kvmb Chapter 59 Heavenly Palace Arc: Prequel "Leaving Without Saying Goodbye"
Chapter 59 Heavenly Palace Arc: Prequel "Leaving Without Saying Goodbye"
(Note: This chapter contains a lot of nonsensical writing; please read with caution.)
Two years passed in the blink of an eye. Finally, the clock of history pointed to January 14, 2000, the 11th year of the Treaty of Versailles.
5:55 AM
In the upper-level conference room of SSS, sunlight streamed through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows onto the round conference table, illuminating everyone's faces.
Ming sat quietly in one of the seats, surrounded by a group of high-ranking SSS personnel. Each of them had a serious expression, and the atmosphere was extremely oppressive.
The old man sitting in the middle had gray hair but was still very energetic. At this moment, his face was full of solemnity, and his eyes were fixed on Ming. He slowly asked, "Have you really decided to leave, Klein?"
Ming nodded slightly in agreement. He glanced around at the people present, a complex mix of emotions welling up inside him.
This place witnessed his countless struggles and growth, and holds too many unforgettable memories for him...
However, despite his reluctance, he knew that his journey would not end there.
So he took a deep breath and said firmly, "Everyone, my mind is made up. The time I've spent here is incredibly precious to me, but there are still many unknowns ahead that I need to explore."
Just then, another high-ranking executive, who looked quite young, slammed his hand on the table, stood up abruptly, and questioned Ming with a face full of anger:
"Outrageous! Do you think you can just come here and leave as you please? What do you take SSS for? A place where you can come and go as you please?"
Faced with the other party's angry rebuke, Ming simply raised one hand.
In an instant, a powerful and vigorous magical force surged from his palm, engulfing the enraged high-ranking official like an invisible torrent.
Ming's face was ashen, his eyes so cold they seemed to freeze the air. He coldly replied, "Sorry, but... I'm talking to him. When did it become your place to interrupt?"
At the head of the table, the solemn-faced old man slightly raised his head, sighed deeply, and then said slowly, "Alas... it seems we cannot keep you here. However, I would still like to hear your reasons for choosing to leave, is that alright?"
"I'm sorry, although we did only give you a military rank, we didn't invest much in your training resources."
"But there must be people here who you care about and are concerned about, right? Isn't it a bit hasty and abrupt to decide to leave so suddenly?"
Upon hearing this, Ming, who was standing at the lower end, remained silent for a moment, then raised his head, looked directly into the old man's eyes, and answered firmly:
"This place can no longer help me make greater progress. My only purpose in coming here was to continuously become stronger!"
Upon hearing Ming's unvarnished words, the man sitting in the first seat was taken aback at first, then slowly nodded to show his understanding.
A hint of regret appeared on his weathered face as he said softly:
"In the end, we were unable to retain such a talented person as you. It's truly regrettable and a pity. Someone with such outstanding potential would surely have achieved great things if they had stayed with us..."
"Thank you for the compliment," Ming said calmly as he turned to leave.
Suddenly, the old man narrowed his eyes slightly, staring intently at Ming in front of him, and then slowly said, "Klein, I have decided to allow you to retain your current military rank and important position as an SSS!"
Ming was slightly taken aback; this was a gift he hadn't expected. He stopped in his tracks, a ripple of emotion stirring within him.
"In the future, whenever and wherever you wish, you can still return here as a highly respected elder. This is a carefully considered decision I made after much deliberation!" the old man exclaimed.
Ming thanked him in a daze and left the room.
"Wait! Lord Kester, please wait! What's going on? How could you let that Klein leave so easily? You know, he has so much information!"
The high-ranking figure who had just been frightened into retreating by Ming's terrifying magic power couldn't wait to loudly question the old man in front of him as soon as he saw Ming turn and leave.
The old man at the head narrowed his eyes slightly, glared at him fiercely, and snorted coldly, saying, "Hmph, not bad, Dorek. If you really think you can defeat him, then fine, I completely agree with you."
Upon hearing this, Dolek blushed instantly, opened his mouth as if to retort, but ultimately kept his mouth tightly shut, unable to utter a single word.
But the old man named Kester continued:
"Don't forget, with your current strength, it's just wishful thinking! And don't think I don't know what you're up to."
"Your military rank and position, weren't they all bought for you by your father? You've always longed to become a real magician, but you've never been able to achieve it, so you're jealous of him, aren't you?"
Upon hearing this, Dolek's forehead began to bead with cold sweat.
At that very moment, after Ming slowly walked out of the somber conference room, he took heavy steps and walked down the familiar corridor step by step.
With each step he took, he seemed to hear echoes of past laughter and joy in his ears, but he never went to the door of the training room that he was so familiar with.
It was as if there was an invisible barrier there, separating him from his past memories.
Perhaps... he was truly afraid to face those impending farewells, afraid to say "goodbye" in person.
Even so, the images in my mind continued to flood in like a tide.
The first thing that catches the eye is Fildo, who is always energetic, cheerful, and passionate.
Also, there's Lifala, who is calm and collected yet witty and humorous, and often likes to lighten the mood with little jokes.
Finally, there is Instructor Horim, who seems unreliable and always shirks responsibility but is actually kind-hearted and cares about everyone.
Of course, the sight of the many SSS reserve team members training together, displaying their agile physiques, and the touching scenes of mutual encouragement and support is also unforgettable...
These vivid images intertwined and overlapped in Ming's mind, making his heart grow heavier.
Ming knew he carried a heavy but firm mission—to redeem himself by finding "her," who was of utmost importance to him.
No matter what hardships and dangers await him, or even if he were to fall into the abyss of hell from which there is no return, he would never back down in the slightest.
Because in his heart, this pursuit had become an unshakable obsession, as fiery and persistent as a burning flame.
Ming arrived at the edge of the base. He knew that once he stepped out of here, he would truly embark on a lonely journey to find her.
At that moment, everyone in the training room saw the letter Ming had left for them.
Phildo was the first to rush forward, grab the letter, and unfold it; her hand trembled slightly.
The few words on the letter seemed to carry the weight of a thousand unspoken words. They were concise yet powerful: "I must leave here and embark on an unknown journey to find the one who is so important to me. This is not merely fate's arrangement, but also the deepest longing and redemption of my soul."
"Here, I sincerely thank everyone who has accompanied me. Thank you for your warmth and support! Remember, the earth is always round, and no matter how far apart we are now, we will meet again someday."
"At that time, I hope I will have the opportunity to invite everyone to share a sumptuous meal, so that laughter and joy can once again fill our lives."
Lyfaa bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes. "That idiot, he just left without a word." Horarim sighed, then lamented, "We should have understood his resolve sooner... I should have made him work fewer overtimes these past few years! Waaaaah~"
Phildo carefully folded the letter and put it in her bosom, her eyes hardening. "We can't just stand still like this." Everyone else looked at her upon hearing this.
“Ming has been working hard to become stronger in order to find that person. Are we just going to sit here and wait for the next time we meet?” Fierdo clenched her fist.
Leafa wiped away her tears. "You're right. We can also improve our abilities, and maybe we can help Ming when he's in danger."
Horim stopped crying, her eyes lighting up. "That's right, we can build the base even better and attract more powerful partners to join us, so that when we meet again, we can give him a surprise."
Everyone knows that Ming's destiny is not here, and they did not chase after you. They only gazed in the direction Ming left. The real reason should have been to wait for the day when Ming's journey ended and they met again.