#375
I Love You
The climactic battle between Messiah and Kim Deok-Sung high above Tokyo was being live-streamed to all of humanity through Kurosawa Yuji’s mental projection.
Every screen, whether a TV or computer, was broadcasting the showdown, and even in remote areas without TVs or computers, the images of their battle floated in the sky like a fantasy.
All 7.7 billion people were watching the decisive battle between Kim Deok-Sung and Messiah, a conflict that would determine the fate of this world.
Excluding Messiah’s followers and allies, all of humanity knew Messiah’s ultimate purpose through Kurosawa Yuji’s mental projection.
The end of the current world and the creation of the New World.
When the world ends, everything—wealth, status, power, gender, and age—would cease to exist.
Ironically, the end was truly equal for everyone.
No one living in this world wanted to disappear in such a meaningless state.
“Hang in there! Kim Deok-Sung!”
“You’re the only one!”
“Save us!”
“Keep going!”
“Kill him!”
“Take them all down!”
The cheers and determination of the world transformed into strength and were transmitted to Kim Deok-Sung through Kurosawa Yuji in this very moment.
Kim Deok-Sung’s exceptionally precise and destructive thrust, infused with the lifelong wishes of all humanity, took form.
A mix of black light and white flame rose above Durandal, creating a new hue.
It was the universe.
A universe with a black background and shining white starlight manifested above Durandal’s blade.
[Cosmic Sword]
The Cosmic Sword, surpassing the Celestial Blade shaped by Kim Deok-Sung’s own beliefs, materialized as the collected conviction of all humanity.
The Cosmic Sword tore through space with its mere appearance.
Behind it, the will of humanity supported Kim Deok-Sung like 7.7 billion stars, alongside the dawn’s light left by the Black Prince.
In that moment when all of humanity’s hearts united,
Sparkle.
A white halo, the symbol of the savior, appeared behind Kim Deok-Sung.
In that fleeting moment when all of this unfolded, Messiah was laughing at the scene.
“Ha, hahaha, hahaha, hahaha!”
The false prophet chosen by the corrupted old world was right there.
Messiah was unshaken by the fact that the will of 7.7 billion people had chosen him, nor by the truth that the world’s will empowered Kim Deok-Sung.
The Messiah was unwavering in the face of the so-called truth.
To him, Kim Deok-Sung was nothing but a usurper and deceiver, the final trial to bring down the true Messiah—an alluring false savior, an antichrist opposing the savior, just like Devadatta against the Buddha. Humanity had only been momentarily seduced by the false savior.
The advent of the New World was the one and only path to salvation.
And he was the unique savior of this world.
The Messiah had no doubts about that fact.
“False savior── I shall bring an end to you here and now, and put a stop to this cursed world that suffers under the hands of gods and demons! I will guide the foolish 7.7 billion humans who cannot believe in the path of salvation, the countless beings, the gates, the villains, the heroes, those from other realms, magic, sorcery, and any abilities── to paradise where only humans exist, into the New World where humanity decides its fate freely!”
The Messiah’s declaration echoed throughout the ruins, throughout Tokyo, and across the globe.
His eyes flashed with a black light.
The black halo floating behind his head shone even more intensely.
“I am the Messiah! The one who has resolved to save all of humanity, all living beings, from this false and tainted world! I am the true savior of the world and humanity who will not yield to any hardship or trial! People of the world! You do not have to believe in my salvation. You may hate me! I── even love those who disbelieve and hate me, my beliefs, and my salvation. Thus, I will save all of you whom I love. Because──”
The Messiah raised his holy sword.
[Destruction Sword Levantein]
[True Name Liberation]
[The Flame of Apocalypse that Burns the World]
Flames erupted.
The black flames that formed the blade of the holy sword Levantein spread along its hilt.
Black flames engulfed his entire body.
[Union]
[Surtr]
Flames rose again as the spirit of Levantein, Surtr, merged with the Messiah.
A massive pair of fiery wings emerged from his back.
“──That is the savior. The one who saves everyone!”
The Messiah swung the Destruction Sword Levantein.
“Ragnarok Armageddon── Final Phase.”
The black flames erupting from Levantein formed a colossal curtain.
“Apocalypsis.”
The black flames began to take the shape of doom.
Booouuu.
The sound of the horn of doom resonated throughout the world.
Every catastrophe of doom that had occurred in the history of Earth and those that may arise in the future blocked Kim Deok-Sung’s path.
The Great Flood, massive earthquakes, tsunamis, supervolcano eruptions, famine, plagues, typhoons, full-scale nuclear warfare, meteor impacts, the collapse of Earth’s magnetic field, ice ages, unspeakable cosmic horrors…
All potential annihilations manifested into reality solely to obstruct Kim Deok-Sung’s path, all rushing at him to thwart his cosmic sword.
The Messiah bit his lip.
Apocalypsis.
Pouring all of himself, burdened with the desire for salvation surpassing the will of 7.7 billion beings, into the sword, the ultimate skill that embodies all possibilities of doom in this world.
The ultimate skill that embodies all possibilities of the end in this world.
Kim Deok-Sung’s breakthrough into the universe was so threatening that it forced the Messiah to use a skill he never intended to bring out, halting the creation of heaven and earth.
If he hadn’t used his final ultimate, he might have already been dead.
The Messiah bit his lip.
However, Kim Deok-Sung’s thrust, with his Durandal that could pierce even the universe, approached the Messiah, literally tearing apart the end of days.
Not even the chill of an ice age, the lava of a supervolcano, the shock of a meteor collision or nuclear explosion, the waves of a great flood or tsunami could withstand what Kim Deok-Sung’s Durandal unleashed.
Even the indescribable cosmic terror was helplessly torn apart before the will of humanity and the world, before Kim Deok-Sung’s belief.
The overwhelming power compressed through galaxies was far too potent for the end of a single planet like Earth.
“Wha… what…”
The moment Kim Deok-Sung’s Durandal pierced through all disasters, the Messiah’s eyes trembled.
For the first time, doubt appeared on his face.
It was unbelievable.
“My belief as the Messiah must have already transcended the will of all humanity…”
The Messiah believed in himself.
He believed in the belief he held as the Savior.
Even if all of humanity turned their backs on him, distrusted and hated him, his belief in loving such humanity and saving them all never wavered.
Thus, no matter how many times they gathered, humanity’s consensus could never shake his belief.
Therefore, even if Kim Deok-Sung’s overwhelming breakthrough was powerful, he should not pierce through the cataclysm that the Messiah had unleashed.
He had to not do so.
But Kim Deok-Sung easily broke through all calamities.
The starlight of the universe carried by his sword shattered all disasters head-on as he approached.
“But why… why are you… a deceiver like you! Breaking through me, this belief as the Savior so casually! How!”
Screaming as if in despair, the Messiah raised his Revanent to block Kim Deok-Sung’s Durandal.
In front of Kim Deok-Sung’s blade, which had pierced through the apocalypse, the disasters, and the belief of the Savior, such struggles were meaningless.
He already knew.
But still, he had to act.
He was the Savior.
He had to act to save humanity and the world until the very end.
Even if everyone hated and turned away from him, even if the possibility of salvation was 0%.
He had to move forward.
That was the path he chose as the Savior.
Crunch.
The transcendent weapon, the Exterminating Sword Revanent, shattered into dust under Kim Deok-Sung’s thrust, his breakthrough into the universe.
Just before the tip of his sword reached the Messiah’s heart.
In an instant.
Boom.
The philosopher’s stones they both possessed resonated with each other.
The world stood still.
In a world turned black and white, the Messiah and Kim Deok-Sung faced each other.
“…Don’t you want to go back? Now that the World Gate is open, you can return. To the original world where your true family, whom you desired so much, awaits.”
In the face of a blade pointed at his heart, the Messiah spoke.
A smile appeared on Kim Deok-Sung’s lips at his words.
Laughter bubbled up.
*
I laughed.
Returning, huh? Now?
In this black-and-white world, I found myself aiming my blade at the Messiah.
But piercing him like this was impossible.
This was a world created by my and his mental images, bound together by the Philosopher’s Stone.
What stood in my way was his last belief.
There was a similar scene in both the original work and the animation. In a completely empty black-and-white world, Yuji and the Messiah had a conversation.
In that moment, Yuji listened to the Messiah’s past and shed tears.
The flashback scene of the Messiah’s past was recreated with unnecessarily good animation even in the anime.
Damn, it felt like a ridiculous washing machine plot.
Anyway, I had to break his last belief here.
Ah, I just wanted to destroy everything right now. This damn light novel world!
Thinking that, I responded to the Messiah.
“Do you want to go back? Of course. I don’t want to stay.”
“Then return through the gate. After all, you don’t like this ‘light novel’ world, nor do you love its characters, right? Your goal as an outsider has been to return from the beginning to the end, hasn’t it? Salvation can be achieved another way…”
Hearing the Messiah’s words, I scoffed.
Did this bastard really see my past correctly?
“No. That’s wrong.”
You think I don’t like it?
Don’t love it?
I couldn’t help but laugh in disbelief.
Looking straight at the Messiah, I poured out my true feelings, which I had never told anyone.
“…I like it.”
Finally, at the very last moment, after hearing everyone’s support, I realized.
I really didn’t want to admit it, but…
I liked this world.
I liked everyone.
A look of surprise crossed the Messiah’s face.
It was nice to see that bastard so flustered.
I had always disliked that carefree smile, as if he knew everything.
A not-so-beautiful guy, and he was a villain to boot, smiling so smugly just annoyed me.
Looking at the Messiah, I explained with a slightly flushed face.
“Of course, I didn’t like it from the beginning. I hated it at first. I despised all the cringe-worthy actions, the annoying and gullible protagonist and heroines, and this damn world overflowing with unnecessary kindness and soft-headedness.”
The Messiah’s cheek twitched.
“I didn’t want to attach myself to it. I had to go back. My sick mother was over there. But… you wouldn’t know, but Koreans are a sentimental people. So, I ended up getting attached. As time passed, damn it, I started to like them. Those gullible bastards, this unnecessarily kind world…”
I looked straight into the Messiah’s eyes and said.
“Even though I’m a reincarnator… I like this kind world that accepts me as I am without rejection. Damn it!”
What a day it was, to voluntarily spit out a line so embarrassing, like a light novel protagonist.
Chills ran down my spine.
My hands and feet felt like squids curling up on a hot plate.
Ah, how embarrassing.
