Chapter 159
Chapter 159
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter Title: Night
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"Look. At the sight unfolding before your eyes."
[Yes.]
"Fuck."
[Pardon?]
Han tilted his head. It had been a while since I'd been this pissed off all the way to the top of my head. Seeing him act like he had no idea what he'd done wrong only made it worse.
"Hey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
I screamed at the top of my lungs. No, even that wasn't enough to express my rage. It wasn't just a "shriek"—it was more like "SKREEEEEEEEEE."
"You said you'd guide the way!!!!"
[Yes.]
"Then why the hell are we lost!!!!"
Just in case, but do you wanna die?
We sliced through those magic beasts one by one on the way here—did that make you feel some kinship with them? You wanna get sliced up too?
I summoned swords into both hands.
Do you know what this is in my left hand? The nightmare that devours the night. And do you know what this is in my right?
[The wolf that spits fire.]
Eeeeeexcellent. Correct. You remembered well.
[You refused to give it to me even though I said I liked it back then.]
No, no, why are you holding onto something so petty? I picked out two decent swords and gave them to you instead. Why can't you remember that? I'm really disappointed.
They say you come out of the bathroom a different person than when you went in—old sayings are never wrong. I took pity on a beggar sucking his thumb without even a single sword and generously gave him some charity, and this is the ungrateful response I get.
[Hmm. Now that you mention it...]
Quick to admit fault—nice. Even among ungrateful beggars, you're pretty decent. At least you know how to own up to it.
What I mean is, you don't turn ugly at least. There are so many stubborn people out there who can't admit when they're wrong and won't listen to anyone.
And how pathetic and miserable are their lives? Just like mine. I applaud your humanity.
Clap clap.
[Thank you.]
Back to the story—these two swords are my absolute treasures.
Do you know why I treasure them? Aren't you curious? You're dying to know, right? Of course you are.
[No... not really...]
Alright, here's the explanation. Open your ears and listen up.
This one's name is Epiatis, meaning 'the nightmare that devours the night.'
This sword devours everything that touches its blade.
Not literally, of course—it's a figure of speech. Legend has it that its edge is so sharp there's nothing it couldn't cut.
Water, fire, steel—even magic itself would split in two the moment it touched this blade. The ultimate in cutting power, you could say.
They say it looked less like it was cutting and more like it was swallowing things whole, hence the name 'Nightmare that Devours the Night.' Isn't it cool? A name that stirs the soul of any collector.
[If you'd given me that one, I wouldn't have died.]
Can't hold back the grumbling, huh?
Sadly, even if Han had taken this sword, the outcome wouldn't have changed much.
Why, you ask...?
"The truth is... this sword requires a tremendous amount of magic power to wield perfectly...!"
[Gasp.]
From my tests, to maximize its cutting power, you have to pour in a corresponding amount of magic power.
Without it, it's just a very sharp and sturdy sword—nothing more.
And the 'Fire-Spitting Wolf' was the same. Even if Han had gotten both the 'Nightmare that Devours the Night' and the 'Fire-Spitting Wolf' back then, he couldn't have used them properly.
Honestly, Han was skilled at using magic power to enhance his body, but his total reserves weren't that high. He wouldn't have been able to handle the drain.
[Sigh.]
Focus, now. So what about the 'Fire-Spitting Wolf'? Exactly what it sounds like—a sword that spits fire.
Every swing unleashes flames that don't go out until they've burned everything around them.
The ground, the grass, even the struggling lives beyond. It becomes a massive wall of fire that erases it all.
[I knew that much.]
"Huh? How?"
[Because you were just slicing up magic beasts with it a moment ago. It was like pouring oil on an already burning area. The flames reached the sky.]
Oh, right. Yeah.
But that couldn't be helped. The magic beasts crossed the line first.
What was I supposed to do about being pissed?
I probably could have held back if I'd tried...
...No.
Did I actually hold back?
Originally, I was furious enough to burn everything to ash, but if I barely managed to restrain myself and only scorched a portion...?
Shouldn't I be praised for that?
Your Honor. Yes, I failed to control my momentary emotions and committed arson, but please acknowledge that I exercised superhuman restraint in the process.
[Duly noted.]
No, what if it wasn't my fault at all? It looks like I couldn't hold back and set the fire, but what if I didn't actually do it?
What if I succeeded in suppressing my rage, so I didn't commit arson—but my beloved sword, the 'Fire-Spitting Wolf,' couldn't hold back, and pillars of flame shot up without me realizing?
What if the culprit wasn't me, but the wolf?
[Unbelievable. Anis Harper, not guilty.]
Bang bang bang.
[Wolf, you are guilty.]
Bang bang bang.
But seriously, how did we end up like this?
Why are we standing still, having this pointless conversation?
I remember being really angry about something, but I can't recall why or how we got here.
I scratched my head and asked Han.
"Do you happen to know?"
[Well...]
Han looked embarrassed, staring off into the distance for a moment before speaking.
[We're lost.]
"Oh yeah, you fucking bastard!"
And just like that, back to square one.
I pointed my sword at Han.
Just in case, but do you wanna die?
We sliced through those magic beasts one by one on the way here—did that make you feel some kinship with them? You wanna get sliced up too?
Look at my left hand. The nightmare that devours the night.
Did you really want to be cut by this blade? Sliced and diced until even your form is devoured?
Look at my right hand. The fire-spitting wolf.
Do you want to burn?
Blaze up and flicker out? Your life, your memories, your emotions—all of it.
You don't care if it all burns away?
No, thinking about it, you're already gone.
Han is already dead.
In the city sector of X Zone, among the heroes.
He died without leaving a trace, didn't he?
His life, memories, emotions.
No one acknowledged him, nothing left behind—might as well have vanished.
Right?
[Whoa, whoa.]
Han held out his palms to calm me down. Whoa my ass.
"Why the hell did we get lost!!!"
You said you'd guide the way. I followed you because I trusted that.
Is having a path a luxury for someone like me? Am I the type who should just...
Like this.
Forever.
Wandering aimlessly.
Stumbling without direction.
Left alone in the dark where no one's around? Isn't that too much?
I even broke the barrier myself and disrupted the frontline heroes, leading to countless deaths.
Just then, as flames rose from the sword in my right hand with a whoosh—
[Wait! There's a way!]
Han urgently stopped me.
What? If it's not a real solution, I'm not holding back anymore. You might actually die. Got it?
Han immediately offered a solution.
[Let's go to Betty first. Hasn't she always been your rock whenever you got lost and wandered?]
Huh? Are you a genius?
The brilliantly clear answer gave me chills, and I clapped without thinking.
Yeah, with Yeriel liable to show up anytime and no clue where to go—sticking with Betty is probably the best option right now.
Once her magic power recovers enough, we could even teleport straight to where Yeriel appears.
You sneaky bastard—you come through when it counts.
Alright.
So where's Betty?
[I'm not sure...]
Huh? Wanna die?
I flared up again for a second, but quickly calmed myself.
No need to get mad here. He's already done his part just by suggesting it.
Betty's likely location isn't hard to guess.
She has no combat ability. She'd evacuate to a safe spot.
Last I saw her, her magic power was low, so she wouldn't have teleported far.
The area nearby is swarming with magic beasts and heroes. The safest bet would be X Zone with Kahatel, but Betty doesn't like being alone with him. She'd pick somewhere else.
That leaves old underground facilities or some remote corner with no light at all.
But Betty hates dark places. She prefers bright, high spots over cramped, shadowy ones.
She often teleported up into the sky. She loved the open freshness from above and the lights shining from below. She'd plummet right back down, but even that sensation thrilled her.
So no basements or corners. That leaves one spot.
The rooftop.
We're heading to the rooftop.
Betty likes high places.
I don't know which zone she's in, but checking the rooftops of the tallest buildings in each should lead us to her eventually.
We started walking.
The path was still unclear, and we wandered, but it wasn't as depressing as before.
Thanks to Betty.
How agonizing is marching without purpose? But now we had a clear goal—Betty—so it wasn't so bad.
[If you'd given me those weapons, I wouldn't have died.]
He muttered from behind, but I didn't bother responding.
"........."
The night is cold.
We just kept walking down an unknown path.