The World After the Fall

Sirwen was a [Nightmare] who had a contract with Golden Sky. It was now obvious that Golden Sky had the Lord of Darkness as their sponsor. It also meant that Sirwen had a connection to the Lord of Darkness.

"Bah, who cares? Why would I give a crap about that stupid contract when I found a man who completed the Eight Gates of Hell?"

"Eight Gates of Hell? Was that the skill you used on him?"

"Yeah."

Chunghuh was confused.

"How did that crappy skill make him fall asleep for this long?"

"Crappy?"

Sirwen became angered.

"The Eight Gates of Hell is an epic skill!"

"Huh? Even the Disciples kids use it. What about the skill makes it 'epic'?"

"Disciples? Oh." Sirwen added, "Yeah, I remember. I taught them the skill 700 years ago."

Chunghuh became shocked. He then realized it was about 700 years ago when the Disciples Clan began using the skill.

"The skill is not made for humans to use. Only [Nightmares] can use it to its true potential."

But that didn't make sense. Why did she teach humans then?

"Why? I wanted someone to unravel the skills."

"Unravel?"

Sirwen nodded. "No one, as far as I know, had broken the skill so far."

"No way. I've seen the skill being broken many times already."

"You mean the skill 'used by humans'."

Chunghuh couldn't object.

"Like most hallucination skills, when the target has a stronger mind then the caster, the skill is destroyed. But what is destroyed is the caster's mind, not the skill itself."

Chunghuh realized immediately that meant the Eight Gates of Hell was like a sword that never broke. Even if the master who wielded the sword died from a strike, the sword itself would not break.

"If a [Master Nightmare] uses it, not even those Lords can break out of it."

Chunghuh was shocked. It meant that Jaehwan could have ended up in a far worse state. Sirwen wasn't a Master, but she was a [High Artisan].

"I know what you're thinking. Don't worry, he's safe."

"What do you mean?"

"…He broke the skill. He completed the entire trial and managed to reach the 8th gate. Oh, just so you know, the 8th gate is like a reward. It rewards you with great things if you can get there."

Chunghuh then realized why Sirwen saved them, despite breaching her contract with the Lord of Darkness, and kept visiting Jaehwan. Jagel Meng, of the Disciples Clan, once told Chunghuh about the skill.

-If someone reaches the 8th gate, that one will be the King of [Chaos].

Chunghuh asked, "What is in there?"

"A relic left by my godfather."

A relic? Chunghuh then saw Sirwen's expression change. She seemed shocked.

"What are you…"

Chunghuh realized where she was looking at.

Jaehwan was waking up.

Jaehwan heard Chunghuh recount what had happened while he was asleep.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"Meeting room."

"No, you cannot go there right now. There are people that are thinking of handing you over to the Palace."

"Handing me over?"

Chunghuh sighed and explained.

"I see. So it came down to that."

Jaehwan, ignoring Chunghuh's efforts to stop him, walked up to the meeting room. Everyone in the room was shocked to see Jaehwan.

"M-master?"

Jaehwan looked around silently, and then spoke. "I'm going."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"I'm going to the Palace of Reincarnation."

A declaration. Everyone then realized why he had said that. The Master had heard everything that had happened. Cayman immediately rose up and shouted, "NO! You cannot do that!"

"…Cayman, sit down."

Yong spoke without any energy. Some others, including Yong, couldn't bear to look up at Jaehwan. Jaehwan knew what it meant.

"It's okay. Don't blame yourselves."

No one was able to speak out. Some had put their faces into their hands, while some closed their eyes and turned away. Anger and sadness filled the room. After a while, Yong stood up, while still looking down to avoid meeting eyes with Jaehwan.

"I hate you."

He was now looking directly at Jaehwan with teary eyes.

"You gave us life, freedom, and hope."

"…"

"Do you know that many died while you were asleep? If we were not given life, freedom, or hope… they would not have died."

Jaehwan looked around. Jagel Meng wasn't there.

"I am sorry."

"Why… why…"

Why did you appear? What for?

Yong couldn't ask those questions. Jaehwan questioned himself as he watched the man's tears. Had he done the right thing? He couldn't answer.

"But still… " Yong continued, "We need you."

And that was the start. All the officers stood up.

"Don't go, Master."

"You must stay with us."

The people, who were arguing to hand over Jaehwan up until now, were standing up and shouting.

"We will fight! We will die fighting!"

Chunghuh, who was watching all this from behind, looked at Jaehwan.

'You have given them something too valuable.'

Chunghuh realized that these people would do anything to protect what they had been given. Jaehwan looked at all those people and spoke.

"I think you all are mistaken. I'm not going there to surrender."

"…Huh?"

Jaehwan laughed.

The people then realized, it was that laugh that had they wanted to see all this time. The one man who never ceased fighting however great the enemy was. The one who made miracles with his own two hands.

They had waited for Jaehwan to appear and tell them-

"I'm going to wipe them out."