Book 2: Seven Demon's Hearts

Episode 73: Arrival of War

Episode 73: A r r i v a l  o f  W a r

Pride's eyes widened. Jin jolted his head up. 

It was a groundbreaking confession that none of them saw coming.

"I was the one involved in our imprisonment." J-hope smiled. "See, the plan wouldn't go quite well if I hadn't done so. I hope you all forgive me. It was truly just for the greater good."

"Greater...good?" Jin mumbled. "You mean to say that you teamed up with the Holy Trinity and made your brothers suffer through 600 years of torture and a binding contract to Savannah for this greater good?! What about you! Did you seriously go through the same torture for this crazy plan of yours!!"

"Jin," J-hope cocked his head, "I thought you were smarter than that...you know, given that we share some of the same genetics." Jin furrowed his brows with confusion. "Did you really think that the person trapped inside that prison was truly me? How naive."

"Illusion..." Jin mumbled, his eyes wide with an unphased look that lacked surprise. J-hope's eyes narrowed and his brow lifted, replying with a snarky smirk as he lowered his chin slightly.

Namjoon's eyes, slightly but surely, glanced over at Pride's rather quiet vibe, most uncharacteristic of him. 

"But thanks to everyone's blind trust and foolishness in this facade called 'family', I was able to come this far!" J-hope continued with an optimistic bubbly tone. 

"And just what exactly," Jin coughed, sitting up despite Sera's complaint about not finishing the healing spell, "what exactly do you want, J-hope?" He looked back at him with spite and anger, but it wasn't towards his brother. It was his own failures that contributed to all of this mess.

"What is it that I want?" J-hope looked up to the sky with a thoughtful gaze. "Hm, it's a good question. But quite simple actually. So simple that the answer's boring."

"Well then give me the answer!!" Jin impatiently screamed, standing up on his feet with apprehension. 

J-hope looked down at him with complete serenity taking over his face, his arms spreading out.

 "In fine munde."

"What?" Sera mumbled glancing at Jin's dark expression. 

"The end of the world?" Satan translated, crossing his arms. "Huh? Aren't you just copying your father now?"

"Don't be so silly, father." J-hope smirked, "I don't mean to destroy this realm and recreate it, I mean to destroy it all. Everything! A finale! The end!" His palms crushed into fists as his fangs gnashed against each other in fervor. 

"But...that's insane...then--then you mean to get rid of all life?! What's the purpose? For what reason!" Natella suddenly spoke up, although Damien had told her to stay quiet and protect Hanul until she wakes up. Still, her strong sense of justice couldn't allow her to miss such a pivotal comment that everyone desired to ask as well. 

"Hmm?" J-hope turned his attention towards her. Just by his very gaze meeting hers', Natella was able to feel an infinite level of madness and yet calmness seeping into her both at the same time. "Well, you're a vampire, aren't you? I'm shocked that you'd ask me such a question, but at the same time, you vampires never got over that romantic idea of life even after giving it all up. Think of it this way, since you're attaining quite the eternal age, do you mind telling me what do you get out of it? What's at the finish line? What is left for you to see?"

Natella furrowed her brows in confusion, yet slight realization of what he meant. 

"Nothing." He answered her. "You've lived for so long and you'll continue to live for so long, forever and ever. The truth is, life repeats itself--it's like a torturous and sadistic cycle with slight changes--but it really is all the same!! Isn't that just..." he made a disgusted face and shook his head with disbelief, "cruel?"