Ubermensch – Chapter 153

Chapter 153

In the pantheon of Eriu, there was Morrigan, the goddess of war.

Long ago, she attempted to make Cú Chulainn hers, but Cú Chulainn rejected her offer.

Since then, she has been working in the shadows as Cú Chulainn’s greatest enemy.

At this very moment.

Morrigan used her authority and wisdom to create the anti-Ulster alliance.

The deadliest plot at the deadliest moment.

“How is the castle?”

“It’s in chaos.”

Cú Chulainn’s words were very concise.

The king blamed the failure of diplomacy on Cú Chulainn, who had become Morrigan’s enemy, and Cú Chulainn couldn’t refute it and ended up admitting his responsibility.

But apart from that, they were already divided into two factions and engaged in a heated debate.

It was a conflict between the warriors with Geas and the ordinary nobles.

One side argued that Geas was the problem, so if the warriors with Geas died, it would be solved. The other side argued that it was enough to give the Shadowland enough death.

Logic didn’t matter.

No matter what justification they gave, what they truly wanted to say was,”You die instead of me.”

Naturally, there was no consensus, let alone preparations for defense.

They were so sharply opposed that they even drew their swords, bringing up past events and old grudges. Even with the king’s crumbling authority, it wasn’t easy to dissuade them.

Ulster was crumbling.

Even though not a single warrior or arrow had flown in.

Edrid asked Mason.

“Can you help us?”

“Let me check.”

As Mason put on his communicator, Nodens’ avatar appeared.

“Oztalon. What’s the matter?”

“The situation has become a bit complicated.”

Mason explained what had happened.

The Shadowland was overflowing and engulfing Eriu, and the only solution was death. And that Cú Chulainn’s country, Ulster, had been chosen as the scapegoat.

“Is there any way you can help?”

“Specifically?”

“Can you stop the Shadowland from overflowing?”

“Impossible.”

Nodens’ avatar spoke in a calm tone.

“Their dimensions are intertwined. Those who die in the Land of Light go to the Shadowland, and when everyone goes to the Shadowland, it becomes the new Land of Light, and the old Land of Light becomes the new Shadowland. To dismantle this dimensional structure, my main body would have to descend, but that would result in the annihilation of all beings in both lands.”

The cleanest solution was impossible.

Mason suggested an alternative.

“Then can you take in all the people of Ulster? Like you did in Murim.”

“I can take them in, but even if they cross over to my dimension, the threads of fate, the causal relationships, will not be severed. The people of Eriu will have to find another scapegoat among the other countries besides Ulster.”

Mason clenched his teeth.

This was the last solution he could imagine.

“What if I only take Cú Chulainn and Edrid?”

“That shouldn’t be a problem.”

Edrid and Mason looked at Cú Chulainn.

But Cú Chulainn shook his head with a heavy expression.

“I will not go unless all the people of Ulster go with me. I will not run away from my duty and responsibility.”

Edrid said in a pleading voice.

“Even if you die here?”

“I am a warrior. I must fulfill my duty.”

Edrid bit her lip.

“Fine. Then take all the people of Ulster with you. Then they will kill each other, so it won’t be a betrayal of your duty, Cú Chulainn.”

“It is not right for people of other countries to be slaughtered, just like the people of our country.”

“Then what are we supposed to do?”

Edrid burst into tears.

“If you want to fulfill your duty and uphold your honor, you have no choice but to die. Why can’t you abandon your duty and tarnish your honor? What has duty and honor ever done for you?”

“It gave me a way to live. It gave me a task to do. It gave me people to care for. And above all, it allowed me to meet you.”

Cú Chulainn said in a calm voice.

“Oh, God-King from another world. I appreciate your consideration, but I cannot accept it. However, I beg you, please take my wife with you. Then I will die praising your name.”

“I do not need that human woman.”

Nodens’ avatar said with an impassive face.

“What I want is you. Cú Chulainn of Ulster.”

“Then you will not get what you want.”

Nodens’ avatar looked at Cú Chulainn.

And he confirmed that his will was unshakeable.

“I understand. I give up on the Geas. Oztalon. Return.”

“…”

“Oztalon?”

Mason said, crossing his arms.

“I need to stay a little longer. Maybe things will change.”

Nodens’ avatar looked at Mason for a moment.

“Alright. But don’t forget. I have no intention of losing you.”

As Mason removed the communicator, Nodens’ avatar disappeared.

Cú Chulainn smiled weakly.

“Why didn’t you leave?”

“Because I remembered someone similar.”

Sometimes, abandoning the greater good for the sake of one person, or abandoning one person for the sake of the greater good, was the right answer. It depends on how you calculate the value of a life and the value of a noble, but there are times when you have to calculate.

“At the crossroads of abandoning the greater good for the sake of one person, or abandoning one person for the sake of the greater good…”

And Mason was the one who didn’t even calculate back then.

“…There was someone who decided to abandon himself.”

“That person too…”

Cú Chulainn looked at Mason and said.

“…Will not have a smooth life.”

Mason only smiled bitterly and didn’t answer.

Then Cú Chulainn asked.

“What should we do now?”

Now, there was only one way to solve the overflowing of the Shadowland. Death.

But those who had to offer their deaths also had a choice.

“Who will you fight? The people of Ulster or the people of other countries?”

“The people of other countries.”

It was a choice of who to kill.

“Who should we fight? The strong or the weak?”

Should we harm the Geas users who are distorting fate to restore balance? Or should we sacrifice enough lives to satisfy the Shadowland?

“If it’s a problem that can’t be solved without killing people… then it would be fairer for those whose profession is life and death to die.”

“Then… it would be better to fight the warriors of the allied forces.”

Fight the enemy. Kill the warriors.

The policy was set.

Cú Chulainn smiled.

“Oztalon, you are wise.”

“No. I am a foolish man.”

Mason looked up at the sky with a bitter expression.

“I’m just used to giving things up.”

Cú Chulainn turned around.

“Let’s go. To the castle.”

๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑

Emain Macha’s royal castle was in an uproar.

Those who had been arguing for a long time must have been getting tired.

That’s why people only looked at Cú Chulainn with tired eyes when he returned.

The old king looked at Cú Chulainn with a frustrated face.

“What should we do, the greatest warrior of Eriu? Tell me, how are you going to save this country?”

“I will go out and fight. I will defeat the warriors of the allied forces and reduce the number of those with Geas to restore the balance between the Shadowland and Eriu.”

“Is that possible?”

The old king was asking not Cú Chulainn, but the old druid standing next to him. Probably the Archdruid.

“It’s possible. If we get rid of those with Geas, the distortion of fate will be greatly reduced.”

The old king looked around.

“Warriors of Ulster. Show your courage. Fight alongside Cú Chulainn for this country.”

However, the warriors of Ulster showed a lukewarm response.

“The enemy is leading an army, what are we supposed to do by going out there alone?”

“We have to send our army too.”

Cú Chulainn frowned.

“Are there no men in Ulster? You disgrace the name of warrior!”

“Can you, Cú Chulainn, turn the waves back into the sea? Can you make the sun set in the east? Distinguishing between what can be done and what cannot be done is wisdom, not fear.”

“Even if our warriors die, it will quench half of the Shadowland’s thirst. Even if we perish together with the warriors of other countries, the overflowing of the Shadowland will stop.”

“Will you find a warrior in the enemy’s army by looking for him in the enemy’s army?”

Cú Chulainn was speechless.

It wasn’t because the other person was right.

It was because he was astonished by their cowardice.

“If we don’t find him, we have to fight our way through thousands of horses and soldiers!”

“You mean fight a duel after exhausting yourself by breaking through thousands of horses and soldiers? I’m not a demigod like you. The greatest warrior of Eriu, Lord Cú Chulainn.”

The sarcastic warrior of Ulster sat back down.

He looked at the king and said.

“We will not go out without an army. Know that.”

Cú Chulainn, who was about to shout in anger, noticed the shadows cast over the faces of the warriors of Ulster. He gritted his teeth and said.

“…Did Morrigan visit?”

“…Yes.”

“What did she say?”

“She told us not to die a dog’s death.”

The warrior of Ulster said with a bitter expression.

“She said that even if we die here, it would be a dog’s death. It’s a dishonorable war, an unfair war. The enemy intends to kill everyone in Ulster, so no one will remember our deaths, and the enemy will not be able to boast of their exploits in this war, so they will forget about us after we die.”

“…”

“Did you ask if I’m afraid? I am. I’m afraid of dying without being praised. A war where no relatives or family will be left to tell my tales of adventure. I’m so scared that I can’t even dare to go out!”

Warriors who live and die by honor.

A war where they could not leave their names behind could only break their will.

It was Morrigan, the goddess of war, who knew the hearts of warriors best. Her scheme had broken their will.

The king looked at Cú Chulainn with weary eyes.

“What should we do?”

“Give me two good horses. Give me the best chariot. Cú Chulainn will die on that chariot.”

“So be it.”

At the king’s gesture, the servant ran to the stables.

Cú Chulainn saluted and walked outside.

As Mason was about to turn around, the Archdruid spoke up.

“Oh, God from another land. Have you come to help us?”

“No.”

Mason turned around.

“I came only to watch Cú Chulainn’s life until the very end.”