‘Well, well. Look who decided to grace us with their presence.’
"You bastard! What do you think you’re doing right now?!"
‘What’s wrong? What did I do...’
"What the hell did you do?!"
‘Of course, I figured you’d be watching from the shadows.’
My heart pounded when I saw the agitated Jin Cheong. A jolt shot through me, and whether I wanted to admit it or not, the word “Papa” definitely struck a nerve. With a warp gate nearby, it'd take him no time to reach the Blue Guild.
I checked through the Telescope and saw that he had already arrived in Lindel.
He arrived at the Blue Guild’s grounds with the Republic’s elites, and there wasn't any trace of his previous composure on his face. He looked anxious, and it seemed that he didn’t even have the luxury of time to speak with Jo Hye-Jin, the newly appointed operations commander.
As for why he didn't have the time to do that? It was all because he was already sprinting toward the barrier.
‘Wait... why is he acting so irrationally?’
"Commander! Wait..."
"..."
"Commander... let’s try to talk with the Blue Guild and figure out how to work together with them. We’re still gathering information about the barrier. I know you’re upset, but losing your temper won’t solve anything."
"D-Don’t make me laugh."
Looks like he was panicking so much that he couldn't even speak politely to his subordinates.
"Commander, please... please stop. The Blue Guild is currently discussing a plan of action..."
"It’s dangerous. Commander. Commander!"
"Commander!"
Jin Cheong’s transformation was so extreme that his subordinates broke out into a nervous sweat. He was like a runaway train. Regardless of the truth, he looked like he had lost his mind from the anxiety of possibly losing his son.
His face was flushed, tense, and restless. It seemed that he had made up his mind to disregard his subordinates’ warnings. This was a behavior that, strictly speaking, was unacceptable.
Lindel and the Blue Guild had only asked for cooperation in the operation.
The Blue Guild held full command, so Jin Cheong’s reckless behavior was not just inappropriate. It bordered on a diplomatic offense. If this were a minor incident, it'd be dismissed, but it was serious enough to be noticed, especially when he looked like he was going to go to war.
Watching him ignore the field commander and rush blindly toward the barrier was something else.
Jin Cheong was always capable of controlling himself, but he was visibly falling apart at the moment, and it made the Republic’s forces feel uneasy. Anyone could see that he was acting not as a soldier of the Republic, but as a father.
“Father...” I mumbled.
According to the story, Jin Cheong of the Republic was enduring great pain behind the scenes. He had been pretending to be unaffected, but the experience of losing his beloved spouse on that day was deeply etched in his heart.
There was a saying that one would only know what was precious to them upon losing it.
"Damn it! Damn it!"
"Commander! It’s dangerous! Please step away from the barrier."
"Commander! Please don’t go that way. Getting this worked up won’t bring Mr. Jin Young back."
He was probably reminiscing about the unforgettable past. He was thinking about the scene back then, its atmosphere, and his beloved. Perhaps Jin Cheong couldn’t bear it, after all. He knew it was all his fault, but perhaps he pushed Jin Young away, as the kid reminded him of his beloved spouse's face.
The genius commander of the Republic and the Hero of Shadows was human after all.
‘Damn it... it’s a sad story.’
I could confidently say that this narrative would boost his approval rating by at least ten percent.
Actually, it was already going up.
‘That bastard better treat me right.’
I could already see the faces of the Republic officials wiping away their tears. Some of the most loyal among them were even crying out loud.
"Commander... heuk..."
"Commander!"
"Commander!!"
Witnessing the breakdown of their respected commander had to be heartbreaking.
Naturally, Jin Cheong didn’t betray their expectations. He boldly moved toward the barrier and extended his hand toward it. Shockingly, he was actually managing to force his way into Jung Ha-Yan's barrier.
‘Shit. He must be really angry.’
A top-tier protection spell was protecting him, but he wasn't immune to damage.
The barrier reacted to the intruder, sending waves of powerful mana, but the Republic commander pushed through with clenched teeth. He took one firm step after another. If he had been an average adventurer, he would have disintegrated by now.
He had created a scene where an epic background music wouldn’t feel out of place.
"No... way..."
"Commander..."
‘Commander Jin’s approval rating is climbing steadily!’
"Aaaah! Damn it! You bastard!"
"Sh-Shouldn’t we stop him? At this rate..."
‘How are you going to stop him?’
"Commander! Shit!!! Notify the others that the commander has entered the barrier! Provide as much support as we can..."
"Mages! What the hell are you guys doing?!"
"Sir! Sir! Sh-Should we notify the Blue Guild?"
"Are you crazy? Secure the perimeter first. Damn it... I don’t know either. Just ask for their understanding and say he’s operating solo. There’s nothing we can do now. It’s already out of our hands..."
"B-But... if something happens to the commander..."
"That won’t happen. He's the commander, after all."
The barrier wasn't thin at all. In fact, it was actually a thick wall of mana and was a maze in itself. Even Commander Jin looked like he knew that taking the whole thing down wouldn’t be easy, but it looked like he could at least find a way through it. Every single step inside the barrier was like solving a puzzle made of pure mana, and the fact that he could take steps inside it proved that he wasn’t lacking in the brains department.
‘Damn it...’
He was moving pretty fast as well.
"You bastard... Lee Ki-Young... you jerk!"
Of course, it looked like he was slow.
While Jin Cheong’s right-hand man and subordinates were anxiously fidgeting outside, as they couldn't follow him into the barrier, Jin Cheong was pressing forward without slowing down.
In the end, all they could do was stand outside and stare at Jin Cheong in stunned silence.
"Excuse me, sir..."
"..."
"Have you ever seen the commander... act that way?"
"It’s my first time seeing him so worked up..."
"..."
"He’s been through a lot. He acts tough, but deep down... he has a gentle side... He’s lonely... and the truth is, he’s the kindest person you could ever meet."
"Did... you know? About Mr. Jin Young..."
"I wasn’t sure... but I had an idea."
‘How?’
"There were more than a few times when he left without saying a word."
"Then the rumor... about Mr. Jin Young? And about his wife?"
"Yeah, I’m sure those rumors are true."
At this rate, I felt like someone would step forward and claim that they witnessed the whole thing. As if proving the veracity of the Mandela Effect, testimonies about Jin Cheong and Jin Young were already spilling out everywhere.
Some people even claimed to have seen Lee Ki-Yeon themselves, adding even more drama to the tragic tale. The surge in approval ratings was already a done deal.
When it came to the emotional impact, losing something was always going to hit harder than getting it back.
"Lee Ki-Young, you bastard! You scum!"
‘So he’s really physically gifted.’
Jin Cheong ignored everything that was happening around him and moved through the barrier. I knew he was strong, but the sight before me was still shocking. Now that I thought about it, I was seeing him run for the first time, and he was a pretty fast runner.
He charged forward, smashing the skulls of the skeletons that appeared in his path. He didn’t even bother with performing fancy moves; his fists flew wildly, blasting the skeletons away.
He was like a wild beast charging with raw speed and power, and I wasn’t exaggerating things here. Why had someone with such physical prowess bothered to play soldier? He could have immediately become a general.
‘Do you... really want to save me?’
Unfortunately, he couldn't do that.
‘So you've finally realized just how precious I am?’
Regret would only come when it was already too late. There was no need for the kids or Commander Jin to act, and I couldn't really see them anymore.
The story was heading toward its climax. Amidst the brutal battle, I used all of my powers to seal the demon.
Of course, the price would be my life. The cursed magic pushed my body to my limits. My soul was being worn down, but I remained resolute. I fought for my friends and for my father... who was watching from afar.
[I can’t believe a kid managed to defeat me!]
I was sure the kids heard the legion commander fragment’s loud voice.
[My lifelong desire... No... it can’t end now. It can’t end like this... I won’t... be dragged back... to the bottom of hell...]
Papa was probably listening in. I was sure he heard that I stopped the crisis. He knew that it was a hard fight, but I made it through. He knew I ultimately pulled it off, and he knew that a small... miracle had taken place.
The dark clouds slowly cleared up. The sunlight, which seemed like it would never appear again, shone down on us, and the dark, foreboding pillar of sinister mana was disappearing slowly.
The stormy winds gradually calmed down, but instead of roaring cheers, I heard someone murmuring, “Did he... really do it?”
“Did he... actually do it?! Shit!”
“Jin Young! Mr. Jin Young! Mr. Jin Young... did it!”
“As expected... from my rival. Haha... hahaha!” Felis Hanest laughed boisterously.
They cheered and laughed until someone saw what was beyond within the black flames.
“Mr. Jin Young! Are you okay? Mr. Jin Young!”
What the kids saw was a fragile boy with nothing left. The Republic's genius son and the cursed boy had burned everything to ashes, including even his own life. He had turned pale white, and there was no warmth left in him.
My eyes were open, but they were devoid of any life. My lips and skin were withered and dry, but the faint smile tugging at my lips suggested that I had left this world satisfied.
Silence descended; there wasn't a single sound, and no one dared to speak.
Soon, faint cries filled the air.
“H-H-He’s... okay, right?” Felis stammered and trembled with eyes full of tears.
“Hey... h-he’s... okay, right? Heuk... heuuuk... Jin Young. Jin Young... you’re okay... right?!” Felis shouted.
“...” “Answer me! Answer me, damn it!” Felis roared.
Obviously, he heard no answers at all.
“Answer me! Jin Young! Heuuuk! Answer me! Answer meeeee!"
“...”
“Heuk... keugh... heuuuk... AAAAAH!” Felis sobbed. Honestly, I wasn’t that close to him, but this kid was clearly becoming too emotional.
“Answer me! Jin Young!!”