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Book 2, Epilogue 7 - No, Not You (2)
Book 2, Epilogue 7 - No, Not You (2)
Book 2, Epilogue 7 - No, Not You (2)
Abyss was stunned. “Why are you here?!”
“I came because I knew you would do this.”
“…?!”
Yeonwoo grabbed Abyss by the collar.
Bbah-gahk!
Then she head-butted her.
Abyss fell over in pain.
Yeonwoo had regained her former power, so she was very strong. Her eyes flashed at Abyss for daring to aim for Lee Gun. “You probably planned on taking advantage of Gun’s body and dominating his mind. Did you think I wouldn’t find out about it?”
Abyss didn’t like that a prey like Yeonwoo was trying to get in her way, so she intended to change back into her original form.
Flash!
“!!”
However, a flashing silver light came flying from behind Yeonwoo. A cold beam of silver light ruthlessly kicked Abyss.
Kwahng!
Abyss became angry. “You guys have lost your mind as a group!”
This attacker was Virgo. It was Ines, the master of the Full Moon.
The female swordsman with long silver hair smirked. Her demeanor implied that Abyss should get lost.
This left Abyss dumbfounded.
‘Gods lose their power in the World of Emptiness. They almost become humans.’
How were these two able to enter this place without fear? Moreover, they were here to take Lee Gun away from her?
“Get out of my face! Serpent Bearer has already accepted me as his companion.”
Yeonwoo’s smile widened in a more feral manner. “How dare a whale try to become his companion? You should know your place.”
“?!”
All the women here had come looking for Lee Gun in the World of Emptiness. They did so despite knowing they could lose their lives. Danger didn’t phase any of them.
“Ines!”
As soon as Yeonwoo spoke, Virgo blocked Abyss.
Yeonwoo used this opportunity to quickly scoop up Lee Gun. “Gun! Do you know who I am? Gun!”
Lee Gun stared at Yeonwoo for a while before he answered, “I remember your face, but… I don’t know your name. I’m sorry.”
“…!” Yeonwoo’s face became distorted in pain. Just those words gave her excruciating pain. However, it wasn’t time for her to be sad.
‘At this rate, Gun will never be able to return to his normal self.’
Right now, he still remembered her face; it wasn’t too late.
Yeonwoo yelled, “Mimir!”
Mimir, who had come with her, appeared from Lee Gun’s shadow.
Yeonwoo asked, “What happened to him, Mimir?”
“I looked into it, and as expected, Master has already ascended to the seat of Universe. Aside from the memories he had inside the World of Emptiness, everything else has been erased.”
Mimir had already investigated his master’s body, and his brows furrowed. He could see Lee Gun being eroded by a dark power. “As expected, this world is trying to keep Master tied to this place. He is being given power, and in exchange, he’ll never be able to leave this place.”
The level of bondage could be described as almost obsessive. No one could deflect this world’s obsession with Lee Gun.
Yeonwoo’s face crumpled in despair. “Then…!”
“It’s fine. We aren’t too late. Since his memories aren’t completely gone, it means…” Mimir immediately put some kind of power into Lee Gun.
Flash!
Then a change happened to Lee Gun’s body. Accompanying a light, the black power eroding Lee Gun’s body started to waver.
Abyss scoffed when she immediately realized the source of the power. “Oh. You plan on using Time’s data? You’re trying to turn back Serpent Bearer’s time to a point before he inherits the power of Universe.”
Abyss ridiculed them. “That’s low-rank data that survived after Time’s death. You need the original-rank data. You won’t be able to go against the power of the Universe using petty tricks…”
However, Abyss was soon at a loss for words.
“!!”
Lee Gun’s body was reverting to its original form.
Pah-jee-jeek!
‘Time is being wound back.’
This wasn’t the low-rank data of Time. It was the intact power of the Time monarch! This surprised Abyss.
‘Why would a mere Construct possess the original power of Time…’
She wondered what was going on, but she soon realized something. Then she glared at Mimir and sent a telepathic message to Mimir.
[You are Aslan?]
Mimir flinched. An odd smirk appeared on his lips. He replied through telepathy.
[It’s easy for me to copy Time’s ability if I have the original ingredient.]
[Oh really?]
[Let’s put that aside. Did you really think I would let the Bright Pearl have my son?]
[What the hell did you just say?!!]
When Lee Gun had gone to save Hugo in the Divine world, he had visited a past created by the goddesses of fate. It had allowed him to kill Time there, and Lee Gun was able to bring back Time’s core.
Aslan was called the Ability Creator. He was a genius magician capable of creating any type of ability. It didn’t matter if the ability was imagined or if he had heard about it through a rumor. He could recreate an ability 99% similar to what he knew.
But what would happen if he actually saw the original ability? In that case, creating an ability that was a 100% copy would be easier than breathing for him. Moreover, his target didn’t matter.
This was why Great Spirits were vexed with Aslan. They ran away from Aslan, hiding their abilities.
Anyway, Aslan had secretly possessed Mimir and activated the ability of Time.
Boom!
“Kuhk!”
“Mimir!”
Yeonwoo looked at Lee Gun, who was in pain, with worry. This made Aslan, who had possessed Mimir, look at her warmly.
“It’s fine. My old master lent me his skill. You can trust me.”
“…!”
Aslan created Time’s ability and turned back the time of Lee Gun’s body. Something surprising happened.
Flash!
It seemed his body had returned to the state before he had inherited the power from Universe.
“Huhk!”
“Gun!”
Life returned to Lee Gun’s aimless eyes as his memories were returned.
With liveliness in his eyes again, Lee Gun looked at the person in front of him. He was surprised. “Yeonwoo!”
“Gun! Your memory is back!”
“Why are you here?” A surprised Lee Gun grabbed Yeonwoo’s shoulders. “Have you lost your mind? Do you realize where this is—”
He was about to ask why she did something so reckless when…
Pah-jeek!
“…!”
The fading power of Universe returned once again.
“Time is…!”
The power rewinding time started to flow back toward the original timeline. It was proof that the power of this world or the power of Universe was vast.
In other words, Lee Gun would once again lose his memories and be trapped in the World of Emptiness.
It was also why Aslan and Yeonwoo had come here.
Aslan, who was pretending to be Mimir, spoke, “We were able to enter this place because you got rid of Universe, Master. You should use this opportunity to enter my body!”
“!”
“If your soul enters my body, the power of Universe will chase after my body, Master.”
In the meantime, the goddesses would take Lee Gun’s body toward the exit. Sufficient distance would have to be created.
“Master, you will no longer possess my body, and you will be returned to your original body. You will escape using the route we used to get here.”
“Wait a moment. That means…”
“You must get rid of the passageway once you leave. You don’t have to worry once you exit the World of Emptiness. The power of Universe won’t be able to follow you, Master.”
Lee Gun furrowed his brows. In other words, Mimir would occupy Universe while Lee Gun was spirited away.
Of course, Lee Gun knew what this meant. “If we use that method, you won’t be able to leave this place. Are you saying you’ll be trapped in the World of Emptiness instead of me?”
Aslan laughed. “No, it’ll be fine. This body is a clone. I am the repository of knowledge. There is no way I’ll move so thoughtlessly.”
“….”
In other words, Aslan would use the clone to dupe the eyes of Universe. A clone was like a mirage. Once the spell was released, the clone would disappear. This was why it was the ideal dummy.
“So you shouldn't worry about me. You can return to the earth with the goddesses. I believe up to three people can return. It should be fine.”
When the opposing force reverting time to its original state became stronger, Aslan quickly yelled, “Master! Hurry! I’m trying to turn back time, but I won’t be able to last long.”
Aslan quickly held out his hand. He was asking Lee Gun to hold his hand. Lee Gun also held out his hand. If their hands clasped each other, Lee Gun’s soul would possess Mimir’s body.
Then Universe would chase after Lee Gun’s Soul, and Mimir would run to the depths of the World of Emptiness. At that time, he would use that opportunity to release Lee Gun’s soul from the possession, and Lee Gun’s soul would return to his body near the exit.
The power of Universe would try to chase after Lee Gun once again, but it would need some time. It might be a sliver of a moment, but that would be enough time to spirit away his son to the earth!
‘Once Gun exits the World of Emptiness, it’ll all work out.’
Of course, he was lying that he was using a clone. A clone couldn’t fool Universe, but Aslan didn’t care what happened to him.
He didn’t care if he was trapped here forever. He didn’t care if an angry Universe turned him into a slave. He was willing to go through it to save his son. This was why he had pretended to be Mimir and had duped everyone.
“Hurry!!”
However, Lee Gun, who had been reaching out toward Mimir, suddenly came to a stop.
“Master?”
Lee Gun stared at Mimir as if he had caught on to something. For some reason, he let out a chuckle, then unexpectedly slapped the hand to the side.
Tahk!
This surprised Aslan. “Master…!?”
Something shocking happened next.
Poo-oohk!
Lee Gun didn’t hesitate as he stabbed his own heart.
Virgo, who had been blocking Abyss, and Yeonwoo became pale from fright when Lee Gun tried to kill himself,
“Gun?!”
“Serpent Bearer!”
“Master!”
Lee Gun was laboring as he looked at Mimir. No, he laughed as he looked at Aslan. “No. I won’t let you. I went through the trouble of setting this up.”
“…?!”
No one had any idea what he was talking about.
Lee Gun was in pain as he vomited blood. It made Aslan flustered, and he tried to heal Lee Gun. But his hands shook, which was unlike him.
Lee Gun spoke as if to say everything was fine. “My Divine status is back right now… I can go through the process of inheritance.”
“…!”
He had left an impression on Universe so that it would remember him. Now he could go through the process of inheritance.
Since this time was before his body had inherited the power, he would rather kill himself to go through the inheritance. Lee Gun considered his method a more surefire way.
“Still, I want to say thanks to you all. I acquired the opportunity to leave this place thanks to you guys.”
“…!”
Lee Gun stroked the side of Yeonwoo’s crying face. “I’ll be fine. Trust me. We’ll be able to see each other again.”
Then Lee Gun crushed his heart. At the same time, a powerful light encircled the World of Emptiness.
* * *
“What?! Suicide?! Gun killed himself?! That was how he was able to go through the inheritance?!!!” Hugo yelled, having heard Mimir’s story. He had wanted to know what had happened to his son. Hugo looked like he was going to choke Mimir.
On the other hand, Mimir spoke to calm Hugo down.
[It’s fine. He came back safely through the process of inheritance.]
“What kind of nonsense are you #*$#$*!!” Hugo grabbed the back of his neck.
He remembered the time right before Lee Gun had gone to the Devil’s Tower. His body had been a mess, and Hugo’s heart would sink whenever Lee Gun looked like he would stop breathing!
So what the hell was this?
‘Suicide?!’
The word made Hugo’s heart sink. He almost stopped breathing. On the other hand, it was unclear whether baby Lee Gun knew Hugo’s feelings.
The short baby kept tapping the tiny teaspoon against the ground in protest. He wanted Hugo to pick up the baby bottle.
Hugo was fuming as he looked at Aslan. He had wondered why Aslan hadn’t wanted to tell the story and why he had ordered Mimir to talk about it.
‘He did it because it was about his son killing himself.’
Aslan’s refusal now seemed understandable.
If it were Hugo, he would have already developed trauma from such an event.
“Anyway, you guys realized Gun would be trapped forever in the World of Emptiness if he killed Universe. This was why you went looking for him three years ago.”
“Yes.”
He finally understood Yeonwoo’s reason for leaving.
Mimir said, “Originally, the plan was for me to save Master, but Old Master said I would have a hard time controlling the clone. So he said he would do it instead. In turn, he told me to tell no one about it.”
“That’s why Aslan possessed your body?”
“Yes. Old Master’s control of magic is much better than mine. It’s quite hard to get rid of a clone.”
Hugo suspiciously looked at Aslan, who was watching TV.
‘He was going to use a clone?’
Would it be possible to trick the World of Emptiness with a mere clone? There was no way a genius like him would be unaware of this.
When he was Eternal Change, Hugo had been in the prison of a Great Spirit. Aslan had calmly broken through impregnable barriers that kept everyone out. He was a genius that had taken the monarch out of prison.
When pandemonium had broken out at Eternal Change’s absence, the cheeky kid had laughed, baldly lying that another Great Spirit had broken through the prison.
This was why Hugo immediately realized what had happened.
‘It’s obvious he tricked Mimir. He planned on being trapped inside the World of Emptiness.’
Aslan would prevent others from getting involved and would save his own son through his sacrifice. Someone like him would have already prepared a new body for Mimir on the earth.
However, Gun taking his own life had turned Aslan’s plan into waste.
Soon, Mimir spoke as it looked at the baby Lee Gun. “I still have no idea why Master refused Old Master’s offer. I have no idea why he killed himself…”
“You don’t know why? There is no way Gun would have done something like that without any reason.”
Hearing Hugo’s words, Aslan flinched as if he had been pricked by a needle. It seemed Aslan had been pretending to be watching the TV. His gaze fell to the ground, and his face scrunched up a bit.
These words seemed to have brought up great pain inside him.
This was why Hugo asked, “I heard everything I wanted to hear. What do you want to ask me, Aslan?”
“….”
“Aslan?”
“No, it’s fine. I don’t want to do this anymore.”
“Aslan?!”
Aslan became temperamental. It seemed he was no longer having fun.
Hugo wondered why Aslan was acting this way, but he soon screamed as if he had remembered something. “Wait a moment! You forgot to answer the most important question! Hey! Come back!”
Mimir responded instead, “What important problem?”
“I’m talking about Gun’s body! You said he gave up on Universe’s power, and he went through inheritance. So why’s he like a monster?”
“Ah! It was close, but he was successful in going through inheritance as a god, but… Since time was rewound, it was a weird time to go through inheritance.”
“That means…!”
“Yes. The power of Universe and his Divine power was mixed. He did give up on the throne since he left the World of Emptiness, but he was born with a portion of Universe’s power.”
The power of Universe and that of a god had been mixed.
“Wait a moment. What about his memories?! If what you say is true, wouldn’t he have some of his memories left?”
“Ah! His memory is—”
Tahng!!!
“!!”
Crunch!
Before he could say the rest, the sound of a table breaking rang out. The surprised Mimir turned his head. He saw Lee Gun silently glare at him. It was as if Lee Gun was threatening to beat him up if he spoke any further.