ALL NOVEL
Chapter 472: Star, Identity Establishment (10)
Hsan’s quiet, contented laughter took Chang-Sun by surprise.
『You looked surprised.』
“From what I’ve seen until now, you showed no emotions,” Chang-Sun answered.
『Have you seen me before?』
“I’ve gone through a lot, so I saw you here and there.”
『In that case, I understand your surprise.』
Hsan seemed to chuckle.
『I’ve lived for an eternity that you people of Eros wouldn’t even be able to fathom. After living for that long, a person becomes emotionally volatile.』
Chang-Sun nodded in understanding. Even Ubbo-Sathla spoke like multiple people, and it would not be an exaggeration to consider the Outer Celestial several people. That had to be what was going on with Hsan too.
『Anyway, it’s quite interesting to see you here. Your <Mark> is from Worldline #801... People inevitably change on their own in the face of <Extinction>, like the guy I ran into the last time.』
“What is a <Mark>?” Chang-Sun asked.
Tomte and Perkwunos had also told him their soul had the Number of the Beast, 666.
『A prisoner number branded on our soul, which originated from the beginning of time... It’s something like that, and that’s how our <Punishment> began.』
“A <Punishment>? Did we commit a crime?”
『Do I need to explain it to you when I’m just a spectator? I don’t think I’m obligated to do that.』
Hsan’s way of talking was hostile, but Chang-Sun instinctively realized that it was a test. Hsan seemed to be indifferent to all worldly affairs, so talking with him would be impossible if he did not feel like it.
“You certainly don’t,” Chang-Sun nodded.
『There you go. Then you can continue on your wa...!』
“But you like me, so you may feel like explaining it to me.” Chang-Sun grinned.
『I like you?』
“You would have gotten rid of me like Balor or ignored me if you found me bothersome. Am I wrong?”
『That’s pretty confident of you.』
Whooooosh!
Right at that moment, the subconscious ocean undulated, intensifying the pressure on the Divine Class that Chang-Sun had been expanding until then.
Whoosh, whoosh, swish...!
The wilder the subconscious ocean raged, the harder the pressure on Chang-Sun’s Divine Class was. Even if Chang-Sun was a Demi-Outer Celestial now, there was an enormous difference in levels between him and Hsan. Chang-Sun would inevitably be crushed if Hsan did so much as lift a finger.
『Have you not considered that I could kill you right here for your arrogance?』
“...Not really. I’ve always lived my life like this.” Chang-Sun continued to use [Wordwielding], clenching his teeth.
『Funny. You’re truly arrogant, but it must be in our nature considering our origin.』
Chang-Sun suddenly felt that if he could see Hsan face-to-face, a corner of Hsan’s mouth would no doubt be curled up.
『Fine. Our destiny might have brought us to meet like this, so I’ll let your arrogance slide and answer three questions. 』
Chang-Sun realized that this was his chance. Hsan was presumed to be at the highest level among the infinite Lee Chang-Suns, so he could not waste this sudden change of heart.
He asked, “ What is this <Punishment> you talked about? Did we commit a crime?”
A <Mark>, a prisoner number, a <Punishment>... Chang-Sun believed that those were his soul’s biggest secret. That had to be the reason why he had been made to go through samsara 666 times, leading a fierce and despairing life every time.
『Don’t resort to cheap tricks this soon. I’ll only answer one question at a time. Are you asking about the <Punishment> or our crime?』
“Answer both of them, please,” Chang-Sun said.
『In that case... I’ll explain our crime first. We originated from light and had the duty to defeat darkness from the front lines, and yet we pursued the <First Wisdom> instead.』
The word ‘First Wisdom’ echoed especially prominently in Chang-Sun’s ears.
『Our attempt was discovered, and we were put through a trial. With the <Mark> on our soul, we joined samsara and are receiving the <Punishment>.』
‘Wait...’ Chang-Sun had a feeling what the <Punishment> was.
Hsan smiled coldly after noticing what Chang-Sun was thinking.
『Face misfortune, fall into a swamp of despair and hopelessness, resist against a tsunami of your destined sufferings, and die. Repeat such trials and tribulations 665 times.』
Chang-Sun felt suffocated as he listened to Hsan.
『And... face <Extinction> at the very end. The <Number of the Beast> literally means that you have to live 666 times. After that comes your complete annihilation. Does that suffice as an answer?』
Chang-Sun could sense deep fury in Hsan’s voice. No matter how hard he struggled, Hsan could not escape from the sufferings of their <Punishment>, so his fury was undoubtedly deep. Hsan was tired, and his fatigue had worn him out and made him emotionally volatile, just like Bel-Marduk.
『What is the last question?』
Many questions crossed Chang-Sun’s mind. Although he wished to ask them all, Hsan would never speak again after he asked his last question, so he had to be careful. He sorted out his thoughts, then slowly asked, “Are you Perkwunos?”
『That is an odd question. Out of all the questions you could have asked, why did you choose that one? You might as well have asked me who I am or what my goal is.』
Hsan was perplexed.
“This is my last question,” Chang-Sun replied firmly.
『Well, if you say so... I’m not him. It’s easier to think of the two of us as partners who joined forces for a common goal. And your opportunity to ask questions is up.』
Chang-Sun nodded. For him, meeting Hsan like this was a great accomplishment in and of itself, and he had also gotten to hear many unexpected answers, which he would probably not have gotten from Perkwunos.
‘Discovering the fact that Perkwunos and Hsan are working together is a tremendous accomplishment too,’ Chang-Sun thought.
『Let me ask you a question this time.』
“Anything.”
『What is the reason why you asked me the last question?』
“I can tell what your side’s final goal is now,” Chang-Sun answered.
『Hmm?』
“You want to escape from this inescapable-looking swamp of despair and overcome <Extinction> to rise again and recover happiness. The happiness you’re searching for is a life with Ithaca,” Chang-Sun explained.
Hsan’s energy became unstable for the first time, indicating his emotional turmoil.
“No matter how much you change, you’re still me, the one whose name was Lee Chang-Sun. Then we must have the same ways of thinking and wishes,” Chang-Sun said, looking at Hsan with a calm gaze. “Am I wrong?”
* * *
There was nothing grandiose about the life Chang-Sun hoped to lead, as he simply wished to live in peace with his lover, and it was no different for the Heavenly Dragon Emperor and Bel-Marduk. It would not be any different—no, Chang-Sun was certain that Hsan shared the same wish, because all his preparations seemed to be for such a life.
『...Ha. Hahaha.』
Weak and plaintive laughter echoed throughout the ocean of darkness.
『I can’t believe that a boy who isn’t completely free from Eros saw through me like this.』
Chang-Sun watched Hsan quietly.
『But it doesn’t feel too bad.』
Paaaah...!
At that moment, the subconscious ocean undulated again, but it was a little different this time. Hsan mixed his energy into it to transform slowly. He looked the same as Chang-Sun and Bel-Marduk, but the air around him was completely different. The person whom Ithaca had met, and Chang-Sun had seen in the ‘Mirror Maze of Myths’, appeared in his true form and said, “I feel like Perkwunos was right for the first time.”
Hsan and Chang-Sun calmly met each other’s eyes, which held a reflection that was both different and similar, as if there was a mirror between them.
“I think... I can place my hopes in you,” Hsan said incomprehensibly, seeping into the ocean again.
『Restore the <First Wisdom> that we failed to absorb and complete gnosis to become whole. Then all your past crimes will naturally disappear. And...』
Hsan’s voice gradually faded away as he disappeared from the subconscious realm.
『...you’d better find our lost child too.』
Leaving behind a remark that Chang-Sun could not understand, Hsan left the subconscious realm completely.
Thud...!
A metal gate, so enormous that it made Chang-Sun look like a small dot, stood where Hsan had been. The gate’s surface bore a holy icon, depicting a huge tree with branches that extended over many realms as it stood at the top of a peaceful, small hill. A ripe apple was hanging on the end of its highest branch, and a serpent coiled around that branch, seemingly about to swallow the apple with its wide-open mouth.
The serpent caught Chang-Sun’s attention because it felt familiar for some reason; it made him think of the serpent that pursued the [Forbidden Fruit].
Rummmble!
Just then, the metal gate opened up with a loud sound, as if someone was inviting Chang-Sun to come in. Thinking that Perkwunos had to be beyond the gate, he slowly entered, unable to get the image of the serpent in the holy icon out of his head.