And so, the “King of All Demons,” Satan, was abruptly erased by the “Monster Summoning Box 4.”
The demon army, painstakingly built over a long time, descended into utter chaos as Satan’s whereabouts became unknown.
It went without saying that his subordinates vanished as well.
The terrifying force that once held sway over the whole Hollow Plane was shattered in an instant.
In stark contrast, the Northern Continent was the very picture of peaceful ease.
The day after the festival ended.
A group of about ten people set off, warmly seeing each other off. Thanks to the two Je-gal Haesols, the journey felt more like a leisurely outing than an expedition.
They covered enormous distances each day, but since they rested under the pretense of recovering their magical energy, there was little to do besides eating or chatting.
If there was one meaningful development over those few days, it was the slight improvement in the relationship between Kim Su-hyun and Yoo Hyun-ah.
Yoo Hyun-ah took every opportunity to approach Kim Su-hyun, greeting him with a bright, cheerful smile. (Even Kim Yu-yeon admitted that her smooth, serpentine way of speaking was impressive.)
As the saying goes, “You can’t spit on a smiling face,” and Kim Su-hyun showed fewer openly uncomfortable reactions than before.
Sometimes, he even listened intently to Yoo Hyun-ah, appearing lost in deep thought.
With these small changes, the journey to Terra was nearing its end in less than a week, just as expected.
Though the central region was heavily warded, Kim Su-hyun’s confident claim that the mission would be a breeze held true once the conditions were met.
Activate the pillars,
Enter the warded area,
Pass through the four zones,
And discover the promised temple.
Kim Su-yeon returned with the Zero Code in less than four hours.
Waiting with his older brother, sister, and wife outside, Kim Su-hyun suddenly sensed the still air tremble with the sound of many footsteps.
The pale ward had lifted, revealing a clear, bright sky.
Then the footsteps abruptly stopped, and silence settled once more.
Kim Su-hyun stood up, brushing dust off his armor, and turned around.
Five women stood still, backs to the blue sky.
At their center was Kim Su-yeon, dazzling in the sunlight, gazing quietly ahead.
Her face glowed pale, yet somehow felt shadowed.
“Don’t tell me it failed?” Kim Yu-yeon asked.
Kim Su-yeon shook her head softly.
Then, slowly and deliberately, she raised a glowing blue orb in her hand.
“…I brought it.”
Suddenly—
Whoooosh!
A strong wind blew.
Kim Su-yeon’s long hair fluttered like a flag, nearly obscuring her slightly furrowed eyes.
A deep voice echoed through the gusts.
Brushing her hair back from her forehead, Kim Su-yeon nodded.
“I heard that if I meet you, I can return. Is that true?”
Kim Su-hyun spoke.
Though phrased indirectly, it was an agreement.
His tone showed no interest in anything but sending them off as quickly as possible.
Kim Su-hyun glanced between his brother and Je-gal Haesol, then looked ahead again.
“We have to.”
The time for the promised farewell had come.
They had been through this once before, even before Kim Yu-hyun and Je-gal Haesol arrived.
But as Kim Su-hyun agreed, an inexplicable silence fell over the surroundings.
Between the two stood an atmosphere thick with bittersweet regret, unlike before.
Though the flow was one-sided…
Are they really saying goodbye? Like this?
“Me.”
Just as Kim Su-yeon thought this, Je-gal Haesol raised her hand, breaking the delicate silence.
“Can I go first? I’m not really used to this kind of situation. Is that okay?”
“Oh… sure,” Kim Su-hyun replied, as if granting permission.
Knowing her personality, he had no intention of forcing her.
At that moment, the calm voice of the Zero Code sounded.
The orb’s blue light intensified, and Je-gal Haesol’s entire body was suddenly enveloped in pure white light.
Pop!
With a sudden burst, Je-gal Haesol transformed into sparkling particles and scattered away.
As if she had never existed in this world.
All that remained were specks of light drifting in the air.
Kim Yu-hyun, who had expected something grand, looked disappointed and placed a hand on her sister’s shoulder.
Seeing Kim Su-yeon with a slightly dazed expression, she cleared her throat.
“Well… we said our goodbyes on the way here, but anyway, it was nice to meet you. And Su-yeon…”
She seemed about to say more, but—
Pop!
In the next instant, Kim Yu-hyun also turned into particles and vanished like Je-gal Haesol.
The Zero Code had made its decision and sent them off before she could finish speaking.
Even knowing they had to part, Kim Yu-hyun felt deeply wronged for being cut off just as she was about to speak her heart.
But it was inevitable.
After all, the three of them were nothing more than unwelcome guests in this world.
“O-oppaa!”
The hand she instinctively reached out with fell weakly as the shimmering particles dissolved.
Kim Su-yeon’s face twisted with sorrow.
“What are you doing!”
“Why…!”
“Still…”
She knew.
But as she just said, they would never meet again…
“Can’t we at least say a few words…?”
Her voice grew faint.
Kim Su-yeon bit her lip so hard it turned white.
Though she had no intention of staying, Kim Su-hyun scratched his head at the surprisingly generous assessment.
Then—
“No! I won’t let you go!”
Kim Yu-yeon suddenly charged at Kim Su-hyun, shouting at the top of her lungs.
“No! Nooo! You promised! You said you wanted to be cared for, that I would take care of you! Don’t go! No, I won’t let you leave!”
“Nu-nuna.”
“Let’s just live here. Huh? I’ll really take good care of you. Right, Su-hyun-ah?”
“Nuna.”
“I won’t say don’t go. Just stay a little longer. There’s a way to connect the two worlds using the Zero Code, isn’t there? Or maybe…!”
“…You’ll send me back, right?”
Just those few words.
At that moment, Kim Yu-yeon burst into tears like a child in Kim Su-hyun’s arms.
Though it was almost a tantrum, she wept loudly enough to shake the whole area.
Kim Su-hyun sighed softly, patted her back, and looked up.
Then, tilting his head, he took a step forward.
When his firm yet warm palm touched her cheek—
“!”
Only then did Kim Su-yeon realize Kim Su-hyun had come right up to her.
Her eyes were brimming with tears, and she was clenching her face so tightly.
…Why?
“Then, goodbye.”
“Yeah. Goodbye.”
Back then, they could part without regrets.
“I always thought she was admirable and amazing.”
I thought they’d return soon.
So I tried not to give it much meaning.
But now, why does it feel like this—
“…”
The touch on her cheek was cool.
But the slow, gentle caress burned with a heat she wanted to remember forever.
She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing back the tears that threatened to fall.
“I envy you. Being able to cry.”
“…”
“I’m still not used to crying.”
“…I…”
In a cracked, strained voice, she barely spoke.
“I wanted to be like you.”
She exhaled the words as if releasing the last of her breath.
“No. You don’t have to be me. If anything, I should be more like you. Right?”
“Y-yeah?”
Startled by the sudden question, Yoo Hyun-ah’s eyes widened.
“Yoo Hyun-ah.”
A soft voice.
It was the first time Kim Su-hyun had spoken to her in a private moment.
Yoo Hyun-ah clenched her hands tightly and swallowed.
“Like I’ve said before, I have no regrets about what I did in my world. Not even now.”
“Ah…”
“But as you said, there was definitely another future. I saw it with my own eyes.”
“Yes.”
“So, if…”
“…”
Kim Su-hyun paused.
He took a long breath, then closed his eyes.
“This is just a hypothetical… but if I sincerely apologized for what I did—”
“Whaaat!?”
“If you, the holy queen, accepted my apology?”
“Uh…”
Her mouth dropped open for just a moment.
“Yes! Of course!”
Yoo Hyun-ah immediately began nodding vigorously.
“Even though she and I exist in different worlds, I would accept it. If the apology is sincere, I definitely would. I promise. Absolutely!”
Yoo Hyun-ah spoke excitedly, her face bright and open.
Kim Su-hyun still had his eyes closed.
Honestly, it was hard to believe.
Because if it were him, he could never accept such words.
Forgive the person who killed you?
Impossible.
But that was only because it was Kim Soo-hyun we were talking about.
If it were Yoo Hyun-ah, things might be different.
Because the two stand as opposites, unable to understand each other.
The sacred queen is, after all, that kind of woman.
So maybe, just maybe, it could be possible.
“I see.”
After a moment, a bright smile spread across Kim Soo-hyun’s face as he opened his eyes.
Kim Soo-yeon glared at that smile as if it were a curse.
Like watching a distant mirage—something utterly unreachable, vanishing the moment you try to get closer.
“Alright then.”
—This should be enough.
A light, relieved voice overlapped with a buzzing sound.
Then, just as it had twice before, a faint noise burst forth.
A cluster of white light swiftly enveloped Kim Soo-hyun.
“S-Soo-hyun?”
Kim Yoo-yeon, who had been sobbing quietly in his arms, suddenly opened her eyes wide.
“Wait!”
Yoo Hyun-ah shouted urgently, as if she still had something to say.
At the same time, Kim Soo-yeon gripped the hand that had been resting on her cheek, as if trying desperately not to lose its touch.
But all she felt was the solid sensation of her own clenched fist.
Unconsciously, she opened and closed her hand repeatedly, staring blankly at the scattering lights drifting like snowflakes.
There had been nine when they arrived, but now only six remained.
No matter how many times she looked, Kim Soo-hyun didn’t seem to have completely vanished from this world.
Yet Kim Soo-yeon and the other five women continued to gaze endlessly at the spot where they had disappeared.
Omnibus – Sovereign of Sword (Complete).
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
At last, the Kim Soo-hyun omnibus has come to an end.
Just two epilogues left, and this long, long side story will finally be over.
Thank you all for reading.
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