Chapter 142

Chapter 142

“...”

“Then just die.”

Surprised by Se-Hoon’s words, In-Cheol met his eyes. Some would likely call those words malicious, but to In-Cheol, it seemed like a genuinely innocent suggestion entirely void of malice.

“Some people believe that living is more painful than anything else. And if all they want is to be freed from that, who am I to stop them without reason.”

“...Is that so?”

“Yes, at least that's what I think.”

Because of Se-Hoon’s words, In-Cheol's thoughts hesitantly took another step forward. Was it really okay to end it all just like that?

“But if you think that means atonement, you should discard those thoughts right now,” Se-Hoon added, looking at In-Cheol sharply.

“...”

He forgot to breathe. It was as if Se-Hoon had seen right through him; his words stabbed deeply where it hurt. Staring at Se-Hoon, In-Cheol couldn’t help but think that despite being younger and severely injured from the recent battle, Se-Hoon still exuded an indescribable sense of intimidation.

He wanted to look away, but his body refused to move, fixing him in place.

Se-Hoon continued, “You mentioned earlier that you were affiliated with the group that caused this incident.”

In-Cheol had been an outstanding researcher recognized by Offering, so naturally, his hands were absolutely stained with a lot of blood. And even if he claimed the blood belonged only to willing volunteers back then, they both knew it was impossible that there wasn’t a single non-willing one among them.

“You’re probably thinking about dying to atone for your sins. Well, that's not the worst idea, considering the victims are probably disgusted that you're still alive.”

“...”

“But... would they really want you to take your own life?”

Though the offender would think they atoned by ending their own life, most victims would just see it as them escaping reality. Of course, opinions varied from person to person, but at least that's what Se-Hoon would have thought.

I know that feeling all too well.

Back then, Se-Hoon had prayed every night before he went to sleep that Immortal was still alive and living a prosperous life. That way, Immortal would feel utterly wretched when he finally avenged his family.

“If you truly want to atone for your sins, you should go to the victims and have them take your life. That way, your death might hold some meaning.”

“...”

At those words, In-Cheol lowered his head weakly. He grabbed his knees with trembling hands.

“There’s no one...”

“...”

“No one who could take my life for me...”

Prioritized secrecy, everyone chosen as material for Offering’s rituals was basically alone; their families, lovers, and friends were all dealt with beforehand. And because they lost everything, they sought the supposed “paradise” within the sacred equipment and sacrificed their own souls. That... was the way Offering had “persuaded” people the whole time.

“The only ones remaining... who want me dead... are those who want to keep their secrets from being revealed to the world. But what’s the point... what’s the point of dying in their hands...?”

“How about fighting against them?”

“That... I think that would just be an excuse.”

In-Cheol couldn’t accept doing such a thing. There were those who lived on and tried to atone by fighting their past, but In-Cheol wanted to die. The only reason he persisted until now was to achieve one single thing: freeing the souls suffering within the Shattered Flame, the Fire Heaven Greatsword.

There’s nothing I can even do now...

The Fire Heaven Greatsword, repaired by the Fire Sword Blacksmith Hunter, had been destroyed beyond repair. He didn't know whether the souls trapped inside had been freed, but it didn’t matter—there was no way left to intervene anymore.

That fact left In-Cheol powerless, forced to let go of everything. But then, Se-Hoon’s next words made him look up again.

“Then you should live,” calmly said Se-Hoon, watching him.

“...What?”

“Professor, I might not know what exactly the people who died in your hands want, but I think they would at least want you to suffer until the end.”

Atonement wasn’t something that could be achieved simply by killing oneself. One had to experience some of the pain that their victims had endured.

“So live. Continue to lead a horrible life, one so dreadful that you yearn to end it all every single day.”

“...”

“Wouldn’t that be the only way you can atone for your sins, Professor...?”

As Se-Hoon’s words, mixed with a hint of uncertainty, settled, a heavy silence filled the hospital room.

For a while, In-Cheol looked down at his hands without saying anything.

“I’ve known about this for a while... but you're very cold-hearted,” said In-Cheol quietly, having finally lifted his head with a bitter expression.

“Are you disappointed?”

In-Cheol shook his head.

“I'm actually relieved. With your personality... there's no chance you'll be swayed by them.”

“You can rest assured; such a thing will never happen.”

The moment Watchers joined hands with the Demon Force and began viewing humanity as mere materials, they had crossed a point of no return. Whether it was in the past or now, Se-Hoon would never compromise. He would exterminate them all.

Giving Se-Hoon a small smile and a short nod, In-Cheol stood up from his seat.

“That's a relief. Also, I’m sorry for disturbing you at such a late time. Take care of yourself and be careful from now on.”

“Yes, Professor, you...” Se-Hoon hesitated. He thought telling In-Cheol to take care would sound a bit off after that conversation.

So, after a moment of thought, he chose a more fitting reply.

“I hope you achieve what you wish for.”

“You’ll experience that pain every second, without respite. And you’ll live forever with it, unable to die.”

By this point, Ludwig’s voice was full of apathy. He turned to look down at the kneeling In-Cheol.

“Knowing that, do you still wish to proceed?” he indifferently asked,

“...”

Finally managing to catch his breath, In-Cheol looked at the furnace in front of him. He then slowly managed to stand up, and asked, with a firm but trembling voice, “Can you promise that this research will be used for humanity... for preventing any innocent sacrifices from happening?”

Taking in In-Cheol’s determined expression, Ludwig nodded slowly. “I swear it in the name of the Emperor of Ascension.”

“...Thank you.”

With his final worry calmed, In-Cheol walked slowly toward the furnace. As he approached, his body trembled violently, remembering the pain.

But despite the terror that the flames stimulated in him, he resolutely moved forward, biting his lip until it bled.

When he made it to the furnace, he determinedly reached toward the faint flame burning inside.

Fwoosh!

As if waiting, the Sacred Craftsman’s flame engulfed In-Cheol, burning his entire body. The searing pain immobilized him.

Having been watching, the Vermillion Bird silently enveloped his body with its massive wings.

Vwoom-!

A sigil symbolizing the contract with the Vermillion Bird was etched onto his chest, intertwining the phoenix’s consciousness-burning flames with the Sacred Craftsman’s flames. Burning hungrily, the flames deeply embedded themselves into his mind.

In an instant, everything—memories spanning several decades, thoughts derived from those memories, and even the synesthetic mindscapes formed by those combined memories—was consumed and melted away by the flames.

Fwoosh!

Yet they didn't vanish. While his mind and body were being melted, they were also simultaneously being regenerated by the Vermillion Bird’s flames. And just as fast as it disappeared, his disintegrating consciousness was restored and memories vividly resurfaced in his mind.

“Traitor.”

He recalled the final moments of his first and only love.

“I'm scared...”

In the end, he couldn't save the young child. The countless experiments he participated in, the moments of his sins, endlessly played through his mind.

So this... is what it means to atone for one's sins...

He slowly shifted his body and sat on the furnace. But just as he was about to surrender himself to the endless agony—

Whoosh-

A blackened sword fell into his hands out of a space opened in the void. He froze, immediately recognizing that it was the Fire Heaven Greatsword, and momentarily forgot his pain as he watched the Vermillion Bird’s flames seep into the sword.

Fwoosh-

The flames faintly flickered through the cracks spread across the sword, and soon a soft murmur could be heard from within.

“At last...”

A wisp of smoke escaped the sword, and the flames throughout the Fire Heaven Greatsword dimmed slightly. Entranced, he stared blankly at the scene until the Vermillion Bird’s voice brought him back.

“One demonstration should be enough. You should handle the consequences of your actions yourself.”

“...”

Enthralled by the Vermillion Bird’s words, In-Cheol placed his hand on the Fire Heaven Greatsword and imbued the flames that enveloped his body inside it.

Then, when he burned away the knot that was most tightly bound within, “Thank you.”

The familiar voice of a child rose like a wisp of smoke and disappeared.

“Ah...”

Hearing that voice, the haze in In-Cheol's consciousness, which had been endlessly regenerating, cleared. Though the pain he felt, which had started to dull, also resurfaced with its initial intensity, In-Cheol was unfazed. He began to release the souls trapped within the Fire Heaven Greatsword one by one.

Fwoosh!

Realizing he had received the opportunity he had so intensely longed for by not running away from his sins through death, he naturally thought of one young man.

Thank you... truly...

An endless stream of tears finally fell as he expressed his heartfelt gratitude.

[The bond with 'Kim In-Cheol' has grown to Lv. 2.]

[Since the bond has grown to Lv.2, a Relationship has been established. Your Relationship with 'Kim In-Cheol' is currently 'Rebirth'.]

[Relationship: Rebirth]

[The guilt due to one's sins is a powerful emotion that can change a person's life entirely while remaining like an indelible shadow. Influencing how one accepts this emotion determines the course of their life, making such a Relationship deeply rooted.

*A Fatestone is created whenever the subject feels like they have undergone a rebirth.

*The maturation rate of the Fatestone increases whenever the subject is atoning.

*Currently created Fatestones: 0]

“...”

The flames continued to burn.

Eventually, Ludwig, who had been silently watching, tore his gaze away and vanished from his spot.

Fwoosh-

The flames silently consumed In-Cheol, endlessly burning him away, together with his sense of guilt.