Chapter 840: The Descending Moon (1)
Before I knew it, the moonlight was shattering into white.
There was no time to think. I shouted at Park Hayul.
“Send the kids back!”
The dream path was almost gone already. Even if this was a safe dream, there was no telling what might happen against Crescent Moon.
“Dad, be careful!”
Gyeol yelled as he hugged Seol and Byeol close. A moment later, the children vanished. The other young monsters disappeared too, and then—
“Mister, I’ll be right back!”
Yerim’s figure also blurred and faded away. Above us, moonlight rippled like an aurora. Park Hayul shrank down, flailing in panic.
– She came in through the dream!
“What?”
– I don’t know the exact details either, but it looks like she slipped in the moment the garden was pushed back and the dream grew stronger!
Crescent Moon belonged to the night, and dreams could also be called a part of night. On top of that, this was already a world built on dreams. When the power of the dream swelled even further, she must have been able to force her way through the gap.
– She isn’t completely inside, but…!
Jingle.
The moonlight trembled. Along with the faint, lingering sound of a bell, silver poured down.
“Hyung!”
Flames wrapped around me. Chains made from moonlight melted and scattered through the dark blue fire. Clang, clang! The sound of silver chains being knocked away rang out again and again, followed by the noise of them gouging into the ground. I hurriedly used Teacher skill.
Crunch!
“Mr. Noah!”
I heard Kang Soyeong shout. A chain slammed into the wing Noah had spread to protect Soyeong, whose stats were comparatively low. Liette immediately swung her sword and cut away the chains trying to coil around him. Noah calmly healed his wound and cast a support skill on Liette.
– Grrrrr.
Peace, transformed to about the size of a sub-adult, bit through the chains raining down on us and wrapped them in flames to melt them. Being too large would only make things harder here. Noah and Liette hadn’t fully transformed into dragons either.
“It’s not impossible to block!”
Moon Hyunah swept away a mass of silver chains all at once with her giant spear.
“But they don’t end!”
She was right. It was moonlight itself. Light from the moon, spreading and pouring endlessly. Yuhyun’s sword bent in a long arc, knocking away the chains shooting toward me. Metal clashed against metal without pause. The sounds mingled with the ringing bells and spread wide like a chorus.
Under Yuhyun’s protection, I barely managed to lift my head and look toward the distant, distant moon. There was no way to reach the place that light was falling from.
“I’m back!”
Yerim appeared again.
“The kids all made it back safely!”
Shwaaaa—
Water surged upward. A massive wall of ice rose into the sky, and the moonlight began to stab into it. Kagagagak! It was like hundreds of arrows raining down. Cracks raced through the thick ice in an instant, and then it shattered into fragments with a crash.
“What’s going on?”
Yerim created another ice wall and teleported over to my side.
“I think Crescent Moon broke in. Hayul, is there any way to drive her out?”
– …
Hyung.
The flower sitting on the toe of my shoe shook his petals side to side.
– Rookie and the transcendents of the Cradle are moving.
“What the hell does that mean?”
– He said they’d try to stop her somehow, then the connection cut off.
Craaack—
Who knew how many ice walls had collapsed by now? There was no room to breathe. I took out my gun too and shot several chains aside.
– I’m trying, but I can’t do it alone!
“Crescent Moon!”
I shouted toward the silent moon. If nothing else, at least say something! Being crushed beneath moonlight that only poured down without a word sent a chill crawling over my skin. She didn’t demand anything. She didn’t try to persuade us. She was simply unleashing it one-sidedly, as though everything had already been decided.
Unlike the ground, where impacts rang out by the dozens, the sky was peaceful. Clouds drifted slowly past as if they had no interest in anything below. I felt like a bug being trampled beneath the foot of a giant that hadn’t even bothered to look down.
I had no idea how many chains had been cut down and beaten away.
But the falling moonlight never changed.
It was like trying to cut apart an endless tide with a blade. No matter how many times you slashed, the water stayed water and kept rushing in. The moonlight was the same. It simply poured and poured.
My chest tightened. Just as I thought we would be trapped in this meaningless repetition until we exhausted ourselves and collapsed—
Jingle.
The moonlight stopped.
“Huh?”
Yerim looked up at the sky, puzzled. The rainlike cascade of silver had been cut off. Yuhyun, the others, and I all looked upward at once. Crescent Moon was still there.
– She hasn’t left… but she stopped?
Park Hayul tilted his flower head. Silence fell abruptly. Having a moment to breathe was a relief, but not knowing the reason made it worse. Why? What the hell had happened? But this was no time to stand around blankly.
“Mr. Noah, which way did the Gardener go?”
Two people were missing. Those two had to be connected to this. I clenched my teeth.
Please don’t do anything stupid. Either of you.
Blue fire swayed like wild grass.
Seong Hyunjae watched Han Yujin’s back. The frailest human among them was walking into a heat even he couldn’t approach. How could that not be enjoyable? His heart beat faster. He could even feel something close to anticipation.
“Isn’t he lovable after all?”
Moon Hyunah, who had been tense and ready to leap in and snatch Han Yujin away if anything went wrong, turned to look at Seong Hyunjae as if he had just said something ridiculous. The fire surged high. And yet not a single hair on Han Yujin’s body was singed. If anything, he looked warm.
“Han Yujin, I mean.”
“…It does seem like he’s experiencing something close to the suspension bridge effect.”
Moon Hyunah spoke as if she were lamenting the fact. She had heard about Han Yuhyun’s peculiar nature, but she had never imagined Han Yujin would accept him even when he had truly become fire itself. It was a relief that Han Yujin was safe. But she couldn’t even begin to guess what would happen from here.
“For now, hyung-nim says that’s his little brother.”
No matter how she looked at it, there wasn’t even the slightest trace of a human form left. It was fire. It was only natural to feel uneasy, wondering whether Han Yujin might vanish into that fire along with him.
“If Han Yujin says so, then I suppose that is what he is.”
“You were going on about how lovable he is, but you’re not worried?”
“Now that the fire has been confirmed as Han Yujin’s brother, there’s no need to worry, is there?”
When Seong Hyunjae had thought it might simply be fire, he had grabbed Han Yujin and stopped him. But now was different. Moon Hyunah frowned, though she gave a small nod all the same.
“When you put it like that… I guess it might be all right.”
It was those brothers, after all. Han Yuhyun didn’t seem likely to hurt Han Yujin, and Han Yujin didn’t seem likely to lose Han Yuhyun like this either. Somehow, it would probably work out. The thought came vaguely to her. Park Yerim, who had been listening to the two of them, wore a similar expression.
Tududuk.
At that moment, the Gardener, who had been still until then, began to sway. Moon Hyunah immediately tightened her grip on her spear. Seong Hyunjae, Park Yerim, and Song Taewon also stiffened, while Noah’s wings twitched.
Crack, craaack—
The enormous insect’s back began to split open. Something blue and soft rose from within, where the flames were seeping inside.
“…Are those wings?”
Park Yerim murmured the question. Wrapped in blue fire, blue wings spread wide. Three pairs of wings beat powerfully and carried the Gardener into the sky in a single motion. After molting, the Gardener showed no interest in Han Yujin or in any of the other humans. His newly formed eyes looked only ahead, toward the distant sky.
For a moment, Moon Hyunah’s eyes were drawn to that strange and beautiful form. Then her face turned troubled.
“Isn’t that dangerous?”
“It does not seem as though he will last long.”
Seong Hyunjae brought out his wings. His gaze rested briefly on Han Yujin’s back. This side would be fine.
“I’ll go take a look.”
Seong Hyunjae chased after the Gardener, who had begun flying somewhere. Even when the human who had threatened him approached, the Gardener did not turn his head. He simply crossed the sky, scattering blue flame and ash. Seong Hyunjae landed on the Gardener’s broad back. He had the instinctive sense that this transcendent’s life would soon come to an end.
The garden was burning.
The dream was drawing to a close.
Darkness would fall like a curtain, and above it, the moon would rise.
Then he felt another beat of wings.
“Hunter Seong Hyunjae.”
Song Taewon jumped down onto the Gardener’s back. Noah, who had carried him there, immediately turned back around, apparently worried about Han Yujin. Seong Hyunjae looked at Song Taewon.
“I don’t recall asking you on a date.”
Instead of answering, Song Taewon looked down at the Gardener. He too could feel that this flight would not last much longer.
“I came to do what I have to do.”
This time, Seong Hyunjae closed his mouth. He walked forward a few light steps and looked past the wings at the scenery stretching ahead. The dream world, restoring itself, held the reality he knew so well.
“It was rather enjoyable.”
Land approached beyond the sea. City buildings began to appear one by one, vivid and solid. The burned wings faltered. Of the three pairs, only one barely remained. Their altitude was slowly dropping.
“I can see the Han River.”
A long, winding ribbon of water. The buildings gradually grew denser. Among them, a familiar building came into view as well. Between two buildings sat a low, round structure. The Dodam Monster Mount Breeding Facility. The Sesung Guild could be seen too. The Awakener Management Office was farther away.
Only a little over a year had passed since Han Yujin turned back time.
It had not been all that long.
Even the last remaining wing broke. The Gardener’s body tilted sharply. More than half of his once-enormous body had already disappeared. Trailing a long stream of ash, he plunged diagonally downward.
Kugugung—
What little remained of his body struck the top of a building. He tore a long gouge across the rooftop before finally coming to a complete stop. Seong Hyunjae and Song Taewon jumped down onto the roof and watched the transcendent scatter away.
“Not a bad funeral. Shouldn’t we call your little brother too?”
Song Taewon did not respond to Seong Hyunjae’s remark. Even if the Gardener had created him, that was nothing more than a simple fact. Song Taewon had parents. He had grandparents. He had a younger brother who had held on to him until the end. He had colleagues who had wanted to protect him as well.
The Gardener had said that Song Taewon had grown differently from what he intended.
Then that was all there was to it.
“If anything, you and Han Yujin probably influenced me more.”
After a long while, Song Taewon finally spoke. The Gardener’s words had shaken him, however briefly. But not anymore. The Gardener’s body vanished, and a magic stone appeared in his place. Chareureu. A golden chain snatched it up.
“It isn’t that large.”
It was a magic stone with a dark blue sheen, small enough to fit in one hand.
“Did he use up his power molting?”
“Give it to me.”
Song Taewon held out his hand. Seong Hyunjae looked back at him. Their eyes met.
“If there is no other way, then give it to me. That should be enough.”
Enough to replenish the energy needed to swallow the pseudo-origin.
The Gardener had said Song Taewon would have to swallow something on the scale of an entire country to deal with the pseudo-origin. In that case, a single transcendent’s magic stone would be more than enough. Even weakened, the Gardener had been one of the transcendents born from devouring his own world.
“I thought you would want to go home.”
Seong Hyunjae lightly rolled the magic stone in his hand.
“Your child is waiting too, is she not?”
“Yes. I…”
Song Taewon’s gaze turned beyond the rooftop railing. The city he had lived in reflected in his eyes.
“I tried to protect it by suppressing myself.”
Perhaps it had been a desperate attempt to erase the monster inside him. Perhaps it had been a kind of atonement. Because he himself had been the greatest threat, Song Taewon had included himself among the things to be excluded. Stopping high-ranking Hunters and protecting ordinary people—those acts themselves were a way of pressing himself down and holding himself still.
“I still believe I am dangerous. But.”
Even so, something had changed a little.
“This time, I want to protect the place where I stayed.”
Song Taewon’s protection had existed for the sake of protection itself. He had not thrown himself into danger because he wanted or wished for something. But now, the people around him had entered his field of vision. Beginning with the younger brother who had wanted to protect him, and continuing through everything Song Taewon had accumulated while living his life.
“So this is my selfishness.”
It was not simply a matter of protecting.
“I still hope, Hunter Seong Hyunjae, that you do not lose yourself. On top of that, I have added one personal wish of my own.”
Helping Seong Hyunjae was an extension of protection, and in a sense, repayment as well. But the desire to preserve the place where he had stayed was an entirely personal wish. There would be people who remembered Song Taewon. In the space he left behind, one little lamb would be running around.
Seong Hyunjae suddenly looked up at the sky. Moonlight was beginning to seep faintly through. With the Gardener’s complete disappearance, Sigma’s contract, which had been transferred to Seong Hyunjae, also vanished.
And in Seong Hyunjae’s hand was the Gardener’s magic stone.
There was no longer any reason to wait.
“I see. And there isn’t much time left.”
“Give it to me now.”
Song Taewon urged him again. Seong Hyunjae smiled.
“No.”
“Hunter Seong Hyunjae.”
Chareureuk. Golden chains circled around Seong Hyunjae. Mischief glinted in his gold eyes.
“Come at me.”
With everything you have, since this may be the last time.
A deep furrow appeared between Song Taewon’s brows. After one short sigh, the heel of his dress shoe kicked off the ground.
–TL Notes–
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