The Berserker’s Second Playthrough in the Game - Chapter 226



Only Krnovel

Episode 226 Reaper of Silver Mirror Lake (5)

Despite his confident approach, Duncan struggled.

“Ugh, huh!”

Sseurung-! Thud, sseurung-!

The dazzling blades of the sword cut through the darkness one after another. The brilliance that bloomed in the shape of a fan was projected in a sharp line, drew a wide trajectory, and split the ground like a flash.

―――― Kwakagagak – !!

The Night Shadow Cloak had long since lost its effectiveness as the halos of light spread all around. Duncan was busy blocking and avoiding the attacks. The fierce attacks of the highest-ranking paladins made survival itself a burden.

As soon as he finished his longsword swing, the light surrounding the longsword faded. However, Reflectus immediately grabbed the hilt and recharged the light.

“Star that enjoys heaven! “The star of the earth, acting on behalf of your Creator, commands you to forge this blade with the fragments of the truth that echo on the surface of the water!”

Tsztztztz, wooooong – !!

The starlight reflected on the ice condensed into one spot, rose like a star cloud, and settled into the sword body.

‘Stigmata’ is the most powerful weapon that Decagram possesses. However, it is not the only weapon. Reflectus not only has the power to steal and disrupt shapes, but also possesses a very powerful weapon.

New recruit, ‘Starlight’s Afterglow’.

A longsword that uses the starlight reflected on the water as its power source to strengthen its attacks. Thanks to the starlight surrounding it, the blade is as wide as a wave and the swordsmanship is as destructive as lightning. As long as there are stars in the sky and lakes on the ground, the power of the weapon will never diminish.

Moreover, its use was not limited to simply strengthening attacks. As he violently shook his sword body, the brilliance of the starlight broke into pieces and shot out like arrows.

Net, net, net – ! Bang, boom, boom – !

“Ugh, huh!!”

The arrow of light had greater firepower than a fireball fired by magic. The entire area was bombarded by a shower of brilliance, and the cloaked peddler had no choice but to retreat in disgust.

Even in the midst of all this, Duncan was still mistaking the paladin for Julia. To him, the current situation was like having the worst marital fight of his life. No, even if she was possessed by a demon, how could my wife be this strong…?

He barely managed to survive by blocking arrows with his razor blade and jumping to avoid sword strikes, but it was obvious that he wouldn’t last long. Step by step, Duncan was forced back, and he fell back. Just before he hit the water’s edge, he fell and rolled around on the ground.

Bam!

“Ack, keaaaa!!”

The tip of a shining sword pierced the outer shell of my ear. His narrow eyes trembled pitifully in pain and confusion.

“That pole, that pole, that pole… … Why are you doing this, Yulia… … ? Why, why are you targeting me… … Why come all the way to Untana? … Why are you attacking me… … .”

“… … .”

A bitter sneer appeared at the corner of the woman’s mouth.

“Make no mistake, you servant of the devil. You and your family are nothing more than a decoy in the grand scheme of things. Your family is nothing more than bait to lure you out, and you are nothing more than bait to lure out that evil ‘demon.’”

Perhaps because he thought he had already caught the prey, Reflectus did not rush to dispose of it. He explained the background of his pursuit of Duncan with some elaborate rhetoric.

“Do you know what the true purpose of the ‘holy war’ was, servant?”

“… … .”

“The extermination of the unbelievers, the conquest of the city, the deprivation of the autonomy of the alliance, these are all mere illusions imprisoned in the prison of material things. The primary purpose of the holy war that Archbishop Erensko initiated was… .”

“… … .”

“… … “He murders his own nephew, commits evil acts with the power of the devil, and brings out and executes the ‘demon slayer’ Khadim, a demon who is in cahoots with the followers of the forgotten god and the politicians of the alliance.”

Duncan’s face froze as if he had been splashed with cold water.

Thanks to his special stigmata, Reflectus, the ‘star that illuminates the water’s surface’, has been very active in the Alliance Territory as the ultimate spy with no risk of being discovered. His contribution was to collect countless information to uncover the full story of the murder of the Archbishop’s nephew, Linton, and to track down the culprit, the ‘Demon Slayer’, and inform the Archbishop of it.

Given the situation, it was inevitable that Archbishop Erensko would know the ins and outs of what led to the crusade. It is also true that someone who slays one evil spirit will receive a greater reward than someone who conquers a hundred cities.

Therefore, unlike other Paladins who went to the central front to conquer large cities, Reflectus went out to target only one evil spirit. However, the problem was that after he left the village of Naran, Malta, the whereabouts of the evil spirit became unknown.

So Reflectus planned to lure the demon using the family of the demon’s close ‘servant’ as bait.

“I planned an escape within Delutana and lured your family here. I already knew in Maltana that you cherished your family. So I held your wife and son hostage and waited for you to come with the demons… … .”

“… … .”

“… … Why did you come alone, you? Where is Mr. Kadeem? I should have greeted you together with my son, saying that I was very grateful to you last time… … .”

Duncan clenched his teeth. He repeated that his wife was possessed by the devil and was crazy, and kept silent about Kadim’s whereabouts. However, as her mental power became increasingly depleted, she began to become confused as to whether her wife was truly crazy or whether she herself was crazy.

Reflectus didn’t wait that long either. He pulled the tip of his sword out of his ear and extended his hand.

“Well, it doesn’t matter if you don’t tell me. After all, if you just take the form of your reflection on the water, killing that demon will be easier than throwing a child into the water… … .”

But just before Reflectus touches it.

Duncan took the first step and created a black hole behind me.

Goooooong – !

The small body was sucked in and disappeared. The figure reappeared from behind and swung her neck dagger at the paladin disguised as her wife.

“Just stay asleep for a moment, you!”

“… … “Inhale!”

Chae – Ang!!

Reflectus barely defends himself with the back of his sword. My eyes trembled slightly, shaken by the unexpected surprise attack.

“You guys, this is…” … ? that… … A lowly and profane forgotten divine law?”

“Wow, my heavenly husband showed me a hidden talent… … “You speak too harshly, Julia.”

“Oh, what a brazen pagan who doesn’t know his place… … .”

It may be inferior and profane, but the effect was outstanding. The effectiveness of the holy method has been sufficiently proven by defeating one Inferno before. Like his mole, Duncan created holes here and there, came and went, and eliminated them, disrupting and ambushing the enemy.

Wedge – Damn! Goooooong – ! Goooooong – !

“Ugh, damn it… … !”

Reflectus also couldn’t handle it as leisurely as before. It was difficult to come to my senses because of the remnants that suddenly appeared and disappeared from time to time. Without any help, he gathered the maximum amount of starlight into his sword body and tried to annihilate it with a wide-range weapon that devastated the surrounding area.

But for some reason, the lakeside had lost its starlight and had become pitch dark.

“… … hmm?”

Clouds covered the sky, and the stars disappeared completely.

Without the reflected starlight, the ‘Starlight’s Afterglow’ would have been nothing more than a sturdy and sharp longsword. Even the heavens had sided with the merchant, not the paladin. Of course, it was only Duncan’s own desperate struggle that made it possible to hold out until the clouds cleared away…

The stigmata have become meaningless, and the new soldiers have lost their abilities. Elga’s Star has lost two of its most powerful weapons, and is now no different from other knights.

However, the reputation of ‘Decagram’ was not created in vain.

“Damn it, this mere piece of flesh is just fiction – !!!”

Reflectus shed Yulia’s form and took on the form of a sturdy man. And then he summoned the last weapon, Elgar’s divine power.

Huuuuuung -!!

Pure white fog swirled like a blizzard. The pure white burning anger transferred from the pupil to the muscle, from the muscle to the grip, and from the grip to the sword body along the blood stream.

“… … You, in particular, will be divided into skeletons and flesh pieces and placed in the water.”

Afterwards, a sword strike ruthlessly tears through space like the claws of a cold wind.

――――― Booooong, booooong – ! Boom, Kwaaaaang – !!

The vicious swordsmanship continued. The night air was torn apart by the wind and wailed, and the ground shook as it reached the lake, cracking the ice. The destructive attacks were so great that it was difficult to perceive the absence of starlight, and they swept across the area.

“Huh! “Huh, huh, huh!!”

Duncan had a hunch. Just like before, if you wander around nearby, you’ll end up with frozen minced meat. I spread the distortion hole as far away as possible and quickly ran away.

However, there was no point in running away, and Reflectus jumped up and followed suit.

Kwa-Ang!

“Did you think that would preserve your false ideas, you lowly illusion!!”

“Whoaaah!”

Goooowoong – Kwagagagagak – !!

The sword strike plowed the ground surface, scattering the holes that had been drilled. Even if you try to run away to another hole, it’s only a momentary reprieve. The angry Arch Paladin followed her without stopping and launched an earth-shattering onslaught.

To make matters worse, the sacred power contained in the ‘Silver Coin of a Ruined Nation’ was also rapidly depleting. Even now, if I can’t even use the distortion hole… … it was obvious as day that I would be killed in an instant.

――――― Buuuuung, buuuung – !!

“Ugh! Ugh, ugh… … .”

But there was no way to deal with it. The cold sword wind penetrated my ribs, and my muscles and ligaments stiffened. The sound of my earlobes being pierced and the frozen crusts crackling felt like the whispers of the god of death.

‘Ah, I don’t want to die here… … I don’t want to go to hell… … .’

The wick Duncan had built inside him snapped. The best guide stepped aside, and the weak peddler lifted his head.

In fact, coming here alone was an outrageous act of arrogance. It would be okay if I just came with Nauri… … What is the value of life, true struggle… … I will grow even further and return to the golden age… … Don’t talk nonsense or talk nonsense… … .

A frenzied onslaught pushed Duncan to the water’s edge. If he approached the lake like this, he would be trapped underwater, but if he held out on land, he would be torn to pieces by the blades… … There seemed to be no way out.

In the end, before my bones and flesh separated, I was contemplating just voluntarily going into the lake.

Duncan suddenly encountered numerous faces under the water.

It was a pitch-black night, with even the stars blocked out, but it was impossible to miss them. A fearful noblewoman, and the faces of the stern soldiers and warriors… … Julia, sobbing with worry, and Dunsen, clenching his fists and looking at his father.

A sharp gust of wind pierced through my mind.

Only then did Duncan remember why he had come here. He had not come here to grow further, to achieve great feats, and to return home in glory.

He had come here to protect his family.

“Don’t worry, Julia, Duncan! I’ll save you somehow… … .”

Wooooong, tup – !

“… … Ugh, ugh!”

A rough hand grabbed my collar. Reflectus lifted Duncan up with one hand.

“Matter is changeable and uncertain. It always makes empty promises based on weakness and ignorance. But light is unchangeable and definite. Just as the Archbishop will surely reward me with great honor if I destroy the demon you serve.”

“Kek, kehek…” … .”

“Say goodbye to false images, servants of the devil. From now on, you will be reborn as a true product of light.”

In a final struggle, Duncan spreads a distortion hole at the Paladin’s feet.

Goooooong –

Reflectus snickered, stepping on the edge of the hole as if mocking, and pushing Duncan directly into the water. The reflection on the water tore the corners of his mouth apart, and his hand reached out to take the place of the subject.

But just before Duncan was caught by the reflected image.

――――― Kukuaaaaaa – !!

A column of water exploded out of nowhere from the hole.

“… … cup!?”

Swept away by the gushing pressure, Reflectus’ body was lifted high into the air. He even let go of Duncan, who he had been holding onto, and fell far away, rolling on the ground.

Reflectus, who can’t help but be embarrassed.

“What, what is this… … ? What is this, a change like a vain and erratic fate… … .”

“Hoooooo… … .”

Duncan barely sighed.

I was unsure whether it would work or not, but the result was quite successful. No, actually, it was better than I expected. If applied well, it might be possible to completely subdue that monstrous paladin.

I tried it right away without any delay.

―――――― Pukwaaaaa – !!

Once again a column of water erupted from below, this time on a smaller scale, but with greater pressure.

“… … Hehe!”

Reflectus fell to the ground again. He looked as if he was dumbfounded. His face was completely clueless as to what the enemy was up to.

It was worth it. Who in the world can imagine that? The trick was to drill a huge distorted hole at the bottom of the lake, drill a small nozzle in the ground, and use the water pressure to fire a water cannon.

But this wasn’t enough.

Duncan narrowed the nozzle further and smaller. To increase the shooting pressure to the maximum. Finally, in inverse proportion to the narrowed diameter, the moment when the water pressure became strong enough to reach the edge of the sky.

――――――――― Pushuuuuu – !!

He aimed the stream of water directly into the enemy’s eyes.

“… … Khaaaaaaaah!!”

No matter how strong a paladin you are, it is impossible to even train your eyes. Reflectus immediately sat down, cupping his eyes.

The perfect opportunity to kill the enemy. The best guide did not miss the only path leading to victory. He gathered his last stamina and opened the distortion hole, then immediately jumped in front of the enemy and made a surprise attack.

“Look back, damn it!”

A blazing hellfire dagger was thrust into his throat.

Boom, boom, growl – !!

“Keuhk… … .”

A ‘star illuminating the surface of the water’ that collapses and burns with a deathly groan.

Ironically, as soon as the body was reduced to ashes, a strong wind blew, blowing away the clouds. A star cloud hidden behind the cumulus clouds came down to the cracked ice sheet. Starlight sparkled brightly on the Silver Mirror Lake, which was dark as if ink had been spilled on it.

Whioooooooo… … .

One winter, on the shore of a lake, when Elgar’s star had fallen and the stars in the sky had risen, a gust of wind blew like the whistle of a messenger of death.

*

With the ‘Stigmata’ gone, those who had been trapped like shadows in the lake were released. Duncan thought he could finally be reunited with his family in peace.

It wasn’t.

“More, Dunsaeen!! Dunsaenn!!”

“Dad! Dadaaaa!!”

“Are you okay, Duncan? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Yeah, I’m fine… … . But Dad, one ear… … .”

“Huh? Oh, no, no. are you okay. “This doesn’t hurt at all.”

Actually, my son was fine. The problem was my wife.

“Duncan!! Wha, how come you’re here…? What’s that black hole-like thing…? What the hell is going on!?”

“… … Ugh, huh.”

Duncan hesitates and retreats. As the couple had just had a violent fight (or not), I instinctively became wary as soon as I saw her. On the one hand, she understood why Julia was doing this, but on the other hand, she looked sad and asked if she didn’t even recognize her.

Fortunately, after going through one authentication process, the problem was resolved.

“You, Julia… … . Um, I bought this for you… … .”

Duncan took out a golden bead necklace. It was the relic that Remillion had given him when they said goodbye in the Great Forest. Julia’s eyes widened at the sight of its expensive appearance.

“What, what is it all of a sudden? Where did you buy this? How much does it cost?”

“Uh, well, it wasn’t that much… … . I bought it for about 20 million Luden… … .”

“You’re crazy, you burnt person!!! What kind of robber did you get deceived by? With that money, you can buy bread in millions, if you buy dishes, you can buy hundreds of thousands of them. No, if you buy a house, you can buy hundreds of them and invite people from all over the neighborhood to buy them from generation to generation… … .”

“… … Phew.”

Duncan, finally convinced that she was his wife, smiled in relief and hugged Julia tightly.