Episode 58: Preparation (5)
“Success…”
Thud.
His body collapsed.
As Jung Haein’s unconscious form fell through the air, Aldebaran indifferently extends a foreleg to catch it.
It seems his consciousness has completely faded, as his limp body slowly loses its remaining warmth.
Aldebaran silently gazed down at him for a moment before slowly turning his head.
His shoulder.
The once-solid exoskeleton had shattered into dust and was scattering away. The deep wounds covering his shoulder bore the marks of numerous vicious strikes.
- Hmm…
Aldebaran inhaled quietly.
At first, the direction wasn’t bad. There were even moments when he had some expectations. But in the end, he deemed it another failure.
He was about to send him back with that in mind.
However, something changed at the last moment.
It wasn’t just desperate resistance or a fleeting final struggle. It was something else—almost as if someone had been helping him.
Aldebaran slowly lifted his gaze.
Far away, beyond the realm of consciousness, a small human figure crouched beside Jung Haein.
A black-haired girl.
She was tightly embracing Jung Haein’s body, but what caught Aldebaran’s attention was something else entirely.
The energy flowing from her—something even he could not ignore.
Aldebaran slowly closed his eyes.
Would this be enough to face them? It was a precarious gamble.
He couldn’t say with certainty that it was impossible. Nor could he confidently claim that it was.
However, there was one undeniable fact—this time, he was not alone. The black flames continuously flowing into him were proof of that.
A faint smile crossed Aldebaran’s face.
“Fine.”
Normally, he would have scrutinized it thoroughly and never granted permission so easily.
With a simple gesture, the Catastrophe, which had been lying on the ground, floated into the air through telekinesis.
And then—
Two of his eight claws touched the spear.
A metallic sound rang out, but the claws, like liquid, seeped into the spear’s core.
The Catastrophe’s energy roared violently.
The once-obsidian spear was now engraved with crimson inscriptions.
With this—
The trial was passed.
From here on, it was up to him.
Was the path he had forged truly open?
Or was it merely a path born of coincidence?
Aldebaran quietly looked down at the wounds Jung Haein had left on him.
Then, he smirked slightly.
***
“Damn it.”
I shot up from where I lay.
I remembered breaking through the exoskeleton and falling through the air.
But… after that, my memory was blank.
“Don’t tell me… I failed?”
My heart sank.
I quickly scanned my surroundings, then immediately turned my gaze toward Catastrophe.
There it was—the transformed spear.
The once-monochrome black weapon now had crimson inscriptions flowing across its surface, pulsing faintly as if alive, like veins coursing with energy.
Slowly, I reached out and gripped the handle.
“…I did it.”
A faint smile crept onto my lips.
The second trial was complete.
Now, I could borrow a fraction of his power.
There were still many trials ahead, but for now, this was enough.
“You’re… awake?”
A soft, drowsy voice.
I turned my head.
Sion was rubbing her eyes as she sat up.
It seemed a lot of time had passed. She must have stayed by my side, keeping watch until I woke up—only to drift off to sleep herself.
I reached out absentmindedly and tucked the strands of hair that had fallen over her forehead.
Her forehead still held residual warmth.
Sion looked up at me with dazed eyes.
“I succeeded.”
I spoke with confidence.
At the same time, I could feel the power coursing through my body more clearly.
All preparations were complete.
Now, the time for the final battle was drawing near.
***
A Golden Weekend
However, Kang Arin was making her way across the city toward the Temple of Arcadia.
There was much to prepare, so she couldn’t afford to rest. She had already determined that this would be the most critical turning point.
She could have taken a car with her personal secretary for convenience.
But her every move was closely monitored and recorded by reporters.
To strengthen her relationship with Arcadia, she chose to walk directly through the temple’s main gate.
As Kang Arin walked, the street momentarily fell silent.
Her black hair shimmered and glistened under the sunlight.
Onlookers whispered among themselves.
“Isn’t that Kang Arin?”
“She’s so beautiful….”
“What business does she have at the temple?”
She was already a star.
A businesswoman, a hero-in-training, and a woman of unparalleled talent.
Wherever she went, she naturally drew attention.
As she entered, a priest at the reception desk hurriedly jumped up from their seat.
“Lady Kang Arin!”
A familiar face—likely one from Cheon Yeoul’s faction.
Kang Arin greeted the priest with a gentle smile and a wave.
“Hello~ I have an appointment with the Saintess.”
The priest blinked in surprise, looking a bit flustered.
There was an awkward expression on their face.
“Ah! Yes, of course! But… the Saintess is currently offering her afternoon prayers to the Goddess. Would you mind waiting just a little while? She should be finished soon!”
Kang Arin suppressed a chuckle that threatened to rise.
Prayers?
To whom, exactly?
She glanced up at the ceiling.
At the center of the grand domed structure, a colossal statue of the Goddess floated in midair.
The sacred figure that stood as the heart of the temple.
She doubted that was the true recipient of those prayers.
Shaking her head slightly, she replied,
“That’s fine. I’ll just sit and wait here.”
Kang Arin casually walked over to a seating area inside the temple.
The leather-covered sofa was soft, and the temple’s subtle fragrance tickled her nose.
She crossed her legs and leaned back in a relaxed manner.
Minutes passed.
From the distance, Cheon Yeoul appeared.
Her white ceremonial robes swayed gracefully with each step she took.
The soft lighting cascaded over her form.
A slender waist that curved smoothly downward.
A deep, voluptuous silhouette that exuded elegance, even beneath the robes.
Sacred yet undeniably captivating.
‘… Annoying.’
Just looking at that massive something was enough to irritate her.
Objectively, Kang Arin also had an outstanding figure, but Cheon Yeoul was different.
If Kang Arin was toned and firm, then Cheon Yeoul was soft and supple—like something warm and cushiony.
She had no idea what he would prefer.
That uncertainty just made her all the more frustrated.
“I hope you weren’t waiting too long?”
Cheon Yeoul approached with a radiant smile.
Her polished, flawless diplomacy was on full display.
But for some reason, something about it made Kang Arin feel like something was rising within her.
Still, she was a professional.
“Not at all~ I was busy admiring the temple, so time flew by.”
As Kang Arin and Cheon Yeoul naturally made their way toward the lounge, a door on the opposite side of the prayer room opened.
From within, Yohan stepped out.
At that moment.
Yohan instinctively flinched.
The moment Kang Arin’s eyes met Yohan’s, a sharp shiver ran down his spine for just a brief second.
The memory of being beaten by her made him reluctant to face her directly.
Yohan averted his gaze, as if even making eye contact was burdensome.
But Kang Arin didn’t care in the slightest.
To begin with, she regarded him as less than human, and Cheon Yeoul felt the same way.
Without any reaction, the two simply walked past Johan.
But then—
A bishop, presumably from Yohan’s faction, emerged from the prayer room.
The moment he saw Kang Arin, his expression brightened, and he extended his hand in greeting.
“Haha, what an honor to meet the Lady of Glory here. It’s a pleasure! Our relationship with Arcadia has always been strong…”
On the surface, his words were true. But internally, the reality was far different.
To be precise, it wasn’t the entirety of Arcadia that maintained close ties with Glory—only Cheon Yeoul’s faction did.
The idea that the entire Order was cooperative with Glory?
Laughable.
Even the High Priest was well aware of this fact.
However, given the many eyes watching them, this calculated display was necessary.
‘Kang Arin is bound to care about how she’s perceived by outsiders.’
The bishop smirked inwardly.
Now all she had to do was accept the handshake and publicly affirm their alliance.
But there was something more important to Kang Arin than external evaluations.
As if they had planned it in advance, she and Cheon Yeoul both coldly ignored his outstretched hand and stepped into the reception room.
Disgusting.
She had absolutely no intention of touching that repulsive hand.
***
Inside the quiet reception room, their conversation continued without end.
“So, you’re saying we should have the League members on standby as well?”
Cheon Yeoul asked as she took a sip of her tea.
“I made a counterproposal to the Association.”
Kang Arin responded, crossing her legs leisurely.
“They were caught off guard, but adding personnel isn’t a bad thing, so they’ll accept it soon enough.”
Jung Haein had specifically requested help from the Paladins, but Kang Arin couldn’t just sit by and do nothing.
There were only two weeks left until the decisive day.
Everyone had a role to play.
“Is Glory coming?”
Cheon Yeoul asked.
Glory was Team 1 of the League. If they came, it would be a tremendous advantage.
“No.”
Kang Arin curtly dismissed the idea.
“The Guild Master is heading to the U.S. for a Fragment demonstration.”
Cheon Yeoul’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Then, she smiled and asked,
“You’re going to use it?”
There were exactly four of those Fragments in the entire world.
One had already been secured by Jung Haein, while the remaining three were meant for them.
One of those was still buried deep within the Pentagon, but recently, the U.S. seemed to have discovered how to use it and had invited the world’s most influential figures to witness its demonstration.
“They’ll fail.”
Kang Arin scoffed.
Cheon Yeoul nodded in agreement.
A brief silence followed.
“Hah…”
The upcoming battle had an unpredictable, jagged difficulty.
Kang Arin believed that once this was resolved, a period of peace would follow.
So she had to ensure everything was set right.
This moment was a pivotal turning point—
Not only for herself but also for him, the one she cherished most.
She traced the rim of her teacup with her fingertip.
The cool scent of tea filled the air.
“Let’s do this right.”
“Yeah.”
For this battle, they were all of one mind.
The decisive moment was drawing ever closer.