I Became the Drug-Addicted Childhood Friend

Translator: Elisia

Editor/Proofreader: SemiPickle

━━━━━━♡♥♡━━━━━━

But Han Si-Hoo overcame it.

Even if he was crushed under a building or shot in the leg.

He overcame it.

He survived, no matter what.

In the end, the protagonist is someone who fulfills everyone’s hope.

That’s why he is the protagonist.

Han Si-Hoo stood up again.

He steadied his wavering vision and assessed the situation.

What he saw was his childhood friend being consumed by black mana.

The result of endless misfortunes piling up together.

Voices around him spoke of “Mana Devourer” and other terms.

Seo-Ah’s appearance was strange.

Antler-like black branches protruded from her.

And Seo-Ah raised her hand.

Mana gathered above her palm, then fired.

Ziiing.

A thick beam of energy grazed the ground as it passed.

Boom.

And Han Si-Hoo was in its path.

He raised his sword to block it, but his body had already reached its limit.

His consciousness threatened to fade.

Yet, he overcame it!

He staggered, stood again, and steadied his stance.

He blacked out briefly.

Thick smoke clouded his vision.

Awakeners were attempting to attack.

Seo-Ah floated in the air, indiscriminately firing beams of light.

Could she even be called Seo-Ah anymore?

Such doubts were set aside for now.

Hope always exists.

And here, Han Si-Hoo was the only hope.

“I don’t know about saving the world…”

Han Si-Hoo raised his sword toward the sky.

He knew what he had to do.

“But if I can help just one person…”

He hadn’t fallen yet.

And even if he fell, he’d rise again infinitely—that’s what the protagonist does.

“Even if I save just one person…”

He couldn’t do everything alone.

Saving the world on his own was impossible.

He couldn’t become that kind of hero.

But.

For just one person.

For one closest to him.

He had to save her.

He must.

Because only then…

“Only then could I say I lived a life worth living.”

He poured every method he had into it.

If he backed down here, there would be no other way.

Purification.

That had to be the answer.

He resolved to endure the side effects.

He combined it with other skills.

The purification skill he used last time was augmented with enhancement skills.

This time, he could add the skill called Transcendence as well.

Kugugung.

A storm of mana swirled around him.

Mana.

That was the problem.

He lacked mana.

The reason he hesitated to use the purification skill recklessly was because of it.

But there was one method.

A skill he’d recently acquired.

[The Last Bastion]

The skill description was simple.

[Upon activation, the skill consumes life force instead of mana.]

Life force wasn’t the same as stamina.

It meant sacrificing lifespan to use the skill.

But he had no other choice.

And he was already using it.

“Han Si-Hoo! Are you alright?”

Cheon Yoo-Hwa ran up to him.

“I’m fine.”

He was not fine.

“More importantly, I need to get close to Seo-Ah…”

“The other Awakeners are calling that a dragon. You don’t have any reason to see it as your friend anymore, do you?”

“I can save her.”

“Save her? You should save yourself first. You’re in critical condition. You need treatment.”

She tried to pull Han Si-Hoo, wondering how he was even standing.

To Cheon Yoo-Hwa, Han Si-Hoo was already a critically injured patient.

She couldn’t let him keep fighting.

“No, I have to save Seo-Ah.”

“…How?”

“If I make contact, I can activate the skill. I’ll bring her back to normal.”

She couldn’t sway Han Si-Hoo’s determination.

“You won’t give up?”

“Never.”

“Fine, if that’s how you’re going to be…”

Cheon Yoo-Hwa sighed.

There was no time for useless arguments.

Han Si-Hoo gripped his sword tightly.

If Cheon Yoo-Hwa tried to stop him, he would fight her.

“…I’ll help. What do you need?”

She released her grip.

Thankfully, Cheon Yoo-Hwa was an ally.

***

It felt like a bad ending.

That was the impression.

What was the right choice?

Looking back, it all started with me running out of money.

I had no money to buy the drugs.

Thinking lightly, “If I don’t have money, I’ll borrow some,” was a mistake.

But now wasn’t the time for such regrets.

If there was one thing I was good at, it was finding a way out even in dire situations.

A last desperate effort.

I could feel my mind and body being consumed.

Ironically, maybe thanks to the drugs, I succeeded in holding onto my consciousness.

[Update Failed]

[Attempting Consciousness Integration…1]

Ignoring the dizzying Status Window, I focused on what I had to do.

[Attempting Consciousness Integration…2]

I knew what I could do in this body.

Flight.

Rather than flying, I was simply floating in the air.

The ruins below, viewed from the sky, were beautiful.

It would’ve been more so without the attacks flying at me from all directions.

What I could do.

Dragon Breath.

Or rather, firing a black beam of light.

Mana nullification and absorption.

Thanks to it, ordinary attacks didn’t even reach me.

And a variety of miscellaneous abilities.

People were firing something at me.

Spells.

Some massive attacks.

But they didn’t hurt much.

I fired attacks indiscriminately.

Someone would get hit.

[Attempting Consciousness Integration…5]

I could feel my mind being eaten away.

But I know what I have to do here.

World destruction!

No, that’s not it.

So, what was I trying to do?

[Attempting Consciousness Integration…15]

Using the dragon’s power to open a gate.

Then monsters will pour out.

And the world will end, of course.

Honestly, it feels like this world deserves to collapse.

That much is true.

But not everyone is bad.

The world still has the potential to become a better place.

It’s a fine line.

[Attempting Consciousness Integration…21]

Crack.

I tear through space with my hands.

I open a door to another dimension.

I’m creating a gate.

A small gate won’t be enough.

It has to be massive, to let colossal monsters through.

If so, this entire area will naturally be obliterated.

[Attempting Consciousness Integration…36]

Shut up.

People live here.

Even if it’s just a slum, there are still kids here…

What does it matter?

They’ll all die eventually.

What’s the harm in them dying a little earlier?

[Attempting Consciousness Integration…55]

The original plan was to destroy the drug factory.

To eliminate the doctor.

To help the protagonist reach a happy ending.

The protagonist, huh.

Han Si-Hoo has already deviated from the path.

I’m the one who made him stray.

He couldn’t walk the path a protagonist should.

He couldn’t become the hero everyone admired.

And so, the world will end.

I see a flickering light.

It looks like Han Si-Hoo is standing up again down there.

A protagonist never falls.

Maybe he’s still the protagonist after all.

[Attempting Consciousness Integration…82]

Craaaack.

The space twists and tears unpleasantly.

It looks bizarre, as if summoning an empty void of the universe.

The dragon knows.

It’s impossible to destroy the world with just my body.

That’s why it’s trying to call its allies.

[Attempting Consciousness Integration…150]

If Han Si-Hoo can’t do it…

Then I’ll become the protagonist.

Go on, the protagonist you’ve all been waiting for.

Save the world.

World destruction!

[Attempting Consciousness Integration…342]

The more attempts are made, the hazier my mind becomes.

Crack, crack.

I stretch the space with both hands.

It feels like I’ve made eye contact with a massive monster beyond the gate.

It’s asking me to hurry and open the door.

To let it out.

How wide should I make the gate?

I try to finish opening it, but the light below distracts me.

It looks like a star, but it isn’t.

Stars don’t fall to the ground.

But Han Si-Hoo’s figure shines brightly like a star.

[Attempting Consciousness Integration…541]

Is he still the protagonist?

Is he not dead yet?

Han Si-Hoo.

Boom!

The protective barrier I had deployed was pierced.

It was some kind of magic fired from somewhere.

It wasn’t Han Si-Hoo’s doing.

I need to deploy the barrier again.

[Attempting Consciousness Integration…1416]

My mind temporarily blanks out.

I couldn’t properly deploy the barrier.

Honestly, just holding onto my consciousness is the limit.

World destruction!

Yes, let it all collapse.

As I try to deploy the barrier, my body grows unbelievably heavy.

I’m falling.

It feels like weights have been strapped to my body.

It must be some kind of strange skill.

Ah.

I’m falling.

Crash.

The fall alone doesn’t hurt much.

I just can’t move.

It seems like some kind of restraining magic.

A type of magic that keeps you from moving.

I try to stand, but I fail.

I end up in a kneeling position.

I see Han Si-Hoo.

He’s attacking the approaching star.

A black beam shoots out.

But it doesn’t work.

Of course, it wouldn’t. He’s the protagonist.

A star is too hot.

Getting too close means death.

The light is blinding.

And the star reaches out its hand.

[Consciousness Integration in Progress…]

Please, just kill me already.

I can’t hold on any longer.

If my consciousness is overtaken here, I’ll never come back.

Still, it’s a relief that Han Si-Hoo will be the one to kill me in the end.

It’s strange that Han Si-Hoo hasn’t collapsed yet, given how exhausted he looks.

I want to stop the blood flowing from him, but my body won’t move.

“You did well. It’s been so hard on you all this time, hasn’t it?”

I’m glad I can at least say something like this before the end.

My body feels heavy.

My mind is being eaten away.

Han Si-Hoo’s hand touches my shoulder.

His expression looks sad, but he’s smiling.

“I’m glad I got to be your friend.”

“…Me too.”

Han Si-Hoo replies.

Yeah.

So, this is where you’ll end it.

Saying goodbye makes me feel a little sad.

I’m glad I can say farewell while I’m still somewhat myself.

“We’ve come so far. It would’ve been better if I had died back then.”

Back when I first joined the academy.

The first time I fought with Han Si-Hoo.

“No.”

“But since I have this chance now…”

Let’s give my brightest smile, since it’s the end.

But it doesn’t come out as easily as I’d like.

Before I lose my humanity completely…

“I’m sorry. I wish there was a better way than this.”

Han Si-Hoo says with a sorrowful expression.

“It’s okay.”

This is the best we can do, so it’s fine.

I’m satisfied.

I smiled.

Han Si-Hoo faintly smiles back.

“…[Purification].”