Anger (2)
A thunderous sound faded beyond the mountain, and moments later the people's screams reached them.
"Damn it!"
Ozent sprang forward first, Smille close behind.
When they arrived, both the river clan and the mountain clan were kneeling before the angel.
"You've come."
The angel turned, flanked by first- to third-rank Mara.
They had seen angels flying far above, but never faced one this close.
What was this?
Even if they combined the might of Purgatory's strongest land, sea, and air beasts, they wouldn't come close to the angel's toes.
"Ozent! Run!"
Damian, still kneeling, shouted.
"Smille…! Ugh!"
A first-rank Mara with a bronze, machine-like body pushed Damian down with its foot.
"Father!"
Smille arrived too late. Ozent drew his sword instantly and stepped in front of her.
"Stop, Smille. Behind me—"
He stopped, surprised.
When did—?
Like an optical trick, the angel's image vanished and then reappeared behind Smille, one hand on her shoulder.
"Hmm, quite remarkable."
Ozent was afraid—not of dying by the angel's hand, but of the world itself, of the inexorable tide of predetermined time.
I want to run away.
From everything.
"I am Airope, Angel of Just Judgment." The voice came from behind, and Airope had already returned Smille to her original spot.
"I came to Purgatory to find subjects for Ilhwa's Elixir."
"Ilhwa's Elixir?"
Even the heretics knew what Ilhwa's Elixir was.
"Then isn't that a death sentence?"
Airope's expression darkened.
"It is to preserve Heaven's Law. You are part of the Law. Sacrifice your lowly bodies to aid in preserving the world."
The war between Heaven and Gaia had not ended. They had developed Ilhwa's Elixir to weaken the Ultima System, but the only giant to reach the tenth tier was Imir.
At this rate, even reaching the seventh tier was unlikely.
To stand against the Gaian, they needed even purer components—Anke Ra sought people with unshakable minds.
"But why Smille?"
"The spirit of this child captivates me. Do not fear. I will examine her carefully."
Airope's sacred radiance expanded into a halo as her Judicial Halo flared with multicolored light.
Everyone watched, stunned—only Ozent ground his teeth at the angel's untouchable perfection.
"Kruuu!"
"Huh?"
The Mara turned toward him.
"You sense the Halo?"
Not only did he sense it, he resisted it; Airope looked puzzled at that.
For now, finding a candidate was the priority.
As the Judicial Halo activated, a bluish aura wrapped Smille's body.
As a direct subordinate of Archangel Kariel of Birth, Airope could scan every part of a living being.
"What is this?"
After the scan, Airope was so shocked she nearly forgot Ozent.
Matches 98 percent of the standard.
In other words, if she were used in Ilhwa's Elixir, there was a 48 percent chance she would reach the tenth tier.
"No need to search further."
Airope had scanned tens of thousands in Purgatory; cases over seventy percent were counted on one hand.
"We will take this human." To the family, that was a death sentence; Damian shouted, pale-faced.
"Please spare her! She's about to be married. Take me instead!"
"Lowly ones cannot choose. Consider it an honor to be the subject of such a noble art."
Purgatory had broken free from Anke Ra's control, but the divinity of angels was undeniable.
Smille is… being taken to Heaven?
Ozent watched the bowed heads and silent faces.
Reard, who had promised a future with Smille, trembled with fear.
"No."
Ozent stepped forward.
"Who gave you the right to take Smille—"
"It is God's command."
Airope declared and gestured.
"Deal with him."
She disliked that a human could withstand the Halo.
The first-rank bronze colossus Mara turned its eight arms into blades and lunged at Ozent.
It happened in an instant, and everyone felt their hearts drop.
Death.
In a slaughter such as this, even the bronze colossus would not hesitate—but only Ozent remained composed.
Slow. Slower.
Feeling a speed far below the angel's, Ozent took a step.
The bronze colossus split in two; smoke poured from its hollow interior.
"Ugh!"
It slammed back together, but most of its fuel had burned away and its knees buckled.
Everyone was stunned by the unexpected turn—but what terrified them more was that it had been attacked.
Murder burned in Airope's eyes.
"Incarnation Technique."
For a human-forged sword to cut the bronze colossus, nothing less than divine transcendence would suffice.
"Please, not Smille. I beg you, spare her."
That a human had struck a Mara left Airope unconvinced by any plea.
"Pathetic mortal!"
Airope thrust out her palm; a boom sent Ozent flying back to the village entrance.
"Kruuu!"
Seeing the long gouges on the ground, Airope's face went cold.
"He blocked it?"
He had stopped the angel's strike.
Against a being of another order, the clan's shock was immense.
Was it really that strong?
Damian couldn't fathom how Ozent had held back such power. If he had wanted, he could have abandoned his clan and ruled the world.
I never once swung my sword with that intention.
Ozent felt despair.
If I just kept swinging my sword without rest… maybe happiness would come to me too.
"Please."
Tears fell from Ozent's eyes.
"Forgive me. Please spare Smille just once. Please don't take her."
"Ooo—!?"
Even facing death, Smille looked at Ozent with pity.
I can't win. I can't beat this.
She'd realized it fighting beside the angel.
"I'll accept any punishment—just don't take Smille. Take me instead—"
"Shut up."
Airope glanced at Smille.
"What is so special about this child that you'd go this far? You have a bright future as a human." By angelic standards, Ozent's swordsmanship ranked among Gaia's best.
"Smille is—"
When Ozent spoke, several onlookers tensed.
"She's my younger sister."
He would rather suffer than harm another.
"Oh?"
Airope sneered, as if human psychology was obvious.
"I already know the punishment to give." She ordered the Mara arrayed on either side.
"Render him immobile."
It stung their pride to pin down one human, but it was an angel's command, so they obeyed.
The second-rank Mara with a bull's face swept Ozent off his feet and the brutal beating began.
Endure. Just endure this.
An ordinary human would have been crushed, but the power of divine transcendence in Ozent was stronger than expected.
The more they hit, the more their wounded pride fueled their strength; he could hear bones snapping inside him.
Hit me more. Hit harder. If you beat me enough, you'll be satisfied and maybe let Smille go.
If I writhe in a ruined heap, they'll pity me and give them what they want.
I am a coward.
Ozent thought so.
"How marvelous."
At Airope's signal, the Mara forced him to his feet by the hands.
Such an Incarnation Technique.
Technique alone made Heaven—and even Purgatory—unparalleled.
"But the vessel is so small." He lacks conviction.
Even without scanning, that temperament was only useful as fertilizer for Ilhwa's Elixir.
"Smille… Smille…"
Airope, full of contempt, activated the Judicial Halo and reached out.
"I will strip your petty heart bare. That is the punishment I will mete out."
"Please forgive me, I beg you—"
As the Judicial Halo activated, the color drained from Ozent's face.
"No. Not that—"
The moment a bluish light flickered over Ozent, Smille stepped forward.
"Stop."
"Child, do you mock angels too?"
"If you don't stop, I will kill myself."
The Judicial Halo collapsed back into mere sacred radiance.
"Hmm."
From the scan she had completed, Airope knew Smille was certainly capable of taking her own life.
"Don't touch anyone. If you do, I will comply. That is my only condition."
Haggling with a human was distasteful, but Archangel Kariel's mandate came first.
"Return."
When the Mara released Ozent, he dropped to his knees and weakly lifted his head.
"Smille, no. If you go—"
"I'm okay, brother."
Kneeling on one knee, Smille stroked Ozent's battered cheek.
"I'm glad it turned out this way."
"W-what?"
Ozent could not think.
"I'm sorry. Be happy—"
Before she could finish, Airope's halo spun and a pillar of light shot up.
"Smille."
As if a lie had been spoken, she vanished before his eyes. Ozent stared blankly at the sky.
Glad it turned out this way?
Could dying ever be a blessing?
Ah—
Ozent finally understood.
"Wah—sob—"
Bloodshot eyes wept bloody tears; it felt as if the whole world were collapsing.
Even knowing… knowing everything, how could she—
Smille had accepted it all.
Was she able to smile when she looked at me?
No one noticed the enormous, unfathomable rage compressing in Ozent's gut.
"Sorry, but we should call off the marriage."
At the mountain clan's words, Damian could only close his mouth in grief.
A calamity. That's all it is. If a man had killed her, they would kill him; if beasts had taken her, they would raze the mountain.
She answered Heaven's call. There's nothing we can do.
As the mountain clan hurried to leave, Reard muttered under his breath.
"Tch, if I'd known, I would have—"
No one heard it, but to Ozent it rang louder than thunder.
"What did you say?"
Ozent staggered to his feet, and Damian tried to stop him.
"Don't get up. You need to rest."
He could barely stand. Reard sneered.
"You worthless—who do you think you are—ugh!" Without taking a step, Ozent closed the distance and seized Reard's head.
Where did that strength come from…?
All five of Ozent's fingers were broken, yet the grip felt as if it would crush Reard's skull.
"Aaah!"
Reard screamed, unable to bear it. The mountain clan drew their weapons and surged forward.
"Ozent! No!"
As Damian's warning finished, Reard's head cracked with a sickening sound and was crushed.