Yu-hyun was unable to move.
The person he had trusted and relied on until now turned out to be the most suspicious suspect.
He felt a surge of tension as he realized this.
âI have to stay calm.â
Yu-hyun moved his hand that was holding the paper calmly.
He pretended to look for something, just like before.
ââŠDonât bother me right now. Iâm busy.â
âDid you find anything?â
âNo. I still canât see it.â
Yu-hyun spoke casually as he folded the paper and opened another one. But that was not enough.
He was still in Ryanâs gap. And he couldnât draw his weapon yet.
âGet away.â
He could clearly see the sword wrapped in black cloth on his waist, and he could pull it out with a slight movement.
But the distance felt impossibly far.
He couldnât reach it even if he stretched his hand, and he felt that Ryanâs sword would move faster than him even if he drew his sword quickly. It was an instinct.
An instinctive wariness.
That made Yu-hyunâs movement slightly hesitant.
âYour hand stopped.â
ââŠâ
ââŠI see.â
Ryan muttered in a disappointed voice.
He noticed something too.
Yu-hyun closed his eyes tightly and opened them as soon as he heard that. And with a lightning-fast speed, he grabbed his sword andâŠ
âToo late.â đŁđđđđđąđđ«đŹđđđ©.đđđȘ
Ryan was faster than him. He slashed the sword sheath on Yu-hyunâs waist with his sword.
Before he could grab it with his hand, the sword on his waist flew out and rolled on the floor.
Yu-hyun quickly grabbed the papers on the ground with both hands and threw them back.
The rolled papers unraveled and blocked Ryanâs sight.
Ryan didnât panic even in that situation.
His hand holding the sword moved a little faster, and soon the papers that were fluttering in the air and blocking his view were cut into pieces and scattered.
âItâs useless to resist.â
Ryan kicked Yu-hyunâs side as he tried to grab the sword on the floor.
Yu-hyun reflexively crossed his arms to defend himself, but he couldnât stop his body from flying back.
Kwoong.
Yu-hyunâs body hit the closed door and rolled on the floor.
He frowned at the pain in his arm and looked up at Ryan who was approaching him.
âWhy are you doing this?â
Why did you betray us, werenât you Leanâs right-hand man?
âYou were a veteran explorer who had been guarding this place for 32 yearsâŠâ
âYeah. Iâm an explorer. And before that, I was one of the great warriors. And after that, Iâm an explorer. And after that, Iâll always be an explorer. Fighting against the frost giants, struggling endlessly.â
âWhat are you talking aboutâŠâ
âI donât think youâll understand what Iâm saying.â
Ryan still had an expressionless face.
He thought they had become friends after talking a few times before.
But now, it felt like those memories were lies. Ryan looked down at Yu-hyun with a cold gaze.
âIt would have been better if you had disappeared like before, being called a witch by everyone. Then I wouldnât have to do this annoying thing.â
âWhat are you sayingâŠâ
âWell, it doesnât matter anyway. Even if you die, it will be blamed on Frechen and his gang. Thatâs lucky. Thanks to that capricious emperor who drew all kinds of attention, I was able to move so easily.â
He never thought that he, who had been Leanâs right-hand man, was a traitor.
No, he had left some possibility open. Yu-hyun didnât think Frechen was 100% a traitor. He came here to fill in that gap, and thatâs why he survived Ryanâs attack until now.
But that was over now.
Ryan lifted his sword up.
âDie.â
And as he swung it down,
Crack!
The wooden door above Yu-hyunâs head broke and a monstrous hand popped out.
âWhatâŠ!â
Ryan was too late to react with his sword.
The hand that broke the door grabbed Ryanâs neck and pulled him out with a strong force.
Crack!
The wooden door shattered and Ryan flew out.
âWow. That was close. You could have been in big trouble if I was a little late.â
âWho are youâŠâ
Yu-hyun recognized the person who saved him and widened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was gray hair.
âFrechen?â
He was the last bloodline of the fallen empire, always acting on his own and hostile to Lean.
He was also the one I suspected of being a traitor, but he saved Yu-hyun at this moment.
Frechen smiled slightly, turning his head.
âWhy? Are you too surprised to see me?â
âNo, how did youâŠ?â
âHow did I know? Well, Iâd love to answer that, but.â
Frechen twisted his lips as he saw Ryan getting up from his fallen body.
âWe donât have time for that right now.â
He said, grabbing a large axe.
The blade of the axe was jagged at the end.
ââŠIt was you? The tail?â
âHey. Thatâs too harsh. Iâve never been a tail. Iâm a head, if anything. You also figured out the existence of the traitor, didnât you?â
âThatâsâŠâ
âFrecheeeen!â
Ryan roared Frechenâs name, enraged by the interruption.
His face, which was always expressionless, was distorted like a demon.
He exuded a murderous and fighting Divine Spirit that made my skin tingle. His Divine Spirit was like a well-forged sword.
A pressure comparable to a high-ranking collector.
âOh yeah. Here comes Frechen.â
Frechen didnât flinch or tense up in front of him. Rather, he smiled as if he had been waiting for this situation.
âHow dare you, you rotten prince of the ruined empire!â
Ryan charged at him like a beast. At the same time, his sword was very calm and sharp, aiming precisely at Frechenâs vital points.
Clang!
Frechen easily deflected Ryanâs sword with his axe.
âRight. I used to be like that. But now? Iâm the only bloodline left. Thatâs what Iâm saying.â
Frechen said with an arrogant voice.
âSo I should naturally be called the emperor. Whatâs wrong with that?â
âThe empire has already fallen! The title of emperor is nothing but an empty shell!â
âTrue. Itâs nothing. It has no meaning either.â
Their weapons tangled in the air.
Clack clack clack! Frechen focused on blocking Ryanâs attacks, while Ryan swung his sword with all his strength.
A blue aura extended from his sword tip, sweeping the surrounding space.
The wide corridor was cut and torn apart, and the ceiling collapsed.
They fought through the debris.
âBut, I still have the title of emperor. What about you, Ryan? A loyal dog of the leader? The third in command under me? Oh. Did you hate that most? You were always so ambitious, even if you pretended otherwise.â
âShut uuuup!â
Ryanâs emotion seemed to affect his sword Divine Spirit, which flared up like a flame.
âYouâve always annoyed me! You had power but acted shallowly, behaved like a child and did whatever you wanted! You defied Leanâs will!â
âDefying his will is also what youâre doing right now, isnât it?â
âYou have no honor!â
âBut, I have power.â
Frechen chuckled. Yu-hyun watched them fight as if he was bewitched.
Frechen wasnât called the second in command for nothing.
âSis!â
Ringwook ran from afar. Behind him were knights who could be considered Frechenâs subordinates and collectors who heard the news and came running.
âSis! Are you okay?!â
âUh, uh. Iâm fine. Luckily. But whatâs going on here?â
âI told Emperor Frechen. That you were heading here.â
Boom!
A loud noise erupted from afar.
Frechen started to swing his axe more seriously, as if he had been holding back until now.
He switched from defense to offense.
An ash-colored aura flowed from his axe and clashed with Ryanâs aura.
Frechenâs aura overwhelmed Ryanâs.
âHow, how can you have such power!â
âHahat. Did you think I was called the second in command for nothing? Or did you think I was just a hollow leader who relied on my subordinatesâ power? Thatâs shocking.â
âDamn it! How dare you!â
Ryan rushed towards Frechen.
âYou traitor! How can you talk so much? Did our great warrior teach you to fight with your mouth?â
âShut up and shut up.â
Frechen ran towards Ryan.
âI donât care about your words. Youâre just a loyal dog of the leader. The third in command under me? Oh. Did you hate that most? You were always so ambitious, even if you pretended otherwise.â
Lahioâs sword energy exploded and flew towards Frechenâs chest. Frechen easily deflected it and lifted his right foot to step on the rubble.
Boom. The debris from the collapsed ceiling rose into the air. At the same time, dust spread out.
The wind whirled past Ryan, barely grazing him. Ryan raised his aura and blocked the dust cloud.
At the same time, Frechen burst through the dust cloud like a huge cannonball.
Ryan, who had let his guard down for a moment when his sight was blocked, was hit in the chest by Frechenâs shoulder.
Crack!
âCough!â
He spat out blood and flew back, rolling on the ground. His ribs were broken and his chest was caved in from the attack just now.
Ryan used his sword as a cane to get up, but he was no longer in a state to continue fighting.
Frechen put away his axe, thinking that it was enough.
Ryan shouted with trembling lips.
âItâs not over yet, itâs not over yet!â
âNo. Itâs over.â
The one who answered was not Frechen.
Leann appeared, parting the crowd that had rushed in.
His eyes, looking at Ryan, were filled with more complexity and sadness than anything else.
Ryan also froze in his place when he saw Leann.
âRyanâŠâ
âCaptain Leann.â
âWhy did you do this? What made you abandon your comrades who fought with you until now, and make this hell continue?â
âWhy do you ask?â
Was that question so funny? Ryan laughed lowly, without even bothering to wipe the blood from his mouth.
When his laughter stopped, Ryan yelled in rage.
âWhy are you asking me that? Leann! This is what we should have done!â
Ryan glared at Yu-hyun beyond Leann with bloodshot eyes that were crazed with madness.
It was because of that witch. If it werenât for her, his struggle would not have been hindered.
âHave you forgotten?! We Guardians have to keep fighting! Struggle is our only purpose! I just wanted to keep fighting!â
âJust for that? Just for that?â
âJust? Just? Leann! Then answer me this. What meaning is there in our lives if we donât fight? We were born to wield swords, and became warriors to fight. If peace comes, what are we supposed to do?! What value do we have left in peace?! Huh? Answer me!â
Ryan was a great warrior of a northern minority tribe.
And when he was born, the north was in turmoil. Conflicts broke out everywhere and many people died.
In the barren environment, Ryanâs tribe had no choice but to fight and plunder someone elseâs belongings. They had to fight even if they didnât want to, because they didnât want to die.
Ryan wielded a sword from an age when he couldnât even remember how old he was.
And even as a young man, he never let go of his sword and swung it hard.
You will become a great warrior. As much as the blood on your sword, our tribe will prosper.
Ryan believed only those words like iron, and repeated killing and fighting as he roamed the barren land.
His father and mother passed away, and even his precious younger sister died, but he didnât stop.
Killing and killing and killing again.
Fighting and fighting and fighting again.
When he pacified the surrounding area and became the leader of a larger tribe,
The fighting ended and peace came to the world.
The empire ended its conquest war, and the various kingdoms joined hands. The northern minorities stopped their struggles among themselves, and formed alliances through blood ties and formed a union.
Surely, it was the peace that everyone had been waiting for.
But not for Ryan.
âWhat am I supposed to do now?â
Ryan lost his purpose of swinging his sword. The sword was for killing someone. But if there was no enemy, what was the sword for?
He had lived only for killing and fighting, but he couldnât accept peace.
A great warrior must fight. Only struggle proved his life.
But what is this peace? What is this terrible boredom?
So Ryan was secretly happy when the curse of the frozen land erupted.
The frost giants that threatened humanity.
Enemies.
They were the enemies he had longed for, the ones he could fight against.
âThe curse of the frozen land? Everyone will freeze to death? So what!â
Ryan shouted while spitting blood.
âThere are enemies! We can finally fight! Keep on, keep on, keep on! Finally, we have found our purpose!â
Ryan didnât want this hell to end.
If winter ends and spring returns, peace will come along with it, and weapons will inevitably rust.
What he wanted was eternal struggle.
A cold and eternal winter where weapons never rust.
âWe havenât lost our value! We can keep fighting! If this curse continues, we can fight and fight and fight again! And prove our worth! We will go to the land of salvationâŠ!â
âNo. Ryan.â
Lean shook his head with a sorrowful gaze.
âThere is no salvation in a place where there is only fighting.â
ââŠWhat are you talking about? Fighting is the very salvation! Why donât you understand that!â
âRyan. Do you still not know why we are fighting?â
The reason why our ancestors have fought until now. It was not because they simply enjoyed the struggle.
âThey fought until now, and we are still fighting, because they all wanted peace. They wanted to create our own fence, where our descendants can live safely.â
âDonât make me laugh!â
Ryan shouted as if he had a seizure.
âThey fought for peace? Then what if peace comes? What are we supposed to do, who can only fight! Our comrades who have been with us until now! My ancestors! What did they die for!â
Ryan did not want to hear that. He had enough of his life being torn apart once.
Grab your sword.
Shed blood.
Seize honor and glory.
Black shadows swirled around Ryan.
No, they were not shadows. What had been with Ryan until now were the ghosts of the past.
Ryan himself might not know, but Lean could tell.
âRyan. You have been devoured by the demon of fighting.â
âI will alwaysâŠ!â
âJust rest now.â
Faster than Ryan could scream, Leanâs sword pierced his chest.
It was strange that Ryan, who was wounded so much, could not react. Leanâs sword was so quiet and fast. It was hard to catch even a trace of it.
Ryanâs eyes widened. He made a rattling sound for a moment, and then slowly fell backwards.
Ryan, who fell looking at the sky, touched his chest with his trembling hand. His hand was full of red blood.
âAh.â
Ryanâs voice, which had been screaming until now, calmed down.
âLean. You were there.â
âRyanâŠâ
âLean. Look at this. I defeated the enemy.â
Ryan looked at something else with his transparent eyes, along with Lean.
A glorious fight.
The final battle that he had longed for, that was more than enough to end his life.
Ryan swung his sword there. Even when his comrades died, and his precious people fell one by one, he did not stop swinging his sword. He did not even remember how long he had fought.
The enemies were.
And, the outcome of the fight was.
What happened?
âLean. I canât see anything around me. I canât feel my body. Lean. Please answer me. Did we win? We won, right?â
He asked desperately, even though he was gasping in pain.
Everyone watched that scene solemnly.
âDid we win?â
Lean suppressed the sadness that welled up in him.
He was shocked by Ryanâs betrayal, and hated him for deceiving him for 32 years. But more than that, he felt sorrow and compassion for his end as a comrade who had fought with him for 32 years.
He never got out of the battlefield until the end.
Lean bit his lip with a complicated face, and then nodded heavily.
âYes. Ryan. We won.â
ââŠWe won.â
Ryan smiled innocently like a child.
It was his smile that he had never seen in 32 years, that he saw for the first time.
âLean. I think this is it for me. I hear voices from above. The great ancestors. They are calling me. Mother, father. And my dead brother too. My friends, my comrades. They are calling me too. Yes. They were all there⊠waiting for me.â
âYes. Ryan. Thatâs where you belong.â
âWhere I belong?â
âThe place you wanted to go so much. The land of salvation you wished for. Your long fight that lasted until now was all for this moment.â
âThatâs rightâŠâ
Ryan coughed up blood along with his words.
The energy in his body drained away, and his fingertips became cold as ice.
His body became heavier and heavier, but his mind was lighter than anything else.
âI can finally⊠restâŠâ
He could finally go to the land of salvation he wanted.
He could finally meet his family who had parted from him.
âYes.â
Lean closed Ryanâs eyes with his hand.
âJust rest now.â
Did he go to the land of salvation in the end?
Or did he go to hell where he would suffer endlessly for betraying his comrades?
Realizing that all those assumptions were meaningless, Lean recited the prayer that he had repeated endlessly from the past until now.