Ch.238238. The Ancestor’s Test (1)

The second demon was personally the most difficult opponent I had ever faced.

Unlike the first one, who was obsessed with showing off its power. This one had a meticulous personality and always hated revealing its true form. Just finding it directly required a great deal of effort.

And the troublesomeness of its power and special abilities was enough to make even the third and fourth demons click their tongues. From the perspective of someone who had to subjugate it, it was nothing but a nuisance.

I had to use more arrows to catch it than at any other time.

And one of its most troublesome weapons.

‘I’m sick of that mass of corpses now.’

The undead created by gathering all the enemies it had killed.

That giant mass of flesh was made of grafted corpses. The stronger the original owner of that body was in life, the stronger that haphazardly attached mass of corpses became, making it quite a headache for me as well.

PAANG—!!

‘Thankfully, we have Edelin on our side.’

An undead made from countless elf corpses.

No matter how much I dislike the pointy-ears, it’s only natural that they possess innate talents and abilities that surpass those of other ordinary races.

I really wanted to avoid facing that flesh mass made of such monsters.

Fortunately, Edelin was blasting away their bodies for us.

“From now on, my royal guards will be responsible for protecting the heroes.”

Meanwhile, Edelin spoke while slowly drawing another arrow.

“I’ll take care of that monster sewn together like rags, so please, once you reach the area with the scattered tombstones, find the one in front of the tallest old tree. There you’ll find the provisions that Sianella left for her descendants.”

“Understood!”

Provisions that Sianella left for her descendants.

At those words, I saw the frowns caused by the Magia felt from all directions suddenly relax, replaced by expressions of anticipation.

Well, I’d heard that someone who was originally a commoner appeared like a hero during the chaotic times when demons arrived and achieved great things. That was how the border count, the founder of the County of Sianella, earned his title and territory.

‘I’d be excited too.’

If I could obtain a gift left by such an impressive ancestor, meant specifically for me rather than other family members.

I too would probably be so thrilled I couldn’t sleep at night.

“Royal guards, I entrust this to you.”

“At your command!”

As Edelin’s royal guards gathered around us in a circle, completing preparations for escort and breakthrough.

“Let’s go, Ray.”

Sione, maintaining her composure, slightly raised the corner of her mouth at me.

“I’ll follow you.”

And so, I matched my steps beside her.

Edelin, moving freely at the vanguard.

With her clearing the path and the royal guards protecting it, our steps would not hesitate.

Crushing tree roots underfoot, kicking off the ground, and raising dust as we set off to find what would become the key to victory in this war.

BOOM—!!

With a sound like lightning striking, as the monstrous creatures were swept away.

“…!”

Edelin, who had been drawing the attention of enemies from afar with her monstrous speed, traversed this distance.

And quietly delivered her message with force.

“What Sianella left behind is a fragment of her soul. When absorbed, her trial begins immediately, so here you should focus on securing it rather than using it—”

The words she delivered in an instant were meant for my master, Sione.

As I perked up my ears with great interest at the fact that it was a soul fragment of that distant ancestor.

For some reason.

Edelin’s eyes were following me.

“The provisions of one who possessed a soul different from those of this place are nearby. Among the various tombstones, you’ll find one with a small flower drawn on it.”

…One who possessed a soul different from those of this place.

The most fitting description for the current me who entered this body. The fact that someone similar to me existed a thousand years ago, and that I might be able to obtain what they left behind—

As Edelin spoke, penetrating that essence, I maintained a cold expression and stared back at her without yielding.

In that moment that felt like an eternity, as she kicked the ground with her opposite foot that had been floating in the air.

She left more words behind at her own discretion.

“May the most powerful provision he left behind appear in the world once more.”

“……”

What on earth could it be? Making me so endlessly curious.

Anyway, Edelin moved again to clear out the monsters on the other side.

And we couldn’t just stand here blankly either.

“Orna, and Elvis, focus only on supporting our movements. Tania, intercept only the monsters that approach at close range.”

I called out to my spirits.

“From now on, I’ll focus on speed.”

—Myaang!

With Orna’s energetic voice and the nods of the two spirits confirmed.

“Ah, my body.”

“Myeong.”

“Did you do this?”

“Heh.”

With Orna’s laughter as our cue, we increased our speed even more.

Tombstones. Searching for the place where the tombstones were scattered.

Passing through backgrounds splattered with monster blood and flesh.

At the vanguard, Airine Ianet, accumulating more and more wounds, used her three spirits to keep the enemies at bay.

The royal guards protected Sione and me, and occasionally when Airine was in danger, they would escort her with their spirits and bows. How long had we been running like this?

“I can see it over there!”

Just as Sione’s voice was filled with joy, we finally saw the flat ground scattered with tombstones before our eyes.

A rare flat area in the great forest. Did they cut down all the trees and level the ground to make this burial place? It was a treeless landscape I hadn’t seen in a long time.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t rejoice at the open view.

“The problem is…”

“Whatever the reason might be…”

The world reflected in my black pupils was nothing short of complete chaos.

“Some are pulling out tombstones… others are digging in front of them.”

The memorial place that was originally visited by no one was now full of mourners. No, unwelcome guests disturbing the resting place of those in deep sleep.

“Things have become complicated.”

They were beings made up of elves and humans.

Despite their decayed bodies and weak, drooping gaits, what reflected in the shadows where their rotten eyes should be was a chillingly threatening demonic energy.

Naturally, only the second demon could be controlling these dead ones.

According to Edelin, it seems that this demon arrived on this continent a thousand years ago and tried to destroy this world but was stopped.

And certainly, it was none other than this second demon who made a great contribution to destroying the continent in the current generation.

That great demon seemed to have sensed that something was hidden here.

‘This isn’t good.’

Did it notice that something important was hidden here?

Or did it send these beings to gather materials for its necromancy according to its original vile taste?

Whatever the case, as my head throbbed in this concerning situation.

Sione, who had been looking around with her expanded vision, shouted.

“Over there!”

The gazes of the royal guards and myself converged on where Sione was pointing.

“The tallest old tree!”

As she said, among the trees sparsely growing on the wide plain.

The tallest old tree reaching for the sky came into view.

Our destination was immediately decided.

“I’ll clear the path.”

Airine Ianet, who had been catching her breath at Sione’s voice, regulated her breathing.

Then threw herself back into the monster-filled area. The royal guards, who were beginning to tire, also gathered their strength again and started to break through.

Soon we arrived at the front of the old tree, where the provisions left by the first head of the county were said to be resting.

The problem was that we didn’t know how to secure the provisions.

“…Should we dig?”

While only the sighs of those who needed to protect us were heard in response to Sione’s vague words.

As Sione looked around the tombstone and finally placed her hand on it.

“Ah—”

Finally, changes began to occur.

The letters inscribed on the tombstone began to emit a soft moonlight glow, like the color of her hair. The captivating light gradually grew larger.

The monsters surrounding this place, whether out of instinctive fear or disgust for this light, began to back away.

Before long, above Sione’s hand, what Adelin had called a fragment of her old friend’s soul appeared, floating.

“This is…”

As if sensing something from the soul fragment, Sione’s gaze remained fixed on it.

As the soul fragment rose into the air.

“Wh…what…?”

PASSSSSS—!

As the soul fragment resonated, it turned to powder and scattered.

“Ah—”

As the powder was absorbed into Sione’s body, she began to stagger.

What’s happening now? And why is she doing this at such a timing?

I approached her side faster than anyone else and supported her.

“…Lady Sione?”

But Sione, desperately keeping her eyelids from closing, only silently held me in her gaze.

Though her lips quivered, she couldn’t say anything.

Slowly…

She lost consciousness and collapsed.

After staring at her quietly for a while.

—What Sianella left behind is a fragment of her soul. When absorbed, her trial begins immediately…

I cursed fluently in Korean.

“This son of a bitch, really.”

Why on earth would she absorb it here?

* * *

“Where am I…?”

My consciousness slowly returned.

As my senses came back to life.

I seemed to be lying on something soft like a bed. My body, finally hit directly by fatigue, felt heavy and difficult to move.

I was certainly—to recover the provisions—

“…!”

What on earth am I doing here? I need to get up quickly…!

As a result of hurriedly trying to move my body.

For some reason, with an unbalanced body and actions that were more sluggish than necessary.

Moreover, overwhelmed by the intense lethargy that came over me, I tripped over my own feet and fell.

THUD—!

“Ugh…”

With a loud noise and a bit of pain, I opened my eyes.

I couldn’t help but feel my mind go blank at the sight reflected in the mirror right in front of me.

“Ah.”

In the mirror was the image of my past self that I had vowed never to return to.

So clearly, so detestably.