A sudden cry broke in.
Fate charged toward me.
I saw its sorrowful ending.
So I had to open my eyes wide and realize it.
".......!"
I wanted to shake it off.
The nineteen cycles of my life, filled only with struggle.
A life lived burdened only with slaughter.
I wanted to shake off that fate, that mission, etched into me like a shackle. I wanted to turn away. So I ran. Even so, fate—this mission laid upon me—would not permit that.
And in the end, it brought you, the end of my mission, right before my eyes.
"...."
Aged Kimchi opened both eyes wide.
A being that had suddenly intruded. The back of someone who abruptly intervened and kicked away their opponent.
He realized it the moment he saw them.
That person was the Demon King.
The pinnacle of the abandoned land.
And that his life of nineteen cycles, a life lived solely for battle, was all for the sake of killing that very person.
'I...'
What should I do?
Should I kill him here?
If I do, will all of this—this mission that weighs down on my shoulders, this fate I've desperately tried to escape—finally let me go?
Maybe. Perhaps that is the simplest answer. Perhaps that's why he appeared in front of me now.
Or maybe...
'His appearance here might also be something guided by the summon of duty.'
That could be.
Because I haven't followed the mission.
Because I've refused fate and turned away from it.
And so I ended up drifting to this place I'd never been before.
Maybe the summon of duty moved him instead of me, guiding him here. To finally align the misaligned pieces of fate.
'Then I...'
Kwaaaak.
Aged Kimchi gripped the Heart-Sparkle Magical Girl Wand even tighter. The target of his attack, which had been aimed at the 4th Star Master, who seemed to be the leader of the demon legion, suddenly changed to Kim Jangcheol, who had intruded without warning.
Should I strike down like this?
If I strike down like this...
That's when—
"Aigo! Seriously! Again! We're really sorryyyy—! We have committed an unforgivable crimeee!"
Bam!
A half-step quicker than his swing, the Demon King moved. Without even glancing this way, he delivered an uppercut to the leader of the demon legion.
".....Kuuk!"
A groan of pain burst from the legion's leader. His body was flung into the air. In that moment, the Demon King turned toward him.
Very swiftly.
And bowed deeply!
"My kid here has no sense and no thoughts! He's caused a huge mess! We are truly, deeply sorry!"
Kim Jangcheol performed a folder bow at the speed of light.
At the same time, he desperately avoided making eye contact with Aged Kimchi. He spun around quickly. Toward the 4th Star Master.
".....Kuhh? Cre... dos...?"
The 4th Star Master, who had slightly floated from the uppercut, barely regained balance and didn't fall. When he saw the face of the attacker, his gaze was a twisted mixture of pain and shock.
But there was no reply.
Now was not the time to have a conversation with this guy. It was a situation where he had to de-escalate things before Aged Kimchi could think of anything else or even consider attacking!
"Shut up, you bastard!"
Bam!
He jumped.
And punched the guy's face.
The 4th Star Master's wolf-turtle-like face snapped to the side, unguarded.
"L-Lord Credos? How are you—"
"I said shut up!"
Bam!
He jumped higher.
Lifted the mill-hand high.
And slammed it onto the top of the 4th Star Master's head.
Maybe the impact was serious this time. The 4th Star Master collapsed like a frog hit by a rock.
"Keok!"
But it didn't matter.
No, he had to beat him even more.
"I said! We're not invading the human world!"
KWAAANG!
He shouted loud enough for Aged Kimchi to hear clearly. Moved decisively so she could see it clearly.
He smashed the 4th Star Master's turtle shell-like back with the mill-hand. The shell didn't break. But the 4th Star Master writhed and curled up in pain.
Of course, that didn't mean he was going to go easy.
"I! Told you! Loud and clear! We're not going to war! We're not invading! From now on, we're just gonna farm! And live peacefully! Got it!"
"Ku, keok! B-but.....!"
"'But' your ass! What's so great about war! What's so great about invasion!"
"O-our great mission....!"
"What damn great mission! Huh?! You barge into places where people are living in peace! Wreck everything! Set fires! Tear it all down! And that's a 'great mission' to you?!"
"Kuhhh! W-wait a moment...!"
"Shut up!"
Bam!
He flipped the curled-up 4th Star Master like flipping over a table. His relatively weak belly shell was exposed.
He struck the guy in the solar plexus with the mill-hand.
"See?! It hurts when you're hit!"
"....Kuuek-heok!"
"Then why! Did you torment people who did nothing wrong?!"
Kim Jangcheol shrieked and rolled his eyes around. He glanced at Aged Kimchi. And then—
Thump!
He felt his heart drop like a stone.
The reason was simple.
Aged Kimchi was now standing less than five steps away. And he was staring straight at him with an utterly expressionless face.
'Wh-what's with that look?'
That was a completely serious face.
Was he mad? Or was he gauging how to kill him?
He couldn't tell.
So he couldn't stop beating the 4th Star Master.
'This way... I can live, and this guy can live too!'
Bam! Boom! KWAANG!
A mill-hand barrage that struck precisely at every weak spot with increasing force! Each time, the 4th Star Master screamed in pain and couldn't even dream of counterattacking!
At the same time, Kim Jangcheol recalled the scene he'd seen while running here earlier.
'The fortress was almost overrun.'
The western wall had collapsed.
He'd heard clanging metal, weapons clashing, screams and chaos pouring from within the broken wall. It was clear that the 4th Star Legion soldiers had already breached the fortress and caused havoc inside.
'......'
The fortress had taken more damage than he thought.
And of all places, Aged Kimchi had been staying here, in this fortress attacked by the 4th Star Legion!
'Damn it all!'
Then he remembered again.
That last moment, just as he arrived.
Aged Kimchi and the 4th Star Master charging at each other.
He'd been utterly horrified watching that scene.
'If the fortress had taken some damage but Aged Kimchi hadn't been here…'
Then he could've just stopped the 4th Star Master and pulled the legion back. He wouldn't have had to beat the 4th Star Master like this.
But reality?
He'd come face to face with Aged Kimchi.
Right in front of a fortress that had been attacked by the demons.
"....."
By now, Aged Kimchi must've remembered her mission. And realized what kind of horrific consequences came from briefly turning her back on it.
So now, it was no longer possible to resolve things simply by restraining the 4th Star Master and pulling back the legion.
'Even if we retreat quietly now… because of this incident, Aged Kimchi, having recalled his mission, will come to the abandoned land. And he'll kill everyone.'
Just like I did.
Just like when I controlled Aged Kimchi, raised him, scoured every field and dungeon in the game like I was combing through them.
Even meticulously sweeping every corner of every map ten times in each round.
'That would be....'
No one can dodge it.
No one can stop it.
That much, at least, was something only the one who had raised Aged Kimchi himself could say with certainty.
That's why—
"So listen here, man! I said! We're gonna be! Peace-loving! Farmers! Didn't I?!"
He shouted, loud enough for Aged Kimchi to hear. With even more fierce determination, he stomped on the 4th Star Master like he meant it.
And he prayed.
'Please, understand how I feel! Please, let this be enough to calm your anger!'
Please recognize the change that has come to the abandoned land. Please understand the desire to live peacefully.
Please, upon seeing the 4th Star Master beaten to the point of nearly finding peace, let go of your rage.
'Please!'
Bam! Bam!
He beat him harder.
Like a father scolding his child who'd gravely wronged the neighbors, putting on a show of stern discipline right in front of them, smacking the kid's back and swinging a bat.
Hoping that, because of this foolish child, the neighbors whose hearts had been upset might feel just a little appeased.
BBUKK—!
"Kuuh...!"
Finally, the 4th Star Master's eyes rolled back white. His tongue lolled out. His head tilted back as he slumped limp.
Dead—no, unconscious.
"Huff, huuugh..."
Kim Jangcheol caught his breath and tried to rouse the 4th Star Master.
He couldn't end things here, he realized. That was because Aged Kimchi was still staring at him with a perfectly serious face.
'Still not enough.'
He had to do more.
Even though he was trembling with fear.
Even though standing like this before that monster made him feel like he was twerking in his underwear inside a tiger's cage to the school bell song.
'If I don't do this... we'll all die in the end.'
Me.
The ones who followed me.
The families those people hold dear.
All of them, just because they live in the abandoned land, would be slaughtered without mercy.
He couldn't accept that.
So that's why.
He was scared, anxious, reluctant—but he had to do this, even if it was like this.
And then—
"Stop. At this rate, you'll kill him."
A voice he thought he would never hear suddenly spoke.
So at first, he didn't understand.
He couldn't process it.
Kim Jangcheol only stopped lifting the mill-hand after hearing Aged Kimchi's second sentence.
"That should be enough of a reprimand, don't you think?"
"...!"
Flinch.
Kim Jangcheol doubted his ears for a moment. Then slowly turned toward the source of the voice.
At last, their eyes met.
Aged Kimchi opened her mouth.
"Are you... Credos?"
"......."
"I don't know if I should call this our first meeting, or something else."
"Uh... well…"
"No need for formalities. Not between us."
"......."
Shiver.
Goosebumps shot up.
Terrifying.
Truly terrifying.
If that one decided to move their hand. Just that alone would be enough to kill him, without fail. He knew that fact better than anyone.
It was so terrifying that his knees nearly buckled. He regretted not relieving himself earlier while running here.
But whether he knew his feelings or not, Aged Kimchi's calm voice continued.
"To be honest, I want to kill you right now."
"....."
Ah, yes. Of course you do.
Totally understandable.
But maybe, could you not?
He wanted to say that.
But he held it in. He read her expression, suppressed even his heavy breathing, and half-forced himself to listen "attentively" to her words.
"If I kill you, I could immediately... free myself from the weight of this mission."
"...Do you really think so?"
Without meaning to, he found himself asking back.
As soon as he said it, his chest dropped. Why had he done that? Seeing Aged Kimchi's face harden slightly made goosebumps erupt all over again.
But at the same time, he thought—he'd already crossed the line.
"That's what I wonder. Is violence and slaughter really the only answer given to us? That's the question I've come to ask myself."
"....What do you mean?"
"I believe the world can be more beautiful, and peaceful."
"Really...?"
"I realized that, because of you."
".....Because of me?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"Despite having immeasurable, nearly infinite power, instead of wielding it recklessly, you first assess the situation—that wisdom, that compassion, that is what moved me."
He spoke quickly.
Whatever came to mind.
Thinking only of survival for now.
Like offering not just a sticky rice cake to the tiger who said he wouldn't eat you if you gave him one—but tossing in a whole 1+1 set, reward points, and a limited-edition commemorative Mybach-black sedan as bonuses.
"We can live peacefully. That's why I'm truly sorry for today. I tried so hard to stop him, told him no so many times, but this guy just had to go on about invading the human world and causing this whole mess. I rushed here to stop it, but I was just a little too late. Again, I'm really sorry."
"....."
"Yes, I know. The ones who deserve an apology aren't you, but the people in that fortress. Of course, I'll properly, and if needed repeatedly, apologize to them as well."
"..."
"You ask if it's sincere? Oh, absolutely. Of course it is. It's the right thing to do, isn't it? That's what being human means, it's morality, it's ethics. That's why I truly hope everyone will understand my sincerity. We don't want to fight. We'll hole up in the abandoned land and live quietly. We'll never even glance toward the human world again. So please...
"...You're asking me to let you go peacefully."
"I won't even go peacefully. If you command it, I'll go back with my head buried in the dirt."
"........"
Aged Kimchi's expression stiffened.
He looked at Kim Jangcheol and thought, suddenly—
That this man... was terrifying.
"....."
He had assumed he was merely an evil being.
Assumed he was someone who ought to be killed without hesitation.
But now, something felt off.
Something about this... felt strange.
Why is it...
'...familiar?'
Why does this man feel...
'...like the summon of duty itself?'
Why does he feel both terrifying... and deeply nostalgic?
[T/L: I am not getting any support from webnovel platform, so please support me and read ahead chapters on my ko-fi page "RevengerScans" : https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]