Chapter 159 : Chapter 159
Chapter 159
My throat was dry with helplessness.
‘Didn’t even know I died.’
How shocked I was, suddenly back. Like reading a novel and being interrupted.
‘No, not back in time.’
Time flowed normally. I’d fought in an illusion, ‘regressed’ to reality when it broke.
‘…Know-It-All’s mental immunity didn’t work?’
I recalled Know-It-All at Lv 4 granting immunity to mental attacks.
Know-It-All (Lv 4) objects: Blocking this would invalidate the trial.
“Fair enough…”
True. If Know-It-All stopped the trial, I’d have died of frustration.
‘Good thing.’
In an illusion, I could do this.
‘Let’s see.’
Activating Wild Instinct, End Martin appeared on the altar.
“Hmph.”
Seeing me, he sneered.
“Nice expression.”
“Shut up.”
I aimed my rifle and fired. A white glow heated the barrel, delivering an ultimatum.
“That’s…”
End Martin’s scowl vanished in the white light. The Finest Holy Diamond Bullet.
‘Got him.’
My trump card. Lethal move. Only Brahmus survived this…
“Too obvious.”
“What?”
Turning, a muzzle stared me down.
“Oh.”
The illusion broke, and I was back before the altar.
[2nd attempt, 8 seconds]
Swallowing, I touched my ammo pouch. The Finest Holy Diamond Bullets were full.
‘…How did he dodge?’
How would I? The answer came quickly.
‘Blink…?’
No guarantee he knew Blink, but maybe a similar skill?
‘Too careless.’
I learned Cosmos' order; he learned Chaos' chaos. I should’ve assumed he had skills at my level.
‘Not just fighting myself.’
Fighting a stronger me.
‘Again.’
Activating Wild Instinct, I saw End Martin on the altar, looking down arrogantly.
“Face of someone died twice.”
“….”
What a jerk.
“Sebastian.”
[Grrr…!]
I climbed onto giant Sebastian.
‘No cheap tricks, I get it.’
Only the honest way. Dodge his attacks, land mine.
Know-It-All (Lv 4) advises: Identify if he has privilege skills. Check the registry to assess his strength.
‘Privileges…’
Using Know-It-All and Wild Instinct like breathing, I knew how powerful and unfair they were.
Know-It-All (Lv 4) accesses the registry.
No time to be picky. But—
Know-It-All (Lv 4) blocked! Chaotic darkness interferes! Likely Chaos' blessing!
‘Tch.’
Happens with untouchable foes or special protections. Like Sir Dominic or Star Child.
“Know-It-All, huh. Interesting.”
Martin gripped his black dual pistols.
“It's not a good idea to try tricks.”
“You have Know-It-All and Wild Instinct too?”
“Of course.”
A mocking smile spread on his impassive face.
“Though they’re different now.”
“Different?”
“Fallen Sage, Instinct of Great Evil.”
“….”
“Upgraded skills with Chaos' blessing. What do you think?”
Insane. He’s fully embraced the end.
“Know-It-All. Wild Instinct.”
“….”
“Far better than those childish, low-grade skills, no?”
“Ridiculous.”
“Oh, and—”
His pistol aimed at me.
“My Writing skill vanished somewhere along the way.”
His bored face was unbearable.
“Lv 3 Writing that dragged me through life’s gutters till thirty. Good riddance.”
His voice, scratching my nerves, infuriated me. He was me. He knew my traumas best.
“Think I’d fall for that taunt?”
And what angered me more—
“Maybe. I’m still you, no matter how pathetic.”
It wasn’t even a purposeful taunt.
“Just wanted to see you pissed.”
“Dodge, Sebastian!”
Bang-bang-bang!
Black beams scattered, converging on me. One hit, and I’d die.
My right wrist’s bracelet enveloped me, donning a white robe and mask—Peacemaker’s uniform. Dropping the rifle, I drew dual pistols, aiming at End Martin.
Bang-bang!
My bullets shot toward him.
“…!”
But he dodged with a single step.
‘Damn it.’
Black and white beams crisscrossed the chamber, sometimes clashing, sometimes passing.
“Ha.”
But when I came to, a muzzle faced me, and I was back before the altar.
[3rd attempt, 2 minutes 3 seconds]
‘Lasted 2 minutes this time.’
I dove back in.
“Someone's face died thrice.”
“Shut up.”
I charged with dual pistols. End Martin, sneering, met me with his own. We fought close-range, like martial artists, slapping hands. Gunshots were rare.
“Damn it.”
But somehow, I fell to his trick again.
‘Driving me nuts.’
Wild Instinct (Lv 4) assisted combat fully.
Know-It-All (Lv 4) analyzed patterns.
Movement (Lv 10) did its best.
But I started seeing it. His patterns.
“Again.”
End Martin appeared.
“Let’s see… died five times?”
“Does the number matter?”
“No.”
He grinned, a twisted, psychopathic glee.
“Your pissed face matters.”
Vile self-loathing.
“….”
Don’t waver. I regress each time, but for him, it’s always the first fight.
‘I’ll win eventually.’
Can’t break a rock with an egg? No. Over eons, persistent tapping shatters it. Eggs, wind, moisture—all weaken rock.
‘I can do this.’
Or so I thought, foolishly, unaware how long this journey would last.
***
The trials continued endlessly. As attempts grew, so did my survival time.
“Here I come!”
“That all you got?”
12th attempt. 3 minutes was my limit.
“Ugh!”
“Pathetic.”
37th attempt. Broke the 4-minute wall.
“Still going!”
“We’ll see.”
51st attempt. Nearly reached 5 minutes.
But…
“….”
Hit by a bullet, I was back before the altar.
128 attempts, and I couldn’t break the 5-minute wall.
‘…Just a short rest.’
No idea how much time passed. Days, maybe weeks.
‘No time for this.’
I slumped down.
‘No strength to move.’
No, physically, I was fine. But my spirit was drained, motivation gone.
‘Why?’
Sebastian lay asleep nearby.
‘Why can’t I pass 5 minutes?’
It wasn’t about 5 minutes. I’d never overwhelmed him. Thought I’d pushed End Martin, but I always walked into traps. Never wounded him. My body was battered instead.
‘What’s wrong?’
I’d worn the Black Knight Hound armor, Peacemaker uniform, used dual pistols, diamond bullets, magic bullets, Eternal Bullets, Sebastian’s teamwork—all surefire tactics, yet no change.
‘What’s really wrong?’
Slumping, I lay on the ground. No idea how long I’d been awake.
‘Can I… sleep a bit?’
I closed my eyes, letting go of my tenuous grip on consciousness.
***
The Elf Queen’s eyes widened. Her clairvoyance scanned a man across the world. Blocked by auspicious energy, his emotions were vivid.
“Oh…”
A great tremor shook. Branches quaked, leaves rustled. All elves and fairies of Fog Island bowed.
“Mother of Life…”
She was enraged. At the merciless trial facing the World Tree’s guardian.
‘A cruel test.’
He defied his original fate, became a hero, saved many, even the World Tree. Mocking him with his apocalyptic self in an illusion was dizzying.
Thus, her anger burned. Daring to taunt a hero as the end. But suppressing her fury, the queen pleaded.
“Mother, please calm. This is the guardian’s chosen trial. And the time hasn’t come.”
At the World Tree’s core, the pureblood of the Raven Empire inherited past emperors’ power. Any disruption would shame meeting the guardian.
Her pleas calmed the island’s tremors, and the World Tree’s wrath subsided.
Instead, other things flowed in.
“….”
Mother World Tree issued a command to all elves and fairies.
“We obey.”
They’d sent a delegation to the human empire, renewing treaties. As times changed, practical matters needed renegotiation. There… they’d elevate the guardian’s status per Mother’s will.
“But, Mother of Life.”
That was all.
“The end blocking the guardian is too harsh…”
Only after Martin overcame his trial could it happen.
***
Lying haphazardly, I stared at the ceiling. Frustration and heat made me sigh.
“Haa…”
200th attempt. Best record: 4 minutes 56 seconds.
‘Is this even possible?’
I’d mastered End Martin’s patterns. He hadn’t used his rifle, but I was confident I’d countered his dual pistol patterns perfectly.
‘So why?’
I lost. No matter how well I countered, I got hit in the end. Despite knowing all patterns.
‘Like he sees the future and controls the battlefield.’
I kept walking into traps, 200 times. I’m no fool to fall for the same pattern repeatedly.
Know-It-All (Lv 4) confirms: He has future prediction ability.
A hollow laugh escaped. How do you beat someone who sees the future?
‘And I’m not stronger than him!’
I’d used every card—Black Knight Hound armor, Peacemaker uniform, dual pistols, diamond bullets, magic bullets, Eternal Bullets, Sebastian’s teamwork—yet no change.
‘Am I… too weak?’
Losing because my total combat power was lacking?
‘….’
Feeling empty, I sat still for a while.
‘Snap out of it.’
I bolted upright.
‘This is how it’s always been. Always fighting stronger foes.’
Even annoying Gilbert was never weaker than me.
‘If I gave up because they were stronger…’
Would I be here? If I’d given up. If I’d surrendered to stronger foes. If I’d stopped trusting others. If I’d given up on Lilac.
‘What’s the difference from End Martin?’
I pulled myself together. One more try. I could do it. If I tried, I’d succeed. Don’t give up. …Lilac’s waiting.
‘Get up, Kim An-hyun.’
I stood slowly. No despair, no surrender.