The Berserker’s Second Playthrough in the Game - Chapter 172



Only Krnovel

Episode 172. Guardians of the World Tree (7)

A round table with aging elves sitting around it. At what was essentially the highest meeting of elf society, something similar to before was repeated.

That is, many first-tier guardians were competing to condemn ‘Blue Fang’ Borduel.

“Are you in your right mind, Borduel? What on earth were you thinking when you did something like that?”

“Slay the Basilisk in Stone Pillar Valley! “There is no way something like that is possible!”

“Besides, didn’t you think he was not just a barbarian who looked like him, but really the person the World Trader was looking for? What are you going to do if this fact becomes known in the future? … .”

However, there was something clearly different from last time. Those who had eyes to see the situation were already on the side of the ‘Blue Fang’. Borduel curled the corners of his mouth and gave an explanation for those who still had not fully grasped the situation.

“Isn’t that better?”

“… … What?”

“If it was fake, it would have taken a lot of effort to decorate it, so I didn’t save you that effort. Well, it also reduced the risk of being discovered to be fake. Nothing has changed. We just need to find a place out of Melissa’s reach and detain the barbarian. And by using him as a hostage, we will regain our dream of God and the World Tree.”

““… … .””

The intestines were agitated. One of the guardians openly expressed his astonishment.

“Listen, what on earth are you talking about? It could have been done, but didn’t you just act presumptuously and blow your chance? Why did you order him to bring you the basilisk?”

“You see, when Melissa wakes up from the ‘World Tree Dream’ and encounters that barbarian, everything goes to waste. “Before that, I needed something to occupy my time.”

“No, who asked because they didn’t know that? But why did it have to be a basilisk! It’s not just going to end up taking time, what if he turns into a stone? … .”

“You must be worried. The comrade of a man who has even used a dragon, would be defeated by a mere basilisk?”

“… … .”

“And when it turns into a rock… … It would actually be more convenient. You will be able to detain them without much resistance. Well, the great world balance keeper will figure out a way to solve the petrification… … .”

The Guardians, who had finally grasped the whole situation, froze for a moment.

It was truly a simple yet clever plan. In the first place, he did not want the barbarian to capture the basilisk. They wanted to turn it into a stone pillar that would be convenient for detention and management. Even if you managed to avoid being turned into a stone pillar, the chances of getting seriously injured were significantly higher… … .

However, there were those who doubted whether the plan would succeed. Tevio, the ‘White Turtle’, was one of them.

“Sir Borduel. In this old man’s eyes, that man is definitely no ordinary man… … If you really come back after defeating the Tyrant of the Forest, what will you do? Surely you won’t break your oath in the name of the Mother World Tree… … .”

“That’s good enough. Doesn’t that mean we’ve taken care of a long-standing problem without breaking a sweat? And don’t worry, there are plenty of ways to stop the meeting without breaking the ‘oath’… .”

“No, what I’m saying is… … Rather than doing something like that and provoking him, why don’t you try to persuade him to stop the tyranny of the World Keeper… … .”

“Lord Tevio, did you just say you wanted to negotiate with the short-eared bastard?”

“… … .”

“Even after being bullied by short ears for so long… … “I guess you still haven’t come to your senses?”

The eerily shining ‘blue fang-toothed’ eyes. ‘White Turtle’ closed his wrinkled mouth and lowered his gaze.

“In any case, it will take at least three days for the savage to return. In the meantime, we have a lot to do. The most urgent thing is to find a place to detain the savage, and we also need to devise a strategy for how to pressure Melissa, and when the investigation team returns, we also need to search for the culprit who broke the branch of the World Tree… .”

The atmosphere was completely tilted toward Borduel. Everyone had to suppress their feelings, and there was no one who was not dissatisfied with the human world guardian. It was something that could not be missed, the first and possibly the last opportunity to poke that one ‘reverse scale’.

In the end, except for a few moderates led by Tevio, most of them became radicals and sympathized with Borduel. They made plans for the future and divided up the tasks that each of them had to do. Since they had bought time by sending the barbarians out of the city, the radicals’ plan seemed to proceed smoothly.

That was until a guardian who had gone out briefly came back in a huff and delivered this news.

“Oh my God, Mother World Tree! This is not the time for everyone to be like this! He’s already back!”

“……hmm?”

“… … “Who?”

“Who could it be! The savage who went to the Valley of the Stone Pillars! He really did catch a basilisk, but it’s not just a rumor! There are more than a few people who have seen him dragging a severed head through the streets!”

““… … !!””

All the Guardians opened their mouths wide as if in sync.

He had single-handedly defeated the forest tyrant, who had been virtually abandoned after failing to subdue countless guardians? And that too in just half a day? It was such an absurd story that it was hard to even joke about. Even with those long ears, I couldn’t believe it, and I couldn’t help but ask myself, like an idiot, several times, if it was really true.

However, ‘Blue Tooth’ Borduel did not do the foolish thing of asking the same fact again. He simply calmly collected his mind and body and made this judgment.

“… … “If that’s true, I guess we’ll have to wait longer somehow.”

*

The city of the elves, Hesiliad, does not fall into darkness even at night.

As the sun sets behind the roots of the World Tree, the wandering glow-in-the-dark insects and the naturally growing bioluminescent plants wake up from their nap. Then, even the streets that had been immersed in the shadows became a paradise with the Milky Way flowing across the ground, and the scenery of the city became more colorful and beautiful than during the day.

The city added one special light today.

Right, the eyes that blink and are round and bright.

All the elves’ eyes were fixed on the head of the gigantic reptile monster and the behemoth dragging it along. The monster’s name flowed like moans from the lips of the onlookers.

“Oh, Mother World Tree… … . Th, that’s, a basilisk… … .”

“Bah, Basilisk… … . The tyrant of Stone Pillar Valley… … .”

“Close your eyes, everyone! “If you make eye contact with that monster, you will turn into a stone pillar!”

“Aaaaaaaaa!!”

The second-tier guardian, ‘Black Panther’ Parneo, also wanted to be as shocked as they were. However, since he had a duty, he suppressed his emotions and did his best to maintain order.

“Everyone, rest assured! The Basilisk is already dead! “Both of his eyes are also damaged, so you don’t have to worry about him turning into a stone if you bump into him!”

“yes! That’s right, elves! Even if you only look at cancer, you will never turn into a stone! But it’s very disgusting, so please don’t let the faint of heart or children see it!”

“… … .”

Duncan also joined in and reassured the elves. Thanks to this, the chaos on the streets gradually subsided. Shocked admiration began to rise among the crowd that had calmed their fears.

“Huh, I’m sure Mother World Tree would be so shocked… … . How on earth did you catch that monstrous monster? Could it be that ‘Black Panther’ caught him?”

“That can’t be possible! No matter how great Farneo’s talent is, how can you catch a monster that even the top ranked people have given up on?”

“It looks like the person dragging it caught it… … .”

“Isn’t that the one the patrolmen were talking about as the ‘Great Druid’? I think they said he was dressed up in some kind of gold and silver outfit… .”

“What? It looks exactly like someone with short ears, but how can it be…?”

“… … .”

The one who was the center of attention, Kadim, was not interested in the series of events at all. He was only interested in one thing: to quickly show this snake head and wake up Melissa and meet her.

That’s why when Parneo, who had entered the World Tree and finished his report, told me this, I couldn’t help but be stiff.

“I, Your Majesty the Great Druid… … . That is… … . The First-Rank Guardians said that it was too late today, so it would be best for you to get some rest and come back tomorrow morning… … .”

“… … I never promised to wait for you after work.”

“You may not be called a minister, but you gave me a generous reward for subjugation! Since the evidence is so clear, no matter how much they do, they can’t break their promise… … .”

Parneo held out a pouch. It was filled with blood-filled berries called Sanguis. Kadim barely resisted the urge to crush them all and burst them.

I felt really bad. It’s not that I couldn’t understand the reason, but the attitude of not even bothering to point out their nose and only saying what they had to say was extremely annoying. In my experience, these types of people, if you just ignore them, tend to change their words like flipping the palm of their hand… … .

However, Kadim decided to endure it one more time.

Because there was something I had firmly ‘sworn’ to before.

If you try to do something stupid again, I’ll just introduce you to a ‘dedicated interpreter’.

“… … “I’ll come back as soon as morning comes.”

Farneo finally relaxed. He carefully observed the warrior’s thoughts and offered to show him some of the city’s attractions if he were not tired.

So, Kadim and his group left the supply of basilisks alone and headed to the first attraction, Farneo’s favorite restaurant.

On the way, Parneo praised Khadim’s exploits until his mouth was dry. It wasn’t just flattery to please him. For the first time, his clear eyes showed the pure awe that was typical of a boy of his age.

“You were truly amazing back then, Grand Druid! How can you so easily destroy the Basilisk’s eyes and cut off his head in one go! The Mother World Tree, overlooking the entire forest, must have been amazed!”

“… … .”

It was understandable. Anyone who had seen the warrior’s might, which could even overwhelm a basilisk, would have felt the same way. In fact, I don’t know if this person is really the ‘Great Druid’ anymore… … but it was clear that he was the strongest person the boy had ever seen in his life. Even if you include the first-tier guardians!

‘If I had that much power… … It would have been easy to free Lilia from the prison… … .’

Meanwhile, Duncan was intently observing the ‘sanguise’ that was filled in his pocket.

His instinctive aversion to materials and the perception that this was also ‘money’ that he was obsessed with created contradictory feelings. He was caught up in a fierce internal conflict, wondering if he could really use this as currency, and if it was too inhumane… … In the end, he decided to make the most ‘merchant’-like decision.

If it’s that much, ask how much it’s worth, and if it’s really expensive, just respect the cultural differences.

“Hey, Guardian, get better. How much is this worth per pill? So roughly, how many loaves of bread can you buy with one pill? … .”

“Oh, if you pay three, that is, three sanguis, you can buy a loaf of ‘Rambas Bread.’”

“Huh? Even so, it’s a fruit made by extracting blood, so is its value limited to that?”

“Haha, no. ‘Lambas Bread’ is not just any ordinary bread. Just eating one loaf will fill you up for the whole day, and you won’t even feel like eating anything else. The restaurant we’re going to is selling it, so let’s go and treat them to some.”

Duncan’s eyes widened.

So does this mean that the bread has some kind of magic or blessing? I received hundreds of pieces as a reward, but with just three of these, I can buy one of the elves’ magic bread? If you buy a lot of it and go out and sell it… … . The abacus stuck in my head began to roll busily.

But the peddler’s humble dream was quickly dashed.

“Now, this is the ‘Lambas Bread’! If you don’t have enough, I’ll bring more, so please share this first!”

“… … .”

“… … .”

Kadim swallows a laugh inside. Duncan looks at the bread with a bewildered look.

“Well, the guardian will get better… … ? This is just… … “Isn’t it a fucking big piece of bread?”

“Yes? Oh, yes! That’s right! Didn’t I tell you? If you eat just one piece, you’ll be full all day long and won’t even feel like eating anything else.”

“Well, then where is the enchanted bread…” … .”

“Huh? Why would you put magic on something like bread?”

The elf boy held up a piece of bread thicker than Kadim’s forearm and smiled brightly as if he didn’t know what the problem was.

*

The next morning, the entrance to the inside of the World Tree.

The uphill path made of carved branches was blocked by a series of intersecting stiles. In front of it, a group of elven citizens of all ages and genders were gathered, all desperately pleading with the sentry.

“Soldier Nari! Please let me in just once!”

“Where is the law for this! “Where can I get some ‘sanguis’ if you suddenly block my path like this?”

“I have to donate blood to the World Tree by today! If I don’t donate for over a month, something big will happen… … .”

But the sentry firmly made the citizens retreat.

“Be quiet, everyone! ‘Week of Sabbath’ is a period guaranteed by the divine rules of nature! Are you really going to break the rules and insult Mother’s World Tree?”

“… … .”

Watching the scene from behind, Kadim thought, perhaps his ominous intuition from last night had come true.

It was unclear exactly what trick the Guardians had used. Even Parneo looked puzzled, wondering if it was something he had not expected. The inside story was revealed only after pushing through the crowd and asking the sentry directly.

“I’m sorry, but… … “For a week from today, no one except the guardians will be able to enter the World Tree.”

“Yes, according to the original laws of nature, entry by outsiders was prohibited during the ‘week of rest’… … .”

“… … .”

Unlike when they treated the citizens, the sentries reacted to the barbarians in a panic, like criminals. When he gave me a dark look, his shoulders twitched and trembled, and he looked at the guardian standing next to him as if asking for help.

“Hey, Farneo? “Could you please explain it to the customer?”

“Yes, you are the Guardian, so you know it well…” … ? It’s not that we do this arbitrarily, but the entry of outsiders is strictly prohibited during the ‘Week of Sabbath’… … .”

Parneo responded with a cold look.

“… … Yes, that’s right. But didn’t ‘Sabbath Week’ usually occur only once a year? As far as I know, the week passed a while ago, so the next week should come next year… … .”

“… … .”

“… … Tell me, why has this week been designated as the ‘Week of Sabbath’ again? “Who and why gave you the order to stop the Grand Druid?”

Criticism sharp as a leopard’s fangs flew out. The citizens also shouted in agreement with the guardian’s words. The sentries, who had no one to trust, hesitated, unable to make any excuses. The wrinkles between Kadim’s eyebrows grew deeper.

It was obvious what had happened. Those damned rascals had been making excuses all night. Did they really think that if they didn’t see each other’s faces, they wouldn’t have to keep their promise? It was such a shallow trick that it was almost unbelievable.

Feeling some responsibility for the situation, Parneo tried to use his position to intimidate the sentries into retreating. But Khadim chose a quicker and simpler solution.

“Get out of the way, you guys.”

“……yes?”

“Oh, no, during the ‘Week of Rest’ only the Guardians… … .”

“I don’t want to end up like that, so get out of the way right now.”

The sentries’ gaze slowly followed the savage’s fingers.

At the end of it was a basilisk’s head, forming a pool of sticky blood.

“Ugh… … !”

“Huh… … !”

The sentries turn white and hurriedly get out of the way. Kadim and his group quickly climbed the branches one after another. The sentries had to wave their spears frantically for a while to stop the citizens who tried to follow them.

Kadim gripped the dark axe handle tightly and made up his mind as he entered the World Tree.

Since I broke my oath, I guess I should hurry up and meet the bastards and have a ‘talk’ with them.