Saving My Favorite in a Doomed World

“Why didn’t you bring the ax again?”

 

The bar in the basement, once exuding a hip vibe that could have been popular on the internet, had turned into a sea of ​​fire. In that inferno were dozens of zombies, their eyes rolled back, oblivious to their own burning bodies. More accurately, they were awakened individuals with their eyes rolled back.

 

“Ughhh.”

 

Of course, the sounds they made were far from human.

 

“See? It was a good thing not to drink the booze, right?”

 

Hwashin twirled his finger and looked back. Crash, crash, crash. Countless awakened individuals were thrown against the walls, but he paid them no mind. Yoo Jian, who stood in front of him, kicked the chest of one of the awakened with a loud shout.

 

In this chaos, it was impossible to have a conversation without shouting.

Damn it, this is so annoying!

 

“What? So, all of this is because of that drink?”

 

“Pretty much.”

 

“Wow, how did you know?”

 

Just in case, Hwashin had told Jian to ‘pretend to drink, but don’t actually drink’ from the moment the alcohol was served.

 

And when the masked man appeared, Hwashin was certain.

 

‘There must have been something in the drink.’

 

Freak’s leader was thorough. If someone like that brought in an unidentified couple, it meant they had some use.

 

If he thought far, he only needed to recall what he’d read a little ahead. Which abilities troubled the Unit the most in the latter part of the first arc? Among those with abilities, who was most connected to this pointless drinking spree?

 

And there was only one. There was only one ability that he could think of. There was one Freak member who had the ability to control people.

 

“Hey, Yoo Hwasin!”

 

From a short distance away, he heard Jian’s voice. One of the awakened ones who had turned into a zombie suddenly jumped up from the floor. The tongue of a man with reptilian yellow eyes wrapped around Hwasin’s arm like a snake.

 

Ugh. Disgusting, such an unpleasant sensation. Hwashin sighed, looking at his now-soiled sleeve. How did things get to this point?

 

***

“Are we facing destruction?”

In response to Hwasin’s question, Han Jeyou casually shrugged his shoulders. His expression seemed to say, ‘Don’t you already know?’.

“Gates are bursting open everywhere, and monsters are coming out. This is, well, you know. They say God has abandoned the world.”

With a confident look on his face, he slowly circled the table where Hwashin and Jian stood. The playful sound of his shoes made it impossible to guess his age.

 

After completing a full circle, he stopped with a decisive thud. He returned to the very spot where he had originally been standing.

 

“What do you think happens to a world abandoned by God?”

 

He tapped the table, tap, tap, tap.

Destruction

. He mouthed the word silently. Then he spoke aloud again.

 

“A new world. I’m preparing for that very world. A world of awakened ones without any useless ordinary people.”

 

“…”

 

“Is it laughable and childish? But there are heroes in the world, so what isn’t childish? Those heroes even infiltrated this childish group to learn about it.”

 

Han Jeyou’s eyes narrowed. Yoo Jian immediately switched to a fighting stance.

How did he know?

 

“Yoo Hwashin and Yoo Jian of Unit 1.”

 

“Yes, go on.”

 

“Hey—”

 

“It’s okay.”

 

Yes, he already knew everything.

 

Jian’s eyes, which had been looking at Hwashin, darted quickly.

 

When did he figure out our identity? Just now? Or when we appeared? Or even earlier.

 

Han Jeyou continued speaking as he buttoned up his light brown jacket that had been left open.

 

“It was nice meeting you today. Well, yes. Actually, today’s gathering was just meant to be a simple meeting. But thanks to the two of you, I prepared a special event.”

 

Click. The man and woman guarding both doors locked the doors in an instant.

 

“Kyaaah—!”

 

“This, this person’s eyes are—agh… ugh…”

 

“Save me!”

 

The Freaks’ gathering quickly devolved into chaos. The people who had been chanting for the Freaks were now busy biting and fighting each other. Some even started using their abilities. Eyes, filled only with whites, flooded the space.

 

“The sacrifice of these people today will serve as another step forward.”

 

White mist rose at Han Jeyou’s feet. The two people who had been standing by the doors were now suddenly standing beside him.

 

“I think we’ll be seeing each other often. If you ever want to join us, feel free to contact me.”

 

Goodbye.

As Han Jeyou waved and disappeared, Yoo Jian reached out to him. Yoo Hwashin grabbed her nape and pulled her back.

 

“He’s leaving now— We need to catch him—”

 

“Jian. It was a fake from the start.”

 

“What?”

 

“We can’t catch that because it’s a fake.”

 

Hwasin, who had returned to his gentle expression, stared blankly at where they had disappeared.

 

“I tried to use my ability earlier, but it didn’t work. You know, my mana manipulation.”

 

And yet he couldn’t catch them.

 

Karma itself didn’t reach Han Jeyou in the first place. The reason was simple. His real body wasn’t here. Without the main body that creates causality, even his words had no effect. Hearing Hwashin’s explanation, Yoo Jian clicked her tongue.

 

She looked ahead.

 

“So we have to deal with this mess ourselves?”

 

Yoo Jian clicked her tongue again. Yoon Bongpal’s ability was fading, slowly revealing her true face. Her bald head had grown into a bob cut.

 

“Haha, I guess so.”

 

Awakened individuals ran rampant like wild horses, hurling all sorts of abilities. In one area, a sack of flour had burst open, and in another, a fire was blazing fiercely.

 

Beyond that desperate situation, back to the present.

 

“Yoo Hwashin!”

 

A man with a shredded shirt, who had his tongue wrapped around Hwashin’s arm with Jian’s warning, was a middle-aged office worker. Until just a moment ago…

 

– I awakened as S-rank this time, but I told you I wouldn’t become a hero—

 

This person had been bragging. But the best he could do was stretch his tongue? Could that even be considered an ability?

 

The sticky tongue wrapped tighter around Hwashin’s arm, squeezing it. Zombies jumped at him from all sides.

 

Abilities erupted from everywhere. One person’s forearm swelled to the size of their body. Another stretched his fingers like rubber, aiming for Hwashin’s waist.

 

“Tch—!”

 

Yoo Jian ran to the ceiling, throwing the guys who attacked her one by one. She had to hold back since she couldn’t kill them.

 

How annoying,

 

The Hwashin she knew was strong. Maybe even stronger than her. No, he definitely was.

 

But the downside was clear. His power undoubtedly consumed his body. She had seen him cough up blood multiple times. Furthermore, his hair had turned silver from overusing his abilities.

 

‘I need to get stronger.’

 

She bit her lip hard.

 

「Get off.」

 

Boom—! Half a dozen awakened individuals were flung to the ground in an instant. Ugh, ugh. Hwashin crushed the head of a man struggling to get up with a broken back. Crunch. Crunch. The sound of teeth breaking was distinctly audible.

 

Hwashin, with a bright smile, motioned Jian who was running towards him to stop for a moment, then opened his mouth.

 

“「Now, everyone except Jian, stop moving.」”

 

Time itself seemed to have stopped. The blazing flames. The faint sound of explosions still coming from inside. Yoo Hwasin’s real face had returned at some point.

 

Destruction, huh.

 

Destruction, my ass.

 

Yoo Hwashin recalled what Han Jeyou said about this world’s end. In the novel, the endings for all the characters he knew were horrific.

 

How should the deaths of protagonists in a dying world be interpreted? What was the author trying to convey through that world?

 

「 Jeong Mueum did not stop the final monster’s attack in that dark space. He let his outstretched hand fall limply.

 

The world that hyung wanted to protect. And now a world without him.

 

Mueum fought desperately. Because this place was full of memories for him too, as much as hyung cherished it. But now he didn’t know what still remained. In this place, what did he ultimately want to become?

 

The monster’s sharp claws tore through Jeong Mueum’s chest with a deafening sound. He felt no pain. Rather, he thought that the pain was finally over.」

 

In a world without Cha Jaeha, Jeong Mueum ultimately found no meaning.

 

「”Hosh, hosh.”

 

Clutching her waist where her ribs were exposed, Yoo Jian arrived at the center. In the middle of the training ground of the Education Center. The blood she shed became a path, and she was the one who created the bright red road.

 

“…These bastards, together….”

 

Hosh, hosh. Her vision blurred. Her eyes burned. Her eyes were hotter than the blood welling up inside her.

 

Damn it. Why, all of them. Her thoughts couldn’t continue any further. The voices that laughed and chatted were still vivid, but not her surroundings. Nothing was left. This world was merely racing towards its end. 」

 

In the world on the brink of destruction, Yoo Jian ended up cold and alone.

 

That was the destruction. The people you loved, the landscapes, the memories, all disappearing.

 

At the same time,

 

Yoo Hwashin, Elric, recalled not the book this time, but his own past. Before Dragon, there was a man who was his only friend.

 

‘You don’t have to save someone just because you have power. But don’t you think your life would be crushed otherwise? I think so. I hope you do too. Because that’s how I was taught by someone.’

 

He sought to save the world Elric lived in, and he ultimately succeeded. And then he disappeared. Without a trace.

 

Destruction was like that. Someone sacrificed themselves to stop it. It might be fortunate if it could be stopped by sacrifice.

 

Jeez. The corners of Hwashin’s mouth curled up as if they were crumbling.

 

“I seem to have a bad fate with destruction.”

 

He didn’t know if Freak was behind the destruction. They might just be talking about destruction for fun.

 

But, so what?

 

What of it? Han Jeyou chose the wrong opponent. He should have chosen his target for mischief more carefully.

 

“Ughhhh—”

 

“He….ro….”

 

Hwashin adjusted his hoodie and reached out his hand. His long white fingers snapped with a sharp sound.

 

A fresh smile spread across Hwashin’s lips.

 

「Now, everyone, bow your head down.」

 

Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Dozens of people simultaneously stood at attention. Then they slammed their heads against the floor with all their might. The banging sound was incessant. Even Yoo Jian, who was approaching, had to cover her ears.

 

Wow. Was I worried about the wrong person?