Ch.65Giving the Disease and the Cure

# 1.

To put it bluntly, Nahan’s hypothesis was spot on.

At midnight on the day the Duke of Richmond was murdered, a system window appeared.

【Bad Ending 8 – “Death of the Hero” is currently in progress.】

【Scheduled date: D-1.】

The countdown that had initially shown D-3 was now down to D-1, meaning tomorrow.

During these two days, Nahan had devoted his time to all the heroes except Asha, according to his plan. The results:

“Today, let’s have strawberry tanghulu.”

“Add strawberries and grapes too.”

“…Want to be my disciple?”

Successfully became best friends with Marine Blue.

“Um, Sister… I wanted to ask about that Black Wolf member we met before. Do you have a moment?”

“Of course, Lady Selena. I think the member who killed Duke Richmond was Luna, whom I mentioned earlier.”

“Y-yes, I felt the same way…!”

Gained the position of Selena’s spiritual pillar.

“Hey, Ian Red!! Try to match this!! The Guardian’s shield is the best in the world!!”

“I’ve heard it never breaks, no matter what force it faces?”

“By the rat’s whiskers…!! You know that too…!! Very well, I shall bestow upon you the Guardian’s castle!!”

“Haha… Wouldn’t that be impossible unless we were to marry?”

“Take it! I give you my blessing!!”

“……?”

Acquired the position of Hestia’s prospective husband (not really), and more.

He had succeeded in becoming intimately close with the entire hero party—something impossible for an ordinary free priest.

Of course, Asha also approached him cautiously like a pet drawn to its owner, but…

“I’m sorry, Hero. Today I have plans with Lady Selena…”

“Ah, I’m having dinner with the Great Sage tonight…”

“Tomorrow, Lord Balkan asked me to try breaking rocks with eggs…”

Making various excuses to keep his distance, she sadly patrolled the islands alone.

And finally, midnight.

Tick.

The chain reaction starting from the second hand caused the minute and hour hands to pass midnight.

【Scheduled date: D-Day.】

The time to save Asha had begun.

In a shabby inn room he had reserved under the pretext of needing a quiet place to pray.

Nahan, who had somehow moved to the adjacent room, rose in his “Black Wolf” state and muttered.

“Status window.”

【Skill List – <Black Wolf>】

-Passive: Black Wolf(Ex) (Released)

-Skill 1: Black Curtain(Ex)

-Skill 2: Invincibility(Ex)

-Ultimate: (Access Restricted). (Ex) (Condition – 10/15)

By clearing Bad Ending 7 – “The Fanatic’s Rebellion,” he had unknowingly saved Selena and 124,012 people.

As a result, he received upgraded rewards: Black Wolf’s body, aura, combat experience, and the complete release of the passive skill – Black Wolf.

Unlike before, when he had to risk his life against even D-rank members of Eclipse, now he felt invincible against anyone.

Though he hadn’t properly used what he’d hastily gained from Hallorand’s request, he instinctively knew:

‘My body will move exactly as I think.’

His body was as mighty as a mountain, yet he could control even the slightest force at will.

He could also conceal his pulsating aura as if it didn’t exist, handling it with familiarity.

‘Must be thanks to the combat experience.’

There was still a slight delay, like reading instructions before responding, but unless facing powerhouses like Gwangmyeong or Black Wolf, no one would notice.

In any case, now that he had aura, the artifacts that previously drained his life force could finally demonstrate their full capabilities.

‘With the passive completely unlocked, there’s absolutely no way I’ll die.’

Therefore.

Until now, he had desperately struggled just to survive, but now he had not only that strength but also enough power to help others.

“Saving the Hero should be easy now.”

Click.

【Notice – <Acting> begins!】

【Stage 1 – <Analysis> completed.】

【Your understanding of the character – <Black Wolf> increases exponentially!】

【Stage 2 – <Immersion> completed.】

【You recreate the image of <Black Wolf> that you understand with perfect accuracy.】

Nahan, now wearing the Black Wolf mask, perched on the window and muttered.

“Let’s finish this quickly and then go see the Emperor.”

Just like this time, after saving Asha, he would be able to obtain related information.

One by one, slowly. If he continued handling the bad endings one at a time like this,

He would eventually reach the happy ending.

# 2.

Asha had dozed off.

-Asha, you still need to live.

-No!! Father!!!

Her recurring dream continued as always.

Burning Mirabel,

Herself as the sole survivor,

Hallorand quietly extending his hand.

The imperial crest engraved on the culprits’ scabbards.

Usually, she would wake up at this point, but occasionally, scenes from afterward would appear.

It was the Knight Academy.

There, among the selected hero candidates, a black-haired boy approached the isolated young Asha and whispered with a smile.

-You shine softly, like moonlight.

Though Asha thought her emotions had disappeared, that comment made her suddenly angry.

Light, he said.

All the light that had existed within her had vanished with burning Mirabel, leaving only soot behind.

-…Stop mocking me and get lost.

-Mocking? Me? You?

-I said get lost.

-How sensitive.

Leaving the sharp-tongued Asha behind, the boy plopped down beside her.

-I’ve decided. If I’m about to die, I’ll ask the Goddess to make you the Hero instead.

-…What?

-Others might not see it, but I can see everything. Your kind heart.

Kind? Me?

While she was bewildered by this unexpected praise, the boy suddenly grabbed her hand and whispered in her ear with a grin.

-So, promise me one thing. If you become the Hero…

What did you say that day?

“……”

As usual, Asha woke up before hearing the rest.

A night with a crescent moon, just like when she was with the boy.

Leaning against a secluded alley in the islands, she slowly rose and asked.

“Should I thank you for waiting?”

Her cold tone cut through the dense void.

Slash.

From the split void emerged a woman with pitch-black hair and red eyes.

“I’d appreciate that.”

“…Very well. I’ll pay you handsomely.”

Simultaneously, Asha’s hand moved toward her waist where the holy sword should have been, but,

“Don’t worry. I’ve already received payment.”

Instead of the missing sword, only dust slipped through her fingers.

The Blooming Flower Calamity.

The fourth elder of Eclipse made the stolen holy sword disappear somewhere, then asked with sensually curved red eyes.

“Should I thank you too? For walking alone into such a secluded place in the middle of the night.”

【Eclipse’s 4th Elder – <Blooming Flower Calamity(SS+)> activates her ultimate skill – <Germination(SSS-)> enhanced at the cost of her life force.】

【Target: <Asha Mirabel(SSS)>】

Whoosh!

Blood-red thorny vines shot out from every shadow, flying toward Asha.

【<Asha Mirabel(SSS)> activates her passive skill – <Purification(SSS)>!】

The massive holy power that had been pulsating with her heartbeat flashed as it activated, but,

【Eclipse’s 3rd Elder – <Silent Stillness Calamity(SS+)> activates his ultimate skill – <Silence(SSS+)> enhanced at the cost of his life force.】

【<Purification(SSS)> is silenced.】

【Restriction: <Asha Mirabel(SSS)>’s skill usage is restricted for 60 seconds.】

She was restrained by the Silent Stillness Calamity who had approached unnoticed.

However, as mentioned before, the gap between ranks is as vast as heaven and earth.

While the life-force-enhanced <Silence(SSS+)> was unavoidable, <Germination(SSS-)> was still lower ranked than Asha, so…

“Seems you prepared quite a bit.”

“Of course. You’re called the world’s strongest, after all. We must treat you properly.”

“…I said ‘quite a bit.'”

Crack,

Crunch!!!

Even without using skills, Asha could easily tear them apart.

Just as Asha tore through the shadow vines with her bare hands and lunged toward the Blooming Flower Calamity,

“I also said we’d treat you properly.”

“…!!?”

BOOM!!!

She took a blow to the face from an unexpected direction and tumbled violently.

The Vicious Asbestos.

The first Jangseung who created the position of “Jangseung” in the eastern country.

【Eclipse’s 2nd Elder – <Twelfth Month Calamity(SSS-)> activates his ultimate skill – <Pungmulpae(SSS-)>.】

The Twelfth Month Calamity.

“…Wow. This powerful without even sacrificing life force? Old man, you’re still kicking.”

“Focus.”

“Come on, share your secret…”

While the Blooming Flower was playfully poking at the Twelfth Month,

“…Let me ask. Are you the Black Wolf?”

Crack!

“Speak. Are you assassins sent by the Emperor? Or Eclipse? …No. I’ve changed my mind. It doesn’t matter anymore.”

A terrifying killing intent, different from before, emanated from where Asha had landed.

Cold sweat dripping,

Hair standing on end,

Trembling hands.

Though they clearly had the upper hand, why did they suddenly feel like cornered mice?

While all the elders tensed up, Asha added without the slightest change in expression:

“I’ll just rip off your heads and send them to the Black Magic Tower for information extraction.”

# 3.

Meanwhile, Nahan, who was hiding in a subspace with only his head poking out to observe the situation:

“Sigh, if she’s that strong, I can’t save her… This won’t work.”

Rummage, rummage.

Not the Black Wolf mask, but the mask worn by the Whispering Night Sleep Calamity, which he had recently taken from the dog.

Click.

Nahan checked himself in a mirror once and nodded with satisfaction.

“I’ll pretend to be from Eclipse and fight alongside them for a while, then when things get really dangerous, I’ll appear and save her.”

In other words, giving the disease before providing the cure.