublesome because I’m getting sleepy more often. Well, it’s to be expected from getting older.”
“……Explain.”
“Boy must think of me as granny who likes to tell him old tales. You keep asking me for a story
every time you see me.”
“I’m not in the mood for jokes.”
Add stopped moving his hands that were repairing and glared at Eun. But that only lasted for a
moment as Add withdrew strength from his eyes then shook his head. A heavy fatigue rushed in as
his head started aching.
It hasn’t been too long since he left his comrades behind in front of D. Also the time he arrived now
was so nonsensical.
“Alright, I’ll explain. What should I explain to you?”
“Where is this place?”
“Didn’t they say it’s Lanox already, boy?”
36
He didn’t even have energy to get angry. Add loosened up then re-explained the current situation.
“I’ve been the one choosing the time period in time travels up till now. But this is a place we’ve
reached due to the emergency code you activated….. It’s much too different from the place I know.”
“I’ll say this now, I’m not the one who chose this coordinate.”
“……But you should know the reason why.”
Eun nodded meekly.
“It’s to defeat D of course.”
“There’s no D in this place. No one knows about D. Did he hide somewhere?”
Eun was about to answer when footsteps coming downstairs was heard. Add quickly tried to hide
Eun but she swiftly dodged Add’s hand.
“It’s not something you should hide forever anyways.”
So did time paradox not matter? Add thought Eun had her reasons so he turned around to see that
it was Eve who had come downstairs. Eve’s gaze slowly moved from Add then to Dynamos that
were in middle of repairs. Her gaze finally fixed on Eun who was sitting confidently on top of Add’s
lap before Add had realized she was there.
“What is that?”
“I’m Add’s pet fox, Geum. I’m in similar circ.u.mstance to Ophelia that girl commands.”
Add was dumbfounded from Eun’s answer but Eve seemed like she understood.
“So you made a helper, Add.”
“……I guess.”
He shouldn’t have to deny it. When Add looked at her nervously, Eve stared straightly back at him
for a while then slightly turned her head away.
“Did you call for me today to show me that helper?”
“It wasn’t because of that……”
“Then why did you?”
“……I’ll explain later. I’m bit tired right now.”
It was a rare chance to speak with Eve but Eun’s explanation was more urgent right now. It should
be much faster to question Eun for information than asking Eve in a roundabout way.
37
Eve was staring at Add straightly then turned around.
“I don’t need something like your heart, Add.”
“…..What?”
Eve didn’t answer and left the inn. Add was frowning from not being able to understand the words
Eve left him when Eun giggled.
“Girl is chilly even in here. Raising those affection points again will be rigorous, so rigorous.”
“What do you mean by an affection point….?”
“Oh, you don’t know? Future becomes easier if you manage the affection points properly. Leaving
affection points empty for a long time will make them sink bottomlessly so be sure to check them
often. I’ll become an exemplary textbook for you.”
Add ignored the incomprehensible words as he grabbed Eun by the collar then sat her back on the
table.
“Just finish what you were talking about before. So what am I supposed to do from now on?”
“You should first repair the Dynamos then heal up. You might as well have to solve this world’s
problem too. Since there’s one process that’s needed to go back to the original world.”
“…..What?”
The words Eun used felt odd. Seeing that Add frowned, Eun let off a cold smile. It was a very sharp
smile for someone who had such a small and cute appearance.
“Boy is too obsessed with time. That’s why your thought process is getting blocked. Are you
thinking that this is merely a place that has a time trouble?”
“What do you mean? I certainly entered through a s.p.a.ce-time wormhole…..”
But it wasn’t Add who determined the destination this time. Add was about to reply while pondering
Eun’s words then he froze up.
“Wouldn’t you agree that it’s difficult for circ.u.mstances to change this drastically by merely going
backwards in time?”
“……..”
A chill went down Add’s spine from Eun’s words. That’s right, Eun was right. Too many things had
changed……..to consider this a b.u.t.terfly effect happening after time travel.
This was a s.p.a.ce-time that had more things Add didn’t know than things he knew. What has to
happen…..to make such a thing possible?
38
Add asked while doubting himself. He couldn’t believe his conclusion.
Preconceived notion had formed in Add’s head due to his multiple time travels. Solve things with
time travel if things go wrong. That’s why he had thought this was a time travel as well…..
“Did I…..not time travel?”
Eun erased her smile as she nodded. She looked far off into the distance as she declared indifferently.
“Describing it as a place like this should be easier to understand. Place that’s similar but different,
different but similar. There are things boy knows and doesn’t know, a world that has been running
on its own rules and time. We’re outsiders here.”
“That means…..”
Eun declared after hearing Add’s groan.
“To escape from D, we jumped to an another universe.”
This wasn’t a place he arrived due to time traveling.
This was a completely different world, a different universe.