Akatsuki no Yona - Ch. 252 - Even if I can't turn back

[MangaDex]

 

[jak]

So is Zeno going to turn into the final bad guy like people have theorized?

 

[Colomopri]

KIJA IS AMAZING!!!! I DESPAIRED ON THE LEVEL HORIZON AND HIS REASONING 😭😭😭 though, I hope you have a good reason for that, Zeno. please.

 

[Wildtale]

Waaaaaa...

I love Kija's transformation sequence. It fit his character so perfectly. Whereas Shin-ah and Jeha both seemed to be "consumed", Kija embraced this new power. It was lovely.

Now, as for Zeno being the bad guy - I really feel like that's a red herring. It feels too much like "bait".
If it actually happens that he is the big bad, I will be very surprised. My guess is that this preserves the dragons. After all, were they to die, their powers would be passed on the the next person. Could that be used in a selfish way? Sure! I just don't see Zeno as so desperate a character as to hurt his newfound family.

But it is rather odd that, despite holding the chalice, Zeno's regenerative powers are not working...

 

[coyote_vdb]

Thanks for the translation.
Chill out, people. Zeno cannot be a bad guy, he just knows things we don't.

 

[auodere]

I don't feel like Zeno is the bad guy, it feels like he's trying to preserve/save the current dragons before they pass on for real? Especially with Kija's whole chat with his ancestors saying that the other dragons aren't dead yet.

 

[Oculunus]

Uhm, Zeno? I hope you have a good explanation for this. Well, I do believe what some of the comments said that Zeno is probably preserving the dragons if anything, but in that case I'm worried as to why are they powers still malfunctioning like this when Zeno is the one with the chalice

 

[PinkSakuraFlower]

Thanks for the translation! Great work as always!!!
Also gotta keep in mind that Zeno is one of the first dragons and has lived that long, he knows a whole lot more then the characters' knowledge, and probably in a clearer context then the stuff that may have muddled by the passage of time.

 

[AnonDePlume]

Gotta love how resiliently optimistic Kija is
(also, he might’ve gotten too used to his "White Snake" nickname)

 

[siqueirapowered]

Maybe the chalice has expired since it was taken away from the palace and Zeno is trying to restore it

 

[Iratana]

My goodness, this chapter was a roller coaster of emotion for me.

First Soo-Won's men proved just how idiotic and shortsighted that they are, and convinced me that almost everyone who pledged themselves to Soo-Won's father are beyond redeeming. Second, Hak engaging the leader and then stating that the guy was strong and kind of struggled against him had me frustrated. But then I remembered that Hak repeated the same thing about 80% of his foes before taking them down in barely 1-2 chapters (and as it turned out, the same happened here). Then seeing Kija taking a blow, nearly dying, and seeing the previous white dragons trying to take him with them before refusing them with such blazing optimism (it fits him completely) had me at the edge of my seat and then hyped. Then utter confusion and disbelief hit me like a truck when I saw the last two pages...

Honestly at this point I can see either one (or even a combination) of the following happening:

• Zeno is the last boss
• Zeno is attempting to end the Four Dragons (and may or mayn't kill the other 3 dragons), and thus end his immortality and truly allow himself to die
• Zeno is attempting to end the crimson dragon's curse (similar to the 2nd guess), and thus sparing Soo-Won and the other princess from the illness.
• Zeno is simply preserving the Dragons until they can safely restored (honestly I don't think it's that).

Either way, this will be a tough wait.

 

[Theworldinside]

Thank you for the translation!! Project Vinland, you all are amazing as always. This chapter got me in the feels, Zeno's expression at the end made my heart hurt.

 

[AnnePackrat]

Zeno…. What are you doing…?

 

[Scoottie]

Please make it so that Zeno will sacrifice his power for the sake of everyone afflicted with short lifespans. I am coping hard.

(I know this will most likely have a happy end but damn is the author good at making tension)

 

[CanerieRoe]

I never thought this was a series that would have a “big bad” until reading these other replies. I kinda have more faith in the mangaka than that at this point if that makes sense. There hasn’t been one since we found out that Soo-Won wasn’t a complete dickhead like 200 chapters ago, and forcing Zeno into a role like that would feel arbitrary and artificial. Idk maybe I’m just reading it wrong.

 

[Iratana]

There hasn’t been one since we found out that Soo-Won wasn’t a complete dickhead like 200 chapters ago, and forcing Zeno into a role like that would feel arbitrary and artificial. Idk maybe I’m just reading it wrong.

I don't think it'd be force if Zeno was the final foe (or at least someone who's goals and motives conflict with our heroes, which thus leads to conflict), since he would have a motive such as ending the dragon's power (as well as his immortality) and thus allowing Zeno to reunite with his wife, the Crimson King, and his fellow dragons (the original dragons). Of course, that's only assuming that Zeno does indeed intend to do this and his method of doing so greatly endanger the current dragons. If Zeno doesn't intend to do this, or his method of doing so doesn't conflict with Yona's own wishes, then yeah, he's not the big bad.

 

[Gohanks02]

Oi oi what is zeno cooking?

 

[Samspot]

My favorite dragon got the best send off with the least amount of stress (compared to the others)😭💕

 

[Sparrowhawk]

Zeno, pls…

 

[amj]

kija is SOOO baby boy