The Berserker’s Second Playthrough in the Game - Chapter 69



Only Krnovel

Episode 69. Let’s kill each other from now on (2)

The salmon couldn’t drink the old wizard’s blood.

Kwa – Kang!

When the wizard struck down his wand, a thick metal barrier rose up. The wave-shaped ax was firmly embedded in the surface, but was blocked rather than penetrating.

But even metal thorns could not take the blood of barbarians.

――――――― Plop, plop, plop!

The sharp raindrops struck down with the intent of turning all living things into pieces of meat, but not a single drop of blood spurted out from the savage’s body. A hard crash and a shallow scratch were all the scars the thorns could leave behind.

Kadim slowly opened his eyes. The pattern carved into his forearm was emitting a vivid red light. He felt something foreign on his skin, but he didn’t feel any pain. He cracked his neck and felt the rough, rough bark of the trees rub against each other. It felt like he had become a crustacean.

Now, Kadim’s entire body was covered in a shell of ‘Golden Iron Tree’.

Huh, huh, huh, huh, tuck!

As he reached out and retrieved the axe, the wizard also lowered the metal barrier. The eyes, stained red by the devil, were filled with confusion and doubt, like bloodshot eyes.

“[Geuaaaa, Muu, what did you do… … .]”

“… … .”

There was no need to kindly explain that he had used the power of the ‘wood-fied’ demon to defend himself. Conversations with a sorcerer should be conducted only in the language of blood and iron. Kadim twisted his arm, which had turned into a thick branch, and threw his axe again.

Pararaeraeraeraerarack – !

A wizard who quickly restores an iron wall by striking his staff.

―――――――― Kwagagagang!

This time the ax pierced halfway through the wall. Because it is covered with a hard shell, the flexibility of the muscles and joints is reduced, but this tattoo also has an overlapping strength buff like the ‘Hydra’s tattoo’.

“[Golkata, Mol, Ketilis, Apikkanto, En, Tarision!! Golkata, Freor, Seltan… … .]”

The wizard also noticed Kadim’s intentions. Instead of speaking useless words, he chanted spells one after another. Following the thorns, sharp blades, arrows, knives, spears… … All kinds of iron objects flew like a storm and tore at Kadim.

― …

But none of them caused significant damage. It is not easy for an ordinary piece of iron to pierce ‘golden ironwood’, which is harder than steel. Kadim ran forward, using his thick forearms as shields, and in the blink of an eye he was in front of the wizard.

Wedge-!

The moment he swung his sword, the wizard hurriedly lowered his staff. Dozens of wires shot out from the cracks in the stone slabs and entangled the sword’s body like vines.

Cluck, cluck, patter – !

Surprisingly, Kadim, whose strength had been doubled by the buff, had the strength to cut them all off. The wires, unable to withstand the tensile and cutting force, turned white and snapped in bunches. The old man’s face was shocked and dumbfounded by the savage’s brute strength.

However, in the meantime, he expertly completed the order first.

“[…] … Encaris, Olphenia!]”

―――― Boom!

A heavy blow to the shoulder. Kadim fell far away and rolled around. The shock went beyond my skin and muscles and went all the way to my bones.

As he sat up, he saw the object that had hit him. A large metal sphere floating in the air. Behind him were a dozen or so spheres of the same shape, all of which had smooth surfaces quivering, waiting for an opportunity to strike Khadim’s body.

‘… … ‘Did they knock down those buildings?’

The wizard’s decision to use a blunt weapon instead of a sharp one was the right one. The shell of the gold iron tree was almost perfectly able to defend against slashes, but it did not absorb much of the shock.

Hung, hoo-hung, hoo-hung, hoo-hung!

Just like a tautly drawn slingshot, the floating metal balls flew in swiftly. However, their power and aftereffects were incomparable to those of simple metal balls. With each collision, the ground was dug as if it had been hit by a bomb, and as the collisions continued, the axis of the earth shook.

――――――――― Bang, kwa-ang, kwa-ang!

Kadim sharpened his senses. We closely watched the ‘mana’ contained in the metal sphere and how its flow and movement changed. Thanks to this, he was able to mostly predict how the spheres would fly and avoid them in advance.

But since their skin was completely covered in wood, no matter how much they sharpened their senses, it was impossible to perfectly sense everything. But if they tried to remove the wood, they would be turned to meat dough with just one hit… … . In the end, they collided with each other and were hit several times by the irregularly flying metal balls, and the damage accumulated.

―――――――――― Boom, bang – crunch, bang – crunch!

“[… … En, Kalkorite, Yugrod, Belun, Khan… … .].”

Aching pain pressing down on his bones and muscles, Kadim narrowed his brows. The wizard who won the victory had an insidious sneer on his face. If things continue like this, things will really go as the magician wants.

If your body is lacking, your head will have to suffer. The barbarian decided to use his brain a little.

Flutter!

He planted his axe in the pit without being noticed, and ran around the buildings to the other side. A swarm of metal balls rushed at Kadim. Kadim ran like a gale and jumped up to avoid them. Then he raised his sword with both hands and ran at the wizard with a shout.

“Uuuuuuuup!”

The wizard struck down his staff one after another and summoned a wall. Thick, high, layered, inviolable barriers that can never be pierced by even a simple cut of a knife.

But Kadim smiled crookedly.

The hand-to-hand attack in front of me was a deception, and the real weapon that Kadim had arranged was the ax that had been stuck in the hole earlier.

‘Come back, salmon.’

According to the will of its owner, the throwing ax spread its wings of destruction alone.

Parararararararack, tsk – tsk!

“[Gasp!]”

The wizard, who focused his defense on his face, was unable to block the attack from behind. The axe blade mercilessly dug into his side. His bloodshot organs were pushed out through the gaps in his reddened flesh, and the old man, unable to endure the excruciating pain, fell miserably to the ground.

The demonic power that resided in the wizard had a huge blind spot.

As he grew older than his old age, his magical abilities reached the level of a master, but in return, his body became extremely weak. The wizard was panting heavily and his fingers, which were like the roots of an old tree, were trembling.

“[Uh-uh, uh-uh, uh-uh… … .]”

Even if he were left alone, he would die, but Kadim did not let his guard down. He held the sword with red letters firmly and leaped over the iron wall. To the wizard’s eyes, it was a sight that seemed to be the light of dawn rising and splitting the black sky in half.

“[Fe, Fee, Pevillatus Nieiim… … .]”

Even though he called out his name, the devil’s grace did not come again. Destruction was certain to arrive before his eyes.

The wizard decided that he would die along with his enemy, even if it meant dying. He poured all his mana into the metal staff in his hand and unleashed a wide-ranged attack that would devastate this area… … .

“[…] … uh?]”

… … She couldn’t activate it.

He had used up so much mana from demolishing buildings with metal balls, pouring down metal spikes, and firing off bombardments with such force that there was not even a speck of mana left in the wizard’s heart.

――――Whew – Whew, Whew – Whew!!

The warrior’s blade cut through the wrinkled and shriveled bone without hesitation. Just because he was a magician who built a splendid tower of knowledge, nothing special happened when his head was split. Just like other people, only the gray matter that is dull and the brain fluid that has thickened with the accumulated blood flows out like slime flesh.

The last thing the split-headed wizard remembered was the advice left by the Battle Mage who died by his own hands.

‘Also, if you waste mana here, you might run out of mana at a crucial moment later on… … .’

*

A strong pounding of the ground, the sound of horse hooves pounding your eardrums and heart.

Doo doo doo, doo doo doo, doo doo doo… … .

Brave Atalan warriors with bronze skin were galloping, driving warhorses. Even though the number of warriors was only about a hundred, each warrior radiated such strong power that they seemed like an army from myth or legend, advancing on yellow clouds.

The vanguard leading the warriors had an appearance that would lend strength to that guess.

Shoulders as strong as a mountain range, arms as thick as pillars, muscles carved like rock, a bushy beard and sharp eyes, a helmet with large horns and a fierce battle axe… … .

If ten people were to face him as an enemy, eight or nine of them would surely lose their will to fight and surrender the moment they saw his appearance. And the remaining one or two curious ones would not be able to help but surrender if they learned his true identity.

‘Agon’s Angry Horn’. The legendary Atalan mercenary, the champion of the great arena, the embodiment of the unconquerable struggle, the national hero who raised the status of the Atalan people, the most famous figure of the alliance that even the mayors of the major cities cannot easily meet.

Those alone were enough to overwhelm everyone, but it didn’t end there. He was also the head of this army with ‘special powers’, which was directly subordinate to the Council of Galentana. And above all, Agon’s Raging Horn, this was his proudest identity.

‘The Great Warrior of Atala.’

An agent who puts the will of noble dedication into practice on earth.

A great savior born with the mission to destroy the evils of the times.

During that time, he had no opportunity to express his intentions, so he just waited for the right time. This expedition was the first step toward fulfilling that mission. The goal was to destroy the ‘Central Demon’ that had caused a large-scale outbreak, and save the alliance that was in danger. The angry horns of Agon and the warriors advancing toward Soltana were radiating more fighting spirit than ever before in their lives.

However, not everyone in his group had the will to fight.

Right behind Agon’s angry horn, Duncan, a merchant riding along on his horse, was chewing on tension and motion sickness with his pale face. Every time his horse took a heavy step, his eyes, stained with regret, shook.

‘Oh my, I’m crazy… … . Why on earth did I suddenly say I’d follow you then… … .’

In fact, he had no intention of going outside the defensive line. I thought that was the safest place to wait for Kadim’s return.

But the situation had changed. As the full-scale demon offensive continued, the camp had become the most dangerous place. The moment Duncan heard that three mid-level demons had appeared right in front of him, he could not help but think that he was now helpless and dead.

Fortunately, thanks to Agon’s Raging Horn and his warriors coming as reinforcements, his life was immediately saved. However, the main purpose of the reinforcements is not to protect the position, but to destroy the ‘central devil’ like a punitive force. When Duncan heard that they were leaving the camp, leaving only some troops behind, he became lost in thought again.

‘No, but then if the devil appears again, everyone could be wiped out… …?’

He couldn’t stay here like this. Duncan mustered up his courage and went directly to Agon’s angry horn and asked to accompany him.

‘Oh, uh, great, champion of the great arena, wrathful horn of Agon! Ho, by any chance, may I come with you? My, my party also left ahead as part of the punitive force! I will accompany you obediently, without any disturbance, until we find the party… … .’

‘… … .’

At first, Agon’s angry horn was ignored and ignored. Duncan, who had barged in without permission, was dragged away like a burden by the Atalain warriors and chased away several times.

But just before leaving, surprisingly, Agon’s angry horn came and asked Duncan.

‘Your group… … ‘He’s an Atallain mercenary called ‘Demon Slayer’?’

‘yes? Oh, yes? ah… … Yes, yes! Oh, maybe, yes! It will be right!’

‘… …Pack your bags and come outside. We’re leaving right now.’

Duncan came out with a smile on his face. However, if he had known in advance that he would be sitting right behind Agon’s Raging Horn, he probably would have thought twice before coming out.

The fact that I had the opportunity to build connections with the most famous person in the alliance was no consolation. The force of Agon’s angry horn was as daunting as Khadim. Duncan couldn’t even breathe properly for fear of offending himself. He inhaled the thick dust and gulped down his saliva without coughing even once.

Duncan was not particularly interested in Agon’s angry horn. He treated him as if he were someone riding a horse without any concern, and only occasionally asked him questions like this.

“Is it true that he killed hundreds of demons alone?”

“……yes?”

“‘Demon Slayer’, that’s what the soldiers of the Disaster Corps used to say. They killed hundreds of demons on the Golden Road alone.”

Duncan stuttered in embarrassment.

“Ah, that, that… … It might not be hundreds, but it would easily be dozens… … . If you include the ones killed outside, it would be even more… … .”

“… … .”

The conversation continued with only occasional short snippets of talk about Kadim’s activities. After hearing all the stories and thinking deeply for a moment, Agon’s angry horn left these words.

“He’s a good talent.”

“… … .”

“I’ll have to have a good talk when we meet.” The more good warriors there are, the better. “At least to faithfully fulfill my mission as a ‘Great Warrior.’”

The moment he heard those words, a thought suddenly crossed Duncan’s mind.

Is it really okay for these two to meet?

I remembered how Khadim had been furious when the Angry Horn of Agon had previously said that he was the ‘Champion of Atala’. I never heard the full story, but I could vaguely sense that if the two ever met, there would be some kind of conflict over that title.

And the possibility of the conflict being resolved peacefully seemed infinitely slim.

Khadim’s power undoubtedly reached the realm of superhumans, but Agon’s angry horn was no less powerful. His reputation throughout the Alliance was not in vain. Aside from Khadim, Duncan had never seen anyone cut through a horned demon so easily.

If Kadim were to lose in that clash, what would he do…?

“Whoa… … .”

Duncan let out a deep sigh. It was already spilled milk. The two would have met anyway even without him. He could only hope that the problem would be resolved amicably without a major fight.

The gallop, which stirred up a strong dust storm, continued for a long time. Suddenly, Duncan’s eyes caught sight of Agon’s angry horn weapon, a battle axe that had been used to slaughter demons mercilessly.

Even at first glance, it was not an ordinary weapon. An ax blade that exudes a sinister spirit, a black ax head with strange characters engraved on it, a handle that looks longer than one’s height, and above all, an overwhelming atmosphere that makes one’s spine tingle and gives chills just by looking at it.

Now that I think about it, Agon’s angry horn was one of the most common rejections in the alliance. If you paid money to buy something like this, no, if you sold it for money, how much would it be? … .

Duncan asked, looking closely.

“Oh, oh, this is an incredibly, incredibly awesome weapon, Cha, Champion Lord… … . H, is this axe, is it, is it some kind of famous, named weapon? I, I’m a country bumpkin with no, no, no knowledge, so when I see things like this, it’s really amazing… … .”

“… … It would be best not to touch it. “Unless you want to be crushed to death like a bug.”

“Ah, ah, yes! Of course I wear it! I had no intention of touching it! How dare a foolish villager like me… … .”

Duncan thought the conversation would be cut off with such a sharp threat. But unexpectedly, Agon’s angry horn even left an answer to the question.

“… … The name of that axe is, ‘Judgment of Atala.’”

Then he suddenly raised his gaze high up and spoke with reverence, as if he was looking up at the sky.

“It is a new soldier imbued with the will of the father of the dignified wilderness and the great ancestral warrior.”