Omniscient First-Person's Viewpoint Chapter 572



EP.572

After the battle between the two absolute beings ended only silence was left in the forest. Not even the sound of insects or birds could be heard. In this makeshift forest there was no time for life to grow. In the thicket where you couldn’t see even 3m ahead because of the underbrush and trees Rash brought back to life by immortal power woke their companion sleeping in their arms.

“Kallis. Kallis. Are you coming to?”

Kallis only groaned in response not answering. Rash looked at Kallis burning with fever with a worried expression.

Kallis having eaten the remains of the Offering God had gained the power of immortality. At some point the bleeding had stopped and the wounds on their body had completely disappeared. Rash instinctively realized that Kallis had acquired the Offering God’s power.

But the problem wasn’t Kallis’s body. It was their mind. Rash had no way of knowing how the Offering God’s power would affect Kallis. Shaking their head Rash soon pushed the worries aside. It wasn’t a problem that could be solved by worrying anyway.

“Teacher? Boy? Are you here?”

No answer. It seemed those two had also disappeared with Nevda. Rash felt a bit worried about their well-being but again it wasn’t something they could do anything about by worrying.

Instead Rash looked for their fellow kin.

“Hey! Come to your senses!”

Rash rescued the immortals cutting through vines and uprooting roots with both arms. Their condition wasn’t bad. Unlike the Piwu they were immortals. Even wrapped up in thorny vines and buried under tree roots they had survived just fine.

‘…The aftermath is bigger than I thought. This probably reached Piwu Village.’

The battle between the two absolute beings had gone beyond Sangri. Light had burned the trees to create a storm the forest absorbed the air and swelled its body. It was as if the struggle between two forces of nature had left scars on the world.

Although Nevda was gone the green explosion was still squirming and devouring the world.

Only then did Rash remember something they had forgotten until now.

‘Wait. Piwu? What about the Piwu?’

Even the immortals had barely survived. But what about the Piwu who could die for much smaller reasons?

‘I couldn’t help it. I was too busy keeping myself alive! But now that I have some breathing room I need to go check on the Piwu!’

In any case Rash couldn’t just leave Kallis in this mysterious forest. Rash quickly tried to leave the forest after making sure their comrades were at least somewhat recovered.

After walking for quite a while Rash began to feel something was off. Progress was slow because of the thick underbrush and trees but even taking that into account there was no end in sight. The terrain had already been buried under the forest making it impossible to guess the direction. Roughly pushing through the thicket crowding their view Rash just kept walking until they could see an end.

In the process Rash noticed something and stopped. A man-made decoration totally out of place in the primeval forest was revealed inside the vines. After confirming what it was Rash muttered.

“This is… what used to be Piwu Village?”

The ominous premonition became reality. The explosion of trees had ultimately reached Piwu Village. While tree density was thinner here on the outskirts than in the center if it swept through the Piwu probably died before they could even resist.

“Is anyone here! Anybody!”

Maybe someone survived. Rash shouted at the top of their lungs but only the echo of their own voice bouncing off the trees came back. Rash headed toward the nearest building. The vines had squeezed the crossbeams and snapped them leaving the building crookedly collapsed. After ripping the sagging door off Rash immediately regretted it. The inside was so crammed with grass and trees it seemed ready to burst.

It looked impossible to even take care of any bodies. Rash frowned and tossed aside the door. If all the Piwu had been caught in this explosion and died…

“Woof!”

Rash spun around. It was a bark they had almost forgotten but somehow seemed familiar. Rash felt a faint glimmer of hope. It was clearly a beast’s sound but it was a friendly one different from other wild animals.

Rash ran toward where the sound had come from. This time it was easier to move. It wasn’t just their imagination. There were claw marks traces of tree trunks gnawed signs of the ground having been dug up and so on. Evidence that a far stronger and more ferocious animal had torn through the vast forest.

Gripping Kallis more tightly Rash ran along the path and before long they found the Piwu sitting around a campfire.

The Piwu who had each armed themselves like a makeshift vigilante group shouted when they saw Rash.

“Mr. Rash!”

“Everyone’s alive!”

“No we almost died! If it weren’t for this friend here we’d all have been swept up and killed for sure!”

The vigilantes pointed at Aji as if on cue. Aji who had been filling up on a piece of meat barked in response to all the attention.

Aji’s once sturdy claws were worn down and short. But even so their constant digging had left their feet caked with dried blood. Their hair and skin were a mess tangled with twigs and leaves. Even their eyes were scratched so they squinted in discomfort.

If all they’d done was run away there wouldn’t have been any wounds. Those were marks of a fight with the forest to save people.

“In the middle of the night Aji woke us all up and led us out!”

“Then light fell from the sky the forest burned and soon after the furious forest swept down on us.”

“By the way Rash what happened? Is it really true?”

“What is? You have to tell me what ‘it’ is before I can say.”

“…There’s a rumor the Offering God got angry because the forest burned. So now people are making a fuss saying we have to sacrifice the arsonists as offerings. We’ve calmed them down for now but…”

It wasn’t true at all. But Rash lacked the talent to explain and besides the events that had just happened were so huge and complex that explaining was almost impossible.

Rash awkwardly scratched their jaw. People watching that gesture took it as agreement and raised their voices.

“I knew it! The earth goddess is angry because we dared burn the forest!”

“The World Tree set itself on fire so it took its revenge!”

“Sacrifice the arsonists too! That woman who set the fire!”

When the mob’s anger turned toward Kallis Rash answered sternly.

“Don’t talk nonsense. That’s not it.”

“Then why?! Why is the world torn up and the forest furious?!”

“How should I know?”

“It must be the Offering God’s will! Your wife’s the sinner and now you’re trying to let her off the hook!”

No. The Offering God was a wretched deity who died and turned into a tree because of bad omens. Kallis who ate its fruit is now the Offering God.

But how could anyone explain what had happened? Even Rash who witnessed everything firsthand still wasn’t sure. While Rash fumbled for words some among the Piwu eager to pin the blame on someone began to jeer.

“People from beyond the prairie are all the same! It’s obvious from the moment you set the fire for your own greed—a slave girl brought here and now this!”

“…What did you say?”

Immortals are tolerant and kind because they cannot be hurt. But attack their honor not their bodies and all bets are off.

Kallis was not just Rash’s partner but also a priestess carrying the god whom they were to venerate. Hearing Kallis insulted Rash’s eyes briefly flashed; normally they would have endured more but after crossing the line between life and death even Rash was on edge.

“Woooof.”

Just then Aji barked long and loud. Stepping out in front of the would-be brawlers Aji barked annoyed.

“The Offering God isn’t mad!”

The more lawless and uncivilized a land the more loyalty is valued. Precisely because saving others is not taken for granted it’s even more precious. The Piwu respected their savior Aji and listened.

“You’re the ones who are angry! That’s why you want to lash out! But you must not get angry!”

It’s not the god who’s angry—it’s the people who barely escaped death. Excited by terror and confusion they’re just looking for someplace to vent it.

Aji having seen straight through their feelings barked again as if scolding them.

“I saved you all! We didn’t lose anyone! There’s no need to be angry!”

Aji who had saved everyone had earned the right to say that. The Piwu suddenly ashamed hung their heads.

And so did Rash.

For just a moment Rash had considered them ungrateful. Thought it outrageous that these people in whose village Rash had settled out of goodwill dared insult Rash. But in fact Rash had never given them anything yet took their respect for granted.No matter how immortal one is they are still human. Rash also just wanted to unravel his confusion and fear. Just like Piwu.

‘No different. Me Piwu and even Gongyangshin.’

Rash let out a hollow laugh and took a deep breath. Was there any need to hold back just because it was difficult to explain? Even with poor speaking skills you have to try to tell your story.

It was then. A ring floated above Aji’s head and at the same time a figure made of light appeared.

She was a slender yet dignified girl. She was beautifully drawn as if in a painting yet her appearance had something oddly surreal about it. Her eyes were closed as if sleepy but she looked straight at Aji and smiled gently.

[This dream… no matter when I have it it’s so happy and warm….]

The saintess of the heavens though she appeared suddenly was too beautiful and holy for anyone to feel fear. The Piwu were only startled by her sudden appearance.

However having already experienced this being once Rash could only feel fear.

“You!”

[Hmm? Have you seen me before?]

The saintess of the heavens tilted her head then briefly covered her mouth and muttered.

[It seems our possibilities have crossed. For me to be observed twice in one branch of the future. Even if I don’t wish it is the flow of the future converging here in the end? Just what has happened here I wonder.]

Rash tried to say something but no sound came out. Panicked he touched his own neck. It was trembling without issue but no sound escaped.

As he panicked the voice of the saintess rang out in his ears.

[Sorry but I’ve sealed your voice. Since I’ve already appeared at two different points I can’t allow too much information to be observed at this point. The more accurately I hear about points and events the greater the variance of my existence becomes. Please let me deduce as much as I can myself.]

‘What does that mean? Didn’t that ball of light fight Nevilda just a moment ago? Why is she acting like she’s never experienced it?’

Suddenly Rash realized that the saintess looked younger than before. Since she was made of light it was hard to be sure but right now she looked purer and more energetic.

[-Even so. In the end I was defeated on this land.]

The saintess of the heavens offered a faint smile and approached Aji. Aji gazed quietly at the mysterious being before her.

[Still. It’s truly joyful that there’s always a good friend who cares for humans. This child is kind powerful and diligent. Ah if only humans could be half as good as this child….]

The words of the saintess grew so soft at the end that they were barely understandable. Whatever she was troubled by Aji who had neither need nor way to know wagged her tail and barked in greeting even as she looked at the saintess.

“Woof! I’m a friend!”