SRW | Chapter 30

‘He can’t misunderstand this…’

With my last bit of strength, I tore off my necklace and quickly shoved it under the couch where no one could see. This was the only way left to show Kim Jaeyoung I hadn’t abandoned him. My mother’s keepsake that I always wore around my neck. I hoped he’d recognize the forcibly broken chain and realize what happened.

“H-hyungs… This bastard’s not breathing…”

The last thing I saw before losing consciousness was Bear’s motionless body sprawled on the floor, and Nam Jinsu panicking as he checked Bear’s pulse.

“Fuck… Is he dead?”

“Y-yeah, seems like it.”

“Damn it! Take Kang Deokho’s body with us too!”

Bear…you idiot… Why couldn’t you just pretend not to see anything…

*

The former King of Arrogance, Aroganchia, now existed within Kim Jaeyoung’s psyche. Once Kim Jaeyoung fully absorbed the king’s power, Aroganchia would become part of this vast desert and scatter into nothingness.

The curse Void, King of Chaos, had placed on him was meant to slow his recovery from battle wounds. A simple curse that would fade with time. Had he not met Kim Jaeyoung, Aroganchia would have remained firmly seated as king after hundreds of thousands of years of rule. Unfortunately, that minor curse caused him to lose all his power and face extinction.

Aroganchia wanted revenge against Awarita, King of Greed who wounded him, and Void who cursed him. While Void and his subordinates remained hidden in their corner of the red moon, Awarita’s underlings now swarmed Earth like ants. Eliminating them would force Awarita to reveal himself. After dealing with him, another king would descend. All Aroganchia had to do was keep killing until Void finally moved his heavy ass down here.

But he lacked a physical form to carry out his vengeance. Aroganchia planned to use Kim Jaeyoung’s body, which had absorbed his power. The extinct dimensional races wanted revenge against the red moon that killed their families and destroyed their homes. Their psychology dictated that gaining power would make them celebrated as racial heroes. Having annihilated countless dimensions over millennia, Aroganchia naturally assumed Kim Jaeyoung would be the same.

[My king…why have you forsaken me…]

When Kim Jaeyoung killed an [Aqua] to save a mere human, Aroganchia was furious. Unlike Awarita’s stupid [beasts], Aroganchia’s Aquas were elite forces. Since Kim Jaeyoung wasn’t strong enough to create Aquas yet, they needed to preserve the remaining ones. Even through his awakening haze, he should have instinctively recognized the Aqua as an ally, yet he killed it to save a human. Truly a heroic fool, Aroganchia concluded arbitrarily.

Even when Kim Jaeyoung used Mind Control on the cafeteria survivors, Aroganchia thought everything was going according to plan. Increasing skill proficiency through repeated use was part of absorbing the remaining power. Aroganchia felt one step closer to revenge.

The mental commands Kim Jaeyoung gave them were minimal:

‘Don’t like Eunsoo.’

‘Don’t approach the science lab.’

With his low skill level, this was the limit. He mind-controlled everyone except Hwang Sooyeon, who had healing abilities.

Later, watching Kim Jaeyoung hunt Awarita’s beasts outside, Aroganchia laughed in satisfaction.

[Kuhahaha! Keep killing until my power reaches the red moon! Slaughter them until Awarita and Void breathe their last!]

But this was Aroganchia’s grave miscalculation. After clearing the area, Kim Jaeyoung holed up in the science lab, refusing to go out. Seeing him cling to Eunsoo’s hand and sleep beside him, Aroganchia realized this human was important to Kim Jaeyoung.

‘Look at me.’

‘Hold my hand.’

‘Like me.’

The mental commands Kim Jaeyoung used on Eunsoo were child’s play too. Though Kim Jaeyoung seemed to think Eunsoo’s friendlier attitude meant his ability worked, Aroganchia could tell divine interference blocked the skill. Scanning Eunsoo through Kim Jaeyoung’s eyes, he thought: This hero seems too weak… Has divine power weakened so much already?

Kim Jaeyoung only used his power to kill monsters blocking his path when gathering supplies. He showed no reaction to his world falling into ruin. When hidden survivors begged for help, he ignored them and took what he wanted before leaving. Though most lifeforms instinctively protect small, cute things, he didn’t even glance at a child trapped under rubble. Witnessing all this, Aroganchia realized he’d misjudged Kim Jaeyoung.

[This is utterly maddening.]

Kim Jaeyoung was never fit to be a vessel for revenge. Suppressing his unease, Aroganchia whispered in Kim Jaeyoung’s ear:

[Don’t you want to be revered as a hero?]

[I can make you king of this dimension.]

[What about godhood? With my power, you could become a new world’s god!]

Kim Jaeyoung ignored every word.

[What kind of human is this?!]

The normally composed Aroganchia fumed angrily. Never had he been treated this way. Ignoring all his offers while becoming an obedient lamb at that weak human’s slightest word. What nonsense! Realizing he needed to provoke Kim Jaeyoung using Eunsoo, Aroganchia spoke up confidently:

[Want to possess that human? I can help.]

[Just pin him down and mount him.]

[Once you fully absorb my power, you can make him your complete slave… Gah! cough spit!]

Sand poured into Aroganchia’s face, cutting him off as he choked. The sand accumulated over millennia from absorbed dimensions now vengefully filled his mouth. Though he couldn’t suffocate as a spiritual entity, it was still unpleasant. He lamented his fall to pandering to a primitive human’s whims.

On the day Kim Jaeyoung and Eunsoo planned to leave, a bloodied Awakened student entered. Kim Jaeyoung’s underdeveloped kingly senses couldn’t detect the deception, yet his sharp instincts made him reluctant to leave Eunsoo’s side. Still, he crumbled at Eunsoo’s words and touch.

‘You’re still just a young king. Do you really think you can get what you want without my help?’

Aroganchia didn’t care what happened to Eunsoo. In fact, Eunsoo falling into a trap would make things easier to manipulate. Sneering, Aroganchia watched events unfold, waiting to fulfill his final wish.

*

“Jaeyoung, over here!”

As Kim Jaeyoung headed toward the cafeteria, Yoo Yeonha called him. Without hesitation, Kim Jaeyoung approached. With urgent expression, Yeonha grabbed his arm and hurried past the intact cafeteria building.

Yeonha tried leading Kim Jaeyoung far from the cafeteria, but Kim Jaeyoung stopped walking. Though Yeonha pulled harder, Kim Jaeyoung didn’t budge.

“Where is it?”

“Further ahead, Jaeyoung. Behind that building.”

“It’s not there.”

They’d claimed a humanoid monster, an Aqua, was present. As creations of Aroganchia’s power, Kim Jaeyoung could sense nearby Aquas. But where Yeonha pointed held nothing, not even an ant. His cold gaze bore into Yeonha.

“J-Jaeyoung, it’s…”

Yeonha had been confident about winning Kim Jaeyoung over. Yet facing him now, his limbs stiffened involuntarily. After hesitating, Yeonha gritted his teeth.

‘This is all Sun Eunsoo’s fault!’

For over two years, Yeonha had been by Kim Jaeyoung’s side. They spent all day together at school, eating meals and studying side by side. Anyone wanting to befriend Kim Jaeyoung had to go through Yeonha. He’d buy poor Kim Jaeyoung workbooks, stationery, and snacks. Kim Jaeyoung would smile prettily and thank him, never refusing anything.

Yeonha’s investments grew increasingly extravagant, even stealing from his parents’ wallets. The more he spent, the more he expected in return, until he began seeing Kim Jaeyoung as his possession.

That is, until some worthless thug with no redeeming qualities besides rich parents latched onto him.