Transformation or Death

Chapter 136

Beginning and Beginning and Start

The Archer staggered to his feet, clutching his broken helmet. Blood flowed heavily between his fingers covering his mouth.

“Ha, shit.”

Somehow, laughter leaked out along with the blood.

“For someone who’s about to die, you’re pretty damn lively….”

“You’re not dead yet.”

The Watcher approached the Archer to deliver the final blow. But then his legs staggered.

“…!”

The current forms were originally designed to only handle the stars of the Big Dipper. Along with all the stars of Ursa Major plus the fragments of stars collected so far. It was too much strain to handle more than twenty stars in total.

Moreover, without any support from the belt, it was hastily redesigned and operated for immediate practical use. It was a form used with even the minimum limit released that the body could endure.

While exposure to starlight might have decreased compared to Ursa Major, the strain on the body was worse. It was a strategy that consumed immediate life to save future lifespan.

Perhaps because of this, the Watcher felt intense dizziness after taking just one step.

“…Not so lively after all. You really are about to die.”

The Archer laughed at him with a snicker. But the Archer wasn’t in good shape either. He took a direct hit to the head from the Seven Star Step Technique. It was a lethal technique that would have easily killed any ordinary villain.

Naturally, the Archer couldn’t be in good condition. While he avoided instant death, he was in critical condition where even a slight touch could kill him.

‘Damn, I feel like I’m going to die too.’

The Archer tensed up while breathing heavily. But for some reason, he kept grinning.

‘How long has it been since I got beaten this badly?’

Though he was hit like this just a few days ago, he erased that from his mind. That wasn’t his full power then.

Now is different. He gave it his all. He opened with a surprise attack on an unguarded opponent, unleashed continuous bombardment to prevent movement, and even used his lethal technique.

Yet he still lost.

While he normally would have gone berserk with rage, he felt strangely refreshed. Thoughts of revenge or retaliation didn’t cross his mind.

Even facing death, he didn’t think about attachment to life or resentment.

He didn’t consider the aftermath or circumstances.

Literally, he focused only on the current fight.

No one had died yet. The fight was still ongoing.

“You’re about to die soon, but not right this moment, right?”

Unfortunately, the Archer used all his strength just to stand up. He didn’t have enough strength left to even draw a bow, let alone hold an arrow.

But his willpower remained. Like forcefully turning a gear with missing teeth, he moved his body unnaturally.

That movement was merely clenching his fingers.

Making a fist, facing forward.

“Got to end this with romance.”

The Watcher also steadied his staggering body and looked straight at the Archer. Red lenses contrasting with green starlight quietly stared at the Archer. It was a cold gaze that felt chilling.

“Come at me, you bastard!”

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Unlike the Archer who shouted boldly, the Watcher remained silent. Instead, he gathered starlight in his hand. Even though his body was strained, he hadn’t completely exhausted all his power.

“Very well.”

The Archer had absolutely no strength left. He managed to make a fist, but couldn’t extend it. The outcome of the fight seemed clear to anyone watching.

The Archer himself knew it too. The moment the Watcher’s fist connects, his life ends. This life will end. He quietly watched the approaching fist.

With his special eyes, he saw not just the fist but many things.

The flow of air cut by the fist, the flow of starlight, the frequency of his rough breathing, particles of dirt and dust flying with each step, the breaking sunlight, and his own face reflected in blood droplets flying with the wind.

‘Since when have I had such a face?’

The Archer wondered as he saw that face. Beneath the villain’s shell was a mummy soaked in blood. A dried, twisted corpse.

Come to think of it, he had never questioned it.

‘Had I already died once?’

He had heard there were cases of humans becoming villains, and thought he was one such case. But something felt off. If he had really transformed into a villain, having such a corpse underneath was strange.

Perhaps because he was at death’s door. He began contemplating things he usually didn’t.

The instant stretched like eternity. Like stretching a blunt piece of clay thin into a thread, the density of this short time stretched endlessly.

He felt his heart beating. It was a sensation he felt for the first time. Heartbeat. Vibration occurring inside the body. Mechanical beating like a metronome. Fast. Even in this slowed time, it was fast.

‘Why am I so excited right now? What am I feeling in this fight?’

They say there’s only one time when villains get excited even ignoring death. When they’re getting closer to their goal.

‘…What was I wanting?’

Only then did the Archer realize he had forgotten even his goal as a villain.

“No.”

Before the Watcher’s fist could cave in his face again, someone’s voice broke the silence. It was a warm and friendly voice that didn’t fit the current situation. The owner of that voice wore a long gray hood that made it difficult to see their appearance.

Whoop, hands shot out from inside the hood, separating the Watcher and the Archer. Two left hands wrapped around the Archer and two right hands overlapped to block the Watcher’s fist. It wasn’t a mistake. There was one voice but four hands.

Crack!! The fist wrapped in green starlight collided with the hands, making an intense sound. The palms were torn, but the defense succeeded.

“Don’t be too sad. I told you before, it’s my responsibility to help you all. Usually, my principle is not to interfere in matters between children… But you’re special exceptions. I feel somewhat sorry.”

Watcher gritted his teeth.

“Botis…!”

“You can call me Bora… Though you probably won’t listen right now?”

“Get out of the way! That guy caused indiscriminate bombing today….”

“You know that’s not important to me. How much do you think a villain cares about how many people that died?”

“It’s important to me. Because I’m not a villain.”

Botis looked him up and down and smirked.

“Is that your answer?”

The way he nodded as if understanding everything grated on Watcher’s nerves.

“Fine, I’ll respect you. But this time, you’ll have to respect me too. Of course, you don’t have a choice. Sorry.”

Botis smiled and released Watcher’s fist. Then, starting from beneath his feet, fresh grass began to grow around them. It was a verdant land like a pasture.

Unlike his right hand that released Watcher, his left hand was still firmly gripping the Archer. The Archer spoke while straining to break free from that hand.

“Wait, you damn goat! I still have business with that guy! I can’t leave like this….”

“Of course, the same goes for you. You don’t have a choice.”

“Don’t be ridiculous! Why do you keep interfering! What right do you have….”

The Archer continued to shout.

“What am I! Who am I! I need to know… I want to know…!”

His shouts that were demanding answers from Botis had somehow transformed into questions about himself.

“That’s why I must end this fight….”

Soon those questions culminated in instinct.

But the shouting didn’t continue for long and was cut off. This was because the Archer, who had no strength left, lost consciousness, and simultaneously because Botis deployed the Goldilocks Zone and removed only himself and him from this place.

Left alone, Watcher clicked his tongue while staring at the empty space where they had vanished. His displeasure wasn’t just because the enemy he had almost caught got away.

“This is maddening.”

He was extremely displeased because the Archer, who was shouting for knowledge while knowing nothing, looked exactly like himself.

***

Ippotranslation 

***

Han Jae-jung returned home riding Megrez’s bike again. It was now just ruins, so dilapidated that it was embarrassing to even call it a home.

He immediately deactivated his transformation and collapsed face-down on the floor, without even having time to steady his staggering body. He could barely move a finger. This was the result of recklessly using starlight without the belt’s assistance. Rather than a headache, his entire body’s muscles were so cramped that he couldn’t move at all.

The sight of a person lying on the floor covered in bloody dust was perfectly suited to play the role of a victim whose house had collapsed in an instant.

In reality, it wasn’t much different.

“…Ugh.”

“Where did you go?”

A familiar voice came from beyond the still billowing smoke and debris of several buildings. It was Baek Ah-hee.

“Where would I have gone… I just woke up now after passing out… You didn’t even find me and you’re saying nonsense….”

“‘You’? My, when did our way of addressing each other develop like that?”

“Stop… Talking nonsense….”

“I’m joking. I’m sorry. If I had been a bit more alert, everything would have been resolved by now.”

Unlike her playful tone, Baek Ah-hee’s voice was gloomy.

“You talked big but in the end had someone else solve it….”

That’s not true. Just as he was about to say that, he heard hurried footsteps running towards them.

“This way!”

“Jae-jung! Where are you!”

The voices of White Davi and Blue Sirius followed.

“H-here! Over here!”

“…!”

Baek Ah-hee shouted in response to those voices. Beyond the wall, they let out a groan expressing both relief and bewilderment. White Davi took a deep breath and shouted.

“I’ll handle this!”

Whoosh. A huge horn sound came from beyond the wall made of building debris. Concrete pieces rattled and moved as the ground trembled. The skeleton soldiers right under the debris rose and lifted the heavy concrete.

“Ah, found him!”

“…! Jae-jung!”

Han Jae-jung’s eyes met with Blue Sirius’s across the cleared debris. Blue Sirius ran to him without even looking around.

She who had rushed over so urgently lifted Han Jae-jung’s body very carefully, as if handling a delicate glass artwork.

“Jae-jung….”

Before long, droplets began falling onto Han Jae-jung’s cheeks. They were tears shed by Blue Sirius. The tears rolled down his cheeks, washing away the dust and blood that was already there.

Blue Sirius quietly embraced him. Then she whispered softly.

“I’m sorry… I should have been more careful… I’m sorry… I’m sorry….”

Her apology resembled that of a clergy confessing their sins before God. It was full of shame, self-loathing, and a solemn determination to never repeat it.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry….”

Along with self-destructive and anger-filled madness.

“…I guess I was too relaxed.”

Her eyes, which had been fountaining tears, stopped flowing. Instead of flowing down, the tears froze and fell. Around her eyes, cold energy blazed.

“I wanted to respect your will. Even though I knew you were in danger, I didn’t want to infringe on your freedom… That’s what I should have done, but… I’m sorry.”

Han Jae-jung’s vision gradually blurred. His face was resting on Blue Sirius’s shoulder, so he couldn’t see her eyes. If he had seen them, he might have held onto this fading consciousness.

“Now, I too should stop keeping to the line.”

With these mutterings as his lullaby, Han Jae-jung fell into a deep sleep.

***

Ippotranslation 

***

“Thank you, ruffian.”

Libra smiled contentedly while stroking the vial in her pocket.

“Thanks to you, I was able to collect a lot of data.”

Behind her, the bronze villains she had created were standing in line waiting. However, unlike before, there weren’t many in number. There were only about ten of them.

It was natural. She wasn’t going to fight this time.

“Not just the power of Ursa Major but even data about that degraded form… I should give you a reward later. You collected very satisfactory data.”

Chuckling, she raised her hand toward the door in front of her.

“Now all that’s left is the experiment.”

Knock knock. After politely knocking twice on the door, a solemn voice was heard from beyond.

“Come in.”

The door opened and her eyes met with the villain sitting at the center.

“What business do you have with our Argo Family?”

The enemy of my enemy is my friend, they say. Libra likes this maxim.

It means good deals can be made with those who share the same enemy.

“Let’s make a deal.”

A deal that destroys both sides simultaneously without sacrificing anything herself.

Libra really likes it because it’s such an efficient sacrifice.

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