C229, 230, 231
Chapter 229: Turning the Tables (5)
Kwagic!
The Clown bastard’s face is revealed as his [Bone Armor] is stripped away again.
His expression is filled with panic.
Based on my experience, this expression is a sign that this long battle is nearing its end.
But just as I’m about to swing my mace down with all my might…
Whoosh!
…a cool breeze grazes me from the side.
「Erwen Fornachi di Tersia has taken damage exceeding the allowed amount.」
「[Spirit Transformation] is deactivated.」
My body suddenly feels lighter.
My rock-like skin has returned to normal.
My hearing, sharpened like an animal sensing danger, picks up every sound.
Thud.
I hear something collapse behind me.
“Erwen!!”
Daria’s urgent shout follows.
It’s not difficult to deduce the situation.
Erwen was attacked.
So Elemental Barbarian Mode ended.
But why?
I see the answer before I can even turn my head towards where the wind came from.
“Huhu, Mr. Nekrapetto, you’re also in a sorry state.”
Thick white hair and a white beard.
Kind-looking features.
An old mage with the typical appearance of a mage.
‘The Ruin Scholar.’
He’s here.
‘How? What happened to Kyle?’
Countless questions erupt in my mind as I face that reality.
But…
Swoosh.
…I suppress my questions and move my arm.
It was an instinctive judgment made in a split second.
‘If not now…’
…there’s no chance.
Elemental Barbarian Mode is over.
I can’t block poison damage anymore, so if I miss this opportunity, I’ll have to face both the Clown and the old man at the same time.
So…
“You’re in a hurry.”
Damn it.
My left arm loses strength, and the mace I was holding falls to the ground.
Thud!
A red light pierces my wrist.
I feel like I’m going crazy.
‘Crazy, what kind of normal attack…’
There was no casting time.
It means the spell he just used is no different from ‘Magic Missile’, a basic attack spell for the Ruin Scholar.
But my body was pierced by a normal attack?
My magic resistance should have returned now that Elemental Barbarian Mode is over.
‘No, I’ll think about it later.’
I dismiss the question again.
That’s not what I need to do right now.
I lost my mace?
Then I can just use my shield.
A K-barbarian’s spirit is to use their gums if they don’t have teeth.
Thwack.
I smash the Clown bastard’s face with my shield as soon as I drop my mace.
He won’t die from one hit, so I hit him again.
Thwack!
I’m not reassured with two hits, so one more time.
Whoosh!
That’s when, as I’m about to slam it down for the third time…
“You’re an interesting one.”
…my body stops.
It’s like something invisible is pressing down on my entire body with immense pressure.
“I told you I’m in a hurry.”
I roll my eyes and look to the side.
The Ruin Scholar is staring at me.
Although he has an expressionless face, he seems amused.
As if he’s discovered something interesting.
“What’s your name?”
Right, so you’re curious about me.
“You put Mr. Nekrapetto in that state, so you can’t be a nameless explorer.”
His voice is devoid of any malice.
[Don’t tell me he’s already there…!]
Melter Pend’s voice comes through the message stone, and the Ruin Scholar frowns as if annoyed by the interruption.
Right, that’s all he did…
[Just wait a moment. I’ll be there soo—!]
…and the message stone on my waist explodes.
Boom!
No, what kind of mage is this?
He didn’t even swing his staff or wand, and there wasn’t even the hand gesture unique to mages when they manipulate mana.
Just how high-ranking is this old man?
I heard he was 3rd-grade before being exiled.
“Aren’t you going to answer?”
“I’m Bjorn, son of Yandel.”
I quickly answer.
I judged that I had to buy time by talking to him until Melter Pend arrived with the main force.
“Title?”
“Little Balkan.”
“Hmm, I’ve never heard of it. Then what’s your rank?”
“…I was promoted to 5th grade a few months ago.”
“5th grade, I’m even more interested now.”
The Ruin Scholar looked at me with a strange glint in his eyes and then waved his hand as if manipulating mana.
Swaaaaaaaaa!
Multicolored lights erupt from the ground.
Ah, I know this spell.
The 5th-grade unique spell, ‘Memory of the Earth’.
It’s a spell that replays the events that took place in a certain area.
‘He’s just using unique spells from other schools.’
‘Memory of the Earth’ is a unique spell of the Earthlin School.
And according to the information I gathered, the school that the Ruin Scholar belonged to before being exiled pursued a completely different type of magic.
“Pfft.”
The Ruin Scholar, who was looking into the distance as if watching the replay, chuckled.
“You’re even more interesting than I thought. To say that to Mr. Nekrapetto.”
That…
I don’t know if he’s talking about my appearance or the fact that I called him ‘small’.
But what does it matter?
“What happened to Kyle?”
I asked what I was curious about since he seemed to want to talk.
Unexpectedly, he answered readily.
“He’s alive. He’s too valuable to die here.”
“…You intentionally didn’t kill him?”
“He’s achieved a lot through the emotion of revenge. He’ll reach an even higher level if he can discard even human emotions.”
Although his pronunciation was fluent and accurate, as expected of a mage…
…I didn’t understand what he was saying even after hearing it.
Why would that be a reason not to kill him?
Shouldn’t you kill an enemy if their potential is high?
I didn’t say it out loud.
But did he sense my question even through my gaze?
“What does it matter whether it’s an individual or a group, an enemy or an ally?”
The Ruin Scholar said.
“As someone who seeks to see the end of magic, I’m just curious. What kind of magic he’ll leave behind when he reaches that level.”
“Even if it can kill you?”
“Don’t worry. Reaching that level means discarding everything unnecessary. By then, he won’t have any human emotions left.”
I just decided to give up on understanding.
People said he was an old man who had gone insane from his obsession with magic, and it seemed like it was true.
His way of thinking was completely different.
But that’s why…
“Well, then let’s end the conversation here.”
…I had a sliver of hope.
That his way of thinking might save my life today.
“I went a bit overboard today.”
I noticed a bloodstain on the Ruin Scholar’s beard.
It seemed like the stain remained even after he wiped it off.
‘…This bastard is also not in a good condition.’
It’s a positive factor, regardless of the outcome.
That’s when, as I was thinking that…
“It’s been a while.”
…the Ruin Scholar said as if saying goodbye.
“I’ll be taking Mr. Nekrapetto with me since I still need him.”
The Clown bastard’s body, half-conscious from being hit by the shield, floated into the air. I could only watch as his body was paralyzed.
Mixed emotions washed over me.
We were almost there.
Is this how it ends?
No, even if this is how it ends, it’s still a good deal if he’s letting us go—
“Then die.”
Right, there’s no way he would.
Swoosh.
The Ruin Scholar extended his hand towards me, and an ominous red mana gathered on it.
I cleanly dismissed my lingering thoughts.
It’s nothing new.
It’s always been like this.
“Behel—laaaaaaaaaa!!”
I have to fight.
To survive.
「Character has cast [Gigantification].」
My warrior’s body grows in size again, as if squeezing out the last of my strength.
Kwagic, crackle, crackle.
I feel the intangible mana that was covering my body shattering as I put strength into my legs.
I roughly expected it.
He’s a mage, the embodiment of efficiency.
He would have only used as much mana as necessary since he wasn’t in a good condition either.
Tadat.
My body is finally free.
I push off the ground and dash.
Towards the enemy’s backline.
“Yandel! I see Yandel!”
Not towards where my allies are running…
Thud!
…but towards where the enemy is.
“Hmm.”
The Ruin Scholar looked at me with curiosity.
He must be wondering why I’m not running away even though I dispelled his CC.
But that’s only from his perspective.
How long could I last with the MP I recovered in less than 10 minutes?
‘20 seconds at most.’
Even [Gigantification] would end by then.
Therefore, the best I can do right now…
Thud!
…is to close the distance and get close to the Clown bastard.
The reason is simple.
That old man, who seemed only interested in magic, said earlier,
[I’ll be taking Mr. Nekrapetto with me since I still need him.]
He said he still needed the Clown.
In other words, he can’t use magic if I’m close to him.
That’s probably the reason why he tried to take the Clown first.
“Clever.”
Although the red mana in the Ruin Scholar’s hand remained, he didn’t aim it at me.
But…
“It’s a waste of mana to just discard it.”
…his outstretched hand turned towards a different direction.
Not me, but where my companions were.
Flash!
A red sphere shot out from his palm.
And at that moment…
“Barhatun Wiar.”
…a dozen stone walls were erected along its path.
It was Raven’s magic.
No wonder she was so quiet, she was secretly preparing a spell.
But it was meaningless.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The red sphere easily broke through the stone walls and flew towards us.
“Get down!”
The bear-like man covered his companions with his body, just like I did earlier, and even summoned Black Bear on top of that.
And in that instant…
Kwaaang!
…the sphere exploded in midair, unleashing thousands of flames.
It was the exact midpoint between me and my companions.
No, to be precise…
“No!”
…it was right where Erwen, who had collapsed after [Spirit Transformation] was deactivated, was.
As if he had been aiming for her from the beginning.
Booom!
Countless flames erupt like fireworks, exploding over and over again.
Whoosh!
Hot wind grazed my skin.
Even in the midst of that, the Ruin Scholar muttered in a calm voice, his expression unchanged,
“That young lady is the second most fated after you.”
I didn’t understand what he meant.
But one thing was clear.
He really was aiming for Erwen.
Crack.
My jaw ached.
It felt like someone had smashed the back of my head with a giant blunt weapon.
Is Erwen really dead?
Thump!
Blood rushed to my heart, and my mind went numb.
But I focused on one thing.
What did I have to do to protect the rest of them?
‘At least I have to kill this bastard.’
I reach for the Clown bastard’s head, trusting that the allies who will arrive soon will somehow take care of the Ruin Scholar.
This guy, at least.
Thwack!
My shield slams into the Clown bastard’s face once more.
But was he still conscious?
“Pfft!”
He spits blood into my face.
Sizzle!
I hear a burning sound.
Although I don’t feel any pain, I can feel something flowing down my face, even through my numbed senses.
I open my eyes, but my vision is blurry.
‘Venom Hydra.’
It’s his passive skill.
It has a similar effect to [Acidic Fluid], but the performance is vastly different. He probably modified his suicide bomber corpses using his own blood.
But it doesn’t matter.
I reach out through my darkened vision.
Grab.
I luckily grab his hair.
Okay, I won’t miss him now.
Crack.
I bite him like a beast, using my teeth instead of my left arm, which has a hole in it and can’t apply force.
“Aaaaaak!!”
Soft cartilage is crushed between my teeth.
Is this his ear?
“Tsk.”
I spit it out and lower my jaw.
I’m aiming for his neck.
If I sever the blood vessels leading to his brain, even this bastard—
“You’re truly a beast.”
A voice filled with disgust.
Slash!
Something sharp cuts through my right arm.
It really hurts for the first time in a while.
And my lips curl up into a smile.
“Now I understand why they call barbarians savages. You’re all broken in some way.”
The Ruin Scholar asked,
“Aren’t you afraid of death?”
He didn’t know anything about barbarians.
They’re not beings who don’t know fear.
They just learned how to overcome it and move forward.
Because they had no choice.
They smile and choose the only option they have.
People called them barbarians.
And they called themselves those who struggle.
Warriors.
「Character’s Soul Power is insufficient.」
「[Gigantification] ends.」
[Gigantification] ends just in time.
“Keugh!”
I’m pushed back as I lose my grip.
My body rolls on the ground.
I get back on my feet without any problems, even though I can’t see, perhaps because I’ve been in so many brawls.
The problem is my lost sense of direction.
“Impressive.”
Right, you’re there.
Tadat.
I charge towards where I heard his voice.
Thump!
Something pierces my abdomen.
But at that moment…
Swaaa!
…a warm energy envelops me.
It’s divine power.
“Yandel! Save Yandel!!”
I also hear the dwarf, Teterud, whom I sent to help Melter Pend.
He’s quite close.
[Belvev Ruinjenes!!]
I also hear Kyle’s voice, amplified by magic.
He’s shouting the Ruin Scholar’s real name, filled with anger.
Kwaaang!
Something explodes in front of me.
But did he retreat to dodge?
“So even that friend came. I should have just killed him.”
The Ruin Scholar’s voice is a bit further away.
“You know? I wasn’t trying to be lenient. I just miscalculated. I thought that much time would be enough.”
His voice is still calm.
“Well, it was like that from the beginning. I didn’t think anyone would be able to come up.”
His voice fades into the distance.
“Congratulations. You’re the only winner.”
With that, his voice disappears. And my blurry vision turns black.
I can’t even feel a faint light.
It’s like I’m alone in space.
Thud.
I sense someone approaching, and I instinctively swing my severed arm to attack.
Thwack.
It’s blocked.
But there’s no counterattack.
“It’s me.”
I hear the dwarf, Teterud.
“My friend… it’s… over…”
Ah.
“So… rest now.”
Ah…
‘What about Erwen…?’
I had a question I had to ask, but I couldn’t speak.
Thud.
Such a long day.
That was my last memory.
---------------------------------------
Chapter 230: Turning the Tables (6)
“Are you awake?”
Misha Kaltstein opened her eyes, tasting the lingering bitterness of the potion on her tongue.
The first person she saw was Avman.
“…Wh, what happened? Did we win?”
Misha asked as soon as she opened her eyes and tried to recall what had happened.
Her memories were fragmented.
They were broken and incomplete.
[Protect Raven!!]
The Corpse Collector, transformed into a skeleton, charging towards them.
Being knocked back by him without being able to withstand a single blow.
And…
Kwaaang! Kwaang!
…opening her eyes to a thunderous roar and seeing Bjorn on the ground, desperately protecting them.
That was her last memory.
“I don’t know if we won, but at least we’re safe for now. The enemies have all retreated.”
“Really? That’s a relief. But the, the casualties…?”
“…….”
Avman frowned.
As if there were casualties.
But did he realize his mistake after seeing her eyes?
He quickly continued,
“Ah, don’t think about anything strange. Everyone on our team survived. It’s the fairy who died.”
“Fairy…?”
Her heart skipped a beat.
“Don’t tell me it’s Erwen?”
Erwen Fornachi di Tersia.
Although they weren’t exactly on good terms, she felt a pang of sadness deep down.
“No, it’s her older sister who died. She hugged her sister at the last moment and protected her from the explosion.”
“…Then Erwen?”
“She would have died too if she had been a little slower. I don’t know if it’s a good thing, but she’s unconscious right now. I’m worried if she’ll be okay when she wakes up.”
“I see…”
Misha then heard about the other companions’ conditions.
Raven was also unconscious, and Ainar, who woke up a bit earlier, went to Bjorn.
“Don’t go. I also tried to stay by his side, but the priestess kicked me out, saying it would interfere… You wouldn’t listen even if I told you. It’s that way.”
Misha asked Avman for directions and headed towards that place.
The Goblin Forest was brightly illuminated by the flames that were rising everywhere after the battle ended.
Thud, thud.
Misha walked through the explorers.
She saw explorers resting on the ground, explorers crying, explorers drinking blood-soaked alcohol with joy, and those who were busy moving the immobile corpses into the flames.
“Oh! It’s the cat girl from Yandel’s team!”
Explorers called out to her as she was walking.
“Are you going to see Yandel? He’s over there.”
“Hmm, I don’t think it’s a good idea to go.”
“Right, you must be worried since you’re companions.”
They all said meaningful things.
But some of them spoke casually.
“Ah, don’t worry, there’s no way he would die.”
“Bjorn, son of Yandel, is immortal!!”
“I heard he almost killed the Corpse Collector this time? And they said they would have won if it weren’t for the Ruin Scholar. He’ll be incredibly famous when we get out.”
The explorers acknowledged Bjorn’s greatness.
Misha’s steps quickened.
She soon reached a tent.
Many explorers were gathered in front of it.
“Ah, Miss Kaltstein is here too.”
The first person she saw was Ainar, arguing with Kyle Pebrosk.
“Please excuse me for sitting down. I’m actually pushing myself just to stay awake.”
“Why won’t you let us in?!”
“I told you, didn’t I? The priestess-nim is risking her life to save him. So please lower your voice. If you really want to help him.”
“But…!”
“Ainar, stop it!”
Misha quickly approached and stopped Ainar.
She knew it wouldn’t help, even though she didn’t know the details.
“Mi, Misha! You’re awake!”
Although Ainar greeted her happily, Misha asked Kyle about Bjorn’s condition.
It was horrifying just to hear about it.
His entire face was covered in poison, and his eyes and everything had melted away.
“It seems like the poison melted his bones and even seeped into his brain.”
She felt suffocated.
She felt dizzy, and the world spun as if she was drunk.
That’s when…
“…You can come in now.”
…the priestess came out of the tent with a pale face.
Misha entered without even thanking her.
“Bjorn…”
She saw him sleeping on a makeshift bed made of several sleeping bags.
He looked fine on the outside.
Although there were burn scars on his face, there weren’t any serious injuries.
“The scars will heal over time. My abilities aren’t enough to…”
“Th, thank you…”
“You’re welcome. What have I done compared to what he did? Anyway, I need to rest, so I’ll be…”
The priestess left, and Misha knelt next to Bjorn.
And she stroked his face.
She suddenly remembered the time they were chased by the Floor Master on the 3rd floor.
But it was different from back then.
He was sleeping peacefully as if he had done everything he could.
She thought he was a hero.
It was the same afterwards.
Bjorn had achieved many things and received recognition from others.
She had been proud and happy.
But…
“Why… why are you…”
What about his face now?
He looked sad and pained.
As if he was blaming himself.
Clench.
Misha clenched her fists, unable to finish her sentence.
She thought she knew why.
No, she couldn’t not know.
He was the man she had been watching for a long time.
‘Erwen…’
He must be blaming himself because of her.
Swoosh.
Misha took her hand off Bjorn’s body.
Even though he wasn’t conscious, his body twitched as if having a seizure whenever her hand touched his skin.
Just how much did he suffer?
For this man of steel to be like this.
“Now…”
Misha closed her eyes and prayed earnestly.
Although God had never answered her prayers, she still clasped her hands together and begged.
She begged him to prevent this man from being acknowledged.
___________________
When I woke up, all my teammates were gathered.
We were briefly catching up when the priestess entered and checked my condition.
My vision was fine.
My sense of smell was normal.
But my body wouldn’t move properly.
I could feel everything, but I couldn’t put strength into my arms and legs, and they trembled if I tried to force it.
“It’s a common symptom when you injure your brain. You’ll be fine if you rest for about a month.”
“I see. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll bring Mr. Pebrosk since you’re awake.”
I heard from my companions what happened after I collapsed while the priestess went to get Kyle.
Less than an hour left until Day 7 ended.
“Were there any attacks?”
“No.”
The Ruin Scholar and the Clown bastard, who survived, didn’t return while I was unconscious.
Well, what could they do?
They would need time to recover, and they were also outnumbered since we burned all the corpses the Clown had left behind.
And it would be difficult for them to call for backup.
It would take at least a day to reach the 3rd floor from here.
And two days to go up and come back down.
‘In the first place, that Ruin Scholar bastard wouldn’t go even if the Clown begged him. He’s not the type to be motivated by revenge.’
Wait a minute.
I suddenly remembered something I had forgotten while talking to my companions.
How could I have not remembered until now?
“Ah! Erwen, what happened to Erwen?”
A brief silence fell at my urgent question.
My companions looked at me with stiff expressions.
“Right, she’s dead.”
“No, it’s her older sister who died.”
“Older sister?”
I heard the details from the bear-like man.
A short story about how she used a short-range teleportation skill at the last moment and sacrificed herself to protect her younger sister.
I was reminded of the weight of death.
It was truly a fleeting world.
“…….”
It had happened in a split second.
No one could have stopped it, and Daria didn’t even have time to leave a last will and testament.
It’s a good thing I heard it beforehand.
“Where’s Erwen now?”
“…She’s there.”
“There?”
“Yes. There.”
I wanted to see her.
But my body tilted as I tried to get up.
“Give me your arm.”
I barely managed to leave the tent with the bear-like man’s help.
Kyle was there.
“You’re awake.”
I slowly walked towards where the battle took place, talking to Kyle.
“There are a lot of people, what’s going on?”
“They’re the ones who came up after the battle ended. About a thousand people in four groups.”
“A thousand…?”
“We left marks along the way, didn’t we? They followed us east as soon as they formed their groups, and then they followed the marks all the way here.”
I see.
They should have come sooner.
Then…
‘What are you thinking?’
I dismissed my regret and resentment and continued walking.
It was pointless to dwell on the past.
“Oh, it’s Bjorn, son of Yandel!!”
Explorers who recognized me approached me and talked as I was walking with Kyle.
They said we should have a drink later.
Or that they were the leader of a certain clan and would definitely repay their debt.
Some even thanked me, saying they would come running if I was ever in trouble.
But there were no words of comfort.
“…Don’t look at them too harshly. There’s a saying, ‘heroes don’t receive comfort’.”
I don’t know if such a proverb exists in this world.
But I didn’t blame them.
They had also suffered many losses.
They were just trying to lighten the mood because it was hard.
“Mister…”
I saw Erwen when we reached our destination.
She was sitting there, hugging her sister’s body, which was burned and hardened. Her face was covered in blood and dirt, and tear stains were visible.
“Come here.”
Erwen shook her head.
“It’s almost time to go down. Are you going to stay here alone?”
“Alone… no.”
She let go of Avman’s arm and staggered towards Erwen.
And I patted her on the back.
“Listen to me. I’m your guardian now.”
“…Yes?”
I told her the last will and testament I heard from Daria.
It wasn’t a long story.
She said to take care of her sister if she died.
For reference, she said it to me before the royal family even escaped through Dimensional Gate, so maybe she had a hunch.
That something like this might happen.
“Mister… my sister, my sister…! She’s not moving anymore. She can’t talk. She’s cold and stiff. I, I couldn’t even do anything for her…!”
Erwen hugged me tightly.
“What… what am I going to tell my sister? That my sister is also dead? Th, that it’s because of me?”
I just stood there and listened to her words.
I didn’t say anything comforting, like it wasn’t her fault or that it was her sister’s choice.
I just waited for her until the end.
After some time…
“Yandel, it’s time to go.”
…it was time to go down to the 1st floor.
I gathered her sister’s body with Erwen.
It was better than Dwarkey’s case.
At least we had a mage who could use the ‘Distortion’ spell now.
We would be able to hold a funeral in the city.
“Let’s go, home.”
I returned to where my team was, leading Erwen. Even Misha and Ainar, who weren’t on good terms with her, didn’t say anything.
No, they actually seemed like they wanted to comfort her, but they couldn’t approach her because they were worried it might hurt her more.
‘It’s my first time seeing Ainar like that.’
We then stood in front of the portal that was opening in the center of the Goblin Forest.
[23:50]
The clock indicated the end of our long journey.
“Let’s go back!!”
“Waaaaaaaaa!!”
Starting with the teams that were in the center, everyone started going down to the 1st floor. Even though Verzak was scary, he wouldn’t appear in less than 10 minutes.
“Yandel! I’ll see you in the city!”
“You remember my name, right? I’ll definitely visit you again.”
The explorers in front of me also entered the portal, and then it was our turn.
「Entered 1st Floor Crystal Cave.」
The cave felt even more eerie than before.
I continued checking the time as we moved forward to make way for the other explorers.
[23:59]
Only 1 minute left until the labyrinth closed.
It didn’t feel real.
Was it really over?
Thump!
Right, it must be.
Even if Verzak appeared now, there was nothing we could do.
“Those damn royal bastards.”
“I won’t even piss in their direction when we get back.”
Anger towards the royal family erupted from the explorers who were certain of their survival.
Geez, they should be more careful with their words.
“Don’t say anything strange when we get back.”
I warned my companions not to badmouth the royal family in front of others.
That’s when…
「The labyrinth is closed.」
「Character is being transported to Lafdonia.」
…a white light started to fill my vision.
The light of the outside world that I had longed for.
Thump!
The light soon disappeared, and a clear sky filled my vision.
I blankly scanned my surroundings.
‘They’re really all dead.’
The Dimensional Plaza, which was always bustling, was unprecedentedly empty.
Phew, just how many died?
“Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!”
I naturally looked towards one spot as I heard cheers erupting from everywhere.
“It’s a Dimensional Gate!”
“Those bastards!”
In the center of the plaza where the Dimensional Gate was open…
…hundreds of Dimensional Gates were opening, and those who had abandoned us were appearing one by one.
They all looked the same as back then.
Well, it’s only natural since the time you exit is synchronized even if you come out through a Dimensional Gate.
‘They have no idea what we went through.’
I couldn’t help but complain inwardly as I saw them looking so fine.
That’s when…
Swaaaaaaaaa!
…a giant magic circle appeared in the center of the plaza where the Dimensional Gates were open.
“Uh, uh?”
Time suddenly slowed down.
But ‘it’ happened in a split second.
Thump!
The knights and the elites of the clans, who were flustered.
The explorers who sensed something was off and quickly created distance.
And…
Kwaaang!
…an explosion.
Swaaaaaaaaa!
Flames carried by the wind push me back.
I fall to the ground and quickly look up, and I see a crimson pillar of fire rising to the sky.
It’s like watching the end of the world.
A voice suddenly replays in my head.
[Congratulations. You’re the only winner.]
It was the last thing the Ruin Scholar said to me.
---------------------------------------
Chapter 231: New Age (1)
The absolute monarch, the founding king, also known as the Immortal King.
Ravigion III.
After the death of the king who ruled Lafdonia for thousands of years, the newly crowned King of Change implemented many policies to erase the deeply rooted remnants of his predecessor.
One representative example was the revision of the calendar.
One year, thirteen months, 365 days.
To make it easier to calculate the cycle of the labyrinth’s opening, one month was fixed at 30 days, and a 13th month with only 5 days was created to adjust the remaining days.
He also modified the portal to change the last labyrinth cycle of the year to 35 days.
Of course, there was controversy among scholars.
They argued that it wasn’t practical to waste 5 days every year for the sake of intuition.
However, the King of Change steadily gained public favor by holding grand festivals every 13th month, and as the years passed, the controversy subsided as people adapted to the new calendar.
Ah, he also changed the era name twice.
At first, it was taken from the King of Change’s name, but because it was long and difficult to pronounce, the people used the king’s nickname, and naturally, the royal family also started using that name.
And so, time passed—
On the 2nd day of the 5th month of the 154th year of the Change Era…
…seven pillars of fire erupted from each Dimensional Plaza, engulfing the skies above Lafdonia. It was a disaster that would be recorded in history books by the hands of scribes and remembered for a long time.
__________________
“Damn it.”
I grab the side of the bed and struggle to sit up.
And I leave the room, using the crutches I placed next to the bed.
Ugh, damn stairs.
“Bjorn! Why didn’t you call me? Why are you struggling alone?”
Misha, who was cooking on the 1st floor, saw me and came to help.
This really makes me feel like a patient.
Ah, am I a patient?
They said I needed to rest for a month, but I still can’t put strength into my arms and legs properly.
“Here, sit down. This is your first proper meal since we came back, right? I put in some effort today.”
I catch my breath for a moment, holding a spoon, while Misha goes to get Ainar.
‘It’s already been three days.’
Three days have passed since that day.
Of course, it doesn’t feel real.
We had to go to the royal palace and give statements about what happened in the labyrinth on the first day we came back, even though we were all exhausted, and then I just slept after returning home.
‘…Those crazy bastards.’
I still shudder when I remember the moment the pillars of fire erupted.
I can’t believe they were aiming for an empty house robbery.
I never even imagined they would set a trap in the center of the plaza where the Dimensional Gates open.
And in all seven plazas, at that.
‘…What’s going to happen now?’
The damage we suffered was minimal since we exited normally when the labyrinth closed, but the 3rd Royal Knight Order, as well as many large clans, were literally annihilated.
Of course, there were survivors.
Some of them, who were in the outer areas of the center, managed to survive by immediately retreating as soon as the magic circle started glowing.
There were about a hundred of them, I heard.
Ah, for reference, that’s the total number from all seven Dimensional Plazas.
It’s a bit ironic.
[A good commander isn’t someone who makes perfect choices. It’s someone who makes the choices they have to make.]
Those who made the choices they had to make died.
And those who were abandoned survived after fighting desperately for days without proper sleep.
Their positions were reversed overnight.
What would have happened if I had listened to him and abandoned my companions to escape?
“I would have died.”
Misha’s voice came from behind as I muttered those words involuntarily.
“Huh? What did you say?”
“It’s nothing. Where’s Ainar?”
“She’s not budging even if I hit her.”
“She must be really tired.”
“Yeah. I’m just going to make another one when she wakes up.”
Geez, she’s tired too.
Misha took care of everything while we were sleeping, even waking up to cook for us. And she even got me crutches from somewhere.
She’s a companion I can’t help but rely on.
“Why aren’t you eating?”
I came to my senses, staring blankly at Misha, and picked up my spoon.
It tasted like the end of a hard day.
“…What are we going to do about Erwen?”
Misha asked as the meal was almost over.
Erwen went to the fairy sanctuary with her sister’s body after the first day’s investigation.
“Well, she said she would visit us after the funeral, so I’m planning to talk to her then.”
“Hmm, really?”
Misha, who was giving a lukewarm response, suddenly said,
“How about we just bring her here?”
What? Is she testing me?
Or just drawing a line beforehand?
Various thoughts crossed my mind, but it didn’t seem like that kind of tone.
“What do you mean?”
“That… she lived with her sister, right? It will be hard for her to stay there. But I’m a bit worried about having her live alone.”
“So?”
“Well, we can’t enter the labyrinth with six people, but I think it’s right to look after her until she recovers.”
Ah, right, this is the kind of person she is.
I teased her jokingly since I was proud.
“I thought you didn’t like fairies?”
“Eek, what do you take me for? Spit it all out, everything you just ate!”
Misha glared at me, grumbling.
It was a strange feeling.
Just a moment ago, my heart felt heavy with all sorts of thoughts…
“Why are you laughing? It’s creepy.”
“I’m just grateful.”
“…………Ugh, suddenly.”
…but I felt better now.
Misha turned away and gulped down water as if annoyed.
I silently watched her.
Honestly, if it weren’t for the ears and tail on her head, she would just look like an ordinary human.
Her short red hair had grown a bit longer since we first met.
A sharp nose and slightly upturned eyes.
Although you could tell she was a bit of an airhead just by talking to her for a few minutes, she looked cold and arrogant when I first saw her.
“…….”
“…….”
I belatedly realized that it was quiet.
An awkward silence filled the kitchen.
“I…”
That’s when Misha was about to say something…
Knock, knock, knock.
…we heard a knock on the front door.
“I’ll get it.”
“……Okay, I’ll clean up the table.”
I walked to the front door with my crutches and opened it, and a welcome face was standing there.
“Kyle Pebrosk.”
“Haha, it’s good to see you. Did you rest well?”
“I just slept as soon as I came back and just woke up.”
“Then do you have time to talk?”
“Of course. Come in.”
Kyle entered the house as I stepped aside. And he greeted Misha, who was cleaning up the table.
“Oh! Mr. Kyle?”
“I’m sorry, Miss Kaltstein. It seems like I interrupted your quality time.”
“Eek, don’t tease me! We’re not like that.”
“Hmm, you’re not? Then I apologize.”
Kyle apologized as if he really didn’t know.
Misha glanced at me and then turned away and continued cleaning.
So we sat down on the sofa in the living room.
“Actually, I wanted to visit sooner, but as you know, I’ve been busy.”
“I understand. After that incident…”
“Right, that’s right…”
An awkward silence fell as we mentioned that incident.
Misha then placed cookies she had bought on the coffee table and told us to talk comfortably before returning to her room.
“Oh, these are from Ranumus Bakery?”
“Really? It must be a famous place.”
The atmosphere changed thanks to that.
I spoke more comfortably,
“I want to hear about everything, if you have time.”
“We have quite a bit of time until the next schedule, but everything?”
“The Ruin Scholar. What happened with that old man?”
It was a story I was curious about but couldn’t hear.
I woke up right before Day 7 ended, and I had to look after Erwen.
And the Dimensional Plaza that day was pure chaos.
“Ah, you’re talking about that…”
Kyle took a bite of the cookie and started talking.
There were many parts I couldn’t understand since it was a story about a battle between mages, but to summarize…
He lost in a one-on-one.
He was overwhelmed by an overwhelming combination of magic before he could even properly use ‘Awakening’, which he had been preparing for years.
He activated the spell in an incomplete state and managed to inflict some damage…
“I thought I had finally caught up after all that effort, but I was mistaken. No, the gap seemed even wider than before.”
…but Kyle faced a wall.
A wall he could never overcome.
What was even more humiliating was that he survived despite that.
“…He said my talent was a waste. Isn’t that funny? I wasn’t even his opponent. He probably wouldn’t have even taken that much damage if he hadn’t tried to save me.”
Kyle’s expression was filled with shadows when he finished his story.
“It must have been a difficult topic to talk about, thank you for telling me.”
“I thought you should know. You might become their target because of this incident.”
Phew, so he also thinks that way.
“The royal family upgraded the Ruin Scholar’s threat level by one after this incident. He’s right below the captain now. Honestly, I think he should be considered on the same level as the captain after experiencing him firsthand… but they don’t seem to think so, no matter how many times I tell them.”
“They won’t know until they experience it themselves.”
A mage who can pierce through the magic resistance setup I barely managed to complete with a normal attack.
Just how many monsters like that are there in this world?
If we ever encounter him in the labyrinth, we’ll be wiped out in minutes.
“Anyway, I wanted to warn you to be careful.”
Although it seemed like the Ruin Scholar bastard wouldn’t bother coming after me for revenge, considering his personality…
The Clown was a different story.
“What happened to the Corpse Collector?”
“There’s no news yet. I heard he was fatally wounded before you left, but he’s probably alive.”
“…I see.”
The Clown was at least better off.
He lost his army of thousands of corpses.
It would take a long time to recover, so we at least have time to grow.
“Ah, so how many survivors are there?”
“You mean the ones who escaped through Dimensional Gate?”
“Of course. I heard about a hundred people survived.”
Kyle sighed at my words.
“To be precise, 103 people. I’m not sure if we can even call them survivors.”
“What do you mean?”
Kyle then explained, using mage jargon.
To summarize…
“So you’re saying it’s a unique spell with dark magic, so even divine power can’t heal it properly?”
“That’s right. They’re all unconscious right now. We don’t know when they’ll wake up. Or if they even can.”
“Geez, that’s messed up.”
After the talk about the survivors, we had a conversation about ‘that incident’.
How did it even happen?
Kyle, who could be considered a high-ranking official in the royal family, told me everything he knew without hiding anything.
“We were also confused at first. It’s a spell that would take at least a few months to prepare, even if you knew about it, so how could they prepare something like that in the plaza in just one day?”
The question everyone had, including me, on that day.
The answer was simple.
“It turns out they drew the magic circle in the sewers to avoid detection.”
As expected of those underground dwellers, they did it underground.
“According to the investigation, there was nothing wrong with Noark’s barrier. In other words, it means they have a way to come out, or they had people smuggled out beforehand.”
I smiled awkwardly at his guess.
It would probably be the latter.
For example…
‘Amelia.’
A spy from Noark who infiltrated the city.
Until now, it was ambiguous to call her an enemy.
I thought their hatred was directed towards the royal family, not me.
But…
‘I guess it’s right to consider her as an enemy now.’
She would continue working for Noark, and if I’m unlucky, I might lose my life because of it.
Unless I enter Noark.
“Then let’s get to the point.”
“The point?”
“The situation in the city isn’t good. Many of the key personnel who maintain this city are dead. If this continues, the economy will collapse.”
It was something I also expected.
Explorers are miners who extract resources from the labyrinth.
Although knights are strong, they can’t even hold a candle to explorers in this aspect.
But the high-ranking explorers are all dead.
Well, there are some large clans that boycotted…
…and some high-ranking explorers who were observing the situation because they didn’t feel safe even after the identification tags were introduced…
But the real problem was something else.
“They probably won’t enter the labyrinth anymore. At least not until they’re certain it’s safe.”
An unsafe labyrinth.
It’s a ridiculous expression, but I understand.
Less than two thousand explorers returned alive from this cycle.
Who would enter the labyrinth and mine magic stones in this situation?
“…It can’t be helped. Until now, the identification tags and the 3rd Royal Knight Order reassured the explorers, but now the truth has been revealed.”
The knights, who said they would protect us from Noark in the labyrinth, opened Dimensional Gates with the large clans. And they abandoned tens of thousands of explorers and escaped.
“It’s shameful, but someone even said this during the meeting. That it might have been better if there were no survivors at all.”
I smiled bitterly at Kyle’s words.
The more I experience it, the more I realize it’s a cruel world.
Well, nothing changes by complaining.
“So now I have to be wary of the royal family on top of the Ruin Scholar and the Corpse Collector?”
“Haha, there’s no way.”
Kyle waved his hand at my concern, which was half-joking.
“You wouldn’t know since you were just staying at home, but you’ve become a very important person to the royal family.”
“…Explain in detail.”
“Your story is spreading among the survivors who were with you on that journey. In a few days, there probably won’t be anyone in this city who doesn’t know who you are. You’re practically a saint who put the Corpse Collector in that state all by yourself!”
“…Alone? Please, don’t spread that rumor.”
“You’re a humble one.”
No, it’s not humility, it’s because I’m burdened.
I’m just a good guy who worked hard at the front.
It would be different if it were just that, but this is a fame I can’t handle.
If we’re talking about fighting alone, it was actually the Clown.
He was pushing back the main force, which consisted of hundreds of mid-level explorers, with his corpse army even while fighting our team.
‘Come to think of it, he’s a real monster.’
I organized my fleeting thoughts and returned to the main topic.
“So what does that have to do with the royal family? There are countless explorers at my level.”
“But there aren’t many symbolic explorers like you.”
“I don’t understand what you mean.”
“There’s already distrust towards the royal family, isn’t there? It’s obvious that this incident will be the trigger. The royal family judged that if you become their rallying point, it might spread into a huge fire…”
Damn it.
“…Huh? Why that expression?”
I answered honestly,
“Because it sounds like you’re saying they’ll eliminate me.”
It was my 100% sincere thought.
But Kyle just laughed, as if he knew about my concern.
“Don’t worry. They’ve already decided on how they’ll treat you during the meeting.”
They’ve already decided?
Ah, so that’s why he said I didn’t have to worry about the royal family?
“Stop beating around the bush and tell me. It seems like that’s why you came today.”
Kyle smiled, as if he was proud of himself, and continued,
“Congratulations. You’ll be receiving a very, very, very big reward soon.”
The royal family decided to give me a carrot.