episode_0014

There could be many reasons for defeat. It could be a simple lack of firepower, or it could be a lack of warrior party members.

Or maybe you used too much stamina and divine power on your way to the Balkan room, or maybe you made too much noise and attracted too many monsters.

But if you were to pick one of the biggest reasons for the defeat, the answer would be obvious: the insect king Balkan was just too strong.

The warrior’s swordsmanship was only able to brush against Vulcan’s hem, and the saint’s divine power was limited to burning small insects. Even if several party members had not been eliminated in the middle, the result would have been similar.

The Four Heavenly Kings that the warrior party met for the first time clearly showed the difference in their strength, as if showing off their might.

“What a disappointment.”

Boom!

“Hero!”

The giant scorpion’s pincers slam down fiercely on the warrior’s stomach. Luke, who was already knocked out, had no choice but to take the blow. Bright red blood burst out of his mouth.

“I had high expectations for the hero who appeared after hundreds of years… but this is all I can say. If this is the case, then what was the use of all the time I spent preparing and the abundant strength he gave me?”

Kwajik!

“Although we admired each other, there was a time when I felt excited when I heard the story of the hero. When I was young, the story of the mighty Four Heavenly Kings who defeated the mighty enemy called the hero. The strategy of the Demon King’s army that made the hero suffer. And the story of the Demon King who finally defeated the hero.”

Kwak!

“After hearing such stories, I developed a vision and eventually became one of the Four Heavenly Kings. And I was honing my skills, anticipating the warrior who would come one day… What is this?”

Boom! Boom! Boom!

“I never thought the author who finally arrived would be such a weakling.”

Many times.

A giant claw is brought down on the warrior’s body.

The steel pincers slowly but steadily destroyed Luke’s body. The only member of the team who was not eliminated, a saint named Yulis, could only watch.

“Hero!”

Because her body was already not normal.

Her body was already stiff from paralytic venom and neurotoxin, and her only functioning organs were her eyes, nose, and mouth. She was so desperate and confused about this situation.

What is going on?

Clearly, we were ahead in terms of stamina, so why did we end up losing?

How many Balkan bugs do we have to deal with before we reach our limit?

Why is the author, the warrior who was definitely thought to be a traitor, lying on the cold floor, turning into a piece of meat?

The answer was simple.

The warrior was not a traitor, but a true warrior.

It was they who doubted it for nothing.

Of course, it was a little confusing to think about the traces of sin that I felt on the warrior’s body… but that didn’t matter at the moment.

Well, it’s all over anyway.

The warrior was defeated at the cost of his extravagance, and now all that remains is to repay the price thoroughly.

The fact was so terrifying that Yulis cried out again.

“Wake up, warrior!”

All she could do was scream. It felt so helpless and miserable, but she didn’t stop.

“Wake up, please!”

Because I felt like I wanted to grab onto even a rope.

I don’t want to die like this. If we lose like this, the continent will be immersed in sorrow. Many people will cry and despair.

And most of all… she would slowly die surrounded by the bugs she hated so much. From her perspective, that was something she would rather not do.

Fear slowly eats away at my heart.

I felt a bit resentful of myself suddenly asking the person I had hated for half a year to save my life… but I couldn’t stop myself.

Will that wish come true?

“···Dedicate 10 years of your life to completely heal your body.”

The warrior finally stood up from his seat.

With a somewhat incomprehensible, but anxious muttering.

The warrior’s shattered body gradually healed. The bones that had been turned to dust were reattached, and the flesh that had burst out was restored to its original state. It was a healing speed that was almost like a miracle of God, but Yulis was not particularly surprised.

Because I had seen a similar sight last time. Rather than the sight itself, I was more interested in the sentence he had just muttered.

‘what?’

He mutters absentmindedly as if to ask himself if he heard correctly.

“Lifespan 10 years···?”

Then, could that number I vaguely heard last time also be···.

But that thought didn’t last long, because the warrior opened his mouth before that.

“Fuck···.”

“Huh?”

A short mutter, full of annoyance.

At that muttering, King Chungwang Balkan tilted his head in interest.

“You use amazing abilities, warrior. Was this warrior born with such abilities?”

“···Yeah. You damn battle-monger. I tried to save as much as I could, but you make me use it anyway.”

The warrior takes up his sword.

“My plans were ruined because of you. Don’t worry. I’ll make it fun from now on.”

Then he muttered again, very quietly, as if he was telling someone something.

-···Strengthen your body by devoting 20 years of your life to it.

But the content was clearly heard in her ears.

I didn’t mishear. He clearly said ‘lifespan.’

If that lifespan is what she knows, then… he literally poured his life force into healing his own body.

Immediately afterwards, an incredible force emanated from the warrior’s body. Blue-tinged magical power leaked out of the warrior’s body, and the holy sword’s blade glowed sharply.

The pressure I felt from him was comparable to that of the Four Heavenly Kings.

Balkan goes crazy when he sees that.

“Hahaha! Yeah, that’s the level of a warrior you need to be!!”

The clash continues again after that.

This time it was a bit more intense than the last clash.

Luke’s sword cuts down a giant scorpion. The magical power from his body burns the surrounding bugs.

He uses the wind to blow away the poisonous mist spreading around, and uses his holy sword to peel off the chitinous armor of the beetle that even Camilla’s Sword Auror could not penetrate.

Luke’s sword, which had been swinging like that for a long time, briefly touched Vulcan’s body.

“Haha! This is fun!! Then please entertain me more!!!”

Every time, Balkan summoned a large number of insects and fought the warrior. This battle continued for a long time.

Unfortunately, the warrior was pushed back in terms of endurance.

Unlike Vulcan, who had been collecting bugs for hundreds of years, Luke had only used his lifespan to temporarily increase his strength.

Because of this, Luke could not help but become weaker as time passed.

Every time that happened, he would grit his teeth and mutter.

“Dedicate 10 years.”

“···I dedicate 10 years.”

“······I dedicate 10 years.”

As the eerie muttering rings out, the brilliance of the holy sword gradually intensifies.

The light that burned life force was dazzlingly piercing.

Even Yulis, who had been denying him until now, was momentarily lost in thought and looked at him.

“······.”

She could no longer cheer and could only watch.

Someone is fighting so desperately, and I feel miserable and pathetic for having to just lie down and watch.

I began to doubt whether I could support him since I had denied him until now.

“You use strange powers, warrior.”

How long did they fight like that? King Vulcan opened his mouth again.

A creepy, scraping sound gnaws through the room.

His body was already not normal.

The cloak and bandages covering his body were cut here and there by the warrior’s sword, and his entire body was covered in dust.

Anyone could tell that his body had suffered many injuries.

But he was still smiling as if he found the situation amusing.

“I’m using my life force like an empty check.”

Blood flows out thickly through the torn bandages of the King.

“Do you think your life force is infinite?”

At the same time, the bugs inside the blood also fell to the floor.

Insects such as cicadas, maggots, and centipedes writhe in all directions along with the blood.

“Do you think that burning your lifespan makes you invincible?”

For a moment, Yulis felt a terrible stench. The severed pieces of his flesh gave off the most pungent smell of corpse decay.

Even in such a situation, King Chung continued to speak.

“No, it’s just a temporary postponement of the cruel reality that is coming. Your future is already determined by defeat.”

At that moment.

“Coolook-!”

The warrior vomited out a handful of blood. The bright red gore was sticking to the floor. This time, Yulis couldn’t hold it in.

“Hero!!”

“The poison is finally working.”

The warrior said.

“··· When?”

I kicked out all the poisonous insects. I also cut down all the poisonous insects that approached. But when was there any room for the poison to enter?

“It doesn’t have to be poisonous only to bugs.”

Chungwang walked slowly and pointed to his arm. It was the arm that the warrior had cut off earlier. From there, thick, dark red blood and insects were still dripping.

“My blood is as toxic as a toxin. If even one drop touches your skin, it’ll kill most people. Do you think I haven’t spilled a single drop of blood on you during our fight?”

“This fucking thing···.”

“It should have worked a long time ago··· Your life force is so strong that it didn’t work until now. But now that it’s working···.”

King Chung laughs creepily.

“I guess you’ve reached your limit, too?”

The warrior chewed his lips.

Even in the midst of all this, he opened his mouth to pay the price. With his lips full of blood, he once again made a contract regarding life.

That was the time.

“Stop.”

Kwak!

“Cough···.”

Suddenly, a huge thorn pours out from the ground and pierces the warrior’s abdomen.

The warrior was speechless, and Balkan continued speaking.

“I’ve seen that ability enough to be sick of it. I’m starting to get tired too. Let’s end it now.”

The Balkans snap their fingers.

Phew! Phew!!

Then, the same thorns as before pierced the warrior’s body again.

Yulis looked at the scene with a face full of despair. Even in this situation, her body was still frozen, unable to move even a single finger.

Luke groaned for a moment, then squirmed more, and then his body fell limp as if his life had run out.

That was the end.

The warrior could no longer move or breathe.

It’s dead.

The fierce battle ended so futilely.

Now all that’s left is a saint who is paralyzed and cannot move, and the Four Heavenly Kings who still stand proudly.

“Okay, now······.”

Balkan turned his head. The bugs were creeping closer to Yulis.

“There’s only two of us left?”

Yulis had a look of despair on his face.