Chapter 16: Where Shards of your Blazing Dream Once Gleamed, Lie Ashes of Echoes, By an Old Star Deemed (1)
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" boy, you are talented. This is not a gift, but merely a natural result of how you have unconsciously lived your life. Do not forget."
Talent is not a product of chance.
It is an unnoticed accumulation of actions, thoughts, and emotions across thousands of moments since birth.
And by the same logic, it is erosion.
"Your destiny is to live alone at the summit. No one will understand you. Those around you will not see what you see. This solitude will slowly consume you, exactly as your talent accumulated to form your present self."
The man who said this hid his face under a blue straw hat, smiling calmly.
Little Damian did not understand his words, but he felt fear.
He clearly saw the strange man's smile, yet the featureless face terrified the boy.
"But do not worry. Even in solitude, one can take a companion. Take this. This Ego will be your companion."
After stroking Damian's head, a butterfly emerged from the man's hand.
Crimson lights scattered from the butterfly. Its faint fluttering seemed strange.
The butterfly's eyes gleamed with a silver sparkle, as the inscriptions across its body moved.
The boy felt a deep desire.
"Become stronger and grasp the flame, so that the cold may not come to you, and spread this warmth to the world, to burn gently towards the ashes."
A faint voice whispered.
These whispers frightened the boy, and he tried to locate their source in panic.
But he saw no one.
The man did not speak, and the butterfly could not do so.
The boy remembered the doctor saying a word suitable for this situation about his sick mother.
Hallucination?
"I'm scared... I feel cold. I want to go home. I want my mom."
The boy hugged himself, trembling.
Yes, the words were the hallucination.
"Become stronger! Do not fade like the rest of the weak! Strive for the bright stars of the sky or die hollow! Burn, bleed, laughing in the face of annihilation! Lack of danger is but deception, and tranquility is only the moon's reflection in water. So become stronger; only the dead seek comfort!"
He felt a strange urge to scream.
To scream that he wanted to fly in the sky, to escape the dark nights.
He no longer wanted to be beaten every day.
He had walked into the forest because his father was hitting him.
"Do not be afraid. All this fear can be endured with your new companion. This butterfly will help you."
The strange man hugged the boy's body, whispering gently to him.
Red energy flowed from the man, spreading through the place.
The scent of blood permeating the area pierced the boy's nose.
Monster corpses were scattered around.
Aaah, right, this man had saved me. I remember now.
The hazy memory flowed like a river's current.
For some reason, the sight of blood made the boy's eyes gleam.
He couldn't take his gaze away from the corpses.
The red aura covered the boy's body.
A thread from that aura connected to the butterfly, while leaving the strange man's body.
"Morning and evening, on the coldest winter days and the hottest summer days, whether famine comes to you or rainy nights, this butterfly will accompany you, as a companion witnessing your journeys. Thus, you will not be alone."
The strange man's words vanished into the air, and like fog, his image began to fade.
The boy, who had been curious about the outside world, found himself after wandering lost in the forest, alone after the strange man disappeared.
But he no longer felt afraid.
In the silver night sky, the White Moon's light crept through the trees, casting its shards upon a small boy and a flickering butterfly.
For a long time, Damian remained staring at the butterfly before him.
Possessed by the captivating brilliance, Damian extended his hand towards this strange Ego.
His black eyes tinted with red, and he felt his outstretched hand burn.
A black tattoo, flickering with redness, formed on that arm.
"From today, we are friends. Your name, O butterfly, is the Flame of the Pitch Black Night, Yura. In a world with no friends who stay or family worth living for, only you remain."
Flame and blood.
On the boy's arm, drops of blood floated, drawn towards the flame surrounding them.
The flame clashed with the blood before the boy's eyes, and then he wept strangely.
Tears fell upon the butterfly, which rested on Damian's arm.
With its bright light, the butterfly slowly faded, and its engraved image remained on his arm, burning with the red blood flame.
The boy's hazy eyes mirrored his raised lips.
With a deep smile, he lost consciousness.
Forgetting the strange man's words.
Damian slowly opened his eyes, waking from his dream.
Dreams were very strange.
Some are clear and remain stuck in memory; some float away like the wind, no matter how you try to grasp them, they fade.
"...What did that man say?"
The memory was not clear.
Damian shook his head.
What cannot be understood is best left simply.
He rose from his bed and saw the maids standing.
"Young master, your bath is ready, and the training hall is empty as you ordered yesterday."
"You may leave until I call you."
"Hearing is obeying."
After bathing and calming his thoughts, he changed his clothes and donned his gear.
The gleaming pendant flashed with different colors.
The white sword at his waist seemed thirsty to cut.
The radiant ring channeled energy around his arm, and the tattoo on his right arm glowed.
These were his Egos: Blood Ice Sword, Protective Deluge Pendant, Flowing Torrent Ring, and the tattoo was a healing-type Ego, Holy Blood Lake.
The Flame of the Pitch Black Night butterfly, Yura, fluttered around him as the tattoo on his left arm gleamed.
Damian had received guests from the Red Frost Sect some time ago, and today their official delegation arrives.
Who would have thought?
The daughter of the Red Frost Sect's chieftain herself is coming.
"This does not bode well for me."
His goal was to exploit Red Frost's support to increase his level, then make their forces clash with Forgotten Flame while he remained on the sidelines, eventually siding with the winner among them.
Even cooperation with Black Sand Village existed as an option if it served his interest.
Tribal loyalty?
"As the saying goes: Not everyone deserves sympathy, and the strong are not dragged by fleeting emotions. My siblings are just fools blindly following my damned father. They can die for all I care!"
Justice and enmity, we are the heroes and they are the villains—what are these labels but tools in the hands of the system to exploit the people?
The hostility with Black Sand Village is merely a conflict over resources.
Past enmity and hatred, and rumors—all these are just pretexts to make killing them less heavy on the people's hearts.
It is easy to make one violent.
Simply strip away the identity of humanity from others.
When others are evil, we as heroes must erase them, for the prosperity of the world and peace.
The people of this village have been brainwashed since childhood to believe Black Sand Village is evil, and since conflicts are natural in the world, it was easy to fabricate accusations against them.
Damian's fate would have been similar if not for his butterfly Yura, which alerted him when great danger was imminent and made him question things.
Damian wanted to exploit that mentality and direct it against the Forgotten Flame Sect and the Red Frost Sect simultaneously, reaping the benefits.
But the arrival of the chieftain's daughter changes the rules.
It is no longer possible to exploit them.
If harm befalls her, we will be annihilated.
"Yura, who would have thought calamities would be so numerous?"
Staring at the butterfly, Damian laughed lightly.
Nod! Nod!
The butterfly moved its head as if agreeing with Damian's words.
Yura's wings moved in the air, forming individual letters.
[Annoying!]
Damian laughed at his Ego's choice of words.
"Yes, annoying! But don't worry, Yura. I have a plan."
As long as I exploit things properly, I can win.
Fernando, son of the Nikola family.
Bai Yiren, daughter of the Red Frost Sect's chieftain.
The rumored son of Lucas, and the Ghoul tribe of the Red Night Forest.
I must exploit all the pieces to my advantage.
The strong take, the weak maneuver.
We are in a state of weakness, so we will maneuver.
[Maneuver! Maneuver!]
Damian did not know everything, He was still young, still ignorant of many things.
But, what does that matter?
As long as I am alive, I will not be lazy, and I will not make excuses.
I will not fear death, but I will persevere on my path tirelessly!
After preparing himself, Damian gave orders to the maids.
"Enter."
The maids entered, their eyes overflowing with reverence and loyalty.
"Head maid, I want information on the latest news from Black Sand, and Fernando. I want to meet him later. Do not forget to gather the prisoners in the training hall."
"Understood."
After bowing, the head maid began giving instructions to the others.
Damian left, heading to the training hall.
Although he had awakened his full talent a short while ago, Damian's actual level had been accumulating since he acquired Yura.
Fighting, absorbing resources, understanding core energy before becoming an Ego warrior, training, and acquiring knowledge.
Every day, constantly, repeatedly.
Over time, others became distant, and no one walked beside him.
The water accumulated behind the dam for years had swelled, leading to an explosion.
After crossing the last wall among the three walls of his talent, in one week, Damian leaped to the Fifth Star of the Gray Moon.
Those unaware of the intricacies cursed the world for being unfair—how could he, at sixteen, reach this level?
But Damian was already aware that this was a natural result of training.
If there are no results, it is effort, If results exist, it is training.
"Tch, those corrupt old men, fearing I would undermine their authority, gave all sorts of justifications to prevent me from obtaining a Second Moon Ego. I must solve this problem quickly..."
One cannot reach a higher level without an Ego matching that level.
To reach the Second Moon, one must refine an Ego of that level, elevate their path to that level, and develop their talent as well.
Damian had not yet developed his path to a higher level, but it was a matter of time—hours of conscious training, tens, hundreds, thousands of them.
But a Blue Moon Ego—that was the problem.
With the tribal chieftain—his father—and the Senate watching him, Damian could not move freely to search for the Ego he needed.
Training with his peers was no longer useful.
The pursuit of strength required madness and blood, and his peers wanted to live a heroic life devoid of that.
For that reason, he devised a method to increase his power while gaining reputation and achievements.
Using criminals sentenced to death as dummies.
If they could kill him, their crimes would be erased, Loss meant the completion of the execution ritual.
He shook off the fleeting thoughts, sharpening his gaze.
"Yura, haven't I said this since childhood? Becoming stronger is simple."
He smiled with a bloody thirst for battle, his black eyes gleaming with a crimson flash.
Risk your life and place death before your eyes.
That's all there is to it.
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Black Sand Village, Medical Hall.
The ceiling is barely visible.
I feel tired, and my head hurts.
Kevin barely lifted his body from the bed.
"Ughh... I want to vomit..."
He moved his hands across his body, examining his condition.
His body was wrapped in bandages, but no fractures?
Muscles were functioning well, just fatigue.
My core heart was not damaged, and the Egos rested peacefully within it.
"...How did this happen?"
He remained dazed for a while, fleeting thoughts passing through his mind.
Then, realization struck him.
"Didn't I win? Theo Sa-hyung, the last step—didn't I take it?"
That means I won, right?
I won...
I won!
"Woo hoooo— Aagh! That hurts!"
When he was about to scream with joy, his body pained him.
The fatigue was more than he expected.
Kevin had not noticed his surroundings, because he was too immersed in his own thoughts.
"Brother?"
And thus, he did not notice his sister lying beside the bed.
"...Luna?"
Kevin's expression faltered for a moment.
But the euphoria of victory was stronger than expected.
So he found himself smiling.
The young woman did not know how to respond to his expression, so she asked: "...Are you alright?"
"Ughh! Tired, so tired! But it doesn't matter, I'm fine."
He fell onto the bed, staring at the ceiling.
He couldn't look at his sister; what he had said to her was still running through his mind.
"...Brother, why did you say those harsh things to me?"
But Luna was not just anyone; she was his sister.
And his sister's nature was always direct with him.
He thought to himself: "...I guess I'm to blame for this."
He had always told Luna to be honest with him about everything.
"Why... it's complicated."
It wasn't that he didn't want to tell her; he couldn't.
[yo, weak, do you want strength? I will make you stronger. Prove yourself to me. How far are you willing to go? To what depths can you descend for strength!]
Leon's words when he used the World's Call on him were present in his mind.
Create a problem with your dearest people in front of others, and do not tell them the reason until the right time comes.
You can refuse, but if you start it and do not finish it, I will kill you and all your companions.
Most likely, he asked Theodore to do the same.
"Complicated? Brother, why won't you tell me? You know I won't reveal it!"
Luna, unaware of Kevin's thoughts, was confused.
Can't you tell me like you always do?
"..."
Kevin remained silent.
"Brother!"
Luna felt something was out of place.
"Won't you really tell me?"
Luna's tension was at its peak.
The fight, the crawling, her brother screaming at her, and the news that Leon was not punished yesterday at the Senate...
The only good news was that she had become an aunt.
She had planned to tell Kevin after understanding what he had done, and why he was angry with her.
Because no one understands her like he does.
Therefore, after her patience—already exhausted—ran out, her words came out unintentionally.
"I know you're angry! I know losing to Theo Sa-hyung is painful! But—"
"...Losing?"
"..."
She covered her mouth in panic, worried.
She had forgotten something important.
Kevin did not know.
"...What do you mean? I lost? Luna, it's clear I won, right?"
Luna did not reply. No, she could not reply.
"Hey, I won. Everyone saw it, right? I took the last step and touched Leon without a doubt. Hey! Luna! Didn't you see that!"
His demeanor was disturbed, his voice full of certainty.
But.
Just as he had awakened her to reality.
It was her turn to tell him the truth.
"...Sa-hyung reached Leon half a step before you... and that devil himself acknowledged that Sa-hyung is the winner."
Luna could not say more.
"I'm leaving. Your health is fine, so, I'll let you rest."
She did not want to stay. She could not stay.
So she fled, but not before saying her last words.
"...Stella is worried about you, but she didn't want to meet you. I'll tell her you're fine. And don't forget to apologize to sago. She doesn't show it, but your words hurt her."
He was left alone.
One's readiness to die for a goal does not mean they will win.
Risking oneself does not mean they have simply become stronger.
It is accumulation.
Day after day, with endless repetition, continuously, until death.
Thus is strength built.
"...How did I forget this?"
This was the first lesson Jung Dae taught him, but he only understood it after experiencing it.
Cumulative repetition is not something one understands with their mind, but with their body.
I understand, I understand but...
A stream flowed from his eyes.
His vision became blurry, and his breathing became heavy.
There are no excuses, no blaming circumstances.
They started under the same conditions, fought under the same conditions, and the battle was decided under the same conditions.
"...Damn it."
Kevin had not cried since he was a child.
Because he had to protect himself and his sister, he held back his tears at an early age, promising himself he would never cry.
If he didn't cry, his sister could cry without feeling guilty.
"You damned weakling, you wretched insect! Damn it! Damn it! Daaaaamn it—!"
If only I were stronger, if only I were stronger!
How did that red beast—Leon—become so strong?
Why is there this gap between us?
Effort? I put in effort every day, every damned day!
"Just wait!"
8 years passed, and here we are today.
In a room with a single bed, a youth lay on the bed.
The morning winds were the sole witness to his ordeal.
In life, some win, but most lose.
There are those who rejoice, there are those who grieve. Such is the way of things.
Kevin's tears flowed as if all the past hardships of the world suddenly poured forth.
A heavy truth settled in his heart.
No matter how much effort he exerted, it was merely effort.
He had lost most things in his life.
And today, crowning that procession.
He lost to his dearest friend and his sole rival.
There is no bad luck.
He simply lost because he is weak.
"I swear! I swear I will redeem myself! You motherfuckers!"
With a face full of tears, he screamed.
No one entered, no one paid him any attention.
This is the fate of losers.
No one will hear them.
"Aaah! Leon! You damned bastard! I will not remain still as you wish! I will destroy them all! Do you hear me! I am Kevin the Valiant! I will show you I am strong!"
"O patient! Stop this! You are worsening your injuries!"
The nurses entered, holding him after he began his screaming fit.
"I will not despair! Woe to you people if you think this is all I have!"
"He's gone mad! He's gone mad!"
The nurse brought out a star-shaped Ego.
The Ego's color was blue, emitting a dazzling powder.
[Gray Moon Ego, Third Star: Healing Dream Slumber!]
With a puff, the luminous dust surrounded Kevin's body.
And immediately, he slept.
More or less, the nurse understood his situation.
It seemed this youth had lost to Theodore.
An expected matter, not worth feeling shame over.
In the end, he is Carlos's grandson, an elder of the Second Moon, the second strongest individual in the village.
The background between them is incomparable.
Outside the Medical Hall, Leon was sitting atop a tree.
Beside him was Loki.
"This child is amazing."
Loki said from the side, smiling lightly.
"His loss is natural. Theo underwent more strenuous training than him and is willing to sacrifice more."
Leon's stance on this was clear.
Loss is loss.
One must accept it as it is, without justifications.
But accepting it as it is and accepting that it is okay are different.
Loki was someone who had undergone numerous experiences and life-and-death struggles with Leon, so he understood his brother's thoughts.
"One who is not pained by their loss will not develop. 'It's okay to lose'—that's a phrase the strong say to the weak to keep them as they are."
Nonsense the weak use as an excuse to distance themselves from the bitterness of their weakness.
The price of victory is pain—there are no shortcuts on the journey, and no comfort in falling.
"These are but intoxicating illusions that shatter your resolve."
One does not grow overnight, but through the cruelty of time and the sting of wounds.
Sadly, strength cannot be attained unless one swallows the bitter days of suffering.
Heartbreak, ecstasy, contempt, struggle, tears, and blood.
One may taste them all and yet never scale the walls of their despair.
Such is strength, such is victory—you can do everything, but certainty is never guaranteed.
No matter how high you climb, one day you will fall.
That's how life is.
"That's why this boy is amazing, as you said, Loki. He accepted his loss, and kept his promise. He didn't tell his sister the reason for his words, just as I told him. He is strong-willed."
"We cast the bait. Time to hunt."
Leon had set most of his traps.
Now to wait for everything to intertwine.
Starting with Carlos.
"Loki, go to the Red Night Forest and provoke the Ghouls of the Shield Wolf Tribe. Direct their anger towards our village."
"What's your plan this time?"
"We need to show our strength to the youth. If we want to use them, shouldn't they know the might and ferocity of their masters?"
"Sure that's not everything. Oh! Forgotten Flame, right?"
Leon laughed heartily: "You've always been unnecessarily clever."
"And you've always been a scoundrel."
"Oy! Do you return praise with slander, you rascal?"
"Tsk tsk, praise from a monkey still better than yours."
They both laughed heartily.
Beneath the dawn sky, three colors illuminated the world.
the remnants of the silver night, the glow of the twilight, and the blue of the morning sky.
Two people, transformed by the waters of time and the fires of war, sat smiling lightly.
The curtain fell on one fleeting tale, and it was time for another.
Their shadows stretched into the room of a sleeping young man.
while they gazed upon another who wept.
But unlike the first, there was laughter.
Tears streamed down his smiling face.
Tears flow from everyone's eyes, yet their sources are always different.
There are tears of heartbreak and pain—
these are the tears of the loser.
And there are tears of joy and smiles—
these are the tears of the winner.