The Berserker’s Second Playthrough in the Game - Chapter 180



Only Krnovel

Episode 180 Unexpected reunion (5)

The world has been destroyed.

Perhaps the elves of Hesiliad might have been mistaken. It was understandable. After all, the World Tree they valued more than their own lives had become like this.

Thick smoke billowing out, majestic scorched and hollow scars.

―――― Gu – ung, kugugugugoo… … .

The World Tree was in a precarious state, with its roots broken in half, and it looked as if it would fall to the ground at any moment.

It was a wonderful tragedy. Even when the dragon attacked, the World Tree only suffered damage to the extent of burning its bark and breaking large branches. This was even more so considering that the people who created this tragedy were not the gods of heaven or the great devils of hell, but just two humans.

Of course, they were beings that were far removed from ordinary humans.

On one side is a great wizard who has seized the World Tree and surpassed the limits of mystery, and on the other side is a berserker who has returned to his prime and decapitated the great demon with a single axe.

The winner of the showdown between two beings who are arguably the strongest humans in existence is…

“… … I told you, Kadim.”

It was the Archmage’s side.

In the center of the destroyed scene, Melissa looked down at Kadim, who had fainted, with her eyes reddened to the point of redness.

“Even if you use the devil’s power, you will never be able to stand against me with just ‘your strength’.”

With his skin carbonized and his muscles torn apart, Khadim looked no different from a corpse pulled out of a fire pit, except that he was still alive. On the other hand, Melissa looks clean and without any scratches.

However, Melissa was not in perfect condition, even though she had escaped trauma thanks to her ‘unique trait’. She had accumulated a lot of internal burden from casting numerous great magic spells and defending against massive damage. Furthermore, the only thing she could overwhelm was Khadim’s true self.

“… … “The ‘power’ within your body was truly unexpected.”

The moment Kadim was consumed by mania and completely lost his senses, an ‘unidentified entity’ revealed itself.

That was, even just facing a tiny fragment, it gave off a heart-stopping ominousness. An overwhelming sense of intimidation that I had never felt before, even when facing a dragon. Half of the disaster that destroyed the root tree was caused by that being, and the other half was caused by Melissa, who was trying to subdue that being.

If Kadim’s body hadn’t been able to handle the load and collapsed… … Melissa, too, would have had to risk her life to fight back.

‘But what is it really? It was a being of too high a ‘status’ to reside in a mere human body… … . That’s right, now that I see it, it doesn’t look unfamiliar. Clearly, clearly… … Even in the Demonic Classics 300 years ago… … .’

The moment I look back on the past, an afterimage that suddenly comes to mind.

I had a terrible headache, as if I had been hit in the back of the head with a mace, and tears as bitter as deadly poison welled up. Melissa turned pale and crouched down, clenching her hair.

“Ahh, ahhh, hwaah, hwaak… … .”

The nightmare that had been locked and hidden in the most intimate corner of the warehouse of memories was released. Unable to overcome the shock, it wriggled like a trampled insect, grabbed the giant’s body and cried incessantly.

Melissa finally calms down and wakes up when the sunset, the moonlit night, and dawn break arrives.

“I need to find it quickly, quickly… … . How to separate that being from Khadim… … . Oh, first, go to the ‘World Tree Dream’ and heal Khadim… … After I recover for a few days… … .”

Melissa floated the battered Kadim up and lifted his trembling lips with great difficulty.

“Don’t worry, Kadim. No matter how much you leave me, forget me, or hurt me… … “Because I will never abandon you.”

*

Duncan was detained in the World Tree’s prison cell.

A while ago, next to the dark elf girl I had briefly seen in passing.

“you are…….”

“… … .”

“… … You are a peddler who abandoned your family. “I knew you would come here.”

“I, I didn’t abandon my family… … . Phew… … .”

Duncan let out a deep sigh at the innocent criticism that came flying in so quickly.

The whole story of how he ended up in exile was as follows. Following Kadim’s orders, he secretly escaped the World Tree, but when he reached an ant cave-like area, he got completely lost and sat there in despair, but was caught and detained by the guardians under Melissa’s instructions.

In fact, even if we had escaped the World Tree safely, it would have been just as daunting. According to the Archmage, sooner or later the fissures in Hell will open and this world itself will be destroyed… … .

A situation with no breakthrough in sight. The only hope left was Kadim, who seemed to have been captured by the Archmage again. Not only that, but the ‘best guide’ who was supposed to rescue him was also imprisoned like this… … It was as if everything was over now.

But the thoughts of those who were imprisoned together seemed different.

“You don’t have to worry too much, peddler.”

“… … yes?”

“Even if you wander into the abyss with your eyes closed, the darkness always prepares an exit. “We will be out of here in a few days.”

Duncan blinked. No matter how you look at it, he asked the girl who appeared to be a long-term prisoner.

“What, what’s your name…?”

“Lilia.”

“Yes, that, Lilia… … Miss? It seems like you’ve been locked up here for quite some time, how can you get out in a few days?”

“I can see the future through my dreams. According to him, I have two chances to escape from here. I deliberately chose not to do so last time because I was worried that my sister would find out. However, my sister is very tired from the fierce battle with the ‘Warrior of Revelation’… … If I seize the opportunity that will come in a few days, I will definitely be able to escape from here safely.”

“… … .”

Duncan remained silent and then gave a pitiful look.

Oh my, it’s so pitiful… … . Yes, this place was a very bad environment. That little kid was locked up alone in a place where there was not even a single ounce of sunlight… … It would have been stranger if he hadn’t gone crazy.

But the girl’s words were not the empty boasts of a madman.

Exactly three days later, an unidentifiable noise was heard from the entrance to the detention center.

‘… … Your Majesty! From now on… … you can come in… … .’

‘… … Huh! What are you doing now… … .’

– Krrrrrr, keuhh …

‘… … Euaaaaaaah!!’

As the gatekeeper’s screams got farther away, heavy footsteps that shook the ground got closer. The pitch-black body melted into the darkness and its outline was blurred, and only the colorful eye glow shone like a star that foretells disaster.

A huge beast mercilessly tore through the iron bars with its claws.

– Khuu …

Quagga Gaga River – !

“Hhhhh!!”

Duncan was in a state of confusion and fainted. Lilia smiled gently and raised her clouded eyes.

“Welcome, Parneo.”

– Krrrr, krrrr… … .

The second-tier guardian, Parneo, the ‘black panther’, growled and stepped inside the bars.

“……to?”

Duncan looked between the boy druid and the girl seer with a bewildered expression.

*

Farneo was depressed for a while.

The conversation with the ‘Great Warrior of Atala’ made the boy grow, but at the same time, it made him move away from his dreams. The reality that he could not ignore put chains on his ideals. To make matters worse, an unprecedented situation occurred where more than half of the first-tier guardians died and the World Tree was destroyed, and suffocating days continued where he could not look back at the girl in the confinement.

Surprisingly, the turning point in the situation was his teacher, ‘White Turtle’ Tevio.

‘Parneo, save him.’

‘yes?’

‘Save Lady Lilia from the confinement. The World Keeper is recuperating, so he won’t have time to worry about her for the time being.’

Why did the Master call Lilia honorifically, why did he ask her to break the rules and commit such a mistake…? Questions began to arise, but I had no choice but to bring up these concerns first.

‘Then who wouldn’t be great for your reputation? My actions up until now have left a lot of stain on Master… … .’

‘Don’t worry about useless things. The old man has lived long enough… … If things continue this way, all elves will perish anyway.’

‘… … yes?’

‘The blessing of longevity has disappeared, the Guardians have been slaughtered, the World Tree has collapsed, and the World Tree Keeper has no intention of taking care of it all. It was all caused by the Elves’ submission to injustice. I cannot reveal the whole story, but know that the destruction we have brought upon ourselves is imminent.’

‘But, but, Master, in the meantime, instead of trying to prevent catastrophe, it would be too selfish to only satisfy my own greed… … .’

‘It’s not about satisfying your personal greed. Do it because it is the ‘right thing to do’. Completely trampling on the dignity of an innocent life and locking it up like a sick animal for a long time… … Do you really think this is what Mother World Tree wants?’

‘… … .’

‘It’s too late, but it’s better than not correcting it at all… … Go, Parneo. You beast of prey, swifter than the cold wind that blows across the night sky. Please become a better disciple than the cowardly teacher who has lived his whole life hiding in his shell.’

So the boy, prepared to lose everything he had built, raided the asylum.

– Khuuuuuuu – !

Kwak-kwak, kwak-kwak – !

Thanks to his imitation of a powerful black leopard, he was even able to cut off the roots of the World Tree. Having Duncan next to Lilia doubled the effort… … After biting, scratching, and struggling, I somehow solved it. Farneo escaped from the incarceration with the two on his back.

The real problem started after that. The Guardians who had rushed in after hearing the news had already surrounded the passageway that was as deep as an ant hole.

“Lord Farneo! “Remove your mimicry and surrender immediately!”

“Still, what on earth are you doing in this chaotic time?”

Fortunately, my teacher gave me strength again.

Thump, thump, thump – !

“Kwaaaaah!”

“Huhhh!! Te, Sir Tevio? What is this… … !”

A white turtle as big as a house broke through the siege and opened a path. The black panther leaped forward and entered beyond. Before leaving, it did not forget to express its gratitude to its master with its eyes.

“… … Tevio, you’ve aged a lot in the meantime.”

For a moment, was it an illusion that I heard this voice from above?

The turtles blocked the path the black panther had taken and served as a living barrier, allowing Parneo and his party to easily escape the complex area without being interrupted by the Guardians.

But just before going down to the lower level, Lilia suddenly said something like this.

“Lord Parneo, you have to go up from here.”

– Crrrrr… … ?

“If you go up, our helpers will appear. Before we get out of here, join them, become a ‘warrior of revelation’… … So, we must rescue the Great Warrior of Atala.”

– Crumbling, rumbling… … .

It was advice that was difficult to understand easily. Even if you go down to the exit right away, escaping would be easy, but going up upside down? I couldn’t figure out the identity of the helper or the reason why Atala’s great warrior must be rescued… … .

However, Parneo followed Lilia’s words without much hesitation.

– Kreuk, keuheuung – !

The reason Lilia was so confident was probably because she saw today’s scene in a dream. Her dreams always came true, so she had to trust and follow instructions, no matter how unreasonable they were.

Meanwhile, Duncan also relaxed for a moment. Just when he was at a loss as to how to rescue Kadim, he received unexpected help. I still didn’t quite understand what was happening, but… … .

“Uh, Lee, Miss Lilia? But why are you helping Miss Lilia get better? Who are the helpers I just talked about? … .”

“… … You’ll find out soon enough. I think one of you is in the sky over there right now.”

Without even squinting, Lilia pointed beyond the knothole to the outside of the World Tree. The heads of the black panther and the peddler turned at the same time.

What Lilia said was true.

A flash of golden light was seen in the southern sky. It was approaching quickly, flying like a bird, and its flying skills were extraordinary. It repeatedly rolled and rolled, rose and fell rapidly, but its speed and balance were not disturbed.

The reason why Gwanghwae performed such dizzying acrobatics was soon revealed. Beams of blue-green light rise densely like raindrops moving backwards from the ground. All the guardians and patrols in the area were shooting arrows at that one target.

But not a single arrow hit the target. The brilliance crossed the rain of arrows with brilliant maneuvering and safely reached the upper level of the World Tree where Farneo and the others were.

Even at the moment of landing, an arrow flew behind me… …

Wedge – liquid, chin – !

… … He quickly swung his hand back and snatched the arrow shaft. Duncan gaped in surprise at the fact that someone other than Kadim could catch it with his own hands.

Surprisingly, the helper I saw up close looked like a human, not a bird. He had wings covered in skin on his back, was armed with strange self-luminous golden plate armor, and wore a helmet that looked like a dragon with its mouth open… … Anyway, the shape was similar to a human.

The helper folded his wings and came towards me. The black panther was instinctively wary, but Lilia remained calm. A deep voice came out from behind her flashy faceplate.

“It’s been a very long time, Lilia. “Is it only 150 years?”

“… … It’s been a long time, friend of the dragon. I couldn’t properly gauge the time while I was locked up, but I think it’s probably been that long.”

“Hmm, your complexion has gotten a lot worse. I think it would be best to get some rest when you get back. Oh, and who is that magnificent leopard and the gentleman with the nice beard over there?”

The tone of voice was friendly, but the strange presence and content of the conversation disturbed the judging. Are you a dragon’s friend? And it’s been 150 years?

“Well, who are you, teacher? Okay, did you get the right person? … ?”

The assistant rubbed his chin intently at Duncan’s question.

“Hmm… … It’s half true, and half false. But you, you came from outside the Great Forest, right? Where are you from?”

“yes? Now, I’m from Maltana, part of the Free Cities Alliance… … .”

“Ah, ah, thank goodness! “Then you don’t know me.”

The helper took off his dragon-shaped helmet. The face of a middle-aged man with shaggy blond hair and a handsome man-like appearance was revealed, along with golden scales covering the back of his cheeks and neck.

“It’s called Remillion. One of your most notable achievements is the establishment of the Free Cities Alliance, where you were born. A golden leader or a person who saved a city with a single gold coin… … “There are many nicknames given to him by later generations, but it’s okay to simply call him Dragon’s Friend.”

“… … yes?”

“hmm? What, you really don’t know who I am? “Then it’s a bit embarrassing.”

There was no way. Duncan was shaking his neck. He asked himself countless times if it was really Remillion himself, the legendary first leader who had united the eastern part of the continent that had been torn apart long ago and established the Free Cities Alliance, the second largest power on the continent.

After hearing the answer countless times, and having several Q&As about Remillion’s life and accomplishments, Duncan came to the conclusion that it might really be him, and muttered with a soulless face.

“Oh my God, Remillion… … .”

Remillion answered, scratching his temple.

“Why are you calling me?”