Chapter 256, a (5)
The point of view briefly shifts to a modern studio apartnt.
"..."
"...Hunter-nim?"
The blond man, who had been explaining smoothly, suddenly falls silent. It takes a long pause before he finally continues speaking.
"Seonwoo Yeon-ssi. By any chance, did you notice anything strange in what I've explained so far?"
Sothing strange? If we're being honest, there's not a single part of this that isn't strange. The man in front of her had just claid to be an alien, and beside him, Justitia was verifying the truth of their conversation.
Clank.
Even at this very mont, the scales were tipping to the right. The black-haired woman trembled at the jaw as she asked a question.
"What exactly am I supposed to find strange...?"
Her eyes were half unfocused. But the words were enough—and so, the man continued the conversation.
"If you look closely, you'll notice that the past took killing the enemies from the upper beings as sothing completely natural."
"Yes?"
"Disregard for life-"
"Ah..."
"At the ti of the dean, if I had stayed still, I would have been the one to die. Even if I was generously acting in self-defense, when it ca to dealing with the upper beings, I had no hesitation whatsoever."
"That's right."
"Above all, since we couldn't communicate well, I think I just saw them as beasts with peculiar cries."
The alien wearing Kim Giryeo's skin moved. He shifted his hand as slowly as possible so as not to startle Seonwoo Yeon. Then, he pushed aside the nearby blanket. It seed like a aningless action, but if one looked deeper, it was a kind of preparation all the sa.
"So, under the pretext of developing technology to end the war, I didn't hesitate to dissect, torture, or slaughter prisoners."
"Ugh."
"In the end, I really did bring the war to an end with these hands—but in the process, I killed an enormous number of Beta beings."
"..."
"At the very least, I should've drawn a line between soldiers and civilians. You can't take it back once a living being is killed..."
The great wizard subtly inserted small, seemingly harmless actions into the conversation, steadily lowering Seonwoo Yeon's guard. At the sa ti, he maintained eye contact with his guest.
"Well, anyway. After hearing all that, I think you've figured it out by now—I'm a war criminal."
Worried that Seonwoo Yeon might run out in the middle, he had deliberately skipped over much of the boring lecture sections. But in truth, the basic education he had received in his youth had been horrifying. Apart from the subject of magic, everything else was abysmal. From a human's perspective, it was practically ideological indoctrination—no different from propaganda.
"Is this... supposed to be considered a kind of ochlocracy... or sothing?"
Hmph.
The one-room tenant smacked his lips.
"Back then, the teachers would indiscriminately slander the Beta beings. They also didn't provide unnecessary information to the students at the training academy."
They, who ca from the sky, are a very low and filthy kind of soul, unlike us who always live soaked in water. They are low intelligence, vicious beings who indiscriminately slaughter the pitiful inhabitants of the wandering planets, and so on.
"Anyway, I rember that the way the textbooks described their society was absolutely absurd."
A few class contents that still co to mind.
"But those white aliens were actually all highly intelligent... aside from the language system, their civilization level was not much different from ours."
The blonde man moved his right arm, instead of a tentacle, to rest his chin on his hand. It resembled a posture he often used in his past life.
"Shortly after the war began, the moderate faction from the upper beings rose up and argued for halting the expansion of territory."
"Huh..."
"They said their kind had already secured enough territory to sustain themselves, so wasn't it ti to stop the aningless slaughter?"
A small, inward breath.
"Could a species capable of such profound compassion truly have been nothing more than beasts to be hunted?"
Seonwoo Yeon no longer tenses up even when the one-room resident changes his posture.
"As expected, I really shouldn't have taken part in a species' extinction so thoughtlessly. Without even the slightest effort to preserve them..."
A man in his twenties, rotating borrowed Sambaegen eyes that were not his own. After checking Seonwoo Yeon's expression, he deliberately adjusted the muscles in his face.
"Still, don't worry. What I'm telling you right now is actually just your typical good-versus-evil tale."
"Yes?"
"The war criminal in front of you has already paid his price in his own way. That's the ssage, right?"
The front of his eyebrows were slightly raised, and the corners of his mouth were turned down.
"In a way, it's because of that punishnt that I'm here right now... Seonwoo Yeon-ssi."
"Y, yes."
"But the truth is, I've gone through a lot of hardships in the past. Now that I have the chance to open up and share them with soone, it feels really different."
"Yeah..."
"It feels refreshing and I'm grateful... So, if it's alright, could I explain things a bit more in detail from now on? As I ntioned earlier, no one has ever listened to my story before."
"Hmm."
"If you're busy... I'll try to summarize it as best as I can, but..."
The alien's face, shaped in a pitiable way that made it easy to feel sympathy for Earthlings. When the alien mimicked a certain expression, Seonwoo Yeon, unfortunately, fell for the deception right away.
"It's, it's okay. Today is a holiday, so what could have possibly happened to ? Feel free to say whatever you want."
It was going according to plan. As he had ntioned from the beginning, the magician wearing Kim Giryeo's skin had already discerned the custor's character before starting this conversation.
.
.
.
Let's continue the explanation.
[Alphaun]
An odd-numbered year had arrived. In truth, war is often accompanied by unexpected stillness—so long as one isn't on the front lines. An assassin from Beta Star had made their way deep into the sleeping quarters. And then, there were the petty conspiracies of allied nation mages, driven by jealousy of their comrade's overwhelming talent.
Indeed, though there had been all sorts of commotion during that ti, all such attempts ultimately proved futile in the face of a true genius.
Ah, these damn mosquitoes. They should know by now it's no use, why do they keep coming back?
It was just after the twenty-fourth assassination attempt had failed.
The green-cloaked mage grumbled to no one in particular as he laid the body of the Beta assassin in front of the barracks.
This ti, he'd put a little more effort into the work. He drew the copper-colored blood from the enemy's body, mixed it with the stockpiled blood of other Betas, and froze the kind into a specific shape above the sea. A massive ssage of blood-ice—so vast that even the Betas beyond the front line could see it and understand.
[Stop]
[Sen][ting]
[This]
[Scum][bags]
However, the writing in Alphaun style, so it's uncertain whether the content will be understood.
Blood, and flesh. The act of destroying a body is considered a particularly brutal form of violence, even on this ocean planet. But one deep-sea dweller paid even more attention to the flamboyance of death precisely because of that. When a creature is broken in bizarre and unimaginable ways, the enemy who discovers it is usually thrown into shock.
Montum battles are a serious matter.
A green wizard who instinctively knows how to overwhelm others. And when he stands on the front lines. The invading army retreats far behind as if it were a germ in front of penicillin. No matter how the front origins, the country could no longer treat him poorly.
One who can wield 6th-tier magic. One whose internal mana quantity exceeds 100 units.
If it hadn't been such a turbulent ti, he would've soon been revered under a new title—having already t even the most difficult conditions said to be the true gateway to becoming a (Archmage).
But unfortunately, since it was warti, he couldn't possibly fulfill one of the most traditional and essential requirents. In other words, during the era of the upper beings, war wasn't an (Archmage).
Haa...
Of course, even without the title, this young green mage was highly regarded as a battle mage with such strength that he could stand shoulder to shoulder with the great mages of the military, known for his exceptional combat abilities.
In the end, an individual is just an individual. How could a warrior from a remote corner of the deep sea resolve the friction of a celestial body in such a short period of ti?
How long should I keep doing this?
There were limits. Even this monster, who grew into a different person with each battlefield it faced, couldn't end the war that had dragged on for years.
Truly, it wasn't just a pointless comparison to liken them to bacteria.
The cause was the reproductive ability of the Beta beings, adapted to the abundant environnt of the Alphaun. They weren't like simple animals such as rabbits, their cell division rate was so rapid it could be compared to that of a single cell organism. In just a few days of distraction, they could form 8 to 9 large colonies. Each of these colonies had combat strength equivalent to that of a small Alphaun nation.
So, even if they pushed the frontlines forward, it would soon co back down, flooding in once more. The Beta beings were like sumr stream waters, swelling and pouring in. Furthermore, the thod of disarming enemies by tearing their skin using (Teleskinesis) was a unique skill that only the green magician of this place could perform.
It seems like this will never end.
After so ti of deep contemplation, the young mage found his answer. Fortunately, it didn't take long to co to a decision. After much deliberation, he decided to cease his participation in the battlefield for a certain period.
In order for Alphaun to secure victory, sothing innovative was needed. It was clear that if they were only focused on winning the battles in front of them, there would be no ti to create the ans necessary for that victory.
This can't go on.
The green wizard soon decided to develop a technology against the Betas that even ordinary soldiers, not just genius mages, could easily handle. He secured a few assistants from the state, and hiding away in a safe house, began his first major research with them.
Light! That young, arrogant little mage. Does that guy not have the word "respect" in his head? How dare he treat soone like , an elder, as a servant and talk down to !Co on now. It's all by the nation's order, isn't it? Just bear with it. I'm sure he doesn't want to treat you like that...Are we really not allowed to step outside, even just a single step?To think we have to live this in a cramped room until the end of the war...
Experint. Experint. Experint. It seed that the comrades were thoroughly fed up with this repetitive task, which took place under strict control.
Don't you ever get tired! You young one! Don't you ever want to go out and have so fun?
The deep-sea dweller remained as lively as ever, no matter how long that life continued.
Why would I play? There's work to do. Soldiers upstairs are still dying to protect the planet.You're being informal again!I've hated entertainnt since my school days. I didn't have enough ti to study, so I just suppressed those botherso desires.Heuk?Since we're on the topic, should I go ahead and cut your nerves too?N, no, I an... I'm sorry... really...Why are you apologizing? I'm making the offer with good intentions. This procedure—it actually feels pretty nice afterward.I said I'm sorry, okay!Hold still. We're in the middle of a war anyway, and it's not like you'll be using them. Might as well rip out those energy-wasting mating organs while we're at it.
The green genius, when compared to the Alphaunians of the sa era, exuded a strangely foreign atmosphere. During the mid-era, the Alphaun gene pool still held onto a sense of altruism, making it relatively easy to find "good people."
However, this deep-sea dweller was so remarkably cold and strange that he stood out. In short, his innate nature was rather unpleasant.
Once the war is over, I'll put it back together neatly. In theory, there shouldn't be any issues.Kyaaah!
But fortunately, the green wizard wasn't acting this way out of malice. He just wanted to end the Great War as soon as possible. Who can bla him for this coincidentally eting with his personal efficiency and manifesting in an extre form?
Compared to the dark, calm, and violently stormy Jupiter-like planet, his holand was a place where every day felt slow and steady.
It's no use for a wizard to scream so wastefully.
The majestic scenery of this ocean planet felt like sothing worth protecting to him.
There was also a painless technique that was being developed. I'll test it right away...Soldier! Soldier!
Moreover, even those foolish compatriots who don't communicate well...
What is it? Why are you calling ? I'm busy.There was a huge supply from the higher-ups today. Fresh shellfish cultivated in the ### family's territory! I've never seen such plump shellfish in my life!Hmm.Here, since you're a soldier, you must eat to take. Take even my share of the spiky shellfish!Really? Why?I just said it, didn't I? You're indifferent to everything, soldier, but when it cos to food, you're always on point.No... that's...
Purrrr.
As the small-bodied Alphaun hurriedly entered the makeshift room, transparent bubbles ford from the breath they exhaled.
I ca here thinking of you, soldier. I didn't touch any of the shells on my way here. Since you always work hard, I'll make sure to give you this much.
The tentacles of the creature carried elegant containers, and upon opening them, a line of high-end delicacies, which Alphauns go crazy for, could be seen. But to hand over such expensive food to a crazy soldier who had deliberately killed the sensitivity of his taste cells.
That's strange.
Yeah, it's truly odd. But every ti the green wizard witnessed such incomprehensible behavior from his fellow countryn, he found himself more determined to end the war as quickly as possible. Furthermore, during his ti on the front lines, he pushed aside the enemy when he, fully aware that his own tentacles would burst, urgently canceled a magic spell to protect a civilian who had wandered into the area.
The planet, the ecosystem's creatures, and even magic. Whoever created them, it's hard to understand why the world is filled with so many things worth loving.
Anyway, since you're giving it to , I'll eat it well. No taking it back later, though!Oh, don't worry.
A self-centered individual who was almost considered a psychopath by the standards of the ti. However, despite his cold soul and rational tendencies, there was always sothing in his heart that he found endearing.
The seaweed that grows long between the rocks every sumr. The fins of fish moving gracefully, as if designed on a blueprint. Alphaun.
So might call them trivial, but was it that every ti he looked upon those elents of his holand, he felt an indescribable sense of beauty?
Not long after this, the deep-sea dweller who had fought tooth and nail to defend the planet
at last completed a secret technique capable of driving out the enemy. And with the spell he created, a historic event unfolded in which approximately 870 million Beta aliens perished.
It was the beginning of the end of the war.
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