The Berserker’s Second Playthrough in the Game - Chapter 116



Only Krnovel

Episode 116. The Star That Pierces the Truth (1)

The summer heat has become more bearable than before, since we are finally out of the wasteland.

The change seeped into the land little by little, little by little, but clearly.

Weeds mixed in with the road surface, which had been covered only with black bushes. Trees that had grown sparsely slowly formed a colony. The green traces that became clearer with each step, turned into a flood of vivid greenery as soon as we left the boundaries of Agon.

There was no dust that made my throat stuffy all day long, and no geothermal heat that heated the air. A clear breeze, cool shade from trees, and a refreshingly flowing stream take their place.

The work in Agon was neatly completed, and I was able to escape the tedious wasteland and return to the green space for the first time in a while, so no matter what happens later, I am at least a little excited for now.

Duncan was biting his nails nervously for some reason.

Kadim asked vaguely.

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

“Ah… … No! There’s nothing wrong! Wow, the weather is nice! The wind is cool, the sun is warm, and my, my pockets are full… … This is heaven, Your Majesty!”

“… … .”

A captivating acting ability that can make even the most clueless person doubt.

Kadim was sure. There was something about that guy. He narrowed his eyes and scanned the peddler’s appearance.

And I quickly figured out why.

“Where did you put the dagger?”

“……yes?”

“The hellfire dagger I gave you. Why is the steel dagger I got from Galentana the only one left?”

The blood drained from Duncan’s face.

That’s right. He failed to retrieve the Hellfire Dagger he had lost from the ruins. When he realized he had lost it and tried to retrieve it, the priestess had already passed away and the ruins were closed.

That dagger was not an ordinary weapon. An immortal masterpiece created by Old Man Sledgehammer with all his might, processing a new soldier who had burnt down many demons with Elgar’s blessing. Moreover, it was a very meaningful item to Duncan personally. It was the first gift he received from Kadim, and a proof that he had proven his worth.

But since it had already been used as a disposable tinder and was already gone, there was nothing that could be done. Duncan confessed the whole situation and fell down trembling. He was prepared to be punished by having his hair and beard pulled out at the very least.

But surprisingly, Kadim did not impose any punishment.

“Then, so… … you were the one who caused the rocks to fall and the priestess to crawl out.”

“……yes?”

“Get up. “It may not have been intentional, but thanks to you, my life was saved this time.”

Instead, he gladly congratulated him and gave him another hellfire dagger.

The death of this great warrior still brings indescribable joy. However, because the situation was so unexpected, Duncan did not react for a while and just blinked like a dazed mule.

Duncan speaks with difficulty, holding on to his senses.

“So, you’re not pulling out your beard?”

“… … “Why do I choose that?”

“B-but… … “Wasn’t that dagger a very important weapon to you?”

“It’s important, but it’s not more important than life. If I hadn’t stopped the rocks there, I probably would have died. And, well, it’s not just one weapon.”

The Hellfire Daggers that the Hammermaster had made were four in total. Even after giving away another one, there were still two left.

Whatever the circumstances, Duncan was so moved by Hahae’s generosity that he knelt down and burst into tears. He had been worried about when his beard would grow back after being plucked out… …. Kadim glared at the stubble as if it was disgusting and added a warning.

“But, if you lose that again, be prepared. “Not just your beard, but your entire body will be plucked out.”

“Whether it is possible or not! “I’ll boil it in boiling water in advance to make it easier to pull out and wait for you, Nauri!”

“… … .”

… … Looking at Duncan smiling brightly, Kadim began to think that maybe the peddler was going crazy too.

At the end of the path, they found an empty space next to a stream. The two decided to take a short break here. Duncan cleverly set down a glass of wine and a glass of wine, and then he headed toward the stream with a smile, carrying ingredients and a pot, saying he would prepare a meal.

Kadim didn’t pick up his glass right away. Instead, he decided to take the opportunity to check his belongings.

‘As my luggage increases, I start to lose track of what I have… … . There is also loot obtained from Agon, so it would be a good idea to check it at least once before forgetting or losing it like that.’

If it was a game, I could have just opened the window and looked through it, but in reality, ‘inventory’ wasn’t like that. I had to turn it over to see what was inside. After emptying out the heavy bag and taking out everything from my belt and arms, I found a mound of luggage.

“… … .”

Looking at it this way, I couldn’t check it properly. We divided the luggage by type. Weapons, clothing, food, goods, drinks, artifacts, demon blood, and other miscellaneous… … . We gathered similar items together and inspected each item one by one.

Clothing, food, and drinks were plentiful. I had barely used what I had in Galentana, and I had taken what was left over from Ubik’s mansion.

Wealth was overflowing. When I added the gold bars and jewelry I had collected to the original money, it seemed to be worth 20 million Luden at most. It was enough money to buy 6,000 ponies and open a ranch.

Relics were things that might come in handy someday. A stone tablet following the ruins, and two silver coins of the fallen nation. I decided to keep it in my arms so as not to lose it.

The demon blood was in bad shape. Apart from the tattooed blood of Pebillatus, the rest had completely rotted away in the heat of the wasteland. I decided to incinerate them and get fresh blood as soon as I could.

The weapons looked sturdy enough just by looking at them. Two hellfire daggers, a bloodthirsty man with ‘bloodsucking’ and ‘blood accumulation’, and even a lightning strike with ‘return’ and ‘thunderbolt’. These alone were solid weapons that easily surpassed rare items made by sloppily putting together enchantments.

But this time, I got a fraudulent weapon of a different class.

A jet-black battle ax that exudes overwhelming intimidation.

Kadim’s eyes stopped on ‘Atala’s Judgment’.

In the game, this axe was classified as the highest grade, ‘Legendary’. However, considering its symbolism and performance, I thought that it actually needed a separate higher grade to be classified accurately. The bestowal of divine power is only a very basic use, and depending on the skill of the owner, it is a weapon that can display several levels of destructive power.

It also had a significant meaning beyond performance.

‘Atala’s Judgement’ was also a first-time favorite that accompanied him until the moment when he cut down countless demons in the Demon Realm and finally cut off the Great Demon’s head. The number of times this pitch-black axe blade saved his life was innumerable. He felt a new sense of joy and satisfaction as if he had found a lost comrade.

‘Of course, after killing the Great Demon, he left without much regret… … .’

That would never happen again. Now that he had fully accepted the identity and mission of the Great Warrior, Kadim slid the sack down as if he was awkwardly handing over an apology.

Woof, the axe head gave a slight recoil. It seemed that 300 years of waiting couldn’t be quelled with just one touch-up. It seemed that in order to completely ease the resistance… …it would take a little more time.

The rest of the odds and ends were mostly nothing special. Duncan’s original luggage, daily necessities from the general store, oil and a whetstone for maintaining weapons…

But there were some things that stood out in the meantime.

A stick wrapped in a piece of cloth, and black stone chips.

‘This… … .’

It was only after a while that I finally remembered who it was. An iron staff obtained by killing an old wizard possessed by a demon in Soltana. And a magic stone taken from the heart of a high-ranking wizard who was Remtana’s assistant.

Coincidentally, they were items reminiscent of the next destination and destination of the journey.

Magic Tower.

The last traces of the genius girl wizard, Melissa, remain.

And a place where the founder’s intentions seem to have diverged greatly, where they collect the corpses of demons and carry out strange schemes.

‘So, what are you going to do after defeating the Great Evil? Um, well… … Should we build a tower to teach wizards?’

The voice that was usually fresh and cheerful, but at other times very serious, was still vivid in my ears. My memory had not rusted at all, but in reality, the thickness of time had piled up.

300 years. The day is not far when he will be able to confirm the truth of what happened while he was away. It would be nice if he could access Melissa’s records in the Magic Tower without much friction, but the probability of that happening does not seem very high…

“Okay, I’ve made some meat soup! The broth is thick, but it won’t taste bad… … Oh, what are you doing, Your Majesty?”

Duncan looked at the piles of luggage strewn about like a street vendor’s stall, and Kadim stopped thinking, gathered the iron staff and the shards of magic stone together in a piece of cloth, and placed them in one place.

“I was just cleaning up a bit. Put that pot down here. I’ll clean up the rest after we finish eating.”

The soup was quite edible, with plenty of dried meat pieces and a thick broth. Instead of talking, we drank the soup and exchanged drinks.

The soup bowl was almost empty when the voice came out again. Duncan glanced at me and asked.

“Your Majesty… … . In just a few more days, won’t we finally arrive at the Magic Tower?”

“yes.”

“If that’s the case, then soon… … May I ask what you plan to do there? … ? What is it, Melissa? Meliza? First of all, I think it’s about the first magic tower lord… … Because I didn’t hear the situation properly before… … .”

“… … .”

Now that I think about it, I haven’t told Duncan the purpose of my journey yet. Kadim laughed to himself and answered coolly.

“I’m going to look into the records of the first Mage Tower. “I have something to find out there.”

“Ah… … Ah? Ah… … That’s right! Th, what is that… … As expected, you are a great man! You have not only trained in martial arts, but also in learning… … .”

“Enough with the nonsense. By the way, is there anything else you want to ask?”

“… … .”

Duncan closed his mouth and hesitated.

He was guessing to some extent now.

This person is not just a warrior from beyond the mountains. More than that, he is a great man with an incredibly complex story. something… … That it holds a huge secret that touches the essence of this world.

But I was still afraid to ask about the secret.

Compared to when I first met him, I gained a lot of trust in him. However, it did not change the fact that if Lee’s judgment was distorted, he would die without even making a sound. Duncan has not yet received the most important reward of the journey, ‘life’.

‘That may be true, but still, still… … .’

Still, the end is near.

Your job will be completed if you lead the way to Vestana, the city where the Magic Tower is located. Finally, you become free. I can return to my hometown where my wife and son are waiting for me. Since I had acquired goods that I could never use for the rest of my life, it was quite possible for me to quit my life as a peddler and open a business in a big city.

But, if that happens… …

… … Am I never going to see you again?

“I asked if there were any more questions.”

“Huh!”

Duncan’s shoulders shook in surprise. He quickly smiled vaguely as he looked at Kadim, whose expression was hardened.

“Uh, none! “There isn’t one!”

“… …Why are you so surprised?”

“Oh, it’s nothing! Well, by the way… … Do you think Remtana’s counselor Nauri will be okay? I’m sure you’d be very surprised if so many Atalans suddenly came… … .”

“… … .”

Hearing those words, Kadim suddenly remembered something he had forgotten.

The councilor said he was sending a letter looking for a way to look up the records of some magic tower… … What happened to that?

*

Remtana’s councilor, Enrico Turis, was still the center of attention in Delutana.

No, rather, he was receiving more attention than before. In addition to the fact that he was the first to report the death of an Arch Paladin and a high-ranking wizard, rumors also spread that he had contacts with the ‘Demon Slayer’.

“Counsel Enrico, is it true that you gave that ‘demon slayer’ a pass to the Golden Way?”

“… … .”

The reputation of the ‘Demon Slayer’, who built mountains with the corpses of demons, was already widespread in the Golden City.

Not only were his exploits on the Golden Road known. Those with keen ears heard of what had happened in Galentana, and those with very quick information even heard of some of what had happened in Agon.

So, there was boundless interest. To the inspector who had met the fearsome mercenary. People would flock to Enrico like flies whenever they had the chance to ask him about it.

“Sir, did he really tear the demons apart with his bare hands?”

“Are the rumors true that he eats devil meat instead of rice and picks his teeth with devil bones?”

“Didn’t they kill people and cause chaos in Remtana? They say that the demon slayer came and the population of Galentana was reduced by half… … .”

“Counselor, if you get a chance, could you introduce it to me later? I’m thinking of forming a mercenary group… … .”

“… … .”

Still, that kind of interest was okay. Although it’s absurd and annoying, it doesn’t cause much harm.

What was truly dangerous was the attention of those with keen intuition who noticed something suspicious.

“Counselor, how did you get to know him? Is there any reason for a mercenary like that to pass by Remtana? There won’t be any demons or monsters worth money there… … .”

“Maybe… … “Didn’t the Demon Slayer also have some kind of influence on the events that led to the deaths of Archpaladin and Ymir Demil?”

“… … .”

It wasn’t just some kind of influence, they both died by the hands of Khadim.

It was a situation that Enrico could not be happy about. If the truth were to be revealed, not only himself and his family, but the entire Delutana could be ruined. Sometimes, he regretted his decision to become an accomplice with Kadim.

But the die has already been cast.

Enrico did what he had to do. He did his best to hide the truth, negotiated behind the scenes with sources, spread fake information to confuse speculation, and searched for every way to look up the records of the Magic Tower. He was so busy that there were only a handful of days when he slept for more than two hours after coming to Del Rutana.

Still, it wasn’t a meaningless effort. If you succeed in gambling, you’ll get something.

A demon slayer named ‘Kadim’.

A desperate measure that could destroy the cult’s asymmetrical power, the ‘Decagram’, when the Empire and the Alliance face off.

But while I was living such a busy life, an unexpected incident occurred.

“… … Okay, then please tell the story well, Feldrick.”

“Yes, don’t worry, Councilor!”

After finally completing secret negotiations with the Magic Tower side, a dispatch was sent to convey the news to Kadim. The hollow shadows under his eyes stretched down to his chin, but a smile appeared on Enrico’s lips for the first time in a long time at the thought that his big job was done.

“Phew… … .”

The next thing to do was a meeting with his brother, Pellico. The previously announced visit from the Archbishop of the Elgar Church was already just around the corner. She slowly returns to the mansion and is about to finish her top… … .

The moment I turned my back, Enrico’s spirit disappeared.

Whoosh… … .

A silence that came without any warning.

In the place where one person suddenly disappeared, the sun’s gaze was the only thing that wavered naturally.