Episode 4: The Great Colonizing Age / Chapter: Demon King (5)
TL: emptycube
Editor: Obelisk
**
From the outside, the dome that covered Seongbuk District was opaque, but from the inside, it was transparent. Of course, this place looked to be from outer space instead of Seongbuk District, but the sky they saw outside the dome was still the Earth’s sky.
It was currently dusk.
Flames spread from Choi Hyuk’s hand as though it would burn the whole world.
{Kiiiiaahh!}
The cries of the devil, caught by Choi Hyuk, rang out continuously.
The pitiful devil used to be the nightmare of the Seongbuk District awakenees in the past. The Flaming Devil that melted cement and steel with its endless flames. The devil that was narrowly held back through Saintess Choi Miyeon’s death.
However, the devil was currently crying. Its face, grasped by Choi Hyuk, had become distorted with burns.
Its cries were desperate, similar to the pleading of a person in tears. No human thought that a monster that was filled with killing intent could cry like this.
“Does it hurt? Does this hurt?”
Yet, Choi Hyuk felt its cries were insufficient. The monster that killed his mother, the monster that snickered as he heard his mother’s cries, for a monster like that to cry after this much… Wasn’t this boring to the point of being absurd?
“You can’t be like this.”
As Choi Hyuk let go, its face, where the eyes, nose, and mouth had melted together, was revealed. The devil tried to open its mouth to scream, but it wasn’t able to let out a proper cry as its upper and lower lips had merged together. The sound of air escaping and its cry reverberating from its throat mixed together to sound like the winds from hell.
Shrriiieek, Guahhh!
<Flaming Wing Dance> was still activated. Other monsters didn’t dare approach due to the flame-like feathers fluttering around his body.
“There’s still a lot left.”
Choi Hyuk grabbed the devil’s leg with his left hand. Its leg burned.
{Krrrr!}
Unable to properly scream due to its burning mouth, the devil shrunk in fright. Choi Hyuk dragged it by its leg as if dragging a corpse.
Every step Choi Hyuk took would be engulfed in flames, and even the monsters that were wary from afar became enwrapped in the flames, rolling on the ground before turning to ash. In an area filled with broken machines, screams sporadically cut off and only the suppressed cries of the devil weakly continued. A strange stillness.
The sound of the devil being dragged could be heard clearly.
Thunk, thunk, thud!
The devil, which was being dragged while head-butting against piles of machines, had, at some point, become sprawled on the ground. The leg Choi Hyuk grabbed had burned and cut off. The devil was unable to endure the pain as its body flailed around on the ground.
“What the… it cut off?”
Choi Hyuk, with an unimpressed look, rubbed his hand that had turned black with ash and grabbed another leg. His steps were walking towards the ‘eyeless observers’.
Choi Hyuk wanted to hear it. A collaborative song of the Flaming Devil and their screams.
“Now, now. I’ll be gentle so endure for a bit longer.”
To prevent the Flaming Devil from becoming dull to the pain, Choi Hyuk lowered the heat. Thunk, Thunk. The Flaming Devil, which was being dragged while striking into machines, felt a momentary coolness… and learned the unfamiliar emotions of despair and fear.
**
A purple color swelled up between the red sun like veins.
The Berserkers fell into a state of madness over the hallucinations and mental stimulation created by the ‘eyeless observers’.
The Berserkers’ characteristic boundary, which narrowly hovered between order and disorder, had disappeared, and only disorder remained. There were some who forgot themselves in the voices of their loved ones, while others jumped in after seeing hallucinations, yet, the result was the same. It was madness. The ‘eyeless observers’ made the Berserkers emotional, however, the emotions the majority of them possessed were only rage, despair and a madness mixed with spasmodic bursts of pleasure. The Berserkers, who were unable to resist the eyeless observers’ mental attacks, simply fell into a state of madness.
However, the circumstances were the same for the Berserkers who had resisted the mental attacks. Even though they understood the monsters’ tricks, they didn’t care. They didn’t attempt to stay calm. They didn’t resist and left their bodies to fall into the madness guided by the monsters.
Why?
“Ha. Ha. Haha…”
Dispirited laughter erupted out.
The moment they lost the people dearest to them, the fear, cowardice, and longing from that day, all turned into hallucinations created by the monsters. Similar the darkness they felt the moment they were about to fall asleep and the confusion they felt when their eyes opened in the morning, the Berserkers suddenly realized. The dullness of their life that continued since that day. They who lived in a partly dream-like state after leaving everything that was beautiful behind. They who lived simply because they hadn’t died. The feeling of futility in their chests that couldn’t be sated after drinking rivers of blood and consuming mountains of flesh.
And the rage they felt towards the monster bastards that used these memories.
Enlightenment? Strategy, tactics?
At this moment, the majority of the Berserkers had the same thought.
‘’Fuck that!’
“Keaahhhhh!!”
{Keulalalh!}
Monsters and Berserkers tangled together. Who was the monster, and who was the human? They were indistinguishable. Slicing with swords, ripping bones with their hands, tearing off veins and smashing heads… The Berserkers charged at the same time. Whether the monsters responded systematically or not, whether they died or not, until all the monsters were dead, until the Berserkers’ limbs were smashed apart and they died, they would restlessly press forward.
They thought,
‘Whether you die or I die, I just wish for everything to die.’
Of course, there were a few who maintained their senses.
Lee Jinhee and Bae Jinman were like that.
“Come to your senses!”
Unable to communicate. Lee Jinhee shouted as she looked at the Berserkers who scattered like tiger moths and died along with the monsters. Even if she stopped those who were running out, it would only be for an instant. Lee Jinhee felt a thorough helplessness. There was no way to stop them.
“If you continue like this, you’ll die! You crazy bastards!!!”
She shouted until her voice was hoarse, but it was useless.
Lee Jinhee looked around her. She looked for a commander who could calm this situation. Ryu Hyunsung and Baek Seoin. However, even they weren’t in their right minds.
Ryu Hyunsung was a Berserker who ran out faster than anyone. The eyeless observers brought him panic and fear. Thus, he was unable to stop.
Although no one knew this, he had a vulnerable mind. He was weak to stress and had no hostility. He was like this since young. So, even though he possessed better sword skills than anyone else, he wasn’t selected as an Olympic athlete. ‘He’s used for practice. He doesn’t have the temperament of a victor.’ That was what his coach would always say, and it was also something Ryu Hyunsung felt in his bones.
Whenever he stood in official competitions which were more bloodthirsty than hostile, he was unable to display even half of his abilities after succumbing under pressure.
That was how he lost all his chances to participate and returned to campus. Ryu Hyunsung spent his time lazily sleeping, flopped on his desk, during lectures. Though it was self-deprecating, perhaps it was because he was naturally meek, but a listless peace wasn’t bad. However, when he woke up from his nap, what he saw were the blood and flesh of other students. Everything changed that day.
“Euaahhh!”
Ryu Hyunsung wanted to live. He wanted to survive. Because he did, he hid all his fear, astonishment and vulnerability deep into his heart. He jumped into terror and wielded his sword more viciously than anyone. Until that horrible feeling dulled.
Now, Ryu Hyunsung endured vicious fights better than anyone and possessed murderous intent. However, that didn’t mean his true nature had completely disappeared. He still had nightmares every night. He couldn’t sleep without his sword, and because he wielded his sword in his sleep, he couldn’t sleep with anyone.
The ‘eyeless observers’ brought out the loathing that seeped out when he was asleep. As someone who possessed the ‘Mind’s Eye’ trait, he was able to quickly resist it, but fear and astonishment couldn’t be easily repressed once released. There only one solution. Like before. He would have to jump into that fear and endure. Until his sensitive senses dulled.
Ryu Hyunsung threw out his responsibilities as a commander and began to run amuck amongst the monsters. His unmatched precise and exquisite sword skills shone with murderous ferocity.
Lee Jinhee sighed.
“Ryu hyung doesn’t look good… Baek hyung? What about Baek hyung?”
The only person she could believe in was Baek Seoin.
Baek Seoin possessed both ‘Intuition’ and ‘Mind’s Eye’. As expected, he wasn’t in a state of madness like the other Berserkers. However, he didn’t have the ability to control this situation.
He was in a state of listlessness.
“Baek hyung! Do something!”
Lee Jinhee shouted hurriedly, but Baek Seoin slowly shook his head.
“What can we do… We can’t stop this. We already remembered.”
Then, as if he suddenly remembered something, he placed his hands over his eyes and sighed.
“Haa… Fuck…. Fuck this…”
The depression he usually felt when he was alone came up and wouldn’t die down.
“What do you mean there’s nothing we can do!”
Lee Jinhee became sick of this. How was it that all her supposed comrades weren’t of their right mind? Her head ached when she saw these mad Berserkers ripping into the monsters.
‘I hate this. I hate it.’
However, she couldn’t continue hating it forever.
“Haa… What do I do about Youngjin.”
It was because she knew his circumstances better than anyone else. Chu Youngjin was literally shedding blood tears. She wasn’t sure how he was using his karma, but the veins in his eyes had popped, and blood mixed with his tears. There was no doubt he was hearing the screams of Lee Hyejin, his lover.
When she knew the reason why he couldn’t help but fall into a state of madness, she was distressed and heartbroken. Of course, Lee Jinhee also heard the voices she hated the most. However, she only felt disgusted, it wasn’t to the point of driving her mad. Either way, she didn’t lose anyone dear to her in this mess. Hadn’t she left her friends and family behind to come to Seoul? Although it did seem that some of her parkour friends had died… she was only sad. It didn’t drive her mad. Instead, she had actually gained good friends like Choi Hyuk, Chu Youngjin, and Baek Seoin after that day.
Lee Jinhee saw Alexei wielding his sword with sunken eyes.
“Lyosha! Lyosha! Come back! Hey! Can’t you hear me?! Lyosha!”
If it was any other day, he would have come wagging his tail, but as if he couldn’t hear her, he didn’t even look back. He disappeared amongst the monsters.
Lee Jinhee, who was jumping up and down unable to do anything, spotted someone who still had his senses. It was Guardian Bae Jinman.
He tried his best to bring the Berserkers back to their senses. However, it was no use. Even when he granted a sense of security and solidarity with his ‘Get up!’, their eyes would momentarily return to normal before falling into a state of madness again. If he poured all his strength, he may be able to return one or two people to normal, but that would be useless. Also, it was difficult for Bae Jinman to approach fierce battles. Eventually, Bae Jinman was barely taking care of the Berserkers who had become mad and were injuring themselves.
Nonetheless, the madness was fierce. The Berserkers were wiping away the monsters with incredible vigor. However, unnecessary losses were just as large. Bae Jinman looked at the casualties in regret, but there was nothing he could do.
Lee Jinhee thought of something good when she saw him. She abruptly grabbed his hand.
“Guardian!”
“Yes?”
“I have a good plan! Follow me!”
The place Lee Jinhee dragged Bae Jinman to was in front of Baek Seoin. Baek Seoin was still depressed and listless.
“Baek hyung! I’m going to turn you back to normal. As long as you regain your senses, you can do something.”
Bae Jinman gazed at Baek Seoin. Baek Seoin was the one who actually led the Berserkers instead of Choi Hyuk, who wasn’t interested in politics. Baek Seoin, who was thoughtful, meticulous, and cheerful, was emitting a depression and listlessness he didn’t show normally in their entirety.
He had replied to Lee Jinhee before, but he had further weakened during this time. Even when Lee Jinhee and Bae Jinman came close, he didn’t take notice of them. Indeed, in a hellish battlefield where even normal people would become crazy, there was no way Baek Seoin, who suffered from depression, could endure.
Bae Jinmen felt pained. There was no one who didn’t harbor some sort of hell after that day. And that hell manifested here and now. It was regrettable. Because of this, he wasn’t confident.
“… I don’t know if I can succeed with my power. Director Baek is an expert of the Mind’s Eye trait… He had already resisted the eyeless observers’ tricks. The reason why he’s like this now is solely because of his depression…”
The only thing the eyeless observed did was pull the trigger. Everything else was done by himself. So Bae Jinman wasn’t confident in being able to cut the shackles of Baek Seoin’s depression.
Rather than pouring his strength into Baek Seoin, it was better to take care of the Berserkers who were injuring themselves. Since Baek Seoin was quiet.
However, Lee Jinhee refuted.
“No. There’s still a chance. Baek hyung isn’t mad like the others!”
“Now that I look at it…”
Fights erupted everywhere. Those Berserkers, who were affected, became mad and fought the monsters or would injure themselves. However, Baek Seoin was simply standing absentmindedly.
Lee Jinhee said,
“His Intuition is activating right now. Even now, he still wants to live! There’s no doubt he’s standing still since it will be life-threatening if he wounds himself or if he jumps towards the monsters! So his survival instincts and his self-destructive instincts are fighting! If you help him a little, you can make it so that his survival instincts win!”
At those words, Bae Jinman resolved himself. He poured his karma, which was filled with life energy, directly into Baek Seoin. It seemed to be of no use for a while. Baek Seoin simply stood absentmindedly. However, when Bae Jinman increased his strength, there was an effect.
“Haa…”
Baek Seoin let out a big sigh. He raised his shoulders and then let them fall.
He shook his head and blinked his eyes. He slowly met Bae Jinman and Lee Jinhee’s gazes and rapped Lee Jinhee’s head.
He grumbled,
“Hey. What do you mean ‘Even now, he still wants to live?’… If you say it like that, it makes me look bad.”
Lee Jinhee rubbed the place she was hit and smiled brightly. Baek Seoin had returned to normal.
“So what!”
She shouted before giving him a tight hug. In this state, she asked,
“But what do we do now? If things stay like this, all the Berserkers will die.”
Baek Seoin patted her back as he looked at the situation. In his eyes, it didn’t look like they would all die. Since Berserkers were still strong. Still, it seemed around half would die.
‘It’ll be difficult if that happens.’
Baek Seoin said to Bae Jinman.
“It seems we’ll need your power.”
Bae Jinman expressed his disapproval.
“Maybe if there were one or two… If I use my power in a large area, it won’t work.”
Baek Seoin nodded. Then he raised his palm and flipped it over.
“That’s why we do the opposite.”
“Opposite?”
“Yes. I understand now that I’ve experienced it. This isn’t something we can stop. Instead, it is better if we blow it up even more. Make them madder. Detonate it so that they kill the other side before they die.”
“Haa?”
“Huu…”
Lee Jinhee and Bae Jinman’s jaws dropped at his extreme suggestion. Baek Seoin smiled brightly and said,
“Those who seek death will live~”{1}
{1} Baek Seoin was quoting Admiral Lee Sunshin. “Those who seek death shall live. Those who seek life shall die.”
