Chapter 218

* * *

“…”

The center of the explosion.

It was not an explosion of red flames or white Stellar Force.

It was a black and dark explosion, as if the apocalypse had descended.

The train car was a mess, with the walls and ceiling all in shambles, but only one person was unscathed.

“A dirty trick.”

From within the smoke of an explosion that no one should have survived, a person emerged.

It was Martin.

It would have been dangerous if he hadn't infused Stellar Force into the hem of his robe and used it as a shield.

As he extended his hand through the smoke, black and white sparks flew wherever it passed.

‘Apostle of Chaos.’

So, they finally appeared.

[Grrrrr….]

Sebastian, who was behind me, growled.

“Calm down, Sebastian.”

I, too, was suppressing my emotions right now.

Inside me, every time I saw this black smoke… it boiled.

This was the first time I had felt this way since dealing with the dregs of Martin’s emotions.

‘A strange sensation.’

The origin of certain annihilation.

The origin of this emotion was Stellar Force.

The Stellar Force of Cosmos and the Stellar Force of Chaos were trying to annihilate each other.

These two were born with the destiny to oppose each other from the beginning of time….

And I, having learned the Stellar Force of Cosmos, stood on that destined battlefield.

‘Tsk.’

I raised my shotgun and nudged a furry ball rolling on the floor.

It rolled over, revealing eyes, a nose, and a mouth.

It was the nearly destroyed head of the official, but I could tell just from the remaining traces.

This guy was the user of Angel Medic.

‘He’s dead.’

This guy couldn’t have been the only one.

There were definitely more.

There must have been a mastermind.

They would be running away.

‘Focus.’

I closed my eyes and concentrated my mind.

- Wild Instinct (Master) awakens your senses. Your world expands.

- Know-It-All (Master) accelerates your thoughts. The blessing of wisdom is with you.

I could see the traces.

Looking at the broken spot, there were originally four people sitting here.

Two of them were used as bombs here, and the other was the attendant pushing the tray.

‘There’s still one left.’

There were four sets of tracks that had come and gone from this cabin.

Among them, two people were wearing men’s formal dress shoes.

It wasn't the coal miner or the female attendant.

The official died here, so the remaining person must also be wearing a suit or a uniform.

His stride was regular and graceful.

He might have even been in a full formal uniform, complete with a cane and a fedora.

Ah, found it.

He was leaning on a cane.

It didn't seem like he had a limp; it was for decoration.

‘Let’s go.’

The footsteps continued on.

He hadn’t been gone long, but it might be difficult to chase him.

So, the rest would be by intuition.

My world inverted.

In a world of black and white, I went back in time.

The man in the uniform who came out of here left the cabin and fled in the opposite direction.

His steps were graceful and firm, like a gentleman.

‘I see him.’

Where did he go?

Honestly, there was no way to know that from here.

But I had an intuition that transcended perception…, and if used well, it was comparable to clairvoyance and future sight.

Missing information was filled in by the realm of intuition.

The man’s speed.

The man’s direction.

The man went down to the first floor.

I didn't want to use it, but I immediately injected Stellar Force into my right wrist.

The bracelet resonated.

“Lilac.”

* * *

The Peacemaker robe fluttered, billowing over her maid uniform.

“Yes, Master. Target spotted.”

A moving train.

Lilac, standing in the middle of the passenger car aisle, spotted a gentleman walking down the aisle several cars away.

A middle-aged man in a brown coat and fedora, carrying a cane in one hand and a briefcase in the other.

“Commencing sniping.”

Lilac immediately dropped to one knee and took her stance.

She unfolded the bipod and placed her pure white anti-materiel sniper rifle on it.

All this took less than a second.

“Aim confirmed. Awaiting Master’s orders. How should I dispose of the target?”

A voice echoed in Lilac’s ear through the white bracelet, like a whisper.

[Kill.]

“Firing.”

The trigger was pulled.

A loud noise like a cannon, a recoil, and a bullet was fired, tearing through the air.

The hood of her robe was thrown back, but it didn’t matter.

The uniform itself had a perception disruption function.

The bullet fired by the maid’s hand contained a mixture of mana and Stellar Force, packing the destructive power of a high-level magic spell into a single point.

The mere aftermath of the bullet’s passage shattered the cabin windows and scratched the walls.

Its target was the gentleman who, even in a situation where a bomb terror attack was suspected, walked out of his cabin with a leisurely and confident gait, exuding an air of dignity.

Surely, she thought she had succeeded.

A sudden surge of black smoke enveloped the gentleman from behind and blocked the bullet.

The bullet, which seemed poised to pierce and tear through in a single point, spun in place and was then deflected.

“…!”

The bullet pierced the inner and outer walls, putting a hole in the train.

“Hmm?”

The gentleman, as if only now noticing the attack, turned around.

His black eyes, containing the chaos of a distant universe, turned towards the maid holding the sniper rifle.

Startled, Lilac immediately opened the chamber and reloaded, but.

“Snipe failed, target’s automatic defense function confirmed! Continuing until breakthrough…!”

“Ha, to think. You are the beggar girl from that day.”

“…”

Lilac’s expression hardened.

She knew this person.

How could she not know?

She hadn't recognized him at first, surprised by his gaze and abilities, but it was impossible not to know.

He was not a person she could like, but wasn't it thanks to him that she was able to meet her Master?

“You, Marquis Vistavern…?”

The evil educator who had corrupted the young Martin.

“…What, was this attack not from the Star Child?”

Vistavern was also surprised.

He had thought he would have to face the Star Child, but suddenly a maid had appeared out of nowhere.

Lilac had occupied a place in his life less significant than a speck of dust under his fingernails.

Although Lilac’s Peacemaker robe was enchanted with high-level perception disruption, such a thing was nothing to Vistavern, a user of Stellar Force.

“…”

“…”

The two of them looked at each other.

And they felt it.

A terrible fate.

The Stellar Force of Chaos.

The Stellar Force of Cosmos.

They were screaming at each other to annihilate one another.

Vistavern waved his hand from bottom to top.

The Stellar Force of Chaos then surged from the train floor towards Lilac, but.

The anti-materiel sniper rifle fired once more.

The bullet, containing the Stellar Force of Cosmos, tore through the Stellar Force of Chaos and advanced, but was soon blocked.

Just as it seemed they would be locked in a stalemate.

“Hmm, this is not easy. Beggar girl, I don’t know how you got your hands on such undeserved power, but I’m busy. And combat is not my specialty.”

Marquis Vistavern suddenly turned around and continued on his way!

The moment Lilac reloaded again.

“So die, buried in the justice you love so much.”

The doors of the cabins on either side opened, and passengers began to rush out.

It was all too sudden, but Lilac, who was under the protection of the Hunter constellation, could see it.

The Stellar Force of Chaos, like black smoke, was flowing from the eyes, noses, and mouths of the people.

“Ugh!”

Using the full weight of her heavy anti-materiel sniper rifle, she swung it and knocked the passengers away.

Vistavern was getting farther away.

Lilac thought it would be impossible to chase him.

If so.

“Master! There are mind-controlled passengers on the train! The aisle is blocked, so it’s impossible to get there from here!”

[Well done. I’ll take care of the rest. Be careful.]

BOOM!

A loud roar echoed as the ceiling of the car Vistavern was passing through collapsed.

And from the second floor, smoke erupted, and a gunner in a white robe landed with his hound.

“This is as far as you go.”

Vistavern’s confident steps faltered in the smoke that filled the passenger car.

“I don’t know how you crawled out of your grave, but.”

The identity of the man revealed amidst the slowly settling debris and dust pit was worthy of a contorted expression.

In the hazy smoke, only his pure white eyes shone coldly.

“I’ll shove you back underground.”

“Martin…!”

Vistavern remembered.

The bullet from this insolent brat that had ended his first life as a marquis of the empire.

“The source of this powerful Stellar Force was you?! Not the Star Child!”

Martin did not lightly dismiss the words Vistavern spat out in his confusion.

‘He knows about the Star Child.’

It was certain.

This man was the Apostle of Chaos.

‘…Or is he?’

The Vistavern before him.

He was certainly formidable.

His skill in handling the Stellar Force of Chaos, and even the powerful ability of mind control.

But that was all.

This man… was the Apostle of Chaos, said to be on par with Cosmos?

“Ha, how absurd. It wasn’t enough for you to blow off your master’s head once, now you seek to harm your resurrected master again.”

Vistavern let out a hollow laugh.

“Did I teach you to be like this? You have no manners. That is not noble. Not befitting of a nobleman.”

“Right, the important thing is to pierce your brow, even if it’s barbaric.”

“…”

I spat at the man who was scowling fiercely.

“Why did you come alone?”

“What?”

Vistavern flinched.

“I asked why you came alone.”

“…”

“…”

The man fell into a deep silence.

“Ha, Duke Frohadin is quite something. He said there would be no tail.”

‘Frohadin?!’

My breath caught in my throat.

‘Frohadin is there?’

He wasn't exiled to the frontier…?

“Martin. Let me make a proposal.”

Vistavern took a thread from his coat.

At the end of it was a black crystal.

He swung it from side to side.

“Watch carefully, Martin.”

As I stared at the gem, the Stellar Force of Chaos began to crawl up my body from the floor.

“Listen to me carefully. It won’t be bad.”

- Know-It-All (Master) detects suspicious behavior.

“Let’s join Chaos. You, of all people, should know, right? The reason this world must face its end.”

“What nonsense.”

“…?!”

I raised my shotgun and fired.

The bullet was fired, but the blessing of Chaos protected Vistavern.

“Heok?!”

The man stumbled backward.

“Just die already, it’s a hassle.”

I took steps forward, firing the shotgun repeatedly.

Reload, fire.

Reload, fire.

Five shots.

That was the number of bullets needed to pierce the blessing of Chaos and hit the man.

“Keok!”

The bullet hit his arm.

I was aiming for his brow, but the trajectory was thrown off by the blessing.

“There are still plenty of bullets, Vistavern.”

“Why, why isn’t the mind control working?!”

“Fool.”

- As long as Know-It-All (Master) exists, mind control is as good as nonexistent!

I was immune to mental techniques.

“Damn it! I didn't intend to make a big scene here, Martin! It’s all your fault! Everyone, come out! Protect me!”

At that moment, the doors of the cabins on either side opened, and passengers began to pour out.

‘Was this what Lilac’s message meant!’

That’s why I even threw a smoke bomb, but it seemed to be useless.

Passengers surging like waves from both sides, me surrounded in the middle, and the fleeing Vistavern.

I swung the shotgun wide and fired.

Once, twice.

Two bullets curved like fish navigating between rocks, avoiding the passengers, and then.

“You brat! I knew it! It’s not for nothing that I’m the capital’s best educator…!”

They collided in front of Vistavern, who had turned around to deploy his blessing, then ricocheted in a curve again and hit him from behind.

They pierced the back of his two thighs.

“Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

Vistavern collapsed to the floor with a thud.

“Ugh, aack! Aaaaaah!”

His flesh and muscles pierced and his bones broken by the bullets imbued with Stellar Force, Vistavern writhed in pain.

‘Tsk.’

I was aiming for the heart with at least one of them.

- Firearm Master (Lv 1) makes an excuse that it did its best.

Fine.

It was my fault for not leveling it up.

- Movement (Lv 10) chimes in that this is not the time for that!

- Wild Instinct (Master) plots a course.

In the distance, I could see Vistavern somehow getting up on his pierced legs and heading for the second floor.

I wanted to catch him, but dozens of passengers were rushing towards me.

I leaped among them.

‘Let’s go.’

And I leaped.

Kicking off the walls of the train car left and right, I passed through the passengers wailing like a zombie horde and reached the stairs leading to the second floor.

But before that.

“Lilac!”

“Master!”

I saw Lilac also pushing through the passengers and coming up.

“Sebastian too!”

Following me, Sebastian arrived.

We were all about to head to the second floor together.

Just then.

“Keok!”

Clatter!

Vistavern tumbled down the stairs.

Carved into his battered body was a sword wound.

‘What…?’

No matter how weakened he was, Vistavern was an Apostle of Chaos.

To pierce his blessing and successfully attack, one would need to be at least….

“Martin.”

Someone was standing at the top of the stairs.

I looked up to see Gilbert and Lina.

“You were chasing him, right?”

I could tell from the Stellar Force flickering like a flame on the sword he was holding.

He had clearly gotten stronger.

Normally, I would have boasted that I could have caught him without the help of the likes of you, but he had done something rather commendable, hadn't he?

…But, I didn't like this eye level.

To think that he was looking down on me.

“You…”

I was just about to say something.

CRASH!

The outer wall of the train shattered, and something broke in.

Startled, I grabbed Lilac and took cover to the side.

‘What was that?’

Something, a slithering tentacle-like thing, appeared, snatched Vistavern, and disappeared.

“I’ll go first!”

Gilbert and Lina threw themselves through the broken outer wall.

I could see them kicking off the train wall and climbing up.

“I’m going to follow, Lilac.”

“Yes, Master. I will be with you wherever you go.”

I threw myself out of the train.

I kicked off the outer wall and climbed onto the top of the train.

Almost simultaneously, a giant-sized Sebastian came up.

Lilac was riding on top of him.

‘What the.’

The winter sky, which had been blue just a moment ago, was now covered in dark clouds.

“Nice to meet you.”

And I saw him.

The man Gilbert and Lina were facing with their swords drawn.

He was an old man.

He wore a monocle and a gray uniform that was almost black.

At first glance, he looked like a wise and cool-headed scholar, but looking at the madness and desire submerged beneath his eyes, one could not say so.

This man was a destroyer.

This man was an avenger.

“Martin.”

Frohadin.

He had reappeared.

Dark clouds hung behind him…, and tentacles of water rose up.

Not clear.

Black.

Tentacles as black as squid ink.

It was surely that which had snatched Vistavern earlier.

Vistavern was lying behind him.

Just as I was about to prepare for battle.

“Thank you, Martin.”