142 Chapter
“You. Are you really coming here after seeing the future? Like the prophets of the past?”
Hector’s distorted voice pierced my ears. It was a serious question, lacking any trace of humor.
I chuckled like a madman.
“Hahaha.”
That’s right. The ones I had trusted were the ones who didn’t believe me. Instead, the guy who was obsessively trying to kill me was the one closest to the truth.
This situation wouldn’t be funny if it wasn’t absurd. What’s so funny? Damn it.
“Yeah. I’ve seen 140,000 possible futures. Do you know what happens to you in those futures?”
While muttering, I swiftly unsheathed Espada and pointed it at Hector.
“You’ll end up having your guts ripped open by me, your intestines will spill out, and your manhood will be chewed up.”
Of course, I haven’t experienced such a future yet. But I’m about to make that prophecy come true. Just like what I did to Gray in the black market.
Guruguru! My overflowing killing intent surpassed my limits, activating the skill ‘Murderer’s Spread’. However, Hector simply smirked, unfazed by my aura.
“You should have struck when you were talking nonsense. That split second might have been enough to take me down, considering how weak I am in close combat.”
“Ho. Is it different now?”
“It is different. Since you’ve revealed your hostility, we no longer need to spare you.”
“… Us?”
Right after that, tudududududududu! Something rained down at me from all directions.
I had already anticipated this and leaped high into the air. Thud. Landing on a distant table, I looked around.
The things that came flying were small daggers, arrows, and a barrage of bullets.
“… Ha. Damn.”
I couldn’t help but laugh from the shock.
Every person sitting at the tables now pointed weapons at me.
“Guess what? I kind of expected this.”
Every single person—literally, not a single soul left in the tavern—stared at me with blank expressions. It’s been a while since I’ve felt this intense collective hostility, since the Resurrection Sect incident.
I activated the Eye of Mimir to carefully observe them.
[Name: Serena Garnet]
[Nickname: 154493752nd Official Hero, Apostle of Cassas]
[Name: Roman Mikolas]
[Nickname: Apostle of Cassas]
That’s enough. No need to check further. I dismissed the status window with an irritated gesture.
Instinctively, my hand went to my waist. My right hand swung through empty air. I clicked my tongue. The absence of Vestark felt painfully obvious.
“I told you, I don’t live as loosely as you do.”
Hector Cassas slowly rose from his seat and summoned a silver staff, scattering dark energy in the air. He pointed the staff at me.
Terrifying black mists gathered at the tip of the staff. I’ve seen this before.
“Dark magic.”
It was the exact same dark energy that Eldritch and the Death Bishops used in Halsenberg. I remembered the words the Elder Brother Sooho told me in Kern.
The dark magic that was once wielded by the witch Diana. Furthermore, Diana’s close friend ‘Hector Cassas’ was also one who could use this dark magic.
“I offer you mercy and a proposition simultaneously.”
Whatever happened to the guy who didn’t like talking? Hector began his ramble.
“Hand over the immortal Demon King Rustica Asmodeus to me, and you become one of Cassas’ Apostles, joining our cause.”
“… Ha.”
Everyone is so fixated on getting their hands on Lucy.
I chuckled, mocking him.
“Don’t you only need the Demon King? Including me in the deal is awfully kind of you.”
“Only logical measures, really. Either kill you or monitor you for life. Strangely, I like you. That guiding crow from legend resonates with me.”
“… What crow?”
I furrowed my brows.
That statement—didn’t the summoned Demon King say something similar earlier?
As the words of the withered Demon King overlapped with Hector’s, I couldn’t help but smirk and distorted my cloak.
‘Fatal Thorns.’
Pabababak! The thorny tendrils, splitting into 30 strands, surged in all directions. Most headed toward Cassas’ Apostles surrounding me, while some shot toward the ceiling.
Kwajijik! Some carved into the skin of the opponents, others were blocked. The tendrils aimed at the ceiling blasted it apart, creating a massive hole.
“Damn, damn bastard. I’d rather spend my life serving Lucy than be under you.”
I flipped Hector Cassas off with my middle finger.
Hector didn’t look disappointed; instead, he twisted his lips into a mocking grin as if expecting this reaction.
“That gesture. The Witch Knight always flipped me off like that too. I wonder what it means?”
“That would be the answer. From your chatter, it seems like the older brother Sooho scolded you.”
“… You better be careful with your talk about him.”
“What? Were you the one who couldn’t breathe after getting beaten up?”
I started talking and then activated my Black Wings.
Pipipip! Hector’s dark light spheres and the various weapons of the Apostles rained down wildly toward where I was.
“… Urggh!”
My soaring figure was swiftly drawn into the hole I had just created. Escaping into the dark night sky, I groaned.
I clutched my stomach. Traces of blood dripped out. A few attacks, predicting even my escape, managed to hit me. The defense of my Black Wings was nothing more than a piece of paper against overwhelming firepower.
“Never let him escape! The guiding crow must be exterminated here!”
Hector Cassas shouted urgently. Following through the hole I had vacated, a few of Cassas’ minions climbed up. I clicked my tongue and immediately flapped my wings to gain speed.
Fixating my gaze forward, there stood the unmistakable figure of the great arena, the Arena of the Godless.
‘… I’m going to kill you all.’
The Apostles of Cassas firing relentless attacks at me as I leapt from rooftop to rooftop.
My head was boiling like never before, yet oddly, my heart was eerily calm. The only emotion crystallizing vividly took complete control of my entire being.
‘All of them. Not a single one will be left alive. I’ll kill them all.’
But this isn’t this lifetime.
I didn’t have Vestark now. And at this point, caught in their scheme and surrounded, defeat was assured. The Apostles of Cassas were on average much higher in level compared to the Resurrection Sect. Perhaps I could kill a few dozen before my end.
I will annihilate every last one. There’s no meaning in just killing some.
“Jena… please, just wait a little longer.”
This life is over. In my next life, I will rescue everyone and eradicate each and every one of them.
“Uh… aaaah!!”
After an arrow pierced my leg, a magic-infused arrow skewered my arm, and my Black Wings were shredded by a barrage of magic bullets,
I successfully evaded their pursuit and took refuge in the arena.
“Heuheu… Heuheu.”
The matches for the day had nearly concluded. While floating in the air, I quickly scanned the areas I remembered.
‘There.’
The prime spot in the stands where I had returned three times. There they were—Carhalas, Seseona, and Lucy seated side by side, watching the Godless Festival.
Kwaang! I crash-landed in front of the three of them. More like a crash landing—it was a violent tumble before collapsing.
‘Ugh. My body…’
Suddenly, my head spun. Only then did I take stock of my condition.
I was in terrible shape. Countless large and small holes riddled my entire body, and the blood flowing out had dyed me completely red. It was miraculous that I had made it here.
‘Hurry, renew…!’
With my increasingly confused mind, I hastily scribbled in a notebook and placed it inside the Box of the Dead. Blood got smeared due to my hands being soaked with it.
Wuwwng. Watching the Box of the Dead emit a violet glow and vibrate, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief, and the strength drained from my body.
“… Hero?”
Lucy was the first to recognize me, staring at me with wide eyes.
I grinned at her. Catching sight of Seseona rushing toward me in panic was my last vision.
“Jung Yong! Why, why are you like this! Your whole body is bleeding…!”
“… Seseona…”
“No! You can’t die, Jung Yong! If you die here… I… I…!”
I could feel Seseona frantically shaking my body in panic.
All the sounds around me grew muffled. The tears trickling down my cheek suddenly caught my attention.
Is someone watering me? I barely lifted my heavy eyelids and saw Seseona wailing, her face contorted with grief.
“…”
I had never seen Seseona cry. I sincerely hoped it would remain this way, the first and last time.
I wanted to tell her not to cry but couldn’t manage to utter it in the end.
…
…
…
[The point of immortality has been renewed.]
[Date – Continental Year 1108, January 21, 20:58]
[Location – Markeuteuriseu, Capital Crossfade, Arena of the Godless]
“I detest lies intensely,” were the last words Ade rang softly echoed in my dazed mind.
The booming roar of the crowd swiftly drowned out those words.
“…”
Realizing the need to renew the Box of the Dead, I hastily prepared a memo and took it out.
“Jingjan?” A perfectly violet light emanated from the Box of the Dead without fault!
… Damn it. With no energy left for idle thoughts, I hastily opened the box.
[Death Count: 3]
That’s what was written.
For reference, the note I had just prepared said ‘Death Count: 1.’
[Death Count: 死(4)]
I joked lightly about writing that note, but I really hoped I wouldn’t have to see those words.
‘Park Jeong-yong will die a fourth time,’ how is that a slogan for a difficult ninja game?
“… Hmm?”
Looking closely to replace the note, I realized there wasn’t just one note inside the box.
I pulled out another note that lay underneath the Death Count. It was a sinister note stained with fresh red blood and fingerprints.
[Look to the side.]
“Side?”
Perplexed, I still glanced to either side of the audience seats as instructed. I quickly spotted my lifeless corpse lying nearby, riddled with bullet holes.
I jumped to my feet.
“Jung Yong. Is something wrong?”
ade rang asked curiously.
I startled and glanced at him. Regaining my composure, I slowly approached the corpse.
Looking closely, the body was sprawled right next to Seseona’s seat. Naturally, she noticed me while fidgeting with the lantern.
“Jung Yong-nim? Why are you suddenly doing this? Do you need to visit the restroom? I’ll go with you?”
“What nonsense. Am I some sort of child?”
“Hahaha. That’s right.”
Seseona’s lighthearted laughter and carefree behavior.
She really laughs a lot. These days, it’s hard to imagine her face furrowing anymore.
‘When we first met, she didn’t laugh this often.’
What aspect of this world has shaped her into this? I have no idea.
While thinking about such matters, I cautiously brought the lantern toward the corpse.
[Item Activation – Izanami’s Heart]
[Obtained remnants of past-life memories.]
[Recovered 0 points of Strength, Agility, and Intelligence.]
[Skills – ‘Stinger’ Lv.20 recovered.]
[Recovered all memories from past lives.]
“Aa… Uh… Hh…!”
I let out a stifled groan, and even as I did, my body instinctively activated my Black Wings. Puwhaak! I shot straight up toward the sky with the wings that sprouted from my back.
“… What? Jung Yong, what’s wrong all of a sudden?!” Seseona and the others shouted in surprise, but I ignored them cleanly and took off at full speed toward the residential area.
‘Now… there’s still a chance right now!’
Holding a sliver of hope, I arrived at the ‘Footsteps of the Giants’ inn.
No time to argue with the caretaker. Immediately, I hurled myself toward Jena’s window.
“Uaaaaaah!!”
Kwajijik! Thanks to my speed, the wooden window frame shattered effortlessly. My head was a little dizzy, but it was no big deal. Quickly inspecting the state of the room,
[There’s nowhere to escape.]
Still in the blood-smeared room, I could only see the shattered corpse of Jena.
“Ah.”
…
…
…
… It was confirmed.
Jena’s death… No matter how many times I die, it cannot be reversed.
“Uu… Uhuh…”
Desperately suppressing the groans escaping me, I thought.
Perhaps, I’ve been using the word ‘Hell’ too lightly until now.
Today, for the first time, I’ve truly seen Hell.
