Former Warrior Turns Into A Million-Dollar Actor [EN]: Chapter 178

The End of the Celestial Realm (3)

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“Cut, okay! Ooooookay!”

Peter Shawn’s voice, amplified by the megaphone, announced the end of the battle scene.

Instantly, both the Imperial Army and the rebels collapsed onto the plain.

“Man, that was really tough.”

“It’s awful when you think about it. How many times did people in the Middle Ages have to fight wars like this?”

“Ugh, is this really the time to worry about people from the old days? We still have a few more big scenes left.”

The extras, sprawled out or lying flat, groaned in unison, too exhausted to even remove their helmets.

As they said, today’s battle was over, but the war filming was far from complete.

Peter Shawn, notorious for pushing his staff and actors to their limits, stopped for only one reason: continuing to film would no longer be efficient.

“Nikolai, any injuries?”

“Under twenty… all minor. The team doctors are taking care of them.”

With a battle of this scale and intensity, a few bruises were to be expected.

Peter Shawn nodded, seemingly disappointed by the lower-than-expected number.

“Too bad. If we had kept going with a long take until sunset, we could have gotten something amazing.”

The cameraman, drenched in sweat and dust, poured bottled water over his head and grimaced.

“What nonsense are you talking about! What if someone breaks a bone?”

Unless they were professional stuntmen, accidents were likely to happen if the filming pace was too grueling, especially with so many ordinary extras.

Even the seasoned actors found the action scenes, which demanded immense energy, taxing. Park Geon, who usually displayed steel-like stamina, was now sitting down, a testament to the day’s demands.

“…Isn’t he just still in character, rather than actually tired?”

A staff member muttered. Park Geon was surrounded by his Korean colleagues, manager, and fellow actors, all sitting together and talking.

“It’s understandable today. I thought he’d gone completely bloodthirsty.”

“He doesn’t really have a specific method for acting anyway. He just gets into it and out of it quickly. He’s the most swordsman-like actor I’ve ever seen.”

Echoing the staff member’s admiration, the actors monitoring the scene also exclaimed in awe.

-Stop here, I can’t tolerate it anymore.

Everyone applauded when Park Geon charged in after Eddie Long, a giant of a man at 2 meters tall, suddenly appeared and delivered his line.

“This is today’s highlight!”

“Eddie, why are you so good at delivering lines? Did you prepare a bit since it’s your first scene with Park?”

Eddie Long, an actor specializing in playing giant and large-sized villains, puffed out his massive chest.

“Of course. How many times have I watched ‘Guardian of Wrath’? I practiced the lines all night.”

“What are you talking about? There aren’t even that many lines!”

Laughter erupted as Eddie Long responded playfully. Amid the cheers, Jin Ji-yu asked worriedly while watching the monitor.

“Oppa [term of endearment for older brother or male friend], are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m fine.”

Next to her brother, who answered briefly, Park Seon, with a frown, added, “Are you hurt anywhere? You don’t look good.”

“I’m okay, just a little tired.”

Seo Hee-do and the other Korean colleagues also gave him concerned looks.

It was shocking for those who knew him well, but this was New Zealand, far away from Korea.

Moreover… the energy Park Geon was pouring into this project was unprecedented.

Apart from the hectic schedule of the lead actor, they couldn’t bring themselves to tell him to rest.

“Rest more today. Eat something, get plenty of rest, and then get back to filming tomorrow! Your face looks like a wolf that hasn’t eaten in three years.”

In the end, Seo Hee-do, who hadn’t even removed her makeup, stepped forward. As Park Geon was ushered away by his colleagues, he looked down at his palm.

His mind was exhausted.

Old memories were resurfacing.

*

Again, the Iron Kingdom.

The cloud path leading to the towering heavens.

A place where it is said that those without faith will fall into the abyss below.

However, despite being called a ‘path,’ the cloud path was actually a huge, sloping escalator.

White and wide, with clouds scattered here and there, today it was littered with white wings.

―······.

An angel’s blood is redder and stickier than that of a human. Gode, looking at the blood clots clinging to the sword like red jam, shook the holy sword in the air.

Whoosh, swoosh!

The traces of depravity clinging to the sword were scattered on the white ground. It was the price the angels paid for trying to stop the new hero.

―Go down, human. This is not a place you are allowed.

Just over ten minutes ago.

As he climbed the cloud path, hooded common angels flocked to him.

And Gode, without hesitation, swung his sword at the sacred beings blocking his path.

The result was this. More than thirty angels had their wings and shoulders torn and were sprawled out, and those with severe damage were reduced to white ash and disappeared.

“······.”

The hero does not look back at the carnage he has created. Behind Gode, who continued to ascend, an angel with both wings torn off raised his head.

-Stop.

Gode’s head tilted.

-You cannot go any further.

Angels do not speak with their mouths. It is a mysterious resonance that bypasses the throat, and all that returns from the hero is cynicism.

“Can’t go any further, can’t tolerate it—is that all you can say?”

-What······.

“Indeed, you are doves. Even in that state, you’re still chattering away.”

The cynical hero climbs the cloud path again. Behind the hero, who cannot control his body, the angel looks back at his beautiful blonde female companion and commands.

-Saintess, what are you doing? Stop the hero at once.

“…Sorry, but you guys are stronger than me, you know? Who are you to tell me to stop him?”

The angel stopped speaking for a moment at the Saintess, Aria Riverot’s, retort. It seemed they had no idea that a faithful servant of God could be such a rogue.

And at that moment.

-Arrogant.

With an exploding red glow, the Archangel appeared.

“Watch your side…”

The Saintess shouted something, but her ears went numb for a moment and she couldn’t hear anything.

Azrael of the Scarlet Light.

The Archangel, known as the strictest and one of the highest-ranking in the heavens.

He appears in that way even when he reveals himself on the ground. However, unlike when he manifests in the Iron Kingdom, the current explosion is for attack.

Thwack―!

Right, upper side.

The moment he drew his holy sword, a terrifying shockwave struck his entire body.

The Archangel’s power to strike at existence itself is immense. Even though he had raised his Harmony [a measure of spiritual power or defense] to the extreme, he could not help but be pushed back by the explosion.

‘…A little early. I knew he was strong, but…’

Even while flying, Gode narrowed his eyes, readjusting his sword.

If he had built up normal training and reached the point where he could defeat at least the third Great Demon Valmon, his body would have endured.

However, it is still the beginning of the regression [reincarnation or time loop]. His power and experience are still there, but his body cannot keep up.

-Hero, Gode.

A thunderous resonance that seemed to dig into his head rather than his ears echoed.

All three Archangels… Azrael, Matekael, and Prauriel, conveyed their intentions in that way.

-To turn the tip of the holy sword to the heavens. What are you doing?

Azrael, who asked the question, turned his gaze to the Saintess. The wings of light, shimmering like living things behind her back, lengthened for a moment.

-There… is even someone who should not be there. Aria Riverot, have you been contaminated by the hero’s madness?

Aria flinched and turned her head. Gode, who stepped forward to protect her, snorted.

“What am I doing, Azrael? I was climbing the cloud path to uncover your lies.”

-I have never met you. The angel who manifested after the summoning was Matekael…

“Don’t act, red dove.”

Gode, interrupting, pointed his holy sword. The shining blade was stuck deep into the cloud-like floor.

“I know that I regress. I’ve caught the Great Demon more than hundreds of times already, fought against the Demon Army, and met you several times.”

The Archangel was silent. Unlike what he had expected, he did not attack suddenly or make other excuses.

The resonance that flowed out a few seconds later was low.

-There was a mistake.

Mistake… No one opened their mouth while the ominous word lingered.

It was when the Saintess closed her eyes as if resigned.

-The secret art of memory is broken; can no transcendent stop the flowing world.

Words of unknown meaning flowed out. Soon, a light question was mixed in Azrael’s resonance.

-Hero, do you remember the beginning of your world?

“The chatter is long. Answer first.”

-Listen with reverence, for it is a story that mortals cannot dare to imagine.

He had raised his Harmony again, but Azrael did not seem to be trying to fight right away.

It was a fortunate thing. Although he did not show it, he had not yet completely dispersed the energy that had flowed in from the previous strike.

‘Just like I remember, the angels must also have all the memories. I have to end it this regression.’

Even as Gode gritted his teeth, Azrael’s story continued.

-The Iron Kingdom… that country on the ground also had many names. Every few centuries, the rise and fall of the single-birth race is futile and theatrical.

“What are you trying to say?”

-We have protected humans from external forces.

“Nonsense…”

Azrael continued the resonance without concern.

-Long ago, there was only chaos in this world. The great Evamuriel alone created the towering heavens, and its seeds fell to the ground and became small and insignificant lives.

The Saintess, Aria, who had been silent until now, muttered in a small voice.

“…That is the origin of humans, small hands.”

-Yes, it is the truth written in your scriptures. That Evamuriel and us, the Archangels, worked for the prosperity of the world. In the meantime, we realized that human faith gave us greater power.

The hero and the saintess looked at each other.

-Based on that power, for thousands of years… no, for countless ages that you cannot fathom, we have prevented the invasion of outer gods. The plunderers behind the veil, the monsters that cross dimensions, the predators that would devour a universe in no time were constantly eyeing this world.

The past story arrived at the intermediate point. It was then that Azrael’s resonance was filled with anger.

-And at some point, we felt it. That you had become arrogant, that the seeds of heaven that should be worshiped were no longer faithful. But there was nothing we could do. Superficially, the world was peaceful… and the great Evamuriel gradually weakened from the wounds sustained in the fight against the outer gods. As many archangels were injured and disappeared, humans forgot God and enjoyed dazzling prosperity.

“Could it be…”

A certain chill ran down his spine. Azrael also seemed to have realized what he was thinking.

-So, some angels thought. That those little creatures also needed an adversary.

“What, that’s ridiculous!”

The Saintess, who shouted, covered her own mouth. Azrael’s hood tilted to the side.

-Why is it ridiculous? We have been fighting outer gods for countless ages, so should the humans who receive that protection be peaceful? If the role of the shepherd is to chase away the wolves, then the role of the sheep is to provide milk and meat…

Above the blindingly white plain, the Archangel of the Scarlet Light looked down at the two humans.

The interrupted words continued indifferently.

-To supply infinitely.

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