I am not a returner Episode 401
Call to Order (1)
The cold, frozen air.
Is it because I was filled with a warm feeling of happiness just a moment ago?
The chilly atmosphere felt as if ice water had been poured into it.
“What’s this?”
Ha-eun, who was staring blankly at the TV, opened her mouth as if she couldn’t believe it.
“W You didn’t turn on the movie channel properly, did you?”
It was such an unexpected situation that she ended up ordering a movie, but she also knew full well that the image playing on TV was not a movie.
A city engulfed in fire.
Terrible screams and screams heard beyond the video.
There was a vivid despair there that could not be created with artificial images.
“…ah.”
Isabella stepped back with a pale, exhausted expression.
Cassia supported her stumbling body.
“Why… oh why?”
“Calm down.”
Italy was Isabella’s hometown where she was born and raised, so the shock was bound to be even greater.
Oh Jin bit his chapped lip and took in the burning scenery of Rome in the video.
There were a few differences from the scene seen through Lee Shin-hyuk’s memories.
‘I’m not a vampire.’
In Lee Shin-hyuk’s memories, Rome was destroyed by a legion of vampires led by a ‘blood witch’, but now Rome was being attacked by a group of demonic beasts of different races instead of vampires.
‘Masuras of different races.’
Just because it’s a demonic beast doesn’t mean there are no ‘species’ differences.
Just as animals are divided into countless species, such as lions, rabbits, and tigers, there were tens or even hundreds of species within the category of ‘demon beasts’.
Just as lions and rabbits do not get along well, they also instinctively reject other species.
‘but.’
Although the group of demonic beasts seen in the video were of different species, they were moving in unison like a trained army.
A being that can control demons of different species like puppets.
As far as Ojin knew, there were only two people who could do such a thing.
“…Cassia.”
Ojin turned his head to one of the ‘two’ he knew.
Cassia, who was supporting Isabella and looking at the TV with a heavy expression, nodded softly.
“Moebius is probably right.”
“….”
Huojin fiercely curled his lips and touched his forehead.
A self-deprecating laugh escaped between my lips.
‘What can be changed?’
He was arrogant and arrogant.
It was complacent and comfortable.
Over the past three months, my body has grown explosively, but my mind has become rusty and dull from the peaceful daily life.
Deep, sunken eyes stared at the burning flame.
– Regarding the current situation, the Seven Star Council is…
chijijijijijik.
At that moment, noise appeared on the screen and the video became distorted.
Like a broken radio, the announcer’s words cut out and the screen flickered with black light.
“Has communication been lost?”
When Ha-eun frowns and tilts her head.
Slurp, slurp.
An eerie sound like a snake crawling across the floor was heard through the speaker.
The screen, which had been blinking black, regained light and a man appeared.
A man as white as a snow field.
The face with a faint smile looked so gentle that it would melt your heart just by looking at it, but the two poisonous green eyes were shining with an eerie madness.
-Ah, can you hear me well?
The man smiled awkwardly as if the broadcast was awkward and bowed in a polite motion.
-My name is Mobius, the constellation of Ophiuchus.
A smile that conveys the naivety of a young boy.
What I hear beyond the voice is like a spring breeze that makes my mouth relax just by hearing it.
-Aaaah! OMG! Wow!
Screams filled with screams and pain.
The sight of Moebius standing against the backdrop of a city engulfed in flames created a strange, grotesque feeling.
-Hehehehehehe!
At that time, a man came out of the fire, gasping for breath.
Grabbing the sword in both hands, he spotted Moebius and opened his eyes.
-You… you bastard…!
The stigmata engraved on the man’s left chest radiated light.
Blue sword energy burned on the twin swords held in both hands.
“Vittorio Calvani…?”
The man’s name came out of Isabella’s mouth as she watched the video.
“Do you know someone?”
“He is a quite famous Cancer awakener in Italy.”
Cancer was a powerful constellation within the 12 signs of the zodiac.
The characteristic of the Cancer Stigmata is that it gives the weapon a cutting power so powerful that it is said to cut through space itself.
The twin swords held in Vittorio’s hands glowed eerily.
-I thought they were all dead, but there were still awakened people alive.
Mobius looked back at Vittorio and smiled.
Vittorio’s expression became distorted.
He shouted, crossing the twin swords in both hands in an X shape.
-Tarp, the constellation of Cancer! Please give me the strength to condemn that evil devil!
Wooooow!
Vittorio’s stigmata burned fiercely, and the blue sword energy on his twin swords grew long as if surging.
-Hahaha, it’s no use.
Moebius let out a low laugh and shook his head.
-No matter how much you beg, no matter how much you long for it, no matter how desperate you are.
He continued speaking with low-pitched eyes.
-The constellations will never save humans.
A voice as dry as the desert rang out.
-shut up!
Vittorio let out a harsh curse and rushed towards Mobius.
The blue sword energy soared, intersecting in an X shape and splitting the space.
The sword strike was so fast that it couldn’t be captured on camera, splitting Mobius’ body.
and.
-Wow! Wow!
Moebius suddenly moved as if skipping the video and grabbed Vittorio’s neck.
Moebius smiled gently and extended his hand toward Vittorio’s left chest.
Crack.
A hand dug into the stigmata-carved chest and pulled out the beating heart.
-Can you hear Tarp’s voice now?
-Kuhkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!
-haha. Look, am I right?
Mobius shrugged and roughly grabbed the heart that was fluttering in his palm.
My heart exploded and the red blood that flowed out soaked my hair as white as a snowy field.
Moebius, soaked in blood, walked leisurely in the direction of the camera.
-Well, with this, all the awakened people in this city are dead.
Moebius, holding the camera in his hand, had a refreshing smile on his face.
-Don’t worry though. There are many people still alive, right?
Just right.
He flicked his hand, and pure white snakes crawled out from the wide spread shadow.
I saw people tied up by tens of thousands of snakes.
From old people with wrinkled skin to children who look no older than 10 years old.
Countless people were unconscious and bound by snakes.
-Uhm. Somehow, this line seems like a cheap villain, so I don’t want to say it.
Mobius continued speaking with a chuckle.
-If you want to save these people, come to Italy.
He politely placed his hand on his chest and bowed like an emcee announcing the end of the stage.
Eerie, glowing green eyes stared straight ahead.
-I’ll be waiting. Those who have received the ‘blessing of the stars’.
Crackling, crackling!
Once again, noise appeared and the video changed.
-iced coffee! We apologize for having a different video sent due to a sudden communication failure!
The announcer was seen repeatedly bowing his head with an embarrassed expression.
“….”
“….”
A heavy silence fell in the living room.
“That video… was broadcast across the country, right?”
“I guess so.”
Ohjin sighed deeply and touched his forehead.
The image of the city engulfed in flames was engraved in my head like a brand and could not be erased.
‘I never thought they would declare war at this timing.’
There would be no country that did not receive breaking news that Italy had been invaded on a large scale, so it was literally a declaration of war against awakened people around the world.
To the point where he was so blatantly told to come to Italy while holding a hostage.
‘It means that preparations have already been completed.’
Wow.
My clenched fist was shaking.
“Oh no… this…”
Isabella staggered towards the TV with a pale look on her face.
Isabella sat down in front of the screen, lowered her head and trembled her shoulders.
“Fate… hasn’t changed?”
“….”
“If I didn’t become a blood witch… then… wasn’t it okay?”
I thought it would be okay.
I was confident that I had changed my fate.
but.
In the end, nothing changed.
“…sorry.”
Ojin placed his hand on Isabella’s shoulder as she sat down.
“That little bastard is Moebius, right?”
Ha-eun fiercely turned around, baring her teeth.
“Let’s go to Italy.”
“Where are you going?”
“There are people still alive.”
“To be precise, there are people who ‘didn’t kill’.”
Cassia sighed deeply and shook her head.
“This is a trap. “To bring awakened people to Italy.”
Heading to Italy now was literally like jumping into a pit of fire.
“So let’s just leave those people alone?”
“I’m sorry to say this, but the people who were caught are practically dead.”
“What is that…!”
“Think about it calmly. Even if we rushed to Italy right now, do you think those people would survive?”
“….”
“For Mobius, those hostages are a means to bring in awakened people. “Once it’s done its useful work, it will be thrown away.”
Cassia continued with bitter eyes.
“It’s already too late to save.”
“…that.”
Ha-eun lowered her head while chewing her lip.
She also knew.
Now, Mobius has laid a trap and is waiting for them.
but.
“So… you’re telling me not to do anything?”
Are you telling us to stay still even after seeing people tied up and unconscious?
“…If it’s necessary, then so be it.”
Cassia bit her lip gently, avoiding Ha-eun’s gaze.
[…My child.]
The surrounding eyes were focused on Ojin.
Ohjin placed his hand on Isabella’s shoulder and opened his mouth quietly.
“What do you want to do?”
“…yes?”
“Bella, what do you want to do?”
“….”
Isabella’s lips were tightly closed.
She also knew that Mobius’ declaration was a trap.
Even if they go to Italy, the chances of the captured people surviving are slim.
“I think it would be good… to watch the situation.”
A suppressed voice leaked out between tightly closed lips.
“It’s unfortunate for those who were caught… It’s too dangerous to follow Mobius’ will…”
“You didn’t ask that.”
Ojin shook his head.
I wasn’t asking what the situation was like now.
“What do you want to do?”
“….”
I’m speechless again.
Isabella’s hand holding Ojin’s collar trembled slightly.
“I want to save it.”
Even if I know the chances are slim.
“If there is hope…I want to save you.”
“okay.”
Ojin smiled slightly and stroked Isabella’s head.
“I will save you.”
If that’s Isabella’s wish.