Episode 1031
Chapter 247: The Liberation War of Laprarosa (19)
“Ha, haa…!”
With a heavy thud, Luna sank to the floor, leaning her back against the wall. Before her, Simat—his upper body all that remained—twitched faintly.
How many hours had they been fighting?
After absorbing the crimson energy, Luna had completely lost track of time, focusing solely on the battle. It was because Simat clung to the last thread of his life with stubborn resolve.
The power of Simat’s Changsung was no lie. He had even awakened once before. In truth, Luna’s victory was nothing short of a miracle—an extraordinary phenomenon.
“That was a good fight… Simat.”
Though Luna seemed on the verge of collapse, the crimson energy still lingered around them.
Simat’s red brain was nowhere to be found. He blinked slowly, staring blankly into the void.
Their fierce battle had left most of their internal mechanisms and armor shattered, exposing the sky above.
No airborne fortress, no comrades’ red brains, no lingering aura, no sharp waves of the King’s Reign Sword.
Just a clear, open sky—something they hadn’t seen in a long time. The bright blue stretched out as if the endless war and destruction had been a lie, painting Simat’s pupils with its calmness.
The sun was just passing over the shattered ceiling of Kree. A few rays slipped through the cracks, scattering and bouncing off Simat’s battered body.
It struck Luna as almost laughable.
The sun had never truly disappeared from that spot. It was as if the sun god was casually reminding them of that fact by letting the light fall.
Footsteps echoed softly.
Simat didn’t have the strength to turn his head. It wasn’t Luna’s footsteps.
“Good work, my student.”
It was Eltiot. He immediately checked on Luna’s condition.
“Master.”
“From now on, you are the greatest swordsman I have ever taught.”
“Thank you…”
“Tch! Keep quiet, or you’ll risk damaging your vital energy. Don’t move an inch from that position. The medics will be here soon.”
Just as Luna tried to nod, Eltiot barked again.
“I said don’t move!”
Luna blinked in response. Only then did Eltiot nod in satisfaction.
He turned to look at Simat. Neither Luna nor Simat could see the expression on Eltiot’s face.
And that was a mercy.
He couldn’t hide the turmoil inside him. It was a bittersweet feeling—his student had defeated the Red Sky King and grown stronger, yet he felt responsible for Simat’s tragic end.
Once, Simat had been someone Eltiot had engraved into his heart, just like Luna.
As a master, he had failed to prevent his student’s twisted path, allowing this inevitable fate to unfold.
‘Maybe I could have held him tighter, so he wouldn’t lose his way… before he committed unforgivable acts like this.’
Simat’s dying form reminded Eltiot of the days when he was abandoned by his comrades and fell into despair.
‘Or maybe it would have been better to just let him die back then… At least then, it would have been only a life lost.’
Now, Simat had lost his comrades, his life, and the values he had believed in all his life. He was condemned to eternal punishment.
He would wander the endless cycle of chaos until the end of the world. And the witch would never show mercy.
“…The Red Sky King has been shattered so mercilessly.”
Eltiot approached Simat and bowed his body. The backlight still obscured his expression.
“Cheongpungje…”
“The long years of slaughter and madness have finally ended. Do you feel relieved now?”
“I do not fear the price.”
“You foolish boy! You still haven’t learned. Wasn’t it because you feared nothing, because you were unafraid of the world, that you returned to the Red Name? Betraying those who took you in.”
“That was then. But now, I say I am not afraid—not for that reason.”
“Then why?”
“Because my comrades are there.”
Simat tried several times to look at Eltiot’s face, but the glare wouldn’t fade. Eventually, he gave up and closed his eyes, continuing.
“In chaos, I will bear the greatest pain as a warrior. When it’s time to take responsibility, be brave. Isn’t that what you said?”
He had changed.
But it was too late now. Eltiot couldn’t find the words to say to his old student who had finally realized his guilt.
So much had happened.
So many had died. The Cheongmyeong tribe, betrayed and slaughtered, still seemed to wail inside Eltiot’s heart.
But the terrible price awaiting Simat was already set. There was nowhere left for him to fall.
“I cannot betray you or Cheongmyeong again. If I fear, it would be a betrayal of my comrades.”
“I see… Then we cannot honor you with our rites. Someday, far in the future, if you are ever freed from this sin, I hope we will not meet like this again.”
As if shaking off a burden, Eltiot stood up. Just as he turned to return to Luna, he caught Simat’s final words.
“It’s not your fault, old man. I was the demon.”
When Eltiot looked back, Simat was gone—vanished without a trace.
Eltiot stood there for a long moment, unable to look away. Somewhere, he thought he heard a scream.
“A stubborn one to the very end.”
Luna spoke without thinking, then glanced nervously at Eltiot, fearing a scolding.
Instead, Eltiot gently stroked her head.
“You defeated such a strong and stubborn opponent. My student… but you do tend to take this old master’s words rather poorly. If your vital energy is damaged, it’s still my job to correct and heal it, isn’t it?”
Outside, the commotion grew.
Allies, along with Tikan’s medical team and the Holy Kingdom’s priests, were descending from the Golden Ark. Queen Rani was the first to seek out Luna.
“It’s always strange. Whenever I treat the Runkandel riders, they’re always on the brink of death. No one else can save them but me.”
As Rani channeled her divine power, Luna felt her body relax quickly. She glanced at Eltiot a few times, silently asking if she could speak now. He nodded.
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Fortunately, there weren’t many injured since so few were deployed. Though those King’s Reign warriors stubbornly insist they can endure such wounds, which is a bit problematic.”
Outside Kree, four warlords were arguing with the priests. Rani watched and shook her head.
“Regardless, you fought a hard battle. On behalf of the Holy Kingdom, I must thank you once again. Now… we just need Jin and Murakan to return safely.”
The Laprarosa portal remained open.
The Golden Ark and some allies had erected protective shields nearby, anticipating any shockwaves from the rift. And with Kinzel or Ziphl possibly heading to the Great Desert, the Balmur Alliance couldn’t afford to relax.
Nearly twelve hours had passed since the liberation device arrived at Laprarosa. Even accounting for some margin of error, Jin, Murakan, and the King’s Reign warriors should appear in the Great Desert within the next thirty minutes.
“Emergency treatment is complete. Proper healing must be done at Tikan or the Holy Kingdom, so let’s move to the Golden Ark for now. Lord Immortal!”
“Huh? Now you’re calling me ‘Immortal’ too?”
“The entire alliance calls you that. Maybe the whole world does. Just accept it. Please escort Lord Luna and Lord Eltiot to the Golden Ark.”
Veil gritted his teeth as he led the two aboard.
Luna couldn’t bring herself to lie down in the infirmary and instead stood on the bridge, staring at the rift. The massive crack filled the entire glass window.
Everyone’s worry was obvious. Kashimir and Jet were biting their nails, while Sandra looked ready to throw herself into the rift the moment someone opened the bridge door.
Valeria was tracking the records outside the bridge. Blue record magic spears floated near her at the bow.
“Jin, please come back safely…!”
Frustrating lines scrolled across the record window, phrases like
Suddenly, a new line appeared.
Valeria’s eyes widened. Countless lines began to glow, all related to Laprarosa’s liberation.
Her heart pounding wildly, one unfamiliar phrase caught her eye.
It was an almost conversational tone, rarely used in record magic. Before she could ponder why, a massive warm wind surged from beneath the Golden Ark, making her duck.
The dimensional gate before the Golden Ark closed, and a new gate began to open on the desert floor.
Like an ocean suddenly parting, the enormous portal rippled. The waiting allies scrambled in fear, but the gate merely crackled like the final act of the King’s Reign Sword, refusing to swallow anyone.
There was nowhere to run anyway. The scale of the airborne fortress Kree far surpassed anything they had ever seen. Valeria and her companions struggled to steady their trembling hearts as they stared at the dimensional gate.
Moments later, they saw it.
Laprarosa emerging above the gate.
“Wow…!”
“C-could it really be Laprarosa!?”
The alliance members shouted in disbelief. Tears streamed endlessly down the faces of the four Tuwang kings.
“Laprarosa… our land. Our world…!”
In an instant, Laprarosa took its place above the vast desert.
As if it had never disappeared, as if it had always been there.