Chương 190: Chapter 69: “Conclusion After Two Thousand Years”

This battle—will probably be settled in an instant. As long as we both possess weapons that can decide the match in one shot. His Matter Annihilation Wave, or the gunshot from me and"Me". Which one will hit properly first? Once the battle ends, we might not be able to talk slowly anymore. So before that, there was something I absolutely wanted to confirm. And if possible—"Orted. Before we fight, there is one thing I want to ask."

"Hoh. What is it?"

"... Why did you come out for the first time at that timing when Baragion appeared?" I didn't miss Orted's eyebrow twitching.

"Shall I tell you the answer? You couldn't come out even if you wanted to. Because you yourself were also bound by Baragion." I must have hit the bullseye. Orted fell silent with a grim face. Plato said. He was a "mere" Administrator. Orted himself said. That he is the ruler "now." Since Baragion was defeated, it must be true "now." But if the original him was entrusted "only" with the maintenance and management of the independent system. Baragion eliminates anyone who creates abnormalities or harm to the system.

That was no exception, even for Orted. If so, he has spent more than two thousand years alone in this space prison, unable to move freely. How lonely was that? I couldn't even imagine.

"Besides, why did you dare to show yourself? If you really intended to conquer the planet, you could have hidden yourself forever and trampled everything at once after completing the mass-produced Baragions. Yet, you didn't do that because—""... Enough already. No matter how much you talk such nonsense, I won't stop."

"Why? Why do you continue this?"

"............"

"It's meaningless. Enough already. You must have suffered enough too." Orted kept a heavy silence for quite a long time. Find this and other great novels on the author's preferred platform. Support original creators! In terms of time, it might have been only a few seconds. The reason it felt extremely long was probably due to the extraordinary tension wrapping the place, and above all, because he had his own thoughts. Eventually, he opened his mouth quietly.

"This world needs evil. There are those who are saved by it. Those who profit from it. And—" With resolute eyes challenging me, he floated a fearless smile.

"Evil must remain evil until the end."... I see. That is your answer.

"You can't go back anymore, huh..."

"I am a human of Estotia. I only carry through the will of humanity to the end."

"I... will defeat you. I will stop the system."

"Very well. Come." Orted thrusts out his right hand and readies himself. I also readied the gun in my right hand again. —The Annihilation Wave is coming. 《Passtrive》 Against the overwhelming speed of the invisible Annihilation Wave, moving my body directly won't make it in time at all. Therefore, the move was to disappear and take his rear or side. I go around behind Orted. However, he had simultaneously rotated his left hand behind him too. He read it—! The Annihilation Wave should be closing in right there.

There is no room to dodge. Even if I dodge halfway, there is no way to evade the third wave. But—I cannot lose! Transform. We will defeat him! By swapping posture instantaneously with"Me"'s cooperation, I avoided a complete direct hit. Still, I couldn't dodge everything completely. The Annihilation Wave gouged out a large chunk from my left flank down to my leg. Enduring the severe pain that almost made me faint, I kept the attack posture of my right side perfectly. Aiming with the gun held in my right hand.

At Orted's power core. As if praying, I pulled the trigger. A dry gunshot echoes. And—in the next moment, it was settled. Orted's body sinks to the floor as if collapsing. While staggering, I look down at my body. My left leg, which had been shaved off by nearly a third by estimation, showed dark red flesh and blood vividly. As for the flank, I don't know if it reached the internal organs. Honestly, it's a wonder I'm standing. Really, a terrible state. But I managed to defeat him. Without killing him.

Dragging my blood-stained leg, when I tried to walk up to him. An abnormality occurred in him. The runaway energy of annihilation was about to swallow him!

"Orted!"

"Don't come closer!" With a face distorted in pain, he stopped me as I tried to go help.

"Heh. If there is... the only defect in this weapon 《Niltenser》. It's the risk when control is lost..." He laughs self-deprecatingly. Even during that time, his body was about to be swallowed by nothingness. I see. That weapon is an automatic deployment type like Lilna. My god...! To apply a weapon that prevents anyone from approaching to himself...!

"Face. Let me see it well..." I responded to his last request. Approaching as close as possible, I stared at his face. There, I realized clearly. This is by no means the face of a man burning with new ambition. It was a face like a withered old man, exhausted from life. Same as Lewis... No, even more loneliness... this person...

"Fu, haha... You look just like... that woman. It was a splendid... skill..." Pointing at his cleanly shot-through chest, he smiles with satisfaction.

"Orted... You..."

"Now. It's your... win. Go... The system is... tenacious..." And Orted disappeared from this world. By the weapon he created himself, bringing down the curtain on his life with his own hands. Orted— Maybe he really just wanted to settle things. For more than two thousand years. He was waiting all along. For an opponent to appear someday who would stop him, who continued to be trapped by the system.

"... Let's hurry. Lilna is waiting." The system hasn't stopped yet. I have to end it. Transforming into a man, I barely stopped further bleeding with Qi Healing. Pushing my battered body, I hurried to the Main Sector.