Side Story Chapter 156 - Master of the Tower (3)

“...”

It felt as if time had been frozen.

‘Did he just say... Akart?’

Oh Kang-Woo stared wide-eyed at the young man in front of him. The pure-white man’s smile was still refreshing and full of life— unsettlingly so.

“Hm? Is there a problem?” Akart asked as he tilted his head, genuinely curious.

Kang-Woo’s eyes sank deeply.

‘Ahh, I see.’

He understood the feeling he got when he first saw Akart— the unsettling feeling of seeing someone who did not seem like they existed.

‘So that’s why those guys could use Nostrian’s power.’

Kang-Woo recalled Akart’s twin subordinates who could reset the day using Nostrian’s power.

‘He killed Nostrian and gave them his power.’

The puzzle pieces started to be put together. The finished puzzle had the image of the pure-white man on it.

“Is there a problem, you ask?” Kang-Woo chuckled as he leaned back in his chair. “It’s a little weird how you’re acting like you don’t know.”

It was impossible for Akart to not know who Kang-Woo was after realizing he possessed the Demonic Sea. Akart likely knew all along, which was why he had broken the rules to summon Kang-Woo to the top of the tower.

“Hahaha. You seem to be misunderstanding something.” Akart shook his head. “I barely know anything about you. Mmm... no, that’s not the best way to put it. It’s more apt to say that I don’t understand you.”

Kang-Woo felt the same way. He broke the stem of the flower he was caressing and asked, “Why did you kill Nostrian?”

“Because he tried to stop me.”

Kang-Woo could more or less tell what Nostrian was trying to stop.

“From you destroying Earth?”

Kang-Woo was talking about the Earth that was his home, not the Earth where the Tower of Creation was— the world in which the Law of Titans was damaged and was practically marked for destruction.

“No. You don’t seem to understand.” Akart firmly shook his head. “I have no intention of ending Earth. I am simply trying to—”

“Save it, right?” interrupted Kang-Woo as he chuckled.

Akart’s subordinates always said the same thing— that they had come to Earth to save it.

“That is correct.” Akart nodded without hesitation. “But Nostrian got in my way. Mmm... maybe it was Nostrian who truly wanted to end Earth. In that case, I supposed you could say I saved Earth from his clutches.”

Akart nodded calmly. Kang-Woo couldn’t understand his behavior at all.

“Are you seriously suggesting what your worshipers have done to Earth is salvation?”

Leaving the Wikiholic aside, Akart’s subordinates had only done one thing on Earth— mass murder. They did not discriminate against young or old, strong or weak, man or woman. Millions would have died if Kang-Woo had not been there to stop it.

‘But he calls that salvation?’

There was only so much bullshit Kang-Woo could take.

“...” Akart remained silent.

He sensed the thick bloodlust in Kang-Woo’s eyes. He closed his eyes and fell into momentary thought.

“Of course, I know their actions could be misunderstood.”

“Misunderstood? What am I misunderstanding?”

“It seems you think of us as lunatics who slaughter innocent lives for no reason under the context of salvation.”

“And you’re saying you aren’t?”

“We are not,” Akart answered as he slowly opened his eyes.

His white eyes, which were extraordinarily pure, virtuous, and noble, gazed at Kang-Woo.

“I am not a lunatic or fond of slaughter. I am not claiming we should end Earth for no logical or causal reason.”

“I’m surprised you think that way after all your worshipers have done.”

“Oh... I can understand they come off as very... fanatical. I would like to apologize in their stead.” Akart smiled awkwardly and bowed courteously. “But I hope you can understand that their actions are ultimately to save Earth— no, the humans living on that star.”

“I don’t understand.”

‘What does he want me to understand? That thousands of humans were massacred? Or that he wants to end the world in which he was born and was living?’

“Do you... not find it strange?” asked Akart out of the blue.

“What do you mean?”

“The Tower of Creation. Do you not find it strange that it suddenly appeared on your home Earth?”

“...?”

Kang-Woo’s Earth was currently vulnerable to otherworldly invasions because its Law of Titans was damaged. Even now, Earth was being invaded by countless outer worlds.

“Isn’t it natural that it would?”

“No, it is not natural.” Akart shook his head. “Even if the Law of Titans that exists on Earth is damaged, outer worlds are also governed by their own Law of Titans.”

“Ah...”

Kang-Woo’s eyes widened. Chills ran down his spine. He wondered why he had never thought about it that way and never found it strange.

‘It makes no sense.’

The Law of Titans governing Earth was damaged, resulting in the weakening of the barrier blocking otherworldly invasions. However, that was not the case for the outer worlds. They were governed by their own Law of Titans which blocked otherworldly invasions. In the perspective of Earth in which the Tower of Creation was located, Kang-Woo’s Earth was an outer world.

‘So why were they able to mix?’

The Tower of Creation appeared on Earth; it was no different from a piece of candy still in its wrapping already melted.

“It seems you’ve understood.” Akart smiled bitterly. “The damage in the Law of Titans of your world is not only the problem of your world.”

He continued in a deep voice, “The Triad is... no different from a disease that infects other normal worlds around it. It is the cause of the weakening of the barrier between worlds and allows them to mix. A hole in a dam or a crack in glass only gets larger over time. If the Triad is left to be... not only will it lead to its demise, it will bring other worlds near it down with it.”

Kang-Woo closed his eyes and listened to Akart’s explanation in silence.

“I am sure you understand after facing the Parasite King, the Galactic Federation, and us over the relics. The mixing of outer worlds inevitably leads to war and conflict.”

Akart was right. Even nations of the same world threw logic and truth out the window and claimed someone else’s land was rightfully theirs during territorial disputes. It was bound to be worse when it came to outer worlds. If Korea were to be mixed with the territory of an outer world one day, would the two accept the unfortunate circumstance and amicably divide the land among themselves?

‘No fucking way.’

There would be no compromise or negotiation. They would fight until one gave up or was eradicated.

“Yes. Hence... that is why I tried to destroy the Triad as quickly as possible. However—” Akart bit his lip. “I couldn’t bring myself to drive all life in a star to death. I wanted to save as many people as my powers allowed... by moving their souls to another world.”

Akart’s clenched fists subtly trembled.

“The number of souls I can move with my power is only one percent of the Earth’s population. Once I move them all... I will likely be annihilated as the price for breaking the Law of Titans.”

Not even a Titan, an entity born from the Primordial, could save any more than one percent of a world’s population.

“If that is the case...!! If only one percent can survive no matter how much one resists...!!!” Akart slammed his fists into the table and stood up. “Is it not the right choice— to save at least those who have the right to survive?!!”

The right to survive— it could be a factor of skill, luck, or even fate. The ones who survived amidst the cataclysm enveloping Earth— the ones who overcame trials, tribulations, despair, and tragedy— had the right to survive. At least, according to Akart.

“I don’t quite understand that part,” Kang-Woo replied as he shook his head.

Akart swallowed his saliva and lowered his head.

“I know what I am saying is absurd, but I... I have no other way to select the one percent who will—”

“No, that isn’t what I mean.”

“...?”

Kang-Woo pulled his chair back and stared at Akart as he tilted his head.

“What I don’t understand is... why Earth has to be destroyed.”

“I just explained th—”

“Yes, I understand that Earth is negatively affecting the outer worlds around it and that the otherworldly invasions will continue because of it.”

“Then what is it that you don’t understand...?”

“If the otherworldly invasions are going to continue and will inevitably lead to war and conflict...” Kang-Woo asked as if it were nothing, “We just have to destroy all the invading outer worlds, and problem solved, right?”

“Pardon...?”

“I’m saying, why should we care about whether we’re negatively affecting other worlds?”

“What do you...”

“Can’t we just eradicate the outer worlds that invade Earth?”

If the otherworldly invasions were the problem, the invading outer worlds just needed to be destroyed. Of course, the beings of the outer worlds would be the victims in that scenario, but Kang-Woo couldn’t care less.

“There is no problem as long as the ones who cause war and conflict are disposed of in advance,” Kang-Woo remarked.

“Are you saying... you will kill all life on the affected outer worlds just to protect Earth?”

“Yes, exactly.”

Wham!!!

Akart stomped his foot and glared at Kang-Woo furiously.

“H-How could you be so selfish and evil?! Do you not understand that all life is equal?!!”

“Pardon? What are you talking about?” Kang-Woo chuckled. “All life has never been equal. Isn’t that common sense?”

For example, a family member and a stranger were drowning in a lake. Wouldn’t that person naturally save the person precious to them before the stranger? Would their decision change even if there were ten or a hundred more strangers drowning? Life was not equal; it had never been.

“Why must I care about the lives of otherworldly beings who have no meaning to me?”

“...” Akart’s expression hardened. He stepped backward as he clenched his fists. “Ahh, I see. I understand.”

His white eyes glared at Kang-Woo.

“You are... a demon.”

“No.” Kang-Woo shook his head. “I am the king of those demons.”

Fwoosh—!

The sparks formed from the clash of glares between the white eyes and the black and yellow eyes set the air ablaze.