The Swordmaster Wants To Live Peacefully [EN]: Chapter 382

Swordmaster Wants to Live Peacefully – Episode 381

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“If there’s anything you desire, I will give it to you. Elixirs, weapons… even divinity.”

At Yuseongwoo’s words, the three who were seated showed slight surprise. For a god to offer their divinity was akin to tearing off their own flesh.

With a decrease in divinity, the power of the Holy Temple would also diminish, something the great gods would never do.

“Of course, if you desire divinity, it can only be given after all the fighting is over…”

“…Hmph, so you’re staking everything on this matter. I understand.”

Persephone smiled. If she helped Yuseongwoo this time, she could incur a great debt [a favor that would be difficult to repay].

The others felt similarly. They hadn’t expected Yuseongwoo to be so accommodating.

“This time, the enemy is unprecedentedly powerful. The Sword Realm’s forces alone cannot handle it… I believe everyone feels similarly.”

They must have sensed the Ascendant Church Leader’s movements as well. A single, small movement shook the world; they couldn’t even fathom how immense his divinity was.

The sheer scale of his divinity likely transcended the dimensions of Earth.

“Then, let’s confirm the details of the request. Are we cooperating to defeat the divinity, or are you only asking us to defend the Sword Realm?”

“Defense. I will… go to defeat him alone. I want you to protect the Sword Realm from his subordinates while I face him.”

Michael came to the Sword Realm as an envoy [a messenger or representative].

There were probably several great gods comparable to him. If he were to recall the archangels, there would be Gabriel or Uriel…

Having filled their divinity with the faith of billions of believers over long ages, they were not to be underestimated.

He was confident he could defeat them all in one-on-one battles, but there was no way others besides him could handle them.

“The opponents are angels. The Archangel Michael previously visited the Sword Realm and was driven out. I suspect he will soon visit with an army from the heavens.”

“Angels, I wonder how strong they are compared to Valhalla’s Valkyries!” [In Norse mythology, Valkyries are female figures who choose who will live and die in battle.]

“We’ll have to charge a higher price, won’t we? Angels…”

“I will wholeheartedly help my brother. Amaterasu will surely approve as well.”

All three gave positive answers. Their minds were likely racing; they would have already calculated the impact on themselves if the Sword Realm were to fall.

A being with this much power wouldn’t be satisfied with merely destroying one Holy Temple.

Ideally, they wanted to stop him within the Sword Realm.

“If there are any rewards you need, please don’t hesitate to ask. The current Sword Realm is more than capable of providing them.”

Having toured the Holy Temples and extracted plenty of reparations [compensation for damages], they were among the wealthiest.

They also had what they received from Olympus [the home of the Greek gods], and the gifts they received when he ascended to divinity remained intact.

It was worth saving those, using only what was necessary until now.

‘What use is immense wealth?’

If everything burns away, they are useless.

It’s best to use it all up before it disappears. Saving precious potions during boss fights only to die is a waste.

There’s a reason why they say hoarding leads to ruin.

Persephone said,

“Let’s receive the reward retroactively. It seems best to assess the value after the request has been carried out, to avoid any losses.”

It sounded like she was planning to fleece them dry [to take everything of value], but he knew it was her way of being considerate.

They were just preparing for war, and she couldn’t just take away a bunch of supplies before the war.

And with Persephone, representing Olympus, saying this, it became difficult for the other two to ask for upfront payment.

Tsukuyomi [the Japanese god of the moon] was also fully intending to cooperate with Yuseongwoo, leaving only Loki in a pitiful situation.

“…And let me say in advance, consider that his spy might be hiding in the Holy Temple. Their goal might not be just the Sword Realm.”

“That sounds like an insult to the proud gods.”

Loki’s eyes narrowed.

Yuseongwoo shrugged and replied.

“There’s already a precedent. With that much divinity, there’s no way he wouldn’t have the power to brainwash one or two ordinary gods. It would be wise to keep an eye on those who seem likely to backstab you.”

Persephone couldn’t laugh at his words. Even if it wasn’t because of the Ascendant Church, there had been a rebellion within Olympus before.

And Yuseongwoo had dealt with it.

“Do you have any further questions?”

“Brother, how many troops should we bring?”

“…As many as possible. Except for the minimum forces needed to defend your own Holy Temples, please. I am the only one in our Holy Temple who can stop a great god.”

Yuseongwoo bowed his head to the three.

If he could save everyone, what was a mere bow?

He could even kneel. Persephone smiled contentedly at his unprecedented attitude. It felt like proper discipline had finally been established.

“I understand. I’ll look into which gods can be dispatched from Olympus.”

“We will also send reinforcements from Asgard [the realm of the Norse gods]. Perhaps my brother will move as well.”

Loki’s brother could only be one person.

The famously renowned Thunder God, Thor.

If he, famous for his combat prowess, were to come, it would be even more reassuring.

“I will… bring my sister.”

“…That’s a bit…”

Amaterasu [the Japanese sun goddess] was a bit much. What if the highest god of another Holy Temple burned down the Sword Realm?

In any case, it was reassuring if they helped.

He would entrust the defense of the Sword Realm to the great gods of other Holy Temples, and he would capture the Ascendant Church Leader himself.

Yuseongwoo saw the gods off and sat down, slowly blinking his eyes.

If he concentrated, he could feel it moving. Preparing to descend to the earth from above the sky.

As if he alone were the true god, leisurely revealing his presence.

It felt as if the Ascendant Church Leader’s divinity was covering the earth. Perhaps the gods who had descended to earth felt the same way.

A powerful enemy.

Perhaps the Ascendant Church Leader was stronger than the God of the Lunar Race, Luna.

Yuseongwoo called for Yuwol.

“Did you call for me? Seongwoo-nim.”

“Yes, Yuwol. Perhaps… can you allow me to speak with Luna again?”

“Ah, yes! I can! I’ve been building up my strength a lot during that time! And quite a bit of time has passed.”

Yuwol said, showing off her biceps. Her muscles were well-defined, showing how hard she had trained.

Yuseongwoo chuckled and nodded.

“Then, I’ll ask you. There’s something I want to ask.”

“Yes, then excuse me…”

Yuwol, walking with small steps, approached Yuseongwoo, who was sitting down, spread her arms wide, and then hugged his head, pulling it into her chest.

She hadn’t done this before. He glanced up at Yuwol, only to see her cheeks flushed red, as if she was embarrassed herself.

He chuckled at the sight and buried his face in her chest as she pulled him in, closing his eyes as he slowly felt his mind fading.

The sensation he had felt once before.

His consciousness sank deep down and rose to a new place.

And when he opened his eyes, he was lying in a place far away from Earth.

“I’ve come to this place again.”

A rough surface filled with dust.

As he slowly raised himself, he saw the blue star, Earth, shining brilliantly in space.

This was not the real moon. If it were the real moon, he wouldn’t be able to breathe. Only his mind had arrived at the place where the God of the Lunar Race, Luna, resided.

After sitting for a while and watching Earth, Yuseongwoo slowly turned his head to the side, and there, a girl he didn’t know when she had arrived was sitting.

Nothing had changed from when he had seen her before. White hair, a pure white dress.

Her eyes held a large moon. The girl also turned her head to look at Yuseongwoo and asked with a blank face.

“You’re facing a great battle. Are you afraid?”

“How could I not be afraid?”

Yuseongwoo was a coward.

There had never been a time when he wasn’t afraid. Even when he calmed his mind and looked at the enemy coldly.

He was always afraid. Every time he faced a battle, a corner of his heart was always filled with fear.

Those who are not afraid only become complacent. They will lose their lives due to recklessness.

Because he had seen so many lives disappear like that, there was no enemy he wasn’t afraid of.

But the enemy he was about to face this time was on a different level.

“There was no enemy I wasn’t afraid of. Starting from when I faced monsters for the first time, to when I killed thieves, the sensation of the first kill… it’s dulled, but it’s still there. That’s why I’m more afraid now than ever before.”

Somehow, the words flowed out.

His true feelings, which he couldn’t express to others, flowed out. No one was listening, and Luna wouldn’t tell anyone.

“…I’m afraid of losing everything. I’m afraid that everything I’ve protected so far will collapse.”

This wasn’t what he came here to say.

“I know that there’s no such thing as a fairy tale where everyone can be saved and everyone is happy, so it’s even more so.”

He didn’t even understand why he was saying these things.

It might be annoying, but Luna quietly nodded and listened to his story.

“Will I be able to protect everyone this time? I remember clearly how many people died before. The number of people I have to remember is steadily increasing, which is definitely not a good thing…”

Like a dam bursting, the words that poured out relentlessly continued without pause.

He stopped only after lamenting for a long time, to the point where he wondered if he had ever been so talkative.

As he caught his breath and cooled his flushed face a little, his mind finally began to work properly.

With a bright red face, he let out a long sigh and said.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do this.”

“It’s okay. Isn’t it natural to release what’s been pent up? It just seems a bit severe…”

Luna still approached Yuseongwoo with a blank face and hugged him. She seemed like a god devoid of emotion, but her embrace was warmer than anyone else’s.

“You’ve worked hard. The heavy things placed on your shoulders have been pressing down on you until now.”

“…….”

“That pressure is now the last. I can tell. As the owner of the stellar position overlooking the round star… I can see that the flow is reaching its destination.”

“Destination?”

“Yes. Although it may not be a complete destination, it is the end of a great flow. I can’t see well beyond that either.”

“I see…….”

Yuseongwoo stepped out of Luna’s arms and sighed again.

He felt as if his complicated mind had been cleared.

“The end of the journey, is it…….”

He couldn’t predict how that ending would turn out. Whether it would be his death, or everyone’s death.

Perhaps he would reach an ending where everyone lived happily ever after.

No one knows. That’s what fate is, and that’s what the future is.

Neither the three goddesses of fate in Olympus, nor the three sisters of fate in Asgard.

Yuseongwoo asked.

“Luna, will my sword be able to reach you now?”