The Berserker’s Second Playthrough in the Game - Chapter 212



Only Krnovel

Episode 212. Star Crusher (1)

In order to save Delutana, it was an unavoidable decision.

Ramulec truly thought so.

Think about it with common sense, does it make sense to fight against that empire? Even if just a few high-ranking paladins came forward, all major cities would be devastated… … . There are already cases of Gwanghwima violating the border at will… … . The alliance had so far survived solely on the mercy and calculation of the empire.

In that respect, the Turis brothers were nothing short of crazy.

How dare we prepare for war with the empire? Those two people were blinded by power and lost their reason. If we continued to follow those warmongers and fight against the Empire, it was inevitable that Delutana and the ‘Indomitable Army’ would burn away like nothing more than kindling.

So, the reason why he secretly colluded with the empire, tipped off information to the Elgar Church, created strife to prevent other cities from cooperating, and prepared to open the gates and surrender… … It was all an inevitable decision to save the country… … .

… … After hearing the protest, the Atala warrior’s reaction was simple.

“… … That makes sense.”

“Well, isn’t it? Haha, you are quite brilliant, unlike your half-animal leader… … .”

“Then, let’s do the same thing we just said at the Delutana Central Plaza and the Assembly Hall. I will report exactly what I heard from Senator Pellico and Chief Goltarran.”

“… … .”

Ramulek’s face was twisted like rotten fruit.

If it had been after the empire had conquered him, then it would have been understandable, but in this time of war, he was expressing such an opinion? If he did well, he would have been beheaded alone, and if he did not, it was obvious that three generations of his clan would have been wiped out.

The congressman who had planned the betrayal was captured by a warrior and was being escorted away. It was too late for him to open his watch because everything he had reported to the empire was discovered. No matter how much I beg him to free himself, he just reads the scriptures. The only gain was finding out that the interest had been followed by someone else’s orders.

However, he could not physically resist. He was inferior to this trained warrior in both height and strength, and he was bare-handed and unarmed. I had never thought that I would regret not bringing my guard dogs.

If I’m dragged to Delutana like this… … The central square will soon be renovated into an exhibition hall for himself, his dogs, and Gasol.

In the end, Ramulec chose the last resort.

‘If your devotion is discovered and you are in danger of death… … recite this ‘Gospel’. But be careful. This ‘Gospel’ must be recited with all your heart and with an earnest faith in Elgar… … .’

The method that Arch Paladin, who was in contact with him, told me, a solution to the crisis that I was half-believing.

“The only worthy Master of the whole world, who has watched over this land and brought light to it from the beginning, is Elgar… … He clothes the many tender creatures who yearn for salvation with robes of light and guides them to the blessed land… … .”

“… …What are you doing, you punk?”

Even when the warrior cut his neck with an axe, he did not stop. He recited the gospel with a desperate desperateness until the end, saying that if he stopped reading in the middle, he would die, and that this was the only way to live.

And that longing finally reached somewhere.

I couldn’t tell if it was heaven, earth, or hell… … .

Wooooow – !

… … It was clear that it gave incredible power to the Hanmi Han congressman.

S – Yes!

“Hmph!”

The warrior hurriedly retreated. His right arm was cut by an unknown flash of light. His skin split open, and blood gushed out from his torn muscles.

The thing that caused the wound was none other than a ray of light rising from Ramulec’s back.

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh… … .

Pure white fabric that looks like seaweed or curtains.

Despite its soft and swaying appearance, its frost was very threatening. Even while the summoned party was frozen in a daze, the light skin launched a fierce attack on the enemy of its own volition.

S – Yes! Win – ! S – Yes!

The warrior quickly changed his weapon to a sword and responded, but it wasn’t enough.

“Black! “Sigh, breath!”

The aftereffects of losing his right arm in the first blow were too great. He had only one sword in his left hand, and his opponent had a dozen or so light soft swords swinging around. It was a fight that was completely out of sync. In an instant, his temples were cut, his shoulders were hit, and his abdomen was torn apart, putting him on the defensive.

I threw down my sword and threw down my axe, determined to die together with the enemy, but… … .

Say hello… … S-Geng!

… … The moment the blades clashed, the axe head was cut in half by the leather blade.

The furious blade flew towards the defenseless warrior. The swords were mercilessly carved all over his body, and drops of blood sprayed out like spray. Finally, the warrior fell to his knees with the tendons in both arms and legs severed.

“Khuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu… … .”

“… … .”

Ramulek had not yet come to his senses. But his body moved on its own. Ramulek slowly approached the bloody warrior and spat out words that someone had injected into him.

“[Pagan, repeat the ‘Gospel’ that I have memorized. Then your spirit and body will be saved from the valley of death, and like me, you will be clothed in the ‘robe of light’ given by Elgar.]”

A resonant voice, a faintly shining eye light, the fabric on the back fluttering like wings… … . Ramulec’s appearance as he spoke like that was like that of an angel giving revelation.

The warrior’s response to the sacred invitation was simple: to follow the precepts of the barren wilderness and fight until death, even if his body was a mess.

“Hwaaaaaap!!”

The struggle ended in vain.

S-Gung!

The fabric of light split the neck of the neck in an instant. Bright red blood spurted out, and the head of the person who rejected his gospel rolled on the floor. A council member wearing a cloth of light made the sign of the cross reverently.

“[His countenance will remain forever distorted, his soul forever unredeemed… … .]”

There is little left inside Ramulec of the congressman who had plotted betrayal. His mind was completely taken over by the will that gave him the fabric. Gradually, my doubts about everything began to fade. I was filled with blind faith in Elgar and a sense of duty to spread the ‘gospel’ that gave me new life.

It was regrettable that the first gospel preaching failed, but there was no need to despair. Over there, not far away, there was a large city overflowing with countless unbelievers. If there were those who recited the ‘gospel’ with earnest faith in the face of the crisis of death, they could all become ‘gospel bodies’ that followed Elgar’s will, just like this body.

Therefore, the ‘holy war’ would begin right here, not at the border between the empire and the alliance.

Woohoooooo… … .

Ramulec hid a fabric of light inside his back. Then he took steps towards Delutana.

A brand resembling the ‘stigmata’ of the ten-pointed star pattern was clearly engraved on the spine.

*

The winds of war began to blow in earnest in Delutana as well.

The news of the outbreak of the ‘holy war’, which was already publicly known, was made a fait accompli by the official announcement of the chairman of the council. Those full of anti-imperial sentiments received the news with anger and excitement, while most citizens received it with despair and resignation.

The transition to an exhibition system occurred quickly.

The chairman of the council, suffering from a bone disease, resigned, and senior lawmaker Pellico followed with an overwhelming vote. The Council of Ministers immediately mobilized additional troops and stockpiled military supplies. The Calamity Army and the Indomitable Army were split in half, with half remaining in Delutana and half dispatched near the border. Goltaran ascended to the position of general and led all troops marching to the border.

The cityscape has also changed from before.

The dark clouds descended like fog over the streets. The sound of boots and armor clanking could be heard everywhere. Citizens gathered from time to time to share useful information and rumors. The number of people selling off luxury goods and searching for daily necessities increased. Every night, a life-threatening game of tag took place between citizens who escaped without permission near the gate and guards who prevented the outflow of human resources.

But there was one place where it didn’t seem to make much difference whether war broke out or not.

Kang-! Kang-! Kang-! Rumbling… … .

‘Sledgehammer Old Man’ Gulak’s workshop. The members of this place just continued to melt, beat, and shape metal without any hesitation as usual.

But that was only superficial; the effects of the war were already seeping into the workshop.

“What? Ramduk, why didn’t this idiot come out again?”

“… … It seems like that old man also left the city yesterday, Master. When Brother Dubren went to check last night, the whole house was completely empty.”

“… … .”

Ramduk wasn’t the first blacksmith to run away from his workshop. He wouldn’t be the last, either.

Delutana’s blacksmiths are exempt from military service during wartime. Instead, they had to make weapons and equipment without pay until the end of the war. It was a fact that even the snobbish apprentice, who was not very knowledgeable, knew clearly that even if he had to give up his citizenship, it would be more advantageous to run away to another city and work as an ironman.

However, most blacksmiths still maintained their positions. What remains is 20% of love for one’s hometown, 40% of love for family, and 4% of loyalty to co-workers. But I didn’t know when that effect would run out. As the number decreases and the war lasts, the burden of those who remain will become murderously heavy.

The workshop leader, Gulak, looked bitterly at the workshop members.

One whose arm was peeled off after being burned in boiling water, another whose finger was broken off after being hit by a hammer, another whose eye was swollen and swollen… … Each and every one of them worked without rest to fill the empty spots of those who had left. If they kept working like this, it was obvious that they would end up catching a few people.

I wanted to handle all the work on my own today and tell those idiots to go home and get some rest, but… .

That couldn’t be possible.

Gulak finished just one portion of work today and quickly limped to his studio. When the middle-aged blacksmith saw what was happening, he couldn’t bear it anymore and shouted.

“Hey, old man, workshop leader! Well, let’s apply a little more iron powder to the palm of our hand! “Can’t you see that these bastards are dying because they are doing the work of a few people?”

“Oh my, how much longer do I have to make this lame old man work for me? If I work any longer, my remaining leg will probably break, so I’ll call it a day and go rest… … .”

“Oh, if you’re going to lie, you should at least lick your lips. Everyone knows you’ll just stay in that damn nest and fiddle with that piece of iron all day long… … . You’re busy making iron for people to use, so why on earth do you put so much effort into making a piece of iron that a person can’t even swing, old man? Yes?”

The wrinkles on Gulak’s face doubled in size. There was a fire like a furnace burning in his aged eyes. The craftsman whose ‘masterpiece’ was insulted gave a rare serious voice.

“There is, you old man.”

“… … yes?”

“There is someone who can wield that thing. A man who could tear apart an imperial paladin with his bare hands if he wanted to. “The author asked me to make something ‘big,’ so I’m making it, and I’m sure he’ll be satisfied with the taste only if it’s neatly organized.”

“… … .”

The blacksmith’s expression became absurd. After all, the weapon that Gulag was making was big enough to make even a siege ram go away. If he were to wield and swing something like that by himself, wouldn’t he be considered a monster with a soldering iron, not a human?

Gulak said nothing more and resolutely turned his back.

Now, the completion of this ‘masterpiece’ was truly just around the corner. At least while I was making this work, I wanted to remain unmoved by reality. It was always his last wish to concentrate on his work until the end with a pure heart.

At that moment, someone burst open the iron door of the workshop and rushed in.

“Ha, grandpa! grandfather! “Wait a minute!”

It was Gulak’s granddaughter who had been busy helping out with chores at the workshop recently. She had come in such a hurry that even though it was the middle of winter, her young face was drenched in sweat.

“Grandpa!! Heck, heck… … Oops, we’re in trouble!!”

“What’s the matter, dear? If it’s something to do with the order, I’ll talk to you later… … .”

“No, that’s not it!! We have to run away from here quickly!! Right now, on the street, on the street!! There’s something, something strange… … .”

There was no need to hear any more. As the main gate opened, the screams and roars from the street, which had been buried under the sound of metal and fire, came vividly into the workshop.

‘Gyaaaaaaahh …

‘Kwaaaa!! ‘Aaaaaaaaa!!’

– … … rrrrr, krrrrr… … .

The blacksmiths were startled and all looked out into the street.

Soon, the sweat that had been flowing due to the heat of the oven cooled down, and cold sweat due to fear and astonishment began to run down my spine.

*

While chasing after the sprinting Kadim across the Alliance Territory.

Duncan experienced a total of 48 episodes of dizziness, 13 episodes of vomiting, eight episodes of shortness of breath, three episodes of arrhythmia, four mild sprains, two episodes of fainting, and one episode of vomiting blood.

It was an extreme journey that would have killed a normal person long ago. But Duncan couldn’t even say anything to slow down a little.

“Ugh, huh… … Hehe, hehe… … I’ll be fine… … … This energy… … ?”

Oh, so, so, the sensation of magic gently touching my skin.

There seemed to be a devil nearby. She was relatively insensitive, but she felt it herself, so there was no way that Kadim couldn’t feel it. Duncan wiped away the flowing tears and prepared himself.

“Huh, huh… … Devil, it looks like the devil is around… … . Phew… … I will empty the canteen to receive blood… … . Come on, hurry up, catch it, get the blood, and then start again… … .”

“… … .”

Instead, Kadim threw the lightning bolt somewhere far away, unseen.

Wedge, wedge, wedge, wedge…

… … Whoo – ung, whoosh, whoosh, tuck – !

The lightning strike traveled back and forth for several kilometers in an instant. The ax blade was covered in the remains of devil’s blood. Kadim wiped the ax head with dry grass and then spoke calmly.

“Let’s just throw away the blood and go.”

“… … yes?”

“Isn’t saving your family a priority? “I don’t think there are any other demons or monsters, so it would be better to pass by quickly.”

“… … !!!”

It was like seeing a vampire fasting and refusing blood.

Duncan even forgot to take a deep breath and froze with his mouth wide open.