Saving My Favorite in a Doomed World Chapter 95

Just before entering the banquet hall, Hwashin handed a note to all the S-rank heroes, including Cha Jaeha.

 

– Do not drink the champagne in the hall.

 

“Hey, Hwashin.”

 

Fomin Ignaty approached Hwashin, who was hiding in the corner of the hall. Hiding the small note in his hand with his palm, he naturally stood next to Hwashin.

 

“What is this note?” 

 

“Exactly what it says.”

 

Hwashin was still looking towards the hall. With his arms crossed, leaning against the wall in a relaxed manner, Ignaty still found it difficult to understand the note Hwashin had sent.

 

“Did you drink the champagne?” 

 

“I didn’t drink it because you told me not to. It felt uncomfortable coming from the guy who’s faced the most Red Gates among us.” 

 

“Good job. You’re a good boy.” 

 

“So. The reason is?” 

 

“A Freak spy has infiltrated this place.”

 

There was no change in Fomin Ignaty’s face as he watched Hwashin, who popped a small pie into his mouth with a smile.

 

“…Have you identified who it is?” 

 

“Yeah. I’m tracking them with my eyes right now. Oh, but this pie is really delicious.” 

 

“Hey.” 

 

“Getting back to the main point. The reason I mentioned Freak at the summit earlier was for one reason. It’s because I was certain that the one who interfered with me in the Red Gate was Freak, and another reason is that I thought Freak would infiltrate this summit as well. But there aren’t many who know the host location of this summit. They could figure it out by observing the movements of key officials around the start of the banquet, but they wouldn’t have enough time.” 

 

“Time?”

 

Hwashin’s eyes tracked a single spot. A woman wearing a uniform. That woman was not included in the documents Ha Cheongwon had given him.

 

“Right, not enough time to prepare.”

 

Freak didn’t come simply to ruin the summit. In the original work, the majority of the S-rank heroes here lose their reason and end up attacking and killing each other. Half of them disappear here. Wang Hao dies by Fomin Ignaty’s hands, and Izawa becomes unable to stand on the front lines anymore.

 

“Wait without ever drinking the champagne. And…” 

 

However, Hwashin didn’t tell anyone other than them not to drink the champagne….He didn’t really feel like saving them.

 

All those people were curious about after coming all this way was how to naturalize other countries’ S-rank heroes to their own.

 

Hwashin didn’t think those people were necessary in this world.

 

“If there are any guys who have lost their reason in the hall, don’t hesitate.”

 

Kill them. At Hwashin’s single word, Fomin Ignaty smiled.

 

“You’re a cruel one. Despite how they look, it’ll be quite troublesome if they die.” 

 

“If you say the S-rank heroes killed each other for some unknown reason, who’s going to say anything? Besides, guys far more formidable than them are going to swarm this place soon.” 

 

“Formidable guys?” 

 

“Freak is going to bring all the test subjects who failed the human experiments and died. Because there’s a woman in Freak who has a drug that can control the dead. Hmm, plus a Red Gate is going to open, so it’s going to be a mess. You’ll be veeery busy.”

 

Hwashin smiled brightly. Ignaty let out a scoff.

 

What exactly is this man seeing in his eyes? Waves rippled in his golden eyes.

 

After awakening, Fomin Ignaty lived doing whatever he pleased. He was actually quite capable, so that was the icing on the cake! He lived as he wanted within the freedom given to him, and strength alone proved his existence. He had never thought someone would appear above him.

 

Even if they did, he could just crush them. 

 

But the moment he saw this man, he realized all his thinking up until now was wrong.

 

The sensation of his destiny, his body, everything being dominated by a single word. A man who seemed to forcefully stop a turning wheel and see right through to every single cog.

 

In the face of overwhelming strength, the strong thoroughly follow that strength. Fomin Ignaty was such a man.

 

“I will listen to you. Give me exact instructions on what I need to do.” 

 

“Keep order in the hall if it becomes a chaotic mess while I’m gone. It seems Wang Hao will be the first to cut off the heads of the key officials.”

 

Normally, he would be fated to die from poison, but Wang Hao can probably survive. Then he’ll be a good asset.

 

“And the human experiment subjects will come up from outside the hall. They might be inexperienced, but since they’ve awakened, their physical abilities will be good. Stop them. Cha Jaeha, the Japanese hero, and I will head towards the Red Gate that will open soon.” 

 

“Then I will too.” 

 

“Then there will be no one left to lead things here. There needs to be a commander, right?” 

 

“….Haa.”

 

Pouring the champagne from his glass straight onto the floor, Fomin Ignaty said.

 

“Let’s have a drink when this is over. Not this stuff, but the vodka I brought over.” 

 

The corners of Hwashin’s eyes curved downwards.

 

Goodness. A handsome man shouldn’t smile like that. Fomin Ignaty scratched his head and turned his head away again.

 

“Yeah, that’s a good idea!”

 

***

 

“From below, along with a l-loud noise, something…!”

 

Behind the panting Izawa, Cha Jaeha walked leisurely. He looked down below the window.

 

Humans using abilities similar to the Awakened were gathered in the plaza. They were smashing the doors with terrifying superhuman strength. Despite the chaotic situation outside, Cha Jaeha’s voice was calm. No, was it a voice suppressing anger?

 

“Is that what you were talking about?”

 

“Yeah. Jin told me that building was completely empty. I thought this would be the place the humans taking all those people would head to. If they’re the ones who conducted the experiments, they must be high-ranking enough to naturally come here.”

 

In the original work, the Association stops Unit 3 the moment they try to investigate the experiments more deeply. Their argument was that they shouldn’t interfere any further with another country’s experiments, but…

 

‘If they were going to do that, they shouldn’t have ordered it in the first place.’

 

This was a point that Elric, Yoo Hwashin, who had read the original work, also questioned.

 

When humans want to achieve something, they lose their reason. At the same time, humans will resort to any means for their goals.

 

If there’s one thing he realized while living for over 200 years, it’s that humans are.

 

‘The fact that they are foolish beings.’

 

That’s why they end up committing acts they shouldn’t for the sake of the goal right in front of their eyes. The Association b*stards in the original work didn’t seem that smart.

 

‘If it wasn’t for my affection for the kids, I would have killed all the higher-ups and then some, yep, yep.’

 

There’s only one reason those b*stards would have stopped them.

 

Because they were afraid of taking damage themselves. Then it means the Association Cha Jaeha is part of was also involved in that experiment. This fact would definitely be kept a secret from the heroes. Because if he knew, Cha Jaeha wouldn’t sit still.

 

“What about the gate opening?”

 

“I told you. Being able to manipulate magic means I can also react sensitively to the distortion of magic.” 

 

“What are you two talking about right now…..”

 

Izawa couldn’t continue her sentence and stared at that which had opened on the wall.

 

“A-a Gate has opened!!” 

 

Izawa’s trembling finger pointed at the Red Gate. A red color resembling blood. Startled by the terrifyingly beautiful shape of the gate, Izawa slumped to the ground.

 

“It looks more gruesome than usual.”

 

Hwashin, easily lifting Izawa up with both hands, laughed.

 

H-how can he laugh in this situation?

 

A horde of zombies was coming up from below, and the hall was in chaos. On top of that, a Red Gate had even opened. There were only 3 heroes to enter the gate.

 

‘Moreover, I’m…. a support type.’

 

Izawa grabbed the hem of her cloak again. Cha Jaeha, without any sign of hesitation, strode right into the Red Gate.

 

“Let’s finish this quickly.”

 

At the short remark, Hwashin also answered with a smile. 

 

“That would be nice. You’re coming along too, Izawa-san?” 

 

“Pardon? Ah…”

 

Izawa Chisaki thought.

 

If she’s a hero, she should definitely enter here. Because even in the summit just now, they talked as if S-Rank heroes absolutely had to enter Red Gates. However.

 

‘I’m too scared.’

 

If she says she won’t enter, she’ll probably be… criticized.

 

—Chisaki, how can you not even handle this much when you receive the love of the Great Spirits.

—Since all the love of the Great Spirits went to you, sacrifice is only natural.

—Grant our wishes.

—Chisaki, Chisaki, Chisaki.

 

“I….!” 

 

“Stay here if you don’t want to.” 

 

“Pardon?”

 

Well, clearing the gate would be a bit easier if Izawa entered. But he didn’t intend to bring Izawa along solely for the purpose of clearing it in the first place.

 

It was to build at least a bit of friendship between Cha Jaeha and Izawa.

 

Even though Cha Jaeha had overcome his trauma, it’s still different from seeing his past directly. With Izawa’s skill of reading the past, she could definitely convey the exact facts to Cha Jaeha. However, this was only possible if Izawa built enough camaraderie with him to endure the reenactment of the trauma.

 

But at the same time, this was a double-edged sword. Izawa Chisaki’s mental fortitude wasn’t that great. The first one to break down in the hall in the original work is Izawa.

 

“Because not all heroes are the same. Cha Jaeha is a bit of a weirdo, isn’t he? Kind of like the textbook definition of a hero.”

 

Hwashin spread his arms wide as if joking around.

 

“It’s rare to find a hero who fearlessly enters a gate like that guy. Besides, his only goal is simply wanting to save even one more person.”

 

There’s no point in dragging someone who doesn’t want to go. She’ll have to decide what comes next herself.

 

“Do as you wish. If you don’t follow, it wouldn’t be bad to go back to the hall and do what you can there. How about it, Chisaki-san?” 

 

Hwashin’s body was half inside the gate. The hand he extended, Izawa grabbed that hand.

 

She wanted to change. 

 

She didn’t want to live like a doll anymore. Izawa took off her mask. The cloak she was wearing slid down. 

 

“….I’ll go!”

 

A strange light swirled in her eyes. Hwashin’s cheekbones rose prominently.

 

“Good.”

 

‘As expected, I have a good eye for people.’

 

The Red Gate swallowed the three of them. 

 

*** 

 

At that time, Riel, who was reading a book in the dimensional rift, jumped up from the sofa.

 

“Old man. Come over here for a second.”

 

“Hmm? What is it?”

 

As soon as he saw Riel’s pale face, the old man came bouncing over, his long beard fluttering.

 

“Eh?” 

 

“Old man, have you ever seen a case like this?”

 

 “….Hmm. I’ve been here for over a thousand years, but I’ve never seen anything like this.”

 

The old man’s eyes grew dim. He skimmed the preceding and following pages of handed over by Riel, but the book was blank. A blank page is impossible in a book that contains a dimension. Even if there’s no one reading it, the world is bound to keep turning anyway.

 

“Is this going to be okay?”

 

At Riel’s question, the old man stroked his beard.

 

A very long time ago, there was a legend he heard from a dragon who had already returned. The old man recalled the memories of that day.

 

“….When the flow of the world changes drastically, the dimension narrating it cannot keep up with its speed. Because there’s a separate dimension that transcribes the world into a book.” 

 

“…Then.” 

 

“It seems this book is facing a very massive flow.”

 

On the blank page of the book held in the old man’s hand, text that had stopped began to be engraved.