episode_0026

A peaceful bandit hideout, somewhere.

“Boss!”

“Someone’s coming!”

“What, just one person? Why the fuss?”

“It’s Daruk, an A-rank adventurer!… Gurk!”

Bandit A’s head was sliced clean off mid-sentence.

“Eeeek!!”

“I’ll slaughter all of you.”

“Daruk the A-rank adventurer?!… Gurk!”

Bandit B finished speaking before his head was severed.

“Beeee!!”

“Boss!”

“I’ll stop him!… Gurk!”

Bandit C charged valiantly—only to be decapitated.

“Ceee!!”

“Boss!”

“Quickly… Gurk!”

Bandit D never got to act before his head flew off.

“Deeee!!”

And so, the lone bandit boss was soon beheaded as well.

“Gurk!…”

With that, all the bandits were dead.

Therefore…

All their loot now belonged to me.

“Let’s see~♪”

“Anything good to take~♪”

This had been a bandit gang of about 30.

25 grunt bandits. 4 officers—Bandits A, B, C, D. And 1 boss.

At this scale, there had to be something worthwhile.

“Oh…”

“Not bad.”

[Sword of Ice and Flame]

A peculiar longsword—one blade blue, the other red. The blue edge inflicted additional ice damage, while the red edge dealt extra fire damage. Colloquially known as the “Iceflame Blade.”

A handy weapon for early-to-mid game. Its base attack power was middling, but it added magical damage to physical strikes.

…That said,

such an evaluation only held true for heroes. To a D-rank adventurer like me, this was treasure-tier gear.

“Quite the expensive weapon.”

“So, how do you plan to distribute it?”

“Distribute?”

“I have no such intention.”

Daruk silently gripped his sword.

“Oh-ho.”

“Let me finish.”

“In an hour, you’ll surrender all rewards to me—that’s what I meant.”

I smirked.

“Not that I’ll take everything.”

“You insist on handing it over, so I’ll reluctantly accept.”

“Quite the confidence.”

“You’ll be grateful enough to call me ‘Brother Cain’ by then.”

“An hour, you say?”

“That’s right.”

Getting here took about two hours. Now, only one remained.

In an hour, A-rank adventurer Daruk would be sobbing gratitude, addressing me as “Brother,” and surrendering every last bandit treasure.

Well…

To outsiders, I might seem like nothing more than a scammer…

But it hardly mattered.

If he turned out to be an actual fraud, cutting his head off would suffice.

‘Daruk is an A-rank, after all.’

In raw combat, he stood among the world’s strongest.

‘At least until the hero’s party grows…’

‘For now, he’s unmatched.’

Thus,

if he still seemed shady in an hour, I’d simply act then.

…Or so he probably thought.

Sshink.

Daruk sheathed his blade quietly.

“Fine.”

“Since we’re alone, let’s talk.”

“About what?”

“The Grail of Sacrifice.”

“!!!!!!”

“Heh.”

“No need for such shock.”

“The real surprise is yet to come!”

I eased into the tone.

“If I resurrect the two lovers who died for you, you’d call me ‘Brother Cain,’ right?”

“!!!!!!”

Daruk’s eyes widened.

“T-that’s possible?!”

“It is.”

Resurrection.

Normally, an impossibility.

Even gods couldn’t revive the dead—or so the saying went.

However…

Under the right conditions, even death could be undone.

Condition 1: The soul must still be preserved.

The true barrier to resurrection was the irreversible dispersal of the soul.

After death, souls lingered briefly—

but within hours, their form collapsed and dissolved.

Ordinary deaths? Irreversible.

But—

those sacrificed to the Grail of Sacrifice were different.

‘The Grail uses souls as fuel.’

‘Meaning it also keeps them intact.’

That said,

preservation had limits—a mere 10-20 years.

Beyond that, memories faded,

and after 50 years, the soul devolved into something unrecognizable.

But—

Daruk’s lovers had died only 1-2 years prior.

Their souls remained pristine.

Hearing this,

Daruk’s joy twisted into grief.

“To think they suffered even in death, trapped in that device…”

“Who said they suffered?”

“?”

“It’s more like being asleep.”

“No pain at all, so don’t worry.”

“……”

“What?”

“You sound like you’ve been inside yourself.”

Guilty as charged.

I’d tested the Grail’s sacrificial process—out of sheer curiosity.

But admitting that would earn me a “madman” label,

so I brushed it off.

“Anyway.”

“Think of them as napping. No need for concern.”

“Is that so…”

“But.”

“A soul alone isn’t enough for resurrection.”

Condition 2: A functional vessel must exist.

Anything would do—

a doll,

a sword imbued to become an “Ego Blade,”

any container capable of housing a soul.

Ideally, though,

a human body was best.

…But after 1-2 years,

no corpses would remain intact.

They’d have to be reconstructed.

Hearing this, Daruk recoiled.

“Reconstructed?”

“Yep.”

“That’s possible?”

“Absolutely.”

I pointed at Daruk’s pouch.

“Make a wish with the Grail, and it’ll restore their bodies.”

“Use the Grail?”

“Yes.”

“Meaning what?”

“This.”

The Plan (Simplified):

1. Daruk becomes the sacrifice, charging the Grail with energy. 2. I claim the now-ownerless Grail. 3. Use its power to resurrect Daruk + both lovers. 4. Happy ending!

“Thoughts?”

“Solid plan, no?”

“I won’t ask why I should trust you with my life.”

“Oh?”

“You trust me that much?”

“If reuniting with them means gambling my life… I’ll take those odds.”

Ah—not trust, then.

Just a desperate gamble.

“But there’s another issue.”

“Which is?”

“The Grail demands annual sacrifices.”

“Fail to provide? It devours its owner.”

“So?”

“You’d lose someone dear yearly—or die yourself.”

I knew that.

The Grail’s cruel catch.

But—

no need to fret.

“Relax.”

“There’s a workaround.”

“Which is?”

“First—it’s not yearly.”

“Not?”

“Sacrifice 10 at once? No further offerings for a decade.”

“And where would you find ten willing victims?”

“The Grail only accepts those who’d die willingly for you—a vile mechanism.”

“I know.”

“By normal logic, ten people loving me enough to die is absurd.”

“Planning to die yourself?”

“Well…”

“That’s for me to imagine.”

The Grail’s true usage was best kept secret.

Its horrific penalty made it universally shunned—

but if the penalty could be voided?…

Many would kill to claim it.

Hence,

no sharing.

‘It’s not exactly something to boast about, either…’

Not illegal,

but morally… questionable.

No need to elaborate.

“So?”

“My terms—accept or refuse?”

“A man knowingly facing death still demands the Grail?”

“Then it must be his only hope…”

Daruk sighed.

“I’m truly grateful for your help.”

“If you ever need aid, I’ll repay the debt.”

“Well…”

“Save the thanks for post-resurrection. For now, heed these warnings.”

“Warnings?”

“First—the revival method.”

I gestured to the bandit corpses.

“I’ll use their remains as material.”

Bodies weren’t strictly necessary,

but they reduced the energy cost.

One sacrifice reviving three? Only possible with ample materials.

“So that’s why you had me slaughter them…”

“Precisely.”

“Human flesh crafts the finest vessels.”

(Note: The boss’s corpse would be spared—proof for the guild’s bounty.)

“Next—post-revival, your levels reset.”

“Reset?”

“Meaning…”

“All your training, muscles—gone. You’ll be weaker.”

“A small price.”

“The Grail’s power will also vanish.”

“Even with growth, B-rank will be your ceiling.”

“Irrelevant.”

“Good.”

“That’s all?”

“Yep.”

“If that’s the cost, I’ll pay it gladly.”

Daruk lifted the Grail.

“I leave the rest to y—”

“STOP!”

A familiar voice cut in.

“Elise?”

“Cain!”

“Whatever you’re planning—don’t!”

Elise’s voice was icy.

“Master!”

“The Grail is forbidden!”

Lia approached, deadly serious.

Huh?

They caught up already?

‘…Horse?’