Chapter 189
The situation feels familiar.
After activating Izanami’s Heart, the location of the residual memory turned out to be the abandoned factory district of Central Avenue. And there, I was dead.
“Hmm…”
First, I decided to check the last testament from my previous life contained in the Box of the Dead.
Hummm… As if encouraging me to open it, the box emitted a violet light. Opening it, I pulled out the crumpled papers inside.
“Wow.”
Involuntarily, I let out an exclamation.
Not only were there four pieces of paper, but one of them was a blood letter with distinct dried blood.
I pushed aside the unsettling feeling and began examining each paper one by one.
[First attempt. Right old downtown.]
[Second attempt. Central abandoned factory district.]
This much I understand. These were the notes I had just prepared to insert.
Looking at the two papers side by side, I suddenly realized something and startled.
“Got my head smashed in at old downtown and then went to the factory next…?”
And failed again there, meaning this is my third reincarnation? Can’t be…
No, it’s too early to jump to conclusions. Let me check the rest of the notes and consider the situation.
If the first two were declarations before departure, then the remaining two notes were closer to testaments.
[One per each passage. Delay and they will coordinate.]
“What the heck made you go psycho all of a sudden?”
Amusing, Jung Yong? Do you find dying amusing? Have you finally become a psychopath?
I shuddered at Park Jeong-yong’s disturbing actions and turned to the messy blood letter.
Its meaning was hard to gauge from just this one.
[In the middle. Three. Altear’s information. Must obtain.]
“Fck, you really wrote this in a hurry didn’t you…”
Even for a blood letter, this was way too sloppy.
The trails of worms crawling seemed more like letters. It took some time to decipher.
“In the middle, three. I get that much.”
I slowly began compiling all the information.
Connecting it with the testament I had read earlier, I arrived at the following conclusion:
“There is a guardian at each passage. And when time passes during the battle, the guardians from other passages will coordinate.”
That’s why there are three in the middle.
When the battle begins, support will arrive from both sides at about the same time.
The me from the previous life must have been wiped out like that.
“But… why is Altear’s information essential?”
Altea Bathory. The fake saint of the Sick Village deep within the Valley of the Dead.
Out of personal curiosity, I had requested her information from Knightrea while investigating the escaped soldier.
But if the escaped soldier’s information wasn’t urgent, why was Altear’s information essential?
“Ugh…”
I recalled her blazing red hair and crimson eyes, shivering slightly.
However, with no information on the escaped soldier and lack of detailed information on the Valley of the Dead, contemplating didn’t yield any solutions.
“… Should I wait for information from Knightrea?”
Yeah, reasonable. I nodded.
The me from the previous life might have had some intention when he wrote this testament in blood because he had some inkling.
For now, there’s nothing to do but wait. I ended up squatting down in place.
“Nothing to worry about, which is good.”
The strategy is already set; the only remaining path is the amusement park.
I took out a new paper and set it beside the Box of the Dead. Discarding the old note, I wrote a new one.
[First attempt. Right old downtown.]
[Second attempt. Central abandoned factory district.]
[Third attempt. Left amusement park.]
[A guardian exists in each passage. In the middle, at the factory district, support will arrive from both sides when time passes.]
[Attack either side’s old downtown or amusement park.]
As the receipts-like notes got longer, I felt a sense of satisfaction. My delightful and lively reasoning and adaptability were impressive.
I grinned like a madman while replacing the note.
“Completely no memory, yet the methods to conquer only increase. What a bizarre situation.”
Hummm…
When I placed the note, the box emitted a low sound. I sat there waiting for Knightrea’s call indefinitely.
Somewhere, a crow flew by, emitting a low croak.
―Documents have arrived.
How long had I waited?
As I dozed off squatting, a considerable amount of time passed before my terminal emitted a signal.
I took out the terminal from my pocket. A large lump of character information sent by Knightrea had been received.
“Alright. Finally here.”
I rubbed my half-asleep eyes and turned on the terminal. Pressing the blinking receive button at the top of the terminal, the information I had requested unfolded one by one.
[1. Human Hunter – Related Information List]
[2. Lonely One – Related Information List]
[3. Angel of Death – Related Information List]
Knightrea’s character-organized list came into view.
Why it was organized by nicknames instead of real names is unclear. Did their names change from time to time?
“The Angel of Death is Altear?”
The annoying nickname ‘Angel of Death’ I remember from her status window. So the third item is certainly Altear.
Seems like in the past Unterland, she was known as the ‘Angel of Death.’
“Hmm.”
Although the past me said obtaining information on Altear was essential, I was more worried about the escaped soldier, so frankly, I was more curious about the other two’s information.
First, I pressed the ‘Human Hunter’ item. Detailed information appeared before my eyes.
[Personal Information – Classified#A No.112]
[Name: Dyrus Gildle]
[Details: Obtained new recruit in August 1084 of the Continental Era. The young boy appears to be the last successor of the Demon King Hunter Gildle family. Accused of the serial killing of 210 people and wiping out an entire village in the vicinity of the former District 10 area, he was arrested on emergency. Sentenced to life imprisonment in the Calterus floating prison, but successfully escaped thanks to the ‘Angel of Death.’ The exact escape period and subsequent whereabouts are unknown.]
“… What?”
After the detailed items, Knightrea’s comments, interpretations by experts, contemporary opinions, and news articles followed, but
my eyes were fixed on one part, not moving any further.
The Angel of Death. Her alias was found in Dyrus’s information.
I hastily checked the ‘Lonely One’ item too, scanning through it quickly.
[Personal Information – Classified#A No.113]
[Name: Moskden Tepesh]
[Details: Emergency rescue in February 1087 of the Continental Era. A boy who survived for 3 years in the completely sealed-off former District 10 area. Rescued by the ‘Osoald Exploration Team’ researching the area’s infection. Due to the unusual condition where his physical grotesque transformation was suppressed midway, he was used as an experimental subject but managed to escape thanks to the ‘Angel of Death.’ Exact escape period and subsequent whereabouts are unknown.]
It’s here. Her name appears without fail.
The hand holding the terminal trembled slightly. Feeling numb at the back of my head, I muttered.
“The one who facilitated their escapes… Is Altea Bathory?”
I don’t know what made the past mister Park give homework to find out about Altear’s information, but at least I now understand why obtaining her information was necessary.
She possibly had a deep involvement with the escaped soldiers and my death.
“Pretty intense, huh.”
―Go back. Crow.
There’s nothing I can do here, right?
Skeptical and pessimistic tone. And yet, within it, a strong desire for peace resonates. If I were to describe her first impression now… ‘An older sister who’s usually kind but terrifying when angry.’
“… Where.”
I swallowed dryly once, prepared mentally, and clicked on the ‘Angel of Death’ item.
[Personal Information – Classified#S No.21]
[Name: Altear Bathory]
As expected, it was Altear’s information.
I slowly read through the detailed items. Highlighting how much more important it was compared to the others. The document was twice as long as the other two.
[Details: January of the Continental Era 791. The first of the 3 Heroes who voluntarily participated in the Great Demon King Weapon Project ‘Gungnir.’ Due to the outrageous magical requirements and excessive burden of the spell gun Gungnir, became its first and last suitable candidate. Operated under the codename ‘Angel of Death’ for 30 years in District 10. Later, despite desperate attempts with dark magic to maintain Altear Bathory’s body, it aged to its limit and eventually…]
“Eventually…?”
I focused on reading Altear’s information which continued for some time afterwards. It meticulously detailed her history.
Gradually, my eyes began to swell.
“Hm. Damn it.”
After finishing, I let out a hollow laugh and clutched the terminal firmly.
Looking drowsily at the amusement park passage, someone’s grievous sobbing seemed to echo beyond the mist.
‘You must be filled with intense disdain for humanity, just like me.’
This thought might make it sound more like that.
I slowly dragged my hesitant steps towards the amusement park.
The ruined amusement park was much eerier than I expected.
Various structures were entangled with moss and vines, the streetlights were all off creating a dim ambiance, and rusted materials were scattered randomly on the ground.
‘The rides are surprisingly lifelike for what I imagined.’
The basic forms of an amusement park as I conceived it were all there.
The Viking ride, Gyro Drop, Ferris wheel, carousels, and of course, the roller coaster, were all faithfully recreated, more accurately than expected.
Perhaps they took advice from Earth warriors. Even if not Earth, maybe amusement parks exist in other alternative worlds, so it wasn’t unusual.
“Still, it’s scary that it doesn’t move, damn it.”
Dark night.
Dusty rides.
A terrifyingly still ambiance that made it seem as though ghosts could pop out any moment.
The entire amusement park felt like a haunted house. Even I felt a chill down my spine and exhaled a hollow laugh.
“Oof!”
Thud. While walking briskly, I tripped over something. Regaining my balance after wobbling, I shifted my gaze to the dark area at my feet.
The mascots that blend animals and humans were scattered everywhere.
“That’s the same as that thing in the sick village.”
Recalling it a bit late, I identified the large mascots scattered everywhere.
The bronze statue whose head was detached in the village. The strange suit it wore matched the mascots around here.
It seems that statue was indeed the mascot character of this amusement park.
“Hmm.”
The mascots stared blankly into the void with bulging eyes. This was the first time I saw the face of the statuary in the sick village with its head severed.
Had I seen it in daylight, it might have looked somewhat cute. Now, it was effectively contributing to the eerie atmosphere.
After a while of aimlessly staring a hole into them, I hurried my steps.
“Unpleasant mood. Need to escape quickly…”
Muttering that, I quickened my pace, but abruptly stopped.
Straight ahead. In the middle of the street, one parade float had overturned and collapsed. My gaze was stuck on it.
Because a human-shaped figure was standing right in front of it.
“Even if I say something, you will certainly not stop, will you, Crow?”
Altea Bathory. The red-headed saint of the sick village.
There she was with a black mask-like gas mask covering her mouth. She was holding the severed head of the amusement park mascot statue, staring at it endlessly.
“Is that truly your will? Or the ridiculous destiny pointed by prophecy?”
She then delivered this weighty message to me.
