CHAPTER 104 — THE CHOSEN ONE

Silence filled the cave.

Leon lay on the ground.

Clara was still breathless.

Percy was looking at her.

Thinking about something.

Clara noticed immediately.

"Perc?"

Percy didn't answer.

He turned Blaze in his hand.

Then left the cave.

Clara frowned.

"Percy?"

Still no answer.

Clara followed him.

Percy stopped outside the cave.

Looked at the sky.

Said nothing for a long time.

Then...

Drew as much air into his lungs as he could.

Clara immediately covered her ears.

Percy shouted with all his strength.

"UNIVERSE!"

His voice spread for kilometers.

Echoed back from the mountains.

Creatures in the forest raised their heads.

Everyone on the distant battlefield heard.

Holar raised an eyebrow.

Eleanor turned her head.

Galahad closed his eyes.

"There he goes again."

Sylvia smiled.

"Who is he fighting with?"

William was watching the broadcast far away.

"Probably existence."

Arthur nodded.

"Normal."

Percy looked at the sky.

"I wasn't finished talking!"

Clara blinked.

Percy continued.

"But..."

He slowed a little.

"Thank you for giving me room."

Holar's expression changed.

Percy continued.

"You let me save her."

Clara looked at Percy.

Percy's voice was calmer.

"I won't forget that."

The sky was silent.

Percy took a breath.

"I don't know what the Chosen One is."

"I don't know why I was chosen either."

He paused for a second.

"But know one thing."

Clara raised an eyebrow.

Percy held up his hand.

"I didn't use the abilities you gave me."

Silence settled over the battlefield.

Holar's head snapped around.

"What?"

Galahad straightened too.

"What did he say?"

Amelia stopped calculating.

Richard listened to Percy.

Eleanor's eyes widened.

Holar whispered.

"He didn't use Annihilation?"

Galahad:

"How did Melanos die?"

As though he'd heard, Percy shouted.

"I gathered the aura inside my hand!"

Holar turned fully.

"Wait a minute."

Percy continued.

"Then passed it through its body!"

Amelia's mouth opened slightly.

Helen tilted her head.

Richard:

"He compressed it into a single point?"

Holar:

"At the same time?"

Percy:

"Yes!"

Holar narrowed his eyes.

"Can that be done?"

Percy answered from afar.

"Yes, it can!"

Holar:

"How?"

Percy shrugged.

"It seemed simple to do."

Silence.

Holar's face slowly fell.

"I don't know."

Percy shouted again.

"Neither do I!"

Holar closed his eyes.

"He's really starting to sound like Wycliffe."

In Awakening City...

Wycliffe was eating breakfast.

His spoon stopped in midair.

"NOW IS NOT THE TIME!"

The people at the next table looked at him.

Wycliffe put down his spoon.

"Why is everyone looking at me?!"

Percy turned back to the sky.

"Anyway!"

Clara bit her lips.

Trying not to laugh.

Percy continued.

"You helped me."

"Whatever happens..."

"I can't forget that."

He glanced at Clara.

"You made it possible for me to save her."

Clara's gaze softened.

Percy turned to the sky again.

"But..."

"I didn't use your abilities."

"And know this too."

Percy's eyes hardened.

"You can't control me."

The world fell silent again.

Galahad covered his face.

"No."

Holar:

"Percy."

Eleanor:

"What is this boy doing?"

Percy continued.

"You can't manipulate me."

Clara slowly approached him.

"Perc..."

Percy gestured for her to wait.

"I don't know if you're the universe."

"Maybe you're something more powerful."

Holar's eyes widened.

"Percy, shut your mouth."

Percy kept shouting.

"BUT YOU CAN'T DIRECT ME!"

Even Lucifer raised its head in the distance.

Crowley looked at it.

Lucifer whispered.

"This boy..."

Crowley:

"Does he want to die?"

Lucifer:

"I think he always does."

Percy took a breath.

"However..."

"You could help with one thing."

The sky remained silent.

Percy raised his head.

"You said Chosen One."

A second.

"Chosen for what?"

Silence.

Percy waited.

One second.

Five seconds.

Ten seconds.

His eyebrow twitched.

"Answer me."

Nothing happened.

Percy's patience ran out.

"ANSWER ME, DAMMIT!"

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The world froze.

Holar's face went white.

Galahad opened his mouth.

Eleanor looked at Percy.

Arthur closed his eyes.

William took off his glasses.

Charlotte:

"For God's sake."

Marcus:

"The universe."

Charlotte:

"Same thing!"

Then...

The voice came.

"Insolent."

Percy's shoulders dropped.

The Voice of the Universe was everywhere.

"It wasn't your choice."

Percy frowned.

"What?"

The universe continued.

"I didn't choose you."

Percy went completely silent.

Holar's expression changed.

Eleanor could hear it too.

The entire world could.

The universe spoke.

"You..."

"Are the safeguard of life in this universe."

Percy narrowed his eyes.

"What does that mean?"

"You will protect life."

Percy:

"You said you didn't choose me."

"Don't speak in riddles."

The universe fell silent.

Percy took a step.

"Who chose me?"

The sky darkened.

For an instant.

Then the voice changed.

"Know your place."

Percy's spine stiffened.

"Because if you wish..."

"Along with those you love..."

"You can become dust."

Percy froze.

Clara fell silent too.

Holar's expression grew serious.

Eleanor's gaze changed.

Percy thought for a few seconds.

Then...

Lowered his head slightly.

"Um."

Clara looked at him.

Percy cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry."

Galahad's mouth hung open.

Sylvia burst out laughing.

"THE UNIVERSE MANAGED THAT TOO!"

Holar:

"I couldn't."

Eleanor looked at him.

"That says a lot."

Holar:

"Thanks."

Percy looked at the sky.

"With everything I've lost—"

"I know."

Percy fell silent.

The universe continued.

"It was possible that you would put yourself in danger."

"That was already expected."

Percy frowned.

"But..."

"Pushing far enough to alert me..."

"On a world this small..."

"Caused a problem."

Percy's eyes widened.

Clara looked at him.

Holar whispered.

"A small world?"

Richard:

"We're small?"

Sylvia:

"You're short already."

Richard:

"It's not talking about height."

Sylvia:

"I am."

The universe continued.

"I hate dealing with you lot."

Percy tilted his head.

"Us?"

Silence.

The universe didn't answer.

Percy narrowed his eyes.

"Suspicious."

The universe:

"Don't change the subject."

Percy:

"All right."

The universe continued.

"And I'm not controlling you."

"You walk your own path."

"I merely intervened."

Percy:

"Why?"

The universe was silent for a few seconds.

Then...

"Because googolplexes of lives..."

"May depend on your future decisions."

The world fell silent.

This time...

Truly silent.

Even Percy didn't speak.

Clara's expression changed.

Holar's eyes narrowed.

William dropped his pen.

Arthur looked at him.

"How many?"

William:

"Don't ask."

Arthur:

"A lot?"

William:

"An absurd amount."

Arthur:

"Okay."

The universe continued.

"Fate hasn't sealed you."

"You can still choose the opposite."

Percy's eyes changed.

"What?"

"Your life is your own."

"Your path is your own."

"I don't belong to you."

"And you don't belong to me."

Percy was silent for a long time.

Some of his hardness faded.

Clara watched him.

Finally, Percy asked.

"Then..."

"Why are you answering me?"

The universe didn't hesitate.

"Because I feel like it."

Clara:

"Pff—"

Percy turned to her.

Clara covered her mouth.

Her shoulders shook.

Percy's cheek twitched slightly.

For the first time...

In a long while.

A real laugh was approaching.

Clara giggled.

Percy looked at her.

"Funny?"

Clara:

"A little."

The corner of Percy's mouth lifted.

"All right."

Percy turned to the sky again.

"Thank you for what you've done."

The universe didn't answer.

Percy:

"I'll ask one more thing."

Holar spoke from afar.

"Don't."

Percy didn't hear.

Or didn't listen.

"This thing you call fate..."

"Can it talk like you?"

The universe:

"Why do you ask?"

Percy's face darkened.

"Next, I'm going to fuck its mo—"

Silence.

Percy stopped.

Clara looked at him.

Percy looked at the sky.

As though...

The universe had raised an eyebrow.

Percy cleared his throat.

"I have a score to settle with it."

The universe:

"No."

Percy:

"Why?"

"Everyone makes choices, Percy."

"Losing is part of that."

"So is winning."

"It's the price of the path you take."

Percy's expression hardened.

The universe continued.

"For you, though..."

It paused.

"FOR NOW."

Percy raised an eyebrow.

"One day..."

"You may protect everyone."

Percy held his breath.

The universe continued.

"Or..."

"You may never be able to."

Percy's face fell.

Clara took his hand.

The universe:

"That too is your path."

"I make no guarantees."

Percy was silent for a long time.

Then nodded.

"All right."

A second.

"Am I supposed to accept being the Chosen One?"

Holar raised an eyebrow.

Percy continued.

"Are we having a sacred ceremony or something?"

Silence.

Percy waited.

A sound came.

"Pffh."

Then...

The universe went quiet.

Percy's eyes widened.

Clara looked too.

"Perc."

"Hm?"

"Did it laugh?"

Percy looked at the sky.

"I think it laughed."

Everyone on the battlefield was silent.

Lucifer was looking at the sky.

Then it turned to Holar.

"He is..."

"A major threat."

Holar looked at it.

As though he already knew.

"So?"

Lucifer's eyes narrowed.

"What will you do?"

Holar's aura rose again.

"About what?"

"Your grandson."

Holar turned his staff.

Looked at Lucifer.

"This war is over for now."

Lucifer's expression changed.

Holar continued.

"But you'll see soon enough."

Lucifer backed away.

Holar:

"Fuck off."

Sylvia turned her head.

"Boss."

Holar:

"What?"

"Diplomacy."

Holar:

"I used it."

Richard:

"That wasn't diplomacy."

Holar:

"Did it leave?"

Richard:

"Yes."

Holar:

"Then it worked."

Lucifer withdrew.

Crowley vanished with it.

The King Monsters dispersed.

But...

The balance had been broken.

Humans had pushed farther.

The monsters wouldn't forget it.

Attacks on the gates would increase.

Every day.

Stronger.

More frequent.

Today had been won.

But the price...

Would begin tomorrow.

Percy turned to Clara.

Looked for a second.

Then ran.

Before Clara could react...

Percy hugged her.

Very tightly.

Clara exhaled.

Percy buried his face in her shoulder.

"I missed you so much."

Clara closed her eyes.

Percy's voice broke.

"I was so scared."

"I thought I'd failed to save you."

"I thought I wouldn't be able to."

Clara held his hair.

"I knew you'd come."

Percy pulled back a little.

Clara continued.

"But..."

"Try not to be so reckless sometimes."

Percy:

"I won't."

Clara looked at him.

"Liar."

Percy:

"A little."

Clara:

"Your life matters more."

Percy answered at once.

"You matter more."

Clara:

"You."

Percy:

"You."

Clara:

"Percy."

Percy:

"Clara."

Clara:

"You."

Percy:

"You."

Clara narrowed her eyes.

So did Percy.

Then...

Percy pulled her hair.

"OW!"

Clara pinched his cheek.

Percy:

"MY FACE!"

Clara:

"MY HAIR!"

Percy:

"LET GO OF MY CHEEK FIRST!"

Clara:

"MY HAIR FIRST!"

They tangled with each other.

Lost their balance.

Fell to the ground.

Clara pulled Percy's ear.

Percy wouldn't release her hair.

"Hehehehe."

Clara giggled too.

"Hehehehe."

Holar appeared a short distance away.

Eleanor stood beside him.

They looked at the pair.

Percy was on the ground.

Clara was on top of him.

They were still wrestling.

Holar sighed.

"I wish I hadn't come."

Eleanor:

"Me too."

Percy:

"I HEARD THAT!"

Holar:

"I said it so you would."

Eleanor shook her head.

"Look at these babies."

Holar:

"We weren't like that."

Eleanor looked at him.

Holar fell silent.

Eleanor:

"Go on."

Holar:

"We weren't."

Eleanor smiled.

"Of course."

Then...

Eleanor's gaze shifted to the cave.

Her smile vanished.

Holar saw it.

"What is it?"

Eleanor didn't answer.

Aura spread.

Stones trembled.

The inside of the cave cracked.

Leon's body was pulled outside.

Leon dragged through the air.

Came before Eleanor.

Percy stood immediately.

"Auntie."

Eleanor seized Leon's throat.

Leon's feet left the ground.

Percy approached.

"Auntie, don't ki—"

Percy fell silent.

He saw Eleanor's face.

There...

Was Clara's mother.

No Pillar.

No second-strongest in the world.

Only a mother.

Eleanor looked at Leon.

"You did this to my daughter."

Leon tried to breathe.

Eleanor's fingers tightened.

"You would have brought about humanity's end."

Leon's face turned purple.

Galahad came from behind.

Leon saw him.

There was no mercy on Galahad's face.

"It's over now, Leon."

A second.

"Your uncle has already been hanged."

Leon's eyes widened.

Eleanor squeezed harder.

CRACK.

Leon's body went limp.

Eleanor dropped him to the ground.

No one spoke.

Holar slowly turned his head.

Looked at the world.

Then at the Pillars.

Then at Galahad.

"You called me a monster."

One hand indicated Eleanor.

"There."

"There's your monster."

Eleanor slowly turned to him.

Holar's smile disappeared.

"Joking."

Eleanor walked.

Holar didn't retreat.

Eleanor caught his armor.

Pulled him toward her.

And...

Kissed him on the lips.

THE WORLD STOPPED.

Percy's mouth fell open.

Clara froze.

Galahad's eyes widened.

Sylvia's jaw dropped.

Richard couldn't speak.

Helen blinked.

For the first time, Amelia stopped calculating.

William dropped his glasses.

Arthur:

"What happened?"

William:

"You don't want to know."

Charlotte:

"I DO."

Marcus stared silently at the screen.

Wycliffe sprayed his tea.

"NOW IS THE TIME!"

Percy raised his hand.

"Um."

Holar and Eleanor didn't separate.

Percy spoke a little louder.

"Mom?"

Eleanor opened her eyes.

Percy:

"Grandpa?"

Holar opened his too.

Percy pointed at the sky.

"The world's still watching."

Both froze at once.

Eleanor pulled away from Holar.

Holar cleared his throat.

"Wasn't the broadcast off?"

Richard shouted from afar.

"NO!"

Sylvia:

"BOSS!"

Holar:

"WHAT?"

Sylvia could barely speak through her laughter.

"TWO THOUSAND YEARS!"

"YOU WAITED TWO THOUSAND YEARS!"

Holar:

"SHUT UP!"

Eleanor covered her face.

Then took Holar's arm.

"Come."

Holar:

"Where?"

"Away from here."

The two...

Moved aside.

Then vanished.

Percy watched them go.

Clara came beside him.

"They ran away."

Percy:

"They ran away."

Galahad shook his head.

"A two-thousand-year strategic retreat."

Percy laughed.

Galahad looked at the ground.

Leon was finished.

Melanos was finished.

Clara was alive.

Percy turned to him.

For a while, he said nothing.

Then smiled.

"I kept my promise."

Galahad's expression softened.

"Which one?"

Percy looked at Clara.

Then at the place Eleanor had disappeared.

"She wouldn't lose two children."

Galahad's eyes filled.

Percy looked at him too.

Galahad nodded.

"You did."

That night...

Everyone gathered in the same house.

No one wanted to leave.

William placed a notebook on the table.

Arthur sat opposite him.

Marcus quietly leaned against the wall.

Charlotte wouldn't leave Clara's side.

Galahad sank into the armchair.

Percy sat beside Clara.

Holar and Eleanor...

Arrived last.

Two meters apart.

Sylvia had come too.

She laughed the moment she entered.

"Boss."

Holar:

"Don't you dare."

Sylvia:

"I didn't say anything."

Eleanor:

"You'd better not."

Sylvia fell silent at once.

Then Richard arrived.

Rowena.

Helen.

Amelia.

Seven Pillars...

In the same living room.

Percy looked around.

"This house has shrunk."

Arthur:

"The house is the same."

William:

"Too many disasters inside."

William opened his notebook.

"Let's begin."

Percy raised an eyebrow.

"Begin what?"

William looked at him.

"You."

Percy:

"What about me?"

William raised his pen.

"The Chosen One."

Percy grimaced.

"Don't start."

William wrote.

"The universe can speak directly."

One.

"It didn't choose Percy itself."

Two.

"Percy is the safeguard of life."

Three.

"There are five features."

Four.

"Four are locked."

Five.

"Annihilation: two hundred years."

Six.

"Manifestation in Time was temporary."

Seven.

"The future isn't fixed."

Eight.

"The possibility of googolplexes of lives."

Arthur raised his hand.

"I'm asking again."

"What's a googol?"

William looked at him.

"A lot."

Arthur:

"Thanks."

William:

"You're welcome."

Amelia spoke.

"That isn't the most interesting part."

Everyone looked at her.

"He concentrated the aura in one point."

Holar nodded.

"That's what I'm thinking about too."

Percy:

"Why?"

Holar looked at him.

"Because that's not how it's done."

Percy:

"But I did it."

Holar:

"I'm aware."

Percy:

"It was easy."

Holar's eyes closed.

"Don't say easy again."

Percy:

"Why?"

Wycliffe called from the doorway.

"BECAUSE IT MAKES MY LIFE HARDER!"

Everyone turned to the door.

Percy:

"When did you get here?"

Wycliffe:

"I don't know either."

Holar:

"That's what you sound like."

Percy looked at Wycliffe.

Wycliffe looked at Percy.

Both at once:

"What?"

Eleanor laughed.

Clara quietly looked at Percy.

Percy noticed.

"What?"

Clara:

"Nothing."

Percy:

"You're staring."

Clara:

"I am."

Percy:

"Why?"

Clara shrugged.

"Today, you fought with the universe."

Percy:

"Yes."

"Killed a King Monster."

"Yes."

"Saved me."

Percy fell silent.

Clara continued.

"Then swore at the universe."

Percy:

"I apologized."

Clara:

"That makes it funnier."

The corner of Percy's mouth lifted.

Clara moved a little closer.

"I saw your family too."

Percy narrowed his eyes.

"Which one?"

Clara looked at Holar.

Then at Eleanor.

Then at Galahad.

Then at Percy.

"All of them."

Holar:

"Why are you looking at us?"

Clara:

"No reason."

Eleanor:

"She's definitely thinking something."

Clara smiled.

"A little."

Percy whispered to her.

"Were you scared?"

Clara thought.

Then answered honestly:

"Very."

Percy's face fell.

Clara took his hand.

"But..."

"I was proud too."

Percy looked at her.

Clara:

"Of all of you."

Eleanor's expression softened.

Holar turned his head.

Galahad smiled.

Percy squeezed Clara's hand.

Arthur looked at Percy.

"Pathfinder."

Percy's expression changed.

Arthur continued.

"Your resignation was rejected."

Percy:

"I resigned."

Marcus:

"We didn't."

Charlotte:

"Team vote."

William:

"Four to zero."

Percy:

"I didn't vote."

Arthur:

"The leader doesn't vote."

Percy:

"Where does it say that?"

William:

"I just wrote it."

Percy looked at William.

William wrote in his notebook.

"The leader may not vote."

Percy:

"Erase that."

William:

"No."

Clara giggled.

Percy turned to her.

"Whose side are you on?"

Clara:

"The right side."

Percy:

"Mine, then."

Clara:

"No."

Percy:

"Traitor."

Holar watched everyone.

He was silent for a while.

Then looked at Percy.

"What did you learn today?"

Percy thought.

For a long time.

Then answered.

"I can't protect everyone."

Holar's expression grew serious.

Percy continued.

"But..."

"I don't have to accept that."

Eleanor looked at him.

Percy:

"What I couldn't do today..."

"Doesn't mean I can't do it tomorrow."

William nodded.

Percy continued.

"Even the universe made no guarantees."

"Neither do I."

Clara squeezed his hand.

Percy looked at her.

Then at everyone.

"But I'll try."

On Holar's face...

A small smile formed.

"That's Pathfinder."

Percy:

"I resigned."

Arthur:

"Rejected."

Percy:

"Shut up, Stone Man."

Arthur:

"I'm not Stone Man."

Charlotte:

"You are."

Arthur turned to her.

Charlotte:

"Proven."

Sylvia rested her head on the table.

"A lot happened today."

Richard:

"Three Emperors came."

Helen:

"One died."

Amelia:

"Six hundred and fifty thousand monsters."

Galahad:

"Percy argued with the universe."

William:

"The universe laughed."

Charlotte:

"Clara beat Leon up."

Arthur:

"Eleanor killed Leon."

Sylvia raised her head.

Then looked at Holar.

"Boss..."

Holar:

"Say it and I'll throw you out."

Sylvia:

"Where?"

Holar:

"The window."

Sylvia:

"I'm Half-Step Interplanetary Level Two."

Holar:

"I'll throw you farther."

Sylvia fell silent.

Two seconds.

Then whispered.

"He kissed Eleanor."

Holar stood up.

"SYLVIA!"

The living room erupted in laughter.

Eleanor covered her face.

Percy burst out laughing.

Clara leaned against him.

Galahad was falling out of his chair.

William took off his glasses.

Even Arthur smiled.

The corner of Marcus's mouth lifted.

Charlotte laughed through her tears.

And...

For the first time in a long while...

Grief wasn't the only thing in that house.

Nathaniel wasn't there.

The others weren't there.

That hadn't changed.

The pain was still there.

But...

Beside the emptiness they'd left...

There was life too.

Percy felt it.

He held Clara's hand.

Looked at the sky.

The universe wasn't speaking anymore.

Percy smiled faintly.

"All right."

Clara:

"What?"

Percy shook his head.

"Nothing."

A second.

"Just..."

"I'm going to keep living."

Clara rested her head on his shoulder.

"Good."

Percy:

"You too."

Clara:

"You."

Percy:

"You."

Clara raised her head.

Percy immediately drew back.

"Don't pull my hair."

Clara smiled.

"You're learning."

Percy:

"I am the Chosen One, after all."

Holar called from across the room.

"DON'T LET IT GO TO YOUR HEAD!"

Percy:

"I HEARD YOU!"

Eleanor:

"So did I."

Galahad:

"So did the universe."

A silence.

Then...

A very faint sound came from the sky.

"Pffh."

Everyone froze.

Percy looked up.

Clara's mouth fell open.

Holar covered his face.

Sylvia whispered.

"It laughed again."

CHAPTER 104 — THE CHOSEN ONE

END