Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: Starlight Spring
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A sense of dissonance, as if the forest wind were swirling in midair.
Zero's eyes fixed on the expressionless Bahadi and Gamur's seemingly kind smile, at the boundary between the still air and the flowing air, just an inch apart.
"Over there..."
"Come this way, Zero."
Plop, plop!
As Gamur stood, the vine-like tendrils that had connected his body to the chair like ivy fell away, intensifying the thick grassy scent.
Zero swallowed dryly as Gamur extended a pale hand toward the swirling spatial door.
'Sir Adelian told me to learn from these elves.'
Doppelgangers were fundamentally monsters. But since no one had ever seen their true form properly, people just thought of them as creatures from stories.
But these were elves, and elves were long-lived. Among the tales passed down over long ages, there had to be stories about doppelgangers.
Would they kill him, who still had no power, or use him like they did in that labyrinth?
With the party gone, fear settled in beside him that much more.
'Still...'
He wanted to grow stronger.
He wanted to become a proper member of this party. He didn't want to just cower in fear from the back, hoping his worth lay in himself, not in controlling other doppelgangers.
'Besides, if it were really dangerous, Sir Adelian wouldn't have left me here.'
Zero knew those eyes that sometimes looked at him coldly. Whether Adelian himself knew or not was unknowable, but sometimes that emotionless gaze, like looking at an object.
Often, eyes that saw everything not as living beings but as puppets in a street puppet show.
If Adelian got desperate, it wouldn't surprise Zero if he said to just kill him and carry him around.
A contradictory feeling: someone who cared for them more than anyone, yet might abandon them at any moment.
'So I have to be useful.'
That way, at least, he could plead to stay a little longer.
As Zero slowly reached out and took Gamur's offered hand, his body was pulled forward, and in an instant, he passed through the door where the forest wind had swirled and stood at the Starlight Spring.
This place was night. The sky looked like deep blue and purple ink had been spilled, then sprinkled with silver powder.
A small waterfall and a modest spring. Blue crystal-like water cascaded down, and translucent butterflies melted into the air only to bloom again, fluttering about.
A landscape as if someone had scooped a circle around the waterfall and spring from the sky with a spoon and floated it in the night sky.
The end of the not-so-wide meadow was locked in the sky.
"This is the Starlight Spring. A rift in the world that cannot be easily found without my permission."
Zero, still a bit frozen, looked at Bahadi.
This woman, who was often overpowered by Adelian, was the owner of the Starlight Spring, a high elf, and an elder of the elves.
"Shall we begin then? Zero... no, progenitor of the doppelgangers."
"Yes?"
"You came here thinking I knew, so why act so surprised?"
Gamur's kind smile looked eerie in Zero's eyes.
Would he attack, calling him a cursed monster? Would his core be buried forever in this world's rift?
As Zero took a step back, Gamur's jewel-like eyes glowed faintly.
"Adelian was right. You have talent. I'll give you some of my blood and flesh—swallow and digest it."
"And then. Survive against us, Zero."
At Bahadi's dry words, Zero quickly turned to flee through the way he came, but the door was already gone.
"Um... shouldn't you deal with the betrayer first?"
Gamur spoke without losing his gentle smile at Zero's trembling voice.
"No need to worry. I've already taken measures."
"Besides, the grand elder's mansion is now isolated due to mana distortion."
Zero thought of Adelian at Bahadi's words.
Isolated?
"Then when Sir Adelian comes out of the ruins... what happens?"
"He'll emerge from the outskirts of the Spirit Forest, not the center."
As Bahadi spoke, Gamur's jewel eyes emitted a faint light.
"And we'll be here. That place is destined to become a wasteland."
Why on earth? Zero wanted to ask, but Gamur's eyes seemed to reflect something other than this Starlight Spring or himself, so he couldn't open his mouth.
"Shall we start now, Zero? It's the hardships that make things stick in memory longest."
Was it a joke or not?
As Gamur, who had seemed to gaze elsewhere for a moment, sliced his arm with a small dagger and collected blood in a vial, tears welled up in Zero's eyes.
* * *
Five minutes. In five minutes, the passage opens.
"Ready?"
"Yes, Young Master."
Luna tapping the floor a few times with the tip of her boot.
―Awaiting orders.
Leaf, now wearing a one-piece armor with self-repair function instead of her flowing original clothes, and arm warmers that could transform into shields.
"Give the order."
And Kane.
He wanted to bring out all the mass-produced golems, but to defend this place and activate them outside, the Ocean Pearl needed to be activated.
If the elves saw mass-produced golems made of metal skeletons pouring out of the grand elder's mansion...
'It'd look like we seized the absence of the grand elder to plot a rebellion—whoever saw it would think we're rebels.'
At least Nana, Luna, and Kane would be remembered by someone, so Leaf could sneak along inconspicuously.
What if no one remembers? No way. At least Kane's face wouldn't be easily forgotten. Right. I trust you.
―Passage opening complete. Opening the door.
"Vanguard: Kane and Leaf. Mid: Luna as sub-DPS for the vanguard. I'll support from the rear."
Couldn't know the outside situation, but heavy defenses never hurt.
Even if they went out cautiously like this, Gamur's side might have already swept the enemies, so maybe nothing would happen.
'Or maybe the Evil God Cult and rebels are lying in wait.'
"Let's move."
I checked Aegis once, placed my hand on the Codex, and ran.
The passage that had swirled with faint light collapsed, and the newly dug one was pitch black.
I placed a Light on the Codex to secure forward visibility, and soon spotted a shadowy figure moving slightly at the far end.
"Alive after all!"
"Report quickly...!"
"Block them!"
So the Evil God Cult was waiting outside.
Before they fully entered my view, Kane accelerated and swung his sword.
Just hearing the crash against the wall, they seemed clad in metal armor—split in one strike?
No time to admire: Leaf followed Kane, and Luna matched my stride to protect me.
"Hoo, next time, definitely speed items."
I gritted my teeth and ran. The Codex had Haste, but it caused muscle pain afterward, and since it wasn't a proper wound, potions didn't work—best for emergencies only.
"See you again, insolent pup."
"You talk too much."
Panting as we exited, the mansion was already in ruins, revealing the entrance to the ruins.
And around a hundred black-clad humans and dozens of elf rangers encircled us in a semicircle.
Most elf rangers had varying degrees, but hair like muddied filth, discolored bodies, and possessed eyes.
'Corrupted.'
I glanced around sidelong. Not the Spirit Forest where elves and fey lived, but an isolated forest.
And the Evil God Cult surrounding us.
I signaled Leaf, then slowly exhaled.
"Hand over the core now."
"What are you talking about?"
Short black hair, snake-scale glossy black eyes. A man in his late twenties.
The battle mage who fought Kane before.
To buy time, I responded while activating User Inspection without missing this time.
[Chaser Altain—Executor of the Evil God Cult]
Main Traits: [Heresy Magic (SS)] [Martial Arts (S)] [Torture Arts (A)]
Hidden Traits: [Divine Power (B)] [Counseling (C)]
Chaser!
Why didn't I remember? So distinctive.
Handsome but serpentine cold eyes, awkward legs. Ebony staff and soul crystal at its tip.
'And Heresy Magic.'
I frantically recalled the original game and Innocent Saga.
In Innocent Saga, basic magic was elemental and neutral, with twisted ones classified separately.
Heresy Magic notably included blood magic by vampire units, rare shadow magic inheritance, and mental magic.
'And Chaser mastered them all. Not for nothing called the unit the Evil God Cult stole from me.'
"Pretending not to know won't bring reinforcements. Gamur abandoned you. This place is quite far from the Spirit Forest."
"What, did I just get backstabbed? I trusted elves, unbelievable. But what's the core for?"
I casually smiled, pretended to rummage my pocket, flipped it out shaking dust, and eyed Chaser. The snake-like man twisted his lips in a grin.
"Well, if that's how it is, we'll take it by force."
"Try it. If you can beat Kane."
I boldly pushed Kane forward; he glanced at me, sighed faintly, then sliced a rising shadow clump.
"Again with this."
"Pup. Different this time."
Unlike before, more shadows.
As Chaser, who whispered scattering murmurs then grinned, lowered his raised hand toward us, the elf rangers nocked arrows at us and loosed simultaneously.
'Arrows pouring from one direction anyway.'
"Wasting power pointlessly."
I consumed three or four facet shields at once, then Kane moved to check Chaser, Luna dove into the enemy lines, and I shielded Leaf.
'And not chatting with Chaser to waste time for nothing.'
―Switching Ocean Pearl to output mode. 207 operable 1A golems arriving.
Vibrations and footsteps echoed from the ruins entrance behind.
Mass-produced golems of metal skeletons only. Not weak just because Kane and Luna smashed them easily.
No pain or emotion, metal bodies—won't break easily without aura.
"No way. You met the ruins' owner?"
Ignoring Chaser's incredulous words, I placed my hand on the Magic Missile page.
"Kane, he's got time to talk. What are you doing."
One of the five low-grade magic stones embedded in the Codex's spine crumbled, and dozens of Magic Missiles floated in the air.
No need for multi-control; instead of mentally targeting each, I fired straight.
"What!"
A line of blood trailed Chaser's cheek as he barely dodged Kane's blade whip. A near-scream escaped him.
"Again."
Once more, a Codex magic stone powdered.
Magic Missiles poured on the Evil God Cult raising swords before clashing with golems and elf rangers stowing bows for daggers, pushing them back and breaking their stances.
Neither side could use powerful magic anyway.
I was sparing Codex pages; they needed me alive.
'Quantity battle then. You dare challenge me?'
Thanks to Leptid, for 1-class magic, with just magic stones and my mental power, I could cast faster and more than any mage.
Before our forces fully mixed with the Evil God Cult, like their arrow volley, I crushed magic stones one after another, pouring Magic Missiles, and soon staggering cultists were overrun by golems.
Clang! Kang!
Vision flashed sporadically everywhere, blinding. Metal golems and weapons clashed, screeching sparks.
And in the battlefield's center, massive shadow vines surged like hands, grasping Kane—then Kane's trait.
Dispel slashed the grip like rotten leaves crumbling.