The Berserker’s Second Playthrough in the Game - Chapter 237



Only Krnovel

Episode 237. The Star That Turned Its Back on the Light (5)

Defeat is painful. Especially for the Atalains, who fear defeat and submission more than death.

Goltarran looked around with his dead, black eyes.

“Khuuuuugh… … . Khuuuuu… … .”

“Ugh, ugh, ugh, keuheuuh… … .”

“… … .”

One who was clutching a half-torn, dangling wrist, one who was barely able to squeeze in the intestines that had spilled out of his stomach, one who had the veins hanging from his gouged out eyeball hanging in tatters… … These miserable disabled soldiers were not the superficial still lifes that were commonly found on the battlefield. Each and every one of them was his subordinates, like brothers or sons to him.

“Father of the wilderness, heal your flesh and blood… … . Heal them as if they were washed… … ”

“Oh, Atala, the master of the eternal war… … . Ease the suffering of the warriors… … . Let them recover from their wounds… … .”

The shamans of the wilderness diligently prayed for healing magic, but the effect was not very effective. At least the crushed herbs stopped the bleeding and saved his life.

Goltarran himself was in a bad state. One of his arms was broken by a hammer blow, and the muscles on his back were torn and blue. However, his mental injuries were much greater than his physical ones. He had run away without being able to properly confront the enemy, and many of his subordinates had lost their lives or been seriously injured. It was all his own recklessness and misjudgment.

The foolish general could not ‘fight’ properly and could not keep the ‘mission of relief’ given by the Great Commander. It was thanks to this side that the allied forces avoided annihilation and at least half of their lives were saved.

“How are you feeling, general leading the army?”

In the darkness, the blind priestess, Everill, revealed herself.

This was one of the ruins where the priestesses of the wilderness resided, a magical space beyond the stone slab. Thanks to the sudden appearance of Evebril, who had disappeared, and leading them here, they were barely able to escape the pursuit of the Holy War Army.

The place was not unfamiliar. However, Goltaran could not understand this shaman’s actions at all.

“… … The bones that support the soul are more painful and tingly than the bones of the flesh. By the way, I would like you to tell me soon.”

“… … .”

“What happened to the great joint, Yebril…?” … ? “How was he able to come all this way alone with no vision?”

Yebril quietly raised his head.

The eyes are the windows of the soul, and people look into each other’s inner thoughts through those small slits. It is not easy to guess the inner thoughts of a blind person who has closed the window. As I stared at the cloth that covered my eyes, a lonely and calm hum descended.

“I heard a voice.”

“… … voice?”

“Yes. A voice as delicate as the chirping of a bird in an egg, as pitiful as the whistle of a mute buried in a sand dune. That voice perceived my earnestness and called me. But before it called me, I longed for it, and in the end, like a bat wandering through a cave, I followed it by echolocation.”

A strange sound tickled my ears. This was not Yevril’s usual speaking style.

“What are you talking about? Is the priestess who was in these ruins calling you?”

“Just because words flow from your lips does not mean that is the source of the sound. “The poor daughter of the wilderness was a lost letter that had been locked in a drawer for a long time, and she was but an emissary of one who lived through an indefinite period of time.”

“… … Are you saying that the shaman was just a contact person and that there was someone else who truly called you? “Then who is that ‘person who endures endless years’?”

“Once the echo disappears, its traces will be empty no matter where you look. The priestess who completed her mission returned to the earth, and the message dispersed after delivering it, so revealing its origin now would be useless. However, since we used each other as sounding boards for a while, it would be more correct to say that it was me.”

“… … .”

A riddle-like Zen question and answer that most people would find frustrating. But Goltaran was accustomed to conversations like this. A shaman who was judged by the great warrior and returned to dust always said this.

This was the speaking style of the ‘true shamans of the wilderness’ who learned how to use magical powers.

Goltarran asked if he could now use proper magic. After a moment, a silent affirmation returned.

Did he receive teachings from the old priestess and achieve a great awakening? In any case, it was belated good news. Even with the help of powerful sorcery, he wouldn’t be able to bring the dead back to life… … but he could go out right away and take revenge on Elga’s Star.

However, Yevril firmly dissuaded him.

“For the time being, do not leave the ruins and do not plan on facing the enemy.”

“… … What are you talking about? We must quickly finish our revenge and pay for the blood of our dead brothers.”

“Atala told us to be courageous, not to be reckless. “With a broken arm and a battered body like that, you will never be able to stand up to that difficult enemy.”

“I… … fought even when my arm wasn’t just broken, but completely fell off, and my entire body collapsed. And that was against an opponent who was far stronger than Elgar’s Star. An injury like this is nothing… … .”

“So, did you win that fight?”

“… … .”

“Have you achieved a shameless victory worthy of the eyes of the Father of the Wild?”

That was not the case. The ‘Angry Horn of Agon’, who once summoned the divine spirit of Atala and fought to the death, barely won a battle against a rampaging berserker and was completely defeated by a certain peddler who risked his life to fight him.

Goltarran looked at Evril with confused eyes.

The sight of the shaman I met again was extremely unfamiliar. Her timid and weak appearance had been washed away, and she was covered only with the bitterness that oozed from her dignity of unknown origin, like frost.

“Who are you…? Are you really Everill?”

“… … .”

“Answer me once. What is the name of the vicious master who enslaved you in the past? “How did you get released from under him?”

The blind priestess answered the questions that doubted her identity calmly.

“The one who enslaved me was the king of the arena, Ubik. I was freed thanks to a benefactor who came to Agon… … and burned all the slave documents.”

“… … .”

It was the right answer. But Goltarran couldn’t shake off his doubts. The atmosphere had changed so much that even the appearance of the correct answer felt awkward.

Especially the eyes. The window of her heart was covered with a yellow cloth, and he was unable to see through her intentions at all.

She must… … It seemed like she was looking right through this area with another eye.

*

Some time has passed since I took refuge in the ruins of the old shaman.

It was unclear what had happened to Everill, but one thing was certain: she had become a priestess of extraordinary ability.

She was already an outstanding gem, but now she has reached a level where she can rival the shamans of old. Under her teachings, other wilderness shamans began to acquire full-fledged magic. In addition, thanks to her magic to create a ‘simple elixir’ from herbs cultivated, the injured, including Goltaran, entered the recovery period safely.

However, there was no way to deal with the enemies.

In fact, it was a fight without an answer. How could one confront the Holy Army and the mighty Star of Elgar without weapons?

The trauma left behind by the ‘Star that Calls Peace’ was serious. The allies were still powerless and unable to recover from the shock of losing their brothers and comrades. Although there were those who were willing to stand against their powerful enemy with an axe to the end, no one wanted to be slaughtered like cattle slaughtered with bare hands.

The only hope is to block the source of power through magic. However, it was impossible for even Yevril to block a miracle as absurd as the power of the ‘Stigmata’. Moreover, even if the ‘Star that Calls Peace’ was somehow defeated, there was one more ‘star’ left… … .

With no other choice, the days of hiding in silence continued. However, the destruction was already predicted.

Gurrrrrr… … .

One day, the ceiling suddenly rang violently. Goltaran and Yevril hinted that something was coming.

“… … “It looks like Elgar’s shooting star found its way here.”

“… … .”

When the stone slab is destroyed, the ruins are also destroyed. The Star of Elgar seemed to have already realized that they were hiding here. Shocks transferred from the stone slab hit the magic space one after another.

Gurrrrung, gurrrrrung – !!

“Mom, everyone get out of here!! The ceiling is collapsing!!”

“Aaaah!!”

Soon the walls and ceiling collapsed, revealing part of the outside. In front of the lined up crusaders stood a giant holding a mace shaped like a dove. The warriors, the soldiers, the shamans and the women who served them, everyone in the ruins froze in fear and anxiety.

A dead end road with no visible way out. Goltaran made a decision.

I decided to give up my life and destroy Elgar’s star together.

“… … All those who still possess the ‘Sacred Spirit of Atala’, come before me.”

The indomitable army warriors widened their eyes as if struck by lightning.

Goltaran also distributed to his subordinates the ‘divine spirit’ that he had drawn from the ‘Judgment of Atala’, an enemy and new recruit who had been claiming to be the great warrior. The side effects were so strong that it was impossible to use it on a daily basis. However, when he risked death and used it as a last resort, he displayed truly destructive performance.

‘Atala’s Judgment’ returned to its rightful owner, but some of the subordinates still retained the energy they received at that time. If they were to utilize that energy… … they would be able to stand against Elga’s Star to some extent even without weapons.

Of course, it wasn’t Goltarran who forced his subordinates to make sacrifices.

“Give me all the ‘Atala’s Divine Weapons’ you have.”

““… … !!””

“I will block the Holy War and the Star of Elga alone. In the meantime, you lead the priestesses and retreat to Delutana, and ask for support from the ‘Demon Slayer’.”

Under the precepts of the barren wilderness and the banner of the indomitable army, the orders of the chieftain are as absolute as the revelations of the devotee.

But this time, they could not accept it. To abandon the leader who had devoted his entire life to his people and given them meaningful struggles…? …? For the first time, the warriors of the army disobeyed orders, saying that they could not do that, and that they would rather block the enemy themselves.

No, it didn’t end with just words.

“General. “It was an honor to fight under the general, from Agon to here.”

“… … what?”

“Glory to Atallah. Nevertheless, glory to our leader who will lead the army.”

A warrior pounded his chest with his fist. Then he suddenly lifted his battle axe.

Hooooooooo – !!

The rising yellow mist, ‘Atala’s Divine Spirit’, surrounded the body line. The warrior charged out through the wall without hesitation.

The other warriors also saw this and pounded their chests vigorously as if they had made up their minds.

“This shabby battlefield is not fit for someone like you to be buried here.”

“Yes, we will stop that evil Elgar star. General, please lead your remaining brothers and compatriots.”

“General, we sincerely thank you for leading us beyond the iron bars of the arena. For now, we will first go to see our father in the wilderness.”

“What are you talking about, you guys… …!!”

“I only hope that we will meet again in the future, in a place where war and feasting will never cease. Glory to Atala, please… … Glory to the leader who will lead us forever.”

Huuuuuung – !!!

There was no time to stop them. The warriors simultaneously called upon Atala’s divine power. Then, they turned into burning yellow cannonballs, and, holding up spears and axes, charged out of the ruins.

“Atalaaaa …

“Atalaaaaa – !!!”

Paxtan, the ‘Star of Peace’, looked at him with a look of disbelief.

“Pointless disputes only lead to hatred… … Love ‘peace,’ you foolish servants.”

Woooooooooooooo – !!

The hammer struck the ground. White waves covered the area. Once again, the weapon fell from my hand like an illusion.

Tank, tank! Tsurrururur… … .

The warriors did not run away this time. They rushed at him with their bare bodies. They desperately grabbed his ankles, swung their fists, and kicked him. Their struggles were somewhat effective, and they succeeded in temporarily stopping the ‘star’ and inflicting damage.

However, it was impossible to endure the extreme side effects of the new medicine for long.

Kkwaddeuk, kkwaddeukdeuk – !!

One by one, their bodies disintegrated and they were reduced to horribly crushed pieces of flesh.

Just to buy a few seconds, one life is lost, and the lights of life are fading out one by one in fleeting transactions.

Goltarran froze. He watched the blood clumps cooling down, the end of his subordinates who had been with him for decades. The only thing that barely brought his mind back from the haze was the whisper of a blind priestess.

“… … Anyone who loses a finger and remains still will also lose his toes. “Pull yourself together and lead the rest, general.”

*

Kadim suddenly came to his senses.

“… … ?”

It was something that happened ‘out of the blue’. It was like being at the bottom of a bloody sea and suddenly rising to the surface of consciousness.

An unfamiliar landscape unfolded around him. The winter wind blew coldly, and the fields faintly smelled of blood. Only after looking at the letter from Goltarran held in his left hand and the empty water bottle in his right hand did he begin to understand the situation.

‘Yes, I was on my way to the central front to destroy Elgar’s star… … Then, suddenly, an uncontrollable impulse came over me, and I drank a whole can of demon blood, and then my memory was lost… … .’

It didn’t seem like he had gone crazy or was going crazy. The hammerhead and hands were clean without any blood. However, the fact that his memory suddenly disappeared as if he had been drinking too much gave him considerable discomfort and anxiety. If he continued like this, he might go crazy without realizing it…

In addition to the vague anxiety, a practical problem arose right away. I don’t know where this place is.

My memory was cut off and my sense of direction was reset, so I couldn’t tell which way to go to get to the central front. I didn’t see any passersby or villages nearby to ask for directions… … Damn Elgar’s eyes were hanging in the sky… … Unfortunately, I also left behind the peddler who was supposed to be my guide at Delutana… … .

But there was just one sign guiding the way.

A casting received from a fake archaeologist, a stone tablet chasing the ‘relics’.

Woof, woof, woof –

For the first time in a while, the jewel embedded in the stone tablet pointed somewhere with a beam of light. Judging by the strong brilliance, it appears that the ruins are not that far away.

In fact, there was no need to rush to the ruins where the priestess resided. I hadn’t yet obtained enough good blood to make a tattoo, and if I had to be specific, destroying Elgar’s star was the priority.

But there was no particular reason not to go. I was already lost, and if I left like this, the priestess would just wait for me again. I could save the ‘Needle of Engraving’ and use it later…

perhaps… … You might get a clue as to Cyril’s whereabouts.

Kadim made a decision.

Woof, woof, woof – !

Following the beam of light from the stone tablet, I headed towards the ruins.