CH 284

「Memory. Is that all you need?」

「Yeah. It’s a great value because it gives us not only past memories but also memories that you will experience in the future.」

Elohim, who once again looked toward me, continued the explanation.

「So we’ll increase the number of help we can give you. Even if time goes back, we all remember it, so if you want help, just call us in a dream.」

「It’s not bad.」

「Keep in mind, kid.」

Elohim’s golden eyes gleamed with light.

「No matter how much we help, we cannot do anything to save the dead or harm other lives.」

His expression of concern was deeply etched into Cheon Sa-yeon’s heart.

「Think carefully and decide. You’re now… not living a normal time.」

Not living a normal time meant not to dwell too much on the death of those around you. As time goes by, they would be alive anyway.

「But other than that, I can help as much as possible. Things like getting information or giving items. What’s more difficult than that…」

「We’ll pay the price for you.」

Cheon Sa-yeon’s gaze turned to Elahah. Cheon Sa-yeon, who had been staring at him for a moment with an unknown expression, asked.

「You’re not just saying this to save the world.」

Elahah’s eyes twisted sadly.

「Are you feeling guilty?」

「…yeah.」

Elohim took Elahah’s hand and opened his mouth instead.

「It all started with our sins, so we must pay the price.」

「Originally, you don’t have to go through this kind of pain like everyone else, Cheon Sa-yeon, but…」

It was unexpected even for Elohim and Elahah that Kali tried to use a human being called Cheon Sa-yeon as her own hands by forcibly awakening him. That he would turn down Kali’s offer and the whole world would be locked in time.

「Even if you resent us, I fully understand. Rather, it would be natural.」

At Elohim’s words, Cheon Sa-yeon gave a complicated smile.

「But you don’t.」

「Should I be resentful?」

Cheon Sa-yeon remembered Samael, who was born out of his useless sympathy. As a result, there were many victims being mental controlled.

If he had killed Cheon Je-heon without avoiding it then, would something have been different? At least, there might have been no people who were being manipulated by others to take their own lives.

「That’s not your problem.」

「Well.」

After reading Cheon Sa-yeon’s thoughts, Elohim spoke with a sign of regret, but it didn’t reach Cheon Sa-yeon.

「I made a similar mistake, so I understand a little. This’s not the time to sit down resenting someone.」

I raised my head and looked at Cheon Sa-yeon.

Right. Cheon Sa-yeon was such a guy. He was the same as when he was a child and now. He was the one who chose to move forward, no matter how much he suffered from it after going through irrational and painful things.

「From the moment the world was born to the present, the life that is meant to die lives and the life that is meant to live dies.」

Kugung, thunder roared from the sky. Elohim felt that the dream was coming to an end and answered with a calm voice.

「How can a just death be covered up in the chaos? Are you sure it will be the right decision?」

A white light engulfed everything from beyond the distant horizon.

「Even we, who have lived for a very long time, do not dare to know the end. From my point of view, Cheon Sa-yeon, the existence of Cheon Je-heon that you saved seems to still have work to do.」

The dream world, engulfed in white light, was indescribably dazzling. In it, Elohim comforted Cheon Sa-yeon.

「No one knows what your sympathy will bring.」

「……」

「Go, kid. We will be always watching you.」

Crash, everything in front of me shattered like shards of glass.

Cheon Sa-yeon, who was eaten by the light at the same time as the sensation of falling down, woke up not long after. The representative room, where the midday sun came in, had no difference from just before going to sleep.

Cheon Sa-yeon, who raised his upper body, shut his eyes tightly in a cold sweat. And when he opened his eyes again, there was no longer Cheon Sa-yeon, who was trembling with anxiety and confusion.

* * *

Parararak. The pages turned quickly and the scene unfolding in front of me flowed without a break. Cheon Sa-yeon made a plan under the assumption that time would repeat countless times in the future.

He organized the things he remembered in as much detail as possible and increased other options among them. It was a very slow, difficult, and arduous process.

「People’s lives are not the words of the game.」

Cheon Sa-yeon was sometimes criticized,

「I’m sorry, Master… I don’t think I can keep my promise…」

He made mistakes sometimes,

「Then I believe… the story of you living in the same time over and over again.」

Sometimes he was understood.

But the end was always the same. No matter what he went through, he eventually returned to a state of meaninglessness and nothingness.

A total of 17 attempts. But he didn’t get much.

Cheon Sa-yeon, who began his 18th life, realized that couldn’t escape from time at this rate. During his last 17 attempts, Cheon Sa-yeon never met Kali, nor did he win over Praus Cult.

Cheon Sa-yeon pondered as he looked down at the documents that had been written about the abilities and actions of the main figures of the Praus Cult. His thoughts could be heard clearly.

「If someone with a power similar to mine cooperates with me, the chances of winning will increase that much.」

The black eyes that looked straight at him came to mind. Numerous scars were engraved on both his hands.

「Ha Tae-heon.」

The second SS-rank awakener who was born in Korea. I needed his help. But how?

He already belonged to Roheon, and furthermore, he entered the SS-grade gate and was unable to survive.

「What if Requiem, not Roheon, brings the SS-class gate?」

If Roheon collapsed, it was a burden Requiem had to bear. Even if he escaped the repeated time by killing Kali, the problem of clearing the SS-grade gate still remained.

From the very beginning, if he took ownership of the SS-grade gate… what if Requiem, not Roheon, went in to clear it and Roheon was kept as it was? Not only Ha Tae-heon, but also Roheon’s power, which Lee Joo-ha was guarding, could be kept.

「Luckily, you might find a weapon at an SS-grade gate.」

If so, it would prevent the terrorist activities of the Praus Cult more clearly.

「However…」

To do that, he had to take an SS-grade gate as if he stole it from Roheon. It would be able to convince anyone in a mild way.

The nib of the pen that had been tapping on the white paper suddenly stopped. Cheon Sa-yeon, who had struggled for a long time with his chin on his backhand, gathered his heart.

Disappointing someone and destroying all the good relationships he had built. Hasn’t he already been through it many times? He had no reason to be hurt again.

After making a decision, Cheon Sa-yeon took action immediately. Before the SS-grade gate was opened, he first cut off the exchange with Roheon little by little and attended the guild meeting where the ownership of the SS-grade gate was decided.

「For the SS-grade gate, there’s currently no information on what kind of manpower should be needed and how many of them. It seems like a hasty decision to entrust Roheon with an SS-grade gate in such a situation.」

「…does that mean that Roheon isn’t good enough to take on an SS-grade gate?」

「Actually, statistics show that all the figures are insufficient.」

At Cheon Sa-yeon’s cold remarks, Lee Joo-ha hardened her face. Ha Tae-heon, who was sitting next to her, also frowned.

In many ways, it was Requiem with more than Roheon. Cheon Sa-yeon deliberately used that part to emphasize ‘stability’, and fortunately, it worked for the officials.

Eventually, the meeting ended with Requiem taking ownership of the gate. Lee Joo-ha and Ha Tae-heon immediately left the conference room without any greetings.

「Um, honestly, I didn’t know that Requiem would be greedy for the SS-grade gate. Master Lee Joo-ha is upset… you understand, right?」

Just before Hong Si-ah left the conference room, she approached Cheon Sa-yeon, who was sitting and lightly grabbed his shoulder.

「I don’t know what’s going on… I hope it works out later, Master Cheon Sa-yeon.」

「……」

Hong Si-ah, who noticed something in Cheon Sa-yeon’s expressionless face, sent a suitable consolation.

They were good people. Both Hong Si-ah and Lee Joo-ha. And Ha Tae-heon. The problem was that he was alone.

My heart ached at Cheon Sa-yeon’s thought blaming herself.

‘No.’

You are a good person, too. I know.

I knew this before reading this book. That you were sacrificing a lot to protect those around you.

I put my hand on my chest. With the beating of my heart, I felt strong trembling energy.

An ominous foreboding approached. Starting with the abuse Cheon Sa-yeon suffered from as a child and watching everything he had gone through until now, it was increasingly difficult for me to suppress my energy.

If it continued like this… it seemed that I would use my intervention ability.

It was a relief when Cheon Sa-yeon was alone, if there were others or if I got involved in a meeting like just now…

‘It’s terrible just imagining it.’

I let out a sigh and barely suppressed my energy, which was rushing out of Han Yi-gyeol’s energy.

Meanwhile, the scene changed from the conference room to the gate entrance. Cheon Sa-yeon, who gathered a total of 100 clear team members, stood at the forefront and held the sword. After that, Woo Seo-hyuk, Park Geon-ho, and Min Ah-rin were also with him.

Compared to Roheon, which started with 50 people the previous time, it was twice as many people. However, Cheon Sa-yeon knew that safety couldn’t be guaranteed even with this large number.

「The gate is open!」

At the same time as the person with the ability to measure shouted, the closed gate opened slowly.

Cheon Sa-yeon, who was staring at the other side of the entrance with a nervous look, moved. I watched it anxiously from behind.