Kim continued speaking in a low voice:
"My version that was born only so that I could survive… she was right."
He raised his head slightly.
"But… what is this?"
He looked around.
A transparent barrier surrounded the place, preventing anyone from seeing them.
Kim flashed a cold smile.
Then, he vanished.
In a single instant…
He appeared directly in front of his mother.
He drew so close he was nearly touching her.
And said in a calm voice:
"Do you wish to die?"
Then, his fingers pierced a part of her body.
But—
Before he could finish…
A girl rushed toward him from behind with insane speed.
A single strike from her would have been enough to kill him.
But Kim caught her hand with ease.
He looked at her.
She was one of his mother's followers, her face hidden by a rare mask.
He stared at her for a few moments.
Then he laughed.
A laugh that nearly struck terror into their hearts.
He said:
"I don't care now about fighting insects that only crawl for the sake of survival."
Then he struck the ground with his foot.
A massive portal of darkness opened behind him.
He turned toward his mother.
"Soon… you will know the truth, Mother."
Then he disappeared.
Kim moved to the dimension the System had created for him.
Darkness emerged around him quietly.
Then the System spoke:
"I am sorry… that your hand has been tainted by darkness."
Kim replied calmly:
"Don't worry… this is better than many other things."
He paused for a moment.
"By the way… can I return?"
The System was surprised.
"To where?"
Kim said:
"To the present."
Then he looked at it.
"And you… didn't you have a name before you became like this?"
"I don't want to call you 'The System' every time."
The darkness manifested behind him.
And said in a quiet voice:
"A name…"
"I forgot it millions of years ago."
Kim looked at it for a moment.
Then he said:
"Walker."
The System fell silent.
"What?"
Kim said:
"I said, Walker."
"That is your name, you fool."
Then he repeated it slowly:
"Wal… ker."
"Walker."
"Even if it wasn't your real name… it doesn't matter."
Kim approached it.
"You said you don't remember your name."
"So it doesn't matter."
"As long as I have made a name for you… isn't that better?"
The System remained silent.
Then it spoke for the first time in a different tone:
"Walker…"
"My name… is Walker."
It looked at Kim.
"You are… a friend."
Kim smiled.
"You're welcome."
Then he understood from Walker that he could travel between any time… any moment… and any world.
Kim extended his hand.
A rift formed in the void.
Circles appeared around his arm… resembling the hands of a massive clock.
Then he stepped through it.
Kim appeared in Elena's world.
Upon his arrival…
A message from Walker appeared:
"Why did you choose to go to her?"
Kim replied coldly:
"Do not interfere in what does not concern you."
"My life belongs to me."
"You just tell me who I must kill… so you can achieve your revenge."
Silence prevailed for a few moments.
Then Kim continued:
"Do you think I don't know?"
"I know your goal is to restore the System to what it once was."
"But… there is another desire within you."
"Revenge against those who betrayed you."
"Don't worry… I am with you."
Walker spoke quietly:
"If you kill the kings…"
But Kim interrupted him:
"Chaos will engulf the worlds… I know."
Then he added:
"If you were the owner of a garden… and you killed the rotten plants…"
"Wouldn't you become responsible for the rest?"
"Wouldn't you become responsible for the entire garden?"
Walker said:
"I do not understand what you mean."
The air was thick.
Kim's hair fluttered before his eyes.
Then he said:
"I… will take their place."
"As long as I have sacrificed my happiness for others… there is no turning back now."
"Only now do I understand why I am like this."
"Perhaps I was created… to be the light that shines in the midst of darkness."
"To light the way for others… even if they are few."
"And to be just among them… even if they are many."
Walker said:
"But… Elena will hate you."
Kim replied:
"Because she does not know the truth."
Then he extended his hand.
And said:
"Show me Hell."
The earth cracked.
The world shook.
Lava erupted from the depths.
Then—
A massive sword emerged from the center of the fire.
Kim gripped it slowly.
He looked at it.
"Welcome back… Hell Sword."
"I missed you."
At that moment…
Elena's mother felt a shift in existence.
The guards felt it too.
Something had arrived.
Something terrifying.
One of the guards said:
"Who has entered our world?"
From afar, Kim spotted Elena.
She was standing with her child.
She had truly grown.
But terror was clear on her face.
She missed him.
But Kim…
Did not look at anyone.
He vanished from before them all.
Then he appeared behind the Queen of the world.
Elena's mother.
She gasped.
"Has… has this day come?"
"Have you returned, successor of Ilion?"
Kim looked at her with piercing eyes.
Then he said:
"Do not mention that name to me."
At that moment…
He asked Walker to manifest.
A body of darkness appeared beside him.
Here, Kim understood.
That Walker's true name…
Was Ilion.
But he wanted to forget it.
Kim laughed.
"His name is no longer Ilion."
"His name now is… Walker."
"And do not speak to him while I am standing before you."
"Do you understand?"
The Queen looked at him sharply.
"I can kill you now."
"Do you not know the limits of your power?"
Kim smiled.
"I know my limits."
"But you… are helpless before me now."
Then he laughed.
A long, terrifying laugh.
The color of his eyes changed to a dark crimson.
Then he raised his hand.
"Summon now."
Many drops of blood fell from the void.
Then the creature he was keeping manifested.
A cursed soul… mixed with blood.
It screamed with a thunderous voice:
"Who summoned me?!"
"Whaaaaaaaat?!"
Kim looked at it calmly.
"You dare raise your voice before me?"
The soul trembled.
Then it bowed immediately.
In silence.
The Queen watched in shock.
She recognized this summons.
She said:
"How…?"
"How did you do this?"
"This creature is over six hundred million years old!"
"How did you summon it?"
Kim replied coldly:
"Don't worry."
"Your fate will be just like its."
"Death… annihilation… then you will become a puppet in my hands."
The Queen looked at him, but her voice became broken.
"I can make Elena hate you."
"I can make everyone kill you."
"If you kill me…"
"No one will leave you alone."
"You will not be able to escape."
Kim replied:
"Death? Hate?"
"I know them well."
"I do not love Elena."
"I am only… paying back what she paid me."
"That is why I am with her."
"I protect what she wants… and I destroy what she wants."
The Queen looked at him, but something in her expression changed.
She became… reassured.
Then she said:
"Truly?"
"Then… it shall be in your hands until the benefit ends."
Then she disappeared.
In a single moment—
She appeared before Kim.
She grabbed his sword.
Then she forced its blade to pierce her own chest.
Kim's eyes widened.
The Queen smiled.
A desperate smile.
A smile of farewell.
She said:
"Do not make this… just a benefit."
Kim looked at her.
"Are you saying it is a debt?"
She said in a weak voice:
"I know I am a fool…"
"But please…"
"I want you to stay with her."
"Until she becomes the next Queen."
"She has not matured yet."
"Stay with her… just until she grows up a little."
Kim looked at her.
"And if it is a debt… then it is temporary."
She smiled.
"Yes… temporary."
"I was with her only… for a short time."
The guards were rushing toward Kim, but the Queen stopped them.
Kim looked at her.
"Why did you choose this end?"
"And why did you start this end from the beginning?"
"I saw what happened."
"Why did you betray him?"
"For power? Wealth? Authority?"
She interrupted him as she breathed her last:
"Family…"
Kim laughed sarcastically.
"Heh… haha…"
"Family? Truly?"
She said with a halting voice:
"If I had stayed with Ilion…"
"We would have been two… against six."
"And we would have lost."
"For the sake of my family… I chose the other side."
Then she raised her eyes with difficulty.
"Ilion… if you can hear me…"
"I know I have spilled much blood…"
"But not for power… nor authority… nor to be a Queen…"
"Rather… for my family alone."
Then she fell to the ground.
Motionless.
And at the palace door…
Elena was standing.
Tears streaming from her eyes.