WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 395: Episode 75: A Certain Emotion (2)

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"We can do this. We won't know until we try fighting."

Three hours earlier, Jeong Huiwon had said that.

"Tell them to come at us, demon king or whatever. We're not as weak as we used to be."

The Reincarnators listened to her.

Those who had chosen good in the local battles they had fought through so far. Those who had luckily survived the battlefields Kim Dokja Company had neutralized. Those who had lost their worldviews.

[Local battle 117 has begun!]

[Your alignment is good.]

"I shouldn't have come out if I'd known this would happen..."

"Can't we return to our original worlds?"

As a few frightened Reincarnators muttered, panic spread in an instant.

"H-how are we supposed to fight something like that?!"

"Ah, ahhh..."

A ship of evil was approaching. It was enormous, undoubtedly a Fable Weapon equipped with powerful skills and items.

Kieeeek!

The waves pushing the ship forward were a vast army of Dark Fighters, seventh-grade demonic species. There had to be tens of thousands of them, too many to count.

It was a sight that could never be described as a local battle.

"Ahhhhh!"

As Huiwon looked into the terrified eyes of the Reincarnators, she thought.

She couldn't demand courage from everyone. Their fear was only natural.

They had lived their entire lives trapped in their own worldviews, only to be exploited by invaders who had appeared from outside. Forcing courage on victims like them was violence in itself.

Huiwon wanted to tell them that.

That they didn't need to fight. That she would somehow handle this herself.

"Everyone, please hide in the back."

A man spoke for her.

"I'll stop them."

It was Lee Hyeongseong, her longest-standing companion and the man who had faced every hardship of Kim Dokja Company from the front.

"Can you stop them alone?"

"Of course I can't do it alone."

Seeing Hyeongseong smile so easily loosened the knot in her chest a little. He used to have a fit whenever their fingertips touched, but they really had grown close.

"Let's each take a position. I'll stop every attack. Huiwon-ssi-"

"I just need to attack them all, right? Like we did in Kaizenix."

"Yes, like Kaizenix."

Hyeongseong was Kim Dokja Company's strongest shield, and Huiwon was its sharpest sword. It was a simple strategy, but one that made the best use of each other's strengths.

"Let's go."

[The fable Sword and Shield begins its story.]

Hyeongseong rushed forward first.

"Haahhh!"

As befitted someone who believed shouting louder made him stronger, Hyeongseong threw a punch with a roar loud enough to shake the world.

[The Incarnation Lee Hyeongseong has activated Stigma Steel Transformation Lv. 10!]

Steel that had reached full maturity covered his entire body. The Dark Fighters that collided with his steel carapace, gleaming with white light, fell like bowling pins.

[The Incarnation Lee Hyeongseong has activated Stigma Great Mountain Crush Lv. 10!]

When his steel fist shot toward the sky and struck the ground, the front ranks of the Dark Fighter army shook. The ship they supported slowed as well. Without losing momentum, Hyeongseong activated his final Stigma.

[The Incarnation Lee Hyeongseong has activated Stigma Mount Tai Shove Lv. 10!]

At first, all it could do was open closed subway doors.

Now, that Stigma was holding back a ship the size of a battleship.

Chzzzzz!

Both hands under [Steel Transformation] turned pitch-black, and pieces of the steel shell covering his skin peeled away.

Yet Hyeongseong endured the pain with an even louder shout.

"Haahhhhh!"

He didn't retreat, even amid the overflowing sparks.

With his rear foot planted, Hyeongseong looked like a small nail driven firmly into the ground. That tiny nail was stopping a battleship. An unpleasant scraping sound rang out as steel struck steel, and at the end of that thunderous noise, the battleship finally stopped moving.

"I-it stopped!"

"Lee Hyeongseong-nim stopped the battleship!"

The Reincarnators cheered at the unbelievable miracle.

But the real battle began now.

The shield had done its job. It was time for the sword to move.

Huiwon stepped on Hyeongseong's shoulder and soared high into the air. She landed on the ship's deck and swung the Sword of Judgement.

[Kwaaah!]

A combo of [Demon Slaying] and [hellfire inferno].

One Historical Constellation that had let its guard down was split in half by an attack that held nothing back from the start.

Blue ghostly flames scattered as Huiwon burst forth in a pure white flash. Her figure looked noble.

[A few Constellations like the story of Sword and Shield.]

Her sword was blocked soon after.

A hand covered in murky black darkness.

One being let out a sinister laugh, caught her blade, and hurled Huiwon into the sky.

She twisted her body as she stepped through the air, then landed back on the deck.

Constellations had already formed ranks there.

No, they weren't Constellations.

[Judging by that damned Stigma, you're the Incarnation of that Archangel.]

[You must have known it was a trap, yet how foolish. To walk to your death of your own accord.]

They were beings who had claimed the darkness of the Star Stream's sky, their bodies wrapped in black demonic energy.

Huiwon examined the five Demon Kings standing before her.

"These are enemies you can try fighting, Huiwon-ssi, and enemies you absolutely must not fight. Memorize what they look like."

Huiwon desperately recalled what Dokja had told her.

The first to catch her eye was a Demon King holding a burning spear and a human head.

"You can fight this one. If you activate [Hour of Judgement], you shouldn't have any trouble as you are now."

Ami, the Commander of Fire and ruler of the 58th Demon Realm.

"This one should be manageable too... But it'll be dangerous if this one suddenly raises those horns and charges, so strike first no matter what."

Hagenti, the Golden-Horned Bull and ruler of the 48th Demon Realm.

"This one is dangerous. Only fight this one when you're in good condition and can face them one on one."

Stolas, the Silver-Clawed Owl and ruler of the 36th Demon Realm.

She could feel it from the Status flowing from them.

Up to this point, she could still face them.

The problem was the two beings watching her from the rear.

First was a tall Demon King in red armor, limping as they watched her.

"Once you face Demon Kings ranked in the teens, honestly, your chances are low. It would be different if Uriel gave you a demigod Descent, but..."

Zepar, the Demon King of Temptation and Barrenness and ruler of the 16th Demon Realm.

"And from here on, you absolutely have to avoid them."

She could tell without being told.

The being observing the situation at the end of the Demon Kings' ranks. That Demon King was someone she could never defeat as she was now.

Barbatos, the Ruthless Hunter Who Defies Heaven and ruler of the 8th Demon Realm.

A Western-style hat and a long rifle.

The Demon King with loose blond hair smiled at her.

[The most delicious despair is impossible hope.]

Huiwon gripped her blade tightly, her fighting spirit burning.

She had fought Demon Kings once before.

Back then, she had been unable to display her true strength, but what about now?

[Preparing to activate Exclusive Skill Hour of Judgement!]

Her Attribute was Judge of Evil.

And [Hour of Judgement] was the power once wielded by the Archangel who led the Valkyries that fought in the Great war of Angels and Demons.

No matter how powerful her opponent was, as long as that being was evil, she wouldn't lose.

Then...

[Most Constellations of the absolute good alignment have opposed the skill activation.]

[The skill activation has been cancelled.]

As though Barbatos knew what had happened to her, Barbatos smiled.

[Foolish Incarnation of Uriel. Do you still not understand what kind of situation this is?]

Dokja had said it. These local battles were traps. We had to take part even knowing they were traps.

[Angels are especially fond of the concept of a scapegoat. This time, it seems to be you.]

Eden's goal was to win the Great war of Angels and Demons.

To achieve that, Kim Dokja Company had to cease to exist.

Whether Huiwon was good or evil, from their perspective, she was simply someone to eliminate.

She knew that. Still, it didn't feel real.

The other angels were one thing, but had even Uriel betrayed me?

[I'll send you off peacefully.]

She heard Barbatos's long rifle being loaded.

The moment the back of her neck went cold, Huiwon threw herself off the ship.

Kwooooom!

The bullet fired toward the sky tore through space and time, leaving a black hole in the air. The hand holding her sword trembled. She had just been about to swing her sword at a monster like that.

"Never fight one of the top ten Demon Kings one on one. Run away, no matter what. Then wait for the other allies. You have to."

Normally, she would have protested Dokja's words.

Not now.

"Hyeongseong-ssi!"

Hyeongseong, who had been crushing Dark Fighters below the ship's bow, looked up at her. Just by exchanging glances, he understood the situation on the battlefield.

The Demon Kings' mockery echoed from the deck.

[Hahahahaha! A wise choice.]

[The battlefield is vast. But how far can you run?]

A storm of demonic energy poured down from the sky. The sword and shield ran. They couldn't fight an enemy they had no means to confront. They couldn't die here, either.

"Dokja-ssi and Yu Junghyeok-ssi will come. Let's hold out until then."

Huiwon nodded.

No matter how strong the enemy was, they could win if all their allies gathered. They had fought through battlefields worse than this.

Kim Dokja Company wouldn't collapse here.

As they cared for injured Reincarnators, the two kept pulling the battle line back, crushing the Dark Fighters that rushed at them.

[The influence of your Patron is weakening.]

As if things weren't bad enough, Uriel's protection was weakening too. Huiwon had a bad feeling, but forced herself to shake her head.

Uriel was probably fighting in another local battle. Uriel would never betray her.

A violent constellation's declaration from a Demon King swept across the battlefield.

[Move aside, trash.]

The Reincarnators who had missed their chance to flee were driven into a corner. Those who bravely charged were the first to lose their heads, while those who stepped back in fear had their hearts pierced.

Some endured the Demon King's power and fought back.

[Oh? A Swordmaster? You fight fairly well.]

Someone was blocking Hagenti's golden horns.

An Aether Blade flowed along the sword's edge.

Huiwon knew the old man gripping that sword.

"Kyle?"

Kyle Bert.

He had been the captain of the royal guard who served her in the Kaizenix Archipelago.

「Captain, it was an honor to serve you.」

「Truthfully, I'm too old to go out into the wider world.」

「But I hope this insignificant strength can be of some help there as well.」

Kyle fought well. He blocked Demon King Hagenti's horns again and again, and even left a small wound on the bull's forearm.

But that was all.

The Swordmaster's sword broke, and his knees buckled.

Hagenti had never been an enemy an old Swordmaster could face.

Kyle's body, seized by the neck, dangled like a toy.

[The character Erich Stryker is shaken.]

Erich revealed his emotions within Huiwon.

At this rate, Kyle would die.

Huiwon's thoughts moved slowly. The names of Kim Dokja Company's members passed through her mind.

Yu Junghyeok came to mind first.

「"Reincarnators will come back to life even if they die anyway."」

Junghyeok wouldn't have saved Kyle. The Island of Reincarnators didn't permit death. Even if Kyle lost his memories and became someone else, his soul would survive in the end. Junghyeok would have let Kyle die for a greater purpose.

Dokja came to mind next.

「We have to save him. But if we do that, Huiwon-ssi will die.」

Dokja would have said the right thing, but because he worried about her life, he would have turned away from Kyle.

「What are you thinking about? Use that bastard to kill the Demon King.」

Han Suyeong would have said that.

She had never been particularly interested in saving lives to begin with.

Suyeong, who used the worst to create the best, would have immediately aimed for the Demon King's neck.

And Kyle's dying lips were saying, "Please run."

But his eyes were saying this.

「I didn't want to die like this, but...」

"Huiwon-ssi."

Hyeongseong's voice reached her.

Huiwon and Hyeongseong resembled each other more than anyone else in Kim Dokja Company.

Their dispositions and adaptability differed, but in at least one kind of situation, they always made the same choice.

[Exclusive Skill hellfire inferno Lv. 10 has been activated!]

There was no need to hesitate.

Because they had been saved that way too.

Footnotes:

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