As always, it wasn’t a situation where I could confidently say, “This is the answer.”
After all, there was still the chance that all this was a result of a series of coincidences.
Sure, the probability had increased, but just because Jung Jin-Ho died upon getting hit by a multitude of arrows didn't necessarily mean that it was exactly the same death as the first life.
‘No, actually, it’s not ambiguous at all.’
Still, the idea that this irregular being named Lee Ki-Young, who suddenly popped up on the continent, was the beginning and the end of all this seemed less ridiculous than that.
It made sense that Ki-Young had an influence on the second life, but to think that the second life had also influenced the first life made everything feel like a perfectly written script.
‘Who the hell am I? Was I born for the sake of this damn continent or something...’
Of course, the God of Sacrifice and Revival was one of the main deities governing this land. Together with Belial and Benigoa, they wrote the mythbook for this continent and played the biggest role in its current independence.
However, what I had just described happened only in the second life. It had nothing to do with the first life, which had already happened.
The Mole Saint’s Cozy Sanctuary was Benigoa’s final ode to Altanus, but this trip back to the first life wasn’t due to any dungeon or anything. Even our own people had no idea what was happening.
Honestly, I almost wish that this was some scheme by Benigoa or Belial. At least, our team wouldn’t be so clueless about what was going on. Everyone agreed that this entire story seemed like it was crafted by those damn tentacled monsters.
There was also a chance that...
‘There's a chance that the issues that are supposed to appear during the journey to full independence are just starting to pop up...'
I couldn't help but think that way. Our independence was certified by the System, so no issues would arise, but there was no way that something like this could go off without a hitch. Before our full independence, the continent was likely managed by the higher-ups.
Lucifer vanished, and Altanus stepped in as the new overseer, but thinking about it now, she was just a saint trapped inside an Iron Maiden. It was obvious that, like Benigoa, she had to have borrowed holy power from here and there to keep the continent running.
It would make more sense to believe that the rushed independence had created holes in the narrative holding the continent together. Perhaps we were repaying the debt that the continent owed a long time ago.
‘Or maybe those tentacled monsters... are just trying to slowly consume the continent.'
If not that, then perhaps Lee Ki-Young was the starting point. Frankly, whichever it was, it was not a welcoming answer at all, but regardless of my will, the official history was already unfolding before me.
The end of the mad serial killer’s story was drawing near.
Even now, I could see him busy butchering humans. Of course, it wasn’t easy. How could it be? The bastard was utterly exhausted and was in the middle of a collapse. To make matters worse, the people facing him were qualified enough to be called Lindel’s elite adventurers.
More and more arrows pierced him as he cast spells and swung his sword to resist.
"Answer me! Answer me! Are you still... not satisfied?! Heh... blegh... cough...
‘What would happen if I were to answer?’
Would it change the future? If I said something different, would his death play out in a different way?
"Ha... hehe... hahahahahaha!"
Another arrow pierced his chest. The calculative murderer, unable to hold out any longer, dropped to his knees. Then, he collapsed completely, dead silent. Voices of disbelief echoed in the air.
"I-is the monster... dead?"
‘No... he’s alive...’
"Is he dead?"
In that brief moment of hesitation, Jung Jin-Ho abruptly stood up and grabbed the nearest adventurer by the neck. Spells and arrows rained down again, but he kept moving, using the captured adventurer as a shield.
"Shit! Why won’t he just die?! You bastard! Are you immortal or something? Damn it!"
"Shiiit!"
"Just shoot! Don’t hold back! Keep firing your arrows! We’re close! Just a little more and he’ll go down. He’s human. He’s still human! Don’t retreat! Don’t run!"
"Heh... ugh... aaah..."
‘He’s going to die anyway.’
A small but critical decision had to be made for the sake of the final confirmation.
[Creating a Legendary-rank Forced Quest.]
[It brings me joy, but I had hoped you would survive, my knight. (0/1)]
[A Legendary-rank Forced Quest has been delivered to Jung Jin-Ho. A Quest Clear Reward has been declared.]
[Checking the Quest Clear Reward.]
[The Crimson Sky]
‘I have to confirm it.’
This move was only possible because I believed that even if Jung Jin-Ho ended up dying in a different place, the future wouldn't be significantly affected.
I wasn’t worried about the quest being cleared.
Jung Jin-Ho was never going to survive, anyway. His body was practically dead. Whatever was keeping him alive, it wasn't something I could even figure out at this point. He had clearly reached his limits. Honestly, those idiots from Lindel, who were firing arrows at him, could retreat, and it still wouldn’t make any difference.
They could just leave him alone, as he would be dead in just minutes. Of course, they had no idea that was the case, so they were still desperately fighting the psychopathic killer.
Just then, Jung Jin-Ho received my message and broke down in tears.
"Ugh... uhh... ha... hahaha... You heard my voice..."
And absurdly enough, he didn’t run away.
‘Did he give up?’
"Ha... hahahaha! Hahahahahaha!"
Instead, he stood firm, looking determined to squeeze out the last vestiges of his strength. He didn’t even bother pulling out the arrows anymore. He was clearly aware that the blood loss was making him lose consciousness.
Looking like a walking pincushion, the bastard staggered forward, step by step, toward his target.
Just then, Kim Hyun-Sung finally arrived.
‘That’s right, Hyun-Sung. Just take his head off. Or drag him away!’
"Don’t touch him! Kim Hyun-Sung! Damn it!"
"..."
"He’s ours. We caught him! Kim Hyun-Sung!"
"...
"Stop playing dumb and get lost!"
‘Why are they so greedy?’
"But..."
"Trying to land the final attack on someone who’s practically dead? Don’t just swoop in to snatch the kill! Just stand there and watch if you have to! We’ve almost got him! Keep firsting! Don’t stop until he drops!"
"Heh... ugh... hahahahahahahahahaha!"
"Just fire, damn it! You bastards! What the hell are you doing?! Don’t run! He’s going to die anyway!"
"I’m overjoyed! Hehehe... So... overjoyed! O Young Death! Just as I think of you, you think of me, too!"
"Keep firing! Don’t stop!"
"Ugh... blegh... What death could be more perfect than this?! What end could suit me better? Heh... cough..."
"Don’t stop! Maintain your distance! Cast your spells, even if it’s an AoE spell!"
"What stage could suit me better than this one? Thank you... heh... cough..."
‘Man, can’t you die somewhere else, in some other way?’
"Ahhh... hrrgh... hrrraagh... I’m so happy. So incredibly happy! How could I ever turn my back on you... haha... hahahahaha! You bring me such joy, Death! Isn’t it only right that I bring joy to you as well?!"
Shards of ice rained down, piercing Jung Jin-Ho. A large-scale AoE spell was cast solely for the sake of killing the psychopathic killer. They disregarded the concept of mana efficiency just to cast that spell.
He wasn't supposed to be able to move under such a powerful attack, but he was somehow casting spells with a body barely holding up together.
The blood scattered on the ground took shape, forming into blades that erupted in every direction. Juliena made the same move.
Kim Hyun-Sung gnashed his teeth and tried to charge forward, but the idiots blinded by glory kept shouting at him to stay out of it.
‘At this point, being stupid is a talent as well.’
"Ahhhhh!"
"Priest... priest... hurry... hurry!
"What do you think you’re doing... Wh-what the..."
When Jung Jin-Ho raised his hand again, his blood changed shapes once more, transforming into deadly weapons. Arrows rained down on him, but he only shielded his head and retaliated by casting his prepared spell. I knew his spells weren't bad, but they were more mana efficient than I thought.
At this moment, his holy power was no more, and he was coughing up dark red blood.
He looked like he barely had the strength to speak.
"Heh... hehehe..."
A sick, unsettling laugh kept slipping out from him.
Craaaaaack!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
"Ahhhhhhhhh!"
"Damn it... don’t run! Don’t run!"
"Heh... blegh... cough... Death..."
"Haa... heh..."
"Heh... heh... ugh..."
"He’s out of power! He’s..."
"Ha... heh... hehehehe... What a shame..."
"What?"
"What a shame... ugh... heh... heuuung... heh... ugh..."
‘Damn that gave me the chills. Seriously, he’s such a huge guy... but he’s crying like a baby.’
"Heuk... huuuh... huuuuuh... It’s such a shame! Such a shame... that I couldn’t take more with me... It’s unbearable... that I only managed to kill this many... Ugh... aaaaaaaaagh!
"Just a few more! I should’ve killed just a few more... aaah... aaaaaaaaah!"
"..."
"..."
"I despise this body... that can no longer move. Heh... ugh... heuuuuuuung..."
I wasn’t the only one feeling creeped out. Everyone went silent at the sight of true madness. It was a kind of madness that people would never be able to empathize with no matter how hard they tried. This guy was truly insane.
Even from my perspective, he felt like someone one would never want to get involved with. His thoughts and worldview were completely different from normal people.
I could tell that the people witnessing the sight were unsettled, visibly shaken by the sheer madness before them. Some were even afraid of him despite the fact that he was barely alive and could no longer move.
Everyone gathered here... was just standing, watching, unable to let loose the final arrow. They could only wait for his end.
Even Kim Hyun-Sung had fallen silent; his anger and thirst for revenge seemed to have vanished as he simply stared at the man. Perhaps the man before him was no longer familiar to him.
As for me, he was nothing like the man from my memories, who greeted us with that warm, kind smile.
They all just stood there, watching as he sobbed and waited for what felt like an eternity.
Just then, one of them, overwhelmed by an unknown terror, raised their crossbow and fired.
"Ugh... aaaah... D-die! You demon bastard!"
It wasn’t a calculated shot. The arrow was fired in a desperate, reflexive outburst. And yet, it landed far too easily. The arrow clearly pierced the forehead of Jung Jin-Ho, who could no longer put up even the slightest resistance.
Thwack!
Jung Jin-Ho's head tilted backward. He was still on his knees, and the blood trickling down his forehead pooled into his eyes.
"The crimson... sky... heh..."
"..."
"Heh... haa... the crimson... s-sky..."
"..."
"Heh... heh... sky... hahahahaha! Hahahahahahahahaha! Hahahahahahahahahaha!"
"..."
"Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha—"
As soon as his laughter disappeared, his breathing came to a halt.
"..."
‘Th-that crazy bastard...’