Chapter 53 Part6 (1/2)
<chapter 53.=”” the=”” final=”” stage=”” -=”” 6=””>
For hundreds of years, the giant hall was kept clean through the Emperor's magic, and it was in this hall that Lee s.h.i.+n Woo met the Emperor. There were guards standing beside him, but they were pretty insignificant to both the Emperor and Lee s.h.i.+n Woo.
But there was something striking: the throne that the Emperor sat on. There was also a small magic circle set up behind it. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo knew about it, as it had been set up by the Archmage himself. It was a door. A door that led to the cave where the source of darkness was hidden.
It was paramount that he took control of it...! In a sense, doing so was more important than dealing with the Emperor!
[Your Majesty.]
[Feo...]
The Emperor's voice was dismal, yet emitted powerful energy. Lee s.h.i.+n Woo sensed the unconcealable magic from within his voice. It was exactly as the Archmage remembered, but experiencing it first hand was... As expected, this was a true level 9.
[Lv9 Lich Emperor - Jissehanu Von Enard]
'Compared to the Magic Emperor, who used his Lightning Bind to meet me indirectly, and the Garuda, which had been eaten away by the curse for so many years, severely weakening it... The Undead Emperor's power is completely different.'
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo smirked. This is how powerful he was when there was only a slight difference in their stats? No, that was impossible!
After meeting the level 9 Emperor, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo recollected something. Levels wouldn't increase by just acc.u.mulating stats. One could only grow by reaching a certain 'level' and proving themselves worthy!
Thus far, Lee s.h.i.+n Woo hadn't acutely felt this phenomenon because all of his feats had been more than enough to level up. He had never hit a 'wall' before.
'That's how it's gone so far, but will it be so easy this time... Well, I'll never know until I actually reach 25,600 stats. Until then, I have to just try my best. Like right now... No, even more so.'
Unlike the pressure he was emanating, the Emperor gazed at him with drooping eyes. When they locked gazes, he desperately began to think. The moment he seemed surprised by the Emperor's power would mark the end of the line for him! Contrary to the Heaven Sundering General, the Undead Emperor was, in a different sense, a natural enemy to Lee s.h.i.+n Woo's Acting skill!
[I took care of a majority of the heroes. But there were a few rats that slipped through my net. But I found out that they had an unexpected connection.]
[What we feared has come to pa.s.s. How are they connected...?]
[It's Seagald. He used the Metal General, who has ties to the surface, to form an alliance with the surface.]
[Oooh...]
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo said, as if sure of its validity and the Undead Emperor interjected for the last time.
[I'm afraid of him. I feel as though he's trying to change something from within me. His loyalty to me hasn't changed, yet he's completely different from you. What is it? My wise friend and teacher. Do you know what that is?]
[...You already know the answer, Your Majesty. My clever Emperor. He dared doubt you and wanted you to become exactly how he envisioned. That's nothing more than perverse loyalty. No, it's stubbornness!]
[Feo... I'm scared.]
The Emperor said weakly. If the other heroes, who a.s.sumed that this guy was the final boss, were here, then what would they think? They would just be speechless and click their tongues.
[I'm afraid of the surface. I'm afraid of everything that's left me behind and changed.]
[Your Majesty, you rule over all that changes and all that doesn't.]
[Do you really think so? My friend, do you really think that's true?]
[If you wish for it, then time itself will stop and bow before your feet, Your Majesty. So what is it that you are so worried about?]
[My friend, I... I'm afraid of changing.]
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was silent. He thought, 'This guy's like a hikikomori...', but there was nothing he could do about it since it was the main trait of the undead.
It was actually kind of sad; even a level 9 undead, with such great magic and status, was the same as any other undead. He suddenly felt as though Seagald was amazing, as he had broken free of those shackles. It was such a relief that he'd already killed him!
[Your Majesty, you're already a perfect existence. No one can dare match up to you.]
[I'm not so sure. Perhaps... Perhaps I've already changed. My friend, why was it that I so ardently longed for the surface? Why was it that I wanted to get my revenge on Jirold so badly?]
[He's the reason we're down here. It's because he stole the light away from us.]
[But now, I feel so comfortable with this darkness. I don't want to leave. Every day, I imagine myself ripping Jirold to shreds, but even though I can go through the barrier, I can never bring myself to do so. My friend... where did I go wrong? Aah, what did I do!?]
[Your Majesty...]
The Emperor had only just realized that the undead curse he'd developed had a fatal flaw. But unfortunately, he couldn't turn back time. That's because undead, as a species, could not move forward by themselves. They not only couldn't move forward, but they also couldn't look back at the past either.
The dead. They had lost not only their lives but also a path to follow. Thus, they couldn't go forward, nor could they go back.
...But Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was here. If there wasn't a path, then he just needed to make one!
[That's too much, Your Majesty.]
Lee s.h.i.+n Woo did his duty as the Archmage and calmed the Emperor down. Though he had reached level 9 and become transcendent, the Emperor wasn't capable of escaping his fate as one of the dead. Thus, his statement was mixed with a small bit of pity towards the Emperor, Jissehanu.
[You can do anything you wish, Your Majesty. Taking a brief respite within here is your decision, so all of creation must abide by your wish. When you decide to leave here, then everyone will follow and support you!]
[Feo...!]
[Please don't doubt yourself. You are an existence which has obtained great karma, yet you also transcend existence. Since you haven't forgotten about your revenge against Jirold at all! If Jirold were to appear before you, then wouldn't you raise one hand and crush him, Your Majesty!?]
[That... Of course!]
The Lich's encouraging words caused the Emperor to stand straight up and agree. Normally, the Emperor wouldn't move an inch, so the sudden movement caused the Emperor's guards to flinch. They should've noticed by now that Lee s.h.i.+n Woo wasn't the Archmage!
[My desire for revenge hasn't left me. Not at all. My friend, you spoke well. Although I felt comfort in the darkness, that doesn't mean my desire for revenge has disappeared! On the contrary, no matter how many days or years go by, my desire for revenge still remains strong!]
[That's right, Your Majesty! That hasn't changed at all!]
Well, it shouldn't. He was an undead after all. This emotion (rejecting change) was an undead's most powerful emotion, and this emotion was controlling the Emperor as well, so there was no way he'd be able to escape its binds for even one second!
The Emperor, who cradled this cursed feeling like it was a blessing, was so pathetic that it was hard for him to continue looking at him. Is this what a fight was supposed to be like? He had a bitter taste in his mouth. Ah, he chewed on some bone powder.
[Then, what will you do if I, your humble servant (skeleton), have a solution to your plight?]
[...A solution?]
The Emperor tilted his head. Contrary to Leofield, the Emperor hadn't doubted Lee s.h.i.+n Woo from the beginning. It couldn't be helped. After all, that was what Lee s.h.i.+n Woo was all about.
[If I can bring Jirold before you, then what will you do, Your Majesty?]
[Bring Jirold... before me...?]
The Emperor slowly reiterated his question. He couldn't even imagine it. The Archmage had never said something like this before, but...
[You would bring Jirold, who's hiding on the surface, before me?]
[Yes, Your Majesty. It took me quite a long time, but I've become able to do that now. I prepared (and developed) my s.p.a.ce element for this very moment.]