Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 176

The End of Heaven (1)

* * *

Night, the Iron Kingdom.

From the humblest room in the royal castle, the one usually reserved for stable keepers, a sharp voice cut through the air.

“Do you have a death wish?”

“What are you talking about?”
The newly summoned Hero, barely transferred and immediately thrust into action, asked with an innocent air, having just used the ultimate Harmony Skill.

It was akin to unleashing a level 500 skill during the tutorial of a game.

The Saintess, her expression suggesting she was on the verge of tearing out her platinum blonde hair, repeated her question.

“…Are you feigning ignorance? I have no idea where you learned to use your Harmony Skill, but you not only killed a warrior of the kingdom but also intend to ascend to the heavens. The archangels will be beyond furious.”

Gode replied, his expression unchanged.

“That muscle-head was genuinely trying to crack my skull open.”

“Not muscle-head, but Bill…”

“Regardless, he tried to kill me. And as for those so-called archangels, I need to have a word with those cowards who kidnap people and hide at the top of the sky.”

Blasphemous words, unimaginable from him in the past, spilled out.

The Saintess, pinching the bridge of her nose, lowered her voice.

“Asruel [likely a powerful angel or deity] is not merciful. Even if you are a Hero, the moment you rebel against the light of heaven, you will be annihilated.”

“And, what else?”

“What else…”

“What else do you know? About Asruel of the Scarlet Light, about the secrets of this world.”

The Saintess’s pupils dilated slightly, then stilled. Gode quietly observed his old comrade… the one who summoned him here and held the key to returning to Earth.

Surely, everyone’s memories except his own should have been reset, but was it just his imagination that the Saintess also seemed strangely weary as the regressions continued?

If it wasn’t an illusion…

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter. If I kill Valmond [likely a powerful demon], I’ll show you that stone chamber this time, Saintess.”

“…The third Great Demon, Valmond? No, you haven’t even caught the first Great Demon yet… More than that, how do you know the names of the demons?”

Due to the regression, the physical achievements had vanished, but the attained ‘level’ remained.

The trembling of her pupils, the dynamic visual acuity that perceived a second divided into dozens, meticulously scanned the Saintess’s expression.

‘Her pupils are still. There’s no tremor in her voice either… If she’s acting, she’s a natural.’

Beware of the light, the Saintess knows. At this point, even the dullest person couldn’t possibly be unaware.

Those who encourage the good of this world. Those archangels who claim they can’t interfere in the battle between demons and humans, there’s some secret to them.

“I didn’t like them from the start, those pigeons with their creepy voices.”

“······?”

There are no pigeons in the Iron Kingdom. Looking down at the Saintess, who blinked her questioning eyes, Gode—the Hero who was once Park Gun—thought.

If all suspicions were correct.

‘Can I cut them down?’

He had already tasted the bitterness of betrayal many times.

After regressing over a hundred times, he couldn’t trust anyone.

Even the comrades who had fought alongside him for so long, the benevolent dragons who guarded their nests, had betrayed and abandoned him for their own reasons once or twice.

However, if it was none other than the Saintess, Aria Riverot, the story was different.

-Fall back! I’m going to burn those damn bastards to ashes today!

A memory of her deploying terrifying divine power to annihilate the demon army’s minions in one fell swoop.

-Hero, with such a weak heart, how are you going to tear off the Great Demon’s throat? Don’t think of them as humans. You have to quickly abandon cheap sympathy so that the Hero’s dreams won’t be so disturbing.

A memory of her smashing the heads of demon worshippers with a mace in one hand, blood splattered on her face.

–

“Listen, if you really want to go up, I won’t stop you. But first of all, even if the path to heaven is open, it’s difficult to go all at once…”

As if realizing that she couldn’t dissuade him, the Saintess now began to try and persuade him.

Gode reconsidered as he looked at her skin, so white it was almost transparent, and her neck, where her carotid artery throbbed.

Could he really cut her down?

The only trusted confidante and the oldest comrade-in-arms he had relied on since falling into this world?

Night deepened as he contemplated.

.

.

.

Ten days later, the gate to heaven opened in the highest temple of the Iron Kingdom.

It was a journey to the archangels, not the Great Demons. Everyone was shocked by the Hero’s actions, which they had never witnessed before, but the Hero remained resolute.

“…So, what did he do for ten days?”

“You know the old warriors’ training room, right? He locked himself in there and didn’t show his face.”

“He’s crazy, he’s crazy… A newcomer who just arrived, what’s going to change by training like that?”

“The Saintess is the same! Even though that guy is a reckless fool, she treats him like a Hero and gives him all sorts of conveniences… There’s even a rumor that His Majesty the King had a fit.”

If he suits their taste, he’s a hero, but from the moment they can’t control him, he’s a villain.

While they were relentlessly criticizing the Hero without taking a breath, one of the ministers tilted his head.

“But, what on earth is he going to do by going up to heaven…?”

No one could answer that question.

With only a single Holy Sword in hand, Hero Gode and Saintess Aria ascended the ‘Sky Road’.

*

“Ah, so there have been many accidents?”

“Accidents? It was no joke. It’s even more so for actors like us who don’t take care of our bodies and perform passionately.”

“Ahem, you guys don’t know about forty years ago. Do you know how harsh the filming environment in Hollywood was?”

“Old man… those friends weren’t even born then.”

As filming progressed towards the second half, the atmosphere on set was positive, even though everyone was tired.

The main actors were friendly with each other, and the three Hollywood representative actors were also excellent conversationalists.

Rick Michael’s top model dating rumors, Jameson Overbay’s third divorce, and McLaine’s ‘back in my day’ acting struggles naturally drew attention.

Jameson Overbay, who was munching on dried nuts, pushed up his tilted helmet.

“Seo, how about you over there?”

As the play approached the second half, the number of scenes where the main actors shot together in one place had increased significantly.

Seo Heedo, who was present for the long chase scene in the Eculeos Mountains, was startled and asked back.

“Uh, uh… Yes? The Korean film industry is…”

“No, not that. I heard you were a famous artist before you became an actor. My ex-sister-in-law is a self-proclaimed K-POP mania, so she always asks me to get her tickets for overseas tours.”

“You mean idols!”

Seo Heedo’s face suddenly brightened. He was in front of Hollywood’s stellar actors, but it was a different story when it came to his original field.

“Oh, compared to the kids these days, our time was no joke. I’m exactly between the 3.5th and 4th generations, and dating was basically prohibited.”

“Oh, that’s interesting.”

Jameson Overbay had a nonchalant expression, but his close friend, who had spread countless scandals, was different.

Rick Michael intervened, indignant as if it were his own business.

“Dating prohibited? Good heavens, not just keep it a secret, but completely prohibited?”

“Yes… You may not understand, but that’s why we couldn’t use cell phones and only received iPods.”

“That’s still good, isn’t it? You can secretly catch Wi-Fi with an iPod. We were prohibited from using iPods and only carried old MP3s.”

“Even Jiyu noona [Korean term for older sister or female friend],…”

There’s always another senior above any senior anywhere. The conversation descended into chaos as even the veteran idol, Jin Jiyu, who was listening, joined in.

“No, our side is harder! I was beaten by the directors back then!”

“I’m sorry, but you really don’t know about crackdowns. If Rick had been in the debut group with me… Hmph, he wouldn’t have lasted a month before running away.”

“Debut group? What’s that again?”

On the other side, while the conversation was in full swing, two people ascended to the highest place in the highlands.

Peter Shawn, sitting on a folding chair, and Park Gun, wearing his black cloak as always.

“They’re full of energy. We’ll be fine until tonight.”

Peter Shawn said, glancing back. Park Gun, who was looking down at the magnificent valley created by nature, also replied.

“They don’t have much stamina left. If they don’t rest properly, there will be dropouts soon.”

“Yes, we should listen to our team doctor’s advice.”

There’s a joke that there are two things Peter Shawn doesn’t compromise on.

One is a cheeseburger with diet cola, and the other is the schedule inside the filming.

It’s a metaphor for his uncompromising food and filming preferences, but even that stubborn person listens to Park Gun’s advice.

‘Director, Lina is sick. The doctor says it’s a mild allergy. But….’

‘But?’

‘She already took the medicine, so she’ll shake it off in half a day. Park Gun told her to take it in advance.’

‘Oh my, it’s that friend again?’

In this way, the number of staff rescued by Park Gun’s instructions exceeds ten fingers.

Originally, minor incidents and accidents occur on large-scale filming sites. Moreover, this place is a distant foreign land.

Since there are many people, problems such as colds, fevers, and allergies are rampant, but… their lead, who is not sure whether he is a doctor or an actor, even showed off his mysterious talent of recommending medicine before they get sick.

‘Bradley, you look good today. Is there anything fun?’

‘Director, my insomnia is gone!’

‘What are you talking about again?’

‘You know, director. I couldn’t sleep well whenever I came out to film. But Mr. Park massaged a few places, and I fell asleep like a lie. Is this the essence of Korean medicine?’

Perhaps thanks to that.

Even though the great nature of New Zealand, facing the imminent winter, blows cold breaths, and even though Peter Shawn’s forced march makes groans every night, when the cue drops, they are full of energy.

-Gouge out everyone’s eyes.

-Your Majesty the Emperor, please calm down!

-Those who conspired treason, those who watched the conspiracy and dared not to inform the imperial family, those who were not even interested in this conspiracy that they should have known….

-Your, Your Majesty!

-Is there any reason to look ahead? The crimes committed can only be atoned for by punishment.

The Emperor personally goes to the battlefield to quell the waves of rebels advancing from the east and the demons that continue to invade the territory.

And under the pretext of participating in the rebellion, he repeatedly commits atrocities, scattering the blood of countless commoners.

In the end, the Emperor’s imperial army, the Nikert rebels, and even the Ido party who completed their mission, all gather in the great mountains of Eculeos.

Thus, from tonight, the most intense filming will be repeated. Peter Shawn, who was loosening his neck to both sides, suddenly narrowed his brows.

“By the way, is your health okay? Your complexion hasn’t been good since we started climbing Eculeos.”

That’s because Park Gun, who used to turn white as soon as he wiped off his makeup, no matter how hard he filmed.

Since the leading actor, who had been like that, was gradually becoming emaciated, the staff’s, including the director’s, concern was Park Gun’s health day and night.

The person in question replied calmly.

“I’m fine. I’m just a little tired these days.”

“It seems he was human after all. I thought he was a newly released acting robot.”

He jokingly throws a joke, but there are dark shadows under Peter Shawn’s eyes as well.

How many months has it been since they left for New Zealand? They have been suffering from the scorching sun, fickle weather, and rain and wind every day, producing the best results.

Now, only two episodes remain, including the large-scale battle scene.

Looking up at the mountain range covered in clouds, the director and actor are immersed in their respective thoughts.