Chapter 254 - Sky

# Ego-Stream Strategy Control Room

While Stardust was fighting that ancient weapon underground, the so-called Knight of the God, I was continuously giving instructions while watching the screen.

"Ms. Stardust, roll to the right and then strike its left arm when it glows!"

I moved my arms frantically as I spoke. Simultaneously, red markers appeared on the screen showing where she should attack, and blue arrows indicated which direction she should dodge.

Yes.

She might not know this, but all of this was manual work...

In other words, I was constantly watching that thing's movements, predicting its next pattern to inform Stardust, while simultaneously creating all the markers that would appear on her hero-assist device by hand.

That's why she was taking it down relatively easily.

She moved as if predicting all the knight's action trajectories, naturally flowing around its attacks while landing effective strikes.

To anyone watching, she looked like the protagonist of some overpowered manga—an impressive sight.

But who would know the desperate struggle happening behind the scenes...

"Next... upward! An attack will come from above. Dodge downward!"

Yeah.

"Cough..."

She probably doesn't realize.

How much I'm wracking my brain with each word I speak, feeling like I'm coughing up blood from the effort.

How incredibly difficult it is to make split-second judgments based solely on what I've seen in comics, with attacks coming almost non-stop. How intensely I have to focus to immediately identify patterns to ensure not even a hair on Stardust's body gets hurt.

But I had to do it.

It's only easy to defeat now—later, we'd never get such a free opportunity. Once it wakes up and recovers its strength, there would be no solution. In the comics, it took who knows how many volumes, and reality would be even longer.

So I kept overloading my brain, giving her real-time instructions. Only possible because I was on drugs.

...Actually, I really am on drugs right now.

'...Da-in, this is too dangerous.'

'It's fine. I won't die.'

'I'm telling you, frequent use could kill you early?!'

...Of course, convincing our family doctor took some time, but ultimately I was able to get the doping through underground channels. Otherwise, how could I make split-second judgments?

Right. I should think positively. If the original comic artist hadn't loved this Knight of the God character so much that they wasted several volumes on battle scenes and still felt it wasn't enough to include setting details in the appendix, I couldn't have even attempted this method.

"Yes, now. Tsk..."

...Of course, there were unexpected problems like nosebleeds in the middle, but fortunately, I handled them without Stardust noticing.

Finally, the grueling Phase 1 ended.

And the rage-filled Phase 2 began.

"...Ms. Stardust. Listen carefully."

I said that while watching Stardust on the screen, breathing heavily.

I told her that things would get even more intense from now on, so I'd keep my instructions brief. Just hang in there for this segment and we'd be fine.

Seeing her nod obediently to my words, I also gritted my teeth.

...Right. Let's do this. Let's see who wins.

After my determination, war-like time passed.

Like playing chess with only one life... no, with timing constraints and time limits, more like a hardcore action game? Suddenly that makes it sound less serious.

And finally.

—KWAAAANG.

PUUUUNG.

[Arg.......]

At last.

Stardust succeeded in taking it down.

".....She did it."

Watching that scene from Stardust's perspective, I unconsciously muttered those words.

She really did it...

I believed in just two things.

That Stardust would accept my proposal, even from a villain like me, if it meant stopping another more dangerous villain. And that with my instructions and Stardust's current strength, we could definitely take it down. That's all.

After defeating it, an indescribable thrill coursed through my body.

...If I feel this happy just giving commands, how proud must Stardust feel?

Of course, it's different since I know how dangerous that thing was, while Stardust just followed my instructions without knowing anything.

While I was thinking this.

Rumble rumble rumble.

[Huh...?]

Right on cue, the ruin was starting to collapse as its power source fell.

Yes, just like in the original work. Actually, that area itself was a kind of different dimension, returning to its own realm. Anyway.

Good thing I investigated this beforehand.

...And of course, I prepared to extract Stardust.

As the ruin began to collapse, I spoke reassuringly to Stardust, who was calmly looking around for an escape route rather than panicking.

"Don't worry, Ms. Stardust. You don't think I would have failed to prepare for this, do you?"

Snap.

I snapped my fingers as I spoke.

Then.

Flash!

On one side of the ruin on the monitor, a purple magic circle began to glow red.

Yes. Right before starting this mission, I went down with Eun-wol and installed an escape magic circle. Of course, it had no effect then while the Knight of the God was still alive as the ruin's power source, but now it started working again as the place collapsed.

"Go up there."

[Got it.]

Hearing my words, Stardust quickly climbed onto the magic circle.

My monitor, sharing her view, flickered.

...The ruin is saying goodbye forever now.

Putting aside that brief thought, I decided to check on Stardust first, who was kneeling on the ground, looking down and panting.

"Ms. Stardust. Are you alright?"

[.....Yeah. Huff, huff. Just a bit tired.]

The place I transported her to was the sandy ruins on the surface, right above the ancient site.

Having breathed fresh air again after several hours, she was bent over gasping for breath, her body's fatigue catching up with her now that she was in a safe place and the tension had eased.

...Especially after taking pure positive energy head-on, even with a type advantage, her body couldn't possibly be normal.

Seeing her nearly dying, I spoke.

"...If you look by that collapsed wall over there, there should be a box. I prepared water and other things in advance, please help yourself."

[...Really? Yeah, thanks....]

...Still overwhelmed by fatigue and dizziness from gasping for breath, she thanked a villain without even realizing what she was saying, her voice sounding somewhat dazed.

Anyway, thanks to her intuition, she quickly found the box I had hidden and was now gulping down a bottle of water in one go.

She was drinking the water like it was the elixir of life, showing just how exhausted she was.

After she drank the water but was still panting, I spoke to her, trying my best to hide my concern.

"You really pushed yourself today, so rest well for a while and recover quickly. That way... well. You'll be able to face my terrorism too, right?"

[...Ha.]

At my words, she chuckled as if hearing a joke while closing the water bottle.

...It wasn't a joke though.

"Anyway, thank you for your hard work today. I appreciate you accepting my unreasonable request. The communication device will turn off automatically when you remove the earphones."

I was preparing to end the conversation and cut the communication.

And then.

[...Wait. Haa, haa. Where do you think you're going?]

...Despite still looking exhausted, she spoke with a sharp tone.

Then she asked me.

[...You need to explain before you go. Why on earth is there a random desert-style ruin underground in Gyeonggi Province, Korea? What exactly is this Knight of the God, and why is it there? Who made it?]

"Hmm..."

I paused at her words.

Honestly, I was surprised.

Even in her poor physical condition—on the verge of collapse according to me, a Stardust expert—she still remembered and wanted to address that point. I thought I could skip over it by taking advantage of the chaotic situation.

...However, I still couldn't tell her yet.

The secrets of this world. The later she knows, the better. Knowing would only destroy her dreams and hopes.

So I had no choice but to say:

"...Later, I'll tell you everything."

...Even I thought it was a poor excuse.

I just said "later" without specifying when—a one-dimensional evasion.

I honestly expected her to press further.

However.

[...Alright. Make sure you tell me later, okay?]

She simply responded with a bitter smile.

"......Yes. I will."

And.

'.....'

The trust in her words felt so painful that I couldn't say anything more.

The conversation ended as I called the association's medical team to end the communication with Stardust.

And I, who had been holding back until then.

"Cough, cough. HUACK..."

Finally covered my mouth and coughed up the blood I'd been suppressing.

...Ha. Damn it. Anyone would think I was the one who fought.

This is why I didn't want to use doping stimulants other than Ha-yul's healing ability. They're too incompatible with me.

"Urgh... cough."

As I was coughing up blood for a while.

Suddenly I heard commotion from above as people approached.

...I had sent everyone out of the control center after the operation officially began, but apparently they heard me making a scene while coughing up blood.

...Ah, I'm going to get scolded by Seo-eun and Ms. Su-bin again.

With that final thought, I felt my consciousness fading as I collapsed to the floor.

***

"....."

An island floating in the sky.

The celestial island where Celeste, the leader of the world's largest villain organization Etheria, cultivated herself.

In the middle of the cathedral there, Celeste, dressed in saintess attire, was praying with her eyes closed.

"......"

Soon sensing something, she quietly opened her eyes.

And at that moment.

Whoosh.

A candle extinguished before her.

Watching it, she quietly murmured.

"...His Knight has."

Disappeared.

Today, at this very moment. Somewhere.

With that thought, she resumed her prayer.

Quietly, continuing her contemplation.