Gozine

[If things continue like this, Nox will have to abandon this world as well.]

[Once again, all his memories will be erased, and he’ll have to start over from the beginning.]

**********

Glint von Zehard.
A master of spatial swordsmanship and Ru’s Mentor.
A knight of a ruined nation who, despite losing everything, rose again, the one who elevated Ru to where he is now.

Yet, he met a miserable end.

Though he took in a boy who felt nothing and gave him everything, in the end, he was never saved. Betrayed by the very king of the ruined nation he thought was his ally, he lost his life.
To save his own life, the king gave a command to sever the knight captain’s head.

Glint von Zehard wasn’t shocked.

Wasn’t that just how the continent was? In times of war, every act had its reasons and excuses, and history was always rewritten by the victors.

But Glint was exhausted.

Having lost his family, betrayed by the empire he had devoted his life to….
When he thought there was nothing left to teach Ru.
Glint offered his neck to hide his disciple.
There was no reason for him to do so, yet.

‘Why did Master make that choice?’

It was Ru’s pure curiosity.

Ru was not Glint’s flesh and blood, nor had they shared a master-disciple bond for long. They were merely drawn to each other in a fleeting moment, becoming each other’s support. If asked whether it was worth dying for, the answer would have been a firm no.

But that was all there was.
That was the end, the only truth left was that Glint had died for him.
Glint willingly gave his life to protect Ru, his last remaining disciple.

For the first time, Ru felt a violent dissonance.

Though he evolved his master’s sword into the spatial sword as it is now by slaying his murderer, he still couldn’t understand Glint’s choice. Why did he sacrifice himself for Ru.

Even now, having reached a higher realm than before, it was the same.

Ru was someone who felt nothing even as his own kin perished.
When his mother and father were beheaded by enemy knights in their burning village, when flames like mana beasts engulfed everything, he felt nothing.

But after witnessing his master’s death, an empty void filled his chest.
When the one who could have been called his only friend met his end in the Aksaras labyrinth.

In those moments, he felt futility.

That was the first emotion Ru ever felt, and the source of the second, the rage directed at the demon mocking his master’s corpse.

Crack…..!

A sound like shattering glass echoed as light seeped from Ru’s sword.
His expression froze coldly.

Chaeng—!

Blades clashed with sparks, and this time too, Ru did not retreat.

The reason for their incompatibility lay in their spatial sword, while Ru’s current spatial sword specialized in striking from beyond reach,
Glint’s was different.

But Ru could wield both with equal mastery.
Glint was the same too. The knight of a ruined nation.
To be precise, the knight corrupted by the demon Dantalion, parted his lips. Ru had long known his master’s corpse housed an ego.

“I didn’t want us to reunite like this.”

“Master.”

As their swords clashed, they fought violently, as if pouring out all the emotions they had harbored. The intensity of their feelings was so vivid that it would leave anyone stunned.

“I’ll send you back where you belong.”

Ru spoke, and Glint laughed in response.

“Please do.”

Knight Captain Ru.
The second emotion he ever felt was rage.

**********

[Nox has already attempted 27 times to save this world, but never reached a perfect ending.]

“A perfect ending…? Are you saying young master has reversed time 27 times to reach this point?”

[Yes. And… this is the last chance. There will be no more resets.]

[But the power spent to reverse time can instead be used to make Nox stronger.]

“…Before that, what is this ‘perfect ending’? Altende-nim, please tell me. What has young master been fighting for all this time?”

[The complete eradication of evil.]

[That alone is Nox’s inescapable destiny.]

Now she understood.
Why Nox had always been entangled with demons. Especially the 72 Demons.

‘Not because he was strong. Young master… did it because he had to.’

When she realized this, Zitri’s heart ached inexplicably.

It was painful, an emotion so intense it bordered on sorrow.

“Why would you do something so cruel… to your own son? I… I can’t understand it.”

[Because it was the will of the Creator God, Arden.]

White wings stirred a tempest as a small crystal orb containing Nox’s soul rose from Altende’s embrace. Holding it up, Altende continued calmly.

[Zitri von Rovelia. Child who loves Nox. I will give you a choice.]

[You will understand. This crystal holds his soul. Necromancers call it the ‘Soul Vessel.’ To send it to the past, the emotion of love is required.]

Altende’s explanation continued.

[For him to grow stronger and obtain what he seeks in this labyrinth, the same applies. Strong emotions and resolve, that is what will empower Nox.]

[I grant you the right to choose.]

For the first time, the serene expression on Altende’s avatar hardened.

[If you give up on Nox in this 28th timeline, you can return to your original life. I promise you this. You will be free. The tragedy of the Rovelia family will be undone by my power.]

[You will see your mother and father again. You need not endure this perilous journey any longer.]

[But, if you send Nox to the next timeline, you can never return to his side.]

Zitri lowered her head.

‘Mother… Father…’

Those she lost to her uncle’s treachery, the ones she could never see again.
Zitri’s chest tightened.

Why must I make this choice?
But there was no time to dwell.
Even now, Ru and Eleanor were fighting outside with everything they had.

Altende pressed further.

[Choose. If you wish to return to where you belong, if you wish to see your parents, shatter this crystal. Your emotions and my remaining magic will send Nox back one last time. You will escape tragedy.]

“….”

Zitri couldn’t answer easily.

Amidst this, Altende continued explaining.
Even meeting Theo was part of the design, all of it for the sake of Nox, the continent’s salvation.
Nox von Reinhaver was the key to this grand purpose.

The reason was simple.

By entering here, Zitri had proven herself precious to Nox, and he to her.

“The complete eradication of evil….”

Zitri reflected on the purpose of the Creator God and the purpose of Altende before his eyes.

‘How pitiful.’

She had always known that young master was involved in various incidents and accidents
Also, that they were abnormal and had many suspicious aspects.

However, if what Altende was saying now was true…
Then all of Nox’s efforts had never once strayed from their expectations from the very beginning.

‘Too cruel.’

It was a thought that came to her without realizing.

Young master had always worked hard. He, who had once been around the same height as her, had grown so tall and gained the power he now possessed, yet in the end, chose not to abandon his inherently warm nature.

A difficult decision.
But that is what made Nox who he is now.

“May I ask one more thing, Altende-nim?”

[You are permitted.]

“What happens if I don’t give up on young master in this timeline?”

[…Nox will likely fail again this time. The Creator God Arden’s plan to eradicate absolute evil will collapse.]

“And young master?”

[What?]

When Altende asked back, Zitri asked while tears streamed down her face.

“Can young master live in this worldline too?”

Altende’s answer made Zitri freeze cold.

[Nox von Reinhaver… my son is already dying. And rapidly.]

Strength drained from Zitri’s legs. She collapsed beside the soulless Nox.
Struggling to breathe, only the blurred image of Nox’s face shimmered in her eyes.

**********

“Please answer me, young master… Do you love me?”

Love.
An embarrassing word, yet one of the greatest emotions. Zitri had whispered it. I looked around, only darkness.
I had only just realized the countless battles in the Aksaras labyrinth were illusions.

With Zitri’s final words, the world seemed to shatter. And now I am drifting through the abyss with a sticky, tar-like liquid in the deepened darkness.

‘What should I say?’

As I wondered, the scenery shifted again.
A blue sea. A woman with white wings stood there, unlike before, when I couldn’t even see her face.

Nox trudged through the sand toward her. A familiar face. I had known since I first arrived in this village.
The woman from my earliest memories.

“Altende… no. Mother.”

The fact that she’s my mother.

The one I called mother turned naturally.
Eyes just like Nox’s. Hair the same. The face of an angel with a benevolent smile came into view.

Then, time began to flow very slowly.
Altende stepped toward Nox, closing the distance between them.

“Right?”

“Nox. My child.”

[Player has encountered the Creator of the System!]

[The System reacts to the Creator’s will!]

[All abilities temporarily sealed!]

[The countdown from the player’s trait ‘Terminally-ill’ is temporarily paused!]

“As expected, it was you… You orchestrated everything. I suspected as much.”

Despite Nox’s sharp tone, Altende cupped his cheek gently.
Then, slowly but clearly, she spoke.

“Forgive me, Nox. For never explaining until now.”

“Why send me to another world? Why bring me back? Why fake your death and leave Theo von Reinhaver?”

“Because it was your destiny from the start. The bonds were made for this purpose. By the will of a greater force, I met Theo and bore you.”

“Arden. The Creator God. She’s using you to eliminate Judas?”

“No. I am her faithful servant. This is all my will.”

Nox bit his lip hard. A fierce expression crossed his face, and his presence surged as though ready to explode at any moment.
But with his abilities sealed, he couldn’t access the power of the system and had no choice but to keep asking.

“Abandoning me. Isolating me, making me suffer, planting a time bomb in my heart, endangering my companions, pushing everything to the brink, was that all you?”

“Yes.”

For the first time, Altende’s face as she looked at Nox turned cold.

“You were born for that very purpose from the beginning.”