The Berserker’s Second Playthrough in the Game - Chapter 115



Only Krnovel

Episode 115 Judgment of Atala (18)

The king of the arena, Ubik, thought he was looking at nothing.

It was worth it. I suffered pain for the first time in my life, and I lost a lot of blood. A scene like that could never have been real. In a hurry, I took a gulp of the strong drink I had brought to calm myself.

But the sight before my eyes was still the same.

Gold coins and gold bars were endlessly pouring into the tiny bag, rattling and clanking.

‘No, what is this… … . What the heck is this… … .’

At first, I thought it was quite large compared to its size. As I continued to look, it wasn’t that much. About 30% of the gold coins disappeared, then half of them disappeared, and in the end, almost all of them disappeared, and the bag showed no sign of being full.

“W-what… … ? What have you done? Could it be that you made a hole in the bottom of the bag? “Hurry, hurry and pick up your bag!”

Kadim shrugged and picked up the bag. Sure enough, there was no hole underneath. The barbarian and the peddler continued to scoop up gold.

It wasn’t in vain, and it wasn’t a hole made. But it was clear that he had committed fraud. He told me to quit right now, what kind of trick he was doing, did he have a ghost eating gold coins in his bag, etc. Ubik kept arguing at the top of his lungs.

Kadim ignored all his protests, and only after a while did he speak to himself with a serious expression.

“Oh my, we’re in trouble.”

“What… …? What? What’s wrong? Is that damn bag finally full?”

“No, I’m not even halfway through and I’m out of gold. I’ll have to fill the remaining space with jewels or something.”

“… … What?!”

Ubik forgot about his physical condition and struggled like a wild boar that had been struck by lightning.

The riot didn’t last long. Kadim approached him with a straight face and gently grabbed his shoulder.

“You definitely promised, right? I decided to fill that bag full of gold. “There’s absolutely nothing wrong, so why make such a fuss?”

“No, ugh… … You little shits who are worse than dogs!! I didn’t tell you that bag was some kind of weird monster… … Ugh, huff… … Ah, no, rather! You promised to take only the gold, so why are you eyeing other riches too… … Ugh… … .”

“Oh, that’s right. Then why didn’t you prepare enough gold? Anyway, if you don’t fill the bag with gold, you’ll be breaking your promise… … .”

“… … ?”

“… … Just wait a moment. “I’ll go up and bring you another treat.”

“… … !!!”

The king of the arena inevitably exercised flexibility in substituting gold for other goods.

Finally, ‘Inventory’ swallowed up all the gold and silver treasures in the warehouse. While looking around the empty floor, a goofy laugh escaped Yubik’s muzzle.

“Haha, haha… … Heh, hehe, hehe… … .”

There was still some room left. Kadim looked around the next storage room and found a pile of slave documents. He had to stuff them all in before the bag was finally full.

The bag became as heavy as a rock, but the heart became as light as a feather. Kadim waved his hand and said goodbye.

“Thank you for keeping your promise. I’ll give you this as a gift, so you can use it to pay for drinks later.”

Something rolled across the floor and hit an empty bottle of liquor.

Tingrrrrrr, tang – !

A silver coin worth 100 Luden. It was now his entire fortune.

Ubik stared at it blankly, then finally lost consciousness and peed his pants.

“Heh, hehehe, hehe… … . Keuhehe, keuehehehehehe… … .”

Ubik Agramendus, a very wealthy man who was praised by many as the ‘King of the Arena’, lost the arena, mercenaries, slaves, all his assets, and even a piece of scaffolding in an instant, and faced a meaningless destruction.

*

The way out of the underground warehouse.

Kadim was calm, but Duncan was not. He glanced back and spoke in a quiet voice.

“I, Your Majesty… … . I, it was my plan in the first place, but it makes me feel uneasy to see someone so ruined… … . The arena has collapsed, so there’s no place for money to come in… … But I guess I should have left some gold behind… … .”

As always, the cynical answer from Kadim came back.

“Don’t worry about it. Didn’t I tell you before that this was the judgment he deserved? It’s meaningless if he doesn’t take every penny. Besides, didn’t you hear that they’re going to put a bounty on our heads with the remaining money?”

“Ha, but these… … should I really have them? I have nothing but the things I have earned through grinding, and in fact, they are things that my lord has worked very hard to earn… … .”

“If it weren’t for that millstone, I wouldn’t have been able to see this treasure. And didn’t I promise to give you gold and silver treasures that you wouldn’t be able to use in your lifetime anyway? Aren’t you happy that your wish has come true?”

“Oh, no, I’m happy, but… … The amount of treasure is way too much for my size, and I feel bad about using the money I got by squeezing someone else’s money just to satisfy my own interests… … .”

A gaze penetrating down on the top of your head. Duncan gasped, thinking he had made a mistake, and closed his mouth. In reality, he just felt dumbfounded by the contradiction that Kadim was blaming himself for after committing something so grandly.

However, the contradiction was proof that the peddler still had his humanity intact. Kadim had already anticipated the reaction and decided what to do.

“It’s definitely too much for one person to eat. It’s also a hassle to carry around.”

Boom – !

As he put down the ‘inventory’, the ground shook heavily. It was a weight that only a savage with great strength could carry, but if it were anyone else, it wouldn’t have been strange for them to be crushed to death.

Do I really have to listen to that now? While Duncan was terrified, Kadim relaxed his stiff shoulders and ordered.

“Bring all the slaves from the mansion. “I brought everything I could, including bags and bundles.”

“… … yes?”

“Let’s try to use the things we picked up together appropriately.”

Flapping, a bundle of slave documents fluttered in Khadim’s large hands.

*

A wind that makes your mouth feel rough and your back feel damp.

In the wastelands outside of Agon, there are no buildings or earthen walls to block the dust storms. But among the three hundred or so Atalain warriors who inspected the scene, not a single one blinked.

“From now on, I have something to tell you… … .”

Goltarran confessed everything to the ‘Indomitable Force’.

I am not the Great Warrior of Atala… … . I am not the angry horn of Agon, nor the hero who saved the alliance… … . I am not a legendary champion, but rather a slaughterer who destroyed the arena… … . I can no longer remain in that city, I can no longer receive the support of the council or the rich, I can no longer dispense elixirs and divine relics… … .

I am a nothing man.

“… … So, anyone who wants to leave can do so freely.”

““… … .””

At first there was solemn silence.

And there were gentle ripples like raindrops falling on the quiet surface of the water. The ripples that erupted here and there merged into one another and soon turned into a rumble that poured down like a downpour. Goltaran calmly closed his eyes, thinking it was time to deal with his karma.

But unexpectedly, what was heard before the subordinates’ condemnation was a young voice.

“Oh, no! Heo-eok, heo-eok, go, Goltaran! Goltaran! “He is absolutely nothing!”

“… … ?”

“Go, Goltaranan, you are a hero! You are the hero who saved my life… … . I, I… … If it weren’t for Goltaranan… … If it weren’t for Goltaranan, I would have already… … . Gasp, gasp… … .”

A small child came running in a hurry. Out of breath and with a pounding heart, he could not continue speaking. Goltarran doubted his eyes.

“you… … ? you… … How do I get here… … .”

It was a slave child who had been whipped and covered in blood the other day and had been saved.

It wasn’t just the children who had come. In the distance, hundreds of people were coming toward us. They were all Atalain slaves under the Ubik Column, whom Goltharan had struggled to free.

And at the head of the procession stood a familiar figure.

Demon Slayer, Khadim.

Kadim walked across the surprised and suspicious warriors and naturally stood in front of the leader. Gol Taran also looked no different from his subordinates. Numerous questions bubbled up in my throat.

But before I could ask anything, Kadim struck first.

“I came to take a break.”

“… … yes?”

“You can’t lead a group like this and go around fighting demons. Take responsibility and take it with you. “If you have that many troops, it won’t be difficult to lead them.”

The preceding explanation was too concise.

Goltarran stuttered, not knowing where to start. He managed to ask how they had been brought. He was told that this was what he had received in return for becoming a champion, and that all the slave documents had already been burned.

Goltaran let out a laugh. Ironically, Ubik actually handed over the slaves to Kadim, just as he had lied. The result was something completely different… … .

In any case, the liberation of slaves is Goltaran’s long-cherished wish. Even if I bowed thousands of times and expressed my gratitude, it wasn’t enough.

But now he was in no position to take responsibility for them.

“I’m sorry… … I cannot take on that responsibility. He can no longer stay in Agon and is a fugitive with nowhere else to go… … .”

“Take this and go to Delutana. There, look for a man named Enrico Turis.”

Kadim handed over a piece of paper as if he had been waiting for it. Goltarran tilted his head.

“… … What is this?”

“This is a pass for the Golden Road. If you show him this, he will think that I sent you. He is a councilor from that council, and since I know him a little, he probably won’t refuse if you ask for help. I once highly evaluated you as warriors with the strength of a hundred against one… … .”

“… … .”

In this way, the destination and residence issues were temporarily resolved. But the serious problem remained that the warriors would no longer follow him and that he did not have the funds to feed them all.

Those problems were also solved one after another like a lie.

“That child is right. The Great Warrior, no, Lord Goltarran… … even if he is not a Great Warrior, he is still our hero. Didn’t he give us, who were almost imprisoned in the bars of the arena our whole lives, a meaningful fight and a better future?”

“That’s right! If it weren’t for you, Goltarran, we would still be treated as uncivilized barbarians!”

A few warriors were disappointed and left, but the majority remained steadfast. Their hearts still recognized Goltaran as the unique leader of their army.

Soon, one warrior shouted a battle cry, and the others followed suit.

“Glory to Atala! Nevertheless, glory to our leader who will lead the army!”

““Glory to Atala!” Nevertheless, glory to our leader who will lead the army!”

The warriors’ shouts reverberated across the land like thunder. The sound of chests being beaten like war drums resonated. Goltarran bit his lips and lowered his head, secretly suppressing the emotions that were welling up inside him.

Kadim, who had been watching the scene indifferently, called out to the porters carrying bundles.

“Don’t worry about feeding your subordinates and compatriots. “If I’m going to save time, I’ll have to pay the processing fee instead.”

As the porters unpacked the bundles, Goltaran’s wide eyes opened as wide as his fists.

Gold and silver bars, all sorts of dazzling jewels. They were ridiculously expensive items for a mere processing fee. Just as I was about to ask where they came from, I was given a clear warning along with an explanation that they had raided Ubik’s warehouse.

“Of course, I’m not saying I’ll give you all of this unconditionally. You can use half of it as you like, but you must keep the other half safe and never touch it. That’s all for the interest.”

Goltarran’s eyes followed the thick fingers.

At the end was an unfamiliar face. A peddler who showed incredible fighting spirit by fighting to the death with himself.

Goltaran’s face grew serious and he quickly narrowed the distance.

Duncan saw that and froze. Arrogant thoughts passed through my head. But are you really going to kill me and take the treasure for yourself? Or is it to get revenge for the secret stabbing in Soltana? Or were you caught yesterday sticking a dagger into your hair and burning off your beard?

Not all of them. Goltarran knelt down and declared solemnly.

“I swear by the noble name of Atala that I will guard your treasures with my life. Anyone who sets his eyes on what you have will have both eyes gouged out without exception, and anyone who touches it will have both hands cut off.”

“uh… … yes?”

Duncan, looking pale, said, ‘No, there’s no need to go that far…’ … ‘ and dragged his tail, but Gol Taran didn’t seem to be listening.

“And I sincerely apologize for what happened before. Looking back, you were right. I was really a fake warrior, and that person was the only true warrior… … Huh.”

Suddenly a rough hand covered my mouth. The cold look in her eyes when she tilts her head.

Kadim gestured toward the warriors he was quietly inspecting. This means that if they find out, an internal division may occur, so don’t reveal your identity.

Even though he said he followed Goltarran, his desire to join the Great Warrior’s mission could not have been small. Now that he thought about it, ‘Atala’s Judgment’ had been hidden for a long time, so it was nowhere to be seen. Goltarran reproached himself for his carelessness and meekly followed the Great Warrior’s will.

Even if we leave aside the fact that he was a great warrior, Khadim was a benefactor who saved his enslaved compatriots and provided them with enormous military funds.

At the leader’s command, all the warriors of the army knelt and beat their chests. The freed slaves prostrated themselves, even if they were covered in dirt. The crowd, which was so dense that it made the vast wasteland look narrow, paid homage to only one person.

““Great glory to the demon slayer!””

““May Atala’s fighting spirit be with you in the future of our great brother!”

““Father of the wilderness! “Bless and grace the future of the Holy Liberator!”

“… … .”

Kadim turned his back without showing any sign of it. Duncan, who was struggling under the burden, followed him in a hurry. Even so, not a single one of those who had knelt down and prostrated themselves rose until the outlines of the two were lost in the vast wasteland far, far away.

Even if the benefactor’s eyes are out of sight, the Atalans’ way of engraving that favor in their bones and pledging that they will never forget it.

Only when the dark stain finally disappeared did everyone get up. But as Goltarran was getting up, he noticed something bothering him.

“What’s wrong, child? Is there something wrong?”

“… … .”

The slave child he saved. He didn’t lie down or kneel, and there wasn’t a single speck of dirt on his clothes. The child, who hesitated with a dark expression, soon revealed his true feelings.

“Goltaran, this is a secret. I, that person… … I saw you using that black axe. Could it be that he… … Didn’t you steal Goltaran’s weapon? … ?”

Goltarran stared into the worried eyes and burst into laughter. Then he gently stroked the child’s hair with his rough hands.

“You told me a secret, so I’ll tell you a secret. Actually… … it’s the opposite. That axe is not mine, but originally belonged to him. I misused it while the owner was away, but now that its rightful owner has arrived, I should return it to him.”

His eyes widened. The child knew who the owner of the axe was.

“But, Goltaran… … . That person, that person… … It was so cruel. All the mercenaries at the master’s mansion, even the people who begged for their lives… … I mean he was killed horribly. Of course, we are very grateful that you saved us, but… … Well, it’s hard to believe that such a scary and cruel person is the Great Warrior… … .”

Goltaran looked up at the sky.

The celestial sphere rolling across the sky had not yet left the center of the sky. But someday, the sun would surely set and night would come. A cruel and vicious night whose end was hard to predict.

“… … It is said that someone’s comfortable night is usually completed by someone else’s sweaty night. Spending the night of endless struggle, destroying evil and confronting enemies, that is the mission he has been given. If he hadn’t killed all the mercenaries, wouldn’t they have chased us?”

“… … .”

“So we should not fear him, but respect him. Because that brutal struggle will ultimately save us. The blood that collects in his footsteps will surely become fertilizer for the new sprouts that will emerge in the new world.”

The child lowered his head solemnly. Nevertheless, it was clear that he was still not convinced. From now on, Goltaran was at a loss as to what and how to persuade him.

Then, an unfamiliar color suddenly appeared in his vision.

Colors that have never been seen in this area.

“… … Look at that. Aren’t there already signs of a new world sprouting?”

“… … !”

The child also saw the same thing as Goltaran. My voice trembled with excitement.

“Really, those…” … “You said you grew up thanks to that person?”

“Yes, that’s right. A shaman who cursed this land with her wrong intentions… … “He judged.”

“… … .”

A bitter smile appeared on Goltarran’s lips. The child’s eyes, unaware of anything, sparkled like water scales.

The sizzling, evil sunlight poured down on the wasteland. An acrid fever blew as if it was trying to uproot the will to live. However, the sprouts, which had broken through the barren soil and sprouted cotyledons, did not break even though they were shaken, and gently let the hot sunlight and wind flow by.

One summer when the fresh blood of countless people poured down like monsoon rain.

Fresh green was returning to the land of Agon, where life had been forgotten.