Глава 7

I can't do it alone.

But I'm not alone.

Maybe...

Everything... is yours. Only you... can do it.

That... Reunion, tyrant, fate... You will... overthrow them.

Wait.

No.

Kal'tsit looks up at the darkened sky.

Where have I seen this before?

It couldn't be...

Amiya... Amiya...?

The Sarkaz prophecy is born out of their collective racial memory. Originium energy bursts popping in areas with high concentrations... the core city is suffering a Catastrophe.

The altar... Amiya... Wendigo... The Lord of Fiends?!

Wait, if this has a direct affect... Impossible! The last of the ancient Wendigo bloodline is directly connected to the entire Sarkaz race?!

The prophecy... this prophecy?!

Snow? Buldrokkas'tee's cannibalization resonated with all the altars?! And what I just added... the Wendigos' ressurection...!

All operators!

Anything he says... Anything Buldrokkas'tee says...!

Do not believe a single word!

The Wendigo suddenly speaks, his hoarse voice seemingly echoing throughout the entire central district.

I see cities, devastated.

I see Originium, blanketing the land.

I see you, black crown on your head, melting millions of lives, into nothing but memories.

I see the, King of Sarkaz, enslaving all peoples, everywhere.

Huh...?!

...Wh... at?

Impossible... No...

Patriot! Don't believe the prophecy! It's just a physiological side effect of the Originium Arts!

But... But I know... all the prophecies... come true.

And I died, at the hands of, the King of Sarkaz.

...Dame. No. Dame.

Buldrokkas'tee! Did you not fight against fate your entire life?!

The young, King of Sarkaz...

...You, you...

Will be the most horrific disaster to afflict our world.

She must die!

Or else, the world will die!

I cannot, let you live.

You can hate me.

The sound of clanking armor reaches your ears.

The ravaged monster suddenly reaches out to Amiya.

—Amiya!

W-Watch out!

The Cautus girl does not flinch. The shadow of death sweeps upon her smoke-blackened face. She does not move. She does not scream. She only stares directly into Patriot's eyes.

As if staring directly into his soul.

At the same time, heavy black blades and shimmering beams of ominous energy pierce swiftly into the giant's immortal body. Still, he remains unshaken.

Just as Patriot is about to crush the skull of the girl in black...

The Wendigo freezes in place.

Something appears to be dripping sorrowfully from his helmet.

A minute passes.

During this eternity of a minute, there are no other sounds except for the low rumbling of the moving city.

Then, the realization dawns. The monster standing before us is dead.

Having never taken a single step backward, unwavering for even a single second, in the end, death put a stop to the Patriot's lifelong advance.

An old monster once told me... What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger.

I always thought it was stupid. But the guy's a monster, so maybe I do have to give this some thought.

Does a bug jump into a flame to get stronger? So stupid.

No. Let's not talk about how dumb and weak a bug is. You know, no matter how strong a bug gets, in the end, it's still just a bug.

If a bug jumps into a flame, all it proves is that the heat messed up its brain. Assuming it even had a brain, it obviously went mad.

But what if I was to leap into the flames? Besides proving that I'm crazy, what else would that prove? I'd come out a bit charred, but how would that make me any stronger?

But we're talking about death here. And what does an undying monster know about death?

Alas, such is the nature of the bitter death that none may resist.

You'll still talk to me? That's a surprise.

I thought you were totally caught up in your plan to destroy Lungmen, Talulah.

W. You haven't given anyone notice of your visit.

Hah. Oops, my bad. I've been a mercenary for too long, forgot all about that reporting-every-detail-of-my-life-to-the-boss thing. Sorry, Leader.

But you know I can't go all the way up to the top of the command tower, so I have to ask you to stoop to my level.

Your sarcasm isn't doing us any good, W. Reunion needs the might of the Sarkaz, and we should strive not to add any more personal conflicts between us.

Just call us devils. Only the bleeding hearts and self-righteous call us Sarkaz. Us mercenaries? We know exactly what we are.

Strange. Devils, the 'inferior race of the banished.' You mercenaries cannot accept this definition, nor will you take pride in it.

Duh. But your people started calling us 'devils,' not as a hate thing, or because it was catchy or whatever.

Devil is a 'fear' thing. You people called us that because we scare you.

So us mercs like being called 'devils,' because we know exactly what it really means.

And we always make good and sure anyone left alive takes the subtext straight to heart.

Oh, sorry— Me yapping on about this is like trying to show off in front of an expert, isn't it?

We're a no-name merc squad famous for brutality. But compared to you? Why, that's like a worm trying to go up against a crab.

After all, Leader, nobody scares people better than you.

'Inflict terror upon your enemies, and provide warmth for your friends.'

To strike fear into our enemies and bring hope to our comrades. That is the way Reunion has always done things.

So, driving Ursus's core city into Lungmen is also in line with a certain comrade's ardent wish?

Our warriors are still bravely fighting inside Lungmen. They need our assistance, and we will bring it to them.

The Infected inside Lungmen require hope, and our warriors here have expressed their earnest desire to be that source of hope.

Everyone's wishes find harmony here, and the responsibility to see those wishes come to fruition belongs to us, Reunion.

—This will also bring benefits to the Sarkaz. I assure you, beyond doubt.

What your kind seeks is not hope, so I will provide you with profit.

Sarkaz mercenaries like you, scattered between various city states, as well as those who pull your strings. You will drink deeply of the chaos between cities and countries, and it will nourish you.

After Lungmen, no nomadic city is safe. Your kind will find more room to expand and thrive, and your people will prosper.

Ooh, sounds like a good deal. Just going off the profits, I'm totally on board.

Tell me, W, what doubts do you still have?

None. You've made a great case. Want a standing ovation?

No need.

Then let's talk about my mission. Bad news is I failed. I didn't manage to bring back my target, and she wouldn't give me the thing.

That is not your fault. The kinship between Misha and Skullshatterer was bound to lead to uncertainties.

Why'd you send me to grab that scientist's daughter then?

It seems like you didn't even need her or her secrets for your big plan. Between the attack on Lungmen and firing up the core city, what was the point of her anyway?

The authenticity of the key still has to be verified.

I can personally verify that we've activated the core city, but Reunion still needs full control over the way it stops. That's where this key comes in.

Mephisto told me the one the old geezer found in the abandoned city was the real deal.

No, W. Mephisto would not tell you that. It would only be you spilling secrets to Mephisto while thinking about extracting the information you want from him.

So, is that bit of news true or not?

You're not interested in hearing my justifications, but you also don't plan on offering yours either.