Chapter 146


    After the dust had settled, the ck Knight hadpletely vanished.


    Where Where did he go?!


    Everyone instinctively knew that the ck Knight was on hisst legs. All that remained was tond one final blow on him.


    But then, someone began to shout while looking at the sky.


    Hes


    Up there! Over there! Look at how battered he is


    Hes going up over there!


    gent!


    The massive ck Knight had returned to his original size and was scaling the clock tower nearby, the tallest point in the western district of Illia.


    Why


    The wall! Hes doing that to climb over the wall! shouted Filia in shock.


    The clock tower wasnt too far from the walls dividing the citys districts.


    Any average individual would consider that distance far, but to a monster like the ck Knight, it could even be considered close.


    If he climbs to the top of the clock tower and leaps toward the walls


    The western district lockdown would have been for nothing, and he would be able to ughter as many innocent civilians as he wants.


    Agony, the being controlling the ck Knight, had already climbed halfway up the tower.


    <em>[We have to run! Run away! Theyre way too tough to eat! Lets eat the humans beyond the walls!]</em>


    Seol wasnt sure whether Agony had no intention of concealing his own intent or if he was simply pushed into a corner, but Agony''s voice reverberated throughout the entirety of Illia.


    The citizens beyond the wall trembled at the sound of Agonys frightening voice.


    Seol quickly realized that following the ck Knight up the clock tower would be too slow. He wouldnt make it there to stop him before the ck Knight made it to the top.


    I need to stop him But how


    Seol caught Karuna looking up at the clock tower.


    Karuna then looked at himself, before meeting Seol''s eyes. Two resolute gazes locked onto each other.


    Karuna.


    ...Please send me there.


    ...Yeah, I think were thinking the same thing.


    <em>Woosh!</em>


    Seol leaped onto the roof of a three-story building before stretching his right arm.


    What is he


    <em>Crack Snap Crackkkk!</em>


    Wh-what the


    How does that make any sense?


    His arm is


    Seol''s arm gigantified in an instant as he got into a stance to throw Karuna.


    <em>Grab!</em>


    Go!


    <em>Fwoooooosh!</em>


    <em>Ffffffft!</em>


    [Your mana is currently below 5%]


    [You have mana deficiency.]


    [Your mana recovery rate is reduced by 50% for 5 minutes.]


    [You have overused your mana all at once.]


    [You are afflicted by Abnormal Status: Dizziness for a day.]


    [The cooldowns for your skills are increased by 10%.]


    Seolunched Karuna with all his strength, aiming for the clock towers bell.


    However, he was slightly short.


    Ahhhh!


    Urgh


    In an instant, Karen''s deep shade of red lightened, while Karuna''s blue grew as deep as Karen''s had be lighter.


    [Twin Knights'' Equilibrium copses.]


    [The summed stats heavily favor one side.]


    Karuna swiftly took two steps afternding on the clock tower''s wall, propelling himself to its peak.


    As he soared upward, he pulled back his arms, preparing his attack.


    Sensing Karuna''s presence, the ck Knight turned back around.


    <em>[No! Dont!]</em>


    Agony cried out.


    With determination, Karuna poured everyst ounce of his strength into his sword for his next attack.


    <em>FWOOOOSH!</em>


    Karuna hurled Breath, piercing perfectly through the ck Knight''s heart.


    Krgh


    <em>Thud.</em>


    The ck Knight was sent flying, Breath lodged in his chest, until he collided with the clock tower''s bell.


    The impact caused the bell to ring, filling the district with its sounds.


    <em>Ring Riiiing</em>


    K-Krgh


    ...Its over.


    Agonys de was dulled and broken. The damage it endured while materializing into the ck Knight''s body seemed to have caused this.


    Even after reverting back into a sword, Agony continued to cry.


    <em>[You idiot! We have to run! Run! Now!]</em>


    Shut up said the ck Knight, lying on the ground.


    His pierced chest gurgled with blue and ck energy. It was likely not only his powers, but also his memories.


    Haah Krgh C-Could I ask you something?


    ......


    The fragments Ive killed All had different anomalies


    What?


    The ck Knight continued.


    There were those who didnt remember Montra and even one who forgot Karen. And it was for those reasons that each and every one of us sought a different future so krgh what what do you think? Once you receive this power what will you


    I n to


    ......


    ...show Karen the sea.


    Karuna looked down at the ck Knight with unattached eyes, the moon behind his back.


    That is what Ill live for in this life.


    A modest ambition for such prideful eyes. However, the ck Knight was visibly moved by this.


    Ha Haha Hahaha the sea How Why


    What is it?


    The ck Knight took off his helmet.


    The helmet must have felt increasingly suffocating as death grew closer.


    He slowly revealed his face, wet with tears.


    But it wasnt just tears. He was also covered with snot and blood.


    I cant remember the sea fuck that was what I was missing


    ......


    "Is the sea... more incredible than Montra... or our desire for revenge?"


    Karuna gently described to the ck Knight the beauty of the sea, his words flowing like a fairy tale.


    How could the world bepletely filled with water haha dont lie to me


    The ck Knight couldnt stop crying.


    ...Why are you crying? asked Karuna.


    Because of regret


    Regret? If youre regretful of your mistakes, then


    "No, it''s not that. It''s just... realizing that the only thing I can leave for your futures is this disgusting hatred... I regret it deeply."


    <em>Step Step</em>


    Seol and Karen arrived at the clock tower.


    With Breath lodged in his heart, the ck Knight continued to speak, gradually voicing his final wordsechoing those of the defeated fragments who hade before him.


    "I-I ept my defeat. I offer you my strength and memories. Oh... Oh, Karuna... I pray that one day you will be the mirror that reflects the truth."


    <em>Fwoooosh</em>


    With those words, the ck Knight started to disperse into the wind, vanishing like smoke, starting from his feet.


    <em>[No! No!]</em>


    <em>Faaaade</em>


    Agony trembled for a moment before climbing into the smoke as well.


    However, something prevented Agony from going further.


    <em>Fwirl!</em>


    <em>[Let go! Let go of me!]</em>


    However, you must not take everything. You must take neither my hatred nor this demon Please, do not be tainted by the same hatred that I was Agony, they do not need the color ck where they are headed. You will remain here with me


    The ck light, which could be considered the root of the ck Knights powers, held a firm grip onto Agonys dark energy. The ck Knight nned to die with Agony there.


    Theres no need for that.


    <em>Grab.</em>


    Seol grabbed onto Agonys energy, despite the ck Knights warnings.


    Where Im headed Ill need ck as well.


    The ck light looked at Karuna this time. Karuna nodded back.


    We go together.


    The ck light, having yearned to hear those words, scattered entirely into the wind.


    <em>Fwoooooosh</em>


    And then, it started to be drawn into Karuna''s Breath.


    A deep blue light radiated from Karuna''s eyes, and, strangely, his old memories began to rush back to him.


    * * *


    Karunas memories returned to him piece by piece.


    While some of the memories flooding back to him were undoubtedly his own, others were strangely vivid recollections belonging to the ck Knight.


    <em>Swish Swish</em>


    <em>Crash</em>


    After being knocked off a cliff and into the river, Karuna found himself pulled back onto a small boat by someone.


    I got him!


    ...Good work. Let us leave immediately.


    In the boat were two individuals, a young man, and an elderly gentleman.


    After that, time passed.


    Karuna found himselfter ced on a rock with intricate geometric patterns engraved on it, his mind in a blur as they performed a ceremony.


    The old man and the young man would intermittently reappear, as well as devotees of a temple.


    What I was trying to say is


    Quiet! How could the guardian


    The two fought.


    Mostly, it was the old man scolding the young man, who quietly listened. However, as time went on, the frequency of their arguments diminished.


    It took a long time for the sounds of their fighting to turn into screams.


    Kyaaaa!


    Ahhhh!


    The surge of mana and the scent of blood yed a vital role in waking Karuna from his sleep.


    Haah Haah


    The young man returned once more, his hair disheveled and partially deranged, as he approached Karuna''s resting ce.


    His body was drenched in fresh blood, and he appeared to have aged significantly, now resembling a middle-aged man.


    "Did you... Did you truly believe I''d uphold that worthless oath until my dying breath? Of course not... Your assessment of me was wrong..."


    Oath.


    The word that the man mentioned was unfamiliar, yet nostalgic.


    "Hahaha... You foolish knight... Why did you choose to serve Jin? Why... Why did you choose to restrain yourself when you possess such power?"


    There was something off about the man.


    I am different from Jin. He failed to recognize the value of the treasure that fell onto hisp. But Im different! Ill Ill use you to be born again!


    <em>Grab!</em>


    The man growled while grabbing a handful of Karunas hair.


    I will cut you into fragments and raise an army! Hahaha... No one... No one will be able to stop me. Just protecting things with all this power is too dull, isn''t it? Right?"


    Karuna felt something sprout in his heart.


    It was a moment he had experienced countless times.


    Hatredhatred was sown in Karuna''s heart toward that man.


    Haha Soon


    It didnt take long for that sprout to grow into a tree and bear fruit.


    <em>Saaatter!</em>


    The man tried his best to stem the bleeding from his neck, but it was toote.


    Gr Grgrggl


    His eyes, filled with hatred, were fixed on Karuna.


    However, the Karuna he gazed upon was iplete. Karuna had already fragmented, and this lone shard remained to exact revenge upon those in the temple who had wronged him.


    It was the fragment of hatred, the ck Knight.


    And like that, only after killing everyone, did the ck Knight leave the temple.


    He then searched exhaustively for his other fragments. He recognized each fragment he encountered as a part of himself, and in turn, they recognized him as one of their own. However, they also instinctively understood that they were destined to fight.


    The fragment of hatred was powerful.


    <em>- I have been bested. I leave everything to</em>


    <em>- I lost. You are</em>


    Strangely enough, each defeated fragment left behind their desires as they were absorbed.


    <em>- Please protect the innocent.</em>


    <em>- Do not let darkness take over the world.</em>


    <em>- Please Karen</em>


    The fragment of hatred could not understand them.


    Fools.


    Why did they believe the strong would listen to the requests of the defeated? For what reason?


    The ck Knight could not understand the defeated fragments. And for that reason, he thought of their requests as burdens.


    He believed he was the most powerful of the remaining fragments, the one closest to embodying the original Karuna.


    However, he could not be further from the truth.


    It was only after encountering a special fragment that he realized his mistake.


    <em>aang!</em>


    Urgh


    You are vile and disgusting.


    Sh-shut up


    ...Leave.


    The fragment of hatred fell unconscious, blood spewing as he did so.


    The other Karuna stomped on his hand before vanishing.


    ...Who was he?


    <em>Bathump.</em>


    For some reason... it felt as if a pair of eyes were watching them right now.


    Karuna sensed an insidious energy from those eyes.


    <em>Bzzzt!</em>


    The ck Knights memories ended there.


    The light faded as if someone had closed the curtains on him.


    And then a ck light approached him.


    It was the fragment of hatred.


    I think I understand it now.


    ......


    I understand why they left behind their desires.


    The ck light wavered.


    "Karuna, do not forget Montra. Seek out our sister, flourish alongside her, and forge a benevolent world. These... were the wishes bestowed upon me by those who came before."


    Karuna slowly responded to the dark light while staring into the horizon.


    ...What about your wishes?


    The ck light was stunned.


    ......


    What are your wishes?


    How could someone like me


    Your. Wishes.


    The ck light wavered.


    It almost appeared as if it was crying.


    As if it was regretful.


    ...Do not make the same mistakes I made. Do not hate the world


    Thats impossible. The world is still filled with so much evil.


    ...Hatred and anger are two different things.


    Anger, huh


    Also, please... Please find happiness with our sister. That is my wish.


    Karuna nodded to the ck light.


    I wont forget them.


    <em>Faaaaade</em>


    After Karunas final words, the ck light slowly seeped into Karunas chest.


    * * *


    Upon recovering the ck Knight''s memories, the blue light emanating from Karuna''s body intensified, marking yet another change.


    <em>Craaackle</em>


    There was another change as well.


    Theres a pattern being engraved onto the sword.


    Breath, crafted from Karuna''s Moonlight Sword, now bore a peculiar and enigmatic pattern.


    Countless messages rted to it continued to show up, obscuring his sight.


    However, that wasnt the end of the change.


    <em>Writhe</em>


    As Karuna opened his eyes, a ck energy thrashed in his eyes.


    What is this now


    Despite Seol''s desire to investigate every detail of the situation, the circumstances did not permit it.


    Seol quickly nced at the small ball in his hands.


    It was the remnants of Agony.


    <em>[Yeah! Yeah! You want power, right?]</em>


    Of course.


    <em>[That idiot only lost because he was dumb! I wont lose!]</em>


    Oh really?


    <em>[Ill fulfill any wish! What do you want?! To be king? Do you want to be king? Or is there something else that you want? Ill fulfill whatever wish you desire!]</em>


    Really? Then I want you to


    Agony continued spewing sweet, candied words, tempting Seol with promises beyond belief.


    Yet, with each uttered syble, it also exuded a sinister, demonic energy.


    All to taint Seols mind, so that he would be corrupted like his previous master.


    Agony was confident.


    Until Seol finally gave his answer.


    ...shut up for me, alright?


    <em>[...Huh?]</em>


    Thats the only way youll live, so keep your mouth closed.


    Hold


    <em>Plop.</em>


    Seol contained Agony, now a swirling mass of energy, within a bottle and sealed it shut with a cork. Even though Agony was capable of breaking the bottle whenever it pleased, it hesitated, recalling Seols words.


    As that happened, Earl Brispin asked Seol a question from beyond the wall.


    What happened?!


    Hm


    Hurry up and exin the situation!


    Seol paused for a second before ringing the bell next to him.


    <em>Ring</em>


    Earl Brispin was confused after hearing the bell.


    What the


    <em>Riiiing</em>


    As the bell rang once more, Earl Brisprin finally understood. It was Seol''s answer to him.


    ...Ah.


    The earl turned back to his subordinates.


    Ring every bell in Illia.


    ...What?


    Quickly!


    A few minutes after the earlsmand, the bells of every clock tower in each district began to ring.


    <em>Riiing</em>


    <em>Riiiiing</em>


    <em>Riiiiiing</em>


    Bells continued to echo across Illia as the nightmarish night drew to a close.


    It was an unforgettable evening, one that would be etched into their memories for a lifetime.


    [You have defeated the ck Knight.]


    [The ck Knights Memento has been generated.]


    [You have satisfied the Adventure Objective.]


    [If the Remaining Time runs out or if you choose to take your reward, you may choose to finish your Adventure here.]


    Woahhhhhh!


    The gent won!


    Open the gates, you assholes!


    As the city erupted into celebration, Seol nced at the chest thaty at his feet.


    Since carrying it down the clock tower would be annoying, he decided to open the chest there.


    <em>Kick!</em>


    The chest opened after a light kick from Seol.


    <em>Creaaaak</em>


    Please Please be in there


    [You open the ck Knights Memento.]