Episode 10: Calculations of Revenge / Chapter 167: Gathering and Scattering (7)
TL: emptycube / ED: Obelisk
The brilliant smile on Choi Hyuk"s face faded the moment he exited the monsters" universe after completing his revenge against Flitch, Demaetsu, and Sino. His lips were tightly shut, and his eyes were narrowed. While he didn"t know whether his surging emotions were that of sorrow or futility, his expression seemed to be suppressed by something.
"I have a place I want to visit before we return."
Following Choi Hyuk"s request, Naro"s s.p.a.ceship didn"t move towards Alliance City, but rather towards a secluded stellar system within a remote galaxy. Within this stellar system was a solar system with a sun at its center. The planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn orbited around this sun. In the past, Earth had been situated between Venus and Mars. Currently, however, no traces of Earth remained.
The Berserkers each had different expressions. Some looked mournful, others happy, and a few had sad yet relieved expressions.
Whether they were recalling their pasts or the thrill of revenge, it looked like everyone was feeling something as they looked at the empty spot, but it was a little different for Choi Hyuk.
To Choi Hyuk, this place was cold and completely void of anything. There wasn"t even a sc.r.a.p of Earth remaining.
Thinking that he came here for no reason, Choi Hyuk regretted his decision.
"There already isn"t anything left…"
Since everything precious to him had already disappeared and all that remained was revenge, he wondered what emotions he expected to feel by coming here. While the Berserkers felt various emotions, Choi Hyuk didn"t feel anything as he gazed at the place Earth used to be. It simply felt like a waste of time.
"Let"s go back."
While swallowing his saliva bitterly, Choi Hyuk was about to return when he felt a celestial body approaching from beyond the Sun. The celestial body possessed the faint karma of living beings.
"There was a celestial body with life besides Earth in this solar system?"
Naro seemed to have felt it a little later than Choi Hyuk as he said.
{Huh? I think I sense the karma of living beings?}
Choi Hyuk gave Naro a strange look.
"… When did he?"
He inwardly even felt a little admiration towards him.
{Eheh, why are you looking at me like that?}
Naro felt uncomfortable when Choi Hyuk began staring at him for no reason. Choi Hyuk glossed over it with a grin and turned his gaze away.
Just then, the sensed celestial body started to appear from behind the Sun.
"Whoa!"
Shouts similar to a cheer erupted from the Berserkers.
"Earth?"
"Dumba.s.s, how can that be?"
It was much smaller than Earth and it wasn"t blue either. However, there undoubtedly was a blue area.
"What is that?"
While everyone was talking, Choi Hyuk flung his body towards that planet. Just as he was about to pa.s.s the planet, its gravity pulled him in.
Thud!
He stepped on the ground. He had pretty much free fallen from a high alt.i.tude. If there was something strange about the planet, it was that, while its force of gravity was overall weaker than Earth"s, at least in the blue area, it possessed a force of gravity similar to that of Earth. Because of this, the moment Choi Hyuk landed on the ground, the sound of impact rang out quite loudly.
Thud! Thud!
Following him, the top executives of the Berserkers and Naro"s hologram landed on the ground.
"This is…"
Kim Honghyun became at a loss for words as he looked around at the surroundings. This was the same for everyone.
In this place, they saw an enormous lake and green trees from Earth growing around this lake. Elephants and giraffes were eating the vegetation, and leopards were hunting rabbits and boars. Because an atmosphere like Earth"s existed around the lake, they could breathe in the air that they had yearned for. When they looked up in the place, they could see a blue sky.
"… Paradise?"
Lee Jinhee absentmindedly said.
"An environment control system…"
Baek Seoin"s voice trembled slightly. When his gaze landed on the island at the center of the lake, which was floating 5 meters in the air, and he read the words which were written like a memorial on the border of the island, Baek Seoin teared up.
"This place… is the moon. It"s also a cemetery… The Sovereign of Paradise Camilla…"
These were the words written on the border of the floating island.
{X Month X Day. This is a tribute to our homeland, Earth, which is forever gone from this universe. We also hope that the various species that were regretfully faced with extinction on the day of the calamity find eternal rest here.
We recovered the moon, which had been flung into the distance after Earth"s collapse, and placed it in Earth"s previous spot. This is because this moon might perhaps be Earth"s only legacy. Like this restored area, Earth was a place filled with blue skies, blue oceans, and green lifeforms.
We hope that those who are still living and those who have died can all be at peace in this paradise.
The Sovereign of Paradise, Overseer of Dragonic, Leader of the Valkyries, Camilla.}
On the floating island in the middle of the lake, stones engraved with the names of the dead were paved into a plaza. It seemed like they had created this after collecting as many names of the dead as they could. Amidst these stones, no, in a more special place on the middle of the floating island, Choi Hyuk discovered his mother"s name "Choi Miyeon" and silently stood in front of it for a long time.
After a solemn yet touching moment, the Berserkers, having relaxed a little, began chatting once again.
"Camilla, that lady, is quite good."
"The timing was incredible… To see this after we had just returned from getting revenge really made me tear up."
Since they could return and report immediately through the military gate system, they used this opportunity to enjoy some leisure time.
The top executives of the Berserkers gathered around Choi Hyuk, who had become somewhat more tranquil. They all couldn"t hide the emotional turbulence they were experiencing.
Having used to be the leader of Richard"s a.s.sa.s.sination organization, Zero"s eyes were filled with excitement, and Aide Leah went beyond simply being excited as her eyes shined with ambition.
The Artillery Captain Handke seemed somewhat proud, and Kim Honghyun, who was Chu Youngjin"s successor, stood arrogantly even though his eyes were red from crying.
It seemed that everyone was proud of the achievements they have accomplished as Berserkers.
However, the emotions of the top executives who had been with Choi Hyuk since the early days were a bit different.
Bae Jinman"s closed eyes trembled nervously.
Ryu Hyunsung looked anxious and powerless like a lost child.
Lee Jinhee looked at Choi Hyuk with eyes containing slight expectation, and Baek Seoin stared at Choi Hyuk as though he was leaving it all up to him.
While an unknown tension hung in the air, Choi Hyuk nonchalantly said,
"Congrats on becoming high-ranked warriors."
While fighting monsters that were a few ranks higher than themselves, the top executives had naturally become high-ranked warriors. Everyone was embarra.s.sed by his compliment.
"Anyways… It"s good that we won"t be holding you back, leader."
Kim Honghyun said as though he was relieved of a burden.
Aide Leah joined in,
"It"s not just as simple as becoming high-ranked warriors. While I don"t know why, when we finished getting revenge on Flitch, Sino, and Demaetsu, our karma increased greatly. Our current level is around the proficiency stage instead of the early stages of the high rank."
Choi Hyuk slowly nodded.
"I too… became strong enough to be considered to be at the proficiency stage of the highest rank."
Leah cautiously asked,
"As expected, it"s because we got revenge, right?"
Choi Hyuk nodded.
"It"s the same as having overcome an important inflection point of our fates."
An important inflection point of their fates… Choi Hyuk rolled those words in his mouth. Rather than an inflection point, it might be more precise to call it a turning point.
Choi Hyuk suddenly raised his head and called out to Naro, who was sitting on a hill and humming to himself. The white hologram with a simple appearance cheerfully skipped towards them.
"Did you call me, leader?"
Choi Hyuk purposely said in a more cheerful tone,
"Yeah, congrats to you too."
"Pardon?"
"You awakened, right? Just looking at you, you"re a high-ranked warrior… No, if you properly settle down, you might even be a highest-ranked warrior, right? Congrats! Then are you now an Armored Soul Tribe member?"
A few executives were shocked at Choi Hyuk"s words while others nodded their heads in realization.
On the other hand, Naro"s body stiffened from nervousness. Without bending his elbows, he waved his arms around and said,
"Ah, no. To say I"m an Armored Soul Tribe member so suddenly…"
Ryu Hyunsung, who seemed slightly uneasy, abruptly cut in,
"Definitely… When we were fighting the demise-ranked monster last time, Naro did save me. I wasn"t sure… But, as expected, was it truly Naro?"
Rather than being thankful, his voice sounded somewhat sad.
Naro became even more taken aback than before as he flailed around.
"No. While it is true that I can use karma now… To say that I"ve become a member of the Armored Soul Tribe…!"
"While born as artificial intelligences, they are existences that have become a part of the universe after awakening their own fates. Isn"t that the definition of the Armored Soul Tribe? I think Naro would know more…"
As Naro was speaking gibberish because he was so taken aback, Aide Leah joined in and settled the situation.
Naro lowered his marshmallow-like head.
In a faint voice, Naro was barely able to squeeze out,
"But… Leader hates the top four tribes. No… You all do. Also, when an artificial intelligence awakens as an Armored Soul Tribe member, they have to go to Machine City and undergo training… And that means we have to be apart during that time…"
"Eh? Leader Choi Hyuk hates the top four tribes? You"re saying that after seeing Flame-Rain unni?"
Lee Jinhee said in a mischievous voice. Naro"s bent shoulders relaxed slightly.
"Is that true?"
"Yeah. While there are plenty of jerks amongst the top four tribes, there are also a lot of people who work hard for a better universe, like Flame-Rain unni and her comrades…"
While she was talking to Naro, Lee Jinhee kept glancing at Choi Hyuk, reading his mood.
"Also, since we"ve completed our revenge now, won"t we work together with Flame-Rain unni? Now that we"re on a roll, it"s not like we"ll be disregarded by the top four tribes either… Also, we can always wait for you."
She glanced at Choi Hyuk again. Choi Hyuk simply revealed a bitter smile.
"Completed our revenge… you say."
Positive responses erupted regarding Lee Jinhee"s words. They were all the top executives who had joined later.
"As expected, are we going to Exalted Wing Flame-Rain"s camp?"
"The revival of humanity! If Overseer Richard had seen this, he would have truly been happy…"
Handke brightened and Leah seemed moved.
Yes, this was normal.
Since the ones in charge of Earth"s recruit training had died, it was normal to think they had completed their revenge. Since they had accomplished a satisfying revenge, they no longer wanted to ruin themselves with rage and now wanted to think about safety and the restoration of humanity.
While they knew Choi Hyuk"s goal was revenge, they didn"t know the scale or the destination. In case there were observing eyes, Choi Hyuk had never rashly brought up the topic of the Exalted Wings. The Berserkers believed that Choi Hyuk"s targets of revenge were confined to the ones in charge of Earth"s recruit training.
"However…"
Choi Hyuk was different. Since the moment he realized his mother had pa.s.sed away, the hole in his heart had gradually become larger. Within it raged black flames, flames that wanted to devour the entire universe and even himself in the end.
Choi Hyuk couldn"t stop.
Lee Jinhee probably examined Choi Hyuk"s mood because she was somewhat aware of this.
So it was time to come clean.
Choi Hyuk raised his shoulders up high before dropping them as he said,
"No, we won"t go to Flame-Rain. There is no such thing as safety for the Berserkers. I don"t promise success, fame, or prosperity. I can only promise one thing. If you stay with me, you will be able to kill a lot more. Enough to forget everything."
"Ah…"
Lee Jinhee"s eyes trembled.
"Pardon?"
Leah, Kim Honghyun, Handke, and others were taken aback.
Baek Seoin and Bae Jinman nodded their heads as though they already knew.
"Ah-"
Ryu Hyunsung, who seemed somewhat depressed, raised his head suddenly.
Choi Hyuk clearly told them,
"That"s why, if you are satisfied and no longer want to fight, leave the Berserkers."
Whoosh.
Suddenly, a strangely heavy spring breeze blew past those who were suddenly at a loss for words.
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