CHAPTER 77
The Lord of Nox. Noir Nox.
She was a madwoman drunk on the theory of superior genetics.
"Soun, do you know what the fundamental goal of a living being is?"
Noir proudly placed a hand on her stomach.
"It is to procreate. To leave one's genes in this world, to leave a trace of oneself, is the most fundamental will of a living being."
There was a madness in Noir's eyes.
A praying mantis.
I could see why Soun had called her that.
She was a woman who would do anything for the sake of procreation.
"The times are changing. The population is growing, and the economy is in a constant state of recession. People's dissatisfaction is piling up, and their hatred for one another has grown. Resources are scarce, the establishment is only concerned with expanding its power, and the common citizens struggle to make a living."
Noir delivered a long speech, pointing toward the surface world.
"And the existence of Transferees was the final nail in the coffin. The Great War of the past was an unavoidable conflict, even without them. But as they joined, we opposed their ideologies, yet at the same time, we came to understand their way of thinking and realized the truth. And the knowledge they passed on enriched our lives and gave us much to think about."
Many people in this world are wary of Transferees.
They were outsiders and became the cause of the Great War.
But war can sometimes be a catalyst for a new era.
The change brought by the era of Transferees.
Their modern ideas and ideologies had a direct impact on the people of this world.
Humans are creatures with the strength to grow through conversation and learning. The people of this world, while shunning Transferees, came to hear their ideas and ideologies.
The era changed in reverse.
Through the Transferees, new ideas and ideologies, along with their knowledge, gave birth to countless symbols of civilization.
As a result, life became more prosperous, and the gazes of those who had only focused on their daily bread turned outward.
They gradually came to realize.
How different is my life from the lives of others?
The man next door earns a lot of money and eats fine meat.
I, on the other hand, still have nothing on my table but what looks like someone else's leftovers.
Comparison is a curse.
Because they had余裕 (leisure/surplus), they began to compare, and in that comparison, they endlessly chipped away at themselves.
"Recently, that influence has become apparent even in Nox. We are the shadows. We are no different in how we are changed by the light that comes down from the surface. The power structure of Nox has faced a change, and people now desire exploitation, justified by the mutual hatred that has sprung from it."
The change in Nox.
I had learned about it not long ago from Horizon.
She had said that even Nox doesn't touch people from their own territory.
But the bandits that appeared in Nox had attacked Horizon even though they knew she was a resident of Monghwagol.
This wasn't just limited to Nox.
The countless incidents I had experienced on the surface recently.
Where did they all begin?
In the end, they were the result of countless individuals piling up their greed and clashing with one another.
"What are you trying to say?"
Soun had listened patiently to her story, but he frowned as if he couldn't listen anymore.
His expression said, What's going to change by you venting your complaints about the era to me?
"I can feel it."
Noir spread her arms wide.
"The era has been turned on its head, and in this age of increased hatred, children will gradually become precious. As more people become educated and intelligent, they will come to realize it. That a child is not a being that secures the future, but a being that gnaws away at the present."
And then, she clapped her hands together with a sharp sound.
A madness akin to fervent desire could be felt in Noir's eyes.
"The intelligent will gradually avoid having children. Their own lives are more important than procreation. In contrast, the foolish will have children. For them, the desire to breed is more important than their own lives. The world will gradually be filled with fools. The result of the foolish having more children than the intelligent."
There, Noir declared.
"And in such an era, a superior child will stand out. A child with the power to change the era will become a leader and will seize all power by using the fools."
Her finger pointed at Soun.
"Behold, Soun. Your child and mine will be the king who conquers such an era. Is it not a joyful thought, even just to dream of it? Is the sight of a king who will reign over the foolish not truly beautiful?"

Noir Nox had a grand dream.

And the object of that dream was likely not limited to Soun. As a believer in the supremacy of superior genetics, she sought to collect all outstanding genes and build a kingdom of her own bloodline in this world.

She was nothing short of a madwoman.

And because of that, I understood how she had risen to become the Lord of Nox. That drive, that madness. None of the residents of Nox could ever hope to compare to her.

"Your words are neither pleasant nor beautiful."

Soun's sword began to erupt in a brilliant golden light. The power contained within it created a sense of overwhelming pressure I had never experienced before.

"If you're going to live trapped in your delusions, live alone and don't drag others into them."

At Soun's sharp refusal, the crazed light in Noir Nox's eyes gradually subsided.

"I see. You still refuse to listen to what I have to say."

Simultaneously, the black clouds encroaching around Noir Nox began to crackle with violent sparks.

"It's fine. I can cut off your arms and legs, feed you aphrodisiacs, and still get your semen. That's all I need."

Ugh, she’s truly insane.

"Run up!"

The moment Soun's words left his mouth, I started sprinting up the stairs with all my might. A tremendous roar exploded from behind me. I didn't dare look back. Nothing good would come from witnessing that.

The staircase trembled. I ran desperately to escape this place that felt like it could collapse at any moment.

Finally, when I saw a glimmer of light, I threw my body toward the outside.

K-KWAGAGAGAGANG!

The entrance to Nox collapsed behind me. The guard who had been standing watch was caught by surprise and went tumbling to the ground.

"W-What the..."

He stared back and forth between me and the ruined entrance with a bewildered look. I, too, stared at the entrance with considerable anxiety. If Soun were to be defeated here, nothing could be more troublesome. The entire reason I had concocted this plan was for Soun's safe return.

I had been staring at the collapsed entrance of Nox for a while when...

KWAGWAGWANG!

With a thunderous boom, a pile of rocks was sent flying. A moment later, Soun, sword in hand, climbed up to the surface.

A sigh of relief escaped my lips. I was overcome with a sense of security at his safe return.

"What about Noir Nox?"

When I asked about that madwoman, Soun glanced down below.

"She's a woman who will never leave Nox anyway. It's meaningless once we're out here."

That was a relief. My legs felt weak. I had been through many incidents, but the battle between Soun and Noir Nox was on a completely different plane. It was enough to make even my iron nerves tremble.

But I couldn't afford to collapse here. I still had work to do.

"I'm going to see Lady Ririran."

"Go."

Soun had no intention of stopping me. I dragged my exhausted body and quickly made my way.

I passed through the city center and arrived at the designated inn where I was staying. As I opened the door and stepped inside, I found Ririran and Horizon sitting there.

"Harua-ssi!"

Horizon looked visibly relieved, a bright expression on her face. It seemed she had been worried sick after sending me into Nox alone.

"You're back, boy. Took you a while."

"Yes, Noir Nox ended up catching on."

"Then, what about Soun?"

"He's safe."

I hadn't come back with Soun on purpose. Soun was famous throughout the world. There was no telling what kind of commotion his appearance would cause. There was no need to do anything that might expose my Resurrection magic.

"Here you go."

"Thank you."

I took the two fingers from her and sat down. Then, I steadied my breath and activated my Resurrection magic.

Both of them had willingly given their lives for my plan. I had to bring them back safely.

The power of Resurrection seeped into the fingers. Soon, the bodies of the two women began to form from the fingertips.

Some time passed.

Because I was reviving them slowly and carefully, it took a little longer for their bodies to be completed. A short while later, both of their bodies were fully formed. Horizon quickly brought over their clothes and helped them dress. I stepped back and waited patiently.

Before long, the two of them slowly began to open their eyes. Aranseol covered her eyes with a slightly dazed expression. Babiyeon took a deep breath and felt around her chest. It seemed she had destroyed her own heart with magic.

"So this... this is what it felt like."

Aranseol muttered, seeming to recall the time she had been revived before. Then, she turned to me and stood up.

"Harua."

Aranseol walked right up and wrapped me in her arms. Horizon looked surprised and Ririran let out a soft whistle, but Aranseol paid them no mind.

"So this is what you've been enduring every time."

"For me, there's a guarantee that I'll come back to life. It wasn't that hard to bear."

"Where in the world is there such a guarantee?"

Aranseol rested her head against my chest.

"You can never be sure of something like that."

Just as she said, there was no absolute guarantee that I would return from death. There are places where magic doesn't work. If I drowned in water or was buried underground, I would just repeat death eternally. Resurrection magic isn't perfect. I had known that fact for a long time. Aranseol knew it too, which was why she said that to me.

"My goodness, what a scene to make right after waking up," Babiyeon said, her face slightly peeved.

Aranseol, seeming to realize she had acted on impulse, cleared her throat softly and stepped back.

"Harua, what about that woman?" Babiyeon asked, referring to the Red Flame Lord.

I took the finger out of my pocket.

"Got it."

"Then..."

"Yes, I'm going to revive her."

The resurrection the Red Flame Lord had so desperately craved. However, it would become the worst possible outcome for her.

Everything she might know about Black Dawn.

It was time to uncover it all.