Lantern (5)
Lee Se-jin had this to say about History's Record.
"History's Record signals the beginning of a tale."
"And while it could theoretically be triggered arbitrarily, the chances of that are exceedingly slim."
A prime example was Saga Stone.
"One thing's for sure: History's Record marks the start of a path—or serves as a highlight that will echo down through generations from whatever's unfolding right now."
A reporter asked,
"What exactly are the activation conditions?"
The number of users etched into History's Record could be counted on one hand.
Naturally, people wondered.
What on earth triggered it?
"Think of our Korean legends. Like when King Sejong completed Hunminjeongeum, or Admiral Yi Sun-sin defended the seas time and again to forge his place in history. It begins with the achievements of some great figure leading their era. Beyond that, it can be triggered by various other things the system recognizes, so I can't say it's 100% predictable."
A vague explanation.
But Lee Se-jin offered a concrete example.
"For instance, I believe the birth of the first user king would definitely trigger it."
In other words, History's Record wasn't something easily achieved.
And now, such a historic record was unfolding.
Hyun-soo wondered why history was being inscribed at this very moment.
The finicky conditions were the reason it had activated.
Recorded from the Abandoned Knight and the Insignificant Lord.
Lukio had undergone a profound shift in his heart.
When he shattered the gates and charged in, he hurled dozens of questions at himself.
"Why for my sake...?"
"Am I even worth it?"
"Is it because of yesterday's humiliation?"
And realistically, no one could have reached this place.
"Friends, I called you here."
Lukio knew it. "Friends" or not, Hyun-soo must have given up a great deal to gather them.
It made no sense.
Not long ago, Hyun-soo had asked him,
"Will you join the Great Atlas War? I need your strength, Lukio."
"No."
He'd refused outright.
First, because he knew he was about to leave. Second, because at the time, Lukio's spirit was utterly drained.
He'd come to partially understand Hyun-soo's persistent pleas.
As a lord giving his all to defend his territory, he was showing his true self.
Yet Lukio hadn't shared his own circumstances—he'd only voiced his inner turmoil.
"...Darkness."
"..."
"Despair, sorrow, pain, rage, fear, frustration..."
"..."
"That's me right now."
He brushed past the speechless Hyun-soo.
Even so, that man had come all this way for someone as lost as he was.
And the change in his thinking didn't stop there.
Lukio had seen it.
Knight Commander Seon.
"Sir Lukio!"
There was a boy who loved swinging wooden swords.
He'd idolized Lukio, vowed to become just like him, grown swiftly, and become a knight.
That knight now wept blood-tinged tears as he struck at Hyun-soo.
He looked at the other knights.
"Lukio... sir..."
"Luuukiooo!"
"Please, grant us peace...!"
"Bestow peace upon us!!!"
He could feel their unwanted lives.
The Blood King had said it himself.
Be absorbed and die, or become demonkin and live.
Absurd choices forced upon them, lives spanning over a century.
Unable to even age, they'd watched Enya Kingdom's population dwindle.
Though they'd chosen demonization out of fear of immediate death, they regretted it endlessly.
To them, striking Hyun-soo felt like striking Lukio.
Hundreds of children who'd once rushed at him with wooden swords in joy had grown into fine knights, now seeking an end to their lives.
And so they raised their blades, embracing a new lord.
Amid the tangled web of complex reasons.
The greatest was what Hyun-soo had said to him—the one who'd declared only darkness and despair as he passed by.
"Light, hope, joy, delight, laughter..."
When he'd turned back with a puzzled look, Hyun-soo scratched his head with an awkward, boyish grin...
"I'll give you all that. Definitely."
He was a knight harder to win over than any in the world.
Yet the insignificant lord's sincerity embraces a new soul.
The reason History's Record had begun was revealed.
A narrative sparked by some scene, historic moment, or great feat.
The Unyielding Knight takes a new king into his heart.
It heralded the prologue to the tale of one who might become king—and the mightiest knight to follow him.
Recorded in history.
And in the first page of that record, he struck.
Sching-!
In stark contrast to the king who'd used and discarded him, for the one who'd gathered friends and broken through just for him.
He slashed once at the Blood King, whom he'd served in that brief "former life," leaving him stunned.
Then, gripping his sword with both hands, he slashed again.
"Graaak!"
The man spewed blood from his mouth as Lukio shoved him back.
He charged forward swiftly, intent on guarding his new king.
But he questioned himself.
Could he, as he was now, defeat that horde of knights and the Blood King?
Moreover, the Blood King's rage made them even stronger, blood spraying everywhere.
"Luuukiooo, it won't go your wayyy!"
Blood King's Command
Demonkin grow 25% stronger.
Berserk penalty: They begin forgetting themselves, human emotions fading.
"Because of you, they're losing everything that made them human!"
His chest tightened.
They'd grown stronger, but at the cost of forgetting the idol they'd once admired.
Forgetting the joys, delights, rage, sorrow, and pains of their living days.
Through eyes turned upside down, Seon cried out.
"...Strike me down. Please, strike me down—you, the knight I idolized and loved!!"
His desperate wail made Lukio's heart pound as he ran.
He saw visions of hundreds of children cheering around him.
"I will strike you down."
Now there was reason to strike them.
But as he was now, he was too weak to grant them peace.
A seed freshly freed from demonhood.
He lacked the power to grant them rest...
"Lukio!"
His new lord's voice swept it all away.
Whirrr-
A massive greatsword pulled from inventory and tossed his way.
He gripped it fiercely.
Back to his original level.
Still, he felt insufficient.
In that instant, Hyun-soo and Lukio were connected without words.
The moment he nodded slowly.
A massive awakening aura drawn into the Twin Dragon Swords.
"I'm curious, Lukio."
A being with the astonishing potential of 165.
Once called the Undefeated Knight, the finest among millions.
How much power would that knight wield at full strength?
It revealed itself.
Awaken.
Kuooooh-!
Fierce light erupted from Lukio.
The knight who never once lost awakens.
His status window changed with a chime.
Hyun-soo's eyes widened.
It wasn't just surpassing 500.
Named and non-named were worlds apart even at the same level.
The Undefeated Knight was the pinnacle among named NPCs.
And Lukio was more untalented than expected.
Born to protect others, he'd honed himself solely for that— a dullard by nature.
While others practiced once, he'd done it ten times over to become strong.
Even Hyun-soo hadn't glimpsed the full might of the Undefeated Knight until now.
"Graoooh!"
"Kyaah!"
"Graaaak!"
Facing hundreds of mindless children clutching wooden swords, Lukio smiled faintly—just as he had back then.
"...Sleep now."
The Twin Dragon Swords raised at a perfect right angle.
"Dawn."
Amid the enveloping darkness, his blade became a slowly rising sun.
As the sun's light spread...
Krummble-!
Hundreds of sword beams lanced from his blade, shredding and slicing every knight before him.
Drip, drip-
Tears fell from Lukio's eyes before the blood.
The hundreds of knights' frenzied faces softened.
Their black skin reverted to human flesh.
Blood fountained from their bodies, yet they all gazed peacefully at their once-idolized figure.
"...Don't cry, my idol."
Seon tilted backward with a radiant smile.
"..."
His chest ached fiercely.
At the reality of slaying with his own hands those he'd cherished and loved.
But his new lord revealed the truth.
"It's not death."
Lukio glanced aside to see Hyun-soo there.
With a subtle smile, Hyun-soo said,
"You've opened a path of choice for them."
Lukio's eyes trembled.
As a user, Hyun-soo knew what NPCs didn't.
He swiftly relayed part of the Hidden Quest: Purification.
Those meeting death could awaken as humans again, choosing eternal rest or life.
"...Is that so."
Lukio gripped his sword tightly.
Beyond the purified knights, endless Enya Kingdom forces pressed in.
Tap, tap-
Hyun-soo's light pat on his shoulder eased his heart.
With thoughts of purifying more, he advanced.
A colossal power pursued him.
"You dare... you dare humiliate me!?"
Veins bulged in the enraged Blood King's eyes.
His power stemmed mostly from blood.
The knights' blood Lukio had spilled gathered into an orb.
Blood Festival
Blood explosion engulfs 60m radius.
Before detonating, he hurled razor-sharp blood daggers.
Pfshook-!
They pierced Lukio's back squarely, but he didn't even glance back.
He simply strode out.
"..."
The Blood King's eyes shook.
He understood why.
Lukio no longer deemed him worth a single look.
"...I'll kill you!"
The massive blood festival plummeted toward the ground at last.
But first—
Bam-!
The insignificant lord's sword slammed him into the wall.
Cast failed.
The Blood King's face twisted in fury.
He shook his head violently, regaining his senses, and realized.
The insignificant lord he'd once feared to even speak to before. The one powerless against hundreds of thousands and the Blood King himself.
"You're facing me."
Sneering at the thought of him, certainty settled.
For one seated among the Five Pillars, he was far too ea—
"...!?"
The Blood King recoiled in shock upon snapping to.
"What the hell is that?"
He beheld an unbelievable sight.
Meanwhile, Hyun-soo heard it.
Hidden Quest: Purification updated.
Blood King
📍 Rank: SSS
📍 Restriction: Those battling the Blood King
🎁 Reward: Purification of Enya Kingdom
📍 Failure Penalty: Death
📖 Description: Enya Kingdom's fall began with the Blood King. Slay him, and all demonkin will be purified into humans.
Hyun-soo wondered if he could purify so many.
But the alert assured him it was possible.
This was the man who'd deemed him unworthy even to face, pounding his own solar plexus in dismissal.
Hyun-soo had waited for this moment.
Grip-!
He clutched the Four Signs Sword of national peace in his right hand.
Grip-!
The Babylon that eradicated all evil falling from the heavens in his left.
Artifacts combined.
An indescribable blaze of light burst forth.
All Evil trembles in fear!
This "evil" surely included great demons—and perhaps even the Calamity Church's gods.
One sword took form as a long greatsword, inscribed on the blade: "Myeolak's Four Signs Sword."
Transcendent+ grade.
He drew the vastly empowered Myeolak's Four Signs Sword behind him, planting strength into his grounded foot.
"Let's end this."
Krummmble-
Exterminate All Evil!
The Blood King panicked.
Sching-!
In a single blow, his body cleaved in two.
The pathetic lord who'd trembled before hundreds of thousands and the name "Blood King."
"This bastard..."
He began to realize—this man was kingly material.