Chapter 665

Chapter 665

"..."

At my proposal for a parley, the Black Dragon somehow chuckled and then said,

"I accept."

Fortunately, he accepted the parley.

The breath he had been gathering slowly subsided. Feeling the dissipating hostility, I let out a sigh of relief.

Turning around, I looked back at the heroes and commanded,

"We have about 30 minutes. Everyone, retreat in that time."

Lucas, among the confused heroes, jumped forward and shouted,

"My lord, what is this...!"

"I have a way. As always, I've prepared an escape tunnel."

I met Lucas's eyes, and those of the other heroes, and gave them a reassuring smile.

"Trust me, and everyone retreat."

The punitive expedition had already failed.

The choice was between everyone perishing here or me staying alone to hold the parley with him.

Lucas has the capacity to assess the situation coldly, more than anyone else as a commander. He should understand which option has more potential.

Despite knowing this, Lucas gritted his teeth and stepped forward.

"If we all fight prepared to die...!"

"Lucas."

I changed my tone to a stern one.

"Have I ever gambled without a chance of winning?"

"..."

Lucas shook his head slightly.

"Youve never gambled without a chance, but you've always risked your own life."

"The end of the world is right there. So, this much is worth staking."

I glanced briefly at Night Bringer, now comfortably sitting in his place, and then I firmly grasped Lucas's shoulder.

"Lucas. If I dont return soon, you will have to take command in the meantime. Understand?"

"..."

"And, Lucas, remember. You must not be consumed by darkness."

I tried to speak warmly to this knight, who would undoubtedly remove his limiter if I were not there.

"Even if the enemy is darkness, you must not be consumed by it too."

"..."

"This is also a plea to all of you."

I looked around at all the heroes and nodded.

"Do not be consumed by darkness while I'm gone."

After meeting everyone's trembling gazes and making eye contact once,

I gave Dusk Bringar one last smile.

"Well then, Duchess. Please take care of everyone."

"..."

Dusk Bringar looked like she might cry any moment and shook her head.

"I will try, Ash. But, I am..."

"Duchess."

I gripped her blood-soaked hands tightly with both of mine.

"I trust you."

"..."

Dusk Bringar, her mouth tightly closed, bowed her head deeply.

I shouted loudly to the still undecided heroes.

"It's a commander's order!"

Facing my people, all bloodied from the battle, I smiled gently.

Evangeline, who had suffered severe injuries from blocking Night Bringers charge and had been replaced by the reserves,

Damien, who had used his Far-Sight until he was bleeding from the eyes and could no longer see,

Junior, who had exhausted even her future magic power, continued to use magic until she finally collapsed from depletion...

All of them had fought with all their might, my proud people.

"Everyone, retreat immediately."

Then, turning back, I started walking alone towards Night Bringer.

"I wish you all good fortune."

"Your Majesty!"

"It cant be, Your Majesty!"

The heroes rushed out in protest, but Lucas, gritting his teeth, stood in front of them and stopped them.

"We retreat!"

With a voice that seemed about to break, Lucas shouted,

"Its a commander's order... Everyone, retreat to Crossroad!"

I suddenly remembered.

It was a name I learned while interrogating White Night, who was trapped in an illusion.

Those eyes in the sky... Foreign entities watching this world, enjoying the spectacle of its destruction.

"From the ancient past, even before I was born, this world was merely someones toy."

Night Bringers voice, usually filled with ennui, began to blend with a vivid zeal.

"Every life unfolding in this world is merely a delicious collection of tragedies presented to those foreign entities."

"..."

"You might believe you are leading your own life, but that is not the case. Player. Everything is just a futile struggle on a predetermined script."

Night Bringers blazing golden eyes stared straight at me.

"Are you truly the master of your fate?"

"I am..."

"You might think so. But that is a delusion."

The Black Dragon asserted.

"We are merely marionettes dancing on strings. In the end, we are just clowns performing for the amusement of higher beings."

Hearing this from the Black Dragon, I was so taken aback that I asked.

"So full of yourself, aren't you also a member of this world? Then aren't you an actor too?"

"...Right. I too am merely one player, an actor in this tragedy."

Night Bringer briefly closed his eyes, then opened them with a flash.

"That's why I intend to rebel against this tragedy."

"...!"

"If our existence and demise are merely a playground for them... I'd rather destroy the game myself."

The Black Dragon slowly looked up at the sky.

"Born a puppet, so I should live as one? Don't make me laugh."

It was as if I could see something invisible, as I chewed through my boiling hatred.

"I will end this story named 'world' with my own hands."

"..."

"You won't sympathize. You won't understand. The feeling that from your birth to your death, all of life is but a mockery by others..."

Night Bringer looked at me, a gleam appearing in his eyes.

"...Oh. Maybe not. Divinity has begun to dwell in you too."

It seems he noticed the transcendent golden light in my eyes.

"If there had been a bit more time, you could have viewed this tragic world from the same level as me..."

Slowly, Night Bringer rose from his seat.

"Regrettably, your grace period is over. This parley ends here."

"...!"

As Night Bringer declared the end of the parley,

Crack!

An intangible darkness grabbed me by the neck.

Lifted into the air, I was drawn toward Night Bringer.

Shhh-!

Night Bringer held a scepter in both hands and gently pulled out the head of the scepter.

Like a staff sword, a blade hidden within the staff part of the scepter was revealed.

Captured by the intangible darkness and flown to him, Night Bringer lightly snatched my neck with his left hand, and with the scepter sword in his right hand, he thrust

Thunk...!

It pierced the center of my chest.

"...!"

My vision flashed white.

The cold metal penetrated my body, spreading intense pain. I clenched my teeth and exerted all my strength to endure the pain.

"Now."

Looking me in the eye from close range, Night Bringer spoke soothingly.

"Cry."

"Ugh, ah...!"

"Hurry, cry... Beg for your life. Isn't that your humans' true nature?"

Night Bringer slowly twisted the sword embedded in my chest.

"Failing to see the greater cause, so easily becoming mere playthings for higher beings."

"Ah, agh...!"

"As any great human ultimately begs for their life at the end. That is the destined limit of mortals."

Terrible pain washed over me as blood poured from the front and back of my chest. I coughed up blood through my nose and mouth instead of breathing.

My vision turned pitch black.

--TL Notes--

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