AKIHIRO ATLAS
There had been another moment in the past when I wanted to ask Magnus this question. We had to confront each other after his balcony speech when he became the first general. Because of my stupid mind, I have a habit of attacking anyone who disagrees with my ideas. That's why my master says I'll never be happy, and he's probably right. However, what I care about is everyone thinking the right things, so it's not a habit I can give up.
After my question, I managed to stand up completely, but I could barely maintain my balance. Slowly, I glanced at Magnus sitting on the edge of the roof, and was slightly startled when he spoke.
When he said, "I am not something that can be described with a single term..." his voice was neither defensive nor boastful; it was as if he were extracting the correct meaning from a misconstructed sentence. He continued to stand at the edge of the roof, his gaze still sweeping over the city, but now I understood—what he saw was not buildings, people, or destruction; it was the sum of these things, a balance, an outcome. "If you describe me as 'the one who watches,' it would be incomplete," he continued, placing the words slowly as if they had already found their rightful place. "And if you call me 'the one who intervenes,' it would also be incomplete. Because this distinction... is merely a way for a limited mind to comfort itself." He paused for a moment, but this pause was not for thinking, but to allow what he had said to sink in. "You see action and inaction as opposites. However, there are moments when not intervening... is the most comprehensive intervention of all. Because every touch changes not only that moment, but everything that moment is connected to."
As I heard their words, something inside me tightened again. It wasn't just what they said... it was the way they said it. There was a certainty in them, as if they had experienced everything, seen everything, and given up on everything. And this certainty... it was disturbing me. Because this wasn't derived from a theory. This was… knowledge that came after things had been done.
"You only saw the three lives in front of you at that moment," he said, still not taking his eyes off the city. "While I saw the hundreds of consequences that moment was connected to." My breathing involuntarily became heavier. What he called "those three lives" was still a nightmare, fragmented in my mind. "Not intervening wasn't indifference. Intervening, however, wouldn't be the salvation you think it would be." He said this sentence so plainly that it left no room for debate. "You see yourself as the cause of their deaths. But this is merely the result of the part you see. What you don't see... are the survivors, thanks to your continued existence."
My hands clenched involuntarily. Something inside me still wanted to protest, but I couldn't find the words. Because a part of me... felt that this wasn't entirely wrong. And this feeling... was making me feel even more uncomfortable.
Magnus tilted his head very slightly to the side, as if recalling a very old memory. "I could have stopped you," he said this time, clearer and more direct. This sentence hung in the air. "But then not only the three of them would die. Along with them... the others who would be saved would also perish. " There was a moment of silence, but this silence was not empty; there were unspoken things within it. "This isn't the first time something like this has happened," he added later, his voice still moving in the same straight line. "At some point, you have to ignore one thing to save another. And those who refuse to do this… usually end up saving nothing. "
This sentence... was different from the others.
Because there was something in it.
A past.
But unspoken.
And for some reason... I felt that the past wasn't a clean thing. There was a reason why he spoke so confidently, why he was so cold. This wasn't a theory. This... was something that had happened. Maybe many times. Perhaps... on a much larger scale.
"You define regret in terms of loss," he said, as if completing that thought in my mind. "But what you call loss... is often merely the shadow of a larger outcome." For the first time, his gaze drifted ever so slightly, but not toward me—it was as if he was looking past me, at somewhere else. "And some shadows… cannot be undone. "
This sentence…
It sank into me.
Because it wasn't just an explanation.
It was an admission.
But it was veiled.
And that's why… it was harder.
"You can't forgive yourself," he said finally, his voice still calm. "Because you can't escape what you saw. But I... I've seen much more." There was a very brief pause. "And some things… don't exist for the sake of being forgiven."
This time he remained silent.
And in that silence…
I understood why he spoke like that.
But this doesn't help me understand…
It didn't ease my mind.
It made it even worse.
Magnus quickly stood up and took several quick steps, turning around and walking towards me. There was no haste in his steps, but each one contained no unnecessary movement; it was as if he viewed every point he passed through merely as a place he needed to pass through. When we almost bumped into each other, I thought he would stop for a moment, but he didn't. He took a step to the side, his shoulder passing so close to me that it was almost touching me, and he walked past me without saying anything. My tongue was tied; I wanted to shout, I wanted to say something, but no sound came out. I just turned slowly and looked in the direction he was walking.
He moved towards the edge of the roof. He looked at the city once more, but this glance did not last as long as the previous one. It was as if he had nothing left to gain from that view. Then he raised his hand slightly. The movement was small, almost insignificant, but the result... was not like that. The space in front of him stretched like a surface, then split into a thin line. This was not an explosion, not a surge of power; rather, it seemed as if reality itself were silently yielding to its will. This time, the opening fissure was not red or dark—it was deeper, quieter. When I tried to look inside, I couldn't see anything; because there was no "inside" to be seen. This was a purer, more untraceable version of the gates used in Sacred Domains. It was as if its very existence was designed to go undetected.
"If you stay here," he said without turning around, "what you just encountered won't remain just the beginning. " His voice was calm again, but this calmness was no longer explanatory; it was definitive. "He's not the only being interested in you. And the next person who comes may not want to talk to you."
My throat went dry. I didn't take a step, but my body tensed up involuntarily.
"Zagreus will return," he continued. "But he will not come alone. Those like him… do not act solely out of duty. They wonder. They investigate. And they find." Very gently, she turned her head to the side, but she didn't look at me. "You are no longer a hidden variable. You are in plain sight."
The surface at the edge of the passage rippled slightly. As if it didn't want to remain open for much longer.
"That's why you need to leave here," he said. This wasn't like an offer. It was more like the announcement of a decision that had already been made. "The place where I am... is the only blind spot you can currently reach. They won't be able to find you there. At least... for a while."
He paused for a moment.
Then he turned towards me for the first time.
His gaze was as calm as always, but this time there was something different in it. This was not a distancing calmness. It was more harsh. More direct.
"Don't think of this as a rescue," he said. "It's… a limitation. " My eyebrows involuntarily furrowed, but he continued. "You're uncontrolled right now. Your power doesn't align with your intent. And if you remain here in this state... you will continue to be a threat not only to yourself, but to everything around you. "
His words sank deep into me.
But this time, I couldn't resist.
"What happened just now," he said, his voice unchanged, "will happen again. And each time, those 'few people' will continue to grow in your mind. Until… they completely stop you. "
He took a step, moving a little closer to the passage.
"I'm not protecting you," he added. "I'm… postponing the outcome. " There was a very brief pause. "Because your current state is not yet… usable. "
This word…
It echoed within me.
But it continued.
"If you truly want those deaths to mean something," he said, "instead of staying here and tearing yourself apart… you need to become capable of carrying the meaning."
A slight pulling sensation began to spread from within the passage.
"Come," he said at last, his voice neither softening nor hardening. "This is not an escape."
He paused very briefly. "This is… a forced retreat. "
And then, without adding anything, he started walking towards the passage.
For a while, I couldn't say anything. That heaviness that had accumulated in my chest was still there; it hadn't disappeared, it hadn't lightened, it had just… settled in. Everything I had just seen, done, and felt seemed to converge into a single point within me, instead of dispersing. For a moment, I wanted to run away—to reject everything, to ignore what they said, to find a place where I could still remain "right." But I couldn't find it. Because no matter how much I denied it, deep down inside... a part of me acknowledged that what he said wasn't entirely wrong.
I slowly lifted my head. My eyes were still burning, but this time I wasn't crying. I was just... exhausted.
"These things I've done…" I said, my voice hoarse but for once it came out without breaking. "These won't disappear, right?" I seemed to be asking myself this question, but I already knew the answer. I nodded slightly, my lips trembling, but I continued. "I won't forget them. I mustn't forget them.I took a deep breath. That inner turmoil was still there, but I wasn't running away from it anymore.
"If, as you say... this is the outcome," I continued, closing my eyes for a moment and opening them again, "then I too will be part of that outcome. " My words came out slowly but firmly. "I will not run away. I won't ignore myself or this either. "
I turned my gaze to the passage, then back to him.
"I still want to save people," I said. This sentence was simple, yet it resonated deeply within me. "But now… I know I can't save everything. " My throat tightened, but I didn't stop. "And this… won't stop me. "
I squeezed my hands slowly. It hurt. But that pain... it felt right this time.
"If I must go on burdened by the weight of those I couldn't save..." I said, my voice growing a little stronger, "then I will bear that burden. " I bowed my head slightly, my eyes hardening. "Because if I forget them... they truly will be lost."
I took a step.
Towards the passage.
"I may not be a perfect hero.," I said, a very faint smile forming on my lips. "But I won't stop either. " I fixed my eyes on him again. "No matter how hurt I am… I will still move forward. "
A short pause.
Then I spoke for the last time.
"This is my... chosen path. Many times, things have happened that made me choose this path. Aurelia, my siblings, Master Shu, Hikari and Asahi, Lein, Kai, Leonard, everyone on my team, my former General Aiga, the other generals. Not all of them have to know me as their hero…
I'm doing this only because I want it to be this way. If a few of them can love me more, it doesn't matter what they call me."
And this time…
I didn't take a step back.
When I entered the passage, I felt as if someone had poured a special liquid with the highest acidity level directly into my stomach. For a few seconds, my consciousness shattered as everything I had eaten in the last week threatened to come out of my mouth; when I regained my ability to perceive my surroundings, I was in a small but sweet home.
The walls were a light shade—neither completely white nor noticeably dark—a soothing, peaceful color that didn't strain the eyes. The floor had a wooden texture, slightly worn but well-maintained. A dim light was filtering in from inside; I couldn't quite make out where it was coming from, but it illuminated the space without overwhelming it.
There was a small seating area on the right side. A single armchair and a simple table
opposite it. Everything took up just the right amount of space, as if there were no excess. On the left side, there was a simple kitchen corner; a few cabinets, a small countertop—neat but unpretentious.
There was an odd feeling that permeated the entire house.
This place... wasn't doing anything to appear powerful.
But still…
It carried a serenity that didn't belong here.
As if this house were a place deliberately cut off from everything outside, left only to "be."
There was neither defense nor attack. It was just... standing there.
And this simplicity…
It was the last thing I expected from Magnus.
"So... you live here?" I thought out loud.
"Did that seem strange?"
Magnus was sitting on the only windowless side of the house, right in front of the fireplace. His back appeared slightly hunched, but this did not seem like fatigue; rather, it looked more like a habit—as if he had assumed this position many times and gazed at the same spot repeatedly. The fireplace, however, was cold. There wasn't a single spark left inside; only cold logs and old, ash-covered marks remained.
"You said this was a blind spot… Are you sure they won't find me here?"
Magnus took a few steps towards the fireplace and then spoke without turning to look at me.
"Yes, there's no doubt about it."
"How can you be so sure?I asked, because it was impossible for me to trust him like that. Zagreus could find this place.
"This house is protected by a demon-blocking seal. They can sense this, and they know exactly what will happen to their bodies if they enter." he replied.
I stood there in astonishment for a few seconds.
"How did you make the demon-blocking seal? So cool!"
Magnus remained silent for a while. I was waiting excitedly, but my excitement faded, then my face fell, and finally all my curiosity disappeared. Why are you waiting so long...?
"My brother was a demon."
Oh… The way he said it was a bit too emotional, unlike what I've heard from Magnus.
Even he must get upset when talking about his brother, or something like that. I know the concept of siblings very well.
But if his brother is a demon…
"Are you a demon?!", I shouted loudly, then covered my mouth with both hands, but my eyes were already wide open like saucers.
"I said my brother was a demon, I didn't say I was a demon."
Oh... Second oh... Third…
Anyway…
"I understand. " I could only say.
Actually, I didn't understand anything, but I had the feeling we should talk about this another time. For the first time, Akihiro Atlas, that is, me, that is, the universe's supreme superhero, will not succumb to curiosity!
I hesitated for a moment, but then I slowly walked towards him. My steps were still a bit unsteady, my body hadn't fully recovered from the impact of the portal. I sat down directly opposite him. There was a brief silence between us. I didn't know what to say, and he didn't seem intent on talking either.
Then Magnus, without saying anything, raised his hand slightly.
Something formed at the tips of his fingers.
But it wasn't a flame.
At least… not in the sense I knew it.
A dark, almost light-absorbing blackness... took shape, trembling. It moved like a flame, but it wasn't burning or shining. It was more like... the darkness itself was burning. There was no redness in it, no orange hue. Just… black. An intense, heavy flame that looked strangely "cold".
My eyes involuntarily narrowed.
"What the hell is this..." I muttered, without realizing it.
Magnus said nothing. He separated the black flame from his fingers and released it toward the fireplace. When the flame touched the wood, it did not spread like a normal fire. First… the wood darkened in color. Then, they began to burn silently, as if being consumed from within. The flame was still black, but it cast a faint, dull light around it.
I stared at it like that for a while.
Then I looked at it again.
My eyebrows furrowed.
"Is this burning now? " I said, squinting my eyes. "Or is it just… upsetting your mood?"
There was not the slightest change in Magnus's expression.
I started to extend my hand, then stopped.
"Will I freeze if I touch this, will I get burned, or will I be erased instantly?" I said, in a completely serious tone. "Because all three are separate problems."
Still no answer.
I moved a little closer to the fireplace and tilted my head slightly to examine the flame.
"It's trying to behave like normal fire, but it doesn't seem to be very good at it..." I muttered.
"This thing... is it in training?I paused for a moment, then looked at Magnus.
"Does this have a user manual?" I asked. "Or are we just going by trial and error?"
Magnus's ultra-unresponsive stare at me again ruined my mood completely.
"When you tell a joke, people laugh, you stupid robot! ! " I shouted right into his face.
"I don't think this is the time for jokes. " he said, closing his single visible eye and leaning back in his chair calmly.
A little banter is thrown in to lighten the mood! It's like we're table mates who sit around drinking every day! As if! Hgghhhh, stupid bastard! You're getting on my nerves!"
He opened his eyes and looked at me.
"The fireplace is already heating the room. "
For a moment… I just looked at his face calmly.
Then I slowly turned my head towards the fireplace.
The black flames were still burning in the same way. There was neither a crackling sound nor any feeling of heat. I gently brought my hand closer.
There was nothing.
I withdrew it.
I brought it closer again.
Again... nothing.
I slowly turned my head back to him.
"…Is it heating up? " I said, my voice dangerously calm.
Magnus didn't say anything.
He just looked.
This… was worse.
I stood up. I took a few steps. I brought my hands to my hair, threaded them through it, and held it tightly.
"No... no no no..." I murmured, then my voice rose. "This... this isn't heating! This is waging psychological warfare on me!"
I turned toward the fireplace and pointed my finger at those black flames.
"Do you know what this is? This is a flame with a self-confidence problem that says, 'I'm fire, but I'm not really fire!"
I took another step forward, getting closer.
"This thing isn't warming me up! It's looking at me! It's judging me! "
I spread my hands wide and turned to Magnus.
You too say it 'warms me'! What does it warm?! My soul?! It's already on fire!"
I leaned over the fireplace and squinted my eyes.
"Look now," I said, becoming completely serious, "if this thing really heats up, why am I still shivering?"
I wrapped my arms around myself and began to shake dramatically.
"I'm cold! I don't know if it's from the trauma, from you, or from this damn flame, but I'm cold!"
I paused for a moment.
Then I slowly sat up.
I looked at Magnus.
My eyes narrowed.
"…You're testing me," I said in a whisper. "This is an experiment. This is the definitive experiment. You're watching me to see when I'll lose my mind! "
I pointed at him with my finger.
"You're watching, aren't you?! You're watching again! Just like you did in the city!"
For a moment, my breathing quickened.
Then I turned back to the fireplace.
"…This flame is also an agent," I said seriously. "Definitely. It reports to me. They talk at night. You, this… and other dark things. "
I crouched down in front of the fireplace.
I squinted my eyes and stared at the flames.
"Speak," I said. "Say whatever you know. "
Silence.
I slowly tilted my head to the side.
"…Look," I said threateningly, "don't underestimate me. I just destroyed three buildings. I'll do something to you too…"
I paused.
"…I don't know what I'll do to you, but I'll do it!"
Then I suddenly shouted, I don't know why.
"ENOUGH!"
I raised my hands in the air.
"EITHER THIS FLAME SHOULD REFLECT NORMALLY, OR I SHOULD GO MAD NORMALLY! BOTH CANNOT HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME! "
Magnus merely snapped his fingers, and the black flames in the fireplace grew hotter than I had ever seen any flame before, beginning to raise the temperature in the house at a rapid pace.
"Now shut up and sit down! "
Magnus quickly turned his head towards the gap in the wall between the two windows to his left. With his reaction, I also looked carefully in that direction.
There was a silhouette, a shadowy figure. It had wings. It wasn't visible itself, but something was here.
"Magnus, what is that–"
Before I could say anything, Magnus created a black flame sword and threw it forcefully towards the place where the shadow was. The sword suddenly stopped mid-air.
Where it stood, the sword transformed into a beam of white light. Then, slowly, the owner of the silhouette began to appear.
My hands were still in the air. My breathing was uneven, my mind was scattered. In the midst of that absurd moment when I was fighting with the fireplace, something... changed.
First, the light.
But this wasn't the kind of light I was used to. It wasn't dazzling, sharp, or burning. Instead, it seeped into the room like a soft presence. It didn't suppress the muffled presence of the black flame; it didn't even clash with it—it merely… coexisted alongside it.
I slowly turned my head.
And I saw her.
For a moment… I couldn't tell whether what I was really seeing was real or not. Because it was nothing like anything I had ever seen in the midst of war, in the midst of bloodshed, among shattered buildings. This… wasn't part of that world.
It had wings.
But those wings didn't just look like another limb; they were as if a natural extension of its being. Their feathers caught the light with pale blue hues mixed into pure white, flickering like a sea in motion with even the smallest movements. Every curve contained fine golden details; these details did not seem like mere ornamentation but rather carried a meaning—an order, a symmetry, a sense of... perfection.
Her hair... flowing down her shoulders in light shades, seemed almost woven with light itself. The gold ornaments woven into it stood not like a crown but like an authority. Her face... was flawless. But this flawlessness was not artificial. It seemed more like it belonged to a system where no flaw could possibly exist anyway.
Her eyes…
I couldn't stop looking for a moment.
There was something in those eyes. I couldn't describe it as either compassion or indifference. It was more like a non-judgmental state of knowing. It was as if they saw me completely—my previous state, my actions, the nonsense I had said—everything. And yet they didn't react at all.
This… was disturbing.
But at the same time…
Strangely enough… it was peaceful.
"…"
I couldn't speak.
For the first time... I couldn't really speak.
Then I involuntarily looked at Magnus.
I looked and saw something there.
Magnus, for the first time... had changed.
This wasn't a big reaction. He didn't shout. He didn't jump to his feet. There was no burst of strength. But his eyes... that one visible eye, slightly narrowed. That relaxed, detached stance in front of the fireplace had vanished. His body was still in the same position, but the thing inside him... had changed.
This... was anger.
But not just plain anger.
Something deeper.
It was as if an unwanted equation had presented itself to him.
And this equation... it was bothering him.
His gaze locked onto that entity. For the first time, it seemed like he was truly focusing on something.
That silence…
This time it was different.
Because in this silence…
I had no madness.
He had no peace.
There was just… the tension of things coming together in the wrong place.
"What are you doing here, Israfel?!" he said in a stern tone. His words made even the flames burning behind us tremble.
"Of course, we angels couldn't miss a war waged by demons, right? The heavens miss you so much; they all long for your return. To see you take one last breath... Magnus. It's been a long time since we last met."
The woman who claimed to be an angel in front of me chuckled sweetly yet bitterly after these words.
END OF CHAPTER