Prisoner's Freedom

The End...?

"I'm glad that it's finished..."

Mary heaved a relieved sigh, while the others slowly relaxed after seeing Cale nodding nonchalantly.

Despite his stoic face, they had thought that it was indeed a confirmation that the viewing has reached its end.

Which, although that was technically correct, that red-haired Hero remembered the fact that there are some lengthy details that have been left up by The Lady and her minions.

'It is good that they don't get to see that part—'

There's no use in having these people seeing him letting out such a blood-curling scream in his most vulnerable state after all.

For that, he is grateful for his fate. But knowing his own luck, he felt like it's customary to ask why is that the case.

'Something is up...'

And he nearly groaned in distress when the screen above them flickers again like modern TV when it switched channels.

Although, this time, instead of Kyou or the Lady, he, along with the whole world, ended up seeing someone totally unexpected.

"Cale!"

That black-haired male exclaimed.

Chaos could be seen behind him and he seemed to be in hiding.

"...Kim Rok Soo?"

Cale mumbled in disbelief as he watched how his soul-swapping partner yelled at the team behind him to pull back and seek shelter immediately while keeping his daughter close to himself while the little girl cries quietly.

"Cale! We need your help!"

Once again turning at the screen, it's almost as if the Regressor did not know that he is being broadcasted worldwide— though, knowing how it has been, Cale did not doubt that possibility at all.

He even believed that this could be another set up by the Constellations.

Though, before that redhead could even give any of his replies let alone try to stop the team leader behind the screen to stop talking, Kim Rok Soo chimed in once again.

"These monsters just came upon us with zero data on them and we couldn't fully intercept them ourselves! Sorry man, I really don't want to bother you again like this, but fuck! Schnier came to me offering a deal and I couldn't say no when he said that you can help out on figuring things out at least"

Cale nearly frowned but held back, different from his still shrunken friends who are blatantly scowling or even glaring at this point.

Opening his mouth as he was about to answer the man's cry, that redhead, however, was cut off once more.

"You won't be in any pain— Schnier says that you would only have an astral body or some shit. So, all you can do is help us with info and helps me lead. I know that I'm asking much, but please that's all I'm asking you"

'Please', he said.

The Rain City and especially the Henituse Family were startled at the pleading tone that their family member used.

Meanwhile with the others, at this point, almost everyone was sure that their Hero-nim would agree, being the kind-hearted he is.

So, it really came to their shock when the redhead says:

"No."

—instead.

"What?"

In disbelief, many people blinked in shock, not expecting the redhead to decline. However, from the looks of it, the black-haired man seems to have seen this despite letting the continental hero speak up on his side.

"Constellations never play fair"

Ah.

As if that one sentence brought justice to his choice, many people seem to understand why would their Hero-nim says no despite the dire situation on the other side.

However, it appears that Kim Rok Soo has prepared a response for this answer as well.

"I've paid the payment."

Eyes slightly rounded before Cale then squinted his eyes at the regressor, his voice lowers an octave away as he asked.

"What did you sacrifice this time?"

Sacrifice.

That word has heavyweight, however to these two reckless humans, they seemed to act out the said word as if it was a currency to buy snacks at a fair or something.

"My truth" Kim Rok Soo revealed, "I agreed for them to show the things I've seen in my nonexistent past"

Nonexistent, as in, no longer exists because Cale has changed the route of the story with the different choices he picks instead of what Kim Rok Soo had done when he bears that name: Cale Henituse.

"My Story for your guidance." That reincarnator elaborates while still on the run. "You'd only exist like the Sealed God's test, with me as the only person who can see you. Your body won't follow, therefore you won't get hurt. I just need you to help me out with this— SHIT!!"

—And just like that, the connection got cut off and Earth 3 was left with nothing but disturbing static.

"Fuck"

Cale clicked his tongue, as he now realized why Schnier was here in the first place–

"Well?"

Speaking of the brat.

"What would you choose then, Hero-nim?" The boy smiled, "A refund is an option you can pick, but I wonder—"

"Shut it"

It was never a choice after all, and Cale was enraged enough to listen to more nonsenses.

"Let's just get this over with"

With that declaration, Schnier's smile went wider as he reached out your hand.

"Shall we go then?"

—Taking the albino boy's hand before he could hear any protest from his family members, Cale's soul was once again transported to start another journey, all the while the screen flickered awake to a new story.