Saving My Favorite in a Doomed World Chapter 78

「 Kim Daecheol burned the blueprint just like that.

 

Amidst his desolate gaze, only the flames blazed up. He shouldn’t have brought such a thing.

 

He shouldn’t have shown Heo Mugong the sky.

 

It was a mistake to think that everyone would see the same path as him. Heo Mugong saw something different from him there.

 

Dying comrades, themselves running away, the result held in those hands.

 

Fight, even if it’s for the sake of the dead.

 

Was it not Heo Mugong who was running away, but himself?

 

Heo Mugong had shouted at him as he left the rebel army.

 

‘I will have the sky, Daecheol.’

 

The fiercely burning flames died down. Kim Daecheol’s embers died down too. The paper turned to ash. Kim Daecheol also turned to ash.

 

It’s not that Enet is right. It’s not that the Illusion City is wrong.

 

From that moment on, Kim Daecheol couldn’t tell what was right and what was wrong. He sank. 」

 

***

 

“Where is Yoo Hwashin?”

 

Kim Daecheol, who was heading to the western outskirts with Cha Jaeha, asked. He had wanted to ask all along, but he couldn’t because he was overwhelmed by Cha Jaeha’s intimidating spirit.

 

…Don’t judge him. When a handsome man gets serious, he’s twice as terrifying. 

 

“Are you only asking that now?”

 

Cha Jaeha rummaged through the tall grass with his hands.

 

The device was hidden in the forest on the outskirts. Furthermore, it was hidden in hard-to-find places even deep within the forest, such as inside caves or underground tunnels.

 

The device itself was huge, so as long as they could pinpoint the location, it would be easy to spot. Since they also had a map, finding the device was easy.

 

“I thought he would show up at least halfway through.”

 

“I thought so too. Because that guy said he’d come soon.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“Is this it?”

 

Cha Jaeha, who was walking ahead, stopped. Kim Daecheol, standing next to him, slowly nodded as well. A size that easily looked over 10 meters. Wires with leaves attached, camouflaged like stems. Inside the wires, a slight flow of light could be seen.

 

Kim Daecheol nodded. He was sure as soon as he saw the device. Because it was exactly the same as what he had seen a few years ago.

 

“We found it easier than expected.” 

 

Cha Jaeha simply stepped on one of the stems.

 

[ Battery: 60% remaining. As you are not affiliated with Enet, the battery drain rate is accelerated by approximately 2 times. ]

 

[ Ability: Spontaneous Combustion (Lv.20) is activated. Controllable range is approximately 500m. ] 

 

Here, he could use his ability without having to say it out loud. Was it because the status window blabbered instead? From the soles of his feet, the stem burst into flames. The fire spread straight up the stem and divided into several branches.

 

The flames wrapped around the device as if embracing it. He burned exactly only the device. The grass next to the charred device was still perfectly fine.

 

“Our role is finished, then.” 

 

Kim Daecheol checked the time. Less than an hour had passed. Should they return to the festival like this? When the barrier is activated, a transparent film would probably rise from around here. Even if it’s transparent, the scene of the light shifting would be visible, so should they wait until then?

 

“Cha Jaeha-ssi, for now—.Cha Jaeha-ssi! Where are you going?”

 

Unlike a flustered Kim Daecheol, Cha Jaeha replied dryly.

 

“I’m heading to the center. Towards the city hall.”

 

“Yes? But according to the plan, we’re supposed to wait here for the barrier to appear—” 

 

“By the way, Kim Da-cheol-ssi, why did you return to the rebels?” 

 

“Huh?”

 

“I heard. The reason you left the rebels. That guy Park Sodu blabbed about it without me even asking. And that you stole the blueprints and ran away. Why didn’t you say much about the blueprints when we were making the plan today? If you were the one who stole them, isn’t it strange that Heo Mugong has them too?” 

 

Kim Daecheol hurriedly followed Cha Jaeha, who was walking with long strides.

 

“About Heo Mugong having the blueprint…. I thought it was possible. He might have gone to Enet one more time while I was gone. As for the reason I returned to the rebels.”

 

Kim Daecheol bit his lip. The superficial reason was because of Yoo Hwashin’s persuasion. Because he had arbitrarily stopped time with his strange ability.

 

However.

 

“Is it to stop Heo Mugong?”

 

“….You know that much?”

 

Kim Daecheol sighed in resignation.

 

“It’s not for some grand reason like stopping him. It’s just guilt. Didn’t I tell you when we first met? That there’s no meaning to this life anymore. That I’m just spending meaningless days. I only came back because I didn’t want to have any more regrets here.”

 

“….Is that so?”

 

Cha Jaeha didn’t seem to have a speck of interest. Kim Daecheol didn’t say anything more either. Anyway, this man didn’t seem like he would listen to him, and he didn’t think he could stop him either.

 

Vwoong—.

 

A vibration. A faint vibration was felt. Kim Daecheol whipped around. The shape of the forest they had left became slightly blurry. The barrier had started to rise.

 

It seems everywhere else succeeded as well.

 

Anyway, now only joining up with Heo Mugong remained. Having hurried their steps, they arrived at the entrance of the city center faster than anyone else.

 

They saw it.

 

The remaining battery level was blinking above Hwashin’s head.

 

[ Warning. Warning. Warning. Losing the ability to adjust the status window. ]

[ Current battery remaining: 20%. If it reaches 0%, you will lose your life. ]

[ Please recharge your battery immediately through Light. ]

[ Warning. Warning. Warning. Warning. Warning. Warning. Warning. Warning. Warning. ]

 

Pure white smoke was blanketing the city. A desolate sight unfolded where only two human shadows could be seen. Kim Daecheol’s mouth fell open naturally. What on earth is this? 

 

Cha Jaeha also stared at Hwashin’s back, as if he hadn’t expected this situation either.

 

“Yoo Hwashin.”

 

“Ah.”

 

You’re here now? The corners of the blood-covered Hwashin’s mouth could be seen.

 

Just what had happened.

 

Cha Jaeha’s battery level was filled back to 100%. He stepped forward. Beyond the smoke, Heo Mugong’s shadow flickered.

 

“There won’t be time for explanations.” 

 

***

 

“Hwashin-ssi doesn’t seem to have understood the operation properly. Or, has he already finished it?”

 

“Jaeha and Kim Daecheol-ssi went instead of me anyway, so it should be fine.”

 

“Then that’s even stranger. Why did you come this way instead of going there? The Commander’s orders must have seemed like a joke to you.”

 

Heo Mugong slammed the face of an already unconscious man onto a machine device full of buttons. It seemed like he was appeasing his anger that way. There was no hint of hesitation in his actions.

 

Bang.

 

“If all the devices were destroyed according to the operation, after waiting for the barrier to definitely form,”

 

Bang.

 

“Ugh… stop….”

 

Blood flowed from the man’s head. His nasal bone was broken. Broken teeth rolled on the floor.

 

“We were supposed to regroup at the place we parted.”

 

Bang. Bang.

 

He grabbed the man’s hair and lifted his head up again. Heo Mugong slammed the man right back onto the machine once more.

 

“Are you not listening because you’re a guy Kim Daecheol brought in? Why are you interfering like this when it could end easily?”

 

Hwashin pointed at the man’s battered face.

 

“That person, he’s going to die.”

 

“….Is it someone you know?”

 

“No, he’s not.”

 

Hwashin smiled brightly.

 

“Then it doesn’t matter.”

 

Heo Mugong stabbed the smoking pipe he was holding straight into the man’s neck. Blood spurted out like a fountain. It fell to the floor like rain. The bloody water that poured out like a fountain gradually turned into a gushing lake.

 

Yoo Hwashin continued his words without even batting an eye.

 

“The operation details have changed a bit, right? This wasn’t the original plan.”

 

“…..I wonder if I can ask how you know that too.”

 

Tucking his messy hair behind his ear, Heo Mugong pulled out the pipe. He roughly wiped only the mouthpiece with the shirt he was wearing.

 

“One of my abilities is ‘Prophet’. It’s at a decent level, so I get almost everything right, but the operation details were a bit different.”

 

Hwashin shrugged.

 

He had felt a sense of incongruity ever since he explained the operation.

 

Originally, his operation didn’t proceed like this.

 

Having had the blueprint taken away by Kim Daecheol, the first thing he does is deceive the heroes. Pretending to be good, pretending to be a person who works solely for the well-being of the Illusion City.

 

In reality, Heo Mugong was not that kind of person at all.

 

Heo Mugong was originally a citizen of the Illusion City who could have gone to Enet.

 

[ Name: Heo Mugong

Residence: Undergoing screening process.

Affiliation: None. 

 

[ Physical: 35 ] [ Intelligence: 50 ] [ Light: 60 ] [ Owned Abilities: Mist (Lv.18), Theater Mask (Lv.9), Eloquence (Lv.10) ]

 

*Physical, Intelligence, and Light! You possess sufficient abilities to become a citizen of Enet. It looks like we will see you soon. Welcome to Enet! ]

 

A world where everything is determined by Light. He was grateful that he at least had talent. The day he entered Enet—that day was, in fact, the first time Heo Mu-gong had seen the sky. 

 

The night sky he saw that day, the night air he breathed in that day, Heo Mugong could never forget. In the night sky, there were no stars, no moon, no flashy spaceships, but there was silence. A free silence.

 

Heo Mugong thought he could stay under that sky forever.

 

[ Residence screening complete. Heo Mu-gong’s residence has been finalized as Illusion City. ]

[ Reason: Although abilities are outstanding, it is uncertain whether they can be utilized as energy using Light. Based on the judgment that utility is lacking since abilities must be used through tools, Enet has unfortunately made the final decision not to accept Heo Mu-gong. 

 

We cheer for your happy life in the Illusion City. ]

 

He put the wiped pipe in his mouth. Hooo. White smoke slowly spread across the floor. It was not an amount of smoke that could come out in one breath.

 

In the original work, Heo Mugong deceives the heroes and burns down the entire city.

 

Cha Jaeha is enraged by this and fights him but loses. Because he fought while inhaling Heo Mugong’s poisonous fog. Later, joining forces with Kim Daecheol, he clashes with him once more and defeats Heo Mugong.

 

Amidst numerous sacrifices, Kim Daecheol grieves. But there, he discovers a child, and he holds the child’s small hand.

 

Like that, the gate closes.

 

“This is why I hate quick-witted guys.”

 

Now the fog would probably travel through the gaps in the devices and head towards the city. The poisonous fog had already begun to spread.

 

—You can’t block that fog, can you? 

 

Riel’s urgent voice was heard.

 

‘Mhm, I can’t stop it.’

 

Especially natural elements. Moreover, if it’s fog, it’s not easy to interfere with its karma. It should be considered impossible from the start. Catching and holding onto haphazardly spreading threads was close to impossible.

 

—Are you going to let it flow according to the original work? I don’t care…Wait a minute. Hey, you. Where are you using all your magic power right now?

 

Riel’s voice, having realized something from beyond the novel, became urgent.

 

—Hey, Yoo Hwashin….Hey, hey! Elric! You shouldn’t use your magic power that way here! Hey, your battery! Hey!!! 

 

‘Be quiet.’

 

Hwashin smiled quietly.

 

The fog cannot be stopped. Yoo Hwashin already knew. Heo Mugong’s fog was his absolute counter.

 

But whether it followed the original work or deviated from it, this gate, this dungeon was an annoying part.

 

Heo Mugong and he were excessively alike.

 

Yoo Hwashin didn’t care if all the citizens of Enet died. But when facing that city, he knew one guy who would be sad.

 

‘Cha Jaeha will be sad.’

 

Hwashin ignored the numerous status windows floating before his eyes.

 

[ Activating Moment of Destiny (Lv.30). ]

[ Your ability envelops the entire city of Enet. ]

[ Moment of Destiny and Word Command overlap. ]

[ All destinies of Enet’s citizens halt. The time of those whose karma flow is controlled disappears. Their figures turn transparent. ]

 

[ They temporarily vanish from the world. ]