Chapter 761
…It’s all so exhausting.

Ian clenched his molars tightly and lunged at the Underworld God with a fury bordering on madness. He knew full well how futile his actions were, yet he couldn’t stop. If he did, something inside him would shatter, as if his heart were being torn apart.

KRAAAASH!

Even the Shadow God understood this.

It simply endured Ian’s relentless assault, silently waiting. Waiting for whatever Ian desperately clung to to crumble—to see the hopes of all those who had placed their faith in it collapse.

‘…This is strange.’

Amid the endless barrage, Ian’s mind gradually grew calm. And through that calm, a single question surfaced—

Why was he so unsettled?

‘Even if everyone forgets that I am Verosion, what difference does it make?’

He could reason it out logically. Whether or not he was Verosion, the outcome would remain unchanged. Bariel would win, and the Underworld God would be driven back.

The process might be difficult and complicated, but it was something he could endure.

So why…?

‘Why does it hurt so much?’

Comparing the time he had hidden his identity with the time he hadn’t made it all the more puzzling.

From Bratz to the Imperial Palace, then to the Abyss, and finally back to the palace again—

Whether the journey was long or short, Ian had always been ‘Ian Hielo.’ A bastard from the borderlands, the Minister of Magic…

‘I never intended to reveal I was Verosion.’

In fact, when he first entered the palace, he had worked hard to conceal his true self.

When rumors about his royal bloodline surfaced in the council chamber, he denied them firmly and punished anyone who dared to question him. He even fed the name ‘Verosion’ to the secretive Gypsy who devoured secrets, as bait. If the truth leaked unexpectedly, it would be fatal to Jin, who was left alone.

‘That was all I wanted—to stop the chaos caused by that secret-eating Gypsy. Besides, Jin had grown and firmly taken the Emperor’s throne; the situation was different now.’

So he told everyone. Who he was, where he came from, and how he had drifted to this point.

‘…Really?’

A question stirred deep inside Ian.

Was that truly the only reason he revealed the name Ian Verosion? Was that all?

His golden eyes flickered wildly. He couldn’t answer. Though he knew himself better than anyone, he couldn’t find a fitting response.

—It was something precious.

Then, the Shadow God whispered.

—Because that’s human nature.

The desire to know those you love, and at the same time, to be known in return.

To share, from the heart, what happened in the past they never even acknowledged, and what meaning the present self holds. Astonishingly, this was how the Shadow God defined human instinct.

Ian’s breath caught lightly. Light burst outward in all directions.

‘Ah.’

At last, Ian understood. What the Shadow God erased wasn’t limited to the name ‘Verosion.’

‘Left alone in memories. Left alone in precious memories…’

Erased.

“Crony, that bastard’s really pissed me off. What kind of person is that? It’s a waste of food to feed him!”

Beric, gripping his fork and knife, had vanished. Only Ian remained, the one who had quietly smiled when Beric had gotten angry on his behalf that day.

“Excuse me? Ian is the Emperor? And a forbidden magical creation from the future…?”

“No wonder! Yeah, no wonder!”

“Captain Hail, are you okay? You’re about to run out of cigarettes.”

“Ah—ouch!”

“Tsk tsk. You’ve got a hole in your clothes.”

“Ian, is the Ministry of Magic still intact back then?”

“Who’s so clueless as to ask that? What brings you all the way here?”

“Please tell me about the new mineral deposits a hundred years from now!”

“Pull him out. Captain Ako’s eyes are rolling again.”

“Let go of meee! There’s a living encyclopedia here! I love you, Ian! Hooray, loyalty!”

“Ian, you’re still our superior. That will never change.”

“Thank you for telling me. It’s good to hear. Ian is truly an amazing person.”

They vanished again. The Ministry of Magic’s reaction—shocked at first, then accepting as if nothing had happened.

Those around him disappeared, leaving him alone once more.

“I’m Beric!”

“I’m Nakina!”

“Tommy’s here! Captain Hail too!”

The voices of those who had awakened him from the Abyss faded away.

He was so grateful, but from now on, he could only keep those memories in his heart. Tears welled up in Ian’s eyes.

“Sir Ian, I am glad. That you and I are connected by blood.”

Jin disappeared as well.

“I am truly glad, Sir Ian. The name Verosion has never felt more beautiful.”

Jin’s voice, filled with emotion, grew faint.

Ian felt the same. The name Verosion was beautiful because it seemed to prove the connection between the Bariel of the future and the Bariel of the present. He was deeply thankful.

The hand that had held his was erased.

‘So that’s why it hurts so much.’

The person with whom he had shared memories was vanishing.

It was unbearable. To bear the full weight of those memories alone.

—How pitiful. A fragment of a god is also a fragment of myself. It’s not too late even now. Vi is erasing the name Verosion, but in a few hours, he’ll erase Hielo as well.

So give up everything before that happens and turn to me. That’s the only way you won’t suffer. The Shadow God’s whisper tempted Ian.

—There’s no need to return to the future. Stay here with those you cherish and live out your days. A god? Don’t you understand? When your role is done, he will mercilessly cut you out of this world. I, at least, will not do that.

The endless onslaught finally ceased. Ian slowly lifted his head. His face was wet, and raindrops dripped from the tips of his hair.

He instinctively knew this was the Shadow’s final attempt at persuasion.

“……”

Ian’s gaze dropped.

He saw Hail and his group still struggling to complete the magic circle, the royal guards and mages locked in battle with King Toorun, and the imperial soldiers shouting at the top of their lungs. Even Jin, watching him with concern.

Yes. They were all precious.

‘That’s why I can’t stay here.’

He was an anomaly. A stranger running on a clearly different timeline.

Though ten years had passed, he had remained still. While Ian Verosion’s time flowed, they probably stood frozen.

He knew better than anyone that fate would not allow them to walk together. No matter how well he understood it, the pain in his heart was unavoidable.

‘For everyone’s sake.’

A small change could create a completely different future. Too many things had already been altered by Ian’s interference. But if he left his mark here and then returned?

Regardless of right or wrong, he didn’t want that.

Ian wanted to meet his true Bariel again someday. To face his destiny without breaking before Crony.

“…Is it raining in Bariel too?”

In Burgos? In Luswena?

The Shadow God chuckled softly at Ian’s question.

—Yes. The raindrops will seep into the well and remain for a long time. No one but me can stop or reverse it.

It seemed the rain hadn’t reached beyond the desert. That was the Shadow’s limit. Ian nodded gently and then smiled.

This was enough… for now.

“Well then.”

Ziiing! Ziiing!

Ian’s green eyes flashed gold once more. This was his answer to the Underworld God’s final offer.

Then, the Shadow, which had silently endured Ian’s attacks until now, unleashed a sinister energy.

Shaaak!

Countless demonic limbs burst forth, tearing through the gaps as if trying to seize Ian’s arms and legs.

Boom! Crack!

Ian dodged and parried, continuing the exchange.

Shaaak!

Every time he took the Shadow’s power head-on, his skin tore and bled.

But the blood was quickly washed away by the rain. Gradually erased, just like his name.

Flash!

Kugrururung! Bang!

As the Shadow displayed its might, the sky darkened further. Amid the gloom, Captain Jaret’s white lightning rained down, and Ian’s golden eyes left a trail in his wake. The shaking, the collisions, the explosions—it was an unending cycle.

The imperial soldiers watching felt as if they were witnessing the end of the world. The overwhelming pressure made it hard to breathe.

“Diiiiieee!”

Through the tense standoff between Ian and the Shadow, Beric’s battle cry rang out. Looking down, Ian saw mages and magic swordsmen throwing themselves at King Toorun, swinging their blades.

A death-defying strike. A noble sacrifice to cut down the enemy even if it meant dying together. Their valiant effort was cornering the king.

Shaaak!

Beric’s sword sliced through the king’s shoulder blade. At the same time, the magic swordsman blocking the king’s retreat had his arm cut.

The king lowered his body to create space, but a mage fired a magic orb to stop him. The king faltered, and the orb struck another mage in the abdomen.

“…Hah, hah. At this rate, we’ll kill each other.”

The king panted heavily, and Captain Jaret shattered the lightning with his grip, shouting.

“Just as expected, you too will inevitably die, Kumasha. The last one standing will surely be a warrior of the Empire.”

Flash!

A bolt of lightning exploded and struck the king.

Could he dodge it? Time seemed to freeze as the king’s sharpened senses scanned his surroundings—front, back, left, right, even above and below. He was completely surrounded.

“Damn it.”

This was the royal palace grounds. If the underground mechanisms hadn’t been damaged, securing space would have been easy. Whether it was because of the underground god’s incarnation or some other reason, his senses were cut off.

At this moment, the child had no idea that Vanusa had seeped underground. The lightning coming straight at him was just too overwhelming.

Sssshhh!

He’s going to die. The king instinctively knew.

But before that could happen, the underground god moved. A demonic beast writhed and lunged toward the king, aiming to protect the child.

Ian, noticing this, lowered his altitude and followed the beast. The decisive moment had arrived.

“…!”

Captain Jaret instantly gauged the distance between the beast flying toward the king and himself. It was close—both the shadow’s attack and the gap between him and the king.

If he hesitated or retreated now, he might avoid the beast, but there was no guarantee of a next chance.

“Beric!”

Calling out Beric’s name, Jaret saw him reflexively move behind the king, ready to block anyone trying to retreat or to hold them back if pushed.

Thud!

Everything happened in an instant. Jaret’s sword struck the king precisely. The gleaming blade pierced through the child’s back.

“Got you at last,” Beric thought—just as—

Sssslip.

The king coughed up blood and collapsed sideways, and Jaret’s figure across from him came into view.

His chest was pierced too. Just like the king.

“…!”

Beric’s eyes widened endlessly.

“Ca—”

Shraaak!

Ian, who had followed closely, severed the beast. At the same time, Captain Jaret’s body was thrown back by the recoil and fell forward. Blood seeped through his dust-covered battle gear, and then, little by little, gray ash began to scatter.

“…Ah.”

“Captain!”

“Captain Jaret!”

Everyone rushed to him in shock, but Jaret’s gaze firmly refused them. Hold your ground. It’s not over yet.

“For the honor of the empire, everyone, fight to the very end—”

He didn’t need to say more. I know you understand, my children.

“…Fight alongside Beric.”

That stubborn colt. Thanks to him, life was never dull. If Varsavega is still alive, send my regards. To all the comrades not here.

Beric, you’re the next captain.

Sssshhh.

As Jaret’s body turned to gray ash, a signal sounded from afar.

Doo-woong! Dong! Dong!

“Magic circle is ready!”

With Hail’s voice ringing out.