〈 Chapter 194 〉 Karkel (1）

*

Above Prison Island.

There, Commander Karkel was gazing at the area near the Center of the Central Island.

‘I never thought he would actually accept a one-on-one challenge.’

Not only did he choose to charge in rather than retreat, but he also accepted a one-on-one challenge with him.

Is he simply unaware of his place, or is he just fearless?

‘Maybe he’s both.’

If that wasn’t the case, he wouldn’t even consider confronting the High Priest.

‘That’s a being of a different caliber.’

Even when he faced the Saint-level Hero, he felt that way.

It felt like he was facing a god himself.

To surpass that level… seemed impossible.

‘I’ll have to make that clear.’

This is for Allen Pleuk.

To fight him directly and convey his limits.

And to make him give up in advance.

‘Otherwise, that guy will definitely die.’

It was at that moment he was thinking this.

‘Is he finally here?’

The entrance at the core opened, and two figures emerged.

However, something seemed off.

‘Hmm?’

For some reason, Allen Pleuk’s condition did not look normal.

*

“Allen, it’s not too late. There’s still a way to give up and escape.”

Luel, who was supporting my body, said.

Since it was the Water Sage’s judgment, it was probably a more rational decision.

After all, the recoil from activating the Rose Sword was much stronger than I expected.

Damn.

Right now, even walking was a struggle.

It was nothing short of a miracle that I wasn’t collapsing at this moment.

But I didn’t want to give up.

“If I keep getting healed until we reach Prison Island, who knows.”

“No, even so, your condition won’t be optimal. Fighting him in that state…”

“I’m not hoping for optimal. Just let me move. Please.”

In the end, Luel sighed and replied.

“Stubborn as always… Fine.”

She said that and continued to focus on my healing.

Since the operation of the guard dolls in the control room had been completely halted, she was able to devote herself to healing.

After walking for a while, we finally saw the entrance.

I slowly detached myself from her shoulder.

“Allen?”

“I can’t let the other Heroes see me like this.”

I couldn’t show them any weakness.

If I did, all the public opinion I had worked so hard to lift could become useless.

“Well, if you’re okay with it, I don’t mind.”

Luel reached out her hand.

“Huh?”

“Hold my hand. A little contact helps enhance the healing effect.”

‘Ah.’

I took her hand.

Then I opened the entrance.

In front of it stood Sara and Lucy.

“We’ve been waiting for ages!”

Lucy said bluntly.

Sara chimed in, bouncing off her words.

“Right? We waited how long…”

In that moment, Sara’s eyes stayed on my hand.

Specifically, on Luel’s hand holding mine.

“This is, um…”

It was the moment I tried to explain myself.

Fortunately, it seemed she understood the situation before hearing my explanation.

Having traveled with me for quite some time, she was well aware of me.

“Allen?”

She hurried over and quietly asked.

“Are you okay?”

I nodded.

“Of course.”

“Well, if that’s the case, then it’s fine.”

Her overly calm reaction finally got Luel to speak up.

“Sara, Allen’s condition is more serious than you think.”

But Sara shook her head.

“He’s not stubborn; he has strong willpower. If he’s this stubborn, there must be a reason.”

It was a bit embarrassing, but she wasn’t wrong.

“Yeah, Sara’s right. I have to save Gwen.”

If I save her, our strength will increase.

I could persuade Schurz as well.

And more than anything…

‘It’s my fault.’

It was because of me that she ended up like this.

Every time I looked at her, I felt a wave of guilt.

In my memories as a Player, I had forced her to raise her swordsmanship skills until she grew old.

Of course, I didn’t know back then that she was a real person, but I could never completely wash away that guilt.

‘At least after receiving swordsmanship lessons from Libero, I managed to move on.’

Before that, every time I saw [Swordsmanship (B)], Gwen would come to mind, and I’d feel guilty.

But even after moving on from that, I kept making mistakes with her.

Because of me, the connection with the Divine Seat was severed, and she got lost.

No matter how unavoidable the circumstances were, I had to push her back in line behind the Leim Kingdom.

And as a result, she was trapped alone on Prison Island because of me.

‘So…’

I looked toward Prison Island.

‘I will definitely save you.’

It was a determination I had made countless times, but no matter how many times, it never felt enough.

“Let’s go.”

With that determination, I set off toward Prison Island.

Along our path, the Heroes naturally made way for us.

After all, my duel with Karkel was already decided.

They looked at me as if I were a condemned prisoner.

‘Well, it’s not too different, is it?’

This was a fight between a former High-ranking Hero and a Saint-level Hero.

And naturally, a Saint-level Hero was a Saint-level Hero for a reason.

He undoubtedly had a power that surpassed ordinary High-ranking Heroes.

But…

‘I still don’t know.’

I have Libero’s swordsmanship.

This was undoubtedly a swordsmanship that not a single character from the Hundred Braves had mastered properly.

If that combined with the Rose Sword created a variable, I might have a chance.

‘Moreover, for some reason…’

This wasn’t a solid basis, just a feeling I had.

‘That Karkel guy…’

His expression couldn’t be seen due to the gas mask.

But from the tremor in his voice, I sensed something.

‘For some reason, he doesn’t seem hostile toward me.’

It felt reminiscent of my first encounter with Freira.

A predator far stronger than me, yet somehow not viewing me as prey.

Was it a sense of goodwill?

No, maybe not that far, but he seemed to expect something from me.

‘What the hell is he expecting?’

Meanwhile, we soon arrived at Prison Island.

It was really too late to turn back now.

In the open space in front of the huge prison on Prison Island.

On the opposite side stood Commander Karkel along with his subordinates.

And behind them…

“Gwen!”

Gwen was sitting there, her arms and legs bound by restraints.

The most pitiful aspect was her vacant gaze.

That gaze was nothing like the sharp eyes I remembered her to have.

“Gwen! Are you okay? Just respond!”

But it seemed my voice didn’t reach her at all.

Instead, the one who answered was Karkel.

“Don’t worry. She’s just under the effects of gas. If you defeat me and take her away, she’ll quickly return to normal.”

“Is that for sure?”

“Of course. But more importantly, you don’t have time to waste, do you? Or perhaps you need healing time because your body isn’t feeling good?”

As expected, he saw right through my current condition.

Indeed, I had walked slowly from the Central Island to here to recover my body.

“Luel…”

Just as it was getting revealed, I was about to ask Luel to stop healing me.

“Then allow me to grant you sufficient healing time.”

It was an unexpected statement from Karkel.

“What do you mean…”

He spread his arms wide, puffing out his chest.

“I want to clash with the you of your full power, not the current you.”

His subordinates standing nearby exclaimed.

“But Commander!”

“That guy is a criminal who can be captured immediately!”

“No mercy for someone who deceived the High Priest…!”

At that, Karkel’s neck turned in a mechanical motion.

And a cold voice flowed from the exhaust of his gas mask.

“Is your memory so bad it rivals that of a goldfish? I already decided to handle things personally with the captain, where you all had to face off against those guys…”

It was the same feeling I had when I heard Schurz’s threat.

His voice carried a pressure befitting a Saint-level Hero.

“And mercy? Do you think I would lose to such a guy if he regained his strength?”

“No, that’s not the case.”

“Exactly, it should be like that.”

Having completely frozen his subordinates with mere words, he looked at me.

“How much time do you need?”

“30 minutes.”

“Really, that’ll be enough?”

“Yeah.”

30 minutes should be sufficient.

Even if complete recovery isn’t possible, it won’t hinder the fight.

And in a way, this duel was Karkel’s unilateral decision.

I didn’t want to delay until other High-ranking Heroes arrived.

“Then I’ll ask you again, Luel.”

Having decided to trust Karkel, I took off my jacket.

I wanted to receive treatment more seriously.

“Got it.”

Luel pulled a potion from her pocket.

Combining healing magic with potions should lead to faster results.

Meanwhile, Sara and Luel, regardless of my trust in Karkel, began to draw their swords and remain on guard.

*

Huff, huff…

Breathless and drenched in sweat.

In the distance, the sounds of children were playing.

And in her line of sight, which lay on the ground, were the blue skies…

‘Where am I…?’

The Reedval Family Mansion.

A stronghold of the Enemy Knights and her family home.

‘Oh right. Was I in training again…?’

A wooden sword touched her hand.

For her, training was almost her daily routine.

It seemed she had dozed off for a bit during her break.

‘That was a strange dream.’

It was a dream where she left her family to search for the Rose Sword.

In that process, she had met a boy.

And the boy, who seemed to know the location of the Rose Sword, told her not to worry.

‘And after that…’

Thud.

A sharp pain shot through her head.

It felt like there was something else that had happened.

But whether it was a dream or not, she couldn’t remember.

That was when she heard it.

“How pitiful.”

“I thought the Reedval blood was thinning, but look at what happened…”

“It can’t be helped. It’s just the fate of that child.”

Maybe they thought she was still asleep as the adults around her kept talking.

“But she still seems to deny her fate. I hear she’s off to find the Rose Sword?”

“She probably doesn’t know the reality. So many of our ancestors abandoned their search for it…”

The Rose Sword.

That’s right. She needed to find it.

Only then could she possibly live a normal life for a few years.

‘Right, Divine Seat?’

But there was no answer from the Divine Seat.

‘Divine Seat?’

Hmm, it’s probably nothing serious.

It wasn’t the first time there was no response.

Amidst that, the conversations around her continued.

“By the way, where do you think the ancestor hid that sword?”

“They wouldn’t leave its location in writing since it’s the sword that carries the future of the family…”

“I heard the last known location was the Central Sea System.”

At that moment.

‘Central Sea System?’

The very mention of that word caused her head to throb again.

Simultaneously, shadows flickered across her vision.

“If you take me to the trial. I will answer your question.” “Thirty-three, to be exact. After that month, I won’t be able to bear children.” “It’s been a while.” “Yes, for now, I plan to head to the Central Sea System. However, I still have some unfinished business in Hailen.” “But I’m sure we’ll meet again this time.”

It was the boy she had encountered in her dream.

No, was this even a dream?

It felt too vivid to be a dream.

And she was certain she knew that boy’s name.

It was definitely…

‘I must remember.’

He was surely someone important to her.

Someone she must never forget.

But the more she tried to recall, the more darkness seemed to creep into her mind.

‘Please, remember…!’

As she struggled, the adults around her rushed in.

And they held down her limbs so she couldn’t move.

‘Let go…!’

She suddenly remembered.

There was something she must do.

Yes, there was something she had to tell that boy.

And that boy’s name is…

In that moment, her eyes flew open.

Actually, they had already been open, but at last, her dim gaze focused.

Before her stood the figure of Allen Pleuk.

“Allen!”

He seemed to be ready to face the Saint-level Hero Karkel alone with his sword drawn.

“Run! I’ll be fine, just survive!”

Then Allen’s mouth moved.

For some reason, everything felt hazy, and I couldn’t hear him clearly.

But through his lip movements, she gathered the essence of his words.

No, I refuse.

*