The Hero Disciple Is Back - Chapter 77



76. If only I could smile properly

“Adversary!!!!!!”

Sarah immediately rushed to the Demon King, but… .

Chae-ae-aeng!

The Demon King’s ten claws were blocked so easily by the ten blades.

Hooo!

“Ugh!”

He was pushed back by the explosive storm of magic energy that poured out from the Demon King’s body. The Demon King looked at the fallen World Tree with a trembling face. Looking at that smiling face, he could feel it more clearly. This battle was his defeat. If he didn’t achieve anything he wanted, it was just a defeat. If he broke the will of the strong, he became the winner, and that was the privilege of the weak.

The Demon King pronounced his sentence.

“This battle is Jim’s defeat.”

The Demon King said so and prepared a dimension-transfer magic. Until the moment of departure, his gaze was fixed on the World Tree. He paid tribute to the weak who had defeated the Absolute.

“Be proud, World Tree. There is no denying that your choice has influenced the future of the world in some way. Rest in peace, honoring that.”

With those words, the Demon King suddenly disappeared. He literally disappeared from this world. Sera could clearly feel that he had returned to another world, the Demon World.

Sarah briefly glared at the spot where the Demon King had disappeared, then quickly turned away. The most important thing right now was not the Demon King who had disappeared.

“Wake up!”

Sera immediately approached the fallen World Tree. Should she call Leah? That was the time she was contemplating.

Thud!

“… Don’t call me.”

The World Tree said this while holding Sarah’s hand.

“… You know?”

“… … .”

Sarah couldn’t deny it. The World Tree had been dying since her realm had been burned by the flames of magic. Being pierced by the Demon King’s hand was merely a confirmation of death… The fate of the World Tree had already been decided.

Even if he were to use Leah’s power now… there was nothing he could do. If he had been at the level of the Four Heavenly Kings, then that would be understandable, but no matter what anyone said, he was the Demon King. Even Leah couldn’t do anything about the scars left by that symbol of absolute destruction.

Calling Leah here would only mean engraving a painful memory deep into the soul of a life form that was born not long ago, no matter how perfect it was. The World Tree and Sera knew that.

It was a reality that could not be denied even if one wanted to, and the ending of separation was just around the corner. Sarah gritted her teeth. No matter how much one thought one had gotten used to it, there was a moment when one realized it. ‘Ah… This is something one cannot get used to.’ Right now was that moment for Sarah.

Through her ears, the voice of the World Tree, which had grown weaker, could be heard.

“hand….”

“… … .”

“Can you hold my hand?”

There was no way Sera could disobey the absolute command called a request. Sera held the World Tree’s hands with both hands. The World Tree’s hands were so cold. She could not feel even a little of the precious warmth that had once been more affectionate and warm to her than any other hand, like the spring sunshine.

“warm….”

Sarah honestly thought it was a relief to feel the warmth in her own hands.

“My sister is cold….”

“Are you finally calling me unnie?”

“no…?”

“No, that’s good… It was always like that on other outings. It really felt good to hear Sarah call me big sister.”

The world tree smiled.

Now that I think about it… .

It was truly a failure.

Fail, fail, and fail again.

That’s why I was afraid of failing.

I was so scared.

As a result, he only failed more.

She couldn’t dare to think that she had done her job properly this time either. After all, it hadn’t changed that she had left the most important battle to the warrior, her precious younger brother. The reality that she was dying helplessly and in vain without being able to share that moment with him couldn’t change at all. Because that was the truth.

but….

‘This is enough… .’

She, they always met the end

There has never been an ending that could make me smile so truly and be so satisfied as this one.

That’s why

From noble mtl dot com

The World Tree spoke to Sarah.

“I’m done with this… So this might be too cruel of a request, but… Make me last… Please don’t create another me… This might be too cruel of a request, but… Please.”

“Don’t worry… I also refuse to return any further.”

Sarah forced a smile as she spoke. Warm tears flowed from her eyes and fell onto the cold World Tree’s hands.

It’s getting harder and harder to see ahead.

But I could definitely feel the warmth of the warm water droplets soaking my palms.

don’t cry.

You don’t have to cry.

I wanted to say that, but

I no longer had the strength to move my mouth.

That’s why she tried to smile somehow.

If he laughs, his younger sister Sera and his elf children will be less hurt.

‘I wonder if I was able to smile properly? I tried hard… . I hope I was able to smile… … all… .’

With that thought, the World Tree’s consciousness sank into darkness.

♤♤♤

I could tell I was dreaming.

“Am I dreaming?”

This was because I had become so accustomed to it that I could just pretend to do it.

I turned my head

There was a world tree there that I hadn’t seen in a long time.

“Long time no see….”

I couldn’t continue speaking.

I really hate being a mercenary.

Because it was always on the borderline of life and death.

That’s why I have no choice but to know.

What kind of eyes does a person have when he or she is about to die?

That is why I could not help but realize it the moment I saw the eyes of the World Tree.

Even if you don’t want to know, you have no choice but to know.

Just as the truth doesn’t change no matter how much you want to ignore it or cover it up, once you see it and know it, you can never go back to ignorance.

“…Are you leaving?”

At those words, the world tree smiled and nodded.

By the way, I remember that the legend says that you shouldn’t listen to the voice of the dead. I think it says that the moment you hear the voice of the dead, the aura of death will stick to you.

That’s why I had no choice but to realize it again.

It was said that the World Tree had already completely crossed over from the boundary of life and death to the other side.

Although she never admitted to being close to God… . Even so, it was clear that there weren’t many beings in this world who could drive her to death. If they did drive her to death… .

‘Adversary….’

The Demon King or a being similar to the Demon King… I was sure it was the Demon King. It was a situation where it couldn’t be helped.

‘I don’t like it… .’

The opponent is the Demon King.

Even if you were there, nothing would change.

Even if I were there, I couldn’t get over the wall, so there’s no way I could be of any help. So even if I think, “If I were there, wouldn’t things have been a little different? Could I have changed the ending somehow?”, nothing will change. Nothing will change. It’s meaningless.

It will only thoroughly confirm your own desperate helplessness.

But even so

It makes you think.

Even though you know it’s foolish, it’s probably the instinct of the weak to cling to something and not be able to let it go easily.

That was when.

Before I knew it, the World Tree came up to me and grabbed my hand with both of its hands. Before I knew it, I was clenching my fists, and it seemed like the World Tree was concerned when it saw that.

In that touch

I could feel the comfort.

Who is comforting whom?

“… Isn’t this something I should be doing?”

Smile

The World Tree simply smiled brightly.

Then she slowly opened her mouth.

No voice was heard.

But I could tell just by the shape of her lips what she was trying to say.

-May joy and happiness always be with you in your future.

At that moment

The world of dreams has collapsed.

Even as the world of dreams collapses

Even the moment I wake up from my dream

The world tree smiled at me.

♤♤♤

Wake up from a dream

Back to reality.

Yet, I could still feel the power of the World Tree warmly enveloping me.

Could it be that he was just dreaming?

Could it be that I simply misjudged the dream?

The world tree is safe

In fact, nothing happened

Could it have just been my vain dream?

I had that thought.

Even though I knew it was a truly foolish outburst befitting a weakling, I couldn’t help it.

Because it was so sweet to be able to think, even for a moment, that it might not be so.

Knock! Knock!

Tears are flowing down.

Because there is nothing more true than the tears that flow at the moment of separation.

I couldn’t turn away from the truth.

Just shedding tears

I just accept the truth.

Because that was all I could do.

Truly helpless and helpless

It just has to be that way.