1038 Episode 63. Ragnarok (12)

A technique that could cut her own [Fate].

For the first time since being trapped in this illusion, Jung Heewon's heart beat.

"Can you use the Mind Sword too?"

"I can't."

"What?"

"There are many ways to grow stronger. The Mind Sword wasn't the path I chose."

The 1,864th turn's Jung Heewon scratched her cheek and added,

"But you are different from me. Since you chose the path of a Transcendent, reaching the Mind Sword will be an effective way to resist [Fate]."

She understood what she meant. Honestly, from Jung Heewon's perspective, it didn't really matter how she grew stronger. What mattered was the result of that method.

"If I learn the Mind Sword."

Jung Heewon looked down at her sword, which was moving to kill Kim Dokja, and asked,

"Can I become stronger than Yoo Joonghyuk?"

Was it an unexpected question?

The 1,864th turn's Jung Heewon widened her eyes slightly, then let out a smirk.

"I know what you're thinking, but even if you work yourself to death, the current you cannot catch up to Joonghyuk-ssi."

"I guess that means you couldn't catch up to him either."

"What are you talking about? You and I are different."

To the 1,864th turn's Jung Heewon, who replied with a twitch of her lips, Jung Heewon urged,

"How did you become strong? How can I become as strong as you?"

"You just have to wager everything you have."

"I'm already doing that."

"You don't know what you have."

A pattern of chaos floated in the eyes of the 1,864th turn's Jung Heewon.

"You still don't know what it means to fight wagering all of your stories."

Even the same words carry different weight depending on who says them.

Hearing the 1,864th turn's Jung Heewon say that, Jung Heewon felt like she was truly someone who knew nothing.

"In that sense, this place is a stroke of luck for you. Because here, there's a slight chance you might catch up to Joonghyuk-ssi."

"A stroke of luck? In a place like this?"

"Everything in this world is ultimately made of stories. When do you think a story grows stronger?"

She had never thought about such a thing.

The 1,864th turn's Jung Heewon spoke as if she expected that.

"It's when you lose something precious."

It was incomprehensible. If you lose something precious, a story grows stronger?

"More precisely, it's when you do not collapse despite having lost something precious."

Only then did Jung Heewon understand a bit why the 1,864th turn's Jung Heewon had said 'you cannot catch up to Yoo Joonghyuk.'

Through countless regressions, Yoo Joonghyuk had endured a distant sorrow.

In those regressions, Yoo Joonghyuk must have collapsed and stood back up time and time again. That was why his stories were boundlessly solid.

"Is that why you called it a stroke of luck?"

And right now, in a sense, Jung Heewon was experiencing a regression of 'repeatedly losing' her most precious person. Even though it was an illusion, every time she killed Kim Dokja, her heart endured a deep and vivid sorrow.

"Yes. As long as you don't grow numb or collapse."

Jung Heewon nodded.

"You look quite confident."

To not grow numb, and to not collapse.

"Because there's no way I could ever get used to losing him."

Jung Heewon said so and unleashed the Formless Sword Qi. She cut Kim Dokja again and again. Sorrow washed over her every time. Each time a Kim Dokja died, a series of moments she had spent with him came to mind.

Strangely, tears began to fall. Even though she was someone who rarely cried, tears kept welling up.

Watching her, the 1,864th turn's Jung Heewon asked,

"Aren't you grieving too much?"

"You told me not to grow numb."

"No, it's just... it seems different from the grief of losing a companion."

Jung Heewon did not answer.

How she interpreted that silence was unclear, but the 1,864th turn's Jung Heewon quietly shook her head.

"There's no way."

"What about you?"

"Me? What do you mean?"

"I've read your story before."

The first time Jung Heewon read the story of the 1,864th turn was on the rooftop of the Theater Dungeon.

There, she had met the 1,864th turn's Han Sooyoung, and learned a bit about what kind of life her 1,864th turn self had lived.

"You."

Just like her self in this worldline, the 1,864th turn's Jung Heewon also had her own Kim Dokja.

"Did you protect him well until the end?"

The answer did not return for a long time. In the meantime, one Kim Dokja, then two Kim Dokjas died. Finally, around the time the third Kim Dokja lost his life, the 1,864th turn's Jung Heewon spoke.

"I tried."

She tried.

"I tried, and tried again. To the point where I wanted to die, to the point where I felt it would be fine if my breath stopped while training like this."

From the breath mixed between her answers, a heavy regret and despair could be felt.

"But I couldn't protect him."

Jung Heewon turned her head to look at the 1,864th turn's Jung Heewon. Perhaps her 1,864th turn self had also felt the same emotions as her.

"Why did you try to protect him to that extent?"

"That's......"

"Did you love him?"

At Jung Heewon's question, the 1,864th turn's Jung Heewon paused. Then she smirked.

"If anyone else had asked that question, I would have been angry. You don't use those words between family."

"Family?"

"But since it was you who asked, I'll answer honestly."

The gazes of the two Jung Heewons met. In that moment when she could perhaps only be honest to herself, the 1,864th turn's Jung Heewon finally spoke her true feelings.

"I loved him."

Hearing the answer, Jung Heewon paused. It was because she understood that the word 'love' coming from her mouth was not just love in a common and ordinary sense.

"I still love him."

Some emotions can only be explained that way. Because there is no stronger expression, one has no choice but to use the word love. Yet it was by no means an emotion toward a lover. Perhaps an emotion deeper and encompassing far more.

"That's why I came all the way here too. To protect the person I want to protect in this cursed world."

It was the heart that truly cherished an existence.

Jung Heewon understood that heart. That was why she too could speak with all her heart.

"I want to protect him too."

"Then become strong."

The 1,864th turn's Jung Heewon said. She continued in a voice smoldering with deep anger,

"Become so strong that no star, no scenario, and no [Fate] can block your sword."

Could an existence become that strong? Jung Heewon still did not know. Because she did not know, she had to train.

"To do that, do not draw your sword from now on. Kill that person without drawing your sword."

Jung Heewon followed that advice. But even if she didn't draw her sword, [Fate] moved her.

Because that was the only sentence ruling this world right now.

Tsu-chuchuchuchut.

In the end, her drawn sword cut Kim Dokja. But Jung Heewon did not lose her patience.

"Cut him with only your will. You can do it without drawing your sword."

Of course, it didn't go well. Regardless of her will, the sword was drawn every time and Kim Dokja died.

Yet clearly, Jung Heewon was advancing little by little.

As proof, the execution forced by [Fate] was being delayed bit by bit. Perhaps fate had also read her murderous intent to kill Kim Dokja.

"I can do it. A little more."

Her sword, which was drawn in 10 seconds at first, was drawn in 20 seconds at some point, and then in 30 seconds.

"Hold on a bit more."

It passed 1 minute. Then 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 5 minutes.

"Stronger, forge your will into murderous intent, and mold that intent into a blade."

Countless Kim Dokjas died. Facing the rushing sorrow head-on, Jung Heewon continued to postpone the time.

10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes.

1 hour. And—one day.

For an entire day, Jung Heewon succeeded in not cutting Kim Dokja.

Soon, one day became two, then three, then four.

Cold sweat pouring from her entire body, Jung Heewon continued to refine her murderous intent.

From then on, time began to accelerate strangely. It was impossible to tell how much time had passed. Perhaps more than a month had gone by.

After cutting, cutting, and cutting countless Kim Dokjas, Jung Heewon realized that she had reached a certain realm.

In the far distance, there was Kim Dokja. And there was herself watching him. Holding the hilt, she did not draw her sword.

She only thought,

The moment she thought so, a scar appeared on Kim Dokja's back in the distance. Watching Kim Dokja slowly collapse, Jung Heewon exhaled.

Watching that from beginning to end, the 1,864th turn's Jung Heewon said,

"You did it."

The Mind Sword. She had finally ascended to the supreme realm spoken of by Transcendents.

Tsu-chuchuchut.

And an abnormal phenomenon occurred.

An 'event' that had never occurred before was about to be recorded in this world.

"Heewon-ssi."

Kim Dokja, who should have definitely been showing his back, was slowly turning around to face her.

With a stiffened expression, the 1,864th turn's Jung Heewon said,

"[Fate] has noticed your power."

Kim Dokja approached. He was getting closer step by step.

"It has realized that you threaten it."

Jung Heewon stared directly at that record. Mobilizing all the will she possessed, she directed her murderous intent toward that sentence.

Kim Dokja kept approaching. And finally, when he reached a distance of three steps.

The moment she activated the Mind Sword, Jung Heewon realized.

And the Kim Dokja in that illusion was entirely a Kim Dokja she had created. The Kim Dokja she knew. The Kim Dokja she cherished. The Kim Dokja she wanted to protect more than anyone.

Jung Heewon knew the answer. The moment she cut him, the concept of 'Kim Dokja' would disappear from within her. She would forget Kim Dokja. She would lose the subject she wanted to protect more than anyone forever.

With that, [Fate] would exhaust its effect.

Jung Heewon trembled.

Her struggle to cut [Fate] was, above all, a process to execute [Fate] precisely.

At the very, very end, Jung Heewon ultimately despaired.

Because it could not be overcome, it was truly [Fate]. Jung Heewon asked, shedding tears of blood,

"You...... knew from the start that it wouldn't work, didn't you?"

Watching her from the side, the 1,864th turn's Jung Heewon slowly nodded and replied,

"Yeah."

"Then why did you make me do this?"

"Because you had to become strong."

"Because I hoped that at least the you here would become strong enough to protect him."

"I became strong! But if I still can't cut fate despite becoming strong, what was the point of all this!"

The 1,864th turn's Jung Heewon smiled faintly and looked up at the sky.

"Did you know? No matter how much humans try, they cannot save each other."

As if there were an invisible star beyond that sky, she slowly reached out her hand.

"The only ones who can be saved are those who have the courage to reach out their hand. Even if what touches their fingertips is a blade, those who can ask to be saved toward that blade's tip. Those who have the courage to grab the opponent's blade's tip and rise again while bleeding."

Jung Heewon couldn't understand those words.

As if it were only natural that she couldn't understand them yet, the 1,864th turn's Jung Heewon smiled and said,

"Look closely at the person in front of you. He keeps calling you."

Blinking very slowly, Jung Heewon looked at the Kim Dokja in front of her. Then, Kim Dokja called her.

"Heewon-ssi."

It was a voice she had certainly heard countless times. Yet for some reason, at that moment, it sounded different.

"Ah."

Only then did Jung Heewon realize.

The one in front of her now was not the Kim Dokja she had created.

This Kim Dokja was—

"Heewon-ssi."

Just since when had it been? How long had he been calling her?

"I'm here."

Listening to Kim Dokja's voice, Jung Heewon felt like she was about to collapse.

In that moment, a pale, long hand approached before her eyes. Jung Heewon blankly stared at the hand, then grabbed it tightly. Strangely, the moment she held it, Jung Heewon felt a sensation as if the deepest part of her heart was being cut.

"Let's return together."

With beams of light, the scenery began to scatter. Watching the space of [Fate] disappear, Jung Heewon hurriedly turned around.

She wanted to ask. If she could really do it. If she could protect the person she wanted to protect this time.

But when she looked back, the 1,864th turn's Jung Heewon was no longer there.

Within the scattering light, the 1,864th turn's Jung Heewon's voice echoed.

—Don't worry. If you can't do it, no one in any worldline can.

Jung Heewon decided to believe her words.

She took another step forward along with her [Fate].

It was finally time to open the last 'door'.