The Berserker’s Second Playthrough in the Game - Chapter 46



Only Krnovel

Episode 46. The Priestess of the Wilderness (2)

At dawn, with drizzle falling in the humid darkness, Kadim was ready to leave.

As always, the armor consists of simple leather pauldrons. All weapons were taken, including mosquitoes, salmon, and hellfire daggers. As for the devil’s blood, there was a little bit of the possessed devil’s blood and a sip of Hydra’s blood left. I probably won’t have much use for it, but the fact that there isn’t much left bothers me a bit.

‘I hope I meet a suitable devil along the way.’

I stepped out in front of the inn, thinking that the client would be terrified if he noticed. Illenia was already out there waiting. Her attire was not much different from yesterday, but she was wearing a gray cloak over her head to avoid the rain.

“You woke up early! “Be diligent.”

“But I think he woke up earlier.”

“Hehehe, when I get excited about something, I have trouble sleeping the night before. Well then, shall we get going?”

The destination was said to be somewhere in the plains east of Messen. It would have been nice to be able to go there on horseback, but that was impossible. Ilenia complained that she was so motion sick that she couldn’t even go near a horse.

Kadim asked how she knew where the ruins were. Illenia rummaged through her bag and held up a stone tablet with a strange pattern carved into it. In the center of the tablet was a jewel the size of a little fingernail, and a faint ray of light extended from it like an arrow, pointing east.

“I picked it up by chance while wandering the wilderness, and it would always point in that direction when I got close to the ruins. If it weren’t for this, I probably wouldn’t have been able to find the ruins of the priestesses.”

Kadim’s eyes twitched. He knew what it was the moment he saw it.

‘That’s… … a curse.’

Just as the priests of Elgar made holy relics and magicians made magical tools, the priestesses of the wilderness could make ‘jutsu’ imbued with mysterious magic. However, the production process was extremely difficult and only a small number of priestesses could make them, so their rarity was even greater than that of holy relics or magical tools.

‘I ‘accidentally’ picked up a fetish that was difficult to find even if I looked for it on purpose, la… … .’

The suspicion deepened further. Actually, Ilenia was busy boasting about the effectiveness of her stone tablet, smiling as if she didn’t know what the problem was.

As I walked along the beam of light, I saw a faint light wriggling on the horizon in the distance. However, the thick rain clouds blocked the dawn, and the light and shade of the sky remained dark and hazy. The dirt floor, which had swallowed up a lot of raindrops, continued to emit a damp and pungent smell. Earthworms occasionally emerged and wriggled beneath the muddy footprints that ran parallel to each other.

The drizzle had grown to a drizzle. Illenia closed the hem of her cloak to prevent the rain from seeping through the gaps. Kadim brushed back his wet bangs and asked dryly.

“Did you go to the wilderness to look for shamans?”

“yes? Ah, yes! The wilderness is the home of all Atallain. “I thought that if there were still shamans left, that would be the most likely place.”

“What is it like there now? “It wasn’t a very good place to travel before.”

“The wilderness? Of course, it wasn’t a good place to travel. When it was bad, I almost died several times a day. Thirst and hunger were the basics, as well as the heat, poisonous insects, monsters, and sometimes even demons… … . Well, I survived, so it’s okay, right?”

“… … .”

“Oh, by the way, have you ever been to the wilderness, mercenary? These days, there aren’t many Atalains who have been… … .”

“… … There was. A long time ago.”

The path that the party of warriors chose to take to the Demon Realm was one that crossed a mountain range and the wilderness.

Although it was not as bad as in Magyeong, they had to endure quite a bit of hardship there as well. From then on, the image of the wilderness remained for Kadim not as Atallain’s spiritual home, but as a place where a genius girl sorceress was taught double lust.

In any case, it was unknown how the woman survived in the wilderness. Seeing that she was so hesitant, I didn’t think I would get a proper answer even if I asked her again.

So, Kadim asked another question.

“How did you become interested in the shamans of the wilderness? “They’re not even Atalans.”

“… … .”

Illenia pulled her cloak a little deeper.

The air became heavy. Ilenia turned her gaze as if looking at a distant mountain and kept a long silence. Her voice, which she opened with difficulty, was damp and settled, unlike before.

“They say history is written by the winners. “The path walked by the winner is decorated with gold and wreaths, preserved and commemorated, but the path walked by the loser is stained with filth and insults, and sometimes it is even forgotten forever from people’s minds.”

“… … .”

“But I… … I couldn’t understand. Why does that law apply to gods and their followers? “The priests of some gods spread their power across the continent and enjoyed prosperity, while the priests of other gods were persecuted and disappeared without a trace, but no one pays any attention. What is the standard for distinguishing the difference?”

“… … .”

“… … So, I just decided to find and record the traces of the forgotten people. As an archaeologist who walks a lifelong path of exploration and consideration. Ah, I’m kind of embarrassed! Actually, I’m not doing anything that grand, hehe… … .”

At the end, Ilenia’s voice returned to its cheerful tone as before. Kadim stared blankly at her face.

At first glance, it seemed like a natural progression, but when I looked back on it, it was a very strange answer.

“… … .”

But it was difficult to pinpoint that part. In the end, she kept her mouth shut and went on in silence. Ilenia also said nothing more and quietly continued walking.

It was around noon when the two reached their destination.

*

This was Kadim’s impression after seeing the ruins left behind by the last priestesses of the wilderness.

“… … “These are ruins?”

“Yes, to be exact, the entrance to the ruins… … It’s a place that is presumed to be… … .”

Ilenia trailed off.

In fact, it seemed difficult to even call it the entrance to the ruins. Not even a small cornerstone was visible, let alone a huge stone gate or passage leading underground. The scenery at our destination was no different from the ordinary plains we had seen on the way.

But Ilenia did not give in. She wandered around the area with the stone tablet for a while, and when she reached the point where the beam of light became strongest, she called out to Khadim in a very excited voice.

“Look here, look here! It’s here. Remains left by the shamans of the wilderness! Do you see something that says ‘entrance’?”

“… … .”

There was only one stone tablet buried there with an unknown ancient script written on it.

Kadim let out a faint laugh.

In fact, from the first episode, Kadim’s feelings toward the shamans of the wilderness were not very good.

There was no conflict. They were clear allies who did not spare advice and assistance to Khadim, the Great Warrior of Atala. However, the problem was that the advice and assistance were provided in an extremely cumbersome, indirect, and difficult manner.

For example, if you say you’re thirsty, he’ll give you a shovel and a map with directions to dig a well, and he’ll tell you where the person who knows the location of the buried well is, and where the monster-filled cave is.

Atala’s intention was that there would be no fruit without trials and tribulations. However, from a game perspective, it would be a convenient setting to squeeze out quests, and realistically, it would be for this reason.

‘… … They tried to disguise their lack of magical powers with useless efforts and flashy mysticism.’

Anyway, this also seemed like something similar to that.

That stone slab was not really a sign for the entrance to somewhere. Perhaps death is an object engraved with pedantic nonsense such as the entrance to a new life. There might be some reward for uncovering the hidden mystery, but I thought it would be very small compared to the effort it took.

Of course, there was a possibility that the prediction might be wrong. Among the shamans of the wilderness, there was only one exception.

A shaman who had supernatural powers that were superior to anyone else’s, and could perform miraculous miracles without any cumbersome procedures.

“… … .”

Illenia, who had no idea what Kadim was thinking, spent some time fiddling around trying to figure out how to get into the ruins. A talisman with ancient writings, strange iron ornaments, and rusty bronze bells came out of her bag one after another.

“Ar, del-kia? Lo, s-den, s-de… … .“

Ilenia lined up antiques, muttering unintelligible words, or crawling like a dog, groping the ground. No matter how I looked at it, he only seemed like a person with bad taste.

Kadim watched the squat indifferently. When there was no sign of stopping, he sat down. As he was reaching behind to support his body, his hand happened to touch the stone slab.

Suddenly the texture of the world changed.

“… … !”

Tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk… … .

The hazy sky and wet field scenery were peeled away as if a layer of tattered wallpaper was being torn off. Beyond that, an ebony darkness slowly emerges. I could no longer feel the rain that had been pouring down, and only the turbid air seeped into my lungs.

Just as my vision was adjusting to dark adaptation, a torch lit up the wall. The space was closed on both sides and stretched out like a long passage, the smooth floor and walls with no visible joints, and the dazed face of the archaeologist came into view one after another.

“What, what is it? What did you do? What happened… … No, what the hell is this place… … .”

“… … .”

In the blink of an eye, they moved from the plains east of Messen to an unidentified space.

Kadim reflexively stood up and raised his throwing ax. He also did not know the exact context of what happened. However, accumulated experience and instinct were telling. I think I’m in a pretty troublesome situation.

“Come here. Quickly pack up all that junk and put it away.”

“yes? Ah, ah, yes!”

Kadim went to the back road. Before long, a tight wall appeared with no exit. Even when I got close and knocked on it, I couldn’t hear any empty sound. It was a passage that urged us to move forward unconditionally.

When I turned my head, I saw eyes shaking anxiously, as if waiting for an explanation. She said, Kadim frowning slightly.

“I don’t know what happened either. It seems like some kind of mysterious spell has been put into effect. However, I can’t stay like this, so I’m going to go inside and look for an exit. I’ll go and check first, so you can stay here.”

“Oh, no, I’ll go with you too! There is no way to be safe by just staying still… … .”

“Then be careful, you never know what might pop out on your way. Never touch anything recklessly.”

“… … “Yes, I understand.”

Kadim walks slowly with keen sense of touch. Fortunately, there was no immediate threat. Ilenia also gathered her confusion and took steps towards the barbarian. Torches were lined up regularly on the walls, making the space look like a corridor carved out of natural stone.

But that was an overly casual sentiment. After taking a few hundred steps, the two realized that this was not an ordinary space at all.

“… … .”

“… … .”

Densely packed, bright red ancient text, distorted human figures, twisted outlines of weapons, shadows of roaring monsters and demons… … .

As if scribbled by an obsessive-compulsive madman, bizarre patterns densely filled the walls and floor, leaving not a single inch of space untouched.

Overwhelmed by the sight, Ilenia quietly grabbed the hem of Kadim’s clothes.

“This place… … Are these really ruins created by the last wilderness shamans? However, I have never been able to come in until now, so why this time… … .”

“… … .”

Kadim thought silently. His prediction was wrong.

The stone tablet was indeed an ‘entrance’. An ‘entrance’ that summoned people to this strange space created by sorcery. The priestess of the wilderness, I never thought that the authors would write such honest instructions.

I had many questions, but I couldn’t stop. Kadim mercilessly shook off the hand holding the hem of his clothes and took steps again. Ilenia pursed her lips in an awkward manner before she chased after him again. The deeper we went into her, the more ominous the atmosphere became, and soon faint sounds began to be heard from the other side of the darkness.

… … Thump, thump, thump, thump… … .

“What does this mean? drum?”

“… … .”

It didn’t take long to figure out what the sound was.

At the end of the passage, a circular space appeared. The room is wide enough to take forty long steps, and the torches hanging around the ceiling like a wreath give off a reddish light.

In a corner of it, there was a leather drum painted red and a drumstick that came up by itself and struck the leather even though there was no player.

Thump, thump, thump, thump!

“Step back. “The signs are not good.”

“Oh!”

Kadim grabbed Illenia’s arm and pulled her away completely. As you can see from the props and the terrain, it was the perfect space for something to appear. He raised his sword and axe fiercely and focused his mind.

Indeed, something appeared that did not betray expectations.

Knock, knock, knock… … .

The soil rises from the bottom and forms an unknown shape.

Kadim was too stupid to wait for it to be finished. He immediately threw his axe at the pile of dirt.

Parallel, parallel, para – ugh!

Dust and dust particles flew out. The pile of dirt was shattered and completely lost its shape. But that wasn’t the end. Inside the room, other piles of dirt were growing rapidly at the same time.

Kadim grabbed the manpower in a circle and stretched his arms wide to the sides.

Parallel rack, squeak squeak!

The ‘salmon’ returned in a crescent-shaped arc. The piles of dirt swept up in its path collapsed, losing their shapes and exploding into dust one after another.

Kadim threw out the salmon again and at the same time extended the hilt of his sword and swung the mosquito. The blade, unable to contain blood, vibrated as if dissatisfied, but steadily broke down the soil that was growing on its own. The dirt was swept away by the mess of metal fittings, and a storm of thick silt raged around Khadim.

Kwagwagwagwagwagwagwagwagwagwagwagwagwagwagwagwagwagwa – !

But the room was large and there were too many mounds of dirt growing.

Things that were far away from Kadim finally took shape. The mound of dirt, standing upright on two feet, shed the texture of the dirt and acquired a surface made of leather, steel, and copper-colored flesh.

Kadim’s eyes twitched. He noticed that the completed shape was not that unfamiliar.

Because he was of the same race as himself.

– Glory to Atala, the undefeated master of all weapons…

– Glory to Atala, the master of eternal war… … .

Warriors praising their gods in gloomy tones and raising their weapons.

Thump, thump, thump, thump!

The sound of drums continued to pound my heart. Soon, I could hear a sound spreading out from within, a clear will.

[Great Warrior of Atala… … If you are right, overcome the ordeal and prove your strength.]

Kadim inevitably gritted his teeth.

‘Damn shamans, they’ve pulled off another shitty trick.’