Beginning of the end

Chapter 23

Chapter 723 - The Method To Enduring Memories (6)

“Huff. Huff.”

Choi Han ran and ran some more.

"Are we seeing Choi Han's test now?" Alberu* peeked at the swordmaster next to him who had stiffened upon seeing his name.

“Huff, huff.”

He was extremely out of breath, and it felt as if his heart would burst.

However, he could not stop. In fact, he needed to use every ounce of strength he had to run and run again.

Choi Han's friends and allies tensed upon seeing him in such a disheveled state. They knew from experience that the swordmaster reacted in such a manner only when someone was in grave danger.

Choi Han was inside an illusion, but he was able to use all of his abilities at full strength.

Unlike the last test where they had met the sealed god, these illusion tests allowed Choi Han to use everything he had in his arsenal.

He used everything he had to run and run again.

“Huff, huff-”

He instantly jumped on top of the large stone wall in front of him.

Choi Han* was startled when the scene in front of his was replaced by complete darkness.

It took him a moment to realize that he had unconsciously clenched his eyes shut, just to avoid seeing the horrible scene that seemed to haunt his every step.

Somedays, he thought he could feel the blood and ashes on his hands again.

He then looked down below.

“…I failed.”

All he could see down below was red.

Blood, corpses… Fire.

The color red swept over Harris Village.

"Wha-"

"How terrible."

"Poor Choi Han."

Choi Han heard the soft exclamations that erupted all over the room but his focus was elsewhere. 'I managed to eventually save them in the illusion but that doesn't take away from the pain. It just shows that I can grow stronger because of everything that I have been through. Then we all will be safe.'

"I think I understand why Cale-nim felt bitter when he saw me overcome the horror and loss of Harris Village so soon."

"What do you mean?" Rosalyn couldn't help but ask. She was a rational person but she hasn't faced any loss like the others had. She still had all her family members and the horrors that could have been unleashed on Breck Kingdom were removed thanks to Cale. Hence, understanding such complicated feelings and emotions wasn't completely possible for her.

"Remember how Cale-nim was stuck in a test in Endable Kingdom?" Choi Han spoke with a bitter smile on his face.

"Yes?"

"In that test we went to Cale-nim's past and saved a lot of people. Turns out that test was not an illusion but a whole different world. So when we managed to overcome the test, Cale-nim not only overcame his despair but also saved all those people. He knew that the people of that world would live safely. But my test was only an illusion."