Ch.128Chapter 128. Good Morning

That day.

On the day when rain poured down on the slums, why was my body trembling so violently?

‘Why are you shaking like that?’

It wasn’t just because the raindrops on my body were cold.

It wasn’t just because there were headless corpses scattered beneath me.

Because I couldn’t understand it…

‘You’re afraid of me, aren’t you?’

Just as she said, because I couldn’t understand the phenomenon that had unfolded before me, I had defined her as a fearsome existence, someone I had been with until then.

No matter how cruel an act, there was usually some reason behind it, and no matter how strong an enemy, they had a tangible form.

But what she had done was a phenomenon I couldn’t comprehend with my common sense.

“…Vivian.”

And now, she appeared before me again.

Vivian Platonis.

A scholar affiliated with the magic tower, a woman who introduced herself as the alien existence known as a ‘witch.’

“…Huhu.”

I had never forgotten about her since that day.

And for good reason—one of the motivations for me becoming a Hero was because I had no choice but to leave her side helplessly.

Being together with the person I had given my heart to. The person who had given her heart to me…

In this harsh world, it would be impossible without power.

“You seem quite stronger. Than back then…”

As she appeared before me again, she examined me with half-lidded eyes and quietly began to raise her hand.

With her thumb and index finger touching, aiming their tips directly at me…

-Snap!

In that moment, I reflexively ducked my head, and a chilling sensation began to overwhelm me from above.

If I had been even a little slower, my head would have disappeared.

Without even realizing I had died, my headless body would have crashed to the floor, spilling blood and convulsing.

-Splat!

Before I could even be freed from that terror, the sound of liquid gushing came from behind me.

As I quickly turned my gaze backward, my face began to be covered with a sticky liquid.

The metallic smell emanating from it felt all too familiar.

“Ah…”

But even the nausea from it was soon swallowed by the exclamation I let out as I recognized the body that had fallen before me.

“Ah, Irie…?”

Irie Haven.

One of the most precious people to me.

“Ah, I missed.”

Despite taking away someone so precious to me, she merely uttered those indifferent words and raised her finger again.

Just like before.

“Well, I’ll just have to fire once more, won’t I?”

Without any particular emotion about killing people, she was simply preparing to exert her power toward her target again.

“W-wait…”

If I don’t dodge, I’ll die.

But at this moment, behind me, another person had appeared alongside Irie.

Merilyn Sutherland.

Another person who was incredibly precious to me.

“P-please don’t do this, I beg you…”

If I don’t dodge, I’ll die.

But if I dodge, she will die.

“It’s already too late.”

As her finger flicked, ignoring my desperation, the world completely turned upside down.

And with a thud! came a violent impact felt throughout my body.

I could immediately tell that it wasn’t from Vivian’s attack.

If I had been hit by the technique she used, I wouldn’t have felt such an impact, and above all, unlike before, the sensations in my body were feeling remarkably clear.

“Huff, huff…”

Yes, it was a dream.

The cold sweat flowing through my body and my pounding heart told me that what I had experienced was a nightmare.

Both Irie and Merilyn are safe.

And Vivian didn’t commit such acts.

Not yet…

“…Vivian.”

The last time we met was half a year ago.

Since that day, I had somehow managed to awaken power befitting a Hero, but even so, I had no choice but to define the memory of that day as a nightmare.

No matter how much I had awakened the power of a Hero who could face a dragon, I couldn’t picture myself standing intact by her side.

“It’s not enough.”

Yes, I needed power.

“Right now, it’s not enough.”

Power strong enough to not yield even to beings that couldn’t be compared to the Red Knight I had faced that day.

****

A few weeks after returning to the Empire from the Dragon’s Tomb, I spent some time resting at the residence I had previously purchased.

Well, to call it rest is generous—in reality, I was under forced restrictions on my activities.

News of the war that took place there had reached the Empire’s leadership, but given the gravity of the situation, they determined that rigorous verification and procedures were necessary.

How much damage was sustained during the war, how much benefit was gained, and whether I was truly the greatest contributor to what happened at that time…

Until they confirmed all of this and summoned me, I was placed under disciplinary measures, which restricted not only my adventurer activities but also my use of regulated passages such as checkpoints.

The fortunate thing was that I could wander within the system without special permission, so going out wasn’t a problem.

This meant that as long as I didn’t harm others, I didn’t need to be concerned about activities aimed at building my strength, such as training.

-Thwack!!!

So whenever I had free time, I spent it refining my capabilities by pounding on a scarecrow in the backyard.

It wasn’t just about swinging weapons. What I was using now was the result of mimicking memories that had been injected into me.

Since the sensation noticeably fades even with slight memory deterioration, repeated experience and mastery were necessary to make it completely my own.

-Whoosh!

And the specialty of the person who was the source of these memories wasn’t fighting against fixed enemies, but chaotic battles targeting multiple enemies on a battlefield.

Since it always presupposes facing multiple opponents, each movement needs flexibility to respond to several enemies, and sometimes it’s necessary to seize enemies’ weapons or utilize those buried in corpses.

The need to switch weapons in real-time and organically transform their usage methods.

-Whoosh!

Drawing on those memories, I changed the magic sword in my hand into a spear, and as soon as I swung that spear, I transformed it into an axe.

The moment the light weapon was replaced with a heavy feeling, I quickly switched my muscle strength and posture to transition into a throw.

And the thrown axe, as soon as it hit the scarecrow, created a light magical explosion with a bang!

The scarecrow exposed to that attack offset the physical impact by swaying on the spring attached below it.

If the power had been stronger, it might have been possible to break it, but for me right now, that wouldn’t be an easy task.

“…Indeed, without armor, this is my limit.”

Unlike her, my current physical body couldn’t be called complete as a warrior.

While I could mimic sensations or techniques, I couldn’t replicate the physical adaptability needed to accept mana.

So to exert the same power as when I fought the Red Knight, artifacts or equipment that could supplement magic from the outside would be essential.

And not just any magic—something like armor with the magic core of a high-ranking demon embedded in it.

“…I feel like I’m becoming more of a ragdoll with each passing day.”

The reason I felt doubtful while retracing my capabilities one by one was because none of them were achieved through “my own efforts.”

Equipment, techniques, practical experience—all of them were accomplished through someone else’s assistance.

If I’m satisfied with continuing to rely on others for future growth, I might face a situation where I become obsolete someday.

“…Indeed, it’s not enough right now.”

I need power.

Power that I can train directly myself, not just borrowing help from others.

-Woong.

And the direction I should take for this was already vaguely present in my current state.

I had previously learned how to commune with spirits in order to inherit Tachia’s memories, but there was no rule saying that it could only be used for her techniques.

‘Your growth is overwhelmingly faster than I expected.’

‘I don’t feel particularly aware of it, but is it that impressive?’

‘With my help, you’ve caught up in just a month what would normally take at least a few years. I knew your ability applied to spirits as well, but… at this rate, it might be good to research your own unique methods when you have time.’

Even Jean, my first mentor, repeatedly said that my ability was highly compatible with spirits.

So if I mastered spirit arts relying on my ability, it might be considered a unique technique that only I could handle, not belonging to anyone else.

“…Focus.”

To research this technique, I stopped beating the scarecrow and sat cross-legged, taking time to immerse myself in meditation.

Beyond just summoning spirits to create weapons, I needed to directly commune with clusters of spirits that had their own will.

-Woong.

What appeared before me was a cluster of spirits solidified into human form.

The reason its appearance resembled mine was because spirits instinctively reflect the being that leads them.

Of course, even after projection, there’s not much I can do through them. Once spirits are manifested and then released, they scatter, which means everything they did while manifested is reset.

“Hmm, hello? Do you remember me?”

And this is where the difference lies between how ordinary people and I handle spirits.

For ordinary people, the connection resets every time they commune with spirits, but for me, even the scattered fragments are subtly drawn to my existence, so each time, “an entity somewhat identical to the previously created cluster” is formed.

To put it in an analogy… yes, while others might retain only 0.1% of their communion results, I can retain over 50%.

-Woooong.

“…Haha, yes. I’m glad to see you too.”

Expressing my joy at its seemingly recognizing response, I smiled with satisfaction, realizing that its form had become more distinct than before.

At first, its lower body was barely visible, but now it had developed a body almost identical to mine.

“Now then, can you do what we did last time?”

But if only the body is created, it’s just like having one more worker, isn’t it?

What’s important is how effectively this manifested body can be utilized in actual combat.

-Woong~

Soon, the cluster that made a crying sound raised its hand following me and manifested a weapon just as I had done.

Temporary material creation using mana that generates physical force.

What can be manifested is limited to what one is familiar with, but the spirit cluster had succeeded in independently triggering the same technique as mine, albeit imperfectly.

“Now, try swinging that at the scarecrow over there.”

-…Woong?

But it seemed unable to follow further instructions, standing there blankly.

This wasn’t because it didn’t understand the words, but because spirit learning is structured around mimicking the other party.

It can mimic my actions, but focusing solely on that mimicry, it lacks independent judgment…

“So I’m saying, try it like this. Like this.”

Still, if I keep teaching repeatedly, it might eventually learn how to fight on its own. Thinking this, I swung my sword, and the cluster also made the motion of swinging a sword just like me.

The same applied to switching weapons or requiring quite complex techniques.

There was a time lag of a few seconds, but the end result was almost similar to mine, and it was accompanied by some physical force.

If it could act more autonomously, it would be like having an ally with power similar to mine… no, wait. Isn’t there a pretty useful application even now?

-Woong?

Curious, I took a step back, and the spirit cluster facing me also stepped back.

When I raised my hand, the spirit cluster also raised its hand in the same direction, as if looking in a mirror.

Just like looking in a mirror… so in combat, would an entity that makes the same movements as me attack from the opposite direction with a time lag?

“You’re working hard today too.”

As I was pondering this possibility, a familiar voice reached my ears.

Recognizing it, I turned my gaze to the side and was greeted by a familiar face.

“Ah, Tashian.”

Tashian Pailoi.

After concluding the incident from a few weeks ago, she formed a family bond with me, and now we’ve even come to live together.

“Tsk.”

But what I received in return for cheerfully calling her name was a light chop aimed at my forehead.

It wasn’t painful, but it was enough of a strike to convey her feelings.

“My son.”

As if to show that it was as I felt.

From the smile on her lips, a disappointed voice leaked out.

“How many times have I told you to call me ‘mom’ instead of my name?”

“Ah, no… Do I really have to?”

“We promised, didn’t we? You’re not thinking of breaking that promise, are you?”

“N-no, that’s not it, but…”

Certainly, it was my will to save her rather than kill her, but it’s still too much to ask, isn’t it?

Even though I have Tachia’s personality, my identity as Hyoseong Woo has become stronger since she handed over control to me.

Unlike her, the feelings I had for Tashian were far from pure family bonds, which is why I felt such strong resistance to addressing her with that title.

“M-mo…”

Yet she insisted I must.

Reluctantly, I tried to open my mouth at her urging, but…

“Mo?”

“…Mommy.”

“……”

“I-I’m sorry.”

Is she angry? Or is she disappointed, regretting having made a promise with me who couldn’t live up to her expectations?

“Hehe~”

But contrary to my worries, Tashian broke the silence with laughter.

Looking up at her again, I saw her gazing at me with clear eyes and a smile.

“Well, we’ll have plenty of time together in the future, so there’s no need to rush.”

Unlike the rough and tired impression I had at our first meeting, she showed an incredibly bright smile.

“Good morning. My son.”

Thus, she fully revealed her willingness to accept even me, who felt awkward toward her.