The Berserker’s Second Playthrough in the Game - Chapter 42



Only Krnovel

Episode 42. Brothers of Messen (2)

A gentle breeze brushes through my shaggy hair, and an open field with a faint view of a beautiful tree in the distance.

Kadim strained his eyes.

The tree that was as small as a dot looked like a walnut, and soon it looked like a target as big as a watermelon, beyond apples and melons. Little by little, I pulled the tendons of my arm that held the axe handle taut. As I twisted and released my upper body and swung it horizontally, the axe blade flew fiercely and soon a distant cracking sound passed my ears.

… … Kwa-ga-ga-ga-gak… … So so so so… … .

I could see the tree with its trunk split open leaning. The faint scent of the split log wafted through the wind and brushed past my nose.

Kadim stretched out his arms and prayed quietly.

‘Come back, salmon.’

‘Salmon’ returns once again, crushing the wooden pillar.

… … Kwagagagagaga… … Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, tuck!

As it neared, the axe folded its metal wings and settled its dark handle against his calloused knuckles. Kadim hung the salmon on his belt and swept it over his body.

It was certain. Not only had the weapon been strengthened, but the body had also grown once again.

Their eyesight was now comparable to that of a hawk or eagle. Looking back, wasn’t he able to slaughter monsters without any trouble even in the darkness of the fortress with no other light source?

Their sense of smell and hearing were also superior to those of most beasts. If they had refined their senses a little more, they might have been able to detect enemies several kilometers away without even seeing them.

Strength was beyond words. Kadim’s strength had grown to the point where, when converted into stat points, it had grown by several dozen degrees compared to the first time around.

Perhaps the experience of fighting trolls, arch paladins, and ogres in succession was a source of nourishment. If he continued to grow at this rate, he might be able to regain the strength he had the first time within a few years.

As long as you remain sane until then, that is.

“… … .”

Suddenly, I felt a faint presence.

When I turned my gaze, I saw Shinyoung approaching me with brisk steps. There was no need to be particularly wary. Duncan, who had run in a hurry, stood in front of me, timid.

“Well, I’ll be better…” … . The counselor called me. I think you’re about to leave now… … .”

Kadim nodded silently. It’s already been 15 days since I waited for the counselor to finish his work in Remtana. I was already itching to know when to leave. I thought I would just leave it if it was too late, but it turned out to be a good thing.

Kadim hurried his way back. But Duncan did not follow right away. Duncan, who was hesitating as if he had something to say, soon approached and held out a fat pocket.

“Well, I’ll be better…” … Please take this… … .”

“What is this?”

“Um, um, the money I earned from selling that giant demon scale last time, and the money I saved from selling various goods while staying in Remtana… … . I think it’s time to give it to you, Your Majesty… … .”

“Then wasn’t this money you earned? Why are you giving it to me?”

“Well, didn’t I catch that devil? Also, during this time, Nauri paid for all the food and lodging expenses at the inn, and I couldn’t do anything while Nauri was fighting hard, but I also wanted to be of help… … .”

Duncan’s voice gradually became quieter, as if he was crawling into a rat hole. Kadim looked down at him indifferently.

As I said before, there is no money in the world that comes and goes without a purpose. This peddler, who followed him like a half-servant, was no exception. I guess they are giving their money because they want something.

“What do you want?”

“Yes, yes?”

“There’s no need to act like a fool. I gave you the money because I wanted something from you. I won’t get mad no matter what you say, so just say it.”

Duncan was in a state of intense agony. He tried to speak several times, but then closed his mouth again. It seemed as if he was fiercely fighting against another self inside him.

Time dragged on for so long that just before Kadim’s patience ran out, Duncan’s mouth finally fell.

“Well, could it be that I… … “Can’t you teach me how to fight?”

“… … .”

“Well, of course, I will never be a great warrior like you, Your Majesty… … But I also want to help out when we fight. Of course, I have to do my part as a member of the party… … .”

“Aren’t you already acting as a guide? “That alone is enough.”

“Shouldn’t the guide know how to take care of himself? Your Majesty, you will continue to fight against powerful demons and monsters, right? If you continue like this, you will only become a burden to your Majesty, and my life will be in danger, so I am telling you this!”

“… … .”

Kadim stared at the peddler without blinking. Duncan covered his mouth, thinking he had slipped out of his tongue, then lowered his hand and lowered his head as if to say, “Let it be.” The breeze that passed by was as light as a feather, but the silence that surrounded him was as heavy as a stone.

It was Kadim who broke the silence.

He took the ‘mosquito’ tied to his waist, threw it in front of Duncan, and said this.

“Stab me with that knife.”

“……yes?”

“Try to stab me with that sword. If you have the courage to do so, I will teach you how to fight.”

At first, I couldn’t understand what he was saying and didn’t react at all.

After realizing the meaning, I gradually became confused, like paint spreading in transparent water, and eventually exploded with a distorted expression and voice of astonishment.

“Wh, what are you talking about! Stab me! What, nonsense… … . I, I would never do something like that… … .”

“A guy who can’t even stab a defenseless enemy who gave up his weapon is asking me to teach him how to fight. He should learn how to hide and run away rather than just fighting for no reason. “There will be a much higher chance of survival that way.”

“… … .”

An assertion that mercilessly scratches at one’s pride.

After clenching his fists and struggling for a moment in anguish, the peddler finally picked up the mosquito with an evil expression on his face. The barbarian, who saw that, twisted his mouth for a moment. Okay, so it’s not a complete mess.

But that was it. Duncan could do nothing more than hold the sword and tremble like an aspen tree. In fact, that alone was a level of courage far beyond his entire life.

Kadim decided to give Duncan another push.

“If you hesitate to stab someone, how about shouting some curses at them before you come? Words have the power to change actions.”

Duncan did so.

“Look behind you, damn it!”

hook!

Kadim easily blocked the sudden stab with just his index and middle fingers.

“… … .”

At first, he looked dumbfounded, but soon a faint interest appeared in his eyes.

On the other hand, Duncan, who came to his senses belatedly, was shocked.

He was surprised once when he saw the blade stuck between Kadim’s fingers, and again when he realized what he had done. She felt her balls tighten as she imagined what would happen from now on.

But unexpectedly, what came back was praise.

“You have a knack for swordsmanship.”

“… … Is that true, Your Majesty?”

“No, that’s a lie.”

“… … .”

Another moment of silence.

Kadim twisted his fingers and snatched the mosquito back. Then she turned around and walked ahead.

“Pack your bags at the inn and prepare to leave. “I’ll teach you how to fight later when I have time.”

“… … .”

Duncan opened his mouth as if he was lost. Then he suddenly came to his senses and hurried after Kadim.

*

The next morning, the group heading to Delutana gathered in front of the ambassador’s residence.

The composition of the group was quite grand. A councilor, four elite soldiers of the council, Old Man Sledgehammer, a peddler, and a large barbarian. Including the horses they were riding, the total number reached fourteen.

However, it was grandiose by general standards, and considering it was a procession of councillors, it was very simple. The party was deliberately simplified to conceal the identity and absence of the counselor.

“It is not advisable for an ambassador to be away from the city for a long time… … to prevent threats from any unstable forces. For example, the Vesta or the ambassador’s society or the magic tower… … . Even during the journey, I plan to not reveal my identity unless there are special circumstances.”

Kadim glanced at Enrico from the corner of his eye.

He was wearing a brimmed hat to hide his face. The only part that was exposed was wrinkled like a rotten pickle. This is because I devoted myself to work without sleep for several days in order to clean up the situation and manipulate the situation. The sight of him clutching the reins in a half-asleep state looked quite dangerous.

“You must have been very busy. “Have you roughly finished your work?”

“… … I’ve already laid out the basics and left the rest of the aftermath to my chief aide. He’s a trustworthy author, so you don’t have to worry. The entire family in Delutana is dependent on our household, and the debt alone is over 12 million luden.”

“… … .”

It’s hard to put the word ‘trustworthy’ in front of someone, but it was definitely a strong leash. Kadim nodded briefly and changed the subject.

“Describe your route and where you are going. “If there is a dangerous place, prepare in advance.”

“There is no place that is particularly dangerous on the way. If you go half a day, you will come across a river. If you cross it, you will come across a town called Messen. If you stay there for a day and drive down for a day or two, you will come to the Golden Road. It is a safe road with almost no monsters or thieves, but just in case, please be careful of the approach of a group of strangers.”

In fact, it was a journey that did not require an escort. The main reason Enrico insisted on being an escort was to further strengthen his connection with Kadim. In addition to the 50,000 ludens in compensation, he also received a horse and travel expenses, so it was not a bad thing for Kadim.

– Purruk, purruk… … .

“… … .”

Kadim pulled on the reins and slowed down. He looked at the rest of the group following behind. When the savage’s gaze turned to them, the soldiers tensed up for no reason. As if they had made a promise, they let out awkward coughs at the same time.

“Ahem… … .”

“Hmm, hmm… … .”

Cracking, cracking –

Every time the horse stepped forward, the hydra’s scales hanging from the armor were hitting loudly.

“… … .”

Kadim didn’t say anything when he saw that. I bought it with their own money, so you can do whatever you want, whether you make scale armor or scale underwear.

The peddler and the blacksmith, who could not drive a horse, rode behind the soldiers. Kadim approached the old hammerman, Gulag. His wrinkled face looked excited at the thought of seeing his family soon.

But all Gulag had brought was a purse, a hammer, and a few other tools. Khadim tilted his head and asked.

“Is that all you have, old man? “I told you to take only the essentials, but it’s simpler than I thought.”

“Oh, the junk was too much of a hassle, so I just gave it to the blacksmith on Main Street. If you have that sword, anywhere is a battlefield, right? If I have this hammer, anywhere is a blacksmith’s shop.”

And then Gulag showed his broken front teeth. Kadim laughed in vain. Indeed, he was a good old man, but he was full of empty words.

The party crossed the deserted streets at dawn and headed toward the northern gate. The dew-covered wild flowers scattered across the plains scattered their afterglows in the light of dawn rising from the distant horizon. The weeds were trampled by their successive hooves, and the smell of grass rose everywhere they went. Even though it wasn’t yet fully dawn, the weather was warm, suggesting that summer would soon arrive.

– Hee hee hee hee hee hee!

-Turrrrrr… … .

Dagdak, dagdak, dagdak… … .

As the sound of hooves echoed in his ears, Kadim thought, It has been a long time since I have ridden a horse.

Even during the first round, he had hardly ever ridden a horse. Untrained horses are quite timid creatures, which means they are unsuited for journeys where they may encounter monsters and demons. In the demon-infested Demon World, as well as in other areas, the warriors chose to just walk hastily rather than bother to find trained horses.

However, Khadim’s horsemanship was excellent. The Atala blood flowing through his body naturally taught him how to ride a horse. Khadim firmly attached his thighs to the horse and rode the horse skillfully like a skilled rider. However, because he was so large, it was inevitable that the horse carrying him seemed somewhat burdensome.

The journey continued as planned, without any particular danger. There were no major incidents, except for the fact that the sergeant who was dozing off almost fell off his horse. In the afternoon, when the sun was low in the sky and was giving off a languid warmth, the group crossed the wide plains and approached Messen, the transit point.

But far ahead of the river near Messen, Kadim caught sight of something.

“Wait, stop.”

– Heheheehe!

At Kadim’s direction, the group stopped in unison. Enrico asked on behalf of those who were wondering.

“What’s wrong? Is there a problem?”

“Is it true that you have to cross the bridge over that river to get to Messen, Councilor?”

“That’s true, but… … .”

“Someone is standing guard in front of the bridge. They are armed with spears and axes, and there seem to be about six of them.”

Enrico lifted the brim of his hat and narrowed his eyes gently. There was a whitish speck of dust in the distance, but it was impossible to identify the exact number and armament. But he knew very well that this savage would not lie.

“Hmm, that’s strange… … . The river is quite wide and deep, and you must cross that bridge to get to Messen. But it was made so that anyone can use it freely… … .”

“What should I do? “If you are concerned about friction, you can deal with it right away and move on.”

“Haha, that’s fine. How can I help people who can’t even be seen… .”

Enrico, who looked back with a weak smile, realized belatedly that the sharp and shiny axe blade was in the barbarian’s hand. He was definitely not joking.

“Hey, stop it! We still don’t know their true identity. It’s not too late to go and talk before using force!”

“… … .”

Let me tell you, I think it’s mana.

Kadim thought so, but kept his mouth shut. Anyway, now I was working for money. If your employer wants you to do it, you should do it.

And Kadim’s fears became reality.

“Wait a minute, everyone stop!”

As expected, they blocked the bridge from being crossed.

Among the crowd, a man with small eyes and a broad smile stepped forward. Despite his appearance as an innocent country boy, he did not look funny at all. It was because of his rugged build, only slightly smaller than Kadim, and the large axe he carried on his back.

The man glanced at the group members and adopted a polite attitude.

“Hello, travelers. Please excuse me for a moment. “May I inquire about the identity of the travelers and the purpose of their passing?”

“You tell me first. Why should we reveal that when it’s not even an official gate?”

Kadim asked back in an overbearing tone. The man’s expression distorted for a moment, but he quickly cleared his expression and continued his explanation.

“We are the vigilantes of Messen, and I am the vigilante leader, Otram. Recently, the security situation in the area has been bad, so we have stepped in to maintain security and collect a small toll from travelers. It is for your safety and the public interest, so I ask for your cooperation… … .”

“I heard that security is not good here and there aren’t many monsters here.”

“Hahaha, monsters aren’t the only danger on the road. There are thieves, unbridled mercenaries, and sometimes demons appear. “If it weren’t for us, all the travelers would have trembled all the way to the Golden Road.”

It was quite different from what the inspector had said. Kadim’s forehead furrowed slightly.

“… … Then whose permission do you have to collect the toll?”

“Of course, you are Remtana’s counselor. Could it be that we are receiving money without permission from a higher authority? ha ha ha!”

The man answered coolly with a sad smile. Kadim glanced back at the inspector.

Beneath the shadow cast by the brimmed hat, Enrico had a straight face and a stern expression.