The Berserker’s Second Playthrough in the Game - Chapter 15



Only Krnovel

Episode 15 Demon Baron (1)

A short clearing in the forest.

Tiny sparks flew up onto the pile of firewood. The sun had already set, but the lukewarm late spring warmth showed no sign of abating. The grasshoppers that had spent the winter as larvae chirped and sang early, welcoming the warm weather.

Duncan was huddled in the fire, absorbed in piecing together the pieces at an inopportune time. Kadim, who had just washed his blood off in the stream, looked at Duncan from afar.

“Have you put all the pieces together, peddler?”

“Oh, yeah… … . It’s almost done, Nauri. But where did you get this from? Why does the paper smell so strange and become mushy? … .”

“Camouflage.”

“……yes?”

“I cut open the stomach of the leader of the bandits and took it out. I swallowed it and told him to take it if I could, so I did.”

“… … .”

Duncan barely managed to suppress his nausea.

‘Okay, why didn’t I bring this out myself? … .’

More than twenty days have already passed since I accompanied this crazy barbarian. The way of thinking of peddlers was also gradually becoming more distant from common sense.

“Whoa… … . For now, I guessed everything I could, Nauri. “Let’s check it out.”

“… … .”

Although there were a few pieces stuck together and unbreakable, the map Duncan had restored was legible. The pictures and writings were consistent with what the bandit leader had confessed.

Kadim leaned back against the rock and said.

“They say Molden was surrounded by hundreds of soldiers.”

“… … yes? Is that really true?”

“Maybe so. I guess that bandit leader wasn’t a liar.”

Duncan scratched his head in embarrassment.

“Thanks to my annihilation of two bandits, we have obtained an abundance of food and supplies for immediate consumption. I can’t take it all, so I have to leave most of it behind. But I couldn’t find the quality weapon that Nauri wanted… … .”

“… … .”

It was as he said.

Most of the bandits’ weapons were in poor or crude condition. All they had managed to salvage were a few daggers for throwing. They had finally found the whereabouts of the dwarven axe, but they couldn’t just give it up and go.

Besides, there was something else to worry about.

”Evil Baron’… … .’

The alias of Lord Molden, as mentioned by the leader of the bandits.

Even 300 years ago, there were quite a few lords with similar nicknames. They didn’t actually make a contract with the devil, but rather, they were nicknames that were usually given to them by squeezing the people of the territory harshly.

Another lord used that as an excuse to invade, so it didn’t seem like that was the reason. If a civil war had been started in the name of a performance, the emperor would not have stayed silent. There was no doubt that there was something complicated going on.

‘But if it really is related to the devil, why didn’t the Elgar Order step forward and why did another lord…?’

It was a question I couldn’t answer if I thought about it alone. Kadim relayed to Duncan exactly what he had heard from the leader of the bandits.

After hearing the situation, Duncan tilted his head and placed his chin on his chin.

“The Devil Baron… … . I think I’ve heard that name before… … .”

“… … .”

“… … It is unlikely that this name was given because of harsh rule or because of a contract with the devil. I once had a drink with a merchant from Malden, and he said that his hometown was a great place to live and that he missed it. “If the lord was an evil and greedy person, he wouldn’t have said such a thing, right?”

Kadim slowly shook his head. That story could never be used as evidence to prove that there was no connection with the devil.

The devil is the one who desires human suffering and despair more than anyone else. And suffering and despair are very relative. A person who has been poor all his life will not feel much even if he skips a meal, but if you feed him for years and then starve him again, he will feel terrible pain.

So, some cunning and cunning devils… … It tends to give humans supreme happiness and then plunge them into the abyss.

‘You say it was a good place to live in, with bandits and monsters running wild nearby? … On the contrary, the reason it was possible was probably thanks to the devil… … .’

I stopped thinking about it at that point.

Since there was no evidence, that was also an excessive speculation. Either the lord was related to the devil, or he was not. For now, it was correct to see that both possibilities were open.

After shaking the canteen, Kadim was troubled.

‘The remaining blood… … ‘That’s enough for one more drink.’

Of course, I couldn’t just pass over Molden. However, I was worried about how I could break through hundreds of troops with just one sword and a drop of blood.

“I… … Your Majesty? Although it may be presumptuous of you to ask, there is one thing I would like to ask you.”

A peddler’s voice breaks your thoughts. Kadim gave a dry look without saying anything. Duncan accepted this as silent permission and cautiously opened the door.

“When you first met the bandits yesterday, didn’t you introduce yourself as the ‘Champion of Atala’?”

“… … .”

“I, I, I don’t really know, but… … Who can receive that title? Is it only the warriors who are particularly outstanding among the warriors who serve Atala… … .”

“… … “Why are you asking that question?”

“Ah, no, that’s… … As far as I know, ‘Agon’s Angry Horn’ also goes around saying that he’s the ‘Champion of Atala’. I didn’t know that there was anyone else besides that legendary mercenary who called himself the ‘Champion of Atala’… … Huh!”

Sparks flew from Kadim’s eyes. Duncan, startled by the sudden attack, raised his arms and crouched his entire body.

‘The Great Warrior of Atala’ was not a nickname given to a warrior who was only good at fighting. A sacred title given only to one of the Atallains, a warrior who has taken on the mission of slaying the great evil on behalf of the god of wilderness and struggle.

Only those who possess this title will have the power to suffocate the Great Evil.

Just as two suns cannot rise over the wilderness, there can never be two ‘Great Warriors of Atala’ in this world.

Then the odds were 50-50. Either the Argonian Horn was using the title without knowing it, or… … .

‘… … Or Atala forgot me and chose another warrior.’

After all, 300 years have passed since then. It is unknown how omnipotent the god of this world is, but if he didn’t know his whereabouts, it would have been enough to choose a new great warrior.

However, understanding and anger were different.

Not only have you fallen behind in your times, but you have also been abandoned by the god you serve? Fury boiled like lava. Was he just a consumable item that could be replaced at any time? Has that damned Atala already forgotten how I endured a terrible madness and killed an archdemon?

Moreover, the new great warrior is enjoying wealth and honor in the arena, putting aside his mission of killing demons… … .

‘… … If I meet you, I will tear you to death.’

This did not only apply to arena champions. An unholy declaration that even includes the gods of wilderness and struggle.

It would be a shame to leave even a minor blessing such as ‘name forger’, otherwise Khadim would have committed even greater blasphemy.

Thump thump thump, a rough pulsation pounded my heart. The urge to tear apart everything in sight raced through my mind. The lukewarm night air was not suitable for cooling my head. Kadim slowly got up.

Duncan, on the other hand, fell flat on the floor.

“Huh, huh, Lord, I have committed a mortal sin, I will get better! I will never again ask you about my circumstances! If you take a look just this once… … .”

“… … wake up “It’s not your fault.”

“yes……?”

“Let’s go to the stream again. In the meantime, you should think about how to get to Molden safely.”

“… … .”

Duncan looked up at the savage as if he had lost his mind. Kadim turned his back indifferently and walked out between the trees. Even after the large outline completely disappeared into the darkness, Duncan did not know how to raise his body for a long time.

The next destination was Molden.

*

The interior of a sloppily built cabin. Dust floating all around. A candle on the table secretly cast a shadow over the old dust. At the same time, it cast a mysterious shadow over the face of an untimely night guest.

She was a guest who did not fit in with this shabby place.

It wasn’t just because of the brilliant blonde hair that hadn’t faded even after an arduous journey, or the eyes that shined like beryl. Rather, it was due to the plate armor with a ten-pointed star drawn on it and the extraordinary weapon hanging from his waist.

The woman of the Hwajeonmin farm couldn’t even look the guest in the eye. She just held her hands together, which were trembling like a poplar tree, and opened her mouth in a barely croaky voice.

“No one has passed through this village recently. Bye, there was no special incident… … . Except that a few villagers got injured while working… … .”

Archpaladin of the Elgar Church, Helia Munel clasped her hands together and raised her eyes.

Then he asked again in a stern voice.

“The words you just said. Can you swear before the stern Lord of Light, Elgar, that there is not a single lie in them?”

“… … .”

“Can you swear?”

A woman’s shrunken shoulders. However, she did not go back on what she said and nodded her head quietly.

It had to be that way. After killing the demons and goblins, the barbarian gave a clear warning.

‘If anyone comes into town and asks about me, never answer. Also, the devil appeared. If anyone ignores this warning and confesses, I will return to the village later and kill everyone, leaving no one behind.’

‘… … .’

The eerie voice was still pleasant to my ears. The warning from the barbarian mercenary who had gone far away was much more frightening than the pressure from the high-ranking paladin in front of me.

Helia rested her chin and pounded the table with her other hand.

“That’s strange. There were clear signs that the target we were chasing was headed this way. “Do you really mean that no one has ever passed by here?”

“Yes, yes, Paladin… … . Well, I swear to Elgar, no mercenary has ever passed through this village… … .”

“I never said the target was a mercenary.”

A prickly silence.

A cold silence seeped into the dust. The green gaze pierced through the woman’s anxiety. The woman’s head fell to the floor, and her complexion turned as pale as a corpse.

The moment the knight’s hand slowly reached for the hilt of his sword.

“Khaaaaaaah!! No, no! Nooooooooo!!!”

Suddenly a desperate scream filled the cabin.

The woman could not help but be embarrassed. Helia narrowed her brows and slowly stood up from her seat.

“……What is this sound?”

“Oh, it’s nothing! “You don’t have to worry about it, Paladin!”

“It’s a sound coming from over there. “Get out of the way.”

Helia pushed the woman aside and entered the corner room.

I saw a child tied tightly with twine on the narrow floor. A face horribly distorted, a body twisting like an insect. It was a sight that was not unfamiliar to Helia. As soon as I saw it, I was able to recognize the cause of the seizure.

“You are possessed by the devil. “And that too terribly.”

“No, no! It’s just a chronic illness! I’ve been like this sometimes since I was little! “It’s no big deal, so you don’t have to worry about it!”

The child’s condition gradually worsened, making the woman’s excuses meaningless.

“Kuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu) … .”

A child who coughed so hard that he ended up foaming at the mouth. His eyes rolled back and his hands and feet shook violently. His muscles were stiff and his back curved in a twisted curve.

Helia slowly approached the child. Eyes full of determination, as if trying to destroy evil. The woman was frightened and clung to the paladin. Although she was not strong enough to hold back the Arch Paladin, who had trained her body to the limit.

But Helia did not mean to harm the child.

Rather, it was the opposite.

“[O Lord of Light, who drove away the darkness of the beginning and bestowed splendid splendor, have pity on those who are still wandering in the abyss, stained by the devil. In your name, who sprouts like a candle in the pitch-black night, I congratulate this little lamb.]”

Uuuuuuung – !

A pure white flash that burns brightly like the sun. A dazzling light burst from the paladin’s palm. The halo of light wrapped the child warmly, like a mother breastfeeding her hungry baby. The sacred warmth was completely ripe in the narrow room.

Not long after, the tremors gently stop. The violent seizure subsided as if it were a lie. The child exhaled deeply and fell asleep as if she had fallen asleep after playing all day.

The woman did not know how to close her mouth.

“This, this… … This… … .”

“This child has been saved from the evil spirit that the devil had planted in him. From now on, and forever, the child’s soul will never again be tormented by the devil’s wicked whispers.”

“Ah, ah… … .”

The woman who was shocked by the transfer fell to her knees without realizing it.

The burden and guilt melted away like melting snow. The empty space was filled with ecstatic joy and hot emotion. She wet the wooden floor with tears and offered a prayer of endless gratitude to the Lord of Light who had led the savior to this remote place.

“… … .”

So much.

It was a very early prayer.

Grumble, blah – blah!

A ray of flame cutting through the darkness.

“……uh?”

Suddenly, something round rolled forward.

The woman’s face turned suspicious. I was still lying on the floor, but why did the sleeping child’s face roll over here?

Helia said as she withdrew her burning sword.

“However, it is not possible to leave alive a lamb that has been tainted by evil. Anyone who has turned away from the light even once must offer his life as a burnt offering to Him to wash away his sins.”

“……Ahhh.”

“Don’t worry, woman. After destroying Simma and taking her life, this child can now rest forever by Elgar’s side.”

“Ah, ahhh, ahhh!!!”

The woman screamed and ran towards him. It wasn’t that difficult to block her access.

Grumbling – !

“… … However, I am not an unbeliever who broke the oath I made in Elgar’s name.”

Green eyes that sparkle with the flames of fanaticism.

Helia commanded in a cold tone, her blazing blade resting against the woman’s neck.

“You dirty unbeliever. “If you don’t want to wander around in endless darkness for eons, hurry up and properly reveal where that evil spirit went.”