episode_0016

6. I can’t forgive you!

I, Kang Hyun-seok, have already died once.

On this Earth, I died before the tower or the virus incident in the other world even occurred.

There is no particular reason for death.

I was just unloved and weak, so I was neglected by those who should have cared for me and bullied by others.

He just died in his room without anyone knowing.

So I wanted more power, and more than that, I longed for a ‘hero’ who would protect me or save me.

But of course, such a thing did not exist in this world.

That’s why I died.

But God must have felt pity for me and gave me a new life.

That is also the place where the ‘hero – hero’ I wanted exists.

The place where he was reborn was a city called ‘Marvelous’.

There I received the love I had never received before from my parents who were active as heroes.

I have the superpower I always wanted.

Maybe that’s why my anger was so great due to the humiliation and persecution I’ve received so far.

Before I could properly function as a hero, I was active as a vigilante.

Now that I think about it, my parents probably knew too.

While I was working as a vigilante, I was a fairly well-known troublemaker in the underworld.

Rather, I became more and more reckless because of the thrill I had never felt before.

My relationship with my parents, who had been so worried about me, became strained, and I also became distant from my younger sister, Luna, who loved me.

Then one day, I got what I deserved for my reckless actions.

And it was not my death, but my beloved sister’s.

Is that why? When I met Charlotte, a girl who looked just like my sister, it felt like my sister had come back to life.

Even more so because the ability used was the same ‘fire’

That’s why I knew it in my head, but in my heart I was superimposing Charlotte onto my younger sister.

‘Brother, just promise me this one thing… With the power you have… Help many people… ‘

My sister’s last words, which I have never forgotten since returning to Earth, kept me moving.

So, right now, it’s natural that I’m running out to block the great sword swinging at ‘Charlotte’ with my body.

Because I really wanted to keep what I couldn’t keep last time.

*****

I don’t know what happened.

Just, just, something red and warm flowed down my face

The trajectory of the greatsword, which should have been pointed at me, was instead directed at Kang Hyun-seok.

I don’t know. I don’t know anything.

Even though I’m hugging him like this right now, I only feel a pain that’s squeezing my heart rather than a warm feeling.

The fear and dread that he might die was creeping up on him.

But even in this situation, the ‘Guardian of Courage’ began to work.

I will let Gaho calmly understand his situation, which he is in a state of panic and not fully aware of.

‘No! Please! I don’t want to know!!’

I scream it in my mind, but even so, this unpleasant feeling that warms my body and cools my head just does its job.

” Why…Why…There was no need to do that…! ”

A voice came out of me that seemed to be pouring out sorrow.

But these are just him smiling at me

” I… said I would protect you… and this time… I really wanted to protect you… ”

With a ‘kuluk’ sound, bright red blood began to pour out of his mouth.

‘What should I do, what should I do…!’

I keep getting a headache and my lower abdomen is aching, but more than that,

The pain that felt like it was stabbing my heart in my chest grew stronger.

” Get treatment quickly…! ”

I hugged him back as he hugged me, and I began to use my divine power to heal his wounds.

But still, there was someone in front of us who could leave it alone.

Then I heard the ‘crunch’ sound again, like metal cutting through the air, and I thought for sure that this time it was going to hit me too.

But with a ‘kwang’ sound, cold pieces of ice were pouring down on us.

” Are you okay? ”

*****

As Hyunseok said, I thought I would have a short break during this wave, so I summoned my summoner again and sat down.

” Haa, haa, I’m really tired. ”

The strategy for Top, who I thought would be just as easy as Hyunseok, was quite difficult.

It may be that it is a problem of consumption, but in my case, it is an ability that requires even more concentration.

The moment you drink a drink that speeds up the recovery of magic power and try to reorganize by circulating magic power

” Charlotte!!! ”

The sight of Hyunseok shouting loudly and using his power to shoot wind from his back to accelerate.

Charlotte was seen quietly watching the large sword come down.

” What the heck?! What the hell is going on..! ”

There’s clearly a break time, so why is there a demon? It clearly says it’s cleared, too.

As I looked at the tombstone with such doubt, I saw the mark of the last wave there.

” Damn, was I being too complacent?! ”

I gathered my circulating magic power and looked in the direction where Hyunseok and Charlotte were.

There was Hyun-seok, with blood gushing from his back, and Charlotte, who didn’t know what to do.

” Haa, I didn’t want to bring this up. ”

But given the circumstances, there’s nothing I can do. Of course, I’ll collapse shortly after taking it out.

Still, we can escape with the ‘artifact’ that Charlotte has.

” Summon! Eltanin! ”

A large wingless dragon made of ice and snow circles around me.

Seeing him trying to strike hard at Hyunseok and Charlotte once again, I rode Eltanin and charged forward.

And then he shouted at Charlotte, whose eyes were wide open behind him.

” Are you okay? ”

*****

A loud roar appeared before our eyes, and when we looked up, we saw Yeonseo riding a large dragon and looking at us.

” Are you okay? ”

” Huh? Yeah, ah… No! Hyunseok…! ”

” Wait a minute. Go wild, Eltanin! ”

At Yeonseo’s shout, a large dragon made of ice appeared, holding a black sword that was rough yet seemed to swallow everything.

He charged at a goblin-like creature the size of an orc.

” Let’s see. Well, the treatment was still going on, right? So the bleeding seems to have stopped and he’s not seriously hurt. ”

” What? What are you talking about! Blood…blood spurted out in a big spurt! ”

” Probably because of the ability. To go fast to protect you, I had to shoot the wind from my back ”

When I heard those words, the pain that had been squeezing my chest eased a little.

” Oh… I see… Yeah, that’s good… ”

” But kuluck… I can’t hold out for long either… ”

Yeonseo also suddenly leaned against me and vomited blood from her mouth.

” You?! What’s wrong with you too!? ”

” It’s nothing. I just overdid it and it backfired for a bit. More importantly, can I use the ‘artifact’ that bandit gave me right now? ”

” Oh, wait a minute. Hmm, no, it’s not working. It feels like something’s blocking it. ”

” Sigh, I’m going crazy. It’s ‘time over’ now… ”

” What? What is that? ”

At that moment, with a loud crash, the head of a dragon made of ice was cut off from the large goblin, presumably the boss.

And he was quickly approaching us and he threw the large sword he was holding at us.

Yeonseo quickly created several walls made of ice, but they gradually turned to dust and disappeared.

The moment we reach the last wall left to us

Before I knew it, I was in the white space where I had met Patruna.

” What? What is it! Right now, this isn’t right?! What the heck! ”

As I was running around looking around like that, I suddenly heard a ‘clank’ sound behind me and a sword stuck in the ground appeared.

The moment I approached the sword and grabbed the handle, the headache that had been bothering me disappeared and it felt like Durandal’s power was unlocked.

I also learned about this sword.

Sword of Mercy ‘Kurtana’

The hilt was made of wood and covered with metal thread, and the pommel was gold.

The tip of the sword was blunt and appeared to be broken.

The scabbard lying next to it was of red leather with gold embroidery.

And the 5 meter radius where this ‘Kurtana’ is placed becomes a space that protects and heals people through a barrier made of divine power.

It was a sword that was absolutely necessary in the current situation.

” I can protect those two with this…! ”

When I put the sword back in the scabbard, the white space that had been there until just now disappeared and returned to its original state.

I quickly drew my sword and stuck it into the floor.

*****

With a ‘kwang’ sound, the sword the guy threw was knocked away.

” What is this…? ”

” The power of Curtana. ”

” Charlotte? You were hiding something like this? ”

Yeonseo looked at me with a look of surprise and as if asking why I brought it up only now.

” No, I just got it. Our goddess loves me, and she said that I have to go through trials like this to get something. ”

” Huh, judging by your eyes, you’re thinking of fighting? ”

” Yeah, that’s all I can do. And inside this barrier, you two will be safe. You’ll be healed. ”

” Somehow, my sore throat just now feels better. Then, have a good fight. I’m tired now… ”

With those words, Yeonseo also fell down next to Hyunseok.

I shouted at the guy who had stepped out of the barrier, pulled out Durandal, picked up the greatsword, and re-entered the battle stance.

” I can never forgive you! ”

*****

The guy snorted and screamed as if he was laughing at my words, then ran towards me.

” Ha! This is real! ”

I ran out the same way and held the cross guard between my index finger and thumb.

Watch the guy’s movements as he strikes down from above, and aim upwards slightly at his face from head height.

While pushing the downward strike away with the cross guard, at the same time, fire a flame made of ‘Holy Fire’ to stop the guy’s movements.

He drew his sword, pointed the hilt towards the guy, and jumped in.

I stabbed the guy in the stomach while he was flustered, as if I didn’t know he would slip my sword away, but it didn’t go in properly, perhaps because of the difference in size.

” Kieeeek! ”

The guy quickly throws a punch with his right hand at me who has his sword stuck in his stomach, but the ‘Holy Fire’ he quickly creates explodes right in front of me, and I pull out my sword with the recoil.

I widened the distance between myself and the guy.

The explosion seemed to have caused quite a bit of damage, with blood flowing from the guy’s stomach.

” Phew, maybe because there’s still a physical difference, my hand feels a little numb. Even after strengthening it like that. ”

But we can’t back out here.

Because Yeonseo and Hyeonseok are behind me, I have to protect them.

I placed the hilt of the sword back at my waist, raised the tip of the sword diagonally so that it was pointed at the guy, and created as many swords of flame as I could around me.

” You’re going to die here. Do you understand? ”

” Kerruk…! ”

The guy instinctively sensed that it was dangerous and took a defensive stance, but even faster than that, he poured out all of his flaming swords towards him.

At the same time, I moved my feet towards the guy and used ‘Holy Fire’ to accelerate, then stabbed Durandal towards the guy’s sword.

I poured the sword of flame on him to prevent his movements, but I also heated up only one spot like this.

I stabbed the guy in the center of his sword with Durandal, which was considered the best for being hard and sharp, and then I stabbed him in the chest.

I was getting burned by the heat from the sword, but it didn’t matter. Since I was covered in divine power, I would recover right away.

So now is the time to focus more on ending that guy’s life.

” Haaaat! ”

I stabbed the sword into the guy’s chest and started to cut it towards his neck, but the guy tried to block it with both arms.

” Do you think it’ll stop at just that? ”

He cut off the guy’s head along with both of his arms.

” Phew, goodbye! You son of a bitch. ”

He swung the Durandal that was stained with the guy’s blood once to wash the blood away, then turned around and headed towards where Yeonseo and Hyeonseok were.

It’s a magic stone, you can take care of it when those two wake up.

*****

I finished conquering the first tower, which I didn’t think was that big of a deal.

The damage was greater than expected.

If I had been stronger, these two wouldn’t have gotten hurt like this.

That’s why I decided to get stronger quickly so that I wouldn’t hurt anyone around me anymore.

To do that, we need to find out the ‘special conditions’ that Patruna mentioned.

So I laid down next to Yeonseo and Hyeonseok and laid down my tired body.