Chapter 605 – The Stolen World (20)
—
User: Han Kain (Wisdom)
Date: Day 229
Current Location: Searching…
Sage’s Advice: 1
—
– Han Kain
I set out on my journey early in the morning.
And just 10 minutes in, I got whisked away to another realm.
“Not again?”
The sky turned blue, and the concrete buildings around me suddenly morphed into gigantic trees.
Eunsol noona, wide-eyed, mumbled, “This place is… quite beautiful.”
Now that this was a familiar occurrence, everyone gathered and set up a camp, while Ari asked Adia curiously, “So, this erosion phenomenon by the Raiders— is it a kind of terraforming for them?”
“The Ark is like a microcosm. It’s pushing a part of itself into this world,” Adia replied.
“That giant tree over there, is it a warrior sent by one of the Raiders?”
“Battle mode activated!”
The Ark is indeed a microcosm.
Ten Raiders mean ten different worlds altogether.
…
This fight didn’t last too long.
*
By around 2 PM, we finally arrived at the Incheon coast Adia had mentioned.
“We’re almost there!”
Since morning, none of us had remained unscathed, having been swapped to other dimensions more than five times.
What on earth had brought us this far to Incheon’s coast?
According to Adia, it was to obtain “something” to take down the Raiders.
“…”
Of course, unlike Adia, my goal leaned more toward the Moon’s defeat.
If a Raider’s victory meant a shift in the world, then the Moon’s victory would signify the end itself.
Regardless of the aims, securing a powerful weapon wouldn’t hurt.
Above all, I needed to uncover all the Moon’s hidden cards before reversing time.
“I’m getting curious now.”
“What?”
“Don’t play dumb. What weapon are we getting to defeat the Raiders?”
We were right at the doorstep of our destination, yet still clueless about this weapon.
“You’ll find out soon.”
A faint hint of knowledge washed over me.
Like many secrets so far, the weapon the Raiders were terrified of was something I already knew.
As this thought crossed my mind, I felt I could guess what the weapon was.
“…”
— SMACK!
While I moved toward the beach listening to the waves, Ari suddenly stopped, sensing something.
“Ah?”
“What’s wrong?”
Displaying a flustered expression, Ari looked at Adia.
“This weapon at Incheon’s coast— this is it? I thought it was some mystical artifact even the Management Bureau didn’t know about!”
“No, it’s an unfinished Ark—”
At that moment, a wooden mystical artifact appeared in Adia’s hand.
“Taegukdo, banishment.”
The artifact spun, radiating a mysterious brilliance.
As everyone tilted their heads in confusion, a force unknown pushed Ari and our friends far away into the distance!
“…”
One blink, and only Adia and I were left by the seaside.
Staring at Adia in disbelief, she bowed her head with a polite expression.
“My apologies.”
“I’ve never seen a relic like this used so casually. You’ve been saving it for this moment?”
“Sorry—”
“More than an apology, I’d prefer an explanation.”
“Your companions aren’t dead. They’ve just been sent far away.”
“I know that.”
We can check their survival through the status window.
Adia cautiously pointed to a beam of light pouring from the center of the sea.
“Do you know what’s over there?”
“Ari just mentioned it’s an unfinished Ark.”
“That’s right. When you woke the Moon’s Prince, that frail being fled like a scared mouse.”
“Did it crash here in Incheon’s coast after fleeing from the Moon?”
“Similar, shall we talk on the way?”
“Sure.”
— SPLASH!
While casually walking on water towards the Ark, I heard a strange noise.
— Aaaa…!
“It sounds like a child crying.”
“It knows its fate and is terrified. Doesn’t it sound childlike?”
Was it because of Adia‘s tone mocking the “young Ark”?
For some reason, that small Ark seemed a bit pitiful.
“That one hasn’t brought enough passengers, so it’s in an unfinished state, but its ‘parts’ are intact.”
“Parts?”
“Mirrors.”
“…”
The word ‘mirror’ I’d heard countless times popped up again.
Inside the Ark, there lies a mirror.
A huge mirror, at that.
“Saint, the mirror is such an unparalleled treasure that humans can’t even fathom.”
“Really now.”
“Do you know the most offensive way to use a mirror?”
“Offensive way?”
“Dismantling it.”
“…”
“A mirror can shatter a specific target into thousands or millions of tiny shards and scatter them across the world.”
I know that well.
I know that phenomenon better than anyone else.
“Isn’t that the ultimate goal of the Ark?”
“Exactly. Every Ark eventually shatters through the mirror and returns to humanity…”
“…”
“In other words, all Arks are inherently weak against mirrors.”
— SMACK!
— Hoo…!
Adia continued her explanation.
The continuous sounds of waves and the sorrowful cries of the young Ark felt like a sweet lullaby.
“As you know, there are many high-tier demons unrelated to the Ark in this world.”
“Director of Room 101.”
“Serpent Dragon of Room 102 or the Unborn.”
“Devourer of Room 103.”
Aside from these, there are numerous divine beings unrelated to the Ark.
“What if you, the Saint, used a mirror against those demons? Would it work?”
“Could I really take down a prisoner with a mirror?”
“I haven’t tried, but I’d say it’s not possible.”
“Naturally. No matter how great the weapon, neither you nor I possess the ability to defeat a prisoner. But what if we used it against a Raider?”
“…”
“It’s a matter of weaknesses. All Arks are inherently weak against mirrors. Because they were initially created with the possibility of shattering in mind.”
I got it.
Even if I acquire a mirror, I can’t take down a prisoner with its power.
The mirror itself is a great artifact imbued with a practitioner’s power, but my abilities fall short.
However, using it against Raiders and similarly, other Arks would inflict considerable damage.
Regardless of how strong the Raiders may be, Arks are naturally vulnerable to mirror fragmentation.
What if this mirror fell into the hands of the Moon’s demons?
It would mean a deity-like user obtaining a weapon that has a type advantage.
At that moment, a question arose.
“A Raider is also an Ark, right? The Moon is also the first Ark.”
“Yes.”
“Then they must have mirrors inside them too, right?”
“Of course.”
“But why do they covet this mirror so?”
“Ah.”
I realized it.
The reason the Moon’s demon and Raiders are interfering with us while coveting an additional mirror!
“When the process of using the mirror to shatter a target occurs, doesn’t the mirror itself also shatter?”
Adia’s eyes widened in surprise.
“So they can’t break down their own mirrors? If they did that, it would be kind of self-destructive—”
“How do you know that? That’s a tremendous secret… Ah, did Ari tell you?”
“Ugh!”
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
Would they believe me if I said I shattered the mirror in Room 207 and split myself?
What would they think if I mentioned that Adia was there when it happened!
“This is why I pushed my colleagues, specifically Ari, far away, huh?”
At this point, I grasped the full plot behind the Moon’s demons and the Mother.
“… Your colleagues form the Management Bureau. They must think this young Ark is their last hope.”
So, Adia‘s thinking goes like this.
Ari is tied to the Management Bureau, Jinchul and Eunsol are agents.
Thus, they would have some loyalty toward the Bureau and would want to restore this young Ark no matter what.
On the other hand, the plan fabricated by the Moon’s demons and the Mother involves extracting the mirror from the young Ark and using its power to dismantle a significant number of Raiders!
In this process, the mirror would shatter into countless pieces, making recovery close to impossible.
As a result, restoring the Management Bureau Ark would become forever unachievable.
The Bureau members wouldn’t want that kind of ending.
“Saint, believe me. From now on, we must keep an eye on the Bureau members.”
Adia’s thinking is logical, but since she lacks the most crucial piece of information, her conclusion is completely off base.
The last hope that my comrades have is not about restoring the young Ark but about getting “one more chance!”
*
There was no longer any power left to withstand us inside the young Ark that had fallen into the Incheon coast.
The Ark was already half-battered, and its protector, Osdoork, Basilio, and others, had all perished.
It didn’t take long to arrive at the location of the mirror.
“Wow, it’s enormous! What’s your plan? Can the Moon take this mirror?”
“If that were possible, we wouldn’t need to come all this way.”
“What now?”
“I know how to detach the mirror from the Ark and reduce its size. Remember, I discovered the mirror first!”
“So, I just wait here?”
“Please don’t let the Raiders or the young Ark interfere with me.”
Soon, Adia began her intricate task, sweating bullets.
It appeared to be some sort of magic or technology, or maybe both mixed together, that I couldn’t comprehend even if I tried.
— Hoo…!
From all directions, the sound of a child crying resonated.
What mindset does a young Ark have while being forcibly stripped of its mirror?
Transitioning to the next loop and borrowing the power of the mirror to become human again is the Ark’s reason for existence.
Comparing the Ark to a person, the Soul Binding Circuit is the body, and the mirror is the life goal.
The young Ark was having its very purpose of existence stripped away.
At some point, I could no longer hear the young Ark’s sobs.
It felt like someone who had given up on life.
“…”
I caressed the Ark’s wall and thought.
Just as we have our ‘next chances’— you will too.
Thus, this current loss is by no means a permanent loss.
“We’re done!”
Before I knew it, the giant mirror had vanished, and Adia held a small hand mirror.
“It’s shrunk down quite a bit.”
“It’s like compression. It can’t be used in this state, though.”
As I sneakily glanced at the hand mirror, it was quite fascinating.
A mirror within a mirror, and inside that, more mirrors.
This recursive process of mirrors continued endlessly until the gigantic overall mirror had transformed into a little hand mirror.
Taking it along became easier, yet it seemed like it couldn’t be utilized in its current form.
“…”
Could I not obtain that mirror?
It’s impossible to reclaim it with force.
Given the incredible strength of the Mother, attacking while the mirror is broken would leave me empty-handed.
What if I simply asked for it?
I don’t think that would work either.
Over the last few days, I sensed that Adia calls me ‘Saint’ but doesn’t fully trust me.
The all-night surveillance is proof enough.
Why does she doubt me?
After all, I freed her deity first and liberated him again this time too?
It’s likely due to the fragmented nature of my memories about the past.
Bringing along those ‘Bureau bastards’ would have heightened her suspicions.
…
There hasn’t been a single interference from the Raiders for some time now.
They’re likely preoccupied fighting the Moon in an area completely beyond my understanding.
If the Raiders have no strength left, then the Moon would struggle to intervene as well, wouldn’t it?
Realizing this, a brilliant idea popped into my head.
Should I switch to a slightly pretentious tone from now on?
Adia tends to fall for these mysterious nuances easily.
Nah, that’s my memory of Adia from Room 207.
The current Adia believes me to be a memory-lost researcher.
I should speak in a researcher-like manner.
“Pardon me, but allow me to reintroduce myself.”
“What are you suddenly talking about—”
“As Adia was working, my memories gradually returned.”
Adia gaped at me with wide eyes.
“Your memories returned?”
Emphasizing the surprising information she had just reacted to, I added,
“While discussing with Adia, I suddenly found unknown memories awakening within me. For example, detailed information about the mirror?”
“… Is that so?”
She still looked half-skeptical.
That’s still not good enough.
I need something more shocking to convince her.
Perhaps something only the Mother would know?
— Grabs!
As I swiftly closed in and rested an arm on the Mother’s shoulder, she visibly startled.
“Wh-what are you doing?”
“It has come back to me.”
“Came back, you say?”
“Now I feel it. The cold blood flowing through your veins. The hidden cold scales beneath your skin. Ah… I see now. I always knew you weren’t human, but a lizard?”
A chilling aura crept into her widening eyes.
“… You.”
I had built suspense, and now it was time to relieve it.
— Thud!
“In the dark sky, I heard a voice illuminating the dawn.”
“What—”
“When I first greeted the Scarlet King, who had awakened from the abyss—”
“Y-you’re referring to the Scarlet King?”
“That one whispered to me. ‘Kain, o foolish one—’”
“Foolish one, you say?”
Oh no!
The Moon called me ‘mentor’ after all, didn’t it?
“— Memory-lost mentor. The moment I heard that voice, I gained boundless wisdom.”
“…”
“I realized that fact just now. My muddled heart is becoming clearer.”
Her ‘is that true?’ eyes looked at me.
She’s more convinced than she was a moment ago, but one more push is required.
Adia needs something that she would think I absolutely couldn’t know.
A detail only a god could reveal!
“I’m sorry.”
“Oh, why the sudden apology?”
“The Scarlet King whispered to me long ago about the sins committed against you by foolish men.”
“…”
Adia wore an expression of disbelief.
“The great Menes… your grandfather, right?”
“… How do you know that?”
“Did treacherous people kill Menes? Who? The Traitors?”
What might be the actual reason why the reptilians couldn’t dominate the world in history?
I can’t be sure, but I’d guess it wasn’t because he died of old age, but rather fell victim to a human uprising!
Just a rough guess, but it had to be humans!
Did the startling memories from the past come flooding back?
Adia’s expression turned incredibly emotional.
“That matter… has already been forgiven.”
It’s not that she forgave; she was left with no choice.
During that first discovery of the mirror and its metamorphosis, any hatred for Homo sapiens would have faded away.
The last survivor.
This is both the Moon’s nature and “Adia’s nature.”
Perhaps that’s why Adia follows the Moon.
She’d think the Moon’s Prince had experienced something similar.
Just because she forgives doesn’t mean the wounds in her heart healed entirely.
Every sentient being bears painful memories that will remain unforgettable.
“I apologize once again. I shall repent for Humanity’s sins from long ago.”
“…”
Seeing her trembling eyes, I felt not a single ounce of suspicion remaining towards me.
“Get up! That was ages ago… it’s all over. You can’t blame the Saint either!”
Adia blushed and took my hand.
“It’s all fine now. Saint, all you need to do is take the mirror to the Moon’s Prince….”
“And then?”
“Happy ending!”
“What?”
My voice took on an air of caution.
“Why do you sound so tense?”
“Mother, isn’t there something odd about the state of the mirror?”
“What? That can’t be!”
“May I see it for a moment?”
“…”
A moment’s hesitation she couldn’t hide.
I smiled with a sly grin as I looked at her.
Soon, Adia bore a slightly bashful expression.
“Here you go.”
Finally, the mirror was in my hands!
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