The Returner
[440] 3. Isn't this enough? (5)
“You know that, don't you? that you don't value this planet as much as you think you do. ”
“ ……. ”
“Of course it is. Because for you, this world is just a passing world. You're a veraph. Don't you have to admit that now? When you first came back to Earth, all that dreamy feeling would have been gone. ”
“That's right."
No, I can't deny it.
Lee Hyuk knew better than anyone that everything she said was true.
I thought coming back to Earth would solve everything.
But the strings of a bored relationship never let him go.
‘No, you didn't let him go. ’
It was unsolvable.
It doesn't go away as if thousands of years of fate and ill-fate had returned to Earth.
The feeling of liberation and happiness that I felt when I first returned to Earth is now as dull as a blunt cloud.
Then you'll know.
The world that lived for twenty years and the world that lived for thousands of years.
Where he belongs.
I returned to Earth to escape the grill of a stranger, but he is still a stranger.
“The only thing that matters on Earth is your stupidity. ”
“I know.”
“You can go back to Beraf if you want to now. If you're there, you can get your powers back. Then we can recover in an instant about the damage to the body. ”
“Maybe so. ”
“But what are you hesitating about? The world is already fractured. It's not hard to move hundreds of people if you want to. Then why are you hesitating here? ”
Lee Hyuk smiled.
“I think I've explained him a few times. ”
“I don't understand. ”
“I don't want you to understand. ”
Lee Hyuk frowned.
“And one thing is wrong. ”
“Wrong?”
“The only thing I can be immortal in that world is when this planet doesn't collapse. I was able to immobilize my soul on Earth. ”
“Ah……. ”
“When the earth is destroyed, my soul is also lost. And……. ”
Lee Hyuk sighed low.
“If I go now, my body will be fixed as it is now. Then I'd rather die. ”
The appledrice's eyes falter.
“But with Black Magic power.... ”
“I am Madosa, who has reached the power of God. ”
Lee Hyuk shakes his head bitterly.
“But never God. There's nothing you can do. I don't want to cling to the impossible. ”
“You……. ”
“Enough, Apeldiche. ”
“ ……. ”
“I hate to say it, but I'm stubborn. No matter what anyone says, there's nothing to change your mind about. So don't make people too uncomfortable. ”
“You're hopeless, you. ”
“Isn't that right?"
Lee Hyuk smiled quietly and looked at the appendage.
Then he reached out and grabbed her and hugged her. The appendage looked momentarily embarrassed, but it didn't push Lee Hyuk away or anything.
“If you think about it, you're the longest person I've ever been with. ”
“Do I have to thank you for knowing me now? ”
“That's odd. You've always been a puppy in my head, but you're a little bit of a cat today. ”
“As humans do, so do dragons. Especially dragons like me. ”
“It might be a shame. ”
Lee Hyuk sweeped off the back of the appendage.
“It was just an affair with you. ”
“ ……. ”
“But I thought I should tell you one day. Thank you, Apeldiche. ”
“You……. ”
Lee Hyuk pushed her out before she could say anything. Then he went back to his cool face and said,
“Of course.”
Lee Hyuk waved his hand and went out. The appendage stands still, unable to chase him out.
"Why are you talking like you'll never see me again? ’
* * *
“You fell?”
“Yes.”
It was Jung-hoon Choi who replied with an aggressive tone.
Lee Hyuk shook his head as if he didn't understand at all.
“No, I disabled the defense system, and the warhead is flying at the speed of the ants... You couldn't stop it?" ”
“… Unfortunately, unlike Lee Hyuk, the world is not an evenly evolving place. There are places that can be stopped, there are places that can't be stopped. ”
“So how many shots did you lose? ”
“Five rounds. ”
“What's your location?"
“India, Africa, Europe, Russia. ”
“Why four? ”
“We're two feet away from Africa. ”
“Damage?”
Choi Jung-hoon replied with a calm tone.
“Not as much damage as I expected... No, I don't know. I can't count. Russia fell to no man, nothing happened, and we don't know how many people died from the bullets in New Delhi and Africa.
“Europe?”
“I fell into Turkey. ”
“Okay, I'm done listening. ”
Lee Hyuk sighed low.
Even though he was awake, there was nothing he could do. Lee Hyuk without Mana is not only a Class S competent person. Dozens of S-level capabilities could not have been stopped in India and Europe, which would have been impossible.
However, I had no choice but to bloat.
“What about the Alpha?”
“I went back to America. As Lee Hyuk predicted, the United States intercepted two nuclei in the Pacific Ocean. ”
“Can't you do it like America? ”
“The nerd was more powerful than I expected. I thought the gangrene would be weakened by the impact on the main body, but it was difficult to hit by ordinary fighters and missiles. ”
“Well……. ”
Lee Hyuk nodded. Of course I did, but I wouldn't have stopped it if I didn't want to.
“… the aftermath? ”
“Terrible.”
Even Choi Jung-hoon couldn't hide his vague face.
“China, India and Turkey are paralyzed. Especially if China has completely lost control of the two spots that emerged in East Asia in the face of incapacitation. No more……. ”
“You can't stop it. ”
“Yes.”
Lee Hyuk took out a cigarette and asked.
“What do your superiors say? ”
“... There can't be a better way. ”
“He must be, too. ”
Lee Hyuk let out a cigarette. I need time to organize my complex head.
“Call Alpha. ”
“To the Alpha? What are you going to do?”
“Give them what they want. ”
“… Lee Ji-hyuk. ”
“Stop. That's it. ”
Lee Hyuk shook his head as if he didn't need to hear anymore.
“I know what you're going to say, but we don't have much time. Soon the scouts will be out of sight. ”
“Then I'll come with you. ”
“... You didn't want to go? ”
“I was a little concerned, to be honest. They don't roll under Lee Hyuk, so it's easy to learn. ”
“Since Alpha has reserved a training ground in the United States, let's go there. Get me a volunteer.”
“If I choose a volunteer, no one will go. ”
“Phew……. ”
“But if you ask me to go, everyone will go. They are.”
“... I did. ”
Lee Hyuk smiled bitterly.
‘It was fun. ’
Even though I struggled with NDF, I had a lot of fun with NDF. Compared to what we have lost and what we have gained, we should say that we have gained more.
“Don't waste your time. Assemble the troops and move to the United States. Right now.”
“Roger!”
Choi Jung-hoon woke up from his seat. Lee Hyuk looked out the window with his bitter eyes, watching Choi Jung-hoon starting to move.
‘Clear skies. ’
After returning to Earth, a clear sky that could hardly be seen looked down at him.
“Are you going? ”
“Yes.”
“Hmm, running away to live alone in a crisis like this. The dragon must have had a weaker skeleton than I thought. ”
“I'm not running away. ”
Aefeldrice gazes at Erkana with determined determination.
“There is no hope here. Then we'll have to find another way. ”
“Yeah, that's probably true. Dragons don't lie. But you know... ”
Erkana smiles seductively and approaches Apeldice. Then I grabbed her by the neck.
“I don't know what you're up to, but it's not going to work out. Clever lizard. I'm not naive like Darling, so I don't think you've just fallen into this world with pure will. What do they want with Darling? ”
“That's for me to ask. ”
“… Huh? ”
Aefeldrice was strangled by Erkana and was not afraid at all. Her eyes dart back at Herkana.
“What are you up to? Do you expect me to believe that I came to this world because I love Lee Hyuk? ”
“It's a pity. The Horse discusses love, and the Dragon denies it. The world is turning upside down. ”
“I don't believe in the devil. Especially not a horse like you. ”
“Are you saying there's something else going on? That's funny. Hahaha! ”
Erkana's fingernails scratch the neck of the appendage.
“Do you know why I saved your life? ”
“I don't know.”
“You don't want to harm Darling. ”
“ ……. ”
“But remember, Apeldice, you stupid dragon. That what you said you would do for Darling could eventually strangle Darling. ”
“Do I look that stupid? ”
“Yes.”
“… Thank you for the advice. ”
Whoo-hoo.
Ercana lets go of the appendage, and the appendage opens the gate.
A gate to Beraph.
“I'll see you again. ”
“Honestly, I don't want to see your face again. ”
“Let's just say it's the same for me. ”
The gate slowly closes as the appendage enters the gate. Herkana stares at it and dies.
“Cocky bitch. ”
A dragon is an unreliable creature. It's not strange when things go wrong with them.
“But... this is the limit. ”
She did her best to stop the gate from spreading, but it was impossible to hold out much longer. Lee Hyuk's body is rapidly deteriorating, and the rushing black magic will increase the spots in the world beyond her control.
Then it's over.
The end of the world is at hand.
“Ah, that's not funny. ”
It was also unpleasant for me to be able to walk all the way back to nothing.
“... If I make it an undead right before I die, will I be able to stay rational? ”
I don't think so.
That's death, too.
Erkana's shoulders sag, thinking that the death of Lee Hyuk could not be avoided in any way.
“Not yet. It's not time to give up yet. There's always a way. ”
“No, there's no other way. ”
Erkana's eyes widen.
The voice behind her back belonged to someone so familiar. As she struggled to turn her back, there was the most powerful being she knew.
“Because I'm here. ”
The bridge of Herkana loosens.
The first reading of the annihilation of the world began.