I Became God of War’s Youngest Disciple - Chapter 357



Only Krnovel

Episode 357

[“I was wrong… … .” The words that the guilty ones uttered in front of their executioners were generally similar. They repented their wrongdoings with sad faces, on their knees. Not all the wicked were like that. There were those who wore expressions that said it was coming, those who did not repent until the very end, and those who smiled with complete satisfaction. So what is the difference between those who repented their sins and those who did not? After doing this for a long time, I came to know. Those who asked for forgiveness were convinced that they were doing something wrong. Their not-so-short lives must have been accompanied by a sense of guilt from the moment they committed a crime. On the other hand, the following passage is written in the scriptures of the 72 teachings: “Man is born with sin, and those who feel a sense of guilt can repent at any time.” This means that those who know shame can repent and reform at any time. My view is a little different. Isn’t it more ugly for someone who is aware of their wrongdoings to still commit crimes? Is this view wrong? Is it because my head is weird?]

[Is it because I am iron-blooded?]

… … .

… … .

[Ulkua is the most civilized city in the empire. The city was founded in the past by exiled elves who generously shared their secret knowledge to develop their new land. Thanks to this knowledge as a cornerstone, Ulkua became the birthplace and center of alchemy and prospered for quite some time. However, rapid development has its side effects. Today, Ulkua is more famous as the ‘worst city ever’ than as the ‘birthplace of alchemy’. Anyone who sees the city’s scenery will think that.]

[The sky, polluted by smoke and wastewater from experiments and alchemy, was always a smoky gray, and rain that felt strangely warm when it touched my skin fell regardless of the season. Walking along the gray streets with the rain dripping down, I often got into trouble. Some people call this place, where tall buildings stand in a row, the ‘Concrete Forest’ in the empire. If you know that the city was developed by fairies, it’s a rather meaningful nickname. Do they see this ‘Concrete Forest’ as their former home? Even I, with dark elf blood in my veins, couldn’t tell. The only thought I had after seeing this place was one.]

[There must be a lot of places for maggots to hide.]

… … .

… … .

[If you ask who is the most difficult group among the six factions of the sect, there may be differences in opinions, but I would choose the ‘Black Swamp Faction’. Their infiltration, disguise, and acting are almost impossible to distinguish, so much so that even I have to observe them for a long time to barely notice them. Most people live without any suspicion, thinking of them as kind neighbors. So none of his relatives would have noticed that the kind-hearted dwarf old man of Ulkua, Esuru, was a priest of the Black Swamp. Esuru’s wrinkled face, which was on his knees, was filled with tears. His long life of 273 years might have flashed before his eyes. One thing is clear. The reason for those tears is not regret or repentance. Esuru said, “Please forgive my son, Lenao.” I shook my head. “There are no exceptions for sinners.” Esuru continued, “That child doesn’t even know that he is a sinner. “You just did me a favor without even knowing my true identity. Please, I beg you… … .” At that moment, a picture frame came into view, containing the image of an old man and his son on good terms.]

[Dwarf youth Lenao. A famous person. A young businessman who works hard and sweats to make Ulkua a better place. He is the only ray of sunshine in this gloomy city. According to my research, Lenao is almost an innocent person. If he was a believer, the cult would have suffered a lot of losses. He is the most enthusiastic person in expelling believers, and he has actually achieved many results. In other words, even if Lenao is a believer, it is advantageous for the time being to keep him alive. In order to hide the fact that he is a believer, Lenao will have no choice but to expel more believers. After calculating like this, I nodded, and Esuru was beheaded with a satisfied smile on his face.]

… … .

… … .

[When I visited Ulkua a year later, the city had become a bit more gloomy. The streets were swarming with vagrants, drug addicts, and criminals of all kinds, like rats infected with a plague. The moment my eyes met with a child who was searching through a trash can, I left the bag of bread I was holding on the ground and ran away. The city had not improved at all, but was quietly festering like an unattended wound. The cult was a swarm of bugs wriggling under the old mansion. They could not be completely eradicated. In other words, I knew from the beginning that I could not completely cleanse this city. However, it was strange that the state had gotten worse even after killing the cult’s key figures. The only way to completely eradicate the bugs was to tear down the mansion… … But what would happen to the other residents living in the mansion if I did that? This rotten, decaying city is a home to someone. That’s why no one can solve the problems Ulkua is facing.]

[I stepped back into the ash-colored city. I had to find out why this had happened.]

… … .

… … .

[Three days later, I stabbed Lenao in the heart. Lenao looked at me with wide eyes and spat out blood. Only the sound of metal came out of his gaping mouth, unable to form words. I wiped the blood off the blade and thought. Did Esuru deceive me? Or did he not know about his son’s misconduct? Maybe he was just starting to go astray due to the grief over losing his father. A year is not a short period of time. At least, it was enough time for a promising young businessman to turn into a drug dealer who ruled the underworld. To that extent, the drug business of the dwarf youth, Lenao, was thriving. It would have been difficult to achieve in a short period of time without a backer. … There would be no better business partner for the cult than a gang. Their goals were different, but their interests were perfectly aligned. Slowly, strangling the life out of a huge city. It didn’t matter what. Whether Lenao was a believer from the beginning, recently became corrupted, or has some other story, the truth is not that important compared to what he has already done.

[At that moment, I suddenly looked back at the sound of a scream. I saw a fairy woman with a startled face. It was a face I remembered. Before eliminating a target, it is absolutely necessary to investigate the surroundings first. Lenao’s wife. The woman screamed at the sight of my bloody appearance and suddenly knelt down. “Please save me… … .” I looked at the woman for a moment and then asked. “Did you know?” The startled woman answered, avoiding eye contact. “I didn’t know.” The woman’s entire body was adorned with gorgeous accessories as she answered. I slowly drew my sword. I couldn’t make the same mistake twice.]

… … .

… … .

[There are clear limits to what an individual can do. So what is the point of my actions? It’s like using a bucket to clean up a lake that’s already rotten and polluted. The fatigue I feel in my arms gives me the sense that I’m doing something, but the scenery I see doesn’t change.]

[How long can I keep moving? This strong body will eventually decay and eventually stop. The more you push yourself, the sooner that time will come. But never rest. You must not rest. If you were my brother, you would have accomplished everything long ago.]

[Today I learned a lesson from the darkness of Ulkua.]

[At least I won’t make any mistakes against my followers in the future.]

***

Delak woke up from his reverie.

Since reading the diary, I’ve had moments like this where I lose my mind.

Every time that happened, what came to mind was what was written in the Iron Blood’s journal.

It’s strange.

Even though it was something Delak had never experienced before, whenever he read the diary, it became a memory rather than a text, and the scenery at that time came to mind.

And every time that happened, I felt like a sense of relief that had been dormant was coming back to me.

This can’t be my imagination.

“Please, I beg you. Have mercy… … ”

“… … .”

The thought was long, but when I came to my senses, not even a moment had passed.

There were still people in front of Delak, bowing their heads and begging for their lives.

Coincidentally, it was a dwarf. Delak felt as if he was surrounded by dozens of Esuru.

I suddenly felt dizzy.

At that moment, an interesting word was heard from among those sobbing and begging for mercy.

“…we didn’t know anything.”

At that moment, my dizzy mind suddenly became clear. The moment the dizziness disappeared, Delak brought up a question similar to the past.

“You really didn’t know?”

“really…….”

“You may not have known that Master Visid was directly in league with the sect. But really, did you not feel any discomfort?”

Delak looked around at the breathless crowd and said.

“The reason why Vulcan suddenly became angry, and yet no one in the village knew about it, and the fact that the village finances were not in any particular order despite the fact that the work could not be delivered periodically. All of these were facts that could have been discovered with just a little bit of attention… … .”

Delak thought of Lenao’s wife. He thought of the ornate jewelry she wore all over her body.

Could it be that the wise fairy really didn’t know?

About the value of the jewelry you wear, and what sacrifices must be made to make such luxury possible.

No, that’s not true.

You probably knew about it but didn’t see it.

It’s not hard to turn your gaze, and the fruits you can get in return are sweet.

“I guess you ignored it.”

“… … .”

“If the situation in the village was really serious, there would have been no room to entertain guests. Doing good deeds is only possible when you have the means.”

So from the moment he was served a meat dish on the first day, Delak knew that this town had it easy.

This fact was in clear contradiction with what Master Visid had said the next day.

From that moment on, Delak became suspicious of the town.

“… … .”

The one responding disappeared. Only the occasional quiet sobbing voice could be heard.

Delak thought he was ready now.

Just before he was put on the execution stand, he was given a final reprieve.

Unlike the dwarves who had killed Visidna before, these people deserved to know why they were dying.

The reason why we no longer hear voices asking for mercy is because they too feel guilty.

Sling.

It was the moment when Delak drew his sword.

“Stop.”

Delak’s head turned at the sudden voice.

What emerged from the streets engulfed in flames was a lizardman holding a strange weapon.

At that moment, I felt dizzy again.

Now I know the essence of that person, who has a completely different appearance.

And every time I see that person, someone’s image comes to mind.

‘older brother.’

Delak asked, not showing any sign of confusion.

“why.”