The Berserker’s Second Playthrough in the Game - Chapter 203



Only Krnovel

Episode 203 Place swept by fire (2)

A vast space filled with piles of gold and silver treasures.

– Hahaha! Cool, cool… So in the end, you too have been hit with a divine punishment?

“That’s what happened.”

– Kreuk, right, so… … How did it feel to receive divine punishment for the first time in your life?

“Definitely, it was a stinging sensation. “If you were heavenly punishment, I could understand a little why you were so angry.”

– Hahahaha! To be so trembling after only getting hit by one blow is truly beyond compare! With this magnificent body, the main dragon blocked as many as 38 heavenly punishments and withstood 157 heavenly punishments!

“… … Okay, good job. “It would be great to eat something smaller than my claws, gecko.”

– Krrr, kekekekeke… … .

The loud voice and the calm humming echoed in succession. Despite the overwhelming difference in volume and size, the conversation was as open as a meeting between old friends.

The voices echoing throughout the giant nest were none other than Kadim, and… … the dragon, Lafustra.

The last dragon survived despite defying the will of heaven.

Even after receiving so much punishment, receiving such serious injuries, and shedding so much blood.

Even though his remaining horn was broken, his scales were peeled off in clumps, revealing ugly scars, and he was suffering from serious aftereffects that made it difficult for him to move… … At least he survived. It was a miracle that was barely possible thanks to the combined power of the dragon’s regenerative powers, which were close to being immortal, and the blessing of the World Tree that heals all life.

To ensure stability for a while, measures were taken to prevent anyone from approaching the dragon. In the first place, aside from her close friend Remillion, she was the only one who went to visit the dragon on her own. However, she had reasons to see Kadim, and had come as soon as she heard that his condition had improved.

The posthumous meeting between the two suppressors began with the story of Kadim being hit directly by heavenly punishment. While they were talking loudly, the dragon’s eyes suddenly narrowed.

– Cough? But even if he survived the hit, how did he not suffer any injuries? It’s not like you have a sturdier carapace than the main dragon… … .

“I think it was probably because of this.”

Kadim pointed to the tattoo on his neck.

Ooh, ooh… … .

‘The protection of fire and ice,’ this great magic left behind by Melissa even canceled out most of the heat of the direct hit. Of course, since the magic was not originally intended to prevent such a transfer, it ended up taking almost all of its effect in one blow… … .

Kadim has taken care of the wizard’s fading legacy. Lapustran immediately recognized who had carved the pattern.

– That is… …what did that wizard leave you before he died.

“Yes. Now that I think about it, it was all thanks to you that I received this inheritance. If it weren’t for your blood, it would have been difficult for me to give Melissa peace with my own hands and receive this… … .”

– … … .

The dragon was not unaware of the feelings of the human standing at its feet. Its slitted eyes recalled similar pain.

– The reason the compatriots of the original dragon stood up to the false sun on the ‘Night of Heavenly Punishment’ was not because we were the cause of its rise. It was something that had to be done, and we were the only ones who could take on that mission.

“… … .”

– Although the results were extremely cruel… … Bonryong still doesn’t think it was a bad choice. So, you shouldn’t look down in despair at your friend’s blood on your hands. Killing him was something that had to be done, and it was a mission that no one but you could handle here and now.

“… … .”

– Moreover, unlike the original dragon’s kin who were buried in the sand, didn’t you complete your mission and revive the World Tree and the Great Forest?

A consolation offered not as a supreme being, but as a being who had lost something equally precious. When Kadim still could not shake off the shadow on his face, he added one more word.

– A fierce mortal known to the main dragon said… … They say, ‘He who does not struggle cannot achieve anything.’

“… … .”

Pick, Kadim snorted and finally showed his expression.

“Who said you were depressed, Dragon? You have eyes the size of a front yard, but your eyesight is worse than a bat’s.”

– Hehehe… … The guy who was sobbing as if he was going to wail loudly when all that graffiti disappears has a lot to say. He’ll have to take action in advance, as he doesn’t want to see a mortal wetting his nest with his dirty drippings.

Lapustraan dug through the treasure pile with his large forepaw. He pulled out a stick that looked like a toothpick from inside, and he took off a jewel the size of a fingernail attached to it and handed it to Khadim.

– Add this over the tattoo on your neck.

“What is this… …?”

– It is a gem that absorbs a large amount of mana floating in the air. Recently, your friend monopolized the entire continent’s mana, making it useless… … Not anymore. From now on, it will take the floating mana and protect your precious symbol.

“… …Why do you have such an object in your possession?”

– That belonged to a certain magician who lived in the age of myth. He had a grand dream of using dragons with his magic. Heuk, you don’t have to worry about it being taken away by its original owner. As soon as he entered the nest, he evaporated with the breath of the original dragon.

“… … .”

The story behind it made me laugh out loud, but it was definitely a very valuable treasure. Kadim willingly added a gem to the pattern and expressed his gratitude. Lapuustran snorted and told a lie that even his child wouldn’t believe, saying it was a useless piece of junk anyway.

When the atmosphere calmed down for a moment, Kadim took a breath and slowly got to the point.

“Dragon, I have one important question for you.”

– … … What is it?

“If I knock down that sun and kill ‘Fake Elgar’… … After that, will I receive godhood and become a new god?”

At first, Lapustran frowned and tried to burst out laughing. However, upon seeing the serious gaze of the savage, he gradually calmed down his laughter.

– … … Arthur. What Bonryong said while sharing the blood was just grasping at straws out of frustration, not that he truly wanted you to stand up to the sun.

“No, it’s not because of that request, I’m just asking because I want to get rid of that disgusting voyeuristic god.”

– … … .

“But… … I feel uneasy because it seems like my former colleague is intentionally creating that situation.”

– … … What does that mean?

Since this was the dragon’s chosen hideout, there seemed to be no need to worry about divine punishment. Kadim told his story.

They say they have received a lot of help from a forgotten new sect, that an old colleague seems to be the head of the sect, that they are being praised as warriors of revelation and are being led to fight against the fake Elgar, and there are doubts as to what their true intentions are. This is going… … .

After telling everything, he narrowed his eyes and added in a much lower voice.

“Actually, I have a vague guess as to what the ultimate goal of that sect might be.”

– … … What is it?

“In the distant future, the moment when I somehow defeat the fake Elgar and gain ‘godhood’… … “Offering myself as a sacrifice to restore the ‘status’ of a forgotten god.”

The dragon’s eyes, which had been gloomy, opened in an instant. Kadim calmly continued his words.

“It is said that the forgotten god has lost his ‘status’ and even forgotten his own name, so his followers will want to restore it at all costs. However, I don’t know how I can stand up to the fake Elga, whether gods gain status in the same way as humans, and whether my former colleagues really only see me as a ‘means’… … “It was vague so I wasn’t sure.”

– … … .

“Does it seem possible to you, Dragon?”

Lapustran was lost in thought.

A time to cover the nictitating membrane, close the eyelids, and sink into the ancient thoughts accumulated over thousands of years. It was only after a long time that she finally broke free and spoke.

– … … Do you remember that the number of dragons that fought against the sun on the ‘Night of Heavenly Punishment’ reached a whopping thousand?

“I remember.”

– At that time, the ‘Forgotten God’ had not yet lost its name and divinity. Even so, if the god we faced that day was not the ‘Fake Elga’ but the ‘Forgotten God’… … Even if countless dragons were sacrificed, that god would not have been able to avoid extinction.

“… … !”

Kadim was shocked and raised his eyes as if he found it hard to believe. However, the dragon continued his words seriously, without any hint of arrogance or joking.

– The deity of ‘Elgar’ is… … Its level is markedly different from that of other gods. In fact, there is even a rumor that in the beginning there was only Elgar, and that he divided himself and created the other four gods. If there had been a separate classification among the gods, Elgar would undoubtedly have been placed in a separate position from the other gods.

“… … .”

– Of course, there was one more god like Elgar that deserved special distinction… … Well, this story is unnecessary, so let’s skip it.

The magnificent gaze that had been looking downwards briefly returned to its original place.

– The point is that the divinity of the ‘fake Elga’ usurped the divinity of this Elga. Even though the owner changed, its absolute nature did not change, to the point where it unilaterally annihilated a thousand dragons that any other god would have considered a huge threat. But, ugh… … In order to restore the status of a ‘forgotten god’, the person who defeated even such a ‘fake Elga’ is sacrificed… … .

“… … .”

– In the opinion of the original dragon, that doesn’t seem feasible at all. On the contrary, if it were the opposite direction, then that would be different…

“… … ?”

– By the way… … What kind of person was your other old colleague? Was he trustworthy?

Kadim lowered his gaze. He recalled the image of a priest who had served Elgar devoutly in the distant but recent past.

A priest who was as big and sad as a bear, who always calmly helped his companions, who even when a wizard the size of a bean was rude to him, he laughed it off like a good man, but who showed his strength without hesitation to stand in front of the crazy Archpaladin if he thought it was an injustice. .

“… … No doubt, he was trustworthy. “I still don’t know if that’s the case.”

In the empty pupil was the remnant of a wizard who was completely different from his old memories. The dragon took a deep breath and muttered as if he was sighing.

– As the original dragon has seen since time immemorial… … The tragedies of worldly history usually occur because people believe in people they shouldn’t believe when they shouldn’t, and because they don’t believe in people they should believe when they should.

“… … .”

– If you stay away from everyone with just a foggy suspicion, you won’t have to get stabbed in the back. But it also means that there is no one to hold your hand when you fall off the edge of a cliff. Didn’t you revive the World Tree with your own strength this time?

“… … .”

– I’m not saying that you should blindly trust that old colleague. This means don’t fall into the trap of shallow confirmation bias. Never let go of the dagger of doubt in your hand, but always leave a seed of trust in your heart. Struggle is certainly a worthwhile path, but there is no law that says you have to walk that path alone.

“… … .”

– This is the Bonryong, the last remaining supreme being… … This is the best advice I can leave to you, mortal beings who overcome imperfection through coexistence, great warrior of fighting spirit.

To Lapustran, who spoke like that, there was no appearance of crouching like a cornered cat, no appearance of boasting about his own grandeur with a sense of entitlement, and no appearance of being judged by the absolute and left with wounds all over his body. Only the appearance of a lonely and noble ancient dragon with wisdom from the ancient times remained.

Kadim swallowed his pent-up emotions and pounded his chest with his fist.

“… … I will engrave that advice into my bones and never forget it.”

The Atalain-style manners of respect, which he had drunk for the first time in a long while, were followed by an addition while looking straight into the golden eyes.

“Moreover, I swear by the name of Atala that one day I will surely bring down that false sun, and let you spread your brilliant wings freely across the sky.”

– … … .

“Please, I hope you make a full recovery before then. Thank you again for all the kindness and advice you have given me. “I truly hope that Atala’s fighting spirit will be with you, Lapustran.”

After making a vow to achieve a feat that not even a thousand dragons could accomplish, the great warrior of Atala left the dragon’s nest with a firm step.

Only then did the dragon smooth out the faint wrinkles that had remained around his eyes.

I didn’t show it because of my pride… … Whether it was a golden light representing value or a red light representing danger, both of the lights emitted by that person were so intense that it was quite difficult to face them for a long time. Nevertheless, for a moment, I happily pondered the instinctive satisfaction that came from seeing the bright light and the lingering feeling that came from the oath, which was absurd but somehow did not sound like an arrogance.

The dragon realized something late and purred fiercely.

– Kreuk, the true name of the dragon is not ‘Laphustran’… … but ‘Rahphustran’… … .

*

Lapuustran thought that after Kadim, there would be no more guests coming to his nest for a while.

That prediction was quickly proven wrong.

Surprisingly, as soon as Kadim left, a being shining as brightly as Kadim appeared at the entrance once again. Even though he was not given permission to come in, the uninvited guest fearlessly entered the dragon’s nest as if it were his own home.

The protagonist of that light was none other than… …Kadim.

“Oh my, I almost forgot the most important question.”

– … … What is it, you guy?

“Do you happen to know anything about what could be called a weakness of that false sun, Lafustran?”

Lapustran exhaled as if he was dumbfounded. Aside from the fact that she called me by the wrong name… … If he knew that, why did his compatriots die so helplessly on the Night of Heavenly Punishment?

But when I thought about it carefully, I couldn’t say that there was nothing at all.

– Kreuk, it’s hard to pinpoint it as a weakness… … It’s ambiguous, but… … .

“Tell me. Anything, even the smallest thing.”

– … … Since the age of mythology, there was a ‘period’ when the power of that divine punishment was relatively weak.

“… … !”

A sharp glint flashed in the warrior’s eyes.